? 9/11 Chispa, 227 AMPS, 200 +2, 154 +3, 117 +4.5, 111 +6, 436 PMPS, 225 +2.5, 185 +3.25

Karen and Chispa (GA)

Karen and Chispa (GA)

Very Active Member
Last post: https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/thr...d-a-mom-who-is-losing-it.293518/#post-3203327

Hi everyone,

A week and a half ago, I went back to TR after deciding that SLGS was not serving Chispa's best interests. I've been pretty aggressive about increasing after 6 cycles in hopes of finding a good dose as soon as possible.

This morning she started at a reasonable AMPS of 227 and drifted gently down to 111 at +6. The numbers were looking hopeful ... until she shot way up to 436 at PMPS. This is so out of character that I'm wondering if it could indicate something horribly wrong. She's been somewhat more vocal than usual these last couple of days, but she is also eating, purring, peeing (in great quantities, though that's nothing new) and pooping, all the while looking and acting pretty much normal. There's nothing stressful going on, and she's been napping and relaxing all day. She's eating only 2% carb pate, with teaspoons of 13% early in the cycle to slow the drop.

Could she have a kidney stone? A UTI? She's not making repeated trips to the litterbox and there's no blood in her urine, so I doubt it, but what could be causing this? She has an appointment with the internist this coming Monday afternoon, but should I try to get her in sooner?

Thank you -

@Wendy&Neko
@Bron and Sheba (GA)
@Suzanne & Darcy
 
Can you tell me more about the disorientation and circling mentioned on the spreadsheet? I tried (not always successfully) not to worry about random reds. Chispa's body still isn't used to lots of lower blues. Let's see what the before bed test says.
 
Wendy&Neko said:
Can you tell me more about the disorientation and circling mentioned on the spreadsheet? I tried (not always successfully) not to worry about random reds. Chispa's body still isn't used to lots of lower blues. Let's see what the before bed test says.
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Thanks so much, Wendy. The disorientation and circling are something she does from time to time -- they seem like "senior moments" to me. For instance, she'll go to the litterbox and then make a wrong turn on her way back to her napping spot (because she can't see well and navigates by touch, almost like a sailboat tacking) -- and instead of a simple course correction, she'll turn in a circle or two, as if she's forgotten where she was supposed to be going. It's temporary and she figures it out each time -- I don't think it's a hypo symptom or anything like that.

SLGS was a good experiment and (selfishly) a nice break for me, but I'm hopeful that it's not too late for her to relearn how to be a well regulated cat.
 
Looks like Chispa chose door #3 - the let's go high before breaking the bounce and going down option.

Sort of good to hear the circling/disorientation are not new behaviours.
 
I have a chicken who is blind in one eye (from birth) and she goes round in circles often when looking for the correct direction and when she is looking at the food on the ground.
 
Hi Karen,
I know how distressing reds are (believe me!) but looks like Chipsa's visit to the red land was temporary. She may be trying to recalibrate the system to the dose increase schedule?
Good to see her coming down to blue. Hope she keeps up and gives you :cool::cool::D:D
Sending you :bighug::bighug::bighug:
 
Bron and Sheba (GA) said:
I have a chicken who is blind in one eye (from birth) and she goes round in circles often when looking for the correct direction and when she is looking at the food on the ground.
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Hi Bron,
I can see how that would be. Chispa's vision in both eyes became compromised by a retinal detachment caused by undiagnosed high blood pressure four years ago, and whatever is left of it (if anything) seems pretty minimal. I think she mostly finds her way around by touch and smell. Her ability to detect and locate a newly opened can of food in the next room is unsurpassed! :cat:
 
Mikanmama said:
Hi Karen,
I know how distressing reds are (believe me!) but looks like Chipsa's visit to the red land was temporary. She may be trying to recalibrate the system to the dose increase schedule?
Good to see her coming down to blue. Hope she keeps up and gives you :cool::cool::D:D
Sending you :bighug::bighug::bighug:
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Thanks, Kit -- I know you know. I hope you are right that she is recalibrating on her own timetable and will get back to smoother sailing eventually. She is my little fighter pilot, and yesterday's AM numbers give me hope!
Sending :bighug::bighug::bighug: right back to you, and a skritch under the chin to sweet Mikan :cat:
 
Hi Karen and Chispa, just wanted to wish you both good luck with the vet and resuming TR. Chispa is one strong kitty.
I didn’t know about her retina issues and that entire chapter.
Please give her hugs and rubs from me and Ivy :bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug:
 
Staci & Ivy said:
Hi Karen and Chispa, just wanted to wish you both good luck with the vet and resuming TR. Chispa is one strong kitty.
I didn’t know about her retina issues and that entire chapter.
Please give her hugs and rubs from me and Ivy :bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug:
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Staci & Ivy, thanks for your good wishes. Chispa liked your hugs and rubs.:cat:
Sending :bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug: back to you!
 
Karen and Chispa said:
Hi Bron,
I can see how that would be. Chispa's vision in both eyes became compromised by a retinal detachment caused by undiagnosed high blood pressure four years ago, and whatever is left of it (if anything) seems pretty minimal. I think she mostly finds her way around by touch and smell. Her ability to detect and locate a newly opened can of food in the next room is unsurpassed! :cat:
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cats are amazing. I also had a kitty years ago, not diabetic, who lost her sight through high blood pressure. I didn’t even realise she had lost her sight until I kept seeing her with a wet tail. So I followed her and she went out the back, and as she turned to go past the pool, her tail hit the water. She then went right around the house, went up and down steps, and seemed to know how many steps each time. Same with the inside of the house. She didn’t look as if she had any sight issues at all to watch her. I kept her inside after realising she was blind. She lived to 21 years old.
 
Bron and Sheba (GA) said:
cats are amazing. I also had a kitty years ago, not diabetic, who lost her sight through high blood pressure. I didn’t even realise she had lost her sight until I kept seeing her with a wet tail. So I followed her and she went out the back, and as she turned to go past the pool, her tail hit the water. She then went right around the house, went up and down steps, and seemed to know how many steps each time. Same with the inside of the house. She didn’t look as if she had any sight issues at all to watch her. I kept her inside after realising she was blind. She lived to 21 years old.
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I've read that many cats go blind without their humans realizing it because they are so good at drawing mental maps and walking around as if they can see. I don't know why Chispa hasn't been able to do that so well -- maybe her vision was worse than I realized by the time we moved here last year and she never really had a chance to see where things were? Even so, I thought her navigational skills would smooth out over time, but they haven't (much); she still relies somewhat on trial and error to find her way around. I wish it could be easier for her, but she seems to take it in stride. She really is the toughest and bravest little person I know.
 
Karen and Chispa said:
I've read that many cats go blind without their humans realizing it because they are so good at drawing mental maps and walking around as if they can see. I don't know why Chispa hasn't been able to do that so well -- maybe her vision was worse than I realized by the time we moved here last year and she never really had a chance to see where things were? Even so, I thought her navigational skills would smooth out over time, but they haven't (much); she still relies somewhat on trial and error to find her way around. I wish it could be easier for her, but she seems to take it in stride. She really is the toughest and bravest little person I know.
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Ming knew the house and garden well she went blind. I used to watch her go up stairs and she always knew when she’d reached the top or bottom and we had 4 different of steps. Cats really are amazing. Probably moving to a new place has made it more difficult for Chispab but she sounds as. if she is managing well.
 
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cecile & bella said:
Hi Karen. Chispa's numbers look good, I hope that red was just a one-time thing on her way to getting used to being balanced again!
I also hope the diarrhea goes away fast :bighug:
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Thanks, Cecile! Looks like it’s going to take some work, but we did it before, we can do it again.
That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. :bighug::cat::bighug:
 
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