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Cat Lady Dee

Cat Lady Dee

Member Since 2021
A year ago, 1 of my cats was diagnosed with diabetes. It was hard finding that sweet spot, but here we are with his diabetes under control.

Now, another one has diabetes. Except, this one isn't a good eater. She's anxious and needy even before this disease. She was diagnosed dec 5. She hardly eats. I have tried so many things. Rebound, kmr, chicken, baby food, broth, creamy treats, tuna. Some days she eats more than others but its nothing to sustain her weight. I have to take her blood sugar all day because I'm not sure what the insulin is doing to her levels (prozinc). Poking her, force feeding its exhausting. Its like she has no will for anything. I had two cats. My dad died and his 5 became mine, shes one of his so its like I just adopted a cat. I'm not sure of certain habits or food she likes, or what her poop looks like or anything. I feel like I'm failing her. At least she's only lost a lb since the 5th. I thought it was going to be more. I feel like rebound has been working on her so I might go back to that, along with kmr and pate syringe feeding.

Last night her blood sugar was 78, scared me. Today I tried to take it every 2 hours but I couldn't.

Before bed last night at 9pm she was 212. I didn't give her a shot. This morning at 645a she was 286, I gave her 2 units, 5mg famotidine, with some kmr cat food syringe food about 5ml. Then at 1145 I saw her nibble a teeny bit on kibble. Then at 133pm her blood was 147. She ate a little tuna, very little. And then at 645pm she was 280.

She always seems restless, she always licks her lips when I offer her food. Sometimes she'll eat it and other times no.

I hope I can figure this out. She is a really good patient. She allows me to check blood, shots, syringe feed.. I just want her to eat and gain weight.

It's frustrating. I have 7 cats. They are alot. All need my love and attention. It's funny, now that I'm focusing on this one they are all acting up. I have to make sure to divide my time. Lol.

Whew. That felt good to get out.
 
Hi amd welcome to the forum. I’m sorry we are just getting to answer this.
On reading your story I am wondering if she may be nauseated. Licking lips is a sign of nausea. And the fact she is not eating well also makes me think this could be the problem. And if she is nauseated a lot of the time I’m not surprised she has no will for anything.
Ondansetron is a very good antinausea medication for cats. You would need to ask the vet to write you a script for it and you buy it from the human pharmacy. It is a human medication but can be used for cats. I used it for Sheba and it is very effective. It can be given up to three time a day. The first thing I would do is go to the vet and ask for an antinausea medication you can give at home each day, and see if that helps with the eating.

It is great you are hometesting the BG. Would you like to to set up a spreadsheet so we can help you with the dosing?
HELP US HELP YOU has the link to the spreadsheet, signature and the hypo kit and other useful information.

Are you testing before every dose to see it is dosage to give the insulin? And testing again during the cycle to see how low the dose is taking her?
With a BG of 78 I would reduce the dose by 0.25 units, making the new dose 1.75 units.
I am going to tag @FrostD as she is a Prozinc user and she can help you with dosing.
Keep asking questions , we are very happy to help,
 
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My vet told me once that dogs will eat anything no matter how sick they are but sick cats would rather hide in a corner and starve themselves to death. That's not much of an answer but if all the regular tests come back negative an internal medicine specialist may be needed. This will obviously involve money and there's no guaranty of an answer but something is going here that's not immediately obvious. Can you separate the litter boxes to get a sample of her poop?
Do any of the seven cats go outside and could have possibly dragged in a parasite or even a tick that's not affecting the other cats? Vets will often look for what they think is the obvious and are hesitant to overcharge patients for some oddball condition. It's not the vet's fault, they've probably been yelled at by too many people for going the extra mile.
I've had a cat swallow a staple, a dog ingest an entire bottle of Tums and another cat (very stupid of me) who 30 years ago swallowed some tinsel off a Christmas tree. Then there are plants in the house which is too long a list for now.
From Google...
"The most common poisonous foods for cats are onion and garlic and other related root vegetables, green tomatoes, green raw potatoes, chocolate, grapes and raisins, etc. Some food may cause only mild digestive upsets, whereas, others can cause severe illness, and even death in pets." My mom used to bake with sugar substitutes and let the dog lick the bowl clean. Xylitol is extremely toxic to both cats and dogs.
I realize I'm not being practical but there's a mystery here that needs to be solved. Best of luck.
 
Bron and Sheba (GA) said:
Hi amd welcome to the forum. I’m sorry we are just getting to answer this.
On reading your story I am wondering if she may be nauseated. Licking lips is a sign of nausea. And the fact she is not eating well also makes me think this could be the problem. And if she is nauseated a lot of the time I’m not surprised she has no will for anything.
Ondansetron is a very good antinausea medication for cats. You would need to ask the vet to write you a script for it and you buy it from the human pharmacy. It is a human medication but can be used for cats. I used it for Sheba and it is very effective. It can be given up to three time a day. The first thing I would do is go to the vet and ask for an antinausea medication you can give at home each day, and see if that helps with the eating.

It is great you are hometesting the BG. Would you like to to set up a spreadsheet so we can help you with the dosing?
HELP US HELP YOU has the link to the spreadsheet, signature and the hypo kit and other useful information.

Are you testing before every dose to see it is dosage to give the insulin? And testing again during the cycle to see how low the dose is taking her?
With a BG of 78 I would reduce the dose by 0.25 units, making the new dose 1.75 units.
I am going to tag @FrostD as she is a Prozinc user and she can help you with dosing.
Keep asking questions , we are very happy to help,
Click to expand...
I think with her, ill need the spreadsheet. I am asking my vet for mirataz, I heard it does wonders. She does go to eat she just nibbles. A couple of days ago, she ate a good amount a couple of times. Would famotidine help with nausea? I am checking blood before shots now. And prozinc seems to drop her level about 60-80 in the 6/7hr mark after the shot. She also doesn't seem comfortable when she sleeps. Maybe an antidepressant for her will help. She's always been this way with the sleeping and restlessness even before the diagnosis. And after my dad died last year, she was really depressed. Crying down the hall. Its sad.

Thank you for the help!

My other cat is doing amazing with his diabetes. Hes a great eater
 
Noah & me (GA) said:
My vet told me once that dogs will eat anything no matter how sick they are but sick cats would rather hide in a corner and starve themselves to death. That's not much of an answer but if all the regular tests come back negative an internal medicine specialist may be needed. This will obviously involve money and there's no guaranty of an answer but something is going here that's not immediately obvious. Can you separate the litter boxes to get a sample of her poop?
Do any of the seven cats go outside and could have possibly dragged in a parasite or even a tick that's not affecting the other cats? Vets will often look for what they think is the obvious and are hesitant to overcharge patients for some oddball condition. It's not the vet's fault, they've probably been yelled at by too many people for going the extra mile.
I've had a cat swallow a staple, a dog ingest an entire bottle of Tums and another cat (very stupid of me) who 30 years ago swallowed some tinsel off a Christmas tree. Then there are plants in the house which is too long a list for now.
From Google...
"The most common poisonous foods for cats are onion and garlic and other related root vegetables, green tomatoes, green raw potatoes, chocolate, grapes and raisins, etc. Some food may cause only mild digestive upsets, whereas, others can cause severe illness, and even death in pets." My mom used to bake with sugar substitutes and let the dog lick the bowl clean. Xylitol is extremely toxic to both cats and dogs.
I realize I'm not being practical but there's a mystery here that needs to be solved. Best of luck.
Click to expand...
We've ran a bunch of tests. I have an appt 1/2 and from there he said he might want to do a scan of her tummy. There's nothing really she could get into. I give them cat grass and she eats that without an issue lol. Vet said she could be associating the food with feeling bad, so when she smells the normal food it makes her nauseous. So he said to introduce a different brand she hasn't had. Which if I can get the other cats to leave us alone, she would probably eat more. I think she needs to medication to help her with nausea, anxiety/depression
 
Famotidine or Ondansetron will help with nausea. Did they also check her teeth to make sure she doesn't need a dental? That can also cause cats to stop eating. You can also try sprinkling Fortiflora on her food. That is what I had to do recently to get one of my cats to eat
 
Lisa and Witn (GA) said:
Famotidine or Ondansetron will help with nausea. Did they also check her teeth to make sure she doesn't need a dental? That can also cause cats to stop eating. You can also try sprinkling Fortiflora on her food. That is what I had to do recently to get one of my cats to eat
Click to expand...
I have the famotidine. I can give 1/4 pill and see if that helps. Yes, she has some tartar but nothing concerning yet. Right after our vet visit, 12/5 she went straight to her food and ate. They gave her b12 injection, subq fluids (but said she wasn't dehydrated it will help with the high blood sugar) and 10mg shot of famotidine. I'm not sure which helped her the most. Her gums are wet and slimy so I think she's not dehydrated. I do have pedialyte tho.
 
I agree any dental issue can quickly turn into a "not wanting to eat" nightmare as will a common cold or anything else that inhibits the sense of smell. What a cat can't smell they won't eat.
It would be helpful for you to fill out your profile with past history and even issues like cats rescued from an abusive home. All five (sorry, now four) of ours came from varying degrees of abuse and it affected everything from their eating habits to who was always too frightened to use the litter box alone when the basement was dark as well as the anxiety/depression she's having right now. You're in the right place, we will figure this out.
 
Welcome!

It's likely the lack of appetite and not feeling well caused her to drop lower than usual, I would reduce as Bron advised. Just be aware that the recipe for DKA is not enough insulin + infection/inflammation/underlying stress + inappetence. So she's checking a few of the boxes, you'll want to check ketones daily if you can.
 
FrostD said:
Welcome!

It's likely the lack of appetite and not feeling well caused her to drop lower than usual, I would reduce as Bron advised. Just be aware that the recipe for DKA is not enough insulin + infection/inflammation/underlying stress + inappetence. So she's checking a few of the boxes, you'll want to check ketones daily if you can.
Click to expand...
Thank you. I'll have to get the tests to check for ketones. I just read about that yesterday and I thought the same thing. She didn't have any dec 5th but they come on quick too.

Would mirataz be useful to simulate her appetite?

Today wasn't a great day eating. I pick grass from outside and she's really interested in that! I checked her bg at 5pm and it was 127 and that was the 11 hr mark after 2 units. So I didn't give her a shot. She had more rebound with famotidine and I just took the bg now, it was 228 so I gave a tiny bit over the 1unit mark and I gave her kitten pate wet food mixed with kmr about 5 to 6 ml through a syringe.

I really just want her to eat and gain weight. Regulating this bg is so much harder than the first cat. Shes also a more anxious stressed out kitty. And she hates the ear pricks. She tolerates them but I can tell she hates them.

Sigh. I have these feeling of hopelessness, like I'm losing her. I hope its just me over thinking.
 
I think it would be worth while asking the vet for some ondansetron as it is probably better than famotidine.
Have you spoken to the vet about the lack of appetite. It might be worth while getting an fPL test for pancreatitis.
If a cat is nauseated she won’t want to eat.
 
Bron and Sheba (GA) said:
I think it would be worth while asking the vet for some ondansetron as it is probably better than famotidine.
Have you spoken to the vet about the lack of appetite. It might be worth while getting an fPL test for pancreatitis.
If a cat is nauseated she won’t want to eat.
Click to expand...
I called my vet to see if I could get the mirataz he suggested. I should have got it at her last appointment, but it didn't work for my other cat. Stupid on my part. So I called 2 days ago and asked if I could come get it now, they were going to call me back. So I called again. Still nothing. I'm going to lose my patience. He tested for pancreatitis on the 5th. She isn't vomiting or in pain that I can see. I know she is nauseous. Does diabetes itself make them nauseous? I guess the sugar levels would make you feel bad. Especially as we are trying to regulate. I'll ask about this other drug, I'm sure they will want her to come in. Gotta make that 50 bucks, to do nothing. Lol
 
Hi @Cat Lady Dee, I am sorry for the loss of your father, and I applaud you for taking in all of your dad's kitties. :bighug: Thank you! (I personally know how many cats are surrendered for the most ridiculous reasons! :facepalm: I've seen my share over 14 yrs of volunteering at the shelter). I have dealt with different types of cats including ferals for over 24 yrs in the capacity of rescuer, and rehabilitator. I have had 10 cats under my roof at one time each receiving special care. I have had my own cats go thru Chemo to treat various cancers, Diabetes treatment, Epilepsy, Asthma, and a host of other diseases. I have provided some suggestions based on my experience to think thru and consider.

Goal: Identifying the root cause of her troubles is critical (which could aggravate her existing comorbidity of diabetes). Good luck and please keep us posted. I also hope you can take some time to unwind and focus on some self-care as well.

Let me get this out of the way. I think these suggestions have been given by others here already.
1. Famotidine (Pepcid over the counter - much cheaper this way if she would not mind being pilled or getting them in cheese or pill pockets. Get the dosage from the vet based on her weight).
2. Antiemetic (for possible nausea) - Zofran is Ondansetron. Some vets use Cerenia as well. It can be given as an injectible or pill. At least one less med to give her if injected.
3. Fortiflora is a great food topper and a probiotic which will entice the kitty to eat. Definitely try that.

Now, other suggestions not mentioned above
  • If she refuses to eat but you need to give her insulin, I believe you can give her Tomlyn Nutri-Cal Gel High-Calorie Supplement for Cats. I used to do this when I had to get my kitty to eat something before giving her food prior to her chemo meds.
  • Weight loss: You have not mentioned what her weight is because 1lb in relation to her total weight will tell us whether that is an acceptable loss or not. A cat should not lose more than 1-2% of their body weight per week. Losing weight more rapidly can push them into Hepatic Lipidosis which could also explain her total avoidance of food, and listlessness or general restlessness.
  • Labs: You have mentioned that a bunch of tests was run, but not which ones. So, I am going to suggest this anyway.
    • Please have your vet run blood chem (CBC) to rule out (r/o) Hepatic Lipidosis (if liver enzymes are elevated that will tell you). A bile acid test can also be performed before going down the path of X-rays.
    • Also, as suggested by someone above,r/o pancreatitis is also important and that is a different add-on test
    • The blood chem can also tell you if her WBC count and Neutrophils are within range (if not, there is inflammation/ infection/disease that should be sussed out).
  • Anxiety: You have mentioned she is a nervous/ anxious kitty. My suggestion here is also to think about the reduction of stress in general for the kitties as this could also contribute to hyperglycemia (an elevation in blood glucose). I would seriously urge you not to go down the route of medications like Prozac for depression. They have their own side effects and will only complicate what you have to deal with. Try these natural remedies first (only innocently assuming you have not already)
    • There was a big change a year back, they lost their territory and their person. Now to add on she is not feeling great. So, it is a lot for a kitty, and kitties usually stress out more (and suffer in silence).
    • I have used this Youtube channel (Relax my cat). The music on this channel is very effective. I can swear by it as it has made my most anxious ferals calm down and purr!! (this is free and I am in no way associated with or benefitting from this channel).
    • Some folks use Feliway (artificial Pheromones) but that can get a bit expensive. I do not use the plug-in. I only use the spray when needed to give the cat the feel of comfort and remove other cat smells to calm them down.
    • Some folks even use Bach's Rescue Remedy a holistic flower essence that can be added to cats' water to calm them down. I have tried this and this did not work on my kitties but that does not mean they won't work on others.
 
Purrfectothecat said:
Hi @Cat Lady Dee, I am sorry for the loss of your father, and I applaud you for taking in all of your dad's kitties. :bighug: Thank you! (I personally know how many cats are surrendered for the most ridiculous reasons! :facepalm: I've seen my share over 14 yrs of volunteering at the shelter). I have dealt with different types of cats including ferals for over 24 yrs in the capacity of rescuer, and rehabilitator. I have had 10 cats under my roof at one time each receiving special care. I have had my own cats go thru Chemo to treat various cancers, Diabetes treatment, Epilepsy, Asthma, and a host of other diseases. I have provided some suggestions based on my experience to think thru and consider.

Goal: Identifying the root cause of her troubles is critical (which could aggravate her existing comorbidity of diabetes). Good luck and please keep us posted. I also hope you can take some time to unwind and focus on some self-care as well.

Let me get this out of the way. I think these suggestions have been given by others here already.
1. Famotidine (Pepcid over the counter - much cheaper this way if she would not mind being pilled or getting them in cheese or pill pockets. Get the dosage from the vet based on her weight).
2. Antiemetic (for possible nausea) - Zofran is Ondansetron. Some vets use Cerenia as well. It can be given as an injectible or pill. At least one less med to give her if injected.
3. Fortiflora is a great food topper and a probiotic which will entice the kitty to eat. Definitely try that.

Now, other suggestions not mentioned above
  • If she refuses to eat but you need to give her insulin, I believe you can give her Tomlyn Nutri-Cal Gel High-Calorie Supplement for Cats. I used to do this when I had to get my kitty to eat something before giving her food prior to her chemo meds.
  • Weight loss: You have not mentioned what her weight is because 1lb in relation to her total weight will tell us whether that is an acceptable loss or not. A cat should not lose more than 1-2% of their body weight per week. Losing weight more rapidly can push them into Hepatic Lipidosis which could also explain her total avoidance of food, and listlessness or general restlessness.
  • Labs: You have mentioned that a bunch of tests was run, but not which ones. So, I am going to suggest this anyway.
    • Please have your vet run blood chem (CBC) to rule out (r/o) Hepatic Lipidosis (if liver enzymes are elevated that will tell you). A bile acid test can also be performed before going down the path of X-rays.
    • Also, as suggested by someone above,r/o pancreatitis is also important and that is a different add-on test
    • The blood chem can also tell you if her WBC count and Neutrophils are within range (if not, there is inflammation/ infection/disease that should be sussed out).
  • Anxiety: You have mentioned she is a nervous/ anxious kitty. My suggestion here is also to think about the reduction of stress in general for the kitties as this could also contribute to hyperglycemia (an elevation in blood glucose). I would seriously urge you not to go down the route of medications like Prozac for depression. They have their own side effects and will only complicate what you have to deal with. Try these natural remedies first (only innocently assuming you have not already)
    • There was a big change a year back, they lost their territory and their person. Now to add on she is not feeling great. So, it is a lot for a kitty, and kitties usually stress out more (and suffer in silence).
    • I have used this Youtube channel (Relax my cat). The music on this channel is very effective. I can swear by it as it has made my most anxious ferals calm down and purr!! (this is free and I am in no way associated with or benefitting from this channel).
    • Some folks use Feliway (artificial Pheromones) but that can get a bit expensive. I do not use the plug-in. I only use the spray when needed to give the cat the feel of comfort and remove other cat smells to calm them down.
    • Some folks even use Bach's Rescue Remedy a holistic flower essence that can be added to cats' water to calm them down. I have tried this and this did not work on my kitties but that does not mean they won't work on others.
Click to expand...
Thank you so much for the condolences. It has been a challenging transition. Not only was I grieving, but all 5 of them were as well. Their whole life changed - from feeding times and cuddles and special treats. They had a routine and for the first 3 months i tried to maintain it. It was a struggle. Still is.

Lil has been getting 5mg famotidine daily and i felt that it was helping. Not 100% on that.
I will ask the vet about this antinausea medication. She is not on anything like that.
FortiFlora Probiotic? I do have some of that - i can sprinkle on her food the next feeding. Do you know anything about ForiFlora Hyra Care? I feel that might help her too. I don't think she is dehydrated, but maybe. I felt her gums and they are wet and slimy. Not crazy slimy, but still wet. I tested one of the other cats gums, and they were the same.

I was nervous about this one since it is high sugar. Tomlyn Nutri-Cal Gel High-Calorie Supplement for Cats

Weight loss - Lil was always around 12lbs. Which was overweight - Vet wanted her at about 9. When my dad died, they all lost a little weight. They are also 10 years old. So their bodies are changing for that reason, too. Lil was 11lbs Dec 5 and I weighed myself and then her in my arms and she was 10.4lbs.

Labs - We did CBC/T4, Urinalysis. Enzymes were good. Looking at the labs, we did not do Pancreatitis specific. But I asked and he said something in the CBC would have suggested to test further. I can't remember what that was. Her WBCs were slightly elevated - he did give her a shot Covenia or something like that. But since there was glucose in the urine, he diagnosed with diabetes. We were not able to get a poo sample, so she could have a parasite. She is not vomiting, gagging, diarrhea or hiding... so i don't think she is in pain.

Anxiety - I have used Feliway - it sort of worked. She was literally held almost all day when my dad was alive. She would suck on his neck and make biscuits for hours. Sleep next to him, in the covers or just stare at him like he was the most beautiful thing she has ever seen. I will try Bach's Rescue Remedy, lord knows all of these beasts can use some relaxation!

You are a wealth of information and i appreciate this so very much. I am giving her 6 mls of Rebound a day, I feel that it does help her. I just started a few days ago to mix KMR with some kitten pate food and syringe feed her that twice a day. It isn't alot - around 5ml each time. I do see her go to the kibble and nibble and she does eat tuna and boiled chicken - probably a tablespoon or so each time. I am just worried.

 
Well, she is eating a tiny bit more. I picked up the Mirataz Transdermal Ointment and I literally see her going to the food more often. Still the same amount of bites, but she is going more. I am hopeful. Yesterday, she had a shot at 9am, 2 units she was 286. Went down to 79 at 320pm. I did not give her another shot that day. She got the Mirataz 730pm and this morning 630a she was 346 so i gave her 2 units. She is 88 right now - 515p -- I will check again later. She gets the ointment in another hour so maybe a couple of hours I will test.
 
Cat Lady Dee said:
Well, she is eating a tiny bit more. I picked up the Mirataz Transdermal Ointment and I literally see her going to the food more often. Still the same amount of bites, but she is going more. I am hopeful. Yesterday, she had a shot at 9am, 2 units she was 286. Went down to 79 at 320pm. I did not give her another shot that day. She got the Mirataz 730pm and this morning 630a she was 346 so i gave her 2 units. She is 88 right now - 515p -- I will check again later. She gets the ointment in another hour so maybe a couple of hours I will test.
Click to expand...
@Cat Lady Dee your kitty earned a reduction when she dropped down to 79 anything under 90 is an automatic reduction @Bron and Sheba (GA) @carfurby she's now at 88 so I'm not sure about back to back reductions? Hopefully one of the members I tagged above so we can get your kitty on the right dose. You do need a spreadsheet to keep track of yoyr kitty's numbers, I can't remember if it's in the comments above or not.
 
FrostD said:
Welcome!

It's likely the lack of appetite and not feeling well caused her to drop lower than usual, I would reduce as Bron advised. Just be aware that the recipe for DKA is not enough insulin + infection/inflammation/underlying stress + inappetence. So she's checking a few of the boxes, you'll want to check ketones daily if you can.
Click to expand...
@FrostD I'm just now reading that her kitty has had DKA. She just posted some #s under 90 on 2 units. Should she reduce or not because of the DKA?
 
Chrispooky12 said:
@Cat Lady Dee your kitty earned a reduction when she dropped down to 79 anything under 90 is an automatic reduction @Bron and Sheba (GA) @carfurby she's now at 88 so I'm not sure about back to back reductions? Hopefully one of the members I tagged above so we can get your kitty on the right dose. You do need a spreadsheet to keep track of yoyr kitty's numbers, I can't remember if it's in the comments above or not.
Click to expand...
That is what i thought. I went back to read and i should have been giving 1.75 and not the 2 i gave this morning. I will make sure to reduce to 1.75
 
Cat Lady Dee said:
That is what i thought. I went back to read and i should have been giving 1.75 and not the 2 i gave this morning. I will make sure to reduce to 1.75
Click to expand...
Don't reduce yet, because of the DKA I'm not sure about reducing. I'm not experienced enough to give you dosing advice even though under 90 is a reduction since your girl had DKA let's let an experienced member weigh in on this. @FrostD @Bron and Sheba (GA) @carfurby
 
I’m going to tag @Bandit's Mom to see if she can help you with the spreadsheet. We really need that if we are going to be able to help you with dosing. Also the signature.
I haven’t got time at the moment with Christmas tomorrow, to read back on posts and precious posts to find information that needs to be in the SS and signature.
Have you managed to get any ketones tests done? That is another important thing that needs to be done daily with recent DKA.
Yes if under 90 you need to reduce the dose but we really need to see a ketones test to see if the ketones are managing to stay away.
 
Chrispooky12 said:
@FrostD I'm just now reading that her kitty has had DKA. She just posted some #s under 90 on 2 units. Should she reduce or not because of the DKA?
Click to expand...
She doesn't have DKA - at least she didn't when she was first diagnosed. I do still need to get test strips to test for them. She does check some boxes tho. I am going to check her bg a couple of hours after she gets the mirataz. It is so strange to me how she is so up and down. My other kitty, although a much better eater-- was so much easier to regulate. Her behavior i have noticed at about 127-150 is the best. She is the most relaxed and sleeps comfortably.
 
Cat Lady Dee said:
She doesn't have DKA - at least she didn't when she was first diagnosed. I do still need to get test strips to test for them. She does check some boxes tho. I am going to check her bg a couple of hours after she gets the mirataz. It is so strange to me how she is so up and down. My other kitty, although a much better eater-- was so much easier to regulate. Her behavior i have noticed at about 127-150 is the best. She is the most relaxed and sleeps comfortably.
Click to expand...
Okay I see now where Melissa was telling you the recipe for DKA, sorry about that. It is still important to test for ketones though. If you can also go back up to an earlier comment that Bron made giving you a link to set up your signature. That is the first thing members look at. Bandit's mom should be on soon & she can help you get your spreadsheet up. Then they will be able to help you with dosing.
 
Chrispooky12 said:
Okay I see now where Melissa was telling you the recipe for DKA, sorry about that. It is still important to test for ketones though. If you can also go back up to an earlier comment that Bron made giving you a link to set up your signature. That is the first thing members look at. Bandit's mom should be on soon & she can help you get your spreadsheet up. Then they will be able to help you with dosing.
Click to expand...
No worries. I will work on my signature. I am using my phone for most of the post. I'll switch to the computer its easier. And try to figure this spreadsheet out so no one has to stop. Its christmas and I know everyone is busy. I have a notebook. With my notes.
 
Cat Lady Dee said:
No worries. I will work on my signature. I am using my phone for most of the post. I'll switch to the computer its easier. And try to figure this spreadsheet out so no one has to stop. Its christmas and I know everyone is busy. I have a notebook. With my notes.
Click to expand...
I keep a note book as well. I write my boys # down then I put it on his spreadsheet. Once you get it figured out you will be glad you have it. I also put different things in the comments section of my spreadsheet. Feel free to take a look at mine. I had help setting mine up but I do know that you have to have a Gmail account for your spreadsheet.
 
Cat Lady Dee said:
I called my vet to see if I could get the mirataz he suggested. I should have got it at her last appointment, but it didn't work for my other cat. Stupid on my part. So I called 2 days ago and asked if I could come get it now, they were going to call me back. So I called again. Still nothing. I'm going to lose my patience. He tested for pancreatitis on the 5th. She isn't vomiting or in pain that I can see. I know she is nauseous. Does diabetes itself make them nauseous? I guess the sugar levels would make you feel bad. Especially as we are trying to regulate. I'll ask about this other drug, I'm sure they will want her to come in. Gotta make that 50 bucks, to do nothing. Lol
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Ondansetron is the first line for nausea. You’d consider mirataz after as far as I’m aware. Just ask your vet for a script? If your vet is demanding 50 bucks for every script then you should find a new vet.

But no; nausea is not normal in diabetic cats. An increased appetite is normal.
 
Cat Lady Dee said:
No worries. I will work on my signature. I am using my phone for most of the post. I'll switch to the computer its easier. And try to figure this spreadsheet out so no one has to stop. Its christmas and I know everyone is busy. I have a notebook. With my notes.
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Hi @Cat Lady Dee! Welcome to FDMB. :-)

I can help you with your spreadsheet and signature. Will only take me a minute. Will send you a PM with the details I need. Look for it under Inbox
 
Yes reduce to 1.75U, I suspect that may be a little too high still but you'll know because you'll get another number under 90.
 
First, thank you all for your help!

Since last Friday, we've had some better days. Mirataz only worked the one day. I kept using it every day, but then stopped after Sunday. It was just one more thing I was bothering her for that was doing nothing but interfering with my blood checking since when the blood came out it just oozed into the gel stuff.

I am still syringe feeding her because the amount she is eating is just not enough. I did see her poop twice. Nice color and form, no struggles, no wet ones. So that makes me feel like she is getting enough to poop, at least?

I have been checking blood twice day before shots only. I feel we have come into our routine pretty well, even though she hates the blood check and syringe feedings, she is doing well and not complaining to much. AND still loves me a little later. lol

Yesterday she was acting more interested in food. And then i offered her a different kibble and she ate a few bites of it.

Also last night we weighed. I was pleased to see it moving up.
12/5 11.1
12/15 10.4
12/23 9.8
12/27 10.1

I will work on the spreadsheet. Her numbers are up and down. BUT the peeing and excessive drinking has slowed down.
 
Cat Lady Dee said:
Mirataz transdermal ointment. Appetite stimulant
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When I was putting Mirataz on both of my boys ears, I always put it on the inside of there ears on the edge of the ear. For my sugar boy I would put it on his left ear & use his right ear to test, so as not to interfere with the Mirataz. His left ear doesn't bleed well so I always use his right ear for testing.
 
Larry and Kitties said:
Typically transdermal are applied on the back surface of the ear ,the side where you see the ear cana and the side with little fur.. are you putting the transdermal on the fur side?
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no, i put it on the skin side. I tried to do it as far as i could from the testing area but i may have gotten some on it. I stopped using her right ear for Mirataz now and only use the left one.
 
Chrispooky12 said:
When I was putting Mirataz on both of my boys ears, I always put it on the inside of there ears on the edge of the ear. For my sugar boy I would put it on his left ear & use his right ear to test, so as not to interfere with the Mirataz. His left ear doesn't bleed well so I always use his right ear for testing.
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Yes, me too. I think when i did the right ear it went to close to the site i use to test. Now i only will use the left and clean it if it needs to be cleaned before the next dose. She isn't really responding to it. She did day 1 but not anymore. I am feeling like she is nauseous. She smells the food and backs away licking her lips. And i also think, because prior to her diabetes she was always a little 'crazy' -- that she has created a food trigger. Like even when she hears me get the bag of treats she leaves and licks her lips. Like she is thinking these things she is eating is causing her to feel this way. When i offer something different, it only works once. Then its like it TOO is off the list because she feels icky. We have an appt on 1/2 - and i will get anti-nausea for her.
 
Cat Lady Dee said:
Yes, me too. I think when i did the right ear it went to close to the site i use to test. Now i only will use the left and clean it if it needs to be cleaned before the next dose. She isn't really responding to it. She did day 1 but not anymore. I am feeling like she is nauseous. She smells the food and backs away licking her lips. And i also think, because prior to her diabetes she was always a little 'crazy' -- that she has created a food trigger. Like even when she hears me get the bag of treats she leaves and licks her lips. Like she is thinking these things she is eating is causing her to feel this way. When i offer something different, it only works once. Then its like it TOO is off the list because she feels icky. We have an appt on 1/2 - and i will get anti-nausea for her.
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Panzer has a UTI right now & he's on doxycycline which I already knew from giving it to him before that he would be nausea so I started him on ondansetron the day before the doxycycline & he takes one every time he gets a doxycycline, so far so good. It definitely sounds like she's nausea. I would get some ondansetron as soon as you can. It's a human prescription so your vet will have to call it in. I would research the cheapest place to get it & use the good Rx app. I got 30 4mg ondansetron at Meijer pharmacy for less than $6 CVS was $99 with the good Rx. So I drove the extra 10 miles for the better price.
 
I am beside myself. I took Lily to another vet. Trying to get her some medication. Lily had a fever, dehydrated, is anemic and her belly is full of fluid. He did scans and there is a mass on her spleen. He suspects more tumors on the pancreas and possibly liver but he couldn't see those because of the fluid in her abdomen. He said the other vet would had felt this fluid this past Monday. That guy said nothing. Did nothing. I want to punch him in the flipping face! The new vet gave me some appetite stimulants and nausea medicine. He doesn't think she's in pain only some pressures from the fluid. He is pretty sure, based on the rapid weight loss and the fructosamine level test result we just did Monday showed we had her diabetes fairly controlled, that we are dealing cancer. I've been syringe feeding her for a month. She has no interest in food, even with the drugs. He said her quality of life is the most important and being force-fed is no life. So I've been fighting with myself. Seeing improvements that aren't there. Fooling myself that "she looks better" on 12/5 she was 11.1. On 1/2 she was 9.46 and yesterday 8.8. I have an appt with my new vet on Monday to put her to sleep. I've been crying all day. Telling her how sorry I am. And telling her how much I love her. And for the first time in a couple days, she looked me in the eyes and spoke her little cries. And I held her while she sucked on my neck, made bread and purred...multiple times. I don't know what that means really, but I'm going to believe that she was telling me she loves me too and everything will be ok. She will be back with my dad and healthy.
 
Cat Lady Dee said:
I've been crying all day. Telling her how sorry I am. And telling her how much I love her. And for the first time in a couple days, she looked me in the eyes and spoke her little cries. And I held her while she sucked on my neck, made bread and purred...multiple times. I don't know what that means really, but I'm going to believe that she was telling me she loves me too and everything will be ok. She will be back with my dad and healthy.
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I am crying with you just reading this :bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug:
 
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