Not sure if I should be shooting or not?

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animallvr64

animallvr64

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Hi,
I am not sure if I should be shooting with numbers that are in the 70s 80 highest is 102. I have not given him Howard and insulin for a while now and his numbers still seem to stay low, so not sure if I should be giving him any insulin even with this numbers? But I also can't seem to get him to eat that much. His previous owner fed him Iams senior dry food, which I know dry is not good for a diabetic cat, but he won't touch the moist food at all!! and I don't think he is really eating much of the dry food. I have been feeding him cooked chicken and tuna fish so at least he is getting something. Any suggestions on getting him to eat. He is 15 years old, and not sure if there is something g wrong or he just misses his previous owner and is depressed. Any help on these issues would be much appreciated.

Thanks
Vickie & Howard
 
His numbers are in normal ranges, although they definitely could be influenced into lower ranges by his lack of eating.

Some ideas to try
Warm up the wet food till nice and stinky
Add warm water to the food and make a gravy
Dress it with some of the crushed dry or Parmesan cheese or tuna juice or a favorite treat

And it sounds silly, but sometimes if they are off their food, feeding them by hand can get them interested again. See if he is interested in eating off your finger.

Do you think he might have pancreatitis? Here is some info

http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/a-primer-on-pancreatitis.83108/
 
Hi Vicki! You definitely don't want to be shooting at the numbers you are getting. They are all beautiful numbers and they look like remission (anti jinx) to me.

As for eating...first off, while wet is best, you have to feed what he will eat. That being said, we wouldn't suggest switching too fast anyway to avoid GI upset. Have you had a vet visit recently? If he isn't eating much of anything, I might try that. At least rule out infections and whatnot.
 
Rachel said:
Hi Vicki! You definitely don't want to be shooting at the numbers you are getting. They are all beautiful numbers and they look like remission (anti jinx) to me.

As for eating...first off, while wet is best, you have to feed what he will eat. That being said, we wouldn't suggest switching too fast anyway to avoid GI upset. Have you had a vet visit recently? If he isn't eating much of anything, I might try that. At least rule out infections and whatnot.
Click to expand...

Hi Rachel

He was at the vet just before I got him, but not since. I have had him about a month. I have tried feeding him from my hand and just won't touch the moist food. I have tried different kinds of dry and moist and nothing. The only thing I can get him to eat is tuna fish and cooked chicken. But tonight he dosent seem to want to eat anything he just wants to sleep,. He's not in any pain that I can tell he just seems out of it. I am going to check his blood sugar to make sure it didn't go to low or spike up high.
 
Hi Vickie~ another thing you could try to get Howard to eat, is to sprinkle some florti-flora over his food like you are salting his food. Are you familiar with it? It is actually a probiotic and used for diarrhea but it has the same animal enzyme that the dry food companies coat the kibble with that makes the dry food so irresistible. It is made by Purina and you can order it online.
 
Here are some ideas.
1) Chicken Broth or Beef Broth (no sugar added); could be made from bouillon cubes
2) Tuna or tuna broth/juice
3) Parmesan cheese sprinkled on food
4) Bonita Flakes sprinkled on food (get from Asian Market or possibly some local food stores)
5) Pepcid AC 1/4 tablet - may have to crush and syringe feed; wait 20 minutes and try feeding again
6) Boiled chicken shredded or pureed
7) Baked/broiled/boiled Salmon, White fish, etc.
8) Warm up regular food in microwave
9) Florti-Flora sprinkled on food (get from vet)
10) Plenty of exercise prior to meal time (chasing a string, etc.)
11) Last resort to eat give Medium or the high carb, wet food
 
Sue and Oliver (GA) said:
His numbers are in normal ranges, although they definitely could be influenced into lower ranges by his lack of eating.

Some ideas to try
Warm up the wet food till nice and stinky
Add warm water to the food and make a gravy
Dress it with some of the crushed dry or Parmesan cheese or tuna juice or a favorite treat

And it sounds silly, but sometimes if they are off their food, feeding them by hand can get them interested again. See if he is interested in eating off your finger.

Do you think he might have pancreatitis? Here is some info

http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/a-primer-on-pancreatitis.83108/
Click to expand...
Sue and Oliver (GA) said:
His numbers are in normal ranges, although they definitely could be influenced into lower ranges by his lack of eating.

Some ideas to try
Warm up the wet food till nice and stinky
Add warm water to the food and make a gravy
Dress it with some of the crushed dry or Parmesan cheese or tuna juice or a favorite treat

And it sounds silly, but sometimes if they are off their food, feeding them by hand can get them interested again. See if he is interested in eating off your finger.

Do you think he might have pancreatitis? Here is some info

http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/a-primer-on-pancreatitis.83108/
Click to expand...

Hello,

No I don't think he has pancretitis he dosent seem in any pain, he's not vomiting either. . He just wants to sleep tonight and seems kind of out of it. . Just not interested in eating though he is drinking. He was good earlier today he even went outside and laid in the grass for a bit today.

As far as his food, I have tried different foods and nothing. He won't eat from my finger or hand. Now some days he will eat his tuna or chicken just fine but only ate a small amount this AM and nothing this evening. . So not sure what to do. If I should see how he is tomorrow or later tonight and go from there.
 
Bobbie And Bubba said:
Hi Vickie~ another thing you could try to get Howard to eat, is to sprinkle some florti-flora over his food like you are salting his food. Are you familiar with it? It is actually a probiotic and used for diarrhea but it has the same animal enzyme that the dry food companies coat the kibble with that makes the dry food so irresistible. It is made by Purina and you can order it online.
Click to expand...

No I have not heard of that, but will get some for sure. I have some pills that my vet had given me for my other diabetic cat when she wasn't eating to simulate her appetite thought about giving him one of those.
 
Merlin said:
Here are some ideas.
1) Chicken Broth or Beef Broth (no sugar added); could be made from bouillon cubes
2) Tuna or tuna broth/juice
3) Parmesan cheese sprinkled on food
4) Bonita Flakes sprinkled on food (get from Asian Market or possibly some local food stores)
5) Pepcid AC 1/4 tablet - may have to crush and syringe feed; wait 20 minutes and try feeding again
6) Boiled chicken shredded or pureed
7) Baked/broiled/boiled Salmon, White fish, etc.
8) Warm up regular food in microwave
9) Florti-Flora sprinkled on food (get from vet)
10) Plenty of exercise prior to meal time (chasing a string, etc.)
11) Last resort to eat give Medium or the high carb, wet food
Click to expand...

Hello,

Thanks for the ideas, I already give him tuna and boiled chicken. But he dosent even want the tuna tonight. Just checked his blood sugar and it was 79 so it's not low. I will try some of the other ideas you gave as well. I just feel bad for him, and as far as execrising he really dosent do much of that. He is a lazy cat he just lays around all day he is 15 years old. I am just wondering if he is depressed cause he misses his previous owner.
 
He could be depressed...I think I'd go to the vet if he doesn't eat tomorrow. See if they can suggest anything (or give an appetite stimulant). They may also be able to help if it does seem to be depression.
 
Oh he could be very well be depressed. Was he with the previous owner for 15 years? Is there any chance you can get something from that owner that may have their scent on it like a blanket, towel, t-shirt?
 
Merlin said:
Oh he could be very well be depressed. Was he with the previous owner for 15 years? Is there any chance you can get something from that owner that may have their scent on it like a blanket, towel, t-shirt?
Click to expand...

No she didn't have him for 15 years. Maybe the last 3 to 4 yrs. He came to me from Colorado and I live in Michigan. Also when he was fist diagnosed with diabetes looking at his medical records his BS were in the 300 to 400 range and they started him off on 12 units of insulin right away, and his previous owner didn't home check his levels she just gave the insulin without knowing his numbers. Then when she had his blood checked his levels went down to the mid 200 and they lowered his insulin to only like 10 units again no home testing. This went on for a while, and there were a few times where he was hypo, the vet had just lowered him to 4 units once a day without home testing. When he came to live with me I started home testing hom right away, and only gave him insulin a few times and I probably shouldn't have cause his numbers have never been over like 109. So I stopped the insulin for now. So not sure if any of this has anything to do with why he dosent seem to want to eat. Just grasping at straws I guess. . I had some medication that the vet gave me for my other diabetic cat when she wouldn't eat to stimulate her apettie so I just gave him a does of that will see how he does.

Thank you for all the help and ideas.
 
Wow! 12 units?? That's crazy. I'm so glad you were able to take him in and home test him. You have almost certainly saved his life!

I liked Cindi's idea of something that smells like his old home. That might help him out.

Please keep us posted! I'm sending tons of healing vines his way.
 
That is an amazing story - poor guy may be depressed it must be so stressful to go to a new home (sounds like he had several)
what about something like Feliway or other pheronome?
 
Well an update on Howard. . I was able to get him to eat last night a little, but then he wouldn't eat again for me this morning or tonight. He just sleeps and lays around all day. Hie previous owner to me he was very vocal and he was when he first got here, but now not so much. I am worried about him, think a vet visit is needed. Any ideas on what could be going on?
 
I wish I had something brilliant, Vickie. I wonder if he is depressed or whether he just doesn't feel good. I definitely would have the vet check him out. You might ask the vet about pancreatitis which makes them feel crummy and not want to eat. Wonder if he could have some kind of infection like a UTI or bad teeth....
 
Howard is 15?
Your remark about "used to be vocal but not any more" is what caught my eye. Reminded me of my Mullet. Mullet wasn't diabetic though. He showed symptoms of hyper thyroid, one of which was howling a lot. But then he stopped that, but got very lethargic and depressed looking. He also lost a lot of weight and looked generally sickly. You might ask the vet, if his thyroid numbers haven't been checked recently? Mullet was the same age.
 
A vet visit sounds like a good idea. IF nothing else, it can set your mind at ease. And it's possibly something that the vet can help with. Let us know how it goes...I've been thinking about Howard lately!
 
It is with a heavy heart that I let you know that Howard has crossed over the Rainbow bridge this morning. Had him at Vet on Thursday his bladder was full and he was blocked they put a cather in him and gave fluids sub q. Went home on fluids 2x day sub q. Blood work done also. Vet called Friday and said his bun and creatatin were triple what they should be and he needed IV therapy and to be in hospital three days. Took him in on Friday, and called on Saturday in the morning and vet said he still wasn't eating and he had a seizure had to get Valium to calm him down. Went to the vets office on Sunday to see him and the vet on duty said he was trying to call me cause Howard wasn't doing good, he wasn't responding to treatment and his gums were white and that he was in congestive heart failure, and having several seizures. I could not let him suffer anymore so I had to make that decision to let him go, which is always the hardest thing to do. I only had him in my life for just a little over one month I so wish it could have been so much longer it just dosent seem fair. But would like to thank everyone for the advice and support with him. Oh by the way the blood work showed he was no longer a diabetic anymore and thyroid was good also. God bless you Howard fly Free my little man!!!
 
Oh Vickie I am so terribly sorry -this surely is a tragic loss for you. You did such a noble and loving gesture of welcoming this 15 year old kitty into your home and your heart - at least at the end he was with someone who clearly loved him and did the very best they could for him. My heart goes out to you and I also admire you deeply for your compassion. I am very sorry you had to say goodbye to Howard. massive hugs to you
 
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Oh no, Vickie. I am so sorry that you have lost your sweet Howard. You tried so hard with a kitty who was new to you. but gave him lots of love and tenderness in his short life with you. It takes a very special person to adopt a cat who may have special needs. You did your very best. I know he knew that.
 
I am so sad to hear about Howard. He was very lucky to have you care for him. You are a beautiful person for being there for Howard.
 
So sorry that you lost Howard so soon after you took him in. It's very evident how very much you cared --- my heart aches for you!
Bless you for how hard you tried.
Fly high, Howard. cat_wings>o
 
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