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Post by tonib on Aug 18, 2020 23:32:40 GMT
I heard from one of the vets around 3:30pm when I was right at the back of Asda! Holding a conversation by the fresh desserts wearing a face mask & and using a mobile phone with others around was interesting in itself! Roman's blood glucose went up again overnight but came down into a normal range after an insulin dose so they are keeping in again overnight to monitor & are hoping that he'll stabilise & be coming home sometime tomorrow morning (Wednesday). I discussed a few things with her. I should be able to give him his food in 2 meals with a little (treat quantity) chicken when they come in at night so he won't feel left out especially as it will be home cooked not pre-cooked from the supermarket & hence will be low in carbs. When I finally get to pick him up apparently I'll be seeing one of the vet nurses who will go through his feeding & the insulin deliver system. I asked about getting diabetic food & although that would be good to get him on to in the long run what they don't want at the moment is him not eat as he needs to put weight back & also no food means no insulin. I asked about what he currently eats & she told me they were feeding him Felix in the hospital so that shouldn't be an issue. I had a couple of other questions which she couldn't answer off the cuff but will make sure are addressed in the morning. Apparently she had just checked his glucose level & said he was very cuddly This why the staff at the other surgery couldn't understand him "turning into a wild cat" last year when he had a blood test, he's normally so placid at the vets! I'm just waiting to see what tomorrow brings. Fingers crossed
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Post by lotsofcats on Aug 19, 2020 8:42:12 GMT
Good luck with the vet visit and bringing Roman home. Will he be allowed out straight away?
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Post by tonib on Aug 19, 2020 23:42:39 GMT
I has an appointment at 3:30pm for Roman to be discharged. The vet (a new one to the practice about 3 weeks ago & pos. even a newly qualified one ) who had updated me yesterday & this morning took her time, in all around 20-30 minutes, to answer my questions & to go through what to feed & how to inject (scruff of the neck). I was given insulin & syringes & the bill (paid) which wasn't quite as bad as I expected around about the same as 3 weeks ago. Roman is happy to be home & very vocal about it especially demanding food. He's also proved that he can use the litter tray & the solid is definitely solid! He's drunk well but wasn't impressed with his no food at the moment situation. It's got to be 12 hours apart. I think I managed to get the insulin in him after several attempts of getting him to hold still (all he was interested in was food - he'd just had a small amount) & only one where his movement as I started to inject made me pull the needle out & it went all over his fur - I've realised from watching videos as how far I must point the needle in (except not get a blood vessel) The final go there was no blood & no wet fur so hopefully he got it OK. The needle got me back for Roman as I managed to prick my finger as I put the cap back on the needle after the injection! I hope I can do better tomorrow morning. 20200819_173811[1] by osiriscat, on Flickr I think this face says it all! 20200819_173934[1] by osiriscat, on Flickr
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Post by scallywag on Aug 20, 2020 6:36:48 GMT
I feel a Face theme coming For a comp thats 2 vet job expressions in the last week , moonbeam being the other
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Post by lotsofcats on Aug 20, 2020 12:45:47 GMT
Yes, tonib, that face says it all. Why can't you have a pen to inject Roman with?
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Post by tonib on Aug 20, 2020 14:15:32 GMT
I've no idea lotsofcats it may be related to what they have to give me immediately, oh & long term costs! With the pen you have to spend around Β£56 for the starter pack (pen, 28 needles, needle remover, case & various documents) with the cartridges of insulin slightly cheaper than the same quantity of insulin 10X 2.5ml bottles for 57.60 versus 10x 2.7ml cartridges for 51.60 but 100 syringes for 22.20 whilst 10 pen needles 32.27.
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Post by tonib on Aug 20, 2020 14:20:49 GMT
One piece of good news from Roman's perspective is that today I queried (again) the amount of food they were saying Roman should have for the amount of insulin he was reckoned to have from his stay in hospital. I appreciate that being confined to a pen may need reduced food but a pouch of Felix twice a day for a cat at home & going out when they don't want him to get any lighter is definitely not enough. They have discussed it & change it to 2 twice a day & a higher dose of insulin. He'll be much happier tonight (the phone conversation was after his morning meal & insulin so he'll have to wait until his evening meal to increase it) & tomorrow onwards.
As his insulin dose has changed they need to see him sooner that the booked appointment for his HyperT review on 1st September so he'll be back next Tuesday for blood glucose checks.
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Post by lotsofcats on Aug 20, 2020 15:12:56 GMT
At least he'll be happier about the increased food. I hope that works out well for him.
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Post by tonib on Aug 22, 2020 14:50:50 GMT
The vets have said that he could continue to go out but I've kept him in since he came home partially for him & partially for me to get to grips with his change in feeding routine & injecting his insulin. As the other 2 are allowed out that has meant that meant that he has been confined to my "hospital ward" i.e the dining-room & conservatory combination, as I can isolate that from the outdoors by using the kitchen as a sort of air-lock. Still not perfect with the injecting as its best with a little food first (to make sure they are eating) then once injected give the rest. There's no issue with his eating - he's hungry! - so the vets have said that as he's eating it so quickly I can give the injection before any food. The issue is that it doesn't matter which way round its done he's fidgety as he knows it food time & did he tell me he's hungry & wants food NOW!! Historically each morning he's had his dose of Metacam (for arthritis) directly from the dosing syringe - he loves it & tries to get it even before I've got it anywhere near his mouth. The problem is that he now sees the insulin syringe & thinks it's his Metacam dose, so I've got to be careful initially, once he realises he doesn't try to grab it! However today I decided to let him out a while after his injection & food. Of course the weather then changed to rain! I did text the neighbour behind me who has 2 cats & he was reported a few years ago visiting their food bowls, with my permission to turf him out if they found him there! Had no response as yet. His first venture out was brief & he came back & tried to take the pattern off the 2 bowls & spoon that were waiting for the dishwasher (I'd still got to empty it from the previous load!). He's been out twice more (both times came in rather wet) & he's tracker says he's been in that neighbour's close & I did see come over the fence from their garden. I just hope he's not grabbing food there. I could keep him in forever for that's no life for him as he's been used to going out & about during the 13 years we've had him & it would mean curtailing the other 2's activities, although Lexie probably wouldn't be too bothered Osiris would. I'll have to see what the vet says on Tuesday when they check his Blood Glucose level. I've bought an pet BG monitor it arrived yesterday, but I haven't tried it yet as I think I'm stressing both of us out enough with the injection never mind pricking his ears for a drop of blood as well! Evening feeding is going to be the next change as up until today I've delayed the others evening food to between 8 & 8:30, served them & then deal with Roman which makes his within the 30 minute leeway for the 12 hours between that & the 9 am feeding. Once he's in for that meal I'll be keeping him in but Osiris will get really stressed if he's kept in from then to the next morning, as will I if he can't hold his bladder for 12 hours. If I could guarantee he'd use a litter tray & not the litter mat I'd try it although not sure the others would appreciate his bolshie behaviour with them, its bad enough as it is but we all go to bed not long after he is in for the night. Bonfire night etc. is different as he gets allowed out afterwards whilst New Year is close to normal come in time. It sounds like a nightmare collection of cats, they're not but Osiris does have his moments but I wouldn't trade them in for any reason. Sorry everyone for the slight wandering rant
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Post by lotsofcats on Aug 22, 2020 16:13:25 GMT
We still love them, whatever they do.
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Post by tonib on Aug 25, 2020 16:41:58 GMT
Update 25/8/20
Keep Roman in today as he was due at the vets at 4:10 pm & I didn't want to have to go search for him & with the wind & rain he's better off in even though he wasn't impressed. Also I would know exactly what he'd eaten for when they tested his blood glucose, no couldn't have scrounged anything from another cat's house or from wild life!
Got to the vets & was really surprised as the head vet was doing the consults, the one who was supposed to be on holiday not back until 1st September which is when I'd had to delay Roman's review, of his hyperthyroidism treatment, to. We had a good discussion on his condition. The blood Glucose was 18 - too high - but he is also too thin, which I was aware of body score 1-2 where 3 is normal. So priority is to get his BG down so his insulin is to go up & to get his body score up so more food.
He asked if I'd got a BG monitor - it arrived last week but I haven't tried it , I was concentrating on the insulin injections. So when he did the BG test he showed me how. - I'd got the same monitor. I've to test Roman's BG twice a day before food but also he can have food when ever he is hungry, which Roman will appreciate & he can have dried food & even some chicken. If I've got any queries about the amount of insulin just ring & they'll let me know. They also gave me a tube of glucose (free) in case Roman gets too much insulin at any point. If I'm having problems with testing his BG, Roman wasn't impressed with the vet pricking the inside of his ear, then I can go round to the local surgery & ask them to do a BG test for me.
Roman's weight & diabetes is the priority at the moment & the hyperthyroidism is down the priority list until we get him stable. So he still gets his Felimazole tablet daily for that but next week's appointment for retesting his T4 is cancelled. Although we may change his one 5mg tablet daily to 2.5mg twice daily, once his current tablets are finished in about a month.
Anyway he's back home but the weather is rather wet & a little windy so I'm going to keep him for the rest of the day but have given him a little kibble & will give him kibble to graze on overnight as well as his 2 pouches for tea. I say graze I suspect he will wolf it down.
The vet was really helpful & used the consulting room's white board to describe what was needed & how it worked & then suggested I took a photo to take home.
Bearing in mind that I was told by another vet that this vet isn't a fan of home BG monitoring, I'm either honoured or it's in the notes I was getting one & he decided to go with the flow or the person who told me had got it wrong!
Poor Roman is going to feel like a pin cushion! He's very amenable but this could be a step to far! Fingers crossed.
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Post by lotsofcats on Aug 26, 2020 8:42:45 GMT
It's a lot for you to take in tonib, but I'm sure you've got it all organised. I expect Roman is happy with the extra food.
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Post by tonib on Aug 27, 2020 13:27:44 GMT
He's definitely not impressed with the blood sampling as I don't seem to have quite got to grips with the ear pricking, very little blood is needed but I'm not getting any but today I got it 2nd time. The monitor comes with its own lance which is primed & then a button pressed when over the right spot & it pushed the pricker out, so is safer than just holding a sharp by a potentially squirming cat. I've given up with that (for the moment) _ last night was much to stressful for both of us - & I'm just using it as a holder for the actual sharp bit & just using that. I tried the device once this morning - no joy but success first time with it manually.
As to the extra food he scoffed well for 24 hours but doesn't seem so hungry/keen for the last 24. His BG is also higher although this morning was lower than after my disastrous attempt yesterday evening - thank goodness- but all 3 tests are higher than the one in the vets on 25th , so I've asked to speak to the head vet again (as he said I could ring him) but it turns out that its his day off today but he might be in this afternoon, otherwise I'll hear from him tomorrow as they've left a message for him in his inbox
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Post by lotsofcats on Aug 27, 2020 15:32:25 GMT
Roman must pick up from you that you are stressful doing the blood sampling. I hope it all goes better today.
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Post by tonib on Aug 27, 2020 23:10:07 GMT
lotsofcats, I think there is some joint stress element but it was up again this evening despite Roman being apparently quite calm & it going reasonably smoothly. Of course he is eating more so it maybe a case of increased insulin needed but I've no idea without a vet's assessment. I suppose they may want to test him themselves to check my readings.
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