7/6 Henry WC. AMPS 51 +2 89 +4 86 +6 97 +8 271 +9 306

John & Henry

John & Henry

Member Since 2022
Previous: https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/7-4-henry-wc-amps-363-ket-0-3-6-348-pmps-473-ket-0-6.265401/

AMPS isn't due for another 5 hours but I wanted to make this post about Henry overall.

Since he's been getting the enzymed food he doesn't seem as ravenous and I think his demeanor has been better. He's back sitting in my lap on a normal basis, finally started grooming himself a bit and acting more normal overall, but I'm feeling real discouraged right now because I just weighed him and he's down to 5lbs 6oz from 5lbs 13oz just a few days ago. The only reason I can think this would be is because he isn't eating a pound of FF per day anymore. His insides don't feel as bloated and he's went to the bathroom a ton. I just wonder how much weight a cat can lose or how small they can be and still survive? Have any of you heard of a cat the weight of Henry being able to pull through? I've searched and search on Google but I just can't find an answer.

I'm glad he still seems hungry and even tried to eat the dogs food tonight but when I gave him some non-enzymed food just to see if he'd eat it he turned his nose up at it. He's probably been eating about 6-10oz of the enzymed food per day, but I just hope he'll keep it up. The enzymes the vet recommended will be here tomorrow (well today actually-- Wednesday) along with some gel caps so I'm going to try and pill him with the enzymes later and I'm considering just giving him the FF he was eating 5 cans of per day before putting him on the novel proteins, just hoping it will stimulate him to eat more and maybe not tasting the enzymes will help with his appetite too. I do worry about giving the FF if the potential IBD is contributing to the malnourishment. It's just amazing to me he was over 7lbs less than a month and a half ago.

BG is looking good tonight. I skipped upping his Lantus dose this cycle since the BG was coming down rapidly and he fairly recently had a hypo out of nowhere I hope not to repeat. Luckily the last ketone check was the lowest I've ever seen it... only 0.1! I gotta believe some of this enzymed food is responsible.

I downloaded all his Libre data and went back and added it all to the SS so there's lots more info on there now.

I'll update with AMPS in a few hours.

edit: The libre alarm just went off and his BG is down to 85 and dropping (its probably quite a bit lower than that since the libre always reads much higher than the nova meter). Just gave him some enzyme free 15% food (which he is happily scarfing down) in an attempt to ward off another repeat of the random hypo that happened on 6/28 and subsequent bounce.
 
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My kitty with likely SCL reminds me of what you described with Henry. Having optimism over their behavior, followed by seeing weight loss. I am thinking you will see some gain soon and shouldn’t get discouraged yet. I agree Henry sounds desperately little. I have been able to keep my little one over 7 lbs with 2.5 mg prednisolone daily. She can’t be compared much to Henry though, since she also has liver and gallbladder challenges and takes daily Ursodiol. But no diabetes.
If Henry needs something like prednisolone, don’t completely discount the idea because of the diabetes. I believe you have heard that before. A side effect is also hunger.

I don’t know how small a kitty can get, and be ok. You are in the very early stages of EPI treatment, and I see more space for Hope and improvement.

Wow on the nicer greens without the increase in Lantus. Magic happening? Turning a corner? I need to get to a big screen and further study your SS.
 
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So sorry to hear that he still lost some weight :( i hope in the next couple of days he will turn a corner and start putting on some.

great news of him being less ravenous and the low ketones, these seem like great progress.

His BG is nice, looking like a bounce breaking, which to be honest looking at his previous week really seems to have come out of nowhere but sometimes we have to adapt to FD cause the cats don’t always read the rulebook :rolleyes:

good luck and patience :bighug:
 
Been in the greens for awhile now. Fed some 15% at PMPS +7 to get it up a bit, but we're pretty low right now.

Should I feed some more?
 
John & Henry said:
Been in the greens for awhile now. Fed some 15% at PMPS +7 to get it up a bit, but we're pretty low right now.

Should I feed some more?
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Are you stalling the shot? If you feed, you will have to wait to shoot till the preshot is not food influenced and he starts zooming on his own.
 
good job sucking up the courage to shoot a 51, that takes some yutzpuh as my mom would say! Or however you spell it. I think it's Yiddish.

lowest I ever shot was a 63, and also 1.75 U of Lantus, coincidentally.

I think Henry will start to gain weight soon it takes some time after being on insulin and out of the ER, his body needs to spend time in lower BGs...I don't know why I'm explaining this to you! You know it already lol.

From my personal experience, it took Hendrick several weeks for me to see even see a 10th of a pound increase after he recovered from DKA.
 
Well fair warning this one does not have a happy ending - the smallest cat I've seen here was down to 3-4 lbs. She had a UTI she couldn't shake, DKA I believe 2-3 times, plus a few other issues I can't remember. Her caregiver was feeding and medicating around the clock doing the best she could. She did not make it more than a few days after her CG found us.

That cat happened to be on ProZinc - in those situations it is much harder to get a dose to keep them steady, many times they'll swing from red/black down to green then back up again and there's just nothing you can do. One of the downsides to being here for awhile is you start to learn what end of life spreadsheets look like for cats that are seriously ill :(

I promise you Henry looks much better "on paper", and from what you describe his overall demeanor sounds good as well. I agree it will probably take some time to get things turned around as he has a lot against him, but there is always hope. I believe I read somewhere that safe weight gain for a cat is about a lb a month?
 
@John & Henry
Congrats on shooting your lowest green pre shot
In Italian (slang) for it takes some balls is
Cajones :p
I'm always praying for your sweet boy :bighug::bighug::bighug::cat:
And. these are for you! The Coveted Balls of Steel ( BOS) for shooting your lowest pre shot ever!

upload_2018-2-2_19-36-17-png.34009
 
FrostD said:
Well fair warning this one does not have a happy ending - the smallest cat I've seen here was down to 3-4 lbs. She had a UTI she couldn't shake, DKA I believe 2-3 times, plus a few other issues I can't remember. Her caregiver was feeding and medicating around the clock doing the best she could. She did not make it more than a few days after her CG found us.

That cat happened to be on ProZinc - in those situations it is much harder to get a dose to keep them steady, many times they'll swing from red/black down to green then back up again and there's just nothing you can do. One of the downsides to being here for awhile is you start to learn what end of life spreadsheets look like for cats that are seriously ill :(

I promise you Henry looks much better "on paper", and from what you describe his overall demeanor sounds good as well. I agree it will probably take some time to get things turned around as he has a lot against him, but there is always hope. I believe I read somewhere that safe weight gain for a cat is about a lb a month?
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Thank you FrostD, that really provides some much needed hope that all is not lost. I feel really lucky to know why the weight loss is occurring so rapidly (I think) and the solution just arrived in the mail (enzymes). Now paws crossed he keeps up a good strong appetite and starts gaining soon. A pound a month? Whoa. I'd be thrilled with even seeing him go up 4oz in a month, so long as it's up and not the other direction.
Hendrick Cuddleclaw said:
It is truly great to see Henry in the greens John!!! And without R to boot
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I gotta put the latest numbers in the SS but we're still coasting along in the greens without dipping into the limes! Shoot low to stay low really works! I would be so happy if this doesn't trigger a major bounce.

Diane Tyler's Mom said:
Congrats on shooting your lowest green pre shot
In Italian (slang) for it takes some balls is
Cajones :p
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Thank you. It was a bit scary but I had total faith after getting the go ahead from Bhooma. The alarm on the libre helps my peace of mind a bit too. But I didn't honestly think I'd be shooting a 51 anytime soon.

Diane Tyler's Mom said:
I'm always praying for your sweet boy
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It's very much appreciated. :bighug::bighug::bighug:

Hendrick Cuddleclaw said:
From my personal experience, it took Hendrick several weeks for me to see even see a 10th of a pound increase after he recovered from DKA.
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I'm curious was his lowest weight was. Did he lose much before the DKA?
 
Tina Marie (GA) and Jan said:
My kitty with likely SCL reminds me of what you described with Henry. Having optimism over their behavior, followed by seeing weight loss.
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Well Henry hasn't gotten the all clear of not having SCL either. Too sick to underto anesthesia to biopsy, so it could be a multitude of factors contributing to all the weight loss. I'm really hoping to see some gain with these enzymes over the next couple weeks tho.

It seems the most the enzymes work and the most nutrients he actually gets into his system, the less hungry he is which I suppose makes sense. Maybe steroids would help since he's got either IBD or SC. I should probably ask about an appetite stimulant too.

Marina & Chico said:
His BG is nice, looking like a bounce breaking, which to be honest looking at his previous week really seems to have come out of nowhere but sometimes we have to adapt to FD cause the cats don’t always read the rulebook
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I know it, right? It's like every time I think I got something with FD figured out, Mr. Henry comes along and says "what do you think about this curve ball?" We're still coasting nice and steadily in the greens without touching the limes at AMPS +6

Tina Marie (GA) and Jan said:
Wow on the nicer greens without the increase in Lantus. Magic happening? Turning a corner?
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Still in the greens over 6 hours later! I'm hoping for magic.
 
Looks like Henry responded well to the dose increase threat. :D Amazing how many do that. And awesome ketones report. :)

If Henry has SCL, what you feed him doesn't matter, with IBD it does. So if he needs to eat FF, it's worth a try,. The turkey and giblets is just turkey (no fish or chicken) if those are allergens. Sometimes turkey is fine but chicken is not.
 
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