no shot- am I right?

My cat bast came home from the vet today. I made him give me a Lantus script and it was a circle to get filled but I am all ready. I didn't get my meter yet (was hoping it would be in the mail today) so I don't have anything to test with. (My vet didn't want me to test except with urine- but I am going to home moniter)

I rushed home to give Bast his first Lantus shot. I found from my SO he has been sleeping all day and hasn't eaten. I tried putting him in with a dish of food to eat but he didn't eat any. I decided not to give a shot because I can't test him yet. I know he will eat overnight so i could give him 1 unit in the morning. I also will be home and able to watch him tomarrow. The vet said to give him a 1/2 unit if he hasn't eaten. but I am really nervous about the first shot on not eating without a number.

I figure better safe than Hypo and am holding off on the shot tonight.

Does this sound right?

nailbite_smile Nervous Misty & Bast

 

Hold off on that shot for now until someone tells you differently.
I seem to be one of the few on at this moment but that changes.
You don't want to shoot with no foods being eaten.

 

previous post

Here's a little bit of history. It's pretty short.
Sounds like Misty and Bast are hitting the ground running....

 

So you have a meter on order, did you get a tracking number so you can figure out when it will be delivered?
Which meter did you buy?
There are some that are less reliable and if you can afford it, you might want to go ahead and get your back-up meter.
The meter's are cheap , it's the strips that get you.
There are many here with a Relion meter from Walmart. Apparently the strips are cheaper and it's very reliable.

Please give us some background.
What are you feeding? Is this a new diet, Did Bast eat dry food before or is he still eating it?

I'm glad you've been reading up and know how important it is to test, especially before giving shots.
And Welcome to Lantusland!!

 

i sent for the kit from here so i am not sure what one I will get. I think I will go to hellmart and get one tomarrow if it doesn;t come in the mail.

right now bast is laying on my chest/shoulder purring while I type (mama's boy!) He doesn't want to be away from me. I missed him too!

He was getting some wet science diet canned and very little dry at the vet last 5 days. so I did wet food friskies with water and a few bits of kibble on top. He ate a little about 10 am but he was sleeping all day (he is very nocternal).

 

That sounds like a good idea. I think it can take a few days and it's good to have a back up meter, especially with cheap strips.
Extra batteries for your hypo kit are also a good idea.
hypo tool kit
You will want to get the items together, grab a few cans of friskies or fancy feast canned food with gravy so you will be prepared.

You didn't say which friskies canned.
Here is my own shopping list with carbs listed. I get lost in the store with so many varieties and the labels start looking the same after a while.

shortcut food shopping list

Do you leave food out all the time or are you limiting the availability?

 

right now I am leaving food out but i am not shure who ate it. I will b ehome tomarrow to watch

 

sorry I am feeding friskies pate' I also bought some trader joes tuna but not opened it yet. I bought food on the lists 9% or less because he is so skinny.

I am going to go to bed (long day). I will check this in the morning. I am thinking I will leave food out and if it is gone give 1/2 or 1 unit tomarrow morning.
thank you all for the help
I promise I will start a chart and such as soon as I get a moment

(I have a wedding dress due sunday i have to finish and have already spent so much time away from the sewing machine- I need the money too!)

Misty and Bast

 

Misty --

Getting a meter is imperative. Urine glucose testing is not the most accurate method of testing. It doesn't tell you if numbers are low.

PLEASE, get ketone tests. In fact, get them as often as you can. Skipping shots in a cat with a history of DKA is not advised. In fact, it's a dangerous recommendation. The basic recipe for ketones is infection + not eating + not enough insulin. Ketones are dangerous and can be life threatening. To be honest, when I read your description of Bast's behavior (lethargy and not eating), my first thought was ketones.

Please, please, please -- get a meter ASAP. If you used the Ketodiastix you have on hand and the urine glucose reading is high, give a shot. Then go get a meter. If Bast is showing more than trace ketones, please call your vet. More than trace ketones require that your vet is involved -- it really can't be managed at home.

If you need suggestions for ways to entice your cat to eat, here are some suggestions from another member:

 

I realized there is a difference between "not eating" and "not eating like i think he should". Bast ate about 1/4=1/3 cup last night at 10:30pm. I left food out but he didn't seem to touch it much. This morning I put more down fresh n his favorite flavor plus a little kibble on top. He ate the same amount. I put down some more and he was eating a little more so i gave him a 1 unit shot (my first time! I don;t think he noticed!) .

I watched my other cat come up after and eat the same 1/4-1/3 cup so I guess that is a meal (similiar to a fancy feast can?) So I think my experience with my mothers cats who scarf huge amounts is just that they are pigs- LOL. :lol:

So I am home most of today- watching Bast. I will try to get a ketone test later (looking forward to that- NOT) and will either get a meter in the mail or buy one before tonight.

 

Hi Misty,
Glad Bast decided to eat something, and that you were able to give him some insulin. And definitely find a way to test for ketones. My cat, Bob, was diagnosed DKA a couple days after being diagnosed diabetic. Someone mentioned that the "recipe" for ketones was "not enough food, not enough insulin, and the presence of some type of infection". Very true, but all 3 are not required. Bob was not eating, and had not started on PZI (it was in the mail), but had no infection present. He still developed ketones quickly, and came within a few hours of dying (had I not rushed him into to the clinic for immediate treatment). Today, he's fat, happy, and hasn't had a shot in over a year. He never "showed" ketones again, fortunately, but he could have as many other cats do.

Many people say that "no food means no shot", but that's not always true. There has been a lot of discussion about this on the board, and I believe what this thread in the Think Tank suggests:

http://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=9070&p=880521#p880521

So, short term plan... a meter for testing BG asap, and getting ketone tests. And do whatever it takes to make sure Bast will eat enough food, even so far as syringe feeding if you have to.

Keep us posted!
Carl

 

Does anyone have the link to the pictures showing a 1 unit in a syringe- it had skinny and full 1 unit pictures.
I saw it once and now can't find it to show to my SO. He is learning too.

 

Probably not the one you're thinking of, but here is 1 unit in the syringe:


Smaller doses can be seen in this thread:
http://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=9070&p=880521#p880521

Carl

 

thank you CaRL,but I didn't see any pictures on that thread

I want to say it was 4 pictures showing a skinny and fat 1 unit

Bast just came out to visit me- hey mom why are you home today? He ate about 4 bites and i got his liquid antibiotic down him (he doesn't fight it at all) Then he went to annoy the other cat and try to steal her blanket on the bed. I didn't get the meter box in the mail so I am off to walmart to get a meter.

Thanks again for all the posts! :razz:

 

Oops, I clicked on the wrong one!
Here's the one I meant to attach...
http://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=18139

 

ok this evening i got a 373 for a first time blood draw.
I think I got the spread sheet posted right but will work on profiles and changing names later