911 Help please!

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lasquini

lasquini

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Male cat recently diagnosed diabetes about 3 weeks ago. Started 2 units of insulin 2x per day. He really started improving...skin less flaky, tons more playful, no more vomiting. All of a sudden on Friday, I noticed a small spot of food-colored liquid vomit. On Saturday, I noticed him eating less than he normally does. Usually he's super obnoxious when he can see the bottom of his bowl....Sunday night, he hadn't really eaten a lot but we gave him is nightly insulin dose and about 2 hours later, he puked up a white colored liquid. Monday, we took him in for a glucose curve test and they had trouble getting him to eat as well. We didn't give him any insulin Monday night because he still wasn't eating....

Now, he has barely eaten or drank at all. We even tried to switch to wet food. Vet has no answers. I'm worried his body is like shutting down or something. Any advice or help would be so much appreciated! We love our little guy and we are SUPER worried about him....
 
I'd suggest taking him to the vet ER asap to get him on nutrients and hydrated. Plus rule out anything that might be going on.
 
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You need to get him to a vet for fluids/nutrients, etc. like Cat Ma mentioned.
You need someone to test him for ketones and test his blood sugar. You can test his urine for ketones with a ketostix from a pharmacy (cheap) at home or pay vet to do it (~$75).

What kind of insulin is it? Did he eat before you gave it to him before the vomiting episode? I would not give insulin again until you can check his BG level's at home.

You can buy just about any human glucometer from the pharmacy along with test strips and a lancet to poke his ear to check BG levels, though I would take him to the vet first. Total cost of these supplies should be no more than $40.

Ketones can develop from lack of hydration/food/insulin and not eating/vomiting are a symptom. Can lead to DKA which is extremely deadly. Can you smell his breath, is it fruity/acetony?

DKA symptoms:
  • Vomiting
  • Weakness
  • Lethargy
  • Depression
  • Lack of appetite (anorexia)
  • Weight loss (cachexia)
  • Muscle wasting
  • Increased thirst (polydipsia)
  • Increased urination (polyuria) or lack of thirst (adipsia)
  • Rough hair coat
  • Rapid breathing (tachypnea)
  • Dehydration
  • Low body temperature (hypothermia)
  • Dandruff
  • Sweet breath odor
  • Yellowing of the skin, gums and eyes (jaundice)
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If you're giving too much insulin this can lead to hypoglycemia, which is also deadly. This occurs typically if under 40 mg/dL blood sugar levels.

Hypo symptoms:
  • Hunger
  • Restlessness
  • Shivering
  • Incoordination
  • Disorientation
  • Convulsions and seizures
  • Coma
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Please share any #'s you have regarding his blood glucose test curves.
If your vet has no clue what's going on, take him to another vet.
 
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You can check for ketones at home but given your cats' symptoms with not eating and vomting, as pevsfreedom mentioned, I'd rush him to the ER asap.
 
It doesn't apply in this case but CJ exhibited no signs when she went hypo. That's why home testing is crucial.
Right now, if you can quickly test for ketones, that would be helpful. But since your cat hasn't eaten, isn't drinking, has vomited and hasn't had insulin since Monday morning, a visit to the ER would be wise. Better safe than sorry.
 
Cat Ma said:
It doesn't apply in this case but CJ exhibited no signs when she went hypo. That's why home testing is crucial.
Right now, if you can quickly test for ketones, that would be helpful. But since your cat hasn't eaten, isn't drinking, has vomited and hasn't had insulin since Monday morning, a visit to the ER would be wise. Better safe than sorry.
Click to expand...

Yeah I would get the little guy to the vet ASAP, if not the ER.
Have him tested for ketones while there, have fluids administered and a vitamin injection, and get a fructosamine blood check if possible unless you have info from the curves. At the very least you need a spot check of BG's.

To me this sounds like DKA (ketones in the body); can be tested for with ketostix from pharmacy, or Precision Xtra blood meter & strips, or at vet. If it is DKA this is a serious medical emergency.

Little or no insulin in last 12 hours
High blood sugar over 16 mmol/L or 300 mg/dL
(though with low insulin, lower as well...)
Dehydration (skin doesn't jump back after pulling a bit
gums are tacky or dry)[2]
Not eating for over 12 hours due to Inappetance
or Fasting
Vomiting
Lethargy
Infection or illness
High stress levels
Breath smells like acetone
(nail-polish remover) or fruit.
Click to expand...

You need something like this to check BG's at home, this is the cheapest set I've found with cheapest test strips:

http://www.amazon.com/Diabetes-Test...TF8&qid=1439427242&sr=1-2&keywords=glucometer
 
I agree with the previous posts. Get kitty to a new vet and demand a test for ketones. The vet will probably need to give him fluids and an anti-nausea injection.

When he's back home, you'll have to learn to test his blood glucose levels at home, like pevsfreedom mentioned. It's not hard and we can talk you through it. The most important thing right now is to get kitty to a vet. In the morning, call your old vet and ask for the numbers from the glucose curve.

If you absolutely cannot get kitty to a vet until morning, go to a drugstore or grocery store and get a baby syringe. Use it to force feed water and food. You don't want kitty to go too long without food because he could develop hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver). Then get the cat to a vet first thing in the morning. Although I strongly urge you to go right now.
 
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