? 2/24 Chispa, question about BG and water intake

Karen and Chispa (GA)

Karen and Chispa (GA)

Member Since 2022
https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB...mps-173-3-5-330-pmps-158-3-25-97-4-25.286957/

Hi everyone, and (by the time you read this) happy Saturday!

Chispa has been eating like a little horse since going back up to her previous dose of 2.5 mg prednisolone on 2/7. Her BG has been higher since then too (I've had to increase the dose twice), and she has been drinking a lot more water. My question is, does higher BG generally correlate to more water intake? -- i.e., is this normal and expected, or is it something else to worry about? She had blood work done a month or so ago and her kidney values were stable at that time.

Thanks for any insights :cat: @Wendy&Neko @Marje and Gracie
 
Hi Karen :)
Fistuk definitely drinks more water with higher BG. I think what @cecile & bella said makes a lot of sense.
I'm not familiar with this specific medication but many do drain fluids from the body as well as some supplements of fibres.
Did you try and see what happens if you add a bit more water to her food?
Sending a bit hug :bighug:
 
Karen and Chispa said:
https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB...mps-173-3-5-330-pmps-158-3-25-97-4-25.286957/

Hi everyone, and (by the time you read this) happy Saturday!

Chispa has been eating like a little horse since going back up to her previous dose of 2.5 mg prednisolone on 2/7. Her BG has been higher since then too (I've had to increase the dose twice), and she has been drinking a lot more water. My question is, does higher BG generally correlate to more water intake? -- i.e., is this normal and expected, or is it something else to worry about? She had blood work done a month or so ago and her kidney values were stable at that time.

Thanks for any insights :cat: @Wendy&Neko @Marje and Gracie
Click to expand...
The pred at a higher dose can cause increased thirst and urination. Because ECID, it’s hard to say if the elevated BGs could be responsible but, usually, we see increased thirst when we get high and flat BGs above 300. For where her BGs have been, I wouldn’t expect them to be the cause of the increased thirst.

Have they checked her thyroid? Hyperthyroidism can cause increased thirst. Older cats are certainly more prone to hyperT. My vet starts checking their thyroid every six months at ten years of age.
 
Some cats have a lower renal threshold than others. Have you ever determined what Chispa's is? One way to do that is to use ketodiastix to see when she's spilling sugar. I tested Neko before she had urinalysis done and had it figured out that way. When a cat is over threshold, they may drink and urinate more. It's ECID when that is for every cat, but typically in the high blues, lower yellow range.

When did she last have blood work? How are her kidneys? That's the only additional things I can think of above the additional pred dose and hyperT mentioned by others.
 
cecile & bella said:
Hello Karen!
I think prednisone can make you thirsty as well, so between that and the higher BG, that could explain why she drinks more.
I hope you and Chispa have a beautiful day!
Click to expand...
Thanks, Cecile! We did have a nice day, quiet but productive, with lots of sunshine streaming in through the windows.
Hope you and Bella are having a great weekend! :bighug::cat::bighug:
 
Fistuk & Shelly said:
Hi Karen :)
Fistuk definitely drinks more water with higher BG. I think what @cecile & bella said makes a lot of sense.
I'm not familiar with this specific medication but many do drain fluids from the body as well as some supplements of fibres.
Did you try and see what happens if you add a bit more water to her food?
Sending a bit hug :bighug:
Click to expand...
Hi Shelly! Great to know that Fistuk also drinks more with higher BGs. I love it when my crazy ideas turn out not to be so crazy after all.
I have been adding a couple of teaspoons of water to her food at every meal -- without it, the rabbit pate tends to get dry and sort of grainy and less appetizing.
She is back on track with eating and gaining a bit of weight, so I'm grateful.
Hope you and Fistuk are enjoying the weekend!
:bighug::cat::bighug:
 
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Marje and Gracie said:
The pred at a higher dose can cause increased thirst and urination. Because ECID, it’s hard to say if the elevated BGs could be responsible but, usually, we see increased thirst when we get high and flat BGs above 300. For where her BGs have been, I wouldn’t expect them to be the cause of the increased thirst.

Have they checked her thyroid? Hyperthyroidism can cause increased thirst. Older cats are certainly more prone to hyperT. My vet starts checking their thyroid every six months at ten years of age.
Click to expand...
Hi Marje -- Thanks so much for checking in. Her current dose of pred is not an increase per se, but rather a return to normal after a failed experiment to cut the dose in half.

She had I-131 radioactive iodine treatment for hyper thyroid in 2020, but they still check, and it was normal as of about a month ago. As you say though, ECID -- and it looks like at least two other folks have seen their kitties drinking more at higher numbers. I might just have to stop worrying, keep an eye on it, and see what happens.
:bighug::cat::bighug:
 
Staci & Ivy said:
Hi Karen, Ivy drinks much more Water when her bg is high. She just lays by the bowl and hands her head in it. It’s so sad to watch.
Hope Chispa is feeling ok!!
:bighug::bighug::bighug:
Click to expand...
Hi Staci -- Thanks so much; that is really good to know. Though it does sound like a sad sight, I'm glad Ivy has a way of telling you when she is feeling out of sorts.
So that's two votes for thirstier cats at higher numbers ... we may be on to something.
Hope you and Ivy are having a lovely weekend! :bighug::cat::bighug:
 
Wendy&Neko said:
Some cats have a lower renal threshold than others. Have you ever determined what Chispa's is? One way to do that is to use ketodiastix to see when she's spilling sugar. I tested Neko before she had urinalysis done and had it figured out that way. When a cat is over threshold, they may drink and urinate more. It's ECID when that is for every cat, but typically in the high blues, lower yellow range.

When did she last have blood work? How are her kidneys? That's the only additional things I can think of above the additional pred dose and hyperT mentioned by others.
Click to expand...
Hi Wendy -- thanks so much for your reply. Her blood work was last done a month ago, and as of then, her kidneys were holding steady at stage I-II, as they have been for a couple of years. I never have determined what her renal threshhold is, and I'll have to to do some reading to find out exactly what that means. I do have some ketodiastix, just haven't thought to use them in a while.

Thanks for checking in!
:bighug::cat::bighug:
 
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