4/5 Ruby AMPS 86/+3 94/+6 123/+9 97/PMPS 124

[Katherine&Ruby]

https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/3-28-ruby-amps-85-3-90-6-64-9-75-pmps-64.261285/

Ruby hasn't been well in the last few days. Noticed her sneezing a bit last week and then a few days ago she started squinting a little, and then a lot yesterday, with a runny nose to boot. She's been getting URIs and eye things around once a month these days. Dabbed some terramycin in her eye yesterday and started Respo-K. She didn't eat at all yesterday. When her food bowl was still full this morning, I gave her a tiny bit of cyproheptadine and that did the trick to get her to eat. She seems totally fine this evening--squinting is nearly gone, and she's curled up next to me whereas yesterday she was hiding under beds, tables, and chairs. Wondering if what she has is allergies.

I don't have much to report except to say that Ruby's numbers have been great. We decided that DBF was probably giving inconsistent doses. When he went away, I did all of the shots, and that's when her numbers started getting better.

I'm so sorry it's been so long, and I am so touched that many of you are keeping tabs on us. I read every single comment you leave on our posts. Thank you for checking in. You have no idea how much it means to me.

Hi Katherine, oh my god just look at those 2 cuties Cuteness overload
Don't forget to fill in how many units for 4-1 on your SS
Have a nice weekend Katherine

Diane, thank you for noticing I didn't put the dose in. I've corrected it. You're so anal. You're the best!

Do you think perhaps the Adequan had anything to do with stabilizing numbers? Like perhaps the arthritis was bothering her enough to affect BG here and there?

Hard to know, right? Could be the Adequan, could be treating her for fleas (there is evidence the fleas are still in the house, though Ruby doesn't seem to be affected or bothered by them), or it could be having just one person preparing the shots.

Another random thought...what happens when there's nothing for pred to "work on"? I expect it would still affect the liver to make BG wonky but wondering if maybe that's part of it.

I'm no doctor, but from what I understand it keeps inflammation at bay, so even if it has no thickened intestines to work on, it's keeping the thickening away. It's good for inflammation, but it makes the body lower its immune response because the body thinks it has nothing to worry about anymore so she gets URIs all the time now. Steroids does cause insulin resistance, not sure why.

I see the oncology visit, curious about that too!

Will they ultrasound Ruby tomorrow? Or just do a general checkup?

Thank you for asking! I messed up and put her appointment on the wrong day, it's actually happening on Friday. It will just be a routine checkup. I am sure everything will be fine. I may try to schedule another ultrasound at the beginning of July. She's due for one in May-June, but I will be away for three weeks in June, and it would be easier to start tapering her off the pred if that's what the doctor suggests when I am home in July. I expect her insulin resistance to lower with a smaller dose of pred, and I want to be the one adjusting her insulin doseage.

 

[Tiger(GA) and Ruth]

I, Ruth(another lurker here LOL!) am also very relieved to see your post! My vet has always said cats and dogs can very well have allergies just like us humans. I want to say Zyrtec is sometimes used? And I may be wrong but I believe one of Carla's kitties @carfurby has allergies this time of the year. Maybe she can confirm?

It sounds like the Adaquan is doing the job, that's very good to hear!

So now it's Friday that Ruby will have her appointment then? Is she still having the black stools?

 

[FrostD]

Well, don't look a gift horse in the mouth so they say!

I was reading up on the steroids, I guess what happens is it messes with the liver - it continues to release glucose despite the insulin, like the signal is broken

 

[Katherine&Ruby]

I, Ruth(another lurker here LOL!) am also very relieved to see your post! My vet has always said cats and dogs can very well have allergies just like us humans. I want to say Zyrtec is sometimes used? And I may be wrong but I believe one of Carla's kitties @carfurby has allergies this time of the year. Maybe she can confirm?

It sounds like the Adaquan is doing the job, that's very good to hear!

So now it's Friday that Ruby will have her appointment then? Is she still having the black stools?

Hi Ruth! Thanks for lurking! Interesting you mention Zyrtec, as cypro is also an antihistamine that is used to get cats to eat, but I wonder if that is what made Ruby feel better today. Hmmm. The trees are flowering everywhere around here so it would be no wonder if she had allergies, but I don't think so as she's been sick pretty regularly all winter. The pred is more likely the culprit.

Yep, it's Friday fer sure. No more black stools, and actually, now that you bring up poops , I increased her Kibow supplement to ⅛ tsp and that seems to get her going regularly with smaller poops. That could also be a reason why her BGs are steadier @FrostD.

 

[Katherine&Ruby]

the signal is broken

Yes, the steroid really affects the liver. Hence the frequent visits to the oncologist to do bloodwork to make sure her liver values aren't increasing beyond a worrisome number.

 

[Diane Tyler's Mom GA]

Diane, thank you for noticing I didn't put the dose in. I've corrected it. You're so anal. You're the best!

You are so right, I'm very anal

 

[carfurby (GA)]

I'm glad Ruby is feeling better. If she does have allergies, the Respo-K should help.

 

[smorgasbord]

Poor baby girl. Hope it’s just allergies and you don’t have another thing to add to your plate. Eat your food today, Ruby!

 

[Diane Tyler's Mom GA]

Hi Katherine, just checking in on you and the kitties , haven't seen you post lately.
I hope everything is ok , how did the oncology visit go

 

[Ashleigh & Ares]

oh no, just now seeing this truly hope Ruby starts getting better! ill pray for her tonight

 

[Suzanne & Darcy]

Hi Katherine. How are you and Frank and Ruby and Olive doing?

 

[La-La Leo (GA)]

Steroids does cause insulin resistance

Yep! Causes issues with cortisol (another hormone).... cascade effect with other hormones. I'm sure there is a better explanation. Yes, steroids decrease inflammation, but at what cost of other effects. Catch 22.

Best wishes! ♡

 

[Suzanne & Darcy]

Yep! Causes issues with cortisol (another hormone).... cascade effect with other hormones. I'm sure there is a better explanation. Yes, steroids decrease inflammation, but at what cost of other effects. Catch 22.

Best wishes! ♡

Well, sometimes we have no choice but to use steroids. Personally, I have a kitty that recently was diagnosed with IBD and he is on 2.5 mg Presnisolone EOD (well, he just switched to EOD after being on it twice a day for two weeks, once a day for a month, now EOD. I wish there were other effective treatment options, but there really are not. I actually get really upset when I see people who are literally torturing their kitties because they refuse to even consider Pred (because they just, in their mind, hate steroids.) I am not thinking of anyone on this group.... but I am thinking of someone on another group/list that I belong to ... whose cat has needed Pred for over a year (according to the vets) and she just has not given it to him. He's not doing well at all on Budesonide... very sick kitty... okay... I digress. Anyway, this rant really doesn't belong here since Katherine does have Ruby on pred (even though none of us ever want that for our kitties.) And Ruby has done amazingly well considering the pred and diabetes together -- and her inflammation is really well-controlled, I believe. I only switched my Bingley to EOD as of yesterday... I won't know how he's doing on it for a while. If his diarrhea stays away, and he is eating well... I'll say it is. Of course, I will ultrasound him 6 months from the original diagnosis. Katherine.... check in with us once in a while... the Board isn't the same without you.

 

[La-La Leo (GA)]

Well, sometimes we have no choice but to use steroids. Personally, I have a kitty that recently was diagnosed with IBD and he is on 2.5 mg Presnisolone EOD (well, he just switched to EOD after being on it twice a day for two weeks, once a day for a month, now EOD. I wish there were other effective treatment options, but there really are not. I actually HATE seeing people who are literally torturing their kitties because they refuse to even consider Pred (because they just, in their mind, hate steroids.) I am not thinking of anyone on this group.... but I am thinking of someone on another group/list that I belong to ... whose cat has needed Pred for over a year (according to the vets) and she just has not given it to him. He's not doing well at all on Budesonide... very sick kitty... okay... I digress. Anyway, this rant really doesn't belong here since Katherine does have Ruby on pred (even though none of us ever want that for our kitties.) And Ruby has done amazingly well considering the pred and diabetes together -- and her inflammation is really well-controlled, I believe. I only switched my Bingley to EOD as of yesterday... I won't know how he's doing on it for a while. If his diarrhea stays away, and he is eating well... I'll say it is. Of course, I will ultrasound him 6 months from the original diagnosis. Katherine.... check in with us once in a while... the Board isn't the same without you.

I understand completely. 100%
I used to be on a quarterly 'maintenance dose' of 1000mg/day for two days (2000mg total) via IV to keep inflammation under control for existing multiple sclerosis. UGH
When I thought I could have better control of the two days each quarter, I agreed to taking the steroids by mouth. Since it has toprocess through the liver, more had to be taken, so 50mg tablets of 25 qty for the first and second day, 2500mg over two days. Double UGH.

I was only responding to a reply that wondered how steroids mess with blood sugars. I don't do this anymore. Years ago, the neurologist who originally ordered this therapy, said, I don't want you to do this anymore. GOOD! At first it scared me to stop.

We do all we can for our sugar babies and you are no exception. ♡ I truly meant no bad feelings or thoughts. I'm sorry if this happened.

 

[Suzanne & Darcy]

I understand completely. 100%
I used to be on a quarterly 'maintenance dose' of 1000mg/day for two days (2000mg total) via IV to keep inflammation under control for existing multiple sclerosis. UGH
When I thought I could have better control of the two days each quarter, I agreed to taking the steroids by mouth. Since it has toprocess through the liver, more had to be taken, so 50mg tablets of 25 qty for the first and second day, 2500mg over two days. Double UGH.

I was only responding to a reply that wondered how steroids mess with blood sugars. I don't do this anymore. Years ago, the neurologist who originally ordered this therapy, said, I don't want you to do this anymore. GOOD! At first it scared me to stop.

We do all we can for our sugar babies and you are no exception. ♡ I truly meant no bad feelings or thoughts. I'm sorry if this happened.

Oh no! I was really agreeing with you! You are right about the Catch 22 of steroids. I hate it that right now two of my babies are on low dose steroids every other day. But they’re doing better on them than off of them so I have to live with it. No bad feelings at all. I am sorry if it came off that way!! Mea culpa! I just am upset at the person I mentioned whose cat really needs the steroids and has to suffer so much. We are all good friends here! I’m sorry about your MS!

 

[La-La Leo (GA)]

Oh no! I was really agreeing with you! You are right about the Catch 22 of steroids. I hate it that right now two of my babies are on low dose steroids every other day. But they’re doing better on them than off of them so I have to live with it. No bad feelings at all. I am sorry if it came off that way!! Mea culpa! I just am upset at the person I mentioned whose cat really needs the steroids and has to suffer so much. We are all good friends here! I’m sorry about your MS!

My apologies for not replying sooner! It's all good! ♡♡♡