Precious just diagnosed. Testing question

I am so overwhelmed. I have so many questions but decided testing is the most important.
Precious was diagnosed about a month ago. Vet started him on 1unit Vetsulin-40 one time per day for one week. Then had to leave him there for a day so they could do a glucose curve. After that they put him on 2 units once a day for a week, then another day of in clinic testing. Changed his dosage to 2 units twice a day and sent him home. Told me to bring him back in a month to test again. They want me to let them put a free style libre on him. None of the vets have ever used one on any animal before so I’m not going to do that. After doing some reading on this forum I’ve become very concerned that not once since he’s been diagnosed have they suggested I test him myself. I should mention that Precious gets extremely stressed during his day long tests. He won’t drink or use the litter box and just lies there in the loaf position. I don’t feel there is anyway they are getting accurate readings.
So, like many of you, I have decided to take matters into my own hands but I have no idea where or how to start.
I do have a friend who is a vet who I trust. She suggested using a zoetis Glucometer. I can get one but have no idea what to do next.
I am a single person who works full time9:30 to 6:00. I have 5 other cats. I have no family in the area who can help me.
I appreciate any help you can give me.

 

So glad you are going to be home testing. It's the best thing you can do to keep your cat safe. I have a video in my signature showing how I test my cat CC at home.

 

Wow, good for you for taking matters into your own hands, good instincts! You are correct that the stress of the vet's office may be giving an inaccurate picture of Precious' insulin needs. 2U 2x day would be high for a starting dose (although that's not where he started), it would be really good to get some at-home tests asap to see what that is really doing for him.

Janet's video is great for getting you started on the home testing. I don't know anything about the meter your vet friend recommends, so I can't say one way or the other, but meters are a pretty carefully regulated product, so just about any of them will work for you. You do want something that takes a relatively small blood drop, and then there's the testing strips-- how much do they cost, and how easy are they to get? A lot of us here use human meters because although the numbers won't match a vet meter, it's easier/cheaper to use them on a daily basis and they get the job done. You'll also need lancets to do the pokes, and for that you will want to start with the bigger size (26 or 28 gauge), until his ears "learn" to bleed and you can move to a smaller size.

I know there have been some people who have tried the freestyle libre for their cats, if you do a search you can probably find the threads. My impression is that it's a mixed bag-- when it works, it's fantastically convenient, but a lot of people have trouble getting the thing to stay on the cat!

Keep asking questions, and welcome!

 

Thank you. Your video is very informative.
What levels should he have. When do I test? How often?
As I said, I’m overwhelmed.

 

You are so right and you should be testing at home so you know it's safe to give that injection and to see how the insulin is working.

You can get a ReliOn meter and strips at Walmart, meter is about $10 and 50 strips another $10. Get 26 or 28 gauge lancets, a lancing device to hold the lancet is a personal choice, many of us just freehand. Some cotton balls or cosmetic pads to back the ear, protect your finger and use to gently compress the ear after the poke to help prevent bruising. I use a light smear of Vaseline to help the blood bead up and after the poke a light smear of Equate (or Neosporin) pain relieving ointment, not cream.

Janet provided her excellent testing video and here is something for new testers by Chris & China (GA)

Here's something I wrote up for others for testing...maybe it'll help you too!
It can be really helpful to establish a routine with testing. Pick one spot that you want your "testing spot" to be (I like the kitchen counter because it's got good light and it's at a good height....it also already blocked 2 escape routes due to the wall and the backsplash) It can be anywhere though...a rug on the floor, a table, a particular spot on the couch...wherever is good for you.

Take him there as many times a day as you can and just give his ears a quick rub and then he gets a yummy (low carb) treat. Most cats aren't objecting so much with the poking..it's the fooling with their ears they don't like, but once they're desensitized to it and learn to associate a certain place with the treats, they usually start to come when they're called! Or even when they hear us opening the test kit!

You also have to remember...you're not poking him to hurt him...you're testing him to keep him safe and understand what's
going on inside his body. There's just nothing better than truly understanding what's going on inside your kitty's body and with this disease, the more knowledge you have, the more power you have against it. The edges of the ears have very few pain receptors, so it really doesn't hurt them. Also, if you're nervous and tense, it's going to make your kitty nervous and tense too.

As silly as it might seem, try singing! It forces you to use a different part of your brain!
It's also important to make sure his ear is warm. A small sock filled with a little rice and microwaved or a small pill bottle filled with warm water (check temp against your wrist like you would a baby bottle) works well

For new kitties, using a heavier gauge lancet is also really helpful. A 25-28 gauge lancet pokes a bigger "hole" than a 31-33 gauge lancet does, so look for "Alternate Site testing" lancets that are usually a lower number
Finding the right "treat" will be a great help too! Freeze dried chicken, bonito flakes, little pieces of baked chicken...whatever low carb treat you can find that he really enjoys will help him to associate the testing with the treat! China's Achilles heel was baked chicken, so I'd bake a piece, chop it into bite sized pieces, put some in the refrigerator and freeze the rest to use as needed. It didn't take long for her to come any time I picked up the meter!

Check the Vetsulin forum for information on how to use that insulin. We advise to test before every injection to be sure it's safe to shoot, and at least once during the 12 hour cycle, more if possible. If you look at other members' spreadsheets in their signatures you can see how that works.

 

Do I test before or after he eats? Vet said to dose him after he eats. Is that correct?

 

From the Beginner's Guide to Vetsulin: ( I gave you the link above in my last response)
Q: How often should I test my cat’s BG?
As a minimum, for your cat’s safety, always testing the BG before you give an insulin shot. This is called a ‘pre-shot’ test. We call the morning test ‘AMPS’ (a.m. pre-shot); and the evening test ‘PMPS’ (p.m. pre-shot). Pre-shot tests are to ensure your cat’s BG is high enough to warrant being given that dose of insulin. Sometimes they surprise us!

Important sequence: Test - Feed - Shoot:
Test to see what the BG level is; feed to make sure the cat has food on board; and then shoot/inject insulin.
With shorter-acting insulins like Caninsulin (Vetsulin) we suggest waiting for 20 - 30 minutes after feeding before giving the shot. (For more information see ‘FEEDING SCHEDULES’ above.)
Thereafter, test as your schedule permits or as your cat requires. A test two hours after the shot can be very helpful and can give important clues about what may happen later in the cycle. Some additional mid-cycle tests are always useful, especially when there has been a change in insulin dose or food.
If you work during the week, weekends are a good time to get additional BG testing during the day and evening cycles.

 

Normal on a human meter is 50-120 and on a pet meter it's 68-150. You will most likely see numbers way higher, but you don't want the number to be lower!!!! We recommend that you test before each shot and whenever possible to get a mid cycle number.

 

There are stickies at the top of the Vetsulin forum that should be able to answer the questions about when to test/shoot/feed for that particular form of insulin. The testing at home seems scary, but I don't think there are any nerves in the ears. My cat doesn't even flinch when I accidentally jab all the way through the ear. Fortunately, she is used to being fed pills on a regular basis, so testing the glucose isn't that much different routine.

 

To start with do not give the insulin if the preshot number is below 200 on a human meter and around 240 on a pet meter.
If this happens, stall, don't feed and post and ask for help. Then test 20 minutes after the first test to see if the number os rising.
Until you get some data in your spreadsheet on how your kitty reacts to the insulin it is safer to do this..
Also try and get some tests in around 4 to 6 hours after the insulin is given. (+4 to +6 ) as this will tell you how low the insulin is taking your kitty.