Newly diagnosed - still at Vet Hospital

My 12 1/2 year old bobtail boy, Nimr, was just diagnosed a few days ago. I have been unable to bring him home yet, as his blood sugar keeps going over 600, even with insulin. I already picked up his prescription for Humilin N, but just read on this page that is not good. My vet also said that human glucometers and ear pricking for glucose were not reliable. I am really worried about dosing him without testing at home - especially in the first few weeks. Two days before his diagnosis, one of our other cats was diagnosed with bone cancer and facing amputation. At least they get to keep each other company while hospitalized. Our dog was just diagnosed with a malignant tumor in her paw and was just released after 2 amputations. Feeling a bit overwhelmed here!

 

Welcome!
Definitely understand why you are more overwhelmed than most of us! Really hoping things turn around for you and your fur babies .
Home testing is definitely our best tool. Most of us use the Walmart brand human meter, ReliOn Confirm or Micro because the test strips are more affordable. We can help you interpret these numbers. I don't know much about Humilin N, just that the preferred cat insulins are Prozinc, Lantus, and Levemir. Every Cat Is Different (ECID) and some insulins don't work for some kitties. Remember though, Nimr's numbers are probably influenced by the stress he is under from being at the Vet's, so it's hard to tell if it's working at all.

Here is the Spreadsheet template we use: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/fdmb-spreadsheet-instructions.130337/
If you need help setting it up, we have people that can do that! The minimum testing recommended is Pre-shots to make sure Nimr is safe to administer insulin. Additional data during the cycle helps identify patterns.

Feel free to ask any questions on the Main Health forum. There are also kitties here with additional health issues.

 

Welcome, so sorry for all you're going through with your fur babies! Hopefully we can help relieve you of some of your worry. Testing at home is the best way to help sweet Nimr. It will allow you to keep him safe and see how well the insulin is working. A human meter reads lower than a pet meter, but we know that and can help you adjust accordingly. I don't know much about Humulin either, but I believe that it just doesn't last a full 12 hours in a cat and that is why we prefer one of the longer lasting insulins. Come to the Main Health Forum and we can help you with choosing a good low carb food and learning to test Nimr's glucose and any other questions you have.

ETA http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/humulin-n-primer.303/

 

Sorry for all you're going through, a lot of us here have been through similar things. One thing your vet said, "Human glucometers and ear pricking for glucose were not reliable" is simply not true. A human glucometer will give different readings but they ARE reliable, otherwise why would millions of human diabetics use them? As for blood from the ears, if the ears are clean then what's the difference, blood is blood. There's always debate here between what your trusted vet says and what a bunch of strangers on the internet say, that has to be tough but think about what I said. If the FDA thought human meters were unreliable would they be in every drugstore in North America? 99% of us test with blood from the ears. Don't forget to start posting in Feline Health and hoping your baby will be home for the weekend. Wishing the best for your dog and your other cat, as unbelievable as it sounds we've been through the same. You'll never be alone here.

 

Sorry, should have made one thing clearer. Human glucometers will give you different readings than a meter made for a cat but they will be consistent (and a lot cheaper). There's a chart here somewhere, someone will show you, how to use the numbers.

 

Thank you for all your suggestions. Nimr died in my arms yesterday at home from DKA. It was a Saturday and the nearest emergency vet was 2 hours away. I am devastated.

 

Very sorry for your loss. May fond memories of your beloved Nimr warm your heart always

 

Sorry Nimr buddy, you can rest now.

 

I'm so sorry you've lost Nimr.