11/4/2011 update below

Ozzie is very sick w/ DKA – on the mend a little today.

Hello everyone - I just wanted to let everyone know about Ozzie. I came on the board a year ago when he first was diagnosed and received a lot of help regarding his dosage/tests etc..
I am reaching out today in sheer desperation to try to get funds to help him recover from DKA. He is a 7 year old white, part-Siamese diabetic cat who is in intensive care for Diabetic Ketoacidosis and needs to stay at least another few days at the ER in Forest Hills, NY.
I have spent my life savings and have turned over every possible leaf to find financial assistance through friends/family – last year he had a bad bout of DKA in Minnesota where he was in for 4 days at Blue Pearl Vets there. That was when he was first diagnosed with diabetes and his insulin dosage was too low -- I brought in a litter of kittens into my home I found outside because life is tough here – so many stray cats on the streets. Everything seemed fine until last week when Ozzie started to linger around the water bowl again, seem to want more food etc. I took him to the local vet where he told me had ketones and he needed emergency care. I took him to Blue Pearl Vets in Brooklyn where they got him on fluids for 48 hours but there was no internist available only ER doctors. They released him on Sunday with just a trace – he seemed okay eating and pretty alert then on Monday afternoon he seemed to go into a decline again. I took him back to them and he was put on insulin and fluids again until the following morning when I took him to Blue Pearl Vets in Forest Hills, NY b/c the internist there was on duty.
He again put him on the fluids and insulin, but still had large ketones after one day, he decided to be more aggressive in his treatment and run the blood gases 4x a day to determine his treatment.
This morning I have spoken to the vet - I am about to leave to go visit him and there is some improvement as there is a trace this morning. He needs to stay in for a few more days to try and resolve the problem and keep up the fluids but the good news is he is eating again on his own!

I spoke to Venita yesterday from DCIN and she kindly gave a donation from DCIN towards to his care for yesterday’s stay in the hospital. but we are looking at a few more days hopefully to see him completely turn around and get him back on his feet. She spoke to Ozzie’s vet and he is reducing his costs quite a bit but I just want to give him the chance he deserves to get better. I have put her link below:

http://fdmb-cin.blogspot.com/2011/11/ozzie-is-coming-out-of-dka.html

I'm sorry to have troubled you with my request, I have never asked or needed help like this before with anything and it's really hard for me to be in this position but as you know when you love your kittie's the thought of them leaving this life when you think that you could possibly help save them is beyond belief. I know that with a special needs cat you have to be so careful and vigilant and I am totally to blame b/c I took my eye off the ball with the little fella and now he is suffering for it.

Thank you for all your prayers and thoughts at this time….Love Lauren and Ozzie

 

Re: Ozzie very sick with DKA/a little better today

Lauren, I am so sorry that Ozzie is sick. All I can do is send healing prayers his way.

I can't tell from your post, but do you test his blood sugar at home - or test for ketones at home? Both are very easy to do - well, testing for ketones is very easy, testing BG can be very easy once the cat gets used to the idea. Both of my guys are great about it. Beau purrs during it and sometimes Jeddie does. It's the treats afterwards that makes the difference.

Ketones are tested using a urine dip strip. You just have to catch them in the act of peeing. Look for ketostiks at any pharmacy, or ask the pharmacist.

I'm thinking that his blood sugar must not be well regulated because of the food he eats or the wrong insulin dose or he wouldn't end up in DKA. Testing the blood at home through a simple ear poke would allow you much more control over his blood sugar by adjusting the dose properly. And ketone monitoring would give you a heads up if he is headed to trouble so you might be able to avoid expensive vet bills by getting him to a regular vet asap.

What food do you feed? Low carb, canned food is best for him and all cats as it contains more protein and moisture and very little carbs.

Just a few thoughts on how to minimize the risk of future DKA situations with him.

 

Re: Ozzie very sick with DKA/a little better today

I am bumping this up. I did send a donation. DCIN is doing a fund raiser for Ozzie. If you go to face book or click on the link in Laurens post, you will see the fund raiser.

Please help.

Pattie

 

Re: Ozzie very sick with DKA/a little better today

Have you tried applying for help from one of these organizations as well? http://www.felinediabetes.com/vetbills.htm

 

Re: Ozzie very sick with DKA/a little better today

We received help when we were in need,
and are happy to be able to help someone in return!

and we understand the feeling of asking, my friend...
but it is a beautiful thing you are doing for the Great & Powerful Oz...

and we will be sending prayers & positive energy as well to you & Ozzie, Lauren...

celi & binks

 

Re: Ozzie very sick with DKA/a little better today

Sent a donation and sending tons of positive energy, healing vines, hugs and scritches for both Lauren and Ozzie. Get well soon little fella!

 

Re: Ozzie very sick with DKA/a little better today

Many, many thanks to everyone for their prayers, kind words and thoughts and financial help. The little guy w/ the most beautiful blue eyes is on the mend hopefully. I don't want to jinx him but he's holding his own. Neg ketones, eating really well and walking out of his cage. He has been put on Lantus starting this evening - and they are going to run tests to check his reactions and responses to that higher dose of Lantus. I am so grateful that I have been given another chance to try and not screw this up again and be a good owner for the little guy and watch and love him the way he deserves!
I will update tomorrow and post over on Lantus when I know what I am doing...God bless and heartfelt thanks from me and Ozzie.

 

Re: Ozzie very sick with DKA/a little better today

I am so happy that Ozzie is doing better. Hope he comes home soon.

Pattie

 

Re: Ozzie very sick with DKA/a little better today

That's wonderful news about Ozzie!

I want to encourage you to enthusiastically home test and check for ketones. It is the best possible way to keep Ozzie on the path to recovery and to keep him safe. If you take a look at Garland's story (Garland and his caregiver is Violet), you will get a feel for how a caregiver can get her cat back to recovery and how home testing caught an impending episode of DKA early and prevented another ICU stay.

 

Re: Ozzie very sick with DKA/a little better today

November 4 Update.

Ozzie's vet wants to keep him in care another day. Although all of Ozzie's blood gas test values are good, he is not responding to the 4.5U Lantus the vet is giving him. Last night they had to supplement with "R" insulin to get Ozzie out of the 400s. The vet is very concerned about sending Ozzie, a multi-DKA survivor, home without having his BG levels controlled. They are now checking Ozzie's blood gases three times a day. A blood gas test, Dr. E. tells me, measures values relating to ketosis and acidosis, such as bicarbs, pH, electrolytes, and potassium. Dr. E said that Ozzie's blood gas values are normal, including potassium, which is now at borderline normal.

I did speak to the vet about whether Ozzie could be in rebound because of too high a Lantus dose. He doesn't believe that is the case. They were testing Ozzie's BG every 2 hours and never saw him take a plunge. The vet knows that there may some stress-related hyperglycemia going on with Ozzie while he is in the hospital, even though Ozzie is a very laid back cat.

DCIN is paying another $500 for Ozzie's care from 3pm today to 3pm tomorrow. The rest of the cost of his care for that time is being absorbed by the hospital. DCIN again thanks the LLEF committe for its support for this appeal!!

So please, if you can, contribute to Ozzie's care. The link to his Chip-in is on this Blog page. Whether you contribute or not. I know Lauren and Ozzie are very grateful for your prayers and well wishes.

 

Re: 11/4/2011 update by Venita below

Bumping and sending best of luck to Ozzie!

 

Update for the evening

Just to let you guys know about Ozzie. He is holding his own - BG rose slightly in the 200's before he was due his shot at 7pm - given 4.5 again of Lantus and just called before I head to bed and he is doing okay after his shot. He ate really well when we visited early today - drinking and walking around, the little guy wants to come home I think. A house full of kittens is better than all these tubes and cages....He was given a potassium pill b/c he's low and also a little anemic but he looks so wonderful w/ his eyes back to normal.
My love and thanks from the bottom of my heart and Ozzie's to Venita and DCIN and all of you wonderful people right here on this incredible life-saving internet home - who have given your prayers, thoughts, kind words and financial help towards his care -- you saved his life and I will be forever grateful..pls. pray he does okay when he gets out.

 

Re: 11/4/2011 update by Venita below

Good news that he is feeling better. does he eat as well with all the kittens around? Do they all eat in 1 spot. You might need to isolate him (like I do Harley) during feeding time.

Pattie

 

Hi Lauren,
I am wondering if anyone has mentioned having Ozzie tested for acromegaly? 4.5U is a kind of larger dose and with the DKA coming on even though he's been on insulin for a year, it makes me wonder if he needs more insulin and if that could be the reason why. It is something you might mention to the vet. The board is finding the incidence of Acromegaly to be higher than clinically accepted.

 

Vicky,

The ER vet does suspect acro. He thinks that Ozzie has the round head and large paws that could indicate acro. However, the vet did not think that testing for acro was an emergency need.

It is up to Lauren to have her local vet send out bloodwork for acro and IIA. Please, Lauren, I know you have a lot on your plate, but don't forget to have those tests done.

V

 

I thought of mentioning what I saw in the picture with his cone. While large features are not a "given", if those features have changed, the testing is worth doing.

I had to laugh a few years ago when a university vet who saw Gandalf mentioned acro because he was such a large cat (3' from nose to tip of tail). I suppose he had a big nose, but he was always like that. The BG evidence just did not say acro and I had brought his numbers. Otherwise, it's nothing to laugh about, but just like diabetes, it's treatable. And we have members to help with acro cats too!