Need Urgent Help!!!

I have an 11 year old female cat who was diagnosed with diabetes 6 months ago. For the first several months we changed her insulin doses many times to try and regulate her blood. Many times her readings were high in 20's or low 30's. Finally we got her down to 10 units of insulin x 2 a day. Her readings for the last several weeks started dropping to 10 - 15 on average. 3 weeks ago she started not eating like she used to. She couldn't get enough food before and 3 weeks ago she started loosing her appetite. She would eat sometimes and other times just pick at her food or skip it. 2 weeks ago I was told she had an infection and she was treated for that. Also, was advised to stop her insulin as she may be loosing the need. I checked her numbers x 2 daily and they stayed consistent between 10 - 15. A few days ago she stopped eating period. I took her to a vet and they told me she has ketoacidosis. She has lost so much weight and has lethargy. I need urgent help here. I am devastated as to what to do. She received IV treatment today but I don't see any improvement in her at all. How do I treat ketoacidosis? How do I treat ketones? I have her back on insulin but a very small dose as she isn't not eating well yet. I could use any help here. I am so worried.

 

The best way to treat DKA is to hospitalize your cat at the vet ER for IV fluid treatment and close monitoring. You cannot treat this at home right now. When your cat is stabliazed at the ER, the vet may let you continue further treatment at home. Sometimes DKA is complicated by the cat not eating at all and a condition called fatty liver can develop. Tube feeding may be needed to help get nutrients into the cat. Here is some info about DKA: http://petdiabetes.wikia.com/wiki/Ketoacidosis

What insulin is your cat on?

 

DKA needs 24/7 ER treatment....please get her into a facility ASAP. They can pull through but immediate care by veterinarians is needed.

 

She is on caninsulin, just started back up yesterday but a bit scared where her readings are now 8 and 9 mmol and she is not eating well. I was advised once she is feeling better to switch her to glargine.

 

WAIT

You got her DOWN to 10 u twice a day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!????


And now they said she is DKA????

There is more going on - what tests did they run when she was diagnosed?

Yes, agree DKA needs vet care 24/7.....................

 

I agree here. That insulin isn't working for you at all! cat(2)_steam

 

Just wanted to clear up a couple things:

Are those BG readings international #s?

The DKA was during a period when you stopped insulin for her at the vets recommendation, right? So she went from 10u to none, and then after a week or so was DKA, am I understanding that right?

Is she at the vets right now, or at home?

Are you home testing, and if so can you post the latest #s?

Welcome.... the board may be a bit slow since it's Friday night, but there is almost always someone here, so please keep posting with whatever questions and more information you have. Hang in there! There are lots of good people here who have been through crises like these too, and can offer you tons of advice and support.

 

Hi there Star

when u get back online, please try to answer some of the questions being asked - you have quite a few people worried here, if u can stick around for a bit, lots of people here can help.

where is ur cat right now? at home or at the vet's?
how much insulin did she get today?

are u home testing?

what tests did they run when she was diagnosed?


please clear up the latest BG readings if they are in International (meaning anywhere else but the U.S) numbers 8 and 9 in international numbers is very very low and dangerous - we just need this to be cleared up ok?

if they are U.S numbers then they would convert to 144 - 162 then they are ok, but if DKA is present, your cat needs medical attention.

 

International numbers (mmol/L) of 8 or 9 translate to US numbers (mg/dl) of 144-162, and are OK. Star is in Canada, and is using international (mmol/L) numbers.

 

Correct, her blood glucose readings are in mmol. I do check her blood twice daily at home. This morning her reading was 10.4 mmol. She was given 1 unit of canisnsulin (u-100 syringe) Last evening it was 9.6 mmol. She was given 1 unit as well.

Her symptoms of a decreased appetite and weakness started while she was still receiving 10 units x 2. I was told shortly after since her readings averaged between 10 - 15 mmol she was loosing her need for insulin and was advised to stop her insulin. However her symptoms continued. Since she was off insulin her mmol readings stayed quite consistent. However, she is eating a lot less now too.

The first time I had her to the vet, blood work was performed and I was advised she had an infection and she was prescribed antibiotics for 10 days. After this her symptoms continued and a few days later she stopped eating all together. Then I took her to another vet, they did blood work and urinalysis and said she had ketoacidosis. They gave her SQ fluids and yesterday I had her to the vet to get IV for 8 hours and they sent her home. She is still very sluggish, no interest in anything and eating very little recovery food.

I am so worried about her. I need all the advice I can get. I was also advised to give her Purina DM food but when I tried it she had on interest. But she picked a bit at the recovery food I gave her. Sometimes I see her go to her water and just sit in front of it and then finally she will drink. She drinks quite a bit and pee's quite a bit. She is down to 7 lbs. 6 ozs.

Thank you in advance to anyone who can offer help or advice.

 

Hi Star

I'm going to reiterate everyone else's advice to get her to a 24 hour hospital. Is there one in your area? Ketones need to be treated with insulin-- insulin is the medicine for ketones. In cats that are not eating well, or if they are getting low numbers on insulin, need to be in the hospital on a dextrose (sugar) drip. The IV dextrose allows them to be given more insulin, which will clear the ketones. There is no at-home substitute for this, as you can't keep giving her insulin without causing hypo. She needs her dextrose/insulin combo.

Her lack of appetite also needs to be addressed. Cats (and humans, and dogs) with ketoacidosis feel just awful and are often extremely nauseous. There are IV drugs to help with the nausea, and her road to feeling better is to get rid of the DKA. I know DKA cats look *miserable* but this is a treatable condition, espeically if treated promptly and by an experienced vet. Also, cats who don't eat can develop a type of liver disease called hepatic lipidosis.

I hope there is an experienced vet you can bring her to today. DKA cats can develop serious electrolyte problems, too, so her weakness may also be due to that. Please keep us posted.
Jess

 

Star,

I am someone whose cat went into DKA just a couple of weeks ago. Like everyone else, I have to reiterate that 24 hour vet care saved my cat's life. Cats with DKA need to be given a fast-acting insulin on a constant drip and monitored constantly by a vet. They need more than fluids. The emergency vet initially didn't think my cat would pull through when we brought her in, but after a few days there she improved, and now she is back at home with her normal energy, eating, playing. Please try to find a 24 vet if you can.

 

Thank you to all for your advice, recommendations and concern. I took my cat in to the vet this morning. I requested they hospitalize her this afternoon. There are no 24 hour facilities around here and my vet doesn't have the specializing knowledge for this type of situation but was willing to keep her in and stay with her. They are going to keep her on IV and test her urine for ketones again. We checked her blood glucose and it was 8.8 mmol so we couldn't give her insulin drops. Any other information would be greatly appreciated.

 

I am so sorry you are going through this with your kitty. Here is some information for you to read and share with your vet: http://www.felinediabetes.com/ketones.htm

One other suggestion, Star, is to take in a tee shirt that you have worn. Sometimes kitties like to have your smell in a strange place.

Lots of people here with fingers and paws crossed for you both.

 

The DKA was partiallly caused by withholding insulin and partially by inappetance. It was irresponsible of your vet to withhold insulin, and switching doses frequently prevents regulation which is a slow process requiring lots of data.

Right now your cat is in the right place, but I would stay away from your old vet, his/her lack of knowledge is, as you are seeing, dangerous.

You can fill a lot of gaps by taking this time to learn everything you can absorb about feline diabetes. Start with our FAQs and pay close attention to the SLGS (Start Low Go Slow) information, it will clear up a lot of misconceptions.

We offer emotional support, especially now, and we will help you learn how to manage her diabetes because in cats, as in humans, diabetes is home managed, not clinic managed. Welcome aboard.

Gia & Quirk

Guilt trips are a detour from life

 

ANY UPDATES PLEASE?????????

 

I had her to the vet again on Saturday where she received IV all day and was released in the evening to me as it is not a 24 hour vet facility. The vet tested her urine for ketones and they are still present. Her bloood last evening was 13 mmol and 11.6 mmol this morning and she recived 1 unit of insulin both times. She has been eating some. I have been adding water to her food and she seems to like that. I also gave her some turkey with water and she really liked that. I am sure her stomach has shrunk since she lost more weight. Any suggestions what to do next? I know most are recommending a 24/7 animal hospital for IV fluids. I want to test her urine myself but she doesn't like me being around her when she is using her litter. The newspaper shredded up does not work for her so I need to find another way to test her urine myself for ketones.

 

When test for ketones I just put the stiick right in the freshly peed in litter and it works. I know there are other methods people here use too. Hopefully other people will be along soon to help.

 

We bought aquarium gravel and put it into the litter box. The pee will collect in the box and it's easy to use the ketone strips. Once you get the sample, you can put out the regular litter again - just save the gravel for the tests.

 

Update, I have taken her into the vet again this morning for more IV fluids. The vet will keep her all day and keep an eye of her blood glucose and check her urine. On Sunday I was able to get her to eat a lot of her food at home. I mixed water with can food and I mixed water with turkey to try and get fluids in her. She responsed to this quite well. Her blood was 12.6 mmol this morning and I gave her 1 unit of insulin.