Reply to MrWorfsMen'sMom

(Thank you sooooo much!) I just figured out and finished my signature. I have never joined a forum before and I think it will take me a little bit to navigate well. I did look at Dr Pierson's new Food Chart and I didn't take phosphorus into consideration when I purchased wet food, nor did I have the info on the percentages. If you have any recommendations on the food I put on the signature, please don't hesitate to tell me. I'm all ears when it comes to helping Bear in the best way I can.

I fed Bear majority wet yesterday and he has started vomiting some. Most of his food seems to be making it to his digestive track because majority of what has come up is water and possibly clear congestion. I know in the article it stated it is more important for Bear's food to stay on board since he is diabetic. Would you recommend for me to transition more slowly, not 100% wet at this point?

I haven't tried to do the spreadsheet yet. My husband is more familiar on a computer than I am so I will have him help me later. I want it properly linked so others can advise me if I mess up.

For some reason I can start a new thread but not post a reply. I am going back to look at the basic instructions. I figure somehow I have messed up.

 

Just seeing this now while trying to figure out what else you could try. Strange how those filters are blocking replies when I'd expect new posts to be more likely suspicious but I know nothing about how filters are set up. Let's see if you can reply now.

 

Some kitties are more sensitive to food changes than others so yes slow down the transition and see if that doesn't stop the vomiting. And yes, you want the food to stay on board when giving insulin. Unless Bear has kidney problems, don't worry about the phosphorus. Because a lot of kitties with diabetes are senior citizens and kidney issues are common in older cats, there are some who need to find foods appropriate for both conditions. You need to look for foods that are 10% or less carbs. Most folks are feeding foods roughly in the low to middle range up to 6%. Most popular ones are the Friskies pates and Fancy Feast pates (called Classics in the US), largely because they are both good options, very economical and readily available. I would recommend limiting the amount of fish/seafood flavours you feed because there is concern over heavy metals in the fish. A treat of seafood/fish once a week or so is fine.

You are off to a great start. I can see Bear's spreadsheet so all you need to do is start entering your test results. Any questions about the spreadsheet just holler. The board can be a bit mystifying to begin with (especially when it thinks you're a spammer) but in a few days, it will become second nature.

Ask any and all questions that come to mind!

 

Bear didn't vomit at all yesterday. Yeah! He did decide he doesn't like us to test him anymore. I think the first time we tested him was beginner's luck. At this point the outer edge of his ears seems to have run dry even with a nice ear massage. Yesterday it took both Jeff and I to keep him from running away and multiple, multiple pricks with the lancet. I probably won't be able to test him as much as four times until his capillaries become more numerous. He is becoming a grumpy boy with some light verbal complaints.

Yesterday I wrote that reply thread before the program was accepting and posting my replies.

I'll have to try to look at a few more stores for non-fish alternatives in Friskies. I have found the most selection at WalMart but most of the non-fish wet is in gravies and sauces. Thank you again for helping Bear and I. It is comforting to not feel alone on this road, knowing you have traveled it too.

 

I watched about 10 videos on how to test blood glucose for cats. I watched with longing for the day Bear and I could have it go that easy.

 

We are definitely in the clear at this point. Everything is posting well. Yeah!!

 

You need to get him used to you handling his ears and testing.

Choosing a spot where you always test is good so that he knows is testing time and doesn't run on other occasions, also giving him a treat that he really loves after each test (even if it was not succesfull ) will make him think the testing is a necessary evil to get the yummy stuff and they eventually accept it or even volunteer for it (really).

You could put neosporin (there's one with pain relief) in his ear it will help him not getting so uncomfortable and warming his ear before the pricking does wonders for you to get some more blood some warm a sock filled with rice in the microwave, some warm a small bottle filled with water, in my case I wet a small cloth that I place in a plastic bag and warm it in the microwave, in my case I use the kind of bag that makes some noise (crickle) when you handle it since he gets comercial turkey breast for treat and those come in that type of bag so he hears the bag (he knows tasty turkey is coming ) and comes to the testing spot instead of running away

 

Check the gauge on your lancets. Most meters come with gauge 30 to 33 which are really tiny. It might help to get some lancets Gauge 26 to 28. You can use up the small ones once Bear starts "bleeding" better. The other thing you can try is putting a very tiny slick of Vaseline on the spot you intend to poke. Our black beauties make it hard to see the blood drop as it forms and the Vaseline will help it bead up better. Are you testing from the back of his ear or on the inside? I always used the inside due to the black fur. I also used a folded cosmetic pad behind her ear to make poking easier.

Are you using the lancing device? If so, take the cap off so you can see where you are poking. A lot of folks just use the lancets because the click from the lancing device spooks their kitty.

Massaging can help but to really warm the ear you could try a small medicine bottle with hot water in it and hold that against his ear for a moment (check it like a baby bottle first!). Once you have poked, massaging from the head toward the poke can help encourage bleeding.

I was sure my girl was going to be a nightmare for testing but she was one of those who came to get me at testing time and I could test her anywhere in the house anytime I wanted and I never bribed her with treats at all. I really wish I had video taped our ritual which included her circling and hitting me in the face with her tail a few times before finally sitting down and presenting her ear! She got to choose which side got tested!

Last but not least, make sure you are calm. These little critters pick up on our stress immediately. You need to approach this with confidence and a can do attitude so Bear doesn't think you think it's going to be a problem. Sing if you are feeling tense. It relaxes you and will relax Bear too! Practice makes perfect.

 

I tried your suggestions neosporin, and the wet microwaved cloth in a snack bag and he bleed well. He doesn't like when I bring the meter towards his ear. He knows I only have one hand on his ear so he is pulling his head away every time and smearing the blood. I had one failed test strip but luckily I accidentally pulled out two strips when I was gathering. The bonus this time was there was enough blood for the second strip without having to poke him again. I have been giving him treats each testing and he is coming to me but once I place him in position he intermittently jerks upward in hopes of leaving the scene. I pet him and stroke him off and on and keep my voice light with encouragement.

I feel like this testing was better for me and Bear, especially since I was able to do it on my own. Thank you for your suggestions!

 

I wish you had a video too. Your Kitty sounds amazing!

I am using a 28 gauge lancet. I opted to not use the pen and add another new thing foe Bear to get used to. Honestly I used a lancet pen a few times on my grandmother and the anticipation of it coming out where you can't see it made me anxious. Lol.

I am pretty easy going and confident at the beginning. Yesterday was just crappy. Bear decided he wasn't having any more of it once we had to repeat lance him. First testing: three failed attempts at getting blood, him shaking the blood off, or smearing it as we came in with the meter and him trying to leave the scene. The second testing had 5 to 6 failed lancings, poor kitty.

 

Sounds like a timing issue. Bear is impatient sitting there and is perhaps spooked with the meter moving near his head. Make sure your hands are clean when you test and use your finger nail to grab the bead of blood, then load the strip from your nail. Voila! But do try to hold pressure on the puncture spot for a few moments after to stop the bleeding and prevent bruising.

As good as my girl was about the testing and "bleeding" for me, there was the odd day when for whatever reason she wouldn't bleed as well and a second or third poke would be needed. On those days, she would get a bit antsy with me holding onto her ear and try to pull away. In that situation, I found it best to just take a break and go back at it a few minutes later.

Just so you know, kitties have very few nerve endings in their pinnae so while they probably feel the poke a tiny bit, it's the holding onto their ear they tend to object to. They do not experience anything near the pain we do with a finger prick.

 

I would like to find some good treats for Bear. I was using very high carb treats and I just used the last ones for testing. What Turkey treats do you use?

 

I use VitaLife, Pure Snacks or PureBites all of which are freeze dried meat pieces. Buy the dog size treats and break them up because they charge you more for the ones pre-cut to kitty size. They come in various flavours like chicken, duck possibly shrimp. Mine will only eat the chicken so I haven't paid much attention to the other options. There are also some dried meat treats made by Orijen that some kitties love. Do a search and I'm sure you will get a lot more ideas. Poached turkey or chicken will work too if you are up for cooking for Bear!

 

@Bear & Lora Was just checking in on you and Bear and took a peek to see if you (or Jeff) had managed to figure out the spreadsheet.

Not sure but looks like the date on the first line entries should perhaps be Sept 24th and second line of entries should be Sept. 25th?

Also wondering if the transitioning to wet food is having a significant lowering effect on Bear's BG levels given the considerably lower BG at preshot in the second entry line. I know you are still working on getting Bear to accept testing but it is even more critical while you transition him over to the wet diet as that diet change alone can mean the dose of insulin may need to reduced.

 

@MrWorfMen's Mom Yes you are right it should be dated 24,25, & 26th. I haven't figured out how to date the lines.

Thank you for checking on me. If I lived in Canada I probably would have came to your house today with a mini melt down, lol.

So last night after Bear started vomiting I decided I should weigh him. Last week's weigh in (Sep. 22nd) was done by my husband. We don't have a baby scale yet, (But We Will Soon.) My husband took his and Bears weight and subtracted his own weight.
I read and reread Dr Pierson's catinfo.org on a regular basis so I realize it is very important for Bear not to lose too much weight quickly. 16.6 lbs was Bear's Sep 22nd weight. When I weighed him last night around 3AM I got 15.6. My heart started beating faster and I thought, this can't be correct. I reweighed us 2 more times and each time it was 15.6. My mind definitely went to a dark place in fear of losing my beloved cat.

I was exhausted and fighting my anxiety. I started to look for all pertinent information in Pierson's article on weight loss. Then I began to rationalize the situation. Jeff's subtraction could have been off, that would be an easy mistake to make. I needed a comparison weight. The last weight taken before the 16.6lbs would be from the Vet visit in August. I would have to wait until morning when their office opened at 9 to call and ask. I couldn't sleep.

When I called the Vet Office they said his last weight was 14.6. So logically Bear would had have just started his insulin shots when he was last weighed at the Vet, 5 days of insulin to be exact. If Bear's actual weight was 15.6lbs when my husband weighed him then he would have put on 1lb in 5 weeks since his last Vet Visit. This seems very plausible.

I know my reactions were a bit off the scale. I am usually the logical, rational one that people turn to for kindness and advice but I think I am a little too close to my limit and need to find a way to recharge. The responsibility of my mother's life and many needs plus my beloved cat's is on the heavy side.

Now moving on, out of crazy land, you said ask any and all questions. Here are my concerns for Bear.

#1 Weight & Transitioning Food- I assumed because Bear was eating wet canned food with relish we were in the clear for transitioning. Nope, he is refusing wet food more often than not at this point and is definitely not getting his caloric needs. I have looked for Evo on the internet and there isn't a local place I can buy it. I can order and have delivered a 5 or 6lb bag for $63.00. Ouch! Ouch! Since I only have Crappy Hill's Science Diet on hand I have been giving him a few kibbles to up his calories, but I hate using Science Diet. Can you recommend a better dry food than Science Diet for this transitioning period and possibly more affordable than Evo?
Bear is not a cheese cat so Parmesan doesn't entice him. In fact he seems to have an appetite issue or upset stomach problem some of the times because even kibble isn't exciting him. At times he just seems to generally not feel well.
I did get those True Bites Chicken Treats for dogs you recommended. We gave him some Tuesday Evening and he was very excited to eat them. Wednesday and Thursday he gave mixed reactions, taking his time, sniffing them then slowly eating and other times he ate excitedly and scarfed them down quickly. ???? Appetite problems? Stomach upset? Today I have been looking for a baby scale. I will get one asap.

As far as lowering his insulin I definitely don't know the guidelines on BG numbers but am more than willing to reduce. I just don't know if this backsliding, (giving him junk food kibble) will effect his BG and cause instability?

#2 Testing- Bear is becoming increasingly more resistant to testing. I will not quit or give up no matter what though. I am really hoping with time he will become more accepting and calm. Bear has always leaned toward being anxious or fearful. I noticed the last three times as soon as he figures out we are going to test, his pupils become very dilated with only a fine outline of gold showing. Once he knows we are going to test he just wants to get as far away from me as possible. I know many people have said their cat doesn't feel the prick but Bear reacts at every prick, he sometimes slightly growls and always starts jerking his head upward as soon as the lancet penetrates in an attempt to jump away. Then chaos ensues with us or me trying to keep him in a position that I or we can get the blood sample or milk his ear which usually fails and I have to prick again. Lately he is squirming so much when he is bleeding that he gets it on my hand and I can use that blood.

The best true to life example I can give you that is similar, is bathing Bear. I have bathed Bear since he was a kitten, along with numerous other cats, lol. After 9 years of baths this is his attitude. I hate getting wet and I am going to try to get away at all costs. After he is fully wet his escape attempts lessen. As I am working the shampoo into his fur he starts to relax a little and isn't jerking upward as much. He is still uptight but the massage feels good. When I take one hand off Bear to move the faucet to start rinsing he will jerk upward. During the rinsing he will intermittently jerk and try to jump out of the sink but when I am going down his back with crawling fingers he doesn't attempt escape. By the end of rinsing, belly legs, hindquarters and tail he is softly vocal. As I start stroking down on his fur to get some of the water out he goes up a notch and uses his medium voice to complain and his tail starts swishing in annoyance. Sometimes I say a little hay, then hayyy in a low voice and it calms him a bit and he shuts up, lol. He allows me to hold him in the towel for about 5 minutes letting some of the water absorb into it without complaint. When he starts to complain I rub him with the towel a little, knowing his patience is at it's end while he tries to get away and complains loudly. Then I let him go so he can shake his paws and start his own cleaning routine. I talk to him in a soothing manner at different times during his bath. I sometimes laugh at him.

I haven't got to were I laugh during testing but he gets lots of rubs in his favorite places and a soothing voice.

I apologize for such a lengthy response. I don't expect you to solve Bear's anxious manner. I just wanted you to get a better idea of who Bear is. He is a lover/grump and is very loved.

 

@MrWorfMen's Mom Wow!!!! Bear just gave me the most amazing testing! I now have more hope for future testing. He was so sweet. He was hungry and it took at least 4 different pricks and I just kept giving him chicken treats.

Check out his BG, 197!!! Whoo!

 

YEAH! Your first blue number. Wonderful news.

And you'd be welcome to do so! We've all had meltdowns. Just pour your heart out here and you will find lots of support. Unfortunately the emotional baggage comes with this sugar dance. It does gets better so just be patient with yourself and Bear.

Re: the vomiting and food - How often are you feeding Bear? Is he scarfing and barfing up undigested food or is he bringing up white frothy fluid? If the latter, it may be that he is getting a bit of acidity from the diet change. Feeding his allotted food over two meals and 1 or 2 snacks per cycle, would hopefully eliminate that problem. If it's scarf and barf, again breaking food allocation up so he isn't so hungry at mealtime can help. It might also help to smash the food down into the bowl/plate to slow him down.

As for dry food, I thought I saw something recently that EVO dry was being phased out but I could be wrong. They exited the Canadian market a couple of years ago much to my chagrin as it was the only low carb dry we had here and Menace was a die hard kibble addict until a little more than a year after her diagnosis. There are 3 other low carb dry foods available in the US. Young Again, Wysong Epigen 90 and Dr. Elsey's. I think all of them will send samples so you can see if Bear likes the food before committing to a big bag. None of them are cheap, but they are extremely calorie dense so kitty tends to eat less of it than with the other regular kibble making the bags last longer. Hopefully you can eventually get Bear off the dry completely but these are good options for transitioning and satisfying the kibble addict.

Testing - As good as my little one was about testing, she'd rip me to shreds if I tried to bath her. I've on occasion dripped water from the water bowl on her while she circled my legs thinking food was coming and you'd think I had hit her with acid! Bear sounds a bit like my Menace.....co-operates as long as it's their idea to do so. Use that to your advantage. He will come around just as he has with the bathing. They all have their limits and all you can do is pay close attention to exactly what is irking them.

Does Bear object to you playing with his ears as a rule. If so, try play with them more between testing times and then give him a treat so he starts thinking ear touching is a good thing.
Do you use the lancing device? If so perhaps the click when it springs spooks him. Try free hand pokes.
Try not to hit the vein as that is more sensitive. There is a sweet spot just between the vein and edge of the ear that they barely feel.

If he struggles to pull his ear away, let go and then sweet talk him into co-operating. Menace had a habit of trying to nuzzle my hand sometimes and I'd be doing hand/arm yoga poses trying to hold on. If I let go, talked to her I could get repositioned and get hold of her ear again. Obviously this is more problematic if kitty runs off when you let go. You just have to pay very close attention to precisely when and what is bothering Bear and then find a solution.

Hope this helps some. I'm sure Bear will calm down with time.

If Bear should happen to give you a pre-shot of 200 or less, please post for advice. It may be that his dose will need to be reduced a bit due to the lower carb diet. Start a new thread and put a "?" prefix (there's a drop down beside where you type in title) and something like "dosing advice ProZinc - PS #

As for the spreadsheet, I'll get back to you on fixing that a bit later. Gotta run and pick up the kid who cuts my grass. Small price for not cutting it myself!

 

Spreadsheet help -

Change the date in the first line to the 09/24/2018.

Select that cell on the spreadsheet. You should see a blue box around it with a little square in the bottom right corner like in the diagram below.



Grab the little blue square with your cursor and drag it straight down. This should add dates in sequence into each of the cells below the 24th to where you stop dragging the cursor. Anytime you want to add dates, that is the easiest way to do it. Here's what it looks like when you finish dragging the cursor down.


Any more questions let us know!

 

@Djamila Reply to MrWorfsMen'sMom