not wanting to eat at time of injection

I posted on the main health forum but thought it might be better to post here too since Leo is on Prozinc.
Last night Leo did not want to eat much at all around the time of his injection due at 7:00PM. He is on 1 1/2u twice day. He did eat a small amount but didn't look like he was going to eat much more and it was getting 30 minutes past his shoot schedule so I reduced his dose in half and gave it to him. Wasn't able to test as he was now running and hiding from me because he doesn't like me following him around with the food bowl. (yes out of frustration I do that). 30 minutes later he eats more but I had already given him half a dose so I didn't shoot any more. What on earth do you do if the cat just won't eat on schedule when insulin is due??

 

Does he have any other health issues? Wonder if he has some nausea and that's why he doesn't eat much then hides.

 

Hmmm...does he have food available all the time? Is he eating just a little while before the shot is due perhaps? Will he eat anything...like say can you sprinkle some crushed up treats or fortiflora or something on it and get him to eat? If you can get him to eat even just a few tablespoons, you should be okay, especially if you know he'll eat more later. You just want him to have some food on board....

 

He does have mild IBD and gets Pepcid twice a day, or once a day in the evening. He's on a limited ingredient duck single protein wet food. It may be higher than I want in carbs but for now his IBD has been doing very well with no vomiting and no diarrhea. He has been nervous since he came home from the 5 days at the vets and one return visit. He's always eaten a little at a time so it makes it really hard to get enough food in him at one time for the injection. Before the effect of his insulin kicked in he was eating ALL the time so it was so much easier to feed him before the injection. Now that he's not so hungry all the time and not drinking gallons of water he has resumed his previous eating habits.. You may be on to something though. It is possible his IBD is making him a little nauseous at times. Skipping injections is not going to help his glucose at all, so it's getting a little nerve wracking. Thanks for your input. Any other thoughts and ideas are welcome.

 

I do not know how it would effect his IBD but maybe try withholding food for 4 hours before preshot time? Hopefully, one of the members with IBD kitty will chime in too

 

He probably does have food available most of the time because he eats some, leaves it for a while, then eats the rest, etc. I do use some of the forti flora sprinkled over top and somethings some crushed Pure Bites duck too. He's such a stinker though- he eats the top off where the sprinkles are and leaves the rest! It's hard to tell exactly how much he eats at one time because he licks his food and it's pushed to the side so it's hard to tell what went into him and what was just pushed up against the bowl. He will usually finish it all at a later time. So I'm guessing that even if he eats a small amount beforehand it may be ok to give him his injection? Maybe I should regulate his feedings more so that he will be hungry enough to eat before injection time?

 

He does need some food on board before his shot but not necessarily a full meal. ProZinc isn't as hard and fast in onset as Vetsulin, for example.

 

I'm going to try picking up any food left a few hours before shoot time and maybe he will want to eat enough when I need him to. Gosh, cats are so hard sometimes especially when the IBD is involved and we all know how quirky their little minds work sometimes. If he even guesses the sound of something seems like the cat carrier - zoom - he's gone to the middle of underneath the bed where he KNOWS I can't reach him.

 

I won't worry too much then if he eats at least something beforehand. I've only had luck with one testing so far. I'm trying though!!

 

Thank you all for you input. I truly do appreciate it!

 

One is a great start! We all have lots of tips and tricks if there is anything we can do to help.

 

Thanks again!

 

@Carol & Murphy may have some suggestions to help with the IBD.

 

You should definitely be picking up all food 2 hours before pre-test time so the reading is not food influenced. I just suggested a little longer to try and see if he would be a little hungrier before shot time if 2 hours was not working .

 

I've not yet been able to test him on a regular schedule. I've succeeded once so far and am still trying to get it right but he is not yet cooperating. I will keep trying.

 

Have you been able to start any desensitization exercises with him?

 

Hi Lillie -Murphy also has IBD and doesn't eat much at any one time, so I do feel your pain and understand your angst. I agree with picking up the food for a few hours before meal/test time. Also, prozinc doesn't start working right away so you do have usually a few hours to get some food into him. Putting Murphy on daily cerenia has really helped his IBD and I don't have nearly the issues with not wanting to eat anymore. What I have found is when it is meal time and he shows no interest in food or eating, I give him a pill for nausea (ondansteron) and if after a while he still isn't eating, I give him a appetite stimulant (cyproheptadine)

 

Some, yes. He does not like his face or ears touched at all. I've been trying to desensitize this area but sometimes he just get irritated as heck with me. I've been trying.

 

So far Leo is just on pepcid twice a day but his specialist said if other symptoms start up then she will probably recommend something like cerenia and or ondansteron. She also mentioned budesonide if needed. So far he seems ok on the pepcid and novel protein diet but there is the possibility that his lower appetite sometimes is caused by nausea. I think I will run those meds by his specialist as it would be good to have something at hand in case it's needed. This morning though I was not able to test him and he was so lethargic I ran him over to the vets. He was at 68, 6 hours after the morning injection!!! That may be why his appetite was not so good. No shot tonight and I'll try my darndest to get a reading. He ate some food when he came home and I gave him some of his higher carb dry food (which I saved but don't feed him any more) along with his regular stuff. I swear this is going to give me a nervous breakdown.

 

Carol- What do you do about his injections if Murphy just doesn't eat at all- or are you always able to get him to eat by adding a med?

 

Lillie - was that 68 reading with a pet or a human meter? I think with a reading like that, I'd be leary of the dose you are giving if you cannot test - @Rachel @Kris & Teasel @Sharon14- what do you think?
regarding Murphy not eating, luckily by now, I have lots of testing data and have gotten a feel for him, so I can make an educated guess as to whether to give him his whole dose of insulin, a reduced dose, or none - and a big part of that would be what his readings are (if he is running high, I am more likely to give him a full dose - if he is lower, not so much) I'm curious what others think about dosing if you cannot test, given the reading of 68 at +6.

 

It was 68 at the vet's office? I'd be leery of shooting with that too since vet numbers are often higher due to stress. Any way of getting a test first?

 

I could not get a test from him today and he was so lethargic I took him to the vet. They got a reading of 68 at +6 after his 1.5 PZ. She told me no injection tonight. He ate when I brought him home a couple times and I included a little of his previous high carb dry food-just a little. I just tested him which is 3.5 hours past his last test which would be +9.5 and IF I did it right it is at 78 now. Should it be going up faster than that?
The meter is an alpha trak pet meter-same as the vets.

 

Don't be discouraged Lillie! It's totally normal to feel overwhelmed and mine was not a big eater on schedule either and I was very afraid he would go low (its only happened 1x that I am aware of) and I am not home as much as I want to be....

Now I have an automatic feeder (it has 5 spots in it) I have it timed to give food about 4hours after his breakfast (so he does not dip too low), then 2.5 hours later a little snack (just in case his +6 is low), and then 3hours before supper time (but is taken away 1hour later so spot 5 is empty). The same schedule for night time feeding. By breakfast and dinner he is coming to wake me/annoy me for food! It's a learning process for the both of you!

My Mr. Pou doesn't eat ALL the meals but at least he knows food will become available even if I am not home. He was a grazer and always KEPT some until I came home, he seldom finished his food. So as long as he eats, now, I shoot. But its not a feeling I felt comfortable with in the beginning. The more you test and the more you know his cycles, the more comfort you will have...

 

Thank you for the 'pep' talk. I needed it after his low number today. Scary, but he seems to be doing better now and I am testing tonight to keep an eye on him. He's eating like a little pig now- great, just not when you need him to!

 

78 is still low and yes he should be going up - since he's eating like a pig that's a great sign - don't be surprised if he skyrockets either, that's a normal response to a LOW (its what people here call bouncing). And sometimes if there is too little blood it will read low, if you doubt it, you can always try again later.

Great cause the more you do it, the more he will get used to it. Mine only wants me to test his left ear (my right) don't ask me why but he's made this decision and I have to abide by it.

 

How soon should I test again? There's plenty of blood to test- he's on a blood thinner. If I test tomorrow morning what number would be ok to shoot? Now I'm getting worried he's not going up fast enough.

 

If he had no insulin tonight he should be fine. Prozinc is an in and out insulin so it doesn't linger. Since he doesn't have any tonight, the lower numbers are fine...good even!

I wouldn't shoot below 200 tomorrow. Can you monitor at all tomorrow? Roughly what time will you be wanting to shoot (and what time zone are you in?) ?

 

Oh, Lillie! Thank goodness you are testing him! First of all, 78 is a safe number. It's a very healthy number. And as long as you aren't giving him any more insulin, he should be fine this evening. Just keep letting him eat healthy food when he's hungry, and make sure he has access to fresh water to help him regain his energy

Did the vet give you any directions for tomorrow? If the vet said to resume his dose tomorrow, I would recommend that you test first since he's had such low numbers, and then post here for some ideas of a good dose before you inject him. And I agree with Rachel that I wouldn't shoot if he's below 200. If you let us know your time zone and shot time, we can try to keep an eye out for your post.

 

I'm in California and hopefully I'll be testing in the morning at about 6:00AM my time. It's hard in the morning because he is always hungry in the middle of the night and wakes me up to have a snack. He doesn't do well with going all night with no food. So I guess if I give him a snack at 4:00AM and nothing else it will be ok to test at 6:00. I just listened to myself and what I said- who would have thought I would be getting awake at 4:00AM to give my cat a snack because he has IBD and can't go too many hours without food. That's just crazy. I need to get a timed pet feeder!!

 

Okay that's around 8 my time. I should be on then (usually arrive at work then so as Long as traffic isn't nuts). I'll check in then to see how you are if you want to post your preshot for advice!

 

I'll be around at that time as well. And around here, getting up in the middle of the night to care for a sick kitty is totally normal.

 

Thank you all so so much! The vet just said not to shoot tonight but to lower the dose tomorrow morning to 1u. I don't feel good about blindly giving the insulin tomorrow morning after this low today though so I'm going to do my best to get a good reading tomorrow morning. He's feisty in the morning before he eats. Wish me luck.

 

This was a MAJOR struggle this morning with Leo. Kept getting an error on meter and finally I took the test strip out put a new one in and transferred the blood from the old one to the new one that was in the meter. Reading came out to only 85. Which side of the strip is the blood supposed to go on? The top facing side with the butterfly or the underneath side of the strip? Anyway 85 looks awfully low. I don't usually feed Leo until 7:00AM. I'm not sure I can get another reading right now to check if accurate as he is really upset right now and wants to eat. I'm guessing no shoot this morning?

 

I would definitely say no shot with an 85. Which meter are you using? Regardless, the meter wouldn't have given you any number if you didn't have the blood in the right place, so since you got an 85, you must have figured it out!

At least on my meter, if a strip gives an error, you have to change the strip and try again. Once it has an error, it's wrecked.

And good job getting a test this morning! I'm sorry it was a struggle, but we're all proud of you for getting it worked out. It really does get easier. And it's so so good that you tested before giving him an injection because 85 is a safe, healthy number that does not require insulin, and giving him a shot at that number would have been dangerous for him.

 

Definitely no shot. Thank goodness you're testing!

 

I'm using the alpha trak pet monitor. His poor little ear from last night looks terrible. I didn't do a very good job and since he's on a blood thinner he was bleeding more than normal. I think he hates me! Is it ok to feed him now? Should I try and test again tonight?

 

Yes, go ahead and feed and definitely get another test tonight. The blood is supposed to go onto the sides of the strips - not the bottom

 

It's fine to feed him now. And yes, definitely test again before you shoot since he's showing you these low numbers.

After you get the blood, take a cotton square or some tissue and apply pressure to his ear - since he's on blood thinners he's going to bruise, but you may be able to minimize it at least a little.

 

I may have to use two test strips from now on. If I poke and get blood on one strip I can have a new one in the meter ready to go and transfer the blood from one to another. It feels like I need more than two hands to do it all at once.

 

Just found this picture online. It shows how to put the test strip into the glucometer, and that little dropper is where the blood would go.

If you have any drinking straws, I used to cut them into pieces a few inches long, and then cut them lengthwise in half to make a little trough. Then I would catch the blood in that, stop the bleeding, and then I could do the test. Some people also just scoop the blood onto their finger nail and do it that way.

 

Does this mean I may not have gotten a true reading since the blood was on the bottom and not just the side? There was quite a bit of blood from him so I imagine the whole lower half of the strip was covered.

 

I don't have an alphtrak, but on the meter I use, it just won't give me a number if the blood isn't in the right spot, so I'm guessing that some blood got into the side since you had a reading. You could do another test if you want to, but I think it's okay to just skip this morning (especially if he just ate), and try again this evening. There's a big learning curve to all of this, and it's okay to just take it one step at a time.

 

Thank you! Getting the blood on my fingernail and testing from there is a good idea. That way I won't go through two strips at once.

 

If I get a good sample tonight and the reading is 200 or over I'm guessing I would shoot. Right?

 

Another question! He has been getting 1.5u prozinc so if I get a good reading tonight would I resume his regular 1.5u or should I decrease it some. I'm getting a feeling his units might be too high a dose.

 

If it's over 200 tonight, then yes, you could shoot, but I would suggest going with a lower dose like the vet suggested - not more than 1u, and I would also recommend that if you do shoot, you try to get a mid-cycle test to make sure he's staying in safe numbers.

 

Thank all of you so very much! Poor Leo would have been in trouble if I had just given him his injection this morning without testing. What do I do if he remains under 200? Just keep testing and watch for when he does go over 200?

 

@Lillie you will get the hang of this and so will he. I cannot tell you the times I still ask myself hmmmm should I test again? It your mother instincts mixed with anxiety of not knowing what you're doing. I know how it feels, you want to understand everything NOW and know what to do when. I've been doing this for about 3 months and learned that this forum is the best thing EVER, the people here are a real community/family and someone is always a few clicks away from helping you.

With that said, don't worry about tonight UNTIL tonight! People are here at all hours, and if they know in advance when to be here to help you, they are often if not always waiting for your message. Also when you think/plan stuff is going to go one way, you may have a brand new learning experience, and often the disappointment of things not going the way you planned can be overwhelming.

The important lessons of this morning, YOU DID AWESOME!!! You got a test done, you learned how the strips work and you will build a habit of doing the sequence in a specific order that will be a routine for both of you, practice makes "better"
Also you learned not to shoot at this number, and the valuable lesson that not testing and giving him insulin would be very bad!

Also in case we have not told you yet 85 IS A GREAT NUMBER!!! I forget the magic number but anything below 2** (something in the 200's) is indicative of the pancreas (the natural insulin organ in your cat) being at a level it can heal itself, it heals slowly so don't get too excited just now!!!

Are you home today or away?

 

It's fine to ask as many questions as you have. There is a lot to learn here, and the more you know, the better you can take care of your kitty. Jamie is right, most of the time you can find someone here, but since you're on the west coast, it can be a bit quiet in the evening. I'm on the west coast as well though, so we can watch out for each other!

Here is the usual procedure from the prozinc guidelines that we use here:

When in doubt, ask the Forum or your vet for advice BEFORE dosing your cat.

• The proper sequence for dosing insulin is: Test/Feed/Shoot. In the beginning, if your cat’s BG is not up to at least 200 mg/dL {11 mmol/L}, if your schedule allows, you can stall (without feeding) for 20+minutes, then retest the BG. You are looking for a number that is rising, not falling and up to 200 mg/dL {11 mmol/L}. If you stall once, but can’t do another round of stalling and your cat hasn’t reached a BG of 200 mg/dL {11 mmol/L}, you’ll need to skip the dose and wait until the next cycle. NOTE: Because pet-specific meters (such as the AlphaTrak2) often read higher than human meters, you may want to adjust the NO-SHOOT number to 225 mg/dL {12.5 mmol/L} or even 250 mg/dL {14 mmol/L} This gives you an added margin of safety when using an AlphaTrak2 or other pet-specific meter.

• IMPORTANT NOTE: Do not feed your cat within the two-hour window right before the scheduled dose time; doing this can raise your cat’s blood significantly, giving you a higher BG number based on food. This could result in your giving insulin when you should not, or giving more insulin than you should.

And here is the link to the whole thing: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/...prozinc-pzi-insulin-for-diabetic-cats.164995/

 

I'm home but have our handyman working on light fixtures today. Leo has his own room and there won't be any work done in his room today so he has a safe place to be. My computer is also in his room but I'm afraid the noise may make him a little too nervous to test. He should be done by 4:00 though so that's enough time to try and test him later before dinner. You guys are the best! I'm starting to wonder if changing his food to a grain free canned and not feeding him any dry food has made a difference. He's been on this diet for a few weeks now and was on it for a while before I had the curve done at the vets but I'm wondering if it took quite a while for the lower carb diet to take effect? His fructosamine test was high but that was several weeks ago and was actually monitored from before when he was on his dry food. Any thoughts?

 

I don't believe there is any other forum like this where everyone is so dedicated and helpful. I am so grateful that all of you are here!

 

What time do you feed him dinner? We usually test, and then immediately hand the kitty food, then (if the BG number is high enough), give the injection when they are finished eating (or some people give it while the kitty is eating if it's clear he/she is eating enough to be safe). This morning you tested around 6am, so if possible, you would want the evening test to be about 12 hours later. That isn't critical right now since he hasn't had any insulin, but it's something to keep in mind.

And changing his food can have a huge effect on BG. He's more than 24 hours without insulin at this point, and he isn't showing any signs of needing insulin, so that is curious. It will be interesting to see what number he shows you this evening.

I'm headed to work now - back in a few hours.

 

I normally feed him at 7:00PM since he always has a snack at 3:00PM. I will make sure he has no snacks after 5:00PM.

 

I was getting curious about his lethargy in late afternoons ever since I brought him home from the vets from his curve. Even at 1.5u which is lower than the 2u his vet advised he was getting so lethargic in late afternoon and early evening. I'm thinking he was always going too low ever since I brought him home although when I took him to the vet to test at his +6 he was at 160 then 180. He seems to be changing a lot in his readings.

 

If you look closely at the bottom sides of the AT strip you'l see a tiny finger like projection on each side near the black semicircle. That little finger is what sips the blood into the strip.

 

I'm sure others have asked: would you consider setting up a spreadsheet like the one we use here? It's the best way for us to see the whole picture in one place before offering advice. There are techies here who'll do it for you if you want.

 

I will do it as soon as I get a new computer. My IMac is on its way out right now and I have trouble with everything except my email. Thank you for the information regarding the test strip. I will need to look closer.

 

I tested Leo just now (6:00pm west coast time) after fasting at least 2 hours. He is at 114 after no insulin since Tues. morning. Is this a honeymoon period or transient diabetes? I'm baffled. Yesterday at the vets at +6 he was 68, later at home he was 78, and this morning he was 85. Now he is 114. Should I keep testing for the next few days to see if the number go up? It was another battle but easier on me even though I stuck myself with the needle! Ha Just in case I thought the meter might have read my blood instead I tested myself on the meter and the number was way different so I'm sure it was Leo's number. Thoughts anyone?

 

Some kitties are only diabetic because of the food they are on. After they are transitioned, and have some insulin support, their pancreas heals and they go into remission. It's possible that that's what's happened. I would test at "shot time" for a few more days to be sure, but 114 is too low to shoot again, so go ahead and feed Leo his dinner and enjoy your evening. Great job getting the tests done, even though they're not easy!

 

It is to say the least upsetting over the fact that his vet told me to hold off on the injection Tues nite but to go ahead and inject the next morning without even asking me to first home test or ask me to bring him in to be tested first before the morning injection. Thank God I did the home test. I am so glad this forum is here with all of you.

 

This forum has saved a lot of kitty lives, mine included. I'm glad you were able to start testing at home and intervene when the vet didn't. You've done a great job taking care of Leo over the past few days!

 

So glad you're testing at home!

 

I had a real problem with his ear bleeding tonight since he is on a blood thinner. I wasn't able to hold on to him and compress the ear after the prick. Later I found him in the closet after shaking his ear and blood all over him and my closet. It hasn't done that before so I was surprised at how much it bled this time. It has stopped but I was pretty upset when I first say him- he was all white, now he's red stripped.

 

Oh, Lillie, I'm so sorry! I can only imagine how upsetting that was! Is he all cleaned up now?

Is that from the test you did earlier (the 114?)? Or did you try to test him again?

 

That was from the test I did at 6:00PM. I didn't even realize it until I checked on him in the closet where he sleeps. He was shaking his head a lot so I don't think that helped. Someone mentioned that the more you do the ear pricks the easier it bleeds. Darn it. I have to make sure now I hold and compress his ear with cotton afterward. He's not cleaned up yet and neither is my closet. He just wants to be left alone right now so I cater his food to the closet. No -he's not spoiled! (sarcasm). Another thing to do- Maybe the vet has another idea as to how to stop the bleeding quicker. Poor Leo, he sure has been through a lot since I've had him.

 

Lol...that is pretty spoiled - but I think we all do things like that when we know our fur babies aren't feeling well. Do you have any of that powdered stop-bleed stuff that is used if you cut their nails too short? That stuff is pretty amazing and may help. I'm not sure if it's okay to use for ears, but I've used it for one of my own cuts one time and I'm still okay

 

Thanks for the tip. I knew there was most probably something you could use for this.. I'm just not sure why he bled so much tonight. His poor little ear does not look very good right now. The prick itself didn't even produce that much blood at first. Maybe I'll get some sleep tonight for a change.

 

If his ear still looks bad in the morning, then make sure you test in the other ear. And honestly, I don't think it would be a big deal if you skip the test in the morning until you can get something to help control the bleeding. He's already more than 24 hours without insulin, so it's not like you need to maintain momentum at this point. Just make sure you don't give him any insulin if you decide not to test!

 

It's dried up now and I think I will skip tomorrow morning test and absolutely no insulin until I get something for the bleeding. I did read where if hyperglycemia is caught early enough and treated aggressively it can remission quickly. I would be thrilled if that were the case with Leo but I will be testing again soon anyway (just not tomorrow). I will be monitoring him closely. Thank you so much for your concern and replies.
If I had not joined here it's very possible he could be dead right now from giving insulin when he didn't need it.

 

It's possible you nicked the vein, causing more blood. I've done that SO MANY times by accident...always bled more than usual.

Poor thing! And poor you...that's got to make life just a bit harder on you. Yeah, I might call the vet too and just ask if they have any other tips since that blood thinner just makes things a bit harder.

 

I'm so glad you caught this low! The testing thing is a hurdle for many people to overcome mentally and physically but it can truly save a kitty's life. I'm sorry you had that awful bleeding episode - I agree that you might have hit the tiny vein that runs along the edge of the outer ear.

 

How do you prevent not hitting the vein? It's such a small space there on the outer ear it's hard to determine. What do you make of his BG being normal without insulin and how long do you think I should continue testing?

 

Some people find it helpful to shine a little flashlight on the opposite side of the ear so you can see really clearly where the vein is located. Then sometimes there is a place on the ear that may give you a little more space to work with between the vein and the edge of the ear.

 

What colour are your kitty's ears? You can often see the little vein of the ears are light in colour, especially on a short haired kitty. Testing in a brightly lit area helps. So does free handing the lancet instead of using the spring holder device because you can aim more precisely.

Some cats become "diet controlled" diabetics in that eating a low carb diet is enough to keep their BG in normal ranges. Some get there on insulin and the dose can be reduced to nothing over time and they are then maintained with a low carb diet. In the early days of "normal" BGs in a diabetic cats off of insulin, people generally test AM and PM. As the numbers continue to hold, they reduce the testing frequency slowly until it's down to once a week and then longer intervals. Once a diabetic, always a diabetic though and a kitty can fall out of remission for any number of reasons.

 

all great tips above - you might also try using a smaller lancet (33 gauge)

 

Im using a small needle instead of the lancets. The vet gave me the same ones he uses. I'm sure I nicked a vein now that I think about it because none of the others bled that bad. The problem is he runs away after the test and since I have my hands full with the needle, meter, and cotton balls it's hard to catch him. He's usually a pretty slow lazy cat but he's like lightening after an ear prick.

 

You do give a treat after the test, right?

 

I try but he seems to be more interested in running away from me than getting a treat.

 

Maybe give a treat before...then have another one that you can quickly lay down after? Get him used to the idea of treat by giving it before when he is not running yet?

 

Or if there's something else he likes? A nice grooming or play session? Anything positive that he can associate with the test, so he will earn "If I let her poke me, I get something good, so I'll stay"

 

I'm so happy your cat is responding to the elimination of kibble!!! That's so awesome!!!!!!! Poor both of you for the "blood bath" - if you have a cellphone with a camera (or a real flashlight) you can easily see the veins. To get him not to run away I use CHICKEN, real cooked chicken is his favorite thing on this planet,l find something he won't leave behind!

 

Sorry that was not clear, put the flashlight behind the ear and look at him face to face.

 

Maybe the experts can chime in but is catnip an option?

 

Anything he likes is an option! Some cats would prefer a nice grooming session or playing after...whatever works is what you should use.

 

I'll try the pure bites freeze dried duck treats that he likes so much and try giving him some right before I try the test. Catnip? He loves catnip. That may work at least to take his mind off of the prick and monitor set up. I hate when they start 'knowing' when you are gathering the equipment= how on earth do they know that is what you're collecting? My previous cat would run and hide when I went into the bathroom to measure her meds in a syringe. I didn't even do this everyday but that ONE day I did she knew. They really are amazing creatures.

 

This is my treats routine for Teasel whether I'm injecting or testing. I do all this while sitting on the bath mat in my bathroom:

• ask him to come into the bathroom ---> give treat when he does
• ask him to come to me once I'm sitting on the bath mat ---> give treat
• do BG test or give injection ---> give treat.

I use treats as liberally as needed. I avoid any attempts at grabbing him or holding him tightly. I sit on the mat cross legged with knees raised. He's seated in the opening between my raised knees. If I need to restrict him a bit more I move my knees closer together.

 

He gets suspicious now when I sit on the floor so I may have to just sit on the floor more and talk to him without doing anything. I need to act a little more calm too. You're lucky your kitty comes to you when you ask. Leo is so stubborn and I know he picks up on my anxiety beforehand.

 

Hi Lillie! I just wanted to check in and see how you're doing today? Is Leo's ear better?

 

It looks a lot better than the other day but there is still some caked blood on the inside. I've been massaging some neosporin on the inside ear skin and he doesn't seem to mind too much me touching his ear now. Hmmm- maybe he's starting to be ok with it. I did test this morning although it was rough on the other ear and tried to only get the tip and avoid the vein. He registered 100 but then I thought about when he had his treat and couldn't remember what time he had eaten it so I'll have to try again tomorrow morning and make sure he has no treats after 5:00AM. His specialist emailed me and said if I need help to come in to the specialty hospital where she is and one of her techs will help me. She is adamant about home testing, unlike his local vet here. Three days now of normal BG's without insulin although it has not been several tests a day so I need to keep going with the testing during the day. No excess water consumption either. He had a terrible time last night with hair balls. Several coming out of him and one giant cigar shaped. I've never seen so many come out of a cat! I'm wondering if it's the canned food since it does not have much fiber in it. I put a post on the board for suggestions. Thank you for your concern! It means a lot to Leo and me.
So, if it's not his IBD, Diabetes, blood clot from a year ago, now it's massive hair balls. It never ends does it? We love them no matter what, hair balls and all.

 

It's great that his numbers are so healthy! Did the specialist say anything about how long she would like you to test? Typically we say here that if a cat has been below shootable numbers for two weeks that they are OTJ - Off the Juice.

As far as the reading tonight, a treat usually wouldn't make a big difference in the number - unless you gave a lot and they are high carb. And even if it did have an impact, 100 is still a very healthy number.

Sorry to hear about the hair balls! It's definitely shedding season and my civvie (non-diabetic cat) occasionally suffers from them this time of year too. I try to brush him every day until the shedding settles down - but once in awhile he gets ahead of me. Canned food would usually help with hair balls by keeping the cat better hydrated. If you're feeding him dry food as well, you might reduce that as much as possible since dry food dehydrates cats, and dehydration can make it harder for the kitty to process the hair on his own. If the hairballs continue, you might try posting in the main forum for some other tricks. I know it's a topic that has come up a few times around here.

 

Yes I did post a new thread and had a recommendation of pumpkin and psyllium husk powder for added fiber. Leo's canned food is grain free so maybe he just is not getting enough fiber? Two nights in a row now with massive hair balls. His bowel movements are ok, he doesn't seem ill, and he wants to eat again a few minutes after he gets rid of the hair balls. I may have to make a trip to his specialist if it keeps up. He's been grooming himself excessively lately, maybe due to stress.
His specialist just said to keep testing him when I can for a few weeks and watch for excessive water consumption and urination. I certainly can't inject him with those numbers. It may be a honeymoon cycle or it may be that it is transient diabetes. And can come back at any time. Only got one test in today but will shoot for a few tomorrow- that is unless he is carted down to the specialty hospital tomorrow because of the hair balls. I swear this hair must have been accumulating for months! I have never seen anything like it.

 

Wonder if all the fur could have been the reason his appetite was decreased, tummy filling with fur.

 

You'd need at least 3 hands for that, wouldn't you?

 

Lol...that would help, yes! I shine the light and get in my head where I'm going to poke. Then put the flashlight down and do it. Once you know your kitties ears really well, you won't need to do it anymore. It's just helpful when you're learning this whole process. I do still use it once in awhile to check for little bruises and make sure his ears are doing okay with all the testing.

 

I have in the past noticed that when he does have hair balls his appetite will decrease but the past day or two he's been eating ok so I'm surprised about this.
Yes I need three hands, maybe four!

 

I think you can use a tiny dab of regular old petroleum jelly to help with hairballs...dab it on the paw and they'll usually lick it off. Helps to lubricate things I guess.

 

Thank you all! I have a couple things I can try now. Just don't want him to get 'too' loose due to his IBD. We've already had problems with too loose and it is not fun.

 

I think I mentioned that on her other thread. I get confused because they are titled the same lol

 

I've done the same thing. I think I actually posted double threads somewhere along the line here. My anxiety is getting a little high with trying to figure out all of Leo's health stuff. Rough morning trying to get him to swallow his 1/4 tablet pepcid. Geez- they act like you're trying to poison them.