Thank you

Hello everyone,

I have a newly diagnosed kitty, Thomas (nicknamed Burrito). We've started him on one unit of Lantus and he's now on the low carb canned food. He had his one week checkup last Saturday after being on the meds and food for just 7 days and he had already regained 0.6 lbs and had a normal blood sugar level! Yeah to that! I am still adjusting to giving him the shots every 12 hours and making sure he has his canned food (prior to this my 3 cats were free fed dry food). I've been reading these forums the past few days and am very thankful for all of the information and support people give each other here. I've just ordered my "newbie kit" (thank you for helping with that!!) because all of the info on glucometers has been very confusing and overwhelming. My vet did recommend we get one.

Anyway, just wanted to say hi.

 

So glad to see a great report on a newly diagnosed kitty! Im also impressed your vet recommended home testing, not many vets out there are for that unfortunately. Anyways, sounds like the lantus and the low carb canned cat food are doing their job!

 

Fantastic! Sounds like you have really gotten with the program and are already seeing results. While you are waiting for your kit, you might start rubbing Burrito's ears so he is used to it when you go to poke. Also make up a rice sack (thinnish sock filled with raw rice and knotted, heated in microwave until very warm but not hot) and get him used to having his ears warmed. You might pick a special spot for this stuff, and include treats after he has let you play with his ears awhile. Then he will be all ready for that first poke.

Have you seen the video? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zE12-4fVn8

 

WELCOME to the BEST site on the planet for you and Burrito!

As you already know much to read and learn here and questions answered by much experience. Sounds like you have a great Vet that supports a proactive mombean.

Again WELCOME,
jeanne

 

So glad you're here! Wow! You got off and running quickly on switching the foods. With the number you got and the food change, it's most important to start hometesting soon. Your kitty is changing quickly and even 1 unit can send a kitty who is getting some action with the pancreas into low numbers. Days after I changed the food and started 1 unit of lantus, Calliope gave me a 40 blood glucose number on my first test! Needless to say I had to lower the dose and in less than 3 weeks, she was diet controlled. No way to tell, but Burrito may be a candidate for remission, as well. Hometesting will let you know that.

Read the sticky above on How to Treat Hypos and gather the tools suggested just in case Burrito were to throw some low numbers. It's managable when you're prepared.

Welcome!

 

Thanks to all for your replies! From reading about what some have gone through with inexperienced vets I am very grateful that my vet has been so on top of things. She gave us the approved list of low carb canned foods, had us start at the pretty low dose of Lantus, and recommended the glucometer so we can just test him at home. She also recommended I watch this series of videos from Cornell: http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/pet/fhc/diabetes. I watched these the day he was diagnosed and they really helped to calm me down a bit. I was pretty upset that first day.

My vet was surprised that his blood sugar had gone down so much and she did say that we may end up only needing to a half unit of the Lantus. That's going to be tough to measure! It seems like what he gets now is such a tiny amount...