#s are worse with insulin? Probiotic suggestions?

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I’m sorry that I am not familiar with Jekyll’s health history. He was diagnosed as having FD last October? What other diseases/conditions does he have if any?
 
Suzanne & Darcy said:
What’s going on with Jekyll. What was the doxycycline for? Are you sure the infection is cleared?
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He was on it for 2 weeks and 3 days. Last time I tried to give it to him he vomited so I stopped. He was only supposed to be on it for 2 weeks anyways. He just became snotty again this am, and he still has uneven pupils. Blood pressure was ruled out for the pupils. His old caretaker said he's always been snotty like this. I'm trying an elimination diet in case it's food allergies. Miralax has been helping his constipation but his legs all are very wobbly. Looks different from neuropathy to me. It's his front legs that quiver.

So his eyes and nose water when he eats, insulin seems like it's making his BG worse, he has uneven pupils and a weak gait. Shaking front legs. He was untreated for diabetes until I got him (the start of his SS) and he was up to 2.9 blood ketones in the first week I got him. Ketones are down to mostly 0.1 with 0.2 readings.
 
Suzanne & Darcy said:
I’m sorry that I am not familiar with Jekyll’s health history. He was diagnosed as having FD last October? What other diseases/conditions does he have if any?
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Oh and an old vet before I got him said he may have a nasal polyp. He's so snotty it's insane. Blowing snot bubbles. He also twitches randomly, like very visible twitching.
 
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Katsallday said:
He was on it for 2 weeks and 3 days. Last time I tried to give it to him he vomited so I stopped. He was only supposed to be on it for 2 weeks anyways. He just became snotty again this am, and he still has uneven pupils. Blood pressure was ruled out for the pupils. His old caretaker said he's always been snotty like this. I'm trying an elimination diet in case it's food allergies. Miralax has been helping his constipation but his legs all are very wobbly. Looks different from neuropathy to me. It's his front legs that quiver.

So his eyes and nose water when he eats, insulin seems like it's making his BG worse, he has uneven pupils and a weak gait. Shaking front legs. He was untreated for diabetes until I got him (the start of his SS) and he was up to 2.9 blood ketones in the first week I got him. Ketones are down to mostly 0.1 with 0.2 readings.
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I am glad you are checking ketones. Any recent blood work or urinalysis? I’m wondering about electrolyte imbalances? Does he get any medication besides insulin now that he’s off the doxycycline? And that was for an upper respiratory infection?
 
The Little Remedies Decongestant Nose Drops can be used in cases of extreme congestion and only for a limited time (couple of days max at a stretch). I’m sure you are familiar with decongestant sprays/drops potentially causing a rebound effect so they should be used for a limited amount of time.
 
Sorry if I am being thick… but he was diagnosed 10/22 but you have only had him a few weeks? Right? So hos previous caregiver did not treat his diabetes? And he’s only been on insulin since January something? And why is he constipated? CKD? Has he been to the vet recently? The twitching could be electrolyte imbalances.so hard to know. Definitely his numbers are high.
 
Suzanne & Darcy said:
Sorry if I am being thick… but he was diagnosed 10/22 but you have only had him a few weeks? Right? So hos previous caregiver did not treat his diabetes? And he’s only been on insulin since January something? And why is he constipated? CKD? Has he been to the vet recently? The twitching could be electrolyte imbalances.so hard to know. Definitely his numbers are high.
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I don't have anything for electrolytes, I'll take him in tomorrow (monday not tomorrow) to check it. Yes ex caretaker refused insulin. Phos was good on the bloodwork so probably not ckd. I have no idea why he's constipated. I've done the steamy bathroom, I have a humidifier in his room too. He was diagnosed in October last year. I got him January 29th. I'm putting him back on thr doxy tonight, I have chlorphenramine (sp?) for severe bouts but I'm afraid to use it often because of his anisocoria. In case the pupil is because of glaucoma.
 
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do you know if the BUN was elevated before and the creat. is at the high end? People who refuse insulin drive me crazy!
lots of people use Miralax for the constipation
 
I’m not sure. Creatinine did go up from one set of labs to the other. Also the BUN is high. I think he was at least somewhat dehydrated for those labs in January. It looks like it. That can skew the labs. Try to keep him well hydrated by adding water to his wet food. What did vet say about the continually elevated lipase. I have also seen a lot of messed up labs in cats when the are diagnosed as diabetic. Much of the time the labs will improve as the diabetes gets under better control. Poor boy. I’m so glad he’s with you now!! Does the vet feel like the Doxycycline is the best antibiotic for the URI? Do you feel as though the congestion improved at all while he was on the doxycycline? Would the vet consider a different antibiotic such as perhaps Baytril or Zenequin? Or even Clavamox? Although if you think he has eye problems then perhaps stay away from Baytril out of an abundance of caution? Although eye problems associated with Baytril are dose dependent. As I am sure you know, many cats will have pretty serious G.I. problems after four days or so of Clavamox, either diarrhea or vomiting or both. Some of my cats are able to take Clavamox, however, with no problems but many cannot.
 
Suzanne & Darcy said:
Not sure they shouldn’t rule out pancreatitis by running a spec fPL test as well.
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So he's had t4 done and that was fine, I'll do cbc and chem tomorrow :) he did respond to the doxy, I think we went that way because we don't have a full history of him. I put him back on it last night and I'll make it to Monday with what I have. I'm definitely not a big fan of baytril, I don't like anything that causes issues. I do have clavamox on hand, and Clindamycin. I have a small pharmacy lol. I keep things on hand for TNR. He's tolerable to the doxy and it's a wide scope, I'm not 100% convinced this is an infection though in his nose, the second round of doxy should help convince me if he does get better again.

I'd say from his past labs I'd suspect pancreatitis as well. He was brought in in oct. for vomiting. I'll grab a fpl test tomorrow too. But wouldn't he respond to 1.5u of insulin? This feels like a big dose! It's aggrevating knowing that I gave tuna insulin while he was positive for pancreatitis and he responded! He got better in 2 weeks! I just want Jekyll to feel better this poor guy. I don't understand why the old caretaker wouldn't just do it. I was in contact with her begging her to at least do food change. She wouldn't give him to me until he was on deaths door.
 
Sorry about the doxy!

Keep in mind that if Jekyll is fighting off an infection, it will influence his BG numbers. Obviously, you can increase the dose to compensate. However, if you get him on an antibiotic that helps, his numbers may drop quickly once the meds kick in.
 
Ale & Minnie (GA) said:
Just wanted to jump in to say that with all the antibiotics, he should really be getting probiotics to rebuild the good bacteria in his stomach and GI tract. Are you giving him any?
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Yes he's on fortiflora :)
Sienne and Gabby (GA) said:
Sorry about the doxy!

Keep in mind that if Jekyll is fighting off an infection, it will influence his BG numbers. Obviously, you can increase the dose to compensate. However, if you get him on an antibiotic that helps, his numbers may drop quickly once the meds kick in.
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So you would second an antibiotic switch as well? Clinda causes gi upset right?
 
Sienne and Gabby (GA) said:
Katrina -

Fortiflora is not a particularly good probiotic. It works better as something that will entice a cat to eat. I use ReNew Ultra and start with 1/4 of a capsule. I'm not remembering some of the other brands. If you put a question about probiotics in your subject line, other members may have recommendations.
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Oh! How do you get the kitty to take it?
 
I was about to say that. Fortiflora is not the best. I had Minnie on Visbiome for her IBD and S Boulardii for the GI tract. I mixed them with a little bit of baby food and she thought she was getting a treat ha! Some folks mix it with the food but it only works for the cats who are not food finicky
 
Ale & Minnie (GA) said:
I was about to say that. Fortiflora is not the best. I had Minnie on Visbiome for her IBD and S Boulardii for the GI tract. I mixed them with a little bit of baby food and she thought she was getting a treat ha! Some folks mix it with the food but it only works for the cats who are not food finicky
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Which baby food should I try? I've heard Gerber 2nd stage chicken before, is that right? Should I try him on clindamycin?
 
Katsallday said:
Yes he's on fortiflora :)

So you would second an antibiotic switch as well? Clinda causes gi upset right?
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Well any antibiotic can cause GI upset. My cats actually do very well on Antirobe (Clindamycin) with little GI problems. But your vet should have an idea of what antibiotic may help if the doxycycline is causing vomiting. It’s very specific to the cat. For example, one of my very recent foster kittens had hugely enlarged lymph nodes on his throat. In his mouth it was very red - like stomatitis - very unusual for a 6 month old kitten. We started him on a course of Clindamycin and it did absolutely nothing. We switched it to Clavamox and the lymph nodes went way down after about 4 days. Sad thing is that it made him vomit terribly. Slippery Elm bark did nothing to help either. I’m just saying that you might try a different one. My cats don’t usually have problems on zenequin, baytril or amoxicillin.
 
Suzanne & Darcy said:
Well any antibiotic can cause GI upset. My cats actually do very well on Antirobe (Clindamycin) with little GI problems. But your vet should have an idea of what antibiotic may help if the doxycycline is causing vomiting. It’s very specific to the cat. For example, one of my very recent foster kittens had hugely enlarged lymph nodes on his throat. In his mouth it was very red - like stomatitis - very unusual for a 6 month old kitten. We started him on a course of Clindamycin and it did absolutely nothing. We switched it to Clavamox and the lymph nodes went way down after about 4 days. Sad thing is that it made him vomit terribly. Slippery Elm bark did nothing to help either. I’m just saying that you might try a different one. My cats don’t usually have problems on zenequin, baytril or amoxicillin.
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Ok! I made a list for tomorrow. Snap fpl, cbc, electrolytes, change antibiotic, b12 if it's methyl, check his eye pressure if they can
 
Katsallday said:
So he's had t4 done and that was fine, I'll do cbc and chem tomorrow :) he did respond to the doxy, I think we went that way because we don't have a full history of him. I put him back on it last night and I'll make it to Monday with what I have. I'm definitely not a big fan of baytril, I don't like anything that causes issues. I do have clavamox on hand, and Clindamycin. I have a small pharmacy lol. I keep things on hand for TNR. He's tolerable to the doxy and it's a wide scope, I'm not 100% convinced this is an infection though in his nose, the second round of doxy should help convince me if he does get better again.

I'd say from his past labs I'd suspect pancreatitis as well. He was brought in in oct. for vomiting. I'll grab a fpl test tomorrow too. But wouldn't he respond to 1.5u of insulin? This feels like a big dose! It's aggrevating knowing that I gave tuna insulin while he was positive for pancreatitis and he responded! He got better in 2 weeks! I just want Jekyll to feel better this poor guy. I don't understand why the old caretaker wouldn't just do it. I was in contact with her begging her to at least do food change. She wouldn't give him to me until he was on deaths door.
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Yeah, I think waiting so long has really messed him up. 1.5 units is not a large dose of insulin.
 
Suzanne & Darcy said:
Yeah, I think waiting so long has really messed him up. 1.5 units is not a large dose of insulin.
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Oh man, do you think he can recover from this and possibly one day meet remission? I know every cat is different and some just need it for life, but I really want to aim for it. He's just so young compared to tuna, but I noticed tuna immediately and acted the same day I felt something was off. 2 months of diagnosis, not even including how long he went before diagnosis :( this poor cat omg I'm gonna cry.

I mixed the proviable into a FF and he ate the whole thing! He's not hard to medicate, like I said he is a perfect angel :,)

The vet doesn't "see" the anisocoria but I do at home in low lighting. I'm hoping it's congenital, but it could be so many things. I had it myself a few years ago and I almost went blind from iritis. It's freaking me out but vet ophthalmologists are $$$$
 
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