no morning shot - first time

NOT as easy as 123 - but that's the number I got this am - I had put a very small amount of vaseline on his ear - but it was pretty much all gone because he just would NOT hold still so that didn't work this time. I truly envy those of you who talk about kitties purring etc. - Robbie gets a treat after each time, lots of loving and even gets daddy to hold him - nothing matters he wants his ears left ALONE. Finally, after 3 false shots where he pulled his head and I just grazed his ear - I put the heat pack on the other ear and we had to put a strangle hold on him and I got it.
Are there meters that use less blood? I've read about them - any luck anyone out there. Also what do you all make of the 123? I will say - he had almost NO dry food yesterday - his treats were either some wet food or a couple of pieces of chicken.

 

sorry to hear about the struggle with the ear testing .. we don't struggle with that, but we do struggle with the actual shot itself and I understand what you're saying about envying those with cats that purr and just take it ... what meter are you using? We use the wal mart relion brand and it does not seem to take much blood at all ...

 

sounds like Mr. Robbie likes not getting poked with the syringe is what it sounds like obviously you're right, no insulin this morning. so that's 24 hours since the last shot then right? awesome!

which meter are you using? the freestyle meters along with the walmart micro and confirm all take the least amount of blood (unless one of the others have changed their requirements in the last year or so). they all take .3uL and the next up take double that, .6uL, although even that is a miniscule amount.

does Robbie respond to being scruffed at all? when we first started and up until recently, so nearly 4 years, I have had to half scruff Mousie to get her to sit still. it's hard to describe but i guess i use the palm of my left hand along with the three left fingers to scruff her. then i reach up with my pointer finger and thumb and latch on to her ear, and then poke with my right hand. awkward yes but it did the job. not sure if Robbie would respond the same way?

 

What a very lovely good morning number! Could be that having no dry food and low carb treats is making a difference. It made a big difference in Calliope when I switched the foods and treats out. After a 500 at the vet, we were off the juice in less than 3 weeks. It can happen, though regulation is more the goal.

Shooting Calliope was a breeze. She never knew she got a shot. We just did it while she ate. Testing was a whole 'nother story. She didn't like her ears messed with one single bit and she never agreed to that. I had to wrap her kitty burrito style every single time, put vaseline on her ear and then sort of put her up against my body in her "package" to get her tested. She was not happy about that. I gave her treats after and she was only ticked off at me for a wee bit. I've seen many kitties, here, start out that way and then suddenly started coming for testing, freely. Calliope was a tortie with a tortitude and she never relented, though. :lol: The ever present drama queen!

Looking forward to the next test result!

 

P.S. How is the other kitty who ate the string?

 

thanks all for the input etc. Robbie is still even after losing 4 lbs about 18 lbs and his paws are the size of my palm - he's strong! He's such a mush I can usually convince him something is "fun time with mommy" but the inhaler for his asthma and this ear thing - 2 important things for him to tolerate he is NOT cooperating. I'm using my meter it's a ultra something I'll check - I'm blanking right now - ultra soft? naaa, anyway, it wicks up the blood and unless it's a nice round droplet it just kind of scoops in and I get an error - happens when I check myself too - very annoying - thinking it's time for a new one and keep this one as back up. More suggestions on good ones welcome. The closest WalMart is about an hour away but I'm sure I could get one online if they are that good. Mine is very slick - hooks up to the computer and downloads info and all that (I've never bothered and now it would be way confusing with my numbers and Robbies - when he gets a 200+ alarms go off cause it is set for my numbers )
So now the question is - has a solution been found in keeping him off high carb (dry) snacks and treats? certainly has helped - I think yesterday he got ONE small scoop all day - and typically he gets maybe 3 (after am shot, after pm testing and after pm shot). This am I gave him an even smaller amt after he finally let us test him.

As for the shot - as long as I warm it up in my hand a bit so it's not freezing cold going into him he doesn't even stop eating or sleeping or whatever.

The string eater Roxie is still under watch but so far so good - I don't know how she knew that spool was where it was - she's amazing.

 

Hi Ellen

I loved the Precision Xtra - got it free at the drugstore. You can also measure ketones with it, although those strips are super expensive. I got my regular strips on ebay - for less than half the price in the store.

Have you tried the lo carb snacks? Oliver loved Bonito flakes. Others like the freeze dried meat bits. You can get both at PetSmart. Is he keen on chicken? I also boiled up chicken breasts and cut them into tiny pieces as a snack.

 

Thanks he's getting the cooked chicken as a snack and loving it - always has. He has never really liked "treats" but I'll look into the ones you mention.
I can get any supplies thru my insurance - which seems pretty cheap so far for me - but I'll compare to ebay. Thanks again ;-)

 

So glad Roxie is doing okay. Cats can sniff out darn near anything! Learned that the hard way.

Calliope was a picky treat eater. She wouldn't eat any of the dried meat snacks I bought at PetSmart, but she inhaled the Halo Liv a Little treats I order online. All the cats like them, here, so I order them by the case wherever I see the cheapest price. Lots of folks have had success with the Halo chicken treats.

The food change can make a difference. It made a huge difference in Calliope. The dry food stays in the system longer than the wet, also, so it can skew the BG numbers.

I used the accu-chek aviva and it took a very little amount of blood. The strips sucked up well and once I got my groove on testing, I didn't have problems other than with my girl cooperating. I bought the strips on ebay, also, and got much better prices than any others I found.

ETA: if Robbies happens to keep those numbers for a bit, it might be that you just need some sort of very tiny dose to jumpstart the pancreas. I don't know if that will be the case, but a wee bit of insulin can still be effective. I think Calliope went down to a .1 unit before Calliope was finally off the insulin.