INJECTED WRONG CAT -HELP!!

I don't know what was wrong with me today. I injected a perfectly healthy cat with 2 units of ProZinc 2 hours ago and I'm terrified and completely worried. He was eating from my diabetic cat's bowl, I didn't even notice. He ate as soon as it happened, I even gave him a little bit of honey just in case. He has been totally fine for now, but as it's 11pm right now and it's time to sleep I'm worried about what will happen between now and morning. Is this really really bad? I plan to take him to the vet first thing tomorrow morning just in case, but I'm still very scared.

 

I think you will need to stay up for a few hours at least. Do you test at home? Are you seeing any unusual behavior?

 

I don't have a home tester and I really wish I did, they've been a bit too expensive for us. I just want to know when "the worst is over." It's been two hours and he's been great, he even played with his toys for a while. I know some insulins peak after a few hours though, so I don't know what to do. Even if it drops, could it drop that much with just 2 units? and having eaten and a little bit of honey as well?

 

Hi, I am going to stay with you. 2 hours is not enuf time to be safe yet...please don't overfeed your cat but do find the highest carb food in the house for cats...do you have any of that?
maybe ice cream?

 

2 units is ALOT...not to scare you...just reality.

 

can i call you by your name???? i'm Lori

 

what area do you live in? Maybe someone here is near and can help with testing.

I would set an alarm to check every hour or two for at least 8 hours after the injection with PZI. Plan to give snacks at every hour or two - maybe with some syrup or gravy stirred in.
--- small high calorie snacks....


If a human diabetic is going low - they suck on some candy or drink orange juice -- high calorie - quickly digested.

 

In general ProZinc usually is at its lowest level around 6 hours after the shot. So you will need to keep an eye on him at least that long.

This could be a very dangerous situation. A normal cat usually is in the range of 40-80 and 2 units of Prozinc could bring him down at least that many points - down in a very low range.

Have you read our hypo info? viewtopic.php?f=28&t=15887

 

Would you please go back up to your original post and add a 911 to it? We need to get some more eyes on your post and people who can stay up with you.

 

I feel so stupid and worried. I feel like I killed my cat.

I have whipped cream, condensed milk, and cat milk. He's sleeping right now. should I wake him every now and then to feed him?

and yes, I have read the hypo thread. I do have an actual diabetic 16 year old who has never had a hypo episode thank goodness, but I did read up on all the signs.

 

the very important reason i say don't over feed is that you may need her to eat in an hour and maybe every hour...so keep the food high carb and not too much k?

 

give him some ice cream or whip cream before you let him sleep.

 

Like regular cat food? I have Fancy Feast and regular dry food. Or should I give him human food?

 

i would go with a little dry food...it takes a while to maetabolize and a little whip cream for immediate sugar.

 

We will work on this with you. Is your name Lilly?

One thing I would do just to be prepared is to get the name/address of your nearest ER. If you see any symptoms, you should take him in.

I agree with Lori. You will need to keep waking him up to be sure he is okay

 

Yes my name is Lily. I feel so terrible...can someone please tell me I didn't just kill my cat? please? The nearest emergency vet is still about 15 minutes away and Im scared that if something happens that I won't make it in time...is it sudden?

 

Lily you did not kill your cat ok...did you give her any high carbs yet...please do that asap....then write up how she is.

 

She WILL hypo if you do not get sugar into her...and then some high carbs.

 

He's a boy. Yes he has eaten dry food twice, wet food twice, a little bit of cat milk, and a bit of whipped cream I put on his paw. He's sleeping, seems normal...though its hard to tell. He actually goes out at night and comes back in the morning, but not always. Some nights he'll stay asleep and then ask to go out at 3am. Obviously I cant let him out tonight.

 

Right, no outside adventures tonight. I know he will hate it but wake him up every 15 minutes or so to make sure he is just sleeping.

 

Hi Lily, please know that this situation can be managed. Do NOT waste energy stressing about a mistake, we all make them, just focus on what you need to do from here.

First, I would call your emergency vet and ask for advice. If you are not able to test and it is affordable to take your cat there, that is certainly an option. They will be able to monitor and give glucose as needed.

Generally, it takes up to a couple hours for PZI to start working, and 8 to 12 hours until it starts wearing off. I have some thoughts, but my only context is diabetic cats, and that's really a different ballgame, so I'm not sure how directly the same strategies can be applied.

If it were me I would probably head to the ER and then be able to relax knowing that they will take care of things. That may just me, but that's what I would do.

 

Emergency vets always say the same thing no matter what the symptom or condition: "bring him in." Right now everyone in the house thinks Im overreacting and think its a waste of money to take him to the vet when hes acting fine. I would like to take him, but cannot afford to...Im trying to hold out til morning when i can see my regular vet.

 

Joanna, i think of this as shooting 2u into a 75 amps. and yes if you can call into an er to see what they think great...what part of the country are you in...time wise?
the sugar you have in him now is good...but like i said do not over feed.
get some honey out in case you need it.
he does need to be kept fed with high carbs.
every hour or so.
and watched diligently as if he were in the intensive care unit.
if you had a meter it would be easier but since no...we have to trust your eyes ..... and yes it can happen suddenly.

 

Florida, so its almost midnight here.

 

well....ask every one in the house if they just got shot with 10 or 20 units of insulin and they were not diabetic if you would be over reacting to keep a very keen eye on them and keep them full of carbs....

 

i'm on the west coast so i can stay with you for a couple of hours....please don't fall asleep on kitty ok.

 

It is a pointless fight Lori, Im known for overreacting/being paranoid about medical issues. I have zero credibility

 

His name is Nano

 

Then you just have to ignore everyone and know you are doing what is necessary. You are doing fine, Lily. Keep watching him like a hawk. If he is sleeping and not interested in eating, maybe rub a little honey on his gums every so often. Just be sure he is only sleeping - be sure you can wake him.

 

ok Lily. You and Nano will be ok. Things happen right? Life happens. We'll just take care of it.
Keep your eyes on him... If you need a wake up call in an hour or so you can send me you phone number on the pm thingy below on this page.

 

how can i tell the difference between sleepy/drowzy and lethargic/coma?

 

Any chance you or someone in your home could quickly run out and buy a meter and some test strips? Do you know how to test?

 

it can be a regular human meter?

 

If you can wake him up and he is annoyed, that is good. If he is floppy and not rousing, I would be concerned.

 

Lily you know your cat....if he is coma like you will know it. and if he is out of it you will know it.

 

Yes, we use regular human meters and strips. Is there one you can use?

 

What serving sizes should i be giving him? Like a handful or just a few treats?

 

I can't offer too much wisdom, but in my own situation, our warning sign was a glazed look -- staring into space, not following a finger or feather moving in front of his eyes, if they are open.

Feed no more than a teaspoon at a time -- that's my understanding. You do not want him to get too full to eat later.

 

Coming in late with my thoughts......take him to ER for the night. The range for a non-diabetic is a range where we would start to closely monitor our diabetics. When that prozinc insulin starts to kick in he is going to go LOW and I honestly do not believe any kind of food is going to keep him from a hypo that could last for quite a long time. We can boost our diabetics up but I doubt that any food will work to keep Nano from hypoing. I would rather pay a vet bill than lose my cat and waiting till morning to see your own vet may be too late.

 

Sorry everyone at home thinks you are overreacting, that has got to add to your stress. There is a real danger here, and I think reacting appropriately to it is smart. You don't know what will happen, so it makes more sense to me to treat it rather than ignore it and hope for the best. You definitely have the support of everyone here.

What I don't know about is other factors like pancreas action and the absense of what we normally figure in, which is some upward pressure on the BGs that is already countering the insulin in a diabetic cat. That's where I'm hesitant to give too much advice, I don't know if you treat things differently in a non-diabetic cat.

 

and are treats (like the Goodlife Recipe cat treats that come in little baggies) better than regular dry food?

Thank you everyone by the way. I just realized I hadnt said that yet, Im still pretty depressed/upset.

 

Ordinarily we don't use dry food, because it takes hours to kick in. In your case, I'm not sure.

I really do agree that you should take him to the emergency vet. They often have payment plans there.

 

Sorry, that's not helpful about the dry food. What do you have in the house to feed -- assuming you are not going to the vet?

 

Joanna you are absolutely right. for starters it's like shooting a low number...but there are other factors. i have seen this before with a person...and she was non diabetic. weird i know ...don't ask...trust me. she did carb up... i mean really carb up. sweet ice cream.. she felt light headed but she made it ok.
if going to the er is possible go. or just call and at least see what they say.
and small portions.

 

Have you tried calling your regular veterinarian? Mine are on call every night until midnight, and can offer advice, or assistance over the phone. And also give you a trusted response on whether or not to seek emergency care, if you are worried the ER will tell you to come in no matter what. Sorry that's the only advice I can offer But I'm keeping you both in my thoughts!

 

The concern I have is that most of us here are used to advising people with diabetic cats, and with them you can generally count on higher carb food really driving up their blood sugar. With a non-diabetic, their pancreas normally regulates things and keeps them in a good range. So eating triggers the pancreas. That's where I'm worried that what works for a diabetic cat may work differently in a non-diabetic cat, and why I feel really uneasy giving the sort of typical advice that we would give someone who accidentally overdosed a diabetic cat. Just wanted to mention that in part to the advisors - might be the same process, but does anyone know for sure that the same strategies will be effective? Lori it sounds like maybe you do... but it still makes me really nervous.

I would head to the ER if it is at all possible. I'm beyond broke myself, so I don't say that lightly. If they say it's not a big deal and send you back home with just an exam fee, then at least you will know it's not a big deal, and your family can laugh at you all the way home. But if they do keep him and treat him overnight, then it will confirm that it is a big deal and that is what is needed.

 

Did we figure out whether you had access to a meter and strips?

 

ER can test his glucose and have him hooked up to an IV for getting glucose back in to Nano. Waiting to see if he does hypo may be too late to even stop it.

 

Really do agree with Joanna.

If your vet doesn't have emergency telephone hours, open the phone book and try calling other vets?

 

In reality, this cat was overdosed. A severe hypo cannot always be turned around even with vet intervention. Waiting and thinking about going to ER is playing a dangerous game with your kitty's well being and possibly even his life.

 

http://www.healthexpertadvice.org/forum ... -73218.htm

 

I got a human reader, are there any changes i need to make or do I just poke him as normal?

 

poke the ear area. along the outer ridge of ear...warm the ear and massage first.

 

We poke in the ear. Have you done that?

But really -- as others have said -- this is an emergency. It is time for the emergency vet.

 

Fantastic. Poke along the edge of his ear - if you look with a flashlight behind his ear, you will see a vein running down the edge of the ear. I would go ahead and aim for the vein. If you don't get a drop, double poke. It isn't what you usually do, but we need a reading fast. If he moves away, get the blood on your fingernail.

Try the meter out on yourself so you know how it works.

 

Lily, I just wanted to let you know that I have almost given one of my healthy cats insulin before too. I have one diabetic kitty and once I caught myself about to give my other cat an injection. I thought what am I doing? Mistakes happen.

Not to change the subject--but does anyone know if cats can be given a human glucagon injection from a glucagon kit? My daughter is diabetic and when she was younger I had to give her one of these during a hypo. Just curious if they can be given to a cat?

 

I know everyone is trying to help, but honestly this cat is super alert and acting fine...I couldnt get blood. I dont really know what you mean by poking the ear. All I managed to do is make him grumpy and hyper and wake him up. Its been 4 hours. Should I wait for 6?

 

Here is a video that will show you how it is done: Video for hometesting

I am glad he is not showing symptoms. We have no way of knowing how insulin will impact a non diabetic cat, but we are all concerned that it could be deadly. If you can get a reading, that will reassure you and us about what we are actually looking at in terms of blood glucose levels.

 

Lily, I would try again. You need a baseline, to see if the BG is dropping.

It's normal not to get blood at first. If you can use something to warm the ear -- we usually put rice in a sock and heat the sock for 20 seconds -- that helps the blood flow.

 

Lily look on the upper left corner for your private messages and see if you have a message.

 

For whatever it's worth, here is list of symptoms of hypoglycemia in kitties, from the Lantus group, just to help as you go through the night:

http://www.felinediabetes.com/phorum5/read.php?8,925783,925783#msg-925783

 

The insulin can peak anywhere from around +4 to around +8, later under some circumstances, and often around +6 for a lot of cats. If you can't get to the ER, I would keep giving him something higher carb every 30 minutes or so for a few more hours. I would not wait until you are able to get a blood test to give him something. If he acts hungry, I would let him eat as much as he wants. All of that is based though on a diabetic cat - I would still recommend the ER, I would hate to see things go badly tonight.

I am glad to hear he is acting well. That can change suddenly though, you just don't know.

 

The problem is your kitty has a functioning pancreas so food will just kick his pancreas in to action to control and bring down blood glucose to a normal level. Now, you gave him insulin which will also work to bring down blood glucose numbers. Trouble is we do not know how low that insulin will take him nor do we know when it may start to work in him. Functioning pancreas + insulin can be a deadly combo and the unknow nis when it may happen. Six hours, 8 hrs.-----we don't know.....but when it hits it may show no signs of a hypo. Not every cat does. They just start seizuring and foaming. A full blown hypo is not always reversible. Cats that do survive from a damaging hypo may not only be permanently blind but also brain damaged.

 

Here is the list of how to react to a hypo - including not to try to force anything down the throat, as the cat could choke.

http://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=1122

 

I think she is gone....I'll let you know if I hear from her. If she can just get a test in it will be such a relief for all.

 

Lily please try to get a blood sample. This is the only way you have of knowing what your cats blood glucose level is. Just my opinion, but if you have to make several sticks to get it, then do it. Have someone hold the cat and a flashlight under the ear. This will allow you to see the main blood vessel, which is close to the edge of the ear. I usually stick between the vessel and the edge, on the outer ear about 1/3 down from the tip. Hold ear firmly but gently, and make a firm but quick stick. Hope this helps.

 

I got an error saying it was a used test strip and then I got a reading of 28 >_> then i tried again, got the same error and a reading of 30....but he is acting absolutely fine ...I mean really guys, mega fine. Is this the machine or is this bad news?

 

That is a dangerously low #, right on the border of hypo. They can register a number like that with no symptoms, but be very close to hypo. Really given that the insulin has not peaked yet, I would go to the ER immediately.

 

Lily...what can i say...you are on the verge of a hypo.
what can i say.
i sent you my phone number in your pm's.
private messsages.

 

And rub some honey on his gums first, sorry I forgot that!

 

So the readings were on the same strip that said error? If so, they are not necessarily accurate. But usually, you do not get any reading on a bad strip.

If the numbers are 28-30, they are dangerously low. If he were my cat, I would go to the ER.

 

I would get someone else to drive, bring the honey with you in the car, and zip now.

 

No different strips.

 

was error and number on the same reading or seperate tests.

 

If poking the ear is a problem I believe the paw pads are an alternative spot that you can poke for blood.

 

I hope you don't mind that I did this, but I sent a text message to one of my co-workers (a licensed technician for many years) and told her what happened, and she said you absolutely 100% need to go to an emergency vet PRONTO. She echoed what everyone has already said, about his functioning pancreas making a difference, and said he is going to need to be monitored very closely by a doctor or tech to make sure he gets through the night. Good luck! I hope everything works out.

 

Lily i run 'newbie kits' for new members. i am getting offers of donations to help you with the cost. we don't fool around. we mean it . i will start raising funds.

 

what ever $ i raise would have to be paypaled to your er vet...or i would need their phone number to send it to you.
will anyone here want to pledge any amount....pm me. i will be certain to get confirmation from the vet hospital.

 

Lily, are you still around? I have to sign off but will be thinking of you guys. (((((hugs)))))

 

ni ni joanna

 

Lily, we understand the financial issue, but I think it's clear that this is an emergency like a car accident. There isn't really an option to treat this at home, with that 30 on your test.

 

Donations are coming in....where is Lily. let's pray she is at the er.
she has my phone number is she can open her pm's.
i'm going to bed.
thanks everyone for all the beautiful offers to help.

 

I'm really sorry I didn't see this last night. Has anyone heard from her since that last post? Very concerned ...

 

Ditto, darling Karen, ditto...

Much love and countless hopeful hugs for Lily and Nano.
Deb and Nikki -- and, Giz, forever dancing in my heart...

 

Any word yet on how her cat is doing? I really hope she went to the vet last night and he is ok.

 

I have'nt heard anything....was hopeing I would wake up to some news.

 

Was hoping to see an update as well..keeping fingers toes and paws crossed that everything turned out okay...still very worried.

Mel, Max & The Fur Gang

 

Im sorry for the lack of news everyone. Honestly the panic and the stress of the situation was so high, I just really needed to just step away.

Nano is 100% fine. He went through the whole night without a single hypo sign. I did not go to the ER, I'm pretty convinced that the test strip or the glucose reader was just faulty, I tested it on my other cat and it was reading just as low. I spoke to my vet in the morning. He thinks Nano should be 100% fine. The only little hiccup was that he did throw up at around 9am (due to my panicky overfeeding Im sure) and the vet suggested skipping a meal or two. But Nano is acting 100% normal, being playful and cuddly.

I want to thank everyone who stayed up with me. I did think of you guys in the morning, but with so little sleep and I had to go to work and to the vet, I really didn't have time to update. I am shocked to hear that you were collecting donations. That is the nicest thing I have ever seen and will truly always remember it. Please donate that money to an adoption or animal shelter, or we can keep it as a rainy day fund for the next emergency

That being said, I did learn the importance of a good glucose reader, and do want to invest in getting one. Any suggestions?

 

I am glad that Nano is OK. Just what meter did you purchase, it may be OK. Other caretakers make similar errors. I have injected msome of my cats with the wrong dose/wrong insulin. I have gotten my filled syringes mixed up. The syringes look the same.

 

I am so glad to hear he is okay. What wonderful news!

Any meter will work, as long as it sips and takes a tiny sample. It isn't the meters that are expensive; it is the strips. The cheapest strips are for the ReliOn meter from Walmart. The meter itself is also inexpensive. It is popular here. If you decide on one of the brand name meters (sometimes they are free) you can buy strips on ebay for less than half the price of drug stores.

 

Lily, I am so thrilled to hear that Nano is fine!! Thanks for letting us know. We have been hoping for news.

Every now and then we are reminded that we are only human. (In other words, not as good as cats. ) Mistakes happen. It's the beauty of FDMB that people are here to try to help each other through, as best as we can.

And now, you can test your diabetic kitty! Post the name of the meter you bought. I guarantee you'll get some good feedback! :lol: And if you need help learning to perfect your testing technique under less stressful conditions, you'll get good suggestions for that, too.

Please feel free to become part of the family for your diabetic kitty, and to give us updates on Nano.

 

Thanks for updating us and I'm so happy that Nano is fine.

And I guess our secret is out we are a bunch of crazy sugarcat lovers that worry about every cat that steps a paw on this board like they are one of our own. It is not uncommon for a bunch of us to just throw another pot of coffee on and stay up all night to talk someone through a hypo or just a really rotten day.

So now that the panic is over...Welcome to the FDMB family, you have been officially adopted by some of the craziest and most wonderful kitty moms and dads on the web!

Mel, Max & The Fur Gang

 

Hi Lily!
I am new to the forum too, and didn't get to read your posts til this morning. I am so happy Nano is ok!

We use the ReliOn Micro meter from Walmart with much success. We have found it isn't the meter that is costly, it is the strips. The ReliOn meter is economical, the strips are affordable, the sample of blood needed is very small, and it kinda "sucks" the blood in making it very easy to do. It does tend to read BG as a little lower than what it actually is, but personally, I would rather it read low than high until my kitty is closer to being regulated (at that point we would probably try to find a more accurate meter and keep the ReliOn as a backup). This way, I don't think its OK to give him a shot he really shouldn't have it.

I also like this meter because we have a 24hr Walmart (I know most are, but I have been in an area where they are not) so if for some reason, we ran out of strips during an emergency one of us could run out to pick them up. We usually keep an extra box of testing strips in our hypo emergency box, but I like to be over prepared. :lol:

I believe the meter was around $15 and the strips are $36 for a 2 pack (100 strips total). We try to test at least twice a day (before each meal/shot).

Many others may have a better suggestion for you, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to share what we use in my house.

(hugs)
Stephanie & Willy

 

I am so darn happy to see your post and know that Nano is okay :mrgreen: One lucky kitty that it didn't harm him. Now you know you can test your 16 yr old before every shot too and do curves at home to see how well the insulin is working. Welcome to FDMB and let us know more about your diabetic kitty.

 

Well, Kinny has been diabetic for almost three years now. He started on Vetsulin and recently made the switch to ProZinc. He never really went too low on Vetsulin to be honest, I think he stayed in the high 200s low 300s, but his symptoms were well-managed. The transition has been more of a financial burden than anything since ProZinc is more expensive, but in the initial tests he did stay within the 200 range. He receives two units twice a day (so four) and that has kept him pretty decent. We (my vet and I) considered bumping it up to three units twice a day (so six), but Kinny has been pretty good on this much. I never got a tester because testing him is such a problem, we prefer to let the vet do it, but boy would a tester be useful >_>

 

Now that you can test, get some midcycle tests in - like +3 and +6. That will show you how well the insulin is really working - how low it takes him. We suggest increasing by .25 instead of a full unit so you don't go over a good dose. Have you seen the PZI document: viewtopic.php?f=24&t=32799 It is a great resource. And check out the PZI forum - you can read through the threads of other users and look at their spreadsheets. viewforum.php?f=24

Another thing that is very helpful is our color coded spreadsheet. It helps you see at a glance how the insulin is working, identify trends and patterns: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=18207 Be patient; it is slow to load. And a little complicated. If you need help, just ask.

 

Very very relieved to hear Nano is fine. I agree that this is the perfect opportunity to become an expert at home testing!!!

 

YAY!!! Thanks so much for updating us that he is fine. I'm so happy to hear that, yippee!!! :mrgreen:

 

Dear Lily, and, of course, you too, not sweet Nano -- and, Kinny, who is sweet,

YAY!!!!!!!!!

Love and happy ending kind of hugs,
Deb and Nikki -- and, Giz, forever dancing in my heart...


PS: Long ago and far away, there was a dad of a sugar cat named Noel, I think... One morning dad shot Noel straight through his scruff and into his finger. Dad, who wasn't diabetic, had no clue how much insulin might have gotten into Noel or how much insulin might have gotten into him. So he posted right here on the FDMB that he was going to pack a bottle of Karo Syrup in his briefcase -- just in case... Apparently most, if not all, of the insulin got into Noel... We love happy endings!

 

So happy this went well. What a happy Relief!
So everyone knows...No money was recieved....2 very kind souls here pledged money. Amazingly before I ever even thought of raising money.
They know who they are.
Beautiful generous beans.
Thank you both and if a Newbie Kit is needed here please contact me at the link below.