Hannah & Max
Member Since 2019
This might not be the most articulate post-- I'm sorry if I jump around and type too much-- I'm panicking a little right now. My cat, Max, has not been well regulated since being diagnosed back in May. His numbers go all over the place, but usually stay in the 300's - 400's mg/dL range (I will see about attaching a spreadsheet.) When he was first diagnosed, he weighed 13.8 pounds. He now weighs 10.5 lbs. He has lost most of his muscle mass... He used to be a buff cat, lots of muscle, and a little overweight (probably due to his old diet of free-feeding dry, years ago, before I knew how awful it was), but now he is just skin and bones and fat, no muscle. He is having a hard time walking, very weak, and doesn't have an appetite.
To rewind a bit, back around the first of August, his insulin dosage had been 2 u. His numbers, which were normally high, had dropped so low at night that I couldn't shoot. One night it was 50 mg/dL.
I brought him in to the vet to figure out why they had done a 180° from really high numbers, some days 400 - 600 mg/dL, to low ones below 100 mg/dL. Once we ran some tests, we found that he had a UTI, so he was on clavamox for 10 days to treat it. The vet had also noticed a small amount of ketones, 15 mg/dL, and said that if he acts out of the ordinary at all, bring him in immediately.
Last week, while he and I were out of town, I noticed that his appetite was getting bigger. He even tried eating dog food when I wasn't looking. Which, maybe that wasn't terribly surprising, but it was still out of the ordinary.
Then the next night, while we were still away, I noticed how bony his hind end looked. He had definitely lost weight. At this point I was getting really concerned. The next evening, when we were finally home, I gave him dinner and he wouldn't touch it.
First thing in the morning, last Saturday, I called the vet. They wanted him in ASAP. His primary vet was out of town, so a different vet had to see him. He had lost 1/2 lb since his last visit on the 5th. She did a T4 to test for hyperthyroidism-- something his primary vet was worried about-- and that came back normal... Then she showed us his urinalysis results. He still had a small amount of bacteria in his urine, so that UTI hadn't been resolved, and his ketones were 150 mg/dL!!! Once I saw that, I nearly fell over.
She said it was the early stages of DKA, but she still wanted him sent to the emergency vet ASAP.
So, we were transferred to the emergency vet. They gave him humulin CRI and IV fluids over the weekend. They were nice enough I suppose, but they really didn't keep me informed or in the decision making at all. When we first brought him in and I asked about the insulin treatment and what brand they would give him, the doctor asked me if I was a nurse in what seemed like a passive-aggressive way. When I was there on Sunday evening and asked about how he was doing, they told me he was doing great, eating well, urinating well, resting and his glucose was normal (~200 mg/dL.) When I asked when his discharge would be, they gave me a bit of a run-around. I didn't even talk to the doctor on Sunday, just the receptionist and tech. They finally said he had to be kept to monitor his glucose level, even though they knew I home tested. It seemed like an excuse, but I kept him there nonetheless.
First thing yesterday morning, I picked him up. I asked about his temp and if he had been given antibiotics for the UTI and they said no. I asked for a hard copy of his records and the doctor sent them to his primary vet and told me I could just get them there. Then she said wanted him transferred there for a reassessment, since the emergency vet was closing. They left his catheter in.
Yesterday, I was just a mess. I had spent over $1,000 and hardly seen my baby all weekend. I really didn't want to transfer again, not because I didn't care about him, but because I was so worried about not being able to afford his care. I'm an 18 year old student and I work part-time. I had just used up almost all of my savings... It had cost $218 at the emergency vet just to test his glucose!
I transferred anyway, after I brought him home to give him breakfast and start a curve. He had eaten almost all of his breakfast and seemed to be doing well. He was drinking and urinating well. When I brought him in, the vet office didn't really see why he needed to be transferred, especially if he was eating well. His primary vet still wasn't in. He had lost 1/2 lb over the weekend, though They prescribed a 7-day course of clavamox, tested his electrolytes, and sent us on our way. (The vet did want to do a urinalysis for ketones, but since I have ketostix I just skipped it because I desperately need to cut any corner I can...)
Then when we were home, I noticed how he was acting. His hind end is very weak and he has stumbled a few times. He can jump, but he has trouble walking on my bed. He is very weak and just wants to lay around. I gave him dinner last night and he wouldn't touch it. I did manage to get him to eat some cooked chicken and a handful of treats, so I figured he had eaten enough for insulin. His glucose was high enough to shoot. I gave him a lower dose, 1 u, just in case.
I'm really worried about him. Should I bring him back to the vet? What will they do? I really can't afford tests. I'm trying to do everything that I can. My family hasn't been the most supportive through this, and the vets I've seen this weekend have been less than helpful. I'm so scared, I feel like I'm desperate for any advice right now. I don't want to lose him. He is terribly weak and thin. I had asked the vet yesterday about doing lactated ringers but they didn't think he needed it where he was eating. Should I syringe feed him? Please, any advice would be helpful right now....
To rewind a bit, back around the first of August, his insulin dosage had been 2 u. His numbers, which were normally high, had dropped so low at night that I couldn't shoot. One night it was 50 mg/dL.
I brought him in to the vet to figure out why they had done a 180° from really high numbers, some days 400 - 600 mg/dL, to low ones below 100 mg/dL. Once we ran some tests, we found that he had a UTI, so he was on clavamox for 10 days to treat it. The vet had also noticed a small amount of ketones, 15 mg/dL, and said that if he acts out of the ordinary at all, bring him in immediately.
Last week, while he and I were out of town, I noticed that his appetite was getting bigger. He even tried eating dog food when I wasn't looking. Which, maybe that wasn't terribly surprising, but it was still out of the ordinary.
Then the next night, while we were still away, I noticed how bony his hind end looked. He had definitely lost weight. At this point I was getting really concerned. The next evening, when we were finally home, I gave him dinner and he wouldn't touch it.
First thing in the morning, last Saturday, I called the vet. They wanted him in ASAP. His primary vet was out of town, so a different vet had to see him. He had lost 1/2 lb since his last visit on the 5th. She did a T4 to test for hyperthyroidism-- something his primary vet was worried about-- and that came back normal... Then she showed us his urinalysis results. He still had a small amount of bacteria in his urine, so that UTI hadn't been resolved, and his ketones were 150 mg/dL!!! Once I saw that, I nearly fell over.
She said it was the early stages of DKA, but she still wanted him sent to the emergency vet ASAP.
So, we were transferred to the emergency vet. They gave him humulin CRI and IV fluids over the weekend. They were nice enough I suppose, but they really didn't keep me informed or in the decision making at all. When we first brought him in and I asked about the insulin treatment and what brand they would give him, the doctor asked me if I was a nurse in what seemed like a passive-aggressive way. When I was there on Sunday evening and asked about how he was doing, they told me he was doing great, eating well, urinating well, resting and his glucose was normal (~200 mg/dL.) When I asked when his discharge would be, they gave me a bit of a run-around. I didn't even talk to the doctor on Sunday, just the receptionist and tech. They finally said he had to be kept to monitor his glucose level, even though they knew I home tested. It seemed like an excuse, but I kept him there nonetheless.
First thing yesterday morning, I picked him up. I asked about his temp and if he had been given antibiotics for the UTI and they said no. I asked for a hard copy of his records and the doctor sent them to his primary vet and told me I could just get them there. Then she said wanted him transferred there for a reassessment, since the emergency vet was closing. They left his catheter in.
Yesterday, I was just a mess. I had spent over $1,000 and hardly seen my baby all weekend. I really didn't want to transfer again, not because I didn't care about him, but because I was so worried about not being able to afford his care. I'm an 18 year old student and I work part-time. I had just used up almost all of my savings... It had cost $218 at the emergency vet just to test his glucose!
I transferred anyway, after I brought him home to give him breakfast and start a curve. He had eaten almost all of his breakfast and seemed to be doing well. He was drinking and urinating well. When I brought him in, the vet office didn't really see why he needed to be transferred, especially if he was eating well. His primary vet still wasn't in. He had lost 1/2 lb over the weekend, though
They prescribed a 7-day course of clavamox, tested his electrolytes, and sent us on our way. (The vet did want to do a urinalysis for ketones, but since I have ketostix I just skipped it because I desperately need to cut any corner I can...)Then when we were home, I noticed how he was acting. His hind end is very weak and he has stumbled a few times. He can jump, but he has trouble walking on my bed. He is very weak and just wants to lay around. I gave him dinner last night and he wouldn't touch it. I did manage to get him to eat some cooked chicken and a handful of treats, so I figured he had eaten enough for insulin. His glucose was high enough to shoot. I gave him a lower dose, 1 u, just in case.
I'm really worried about him. Should I bring him back to the vet? What will they do? I really can't afford tests. I'm trying to do everything that I can. My family hasn't been the most supportive through this, and the vets I've seen this weekend have been less than helpful. I'm so scared, I feel like I'm desperate for any advice right now. I don't want to lose him. He is terribly weak and thin. I had asked the vet yesterday about doing lactated ringers but they didn't think he needed it where he was eating. Should I syringe feed him? Please, any advice would be helpful right now....
