Help! Vomiting, diarrhea and +2 only 64

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Jenni

Jenni

Member Since 2015
Very bad day happening. Wet food transition is a total failure. Smudges just vomited, then ate dry Evo. He has had diarrhea today also and keeps returning to the litterbox. Since he is so low at +2, what do I do?
 
slow down with the food - you want him to hold it down.

he's not in danger yet - 64 is a safe number but the Lantus probably hasn't onset yet. you can put some karo/honey/maple syrup on his gums.

I'd give him a half hour for his tummy to settle, then try a little of the dry food he likes - maybe a couple of teaspoons or so.

Let's hope some others jump in with advice too. This is what I'd do.

If you get really worried, take him to the vet and take the karo syrup with you in the car.
 
It sounds to me like he may have a food sensitivity. We'll puzzle that out after his tummy settles down.

Do you have any Pepsid (famotidine) in the house? 1/4 of a 10 mg tablet may help to settle his stomach with regard to the vomiting. I agree with Julie. If this keeps up, I'd get him in to see the vet.

(What flavor and brand of canned food are you using?)
 
I am on the verge of a meltdown...I knew he didn't look quite right yesterday but he wasn't vomiting and his stool was normal. Now this! My KD kitty's appetite has declined considerably in the last few days and nothing is going right!
 
He has transitioned to Evo Cat/Kitten Chicken and Turkey dry for a couple of weeks now and enjoys it. I've tried a number of FF flavors with no success. Tried Evo (same flavor as dry) in the wet food hoping his stomach would handle it better and he has been fine until now. How long should I wait to test again? His onset won't kick in for a couple of hours.
 
A lot of the FF flavors have fish in them -- even the poultry. Gabby has a fairly sensitive stomach. She can't tolerate beef (vomits and diarrhea) and gluten gives her the runs. Fish and beef are common allergies for kitties.

Do you know if Smudge will eat baby food?
 
Changing food can definitely cause diarrhea and so we try to phase it in slowly. Even then an upset stomach can happen. When did you start the Evo canned and how much did you give??

Pepcid is very bitter so be prepared for some foaming. I don't suppose you have any empty gelcaps?

I would get a +3. Sometimes when they drop early they don't go much lower. Let's see what the +3 is.
 
Sienne and Gabby said:
A lot of the FF flavors have fish in them -- even the poultry. Gabby has a fairly sensitive stomach. She can't tolerate beef (vomits and diarrhea) and gluten gives her the runs. Fish and beef are common allergies for kitties.

Do you know if Smudge will eat baby food?
Click to expand...
The fancy feast classic turkey and giblets doesn't contain fish. The chicken does.

I'd try Gerber's 2nds ham, chicken , or turkey which are meat only. Max loves them. He isn't as fond of Beechnut but it is fine too.
 
I'm not giving him wet food anymore. He has never enjoyed and always vomits after regardless of the amount. Since trying the Evo wet on Friday night he has not exhibited any signs of upset tummy until yesterday when he seemed a bit "off". Nothing major--just off. Now today is a different story. I'm just not going to put him through all of that.

Gave him a bit of Karo and a 1/4 tab of Pepcid. He is hunkered in a ball and obviously distressed. Will check BG in another 20 minutes (+3). Even if his number increases, I'm going to be afraid to go to sleep tonight. I just don't feel equipped to deal with this.
 
Have never tried baby food. Started Evo wet Friday night mixed with dry. He lost interest by the next day. Opened a new can last night and he ate maybe 1-2 tblsp then went to kibble. I have detailed notes on my SS also.
 
(((Jenni))) what an ordeal tonight. :bighug: We'll be here to help if we can. There may be a point where you have to go to the vet. Do you have the address/phone number of the nearest open vet/ER vet, just in case?

For now, it may make sense to just stick with the low carb dry, if you know he'll eat that. Some kitties need help from probiotics (such as Forti Flora) or digestive enzymes when they switch types of food.
 
Hi Wendy,
Actually I had planned on posting about FlortiFlora tonight and then this all happened. Wanted to know if it actually works.
 
Another food to consider is Young Again. If you contact them they will send you samples to try. The email is on their website. I did get some and Max who used to be a dry food junkie did like it. He is very picky so I understand your frustration. The funny thing is when FD hit he became somewhat less picky. He won't eat the good stuff though. He will eat the junk food like fancy feast. He also likes freeeze dried raw Stella & Chewy's. I hope Smudges' tummy settles down and enough is eaten to avoid a trip to the ER.
 
Yes, I do have emergency info in my phone and unfortunately I've been there more times than I care to. I'm just not sure how I'm going to sleep tonight. His BG will start coming down soon and if he throws up during the night or runs into trouble I may not hear it.
 
Maybe you can nap in between tests and set a phone alarm?? Sleep on the couch or near where Smudge sleeps? Sorry but that is the best I can come up with.
 
Whew on that 92! I'd test again in an hour. How much Evo did he eat, and when? I know you say 7:50 in your notes, but since I don't know when preshot is, it's easier to see it in terms of the + hours. If you put a little dry in front of him again, would he eat it? If we can get him to eat several small meals of food he's used to and keep it down, you may have an uneventful night.

I don't have experience with Fortiflora myself, but I have heard a lot of others say it really helps their kitties eat. And some members use it when their kitty is on an antibiotic, to prevent diarrhea. I've used another type of antibiotic for that purpose. I had no problems converting Neko (or my one civie). They both already got quite a bit of wet when she was diagnosed and made a transition to raw very easily - thanks to Neko's acromegaly and super polyphagia.
 
When I am home I offer the kitties food every 2 hours or so and they will usually eat a little each times. They are used to free feeding so this is something new to them. During the day, I leave food down for them to eat at will so it is hard to say how much they eat daily. Since Smudges dropped a bit of weight since last fall, I let him eat as much as he wants. He has always been a proper weight and in good shape. I need to get a weight on him again but I would be surprised if he hasn't gained some of that weight back. I do not have my own scale. He gets insulin at 6 am/6 pm so when he threw up it was almost 2 hours after pm insulin. Just offered dry and he refused but that is not unreasonable since he just ate kibble about 1-1/2 hours ago.

Will get another BG in 1/2 hour. His left ear seems to be pretty sore. Unfortunately, his right ear just doesn't want to cooperate and I almost never get enough blood from it. Yesterday, he lost some of the hair on the edges where I poke him with the lancet. I know it is for his own good but I feel like a horrible person for testing him so often.
 
Haven't been this happy about a blue number since the hypo incident a couple of weeks ago...I'm a stressed out mess!
 
Hello! This is my first visit to your condo - so sorry to hear that Smudges is having stomach issues. I know that is scary. On the bright side, it looks like he is responding super well to Lantus, and you are doing a great job testing!! Billie loves Fortiflora sprinkled on her food. My civvie Brooklyn loves it too. I heard people call it "kitty crack" and that sounds about right based on how my girls respond to it. I don't know if it is the best probiotic out there, but it definitely helps to convince them to eat. I hope Smudges feels better soon.
 
I need to buy some Fortiflora tomorrow. Can I get that from a pet store or vitamin shop or only from the vet?
 
Definitely not feeling comfortable tonight. He kinda wants to eat but quickly stops because of the tummy trouble. He is drinking a lot of water, still has diarrhea and wants to be left alone. He is a cuddlebug so when he wants to be left alone, I know he feels horrible. He's licking his lips a lot like there may be more vomiting. Will test again in 20 minutes.
 
I do have some higher carb wet FF on hand in case of emergency but given all that is going on with his tummy I don't think he would eat it and it certainly won't stay in if he does. Unless he has a ravenous appetite like he did a few weeks ago and eats a bunch of kibble I am not sure what to do if he goes hypo again other than give Karo and rush him to the vet. Suggestions?
 
I think I'd give your vet a call about his stomach distress if it isn't better by morning.

He's a long ways from hypo right now. I wouldn't worry just yet about it.
 
As long as he's over 50 he's fine. If he drops in the 40's you need to bring him up over 50, but he shouldn't be in danger there.

Just wanted to add that info to help you figure out next steps.

is he about +5 now?
 
Hi Julie,

Just took +5. He is at 132. I was almost shaking taking the test this time because he is usually at his pm low at this hour. Holy crap, I need some valium or something.
 
Isn't is still possible for him to dip below 50 if he continues with the diarrhea and vomiting?
 
:bighug: i'm feeling for ya! i know how hard it is when your sweet little guy is sick. I don't think you're going to get low numbers tonight - he seems to be surfing. Maybe the amount that he ate of the crunchies is enough to hold him up.

In the morning, just in case, if he's not eating still you may want to skip his shot.

Hang in there - one step at a time and you're making it just fine!

just saw your last post - anything is possible, but i look at the change from one test to the next. Smudge is basically surfing, even slightly rising. I wouldn't go to bed and leave him, but i doubt that he's going to do some major turn-around and end up under 50. I'd still monitor, but that's what i'm thinking.
 
Thanks everybody! I'm sure I will be up for some time worrying about this. I feel an incredible amount of guilt for trying to push the change to wet food. I know people feel very strongly that wet food is the way to go and if he didn't have a long history of vomiting it up I would agree. But I'm thinking it just might not be a good way to go for him. I plan to take a break from trying it again and will have to think about it more but it isn't looking like an option right now.

His 14th birthday is coming up in a couple of weeks and I'd like him to enjoy it. I still can't believe it--seems like he fit in the palm of my hand not so long ago :-(
 
I think taking a break from it at this point is a great idea! he's doing great with blood sugar response to the insulin so i don't think you need to worry too much about it.
 
We had one kibble addict here who wouldn't eat HC, and her caregiver used her hairball medicine as HC. Are there any high carb treats that Smudge likes.

He may be bouncing a tiny bit. I'd get at least one more test to see what he's doing.
 
I recently bought him some hairball control Temptations after reading about it here. He loves 'em! Unfortunately, he won't touch them when sprinkled on wet food.
 
Wendy, your kitty and my kitty standing side by side would almost look like an adorable mini cow :)
 
Maybe the treats can work by themselves as HC should you need it.

My Jersey says meow to yours.:)
 
So I just woke him up and gave him two Temptations. I was thinking about it earlier but with the puking didn't want to stir the pot. Offered him some dry kibble and he ate it! Hopefully, he is starting to feel a bit better. Tummy is still making noise but he looks a bit perkier than just 30 minutes ago. I feel a great sense of relief right now. Just hope he keeps it down this time.

Meow back to ya!
 
Bg 144 @ +11. Ate dry Evo but continues to have diarrhea and upset stomach. Decided to skip am shot and waiting for vet clinic to open to decide how to proceed.
 
Hi Jenni

I know we have 'spoken' before so forgive me if I am repeating myself but has Smudge ever had any tests for IBD or pancreatitis? switching remi to a low carb wet food was the most stressful part of the diabetes control process for me as he is diagnosed with both conditions. In the past food changes have not gone down well and I have ended up with a cat who was quite sick. So I decided early on that I would stick with feeding a wet food that was both low in carb and low in fat and one that came from a single source of protein.

I am not trying to tell you to try this food but I wonder if he Smudge is sensitive to certain ingredients such as fish, grains you might perhaps want to try smudge on something similar:

  • 100% Chicken Breast - truly made from pure chicken breast
  • Complete
  • Wheat/gluten free
  • Easy to digest
Contains:
  • No preservatives
  • No fillers or artificial gelling agents
  • No added colours
  • No added sugars
  • No artificial flavours
https://thrivepetfoods.com/thriver-complete-100-chicken-and-chicken-liver-75g-tin-173
 
Smudges is resting comfortably and enjoying a sunny spot in the kitchen. He is eating his dry Evo and has not vomited yet today. He is still drinking quite a bit and has diarrhea. Per the vet suggestion I gave him a spoonful of pumpkin puree to hopefully help with the diarrhea. I also have some Fortiflora on order. he did not get his shot this morning and his last BG was 170. I took the day off of work to make sure he is okay but do not plan on testing him again until preshot at 6 p.m. unless somebody on this board thanks it would be a good idea. I expect his numbers will just keep climbing since he did not receive insulin this morning. With all of the vomiting and diarrhea I did not want to take the chance on giving it this morning. For now I am going to lay off the wet food and just concentrate on getting his BG under control with the dry low carb Evo. Once I receive the Fortiflora, I may consider trying to integrate a small amount of wet food into his diet again but right now I'm not a fan of the idea.
 
None of Smudges' vets have evenr mentioned IBD or pancreatitis as a possibility. He has been the healthiest cat I have ever had. Other than having rare occurrences of asthma which was just diagnosed last fall and now diabetes, he generally does not have any health problems. he just does not handle wet food well at all. I have tried integrating it off and on over the years and always get the same result. I will mention this to my vet and see what she thinks. blood work was just done about a month ago and there was nothing on there that raised concern other than the obvious BG problem. His lab results are also on my SS.
 
I'm glad to read that he hasn't had issues in the past. I "think" that means that there is something in the foods you have tried to convert him to that he is allergic to which might require a little detective work to figure out what it is. If you are up for it I would look at the ingredients in Evo and compare them to the canned and you might be able to figure it out. Just as an example my Tiffany was healthy and playful until all of a sudden she had diarrhea and I hadn't changed a thing. My vet felt she might have become allergic to something in her food and told me to change to a different one. I did and the problem stopped. For several years she was healthy and happy and then she was diagnosed with early kidney disease. The food switch had too many grains for her and issues again.

I hope Smudge continues to feel better as the day progresses. I'd give him (and you) a break from testing too.

Beautiful labs. I agree and am jealous.
 
I feel a bit guilty posting on here sometimes. There are many kitties out there with health issues more severe then my Smudges or Nibbs. Having lost three kitties to kidney disease and one last fall to cancer in her trachea, I have cried many tears and spent quite a bit of time in the vet's office and in emergency. These are my last two kitties and they're only a year apart in age. And while I expect some health issues, I never feel prepared to deal with it. My goal is to treat these diseases properly with the hope that their symptoms will improve and there lives will be happy and comfortable. I simply can't bear the thought of losing either one of them and my heart breaks for everyone who is struggling with these issues. People who do not have pets especially those with special needs simply do not understand how difficult and emotional dealing with this can be.. Thank you everybody for helping me through this extremely difficult time.
 
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