Diabetic? Hypoglycemia? How panicked?

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JAJameson2010

Member Since 2016
I'm going to try and calm down enough to make logical sense. I have a 16-18 yr old altered female cat. She's had URIs all throughout her life. They have gotten worse in the last year, so she's on Lysine whenever I can get a dose into her. No other known health problems!

I noticed her pee was smelling weird a couple days ago. A sweet odd smell? I called this morning to get a vet app for Saturday. Diabetes is my instant mental freak out go to.

Just got back from Walmart. Bought a glucose meter and supplies. Watched dozens of you tube videos and finally was able to get blood on my second attempt. Getting blood is much easier then med dosing! I thought it would be a fiasco.

Her glucose reading is 64 mg/dL. I found online that normal is 120-300 mg/dL. Do I need to be worrying or freaking out? I have zero clue about diabetes or blood sugar stuff. Haven't had to learn anything about it yet.

No other symptoms. No crazy increase in drinking (although I may not notice with all the water sources and critters), peeing, or eating. She has had more of an appetite in the last few months, but nothing dramatic.

How panicked do I need to be? Can we wait until Saturday at noon to see our vet? Or do we go to ER vet tonight? Could it be diabetes with a low number? What should I be researching? If we wait until Saturday I would like to have some clue about what the vet might tell me. She's really good at explaining, but I like to do my part to not be a total moron.

Thanks so much for any advice!
 
Pause the panic. A lovely person just told me that 68 is normal for a non diabetic kitty... I might have freaked out a bit early.... Still going to the vet Saturday for the bizarre pee smell!
 
Normal for a cat is between 70-120. 64 is a great number. Maybe she hadn't eaten recently when you did the test which caused it to be a bit low.
 
ja9390 said:
Normal for a cat is between 70-120. 64 is a great number. Maybe she hadn't eaten recently when you did the test which caused it to be a bit low.
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I actually grabbed her from the food dish to do the test, but she hadn't been there long. I'm so relived and feeling a little silly...
 
Hello, @JAJameson2010. If I'm reading correctly, your kitty isn't on insulin, right? If not, then that beautiful 64 mg/dL is a great number and she's not diabetic. So no need to worry about that part of it. It's a nice, normal number for a cat.
JAJameson2010 said:
I found online that normal is 120-300 mg/dL.
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I think what you found online references acceptable numbers for diabetic cats on insulin, although it's understood here that 300 is way too high for a diabetic cat. We prefer to see them below the renal threshhold of 240 and we strive for lower than that to avoid the likelihood of ketones forming. Anywhere in the range of 70 to 120 is excellent control for a sugar kitty. So relax about the diabetic part. However, I agree that you should get your kitty in to see the vet, especially if you detect that her urine is smelling strange. Good for you, doing that testing! Nice job!
 
Normal blood glucose for a non-diabetic cat is 40-120 so it looks like you're in great shape as far as diabetes goes!

Some cats will even drop into the high 30's and be totally normal!
 
Tuxedo Mom said:
It is always good to ask. 64 is a wonderful number so diabetes does not seem to be a problem at this point :)
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That was my biggest fear, hopefully whatever the vet finds is easier to manage.
Blamethecats and Hannah said:
Hello, @JAJameson2010. If I'm reading correctly, your kitty isn't on insulin, right? If not, then that beautiful 64 mg/dL is a great number and she's not diabetic. So no need to worry about that part of it. It's a nice, normal number for a cat.

I think what you found online references acceptable numbers for diabetic cats on insulin, although it's understood here that 300 is way too high for a diabetic cat. We prefer to see them below the renal threshhold of 240 and we strive for lower than that to avoid the likelihood of ketones forming. Anywhere in the range of 70 to 120 is excellent control for a sugar kitty. So relax about the diabetic part. However, I agree that you should get your kitty in to see the vet, especially if you detect that her urine is smelling strange. Good for you, doing that testing! Nice job!
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Correct she's not on insulin. Ran out and did the test because if she was in danger, didn't want to wait 4 more days for an app. I'm still astonished at how easy it was to prick and test. Now I have a test kit... The dogs and BF may be next on my spree for blood and numbers ;)

Good to know that 300 is even too high! Also the dangers of incorrect info online! We will keep out appointment at noon on Saturday. We are visiting the really good vet I use for my greyhounds, so I am very confident she will be able to let us know what is going on. It's a 45 minute drive that I normally don't take the cats along for. We usually go to a local vet. Unfort the local vets except for the expensive ER we use are not so great.
 
JAJameson2010 said:
Correct she's not on insulin. Ran out and did the test because if she was in danger, didn't want to wait 4 more days for an app. I'm still astonished at how easy it was to prick and test. Now I have a test kit... The dogs and BF may be next on my spree for blood and numbers ;)
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The "vampire" in you is showing ;) Always good to monitor everyone around you!! :)
 
Yep beautiful number for a non-diabetic cat! I monitor almost all my cats, dogs and husband. My non-diabetic cats run between the 40's - 70's. I laugh - one of my non-diabetics gets a bit jealous that I test Doc, Snow wants the same attention. Many times Doc will get off the table, Snow will slide in for HIS pokie....I oblige.
 
Squeaky and KT said:
Yep beautiful number for a non-diabetic cat! I monitor almost all my cats, dogs and husband. My non-diabetic cats run between the 40's - 70's. I laugh - one of my non-diabetics gets a bit jealous that I test Doc, Snow wants the same attention. Many times Doc will get off the table, Snow will slide in for HIS pokie....I oblige.
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Too cute! My turn Mom! My turn...
 
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