Im new at this- my cat diagnosed with diabetes today

My cat "Jupiter" was just diagnosed with diabetes today. I was concerned as he was drinking water very excessively. I looked it up last night and as I read about what could be wrong with him I just cried. I knew something was wrong. I took him to the vet today and they did blood tests and diagnosed him with diabetes. It breaks my heart and I am very scared to give him the insulin shots. I know I can do it because I want to help him but this all seems overwhelming. I'm really new to this and don't usually post on forums and things like that so I am not really sure what to even say. I just feel overwhelmed and I worry that I wont be able to tell if something is wrong with him. I worry that my family will criticize me for my decision to do whatever I can to help them, as they know I was already struggling financially before this. I love my cat so much and will do anything to help him, but they don't seem to understand that. If anyone has any comments or advice or tips.. I would greatly appreciate it.

 

It does seem overwhelming at first. We all felt that way in our first post. But we will help you learn about diabetes and the more you learn, the more confident you will feel.

We have a protocol that has helped many cats to regulation and sometimes remission. We feed wet low carb food, give insulin in doses determined by testing at home. I'd suggest you start on the index page and read the threads on nutrition and health and the FAQs. Ask lots of questions.

What kind of insulin? What dose? What are you feeding right now?

Let us know we can help. You can do this; we'll be your support group.

 

It's ok... You just found the best forum there is (IMHO). We can help you as much or as little as you want. There are tons of unpaid volunteers here that love cats and will be more than willing to help.

First take a deep breath and read this, http://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=33671

You said they did blood tests, did they mention "fructosamine" and send the blood to a lab or just test on site using a meter?


Here are some links to read , it's a lot to take in at first so have a read and then come back and ask lots of questions!! https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Rd6sMfsrNB41yQVEqpyjlHrJsDIbGEhbRIWR4QAwu3c/pub

Meanwhile let us know what you are feeding, what insulin you are giving etc. we can also help you get a cheap test kit since we strongly recommend you test his blood to keep him safe.


Wendy

 

He was prescribed Lantus. 1 unit twice a day. The vet recommended WD prescription diet for diabetic cats. The vet gave him a dose of the insulin today so I have not given him a dose yet. I will give it to him in the morning. We are taking Jupiter back to the vet Saturday morning so they can test his blood again? The vet said he needs to come in to be tested to make sure he is getting the right dose of insulin.


They did the blood test there. The vet came in the room with a little piece of paper with numbers on it and said his level was too high and that he was diabetic?

 

Lantus is a great choice in insulin. Is the food wet or dry?

I am a little concerned over how he diagnosed the diabetes. Did he tell you what the number was?

I also am concerned about giving insulin without testing the blood first. If you shoot and he is low, he could have a hypo.

I would recommend that tomorrow before shooting you go to Walmart (I assume you are in the us) and pick up the below items so we can test him and keep him safe. If you pick up the keto-diastix you will know fast from testing his pee and confirm the diagnosis. With the below kit, you are able to test at home which is way more accurate and saves money doing it at the vet!

Getting started shopping list
1. Meter ie Walmart Relion prime, micro or confirm
2. Matching strips
3. Lancets - little sticks to poke the ear to get blood . new members usually start with a larger gauge lancet such as 28g or 29g until the ear learns to bleed. Optional - lancing tool.
4. Cotton balls to stem the blood
5. Neosporin ointment to heal the wound
6. Mini flashlight - optional but useful to help see the ear veins in dark cats, and to press against
7. Ketone urine test strips ie Ketostix or ketodiastix - Important to check ketones when blood is high
8. Treats for the cat - like freeze dried chicken
9. karo syrup/corn syrup or honey if you dont have it at home - for hypo emergencies to bring blood sugar up fast
10. A couple of cans of fancy feast gravy lovers - for hypo emergencies to bring blood sugar up fast

Wendy

 

You are on a good insuln and a safe beginning dose. We test our cats blood sugar at home, the same way we would do for our 2 legged children. We know a doctor wouldn't give your child insulin and say to come back in 2 weeks for a check up. It's easy and less stressful for the cat and less expensive for you. We can teach you how over the Internet; we've taught hundreds of people.

 

Im not sure what exactly the number was. I think the vet said the number was over 400? I am really worried about doing a test on my own. Should I call the vet tomorrow and see if I can take him in to be tested? I think I would feel much more comfortable if the vet showed me how to do the blood test first. Hes a VERY picky eater so I am also worried about that

 

Take it one step at a time. Get confident with the shots. Tell your vet you are interested in testing at home and see if they will show you how. Some vets worry that home testing will make owners stressed but we find that knowing exactly how the insulin is working and that it is safe to give it is much less stressful.

The diet change can be done over time; we have lots of ideas to help with finicky eaters. We want you to be testing before you change the diet. Wet low carb food can really make the numbers lower so you want to be monitoring when you switch.

 

Now I am scared to give him the dose in the morning. Do you think its okay to give him the dose of insulin? I was going to give it to him at 7am - the vet doesn't open until 9am. The vet said the diet wasnt super important at this point - he recommended the prescription food but said it was fine to also feed the food he currently eats. So now I have several bowls of food out. (I must keep several bowls of food out because I have 3 cats total and they are all picky eaters)

 

And thank you to both of you for your kindness and willingness to help me. I really appreciate it.

 

The dose sounds like a good low dose, and if he is eating dry food, that will keep the numbers up in a safe range. We would like you to look into home testing and a diet change, but it isn't anything you have to do immediately. Get the shots down (we always gave the shot while Oliver's face was deep in his breakfast and he didn't ever notice) and then decide what you want to do next. We'll be happy to help you figure things out.

 

hi - where are you located?
Its possible someone could come out and help show you how to test.

I thought exactly the same at first and I was really torn between what I read on this site and what my vet said - prescription diet and a curve every 4/5 days until the numbers came down.
In the end, I decided to go with the advice on this site - best decision I've made in a long, long time.

I had bought the prescription food and I returned it - with a full refund (manufacturer's guarantee) - and said my cat wouldn't eat it.
I feed (all 3 cats) Friskies pates and Fancy Feast Classic Pates - easily as good as the prescription wet food for 4 times the price and much better than the dry food.
Honey has been in remission (off insulin) for almost 2 months on this diet.
But, as others have said, if already shooting insulin, you need to home test before changing the diet as it could drop Jupiter's bg a lot.

After initial diagnosis, I never went back to the vet (apart from returning the food) - I learned how to test (scarey at first but just tell yourself that it HAS to be done) and did my own curve at home.
I kept telling myself that as much as Honey didn't like me testing her, she really hated going in the carrier, the car and to the vet. I saved $100s and could then justify spending a little more on wet food and the testing gear.

You can do this!!

 

My vet seemed really willing to work with me. I told him I didn't want Jupiter to have to stay there overnight. (Jupiter had surgery on his colon a while back and had to stay at the vet for a few days, his anxiety is so bad he wouldn't eat or drink anything at all during his stay there, I eventually convinced them to let me take him home to care for him, when I took him home he immediately ate and quickly recovered). I explained this to the vet today and he said he would do his best to work with me to keep Jupiter at home. I think I will call the vet tomorrow and talk to him about the testing. (Although I am very scared to do the testing on my own. I am not good with blood or needles or anything like that. I think I will feel terrible hurting my cat.) I think he would be willing to help me and teach me it. I am just not sure what all questions I should ask the vet and what all I should be concerned about.

 

Also, I am located in Johnstown, PA

 

I know we have members in PA - just not sure if any are close to you.
Maybe add it to the subject line of your first post (that will then show on the board index page).

If I test Honey when she's asleep, she doesn't even open an eye - it really doesn't hurt them.
What she didn't like early on one my learning curve - figuring out how to do it, my nervousness and anxiety, not poking properly etc.. - but we got passed it just like you will
Also remember that cats have fewer nerve endings in their ears - less ouch factor. Generally, they don't like being held still or fussed with but that's about it.

You could start getting Jupiter ready by touching his ears more - gently rubbing them between your fingers.
It helps warm them which gets the blood flowing - a lot of us use a microwaved (until warm) rice sock for the same affect.
Also get him used to being kept still for a minute or 2, just a gentle restraint AND very important, give him a favourite low-carb treat during/after this. That way he will start associating this with something nice. Honey loves the PureBites freeze dried chicken (Petsmart, Amazon etc.) - I buy the ones for dogs as the bags are bigger and so cheaper, same product.

http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=9172

 

Did you say if you were feeding wet or dry food? And did your vet mention ketones at all?

If its dry you might be ok to shoot without testing but I would stay home to keep an eye on him and have your hypo kit ready. (Below)

Ear testing doesn't hurt them, their ears have less nerve endings than the end of your finger, and if you had a child with diabetes you wouldn't think twice about testing them to keep them safe.

I would call the vet and tell him you want to home test. And if he will show you how to do it and support you then great but don't let him persuade you into buying an expensive pet meter. Human meters are fine and much cheaper (see my links etc above). if he doesn't support home testing then ignore him and do it anyway. Go and pick up your meter tomorrow. We will help you through it.

I know this seems like a lot, and you are probably scared right now, but it will be fine. Let's just get you all set up properly and not do anything rushed that could possibly cause your kitty harm.

Wendy

Hypo kit
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY - YOUR HYPO KIT
Put together NOW the following items and put in an easily accessible place!
Phone number of your vet
Phone number, address and map/directions to your nearest emergency vet (or phone number of the cab company and some cash/credit card)
Karo syrup, honey or corn syrup
High carb canned food with gravy – 2-3 cans
Some favourite treats
Spare pack of 25 blood glucose strips
Coffee for you
And review this http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=15887

 

He normally eats dry food but I sometimes give him canned food as a treat. The vet said it was important to make sure he would eat this morning, so I gave him a can of wet food and gave him the insulin shot while he was eating it (he acted like he didnt notice which makes me feel better about giving it - i was really scared). I dont think the vet mentioned that. I feel like it all happened so quickly and cant remember some of it. I am also on pain medicine so sometimes I am very forgetful. I didnt test him this morning but before giving him the shot I did go to the store and buy some karo syrup and some fancy feast gravy lovers. He already has plenty of treats here (whiskas temptations treats). My boyfriend made sure there was enough gas in my car and he wrote down the name/address/phone # for the 2 closest vets to where we live. (the vet we originally took him to is 45 mins away)

So far he seems to be doing good. He seems very alert and I dont notice any changes. I am not really sure what all I should be watching out for though.

I am going to call my vet and talk to him about the testing.

I really appreciate all the help! Thanks very much!

 

ok great!

Once we get you home testing we will want to move him over to a low carb canned food only ie fancy feast classic pates. The reason for that is that its much easier to control his blood glucose, get him under control, and possibly also into remission !

The best chance for remission is lantus and a low carb diet within the first few months of diagnosis. Success rates can be as high as 40% of cats. And since he has canned already as a treat I think he will enjoy that food very much! But since low carb food can start dropping his blood sugar immediately, its critical you test first. To start though lets not give him any whiskas treats any more - many of us give purebites or other brand freeze dried chicken which they love. (petsmart, walmart etc)

They dont usually feel the shot since the needle is so short. Ear testing is similar but to prepare him for that, start stroking his ears and give him a treat afterward to get him used to you playing with his ears.

In terms of a hypo - heres what to watch for : http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=15887
Wendy

 

I just called the Vets office (there are several vets working at this office) and they said the vet who saw Jupiter yesterday wont be in again until next week. I told them I have a few questions and I want to learn more about home testing. They said whenever I take Jupiter there tomorrow to get his blood checked that I can discuss that with the vet who is there tomorrow. The lady I spoke to acted as if it were an option. So I will wait until after I talk to the vet tomorrow about home testing. I will feel much better about doing it if they were to show me. If they say they dont want me to home test I am not really sure what to tell them. Should I really push the issue?

 

hang in there jamie. deb will get in touch with you and we can come out on sunday to help you. no vets for test.

 

They can't keep you from home testing. It will be something you do at home for your cat. They really don't have to know right away. Once you get a spreadsheet full of numbers and they want to do a curve at the office, you can just offer your numbers. Remember that you are Jupiter's best advocate.

I asked on Community if anyone lived near you. Maybe we can find someone to help you learn the ropes if the vet won't.

 

Hi Jamie! I live in Pittsburgh, but am itching for a road trip, so if you would like, I can come to your side of town on Sunday (working tomorrow). I will be bringing Dian &Wheezer with me...we are good folks, so don't be worried...there are plenty of folks on this board who can vouch for us.
Let me know if you would like our help.

Deb

 

you will be ok. go to walmart and buy a relion meter. the 3 choices that use the smallest drop of blood are the confirm, the mini and the new one the prime. prime uses just a bigger drop but the strips are the cheapest of the 3
put your cat on a low carb wet diet. $$ a problem... go with special kitty for now. turkey and giblets, super supper and one more that I forget.. oh yea, mixed grill
not the best out there but it works. my guys were on this stuff for many years and did fine

 

Deb- your profile link isnt working.

Jamie - I would take Deb up on her offer - she has a lot of experience and can answer your questions as well as showing you how to test etc. See my shopping list above for what to get.

No need for expensive vet visits. I hate when they try and tell me what to do - they seem to forget they work for me.. i pay them.

 

The one thing the vets seem to like is helping you to spend money on things you don't need to.
1- you can purchase canned food cheaper than the prescription food- AND!!! it is the SAME food. All you are doing is paying for the 'prescription' label and generally only one flavor while those at the store come in LOTS of flavors.

2- Alpha Track meter- costs $150-200+ and the strips are $2 each. The difference in a pet meter... around 20-30 points. That is it. So purchase a cheap 'ol WM meter and get the strips sent to you from ADW (link at the top of the page) at an even cheaper price than WM.

3- curves. They 'insist' on you bringing in your cat for a curve day to give you the dose they feel your cat needs.
A- a vet visit increases a cats stress level (and you say that Jupiter gets really BAD vet stress so that will shoot the numbers up even more) so the numbers are wrong; and
B- they can charge up to $20 per test (hey, they need to recoup the price of there own alpha track and strips in your one visit) so if they do a PROPER curve they will test Jupiter every 2 hours while he is there. and it won't even be a proper curve unless you get him there right at 9pm and they test all the way up to 5pm and you do the 7AM/7PM tests- and that is 5 times however much they charge for testing plus the office visit.
You can do this far cheaper at home with your own strips and there is no vet stress. We have a spreadsheet set up that automatically sends out the updated sheet to whoever requests it via a link and that is all you need to send to your vet. Oh- and we get dosing advice on here as those in the forum eat/sleep/breath FD while vets may get a few cases a year. This board is more up-to-date on FD than a vet ever will be b/c vets have to know about LOTS of animals while we only have to know about one.

As for testing- look up "testing a cat's blood sugar level" on Utube and you get almost 2000 vids. Granted, not all of them are what you want but they are there and very informative.

Don't be scared when you test as your cat will pick up on that and be nervous himself and then anything you do will make him scared. Take a few calming breaths and warm up Jupiters ear really well as first time ear pokies don't have a big capillary system to poke into. Next week you will wonder what the fuss was about.

 

I agree - save your money!!
Also, Deb & Dian will spend a lot more time with you and can go over all sorts of stuff - much more than the vet will cover or even probably know.

 

My vet mentioned that they normally do a curve but said he wouldnt do that for jupiter because of jupiters anxiety. (Even though Jupiter is on anxiety meds- he is still really scared of people) The vet said it would throw off the tests results if they did a curve because the vet and I both know that Jupiter will not eat anything while at the vet. The vet also said its only $3 for the test tomorrow (at vets office). He recommended eventually switching Jupiter over to the prescription food but said it was not necessary right now and said he doesnt want to force anything onto me and jupiter. I bought the prescription food but havent started feeding Jupiter it yet. I think I feel most comfortable taking Jupiter to the vet tomorrow just for this one test, and while I am there I will let them know that I want to do home testing (I will also mention that I want to use a regular meter not a pet meter). My vet is really understanding and always respectful of my wishes and concerns. I really think my vet will be willing to teach me. If they arent though I will definately take the help from deb and dian. And no offense to deb and dian, you guys are sooo very helpful and very knowledgeable on cat diabetes. I have been taking all of my cats to this vet since they were born (almost 6 years) so I think it would just make me feel more comfortable about it if they are also involved in Jupiters treatment.

 

That sounds very reasonable and your vet sounds reasonable. It may well be that he was worried about overwhelming you at first with the shot, the insulin, the diet and the testing. It is a steep learning curve and we tend to be in a hurry to get you started. You might go ahead and get a meter and strips (Everyone here likes the ReliOn from Walmart) and take it with you. Then you can try on your meter and compare it to the number your vet gets.

 

no problem but if you still need some help with the tips and tricks of testing with some hands on. let us know. I am off this weekend and deb got sunday off to come and help.
let us know so I can make a few arrangements with my cats and mom since it is about and hour and a half drive.

gotta plan ya know

 

The problem that I had was that my vet wanted to charge me $100 for the consult to learn how to test and shoot.... not to mention the cost of the food, testing supplies and meter they were trying to push on me. I'm glad that you are comfortable with vet... it seems that most of us here are not... I used to have a vet that I was comfortable with, but I moved out of the area and now finding one I can trust has been a challenge... right now the rank lower than the used car sales person range for me. All things aside I've been doing this 1 month and I feel like an old pro... Testing I got down 1st day (realized quickly that making a kitty burrito was best for both of us) Now Frankie is almost jumping up on the counter for her test... she gets up on the barstool, but hasn't yet taken that final step. The is extremely calm when i "roll her up" and only being a month into this, I believe we have seen real progress, not only in her BG numbers, but more noticeably in her "whole Cat" aspect. Before she remained recluse under our bed upstairs all day. Now she is hanging with me in my office (usually sleeping on the other computer chair, or on the back of my chair) Her coat is shiny and smooth, where before, she was matted and dehydrated with dandruff. She has even pick up some of her old favorite habits, like chasing around a pen in the middle of the night and meowing like a fire engine (scared the crap out of me at first, but when I realized what it was, I was sooo happy....not so happy that I was woken from a dead sleep, but still happy. All of this stuff is very intimidating at first, but once you get the hang of it, it's really easy... like second nature...and the progress is sooo rewarding.

^^my 2 cents

 

Just one last thing.... I know that taking help from strangers on the internet is scary...especially when meeting up with someone...Although I have not had to do this yet for Frankie's diabetes, I am an avid Marine and Reef tank keeper... which is a hobby that is extremely community oriented. Believe me, when you find people that are as dedicated as they are to their purpose, as they most obviously are here, you are in good hands... not like contacting and meeting someone on craigslist... which can be dangerous... I think you risk factor here is greatly reduced, due to the sheer number of people on here that already know the folks that are offering you help and the fact that there are soo many eyes on you and your kitty right now.

 

Dear Jamie,
You couldnt be in better hands or company than that of Dian and Deb...Lucky YOU! I'd give just about anything to meet them.
Oh and WELCOME you have found the best site on the planet to help you help your Jupiter,
Good luck,
jeanne

 

oh gosh Jeanne

we are still willing to come out whether you see your vet or not. deb and I rarely get days off together and this would be a nice get away and really be nice to meet another member of the family

 

Jamie, whatever you decide to do is good with me. I understand the desire to want to put your kitty in your vets hands. When Spot was first diagnosed that's what my choice was. I was very lucky because my vet was awesome and we worked together. I would learn what I could off the board and then talk things over with my vet. I learned how to home test by watching the videos. Very nervous at first, but it soon becomes second nature. You can treat your kitty with your vets knowledge and with the knowledge of the board. I remember the gals from LL trying to get me to switch my Spot's insulin from Humulin to Levemir. Boy, did I fight them tooth and nail because "my vet put him on that insulin and she should know" Well........if you take a look at Spot's ss...you will see how the Humulin worked and then how the Levemir worked and I am still kicking myself in the butt for not switching earlier! One nice thing...when I talked to my vet about switching, she knew absolutely nothing about Levemir, but her exact words were "we will learn together". We learned by the knowledgeable folks on the board. If it wasn't for the wealth of knowledge here I don't know where we would be. And not only are they well versed in Feline Diabetes, but also some other things also (CKD, tummy problems, etc).
Good Luck tomorrow, and as Dian said....any excuse to get out of the burg is a good excuse!

 

Also Jamie, my fathers family are all from Johnstown. I dont know any of them but was surprised to see the name here. So waving Hi from California :thumbup
jeanne

 

Welcome to the Feline Diabetes message board Jaime!!!! Many of us were recent newbies & have gotten Major 24 hour support for our furbaby/sugarkitty. :mrgreen: In my case, I stumbled across this forum & so glad I did.....Sabrina was dx 9/20 but I didn't start her on insulin til 1/15(financial constraints) but immediately I switched her to low carb wet food-over the counter Fancy Feast "classics" & Friskies Pate....if not mentioned you can get the nutritional values @ catinfo.org & click on Dr Lisa's food list for the a lot of brands you might consider....anything under 10% is considered low carb & stay away from "gravies" or "slices"......get a few of those for your hypo kit.
To make a long story short I followed FDMB tight protocol regulation because I'm at home for the time being & can test Sabrina frequently & I have been able to reduce her insulin dose.....hopefully she'll be one of the lucky kitties that goes into remission, what we call off the juice otj_icon I couldn't have come this far in my journey without the help of the many experienced people, as my vet is not educated in the different ways to approach the treatment of feline diabetes. Again, Welcome & remember no question is silly, & when you're overwhelmed nailbite_smile .....sit back & breath deeply....We're here to Help!!! :RAHCAT Cindy & Sabrina cat_pet_icon in N.E. Pa

 

totally off topic but wanted to just let you know for the heck of it that dian hosts a get together at her house every year for people from here. anyone and everyone is welcome, even kitties, and they sure seem to have a blast doing it. i swear one of these years i'm gonna go lisa has gone all the way from california and emmy from oregon and cindy from tennessee and on and on and on
might be something you might be interested in as you get to know us all here's a post about it on the community section of the board viewtopic.php?f=23&t=89534

 

My cat is a really picky eater. He does not like any "pate" canned food. He will usually only eat the shredded kind. Is there any shredded kind that is good for him?

 

No, sorry, I don't know of any shredded kind of food that is low in carbs. I do totally totally vouch for Dian and Deb, though. I know them. They are great, loving, giving, generous people. I promise. I would take them up on their offer ;-)

 

Sometimes it's the texture they don't like. You can try adding warm water to the pate and mixing it up so it's a little gravy-like.

 

I find the fancy feast chunky chicken isnt so much of a pate and is low carb. And of course there are tons of options and flavours in here ( choose under 10% calories from carbs though) that you will probably find a flavour he likes of something!! http://www.catinfo.org/docs/FoodChartPublic9-22-12.pdf

Worst case, you might need to transition him to the pates - probably using the same theory as this but using shredded instead of dry? http://www.catinfo.org/docs/TipsForTransitioning1-14-11.pdf

 

On my way to walmart to buy testing supplies. I plan to take them with me tomorrow when jupiter goes to the vet at noon. Hopefully it will be the last time he is tested at the vet

 

Im really really worried about leaving him home alone. Is this normal? Should I be there with him for a certain amount of time after giving him the insulin shot

 

Here is the way lantus works most of the time, so if there is ever a time to leave him alone its two hours after his shot or two hours before his next one.. But once you start testing you will know exactly what he is doing and whether you can leave or not..

+0 - PreShot number.
+1 - Usually higher than PreShot number because of the last shot wearing off. May see a food spike in this number.
+2 - Often similar to the PreShot number.
+3 - Lower than the PreShot number, onset has started.
+4 - Lower.
+5 - Lower.
+6 - Nadir/Peak (the lowest number of cycle).
+7 - Surf (hang around the nadir number).
+8 - Slight rise.
+9 - Slight rise.
+10 - Rising.
+11 - Rising (may dip around +10 or +11).
+12 - PreShot number.

 

I just spoke to Jamie while she was in Walmart. She picked up 26g lancets since they didnt have 28g. I said to not get the device for now as I think it's generally easier to freehand.

Here's the thing though, they had run out of the ketone testing strips so if deb or Dian go visit can you take a pack with you and she can pay you back? She doesn't seem to have frequent access to a car..

Also maybe take a lancing device just so she can see how it works..?

 

Yes, it is very normal to worry. Have you seen this - it may make you feel better:

http://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=33671

 

Just wanted to say thank you Wendy. I really appreciate you calling me- you were so helpful. I am so thankful that I have found this site and that their are so many people willing to help and give advice. I hope that someday I will learn well enough to help someone else like you guys have helped me so much.

I just bought Jupiter a relion confirm meter, test strips, lancets, & cotton balls. I am really looking forward to being able to test him by myself - I think I will feel much more comfortable giving him the insulin shots once I am able to test him.

 

And thank you Sue. That did make me feel better and I laughed - Most of those things I did today.

 

No worries.. I have a north american phone package ( I live in Canada btw). Anyway let us know how you get on at the vet tomorrow.

 

Good Morning and welcome to our Family; we're here to help, support, care and educate you; ask any questions...there are no dumb questions except the one that you don't ask My cat Gobbles was diagnosed last November. I do know exactly how you feel. Everything will be okay. Diabetes is not a death sentence! You can and will get through this; it is a learning experience and will really strengthen the bond that you have with your kitty! I'm sure he's a sweetie but now he's a sugar-cat which makes him even sweetier!!! It sounds like you are already being proactive; that is the way you need to be and is a giant first step; I applaud you! As for your family (and anyone else in your life)--well, I basically told my family that he (Gobbles) is my cat and I will do what I want with him. Period. One family member thinks I'm stupid. A lady in the beauty shop tells me that I'm "gonna kill my cat from testing him so often" and my father suggested I put him to sleep when I told him last year--I didn't speak to him for a few weeks and when I did, I told him that diabetes was manageable and how would he like it if he was "put to sleep" for a disease that can be managed; not very nice but I was quite an angry/scared/confused person back then. Without this website, I seriously am scared to think where Gobbles and I would be right now. It is a lifesaver and please stay with us. Keep us updated. Start hometesting immediately, and keep track of his numbers. Lastly, breathe, breathe, breathe--you can get through this!

 

Once again, he is YOUR cat; they may support hometesting, they may not. It's not their call; but it is yours. If it were me, I would tell them that I am going to immediately start testing him and therefore you would really like someone to show you how. Let us know how the vet visit went.

 

Awesome girls!!! I was going to maybe offer to help, but I believe you're closer to her than me

 

Jupiter & I just got back from the vet. His BG was 236 today. (I also asked what it was on Thursday - it was 460) I asked if they would teach me how to test him and told them I had already bought a meter and they said they would teach me next week - and they want me to take him in again on Thursday.

 

What a lovely number for a newly diagnosed Kitty!

 

Jaime, you really should let Dian and Deb come on Sun......they need a trip :mrgreen: Awesome gals and Dian is a character ;-) Even if they don't test Jupiter they can go over everything with you, explain the meter, the numbers, best way to test, etc. Lots of help and Jupiter might surprise you and let Dian test him just to show you how easy it really is. Heck, a lot of us have taught our vets because too many of them don't know squat about testing, getting blood up, etc. I brought a stuffed kitty to show one person at her place of work so she knew exactly where on the ear to test.

 

The thing you could figure out by testing at home is whether that 236 was elevated because of the stress of being at the vet. Some cats test 100 points lower at home. If so, he could be 136 at home, a great number. How many hours from the shot was that?

 

about 6 and a half hours from his insulin shot. I am really excited!! Deb and Dian are coming here tomorrow to teach me how to home test him!! I will feel so much better about giving the insulin shots if I can test him first.

 

Fantastic.......so glad they are coming and you can go to the reunion Dian always has. I'm sure she'll tell you all about it. Emmy/Dude(GA) even went with the cats and DH all the way from Oregon. Enjoy tomorrow

 

I think Jupiter will be a little scared at first, but I think he will let them do the test, as long as I am holding him or something... At the vet he lets them handle him and stuff.. he is just so afraid he lays there perfectly still.

 

I'm glad Dian and Deb are going to come by and help you, tomorrow. ;-) Say "Hi" to them for me.
You will feel so much better and in control, once you can test his blood sugar.

 

we will not rush him. we can sit and talk for awhile to get him used to us. answer any questions you have. then go nice and slow. this is nothing we need to rush into.
is there anything you need that we can pick up for you?

 

:mrgreen:

 

hey dian (or deb).....in case you didn't see this from Wendy earlier.....maybe take some ketone test strips and a lancet device?

 

wonder if the lancet devise comes with the confirm. I know it did when I bought the prime not too long ago.
ketone strips, if we can get to walmart and the pharmacy is open cause I think they are kept behind the counter. not too worried about them right now as all seems to be ok.. KWIM

 

.

 

I did end up buying a lancet device - just to be on the safe side. Wasnt going to buy it but my boyfriend said it would be better to have it and not need it.. rather then to need it and not have it. So we decided to get one just in case. I am sure I will be able to get the ketone test strips, so as long as I wont need them tomorrow, I will be able to pick them up within the next few days.

Thank you everyone for all of your help!!

 

see ya tomorrow around 11AM

 

Hi Jamie!

My name is Stacey and my cat Diego was diagnosed last week with diabetes. Luckily I am a diabetic so I had the testing meter and insulin already. I picked up syringes to make it easier to give Diego his insulin (his fur got it the first time!). I also found it was sometimes difficult to get blood out of his ear after I had been testing there previously and I found a video that said a good alternative site is the back pad of his foot. I use the lancing device because I'm too slow and shaky to do a fast stab and Diego doesn't even flinch. After I test his blood he gets his canned food and I inject him while he's scarfing down the food. His health is complicated by the fact that he has had a runny, stuffed nose for about 3 months now, and he is extremely anxious and high strung. My vet agreed because of his temperment that the less he comes to the vet's the better it is. So I will be doing his first curve in the next few days.

The people here are FANTASTIC. I've already given Diego a fur shot (gave the insulin to his fur), pierced his ear (put the needle through by accident), and accidentally jabbed myself with the needle. Most people on here have had similar problems starting out, so don't feel shy to talk about any problems you may be having. I'm often reassured by the fact that there are actual terms for the screw-ups I have been making - means many other people did the same things!

In my signature there are links to Diego's spreadsheet with his blood glucose readings and his profile. Feel free to see what kind of values are possible when first starting your cat on insulin. Every cat reacts differently, but you will see one example of a newly diagnosed cat's tests.

Hang in there! You can do this. It is tough, and stressful, and overwhelming at first. BUT you can do this. And people here will help you.

 

I havent done any home testing yet. Deb and Dian are coming here tomorrow to show me how!! I am too scared to try without someone showing me. I am still scared to do it even if they do show me how to do it. I am not good with blood. Blood really grosses me out. Even if it is my own blood, it grosses me out. I dont know how I am going to do it - but I am willing to try my best. I am really scared to hurt him - I am even scared when giving him his injections (I gave him his 4th injection earlier). Even though I have given him a few shots already I still cringe when I am doing it. I always worry that I am not doing it right, or that I will hurt him. I am willing to do anything I can to help him though - I want to do whatever I can to keep him at home instead of taking him to the vet. His anxiety is so bad (he is on anxiety meds which help but his anxiety is still really really bad) his heart is pounding the whole way to the vet and the whole time we are there. I feel like a horrible person when I take him to the vets but I know I am usually doing the right thing for him. For the injections and tests though I know the right thing for him isnt going to the vet - thats why I am excited for Dian & Deb to come teach me how even though I am really scared to do the testing by myself.

 

Stacey - Goodluck with Diego - and I am sure the more you do it- the better you will get. Thanks for telling me your stories, I like that others can relate to how I feel, I dont feel alone in this, like I did the first few hours after he was diagnosed (I have my boyfriend but we felt like we were alone). I feel so blessed that I have found this site and have met all of the kind people here.

I dont know much about how to read the spreadsheet. I dont really know much about the numbers either. I am going to keep learning and reading about things as much as I can.

 

I still wonder how everyone here does it, I feel so stressed and overwhelmed. I know it must get a little easier as everyone here seems very positive and so knowledgeable about diabetes. I feel like ever since he was diagnosed I have done nothing but worry about him. I feel so bad for him - I dont want him to have to suffer in any way, I just want him to live a good and happy life. Its already bad enough that he has been suffering with really bad anxiety for his whole life. Hes just had a rough past few years - Had to go to the vet quite a few times and ended up needing an emergency surgery on his colon. He just started anxiety meds a few months ago and I was soooo happy to see him improving. I really hope the insulin will help him start feeling better again soon.

 

Okay....you need to calm down because Jupiter will pick up on vibes from you and may become even more anxious. Hometesting does not hurt the cat in any way......if it did, none of our cats would let us do it several times a day and at least before shooting insulin. I've been testing Mishka's right ear for almost 9 1/2 years and no vet would be able to tell what ear. I test MC several times a day also and I always test before shooting. None of my diabetics have ever been given insulin without me testing first and none of us would have gone on and adopted other diabetic cats if it was hard, stressful, etc.

 

dian and wheezer here. deb and I arrived but we did get lost. sigh ... and deb was driving. we have not seen jupiter yet cause he is hiding in the couch. been having a nice discussion about insulin and sheds. hopefully I did the spread sheet right.
her other cats seem to LOVE the catnip sock I brought.
going to try and him out and test. wish us luck

 

Good luck you ANGELS! and Jamie and BF...It DOES get easier. Honest to God in a few days, you will be an old hand at this and helping newbies. Mark my words. ;-)

jeanne

 

Hi Jamie,

I'm a newbie too! Mego had his first vet visit last week Monday and it took until Friday for me to get a good urine sample to take to the vet to confirm the diagnosis. But even before that, when I got home from work on a Friday night, I thought he was acting strange. Needless to say, that was the moment I went into completely worked up mode. I didn't sleep but 2 hours that night because I kept getting up and checking on him. I was relieved that I had the next day off. Starting last week Sunday, I had an awful work week as well and I was completely stressed out! The night I brought him home from the first vet appt, I cried my eyes out probably for a good 3 hours. I had no idea what to do, what might be involved and especially how much was this going to cost.

Fast forward a few days and I found FDMB and all of its wonderful family members here who are more than willing to help. To say I've been doing a bit of reading on this sight is the understatement of the year! What I can tell you, is that I have found everyone here to be so helpful. And I bet if you asked yourself if you're more comfortable today than you were the day of diagnosis, you'd say yes. I know I am. I went out last night and bought the necessary items to begin home testing as I could tell from everyone here that it would save me a lot in vet visits. I live alone and there isn't anyone here to help me so I was quite nervous. I did my first test last night with great success (meaning I got the meter to read and give me a result) and so far today I've done 3 tests. Yes that sounds great, but I also have pierced his ear, had to poke a few times, had to change test strips because one was faulty or I was faulty. So you name it, I've already done it wrong but I'm learning and you will too. Each time gets easier and easier. I take 3 deep relaxing breaths before I start and if I find I'm getting nervous, I stop and do it again. I've even had to walk away and come back a few minutes later. Mego and I already have a routine when it's time for testing which includes lots of petting, praise and of course treats for positive reinforcement. It sounds like you've got some help which is wonderful. Just know I'm here for you too as I'm in the same boat you are. If you ever need to talk, just send me a message. Us newbies have to stick together if we're going to get through this!

YOU CAN DO IT!!! Just keep trying.

 

Deb and Dian just left here. I feel sooo much better about everything after talking with them. They showed me how to test Jupiter, and now I will feel so much more comfortable giving him the insulin shots. I felt really bad pricking Jupiters ears - So I tested myself to see what it felt like.. It didnt hurt so now I dont feel bad testing Jupiter.

Thank you so much Deb & Dian for coming here and helping me and teaching me!

 

ok cool! I see you have a spreadsheet in your signature now _ i assume thats not yours and you need to edit it? It seems to have data in it already!

 

So happy to hear you're feeling better and more confident about it all. You are lucky the ladies came by - I just had to wing it by watching videos and stiffening my backbone. :shock: Keep it up and you'll be a pro in no time. At least that's what I'm hoping for.

 

Yes that spreadsheet wasnt Jupiters. Jupiters spreadsheet is there now but I do not know how to rename that link

 

I just tested Jupiter a few minutes ago and I did it by myself!! YAY! Thanks to Deb and Dian for teaching me. I also put this number onto his spreadsheet. Hoping I put it in the correct place

 

The link isnt giving me access - you need to "share" it or "file/publish to the web"

thanks
Wendy

 

I thought I did do that for her. crap. will look up instructions for jamie and post.

.

 

.

 

Is that link accessible now?

 

yes. sorry I screwed up. now to rename it type in this
text

so the link part would be copy and past the link from ss then where it says text write in jupiter's ss. go to control panel. profile and under sig to put all this

clear as mud

PS. fantastic on your first test.wasn't so bad, now , was it? you will be a pro in no time :thumbup

 

I think its good now as long as it is accessible?

 

I posted to that forum for RAGS that was just diagnosed. Wasnt too sure how I could help or what I could say but I tried my best.

 

link works great.
was so nice meeting you and Dane and you are very lucky to have a guy so willing to take part in Jupiters care
Thank you Dane for being you
the 300 number is ok for now cause still might be some stress from us being there. do not forget to call your vet

 

It was very nice to meet both of you as well!! We really appreciate you taking the time out of your day to come here and help us. YOU BOTH ARE GREAT! I feel so much more comfortable about everything now. Last night I was so stressed out about everything, but its really not too bad (and I can deal with that teeny tiny drop of blood). You reassured me that I can do this, I can help Jupiter.

I am so lucky to have Dane. He is amazing. He always helps care for me and all of the cats. I dont know what I would do without him!!

Dane & I both feel lucky that we have found this site and have met you both. Thank you for everything and thank you for answering all of our questions. You have no idea how much we appreciate it. I hope one day we can help someone like you have helped us.

 

you will be able to help before you know it. as for now, just telling your story may help others that were in your position
you can write in the AMPS number on jupiter and that you gave 1u. that goes in the little box after amps or pmps and before the +1 can also write in the 242? we did at whatever time that was

 

Did they speak to you about moving over to the tight regulation forum? There we can keep an eye on you both, it's a more active forum, and advise on dose changes etc..http://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewforum.php?f=9

 

hahaha nope, we totally forgot about that. covered everything but that. can you believe it?

 

I just did Jupiters PMPS and it was 211. I guess I need to adjust the lancet device because it poked the whole way through =(

But he remained calm and let me do it. After he was done I gave him a treat. he ate THE TREAT FROM DIAN!!(surprised cause he is such a picky eater but very happy about it!) And he is still on the desk playing with the catnip sock toy Dian brought! All of my cats absolutely love that thing!!

 

oh wow!!! was that the chicken one? and playing with the sock?? awesome. OK now are you going to give 1u?? if so... can you check a +2 then maybe a +6.
someone with a little more testing experience may ask you to do something different and that is ok

 

I gave 1 piece of each kind of treat to Jupiter and he ate them both. And yep he also seems to love the sock!! I just gave him 1u of insulin. I can check in 2 hours again but I do not know if I will be able to get a 6 hour reading tonight. I should be able to get a +6 after tomorrows am dose

 

ok if not a +6 then before you go to bed whether it is a =3 or 4 or whatever.. this will help give us the data we need

 

Good morning Jamie! Thought I'd check in with you first thing this morning....looks like you did an awesome job on the home testing after we left! His numbers are looking good! See what some LC food and insulin can do!! Dian and I have faith in you...you can do this...and you have done this!

I'm so happy to see that Jupiter enjoyed the treats and the nip toy! As his numbers become lower, you will notice him playing more. Awesome report...I am sitting at my desk just smiling away!!

It was also very nice meeting you and Dane and your four kitties yesterday. You certainly have a handsome/beautiful family! Hopefully we can spend time together in August!

 

Thanks Deb, it was great to meet you!! We really appreciate you both coming out here to help us. You guys were so awesome. Thanks so much!! I have started making post in the Lantus Insulin Tight Regulation section now. I really feel much better about everything now - after talking with you and Dian. Much more comfortable giving Jupiter his Insulin now that I can test his BG first

 

You use Tactical flashlights instead of Mini flashlight in order to get more light

 

Or you can use some good led lights