New to feline diabetes

Hi, I'm new here, and new to feline diabetes. I am feeling woefully inadequate to this challenge, and terrified for my beloved cat. He was diagnosed yesterday, and I was sent home with a bottle of insulin and some syringes. My vet taught me how to give the injections and what to look for if he got too much insulin; he will go back to the vet on Monday for her to check his levels. (I was unaware that I could do this at home.) I am so scared that he will become hypoglycemic and I won't recognize the symptoms! My poor kitty is probably tired of me being a "helicopter Mom" all day! I'm worried about giving him his shot tonight because I thought he seemed sleepier today than he usually does, but it's probably just my imagination running out of control. I hope I'll reach a point when this becomes common-place for me and I feel more confident in dealing with feline diabetes!

 

Welcome! Yes, the more you learn about this disease, the more confident you become that you'll be able to keep your kitty safe. Testing at home will let you know what his levels are whenever you are wondering/worried. There are lots of videos and information on home testing. Let us know if you want help. Ask questions and do lots of reading - especially the FAQs on the main page.

 

Welcome to FDMB.
]lease tell us about what insulin, dose, shot frequency, and diet you are using. We may have some options to help reduce costs and to imporve glucose control.

 

Thank you both for the warm welcome. My vet put him on Vetsulin, two units twice daily. She also put him on a diet of Purina Proplan DM, wet and dry. I did not give him his shot tonight, and am calling a vet first thing in the morning because, frankly, I'm scared and feel like I'm way out of my depth. My cat is probably fine and I've just worked myself into a state of near-panic but I'd rather err on the side of caution. I can't get a glucose meter tonight but will be buying one tomorrow.her.

 

Sorry, still trying to find my way around the site. My vet put him on Vetsulin, two units twice daily, and changed his diet to Purina Proplan, both dry and wet. Thank you for your help!

 

OK. We have a Vetsulin/Caninsulin guide here, that will help you optimize your use of it.
Also, here is How To Handle a Hypo so you can be prepared, and we hope, never need it.

 

We have compiled lotsof info about testing here:

http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/hometesting-links-and-tips.287/

Here is a website done by a vet. She has a great explanation why lower carb food is best for diabetic cats.

Www.catinfo.org

 

Thank you so much! Everybody here has been incredibly helpful, and I appreciate it more than you can know. It's really nice to feel that I'm not completely alone in dealing with this and that others also care about the well-being of my beloved kitty.