Ear inflammation, licking furniture, gained weight

[Howiesmom]

Howie went to the vet yesterday and he has inflammation in his ears, so the vet put him on Tresaderm solution for a week. Two questions...
1) Would the inflammation affect his BG and keep it high? He hasn’t hit a blue since 11/13 despite following TR (he also is an IAA kittie).
2) Anything I should be worried about with using Tresaderm and his diabetes? It was a visiting vet so am not sure how well-versed he is in feline diabetes.

Also, Howie has started obsessively licking one of my recliners despite putting a yucky spray deterrent on it. I asked the vet if he thought there could be some sort of nutritional deficiency or anemia (per some research) and he thought Howie looked healthy as a horse from all of his observations. He thinks it’s behavioral. Nothing has changed in Howie’s life to create more stress! Does anyone have any experience with this strange behavior?

Finally, Howie is up to 12 lbs!! He was 9.2lbs in early October. I have been giving him 450 calories/day. I don’t want him to get much bigger as he looks healthy. But I do believe the extra food is helping to keep his ketones at bay. Should I decrease his food or keep him on the 450 calories?

 

[jt and trouble (GA)]

Awwww ((((Howie)))) I dont have any answers but now your thread is at the top of the list.

 

[Larry and Kitties]

Yes inflammation can raise BG. Also, in my cats Tresaderm really raised BG too.
What was the cause of the inflammation? Bacteria? Yeast?

 

[Sienne and Gabby (GA)]

Tresaderm is a steroid. While topical steroids don't have the same effect on BG numbers, they can raise numbers like Larry suggested.

 

[Noah & me (GA)]

we had a dog who licked drywall/gyprock. It turned out she had a potassium deficiency.

 

[Howiesmom]

Yes inflammation can raise BG. Also, in my cats Tresaderm really raised BG too.
What was the cause of the inflammation? Bacteria? Yeast?

Not sure if it was bacteria or yeast. They didn’t run any labs/cytology on him...it was found in a regular exam/observation. He did say he was going to give me a topical/drop treatment rather than what they would normally give. Thanks for the feedback!

 

[Howiesmom]

we had a dog who licked drywall/gyprock. It turned out she had a potassium deficiency.

Thanks! I’m going to follow up with my regular vet about it as it started out of the blue and ive had the recliner before I got Howie (so not new).

 

[Scdal]

Thanks! I’m going to follow up with my regular vet about it as it started out of the blue and ive had the recliner before I got Howie (so not new).

Phoenix licks the carpet and a blanket on the bed. I think it must be related to a deficiency but I have no idea what it could be.

 

[Howiesmom]

@Sienne and Gabby (GA)
@Wendy&Neko

I just finished Howie’s 7days of Tresaderm for his ear inflammation yesterday. Is there any chance that, with his elevated BG #s because of the Tresaderm, I am possibly on a road to too much insulin? As an IAA kittie, I hate that I am now at 15u and he is nowhere near a blue. But it’s possible he could have been in blues if he wasn’t in Tresaderm. Also, how long does it stay in his system/should I possibly expect the higher #s even now that he is done? THANKS!

 

[Wendy&Neko]

I'd worry if you were seeing blues or greens, but you aren't. I would let the blood sugar numbers tell you when you need to reduce instead of guessing what might happen without the Tresaderm. I don't know how long Tresaderm stays in his system. I hope his ears are better now.

 

[Larry and Kitties]

Also, how long does it stay in his system/should I possibly expect the higher #s even now that he is done?

Dexamethasone is considered to be a long acting steroid, meaning that a dose lasts about two or two-and-a-half days
https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&catId=154455&id=4951415
The above is for injection. but I expect the topical is about the same but may be longer if there is still some in the ear.