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Sunday, August 28, 2011

Fierce winds & Calm Hugo

After a morning of cat-sitting and having breakfast out, I am home listening to Adele & cookin'. I have been wanting to make a vegetarian spaghetti sauce for awhile so on this cool, windy day I will stay home and do just that. We are experiencing bad weather due to Irene but even if it pours here I won't complain. We are hearing about some of the deaths due to this hurricane....it's so very sad.

Last night Hugo joined me once again in the office.

 He is off all dry food now because of diabetes and no treats are allowed. I feel bad for him and try to make up for it in other ways. I brush him a lot, carry him around and make comfy spots for him in the office where he loves to hang out. He's a good boy and although he still needs insulin every day we are hoping to help him beat this disease. Tonight he got a treat. Just nip (that's allowed) and he loved it.

If you are interested here is a little on diabetes in cats....If not, move on to the next blog or you'll fall off your chair from boredom.


Diabetes is a pretty simple illness to understand. But it's important to really understand it, because the key is the balance between sugar and hormone insulin. That's the "sugar dance", as we call it.the in and out of sugar and insulin in the cells, the replacing of insulin that the body can't make for whatever reason, and finding the correct amount of insulin to give so that there is enough sugar in the blood, but not too much and not too little. And, much to our dismay, it can vary from day to day, and even time to time within a day, depending on food, stress, happiness, and - let's face it, they're cats; they do their own thing.


So it's a daily struggle to keep his insulin levels right. We have to check his blood twice a day by poking his ear (s) and getting a drop of blood to measure his sugar levels. Normal would be between 3 & 8 and Hugo's readings are mostly around 12 or 13. When it is under 8 we are very happy. So we just keep going and he is the best little patient ever. He just eats his grub while we poke for blood and he never flinches. This morning it was 13 :( 

Happy Sunday everyone.


hugs, Deb

5 comments:

  1. Hugo is such a sweet kitty ~ diabetes is not fun for anyone!

    Hope you and all your furry friends stay safe from the weather Deb!
    xo Catherine

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  2. I feel happy in the way Hugo has been looked after by All human who love him with the special care and special love : )
    xoxo

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  3. Hugo is a cutie! Our Uncle Samy, an American Eskimo woofie, has diabetes and has to have insulin shots twice a day. He's had it for a long time and is still doing well so we're sending best wishes to Hugo! Stay safe and dry from Irene!

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  4. That Hugu certainly is one handsome man cat, and he's very fortunate to have you to take care of him. I'm very familiar with Diabetes as several of my Twitter pals have it too. They mostly gets insulin shots every day. Such a sad disease.

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  5. Thanks for helping us to learn more about living with diabetic pets. We read all about the disease process, but you are helping us become more familiar and therefore more comfortable with the practical aspects of day to day care. When we know what to expect, the problems and pitfalls, we are empowered to make better decisions. It would be so wonderful if Hugo could beat his illness with diet. We will continue to keep him in our prayers.
    ( Any word about Johnny in his new home? I think of him often. Once I fall in love, I stay hooked.)

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