1/14, Bell, AMPS 145 +2 165 +4 172 +9.5 90 PMPS 99 +2 79

Seth&Bell

Seth&Bell

Very Active Member
Yesterday

Feel so sad about Bella... I feel weird even doing an update. :(

I am trying to get into work more but it is hard. I went from noon to 4 today and came back to Bell starving again. She did eat out of one of three pockets in the autofeeder, but she went from 11:30 to 3:30 (at least) without food. I came back to feed her at the +10 and she threw that up. It is frustrating. I need to give her smaller amounts in that case but I also need to tide her over til PMPS. I broke the rules today and gave a small amount of food at the +11 because she wouldn't eat anything after she threw up at +10. I think the ondansetron had kicked in by then. She ate her PMPS meal just fine. I think I'm just venting here, I have a few more things I need to try, it is just hard.

Bell on the other hand seems great. She was super wound up and playing when I got home. Her numbers have been good (I am afraid to even say this). Maybe she and Minner are twins because the 7.5 units seem to be working. So all good there. I'm wondering if the surprise 90 at 9.5 was influenced by the lack of food.

Sad and stressed, but really grateful for this good run for Bell.
 
Stretching into the sun
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It’s really sad.

I know how you feel talking about numbers, almost like the announcer jinx in football when the kicker is going for a field goal…
 
Really happy to see Bell’s trajectory into blue and green at this dose. May this beautiful streak continue on and on and on ……. :bighug::bighug:

I’m sorry that I don’t know (or remember?) the details of Bell’s situation with needing to eat regularly or else she vomits when she does eat. Has she been diagnosed with a condition for this? I saw that you are using ondansetron and it helps? Minner’s vet sent us home with a vial of that after Minner had two episodes of vomiting earlier last year. Both times her vet thought it was caused by too fast of BG shift, which happened when I skipped injections while finding my way on this diabetes journey. It doesn’t sound like Bell’s situation is the same … her vomiting is happening for another reason (?). I’m just curious and interested in understanding. No worries if its a story you’ve already told and I should go back and read older posts.

What a wonderful night of green! :D:D:D
 
Exactly, Tim! I’m afraid to even mention it. Her latest run seems too good to be true after a long stretch of her being unregulated
 
MinnerPip said:
Really happy to see Bell’s trajectory into blue and green at this dose. May this beautiful streak continue on and on and on ……. :bighug::bighug:

I’m sorry that I don’t know (or remember?) the details of Bell’s situation with needing to eat regularly or else she vomits when she does eat. Has she been diagnosed with a condition for this? I saw that you are using ondansetron and it helps? Minner’s vet sent us home with a vial of that after Minner had two episodes of vomiting earlier last year. Both times her vet thought it was caused by too fast of BG shift, which happened when I skipped injections while finding my way on this diabetes journey. It doesn’t sound like Bell’s situation is the same … her vomiting is happening for another reason (?). I’m just curious and interested in understanding. No worries if its a story you’ve already told and I should go back and read older posts.

What a wonderful night of green! :D:D:D
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Thank you Laura! Bell has bilious vomiting syndrome and has for years. Basically, if she doesn’t eat for 2-3 hours she has a large buildup of bile and then vomits it up. It also causes her to frequently scarf and barf if she has an empty stomach for too long. So I’m pretty much trying to get her to eat a little bit every 2 hours. It was a bit easier on the dry kibble where I could set and forget it in an automated feeder. She seems to go to the feeder at night, but when I’m gone at work during the day I think she gets to comfy sleeping and waits too long before eating.

Throughout the years I’ve tried Pepcid, cerenia, catlax, slippery elm bark, and ondansetron to help. Nothing really touches the bile buildup, but ondansetron seems to really help her get her appetite back after she has thrown up. When her numbers get into the low greens, she becomes a lot more food motivated and will seek out food, so that’s good. It gives me some peace of mind that she would seek out food. But I always hate to come home to her starving after work. I have some ideas I need to try - first being use the auto feeder during the day even when I’m here to get her used to it. I may also try to set a recording to play a loud noise to wake her up when the auto feeder rotates.
 
bluesunshine said:
Thank you Laura! Bell has bilious vomiting syndrome and has for years. Basically, if she doesn’t eat for 2-3 hours she has a large buildup of bile and then vomits it up. It also causes her to frequently scarf and barf if she has an empty stomach for too long. So I’m pretty much trying to get her to eat a little bit every 2 hours. It was a bit easier on the dry kibble where I could set and forget it in an automated feeder. She seems to go to the feeder at night, but when I’m gone at work during the day I think she gets to comfy sleeping and waits too long before eating.

Throughout the years I’ve tried Pepcid, cerenia, catlax, slippery elm bark, and ondansetron to help. Nothing really touches the bile buildup, but ondansetron seems to really help her get her appetite back after she has thrown up. When her numbers get into the low greens, she becomes a lot more food motivated and will seek out food, so that’s good. It gives me some peace of mind that she would seek out food. But I always hate to come home to her starving after work. I have some ideas I need to try - first being use the auto feeder during the day even when I’m here to get her used to it. I may also try to set a recording to play a loud noise to wake her up when the auto feeder rotates.
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I’m sorry about her episode yesterday.
You’re doing everything you can think of to try to manage all of the nuances, Seth. :)
Bell is in your capable and thoughtful care. She’s doing so well and she’s happy and being her adorable self.

It’s so good she will seek food when she goes low-smart girl! :cat:

I am also thinking of Cecile and Bella and sending love to Cecile. What a sad day :(

:bighug::bighug::bighug:
 
So sorry for Bell

I know we all like to be independent and often have little in the way of support but are there any neighbors who might be willing to drop by occasionally to encourage her to eat on the days you are gone?

alternatively on the days you are home could you feed her out of the feeder: at meal time move her to the feeder and encourage her to eat from it? Maybe put a little something enticing on top so she expects the feeder to have the good stuff? That’s how I trained mine to use feeders. Also, one of my boys felt the feeder was too low to the ground and did better when I raised his a bit.
 
Thank you Colleen! I’m going to try your idea of using the auto feeder even when I’m at home to get her used to it. I also may try to sync up a recording to the feeding times to wake her up (maybe some death metal will do the trick).

She will use the feeder (she eats from it at night) but it isn’t ideal. The openings are too small so I’m sure it isn’t super pleasant for her whiskers. If anyone has a good suggestion for a rotating auto feeder that uses ice packs and has at least 5 portions, I’d be grateful. All the ones I have looked at, outside the single portion lid-opening ones, have too small pockets for food. Here’s the one I’m using:
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I do think the main issue is that she sleeps through her feeding times when I’m not there to carry her like a queen to eat :rolleyes:
 

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Seth, we have a Petlibro. It plays a dinner bell sound when it opens. You should see how fast he runs when he hears the bell. It is only 3 slots (I’ve toyed with the idea of getting a second unit), and it’s a bit pricey. But it’s refrigerated and has a nice phone app.

Seems like they all have too small of openings, but in the case of the Petlibro I wonder if it’s a science thing, they don’t have enough cooling capability for a bigger opening, idk.
 
Tim & Pookey said:
Seth, we have a Petlibro. It plays a dinner bell sound when it opens. You should see how fast he runs when he hears the bell. It is only 3 slots (I’ve toyed with the idea of getting a second unit), and it’s a bit pricey. But it’s refrigerated and has a nice phone app.

Seems like they all have too small of openings, but in the case of the Petlibro I wonder if it’s a science thing, they don’t have enough cooling capability for a bigger opening, idk.
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That is a neat invention! Much more advanced than the ones I've been able to find (and probably more reliable, too). Thanks for posting this.
 
Tim & Pookey said:
Seth, we have a Petlibro. It plays a dinner bell sound when it opens. You should see how fast he runs when he hears the bell. It is only 3 slots (I’ve toyed with the idea of getting a second unit), and it’s a bit pricey. But it’s refrigerated and has a nice phone app.

Seems like they all have too small of openings, but in the case of the Petlibro I wonder if it’s a science thing, they don’t have enough cooling capability for a bigger opening, idk.
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Oh that looks neat! How big is that opening? I think you are right, must be some cost/manufacturing/regulation factor preventing a bigger unit. Maybe we should all design one and get rich :p
 
bluesunshine said:
Oh that looks neat! How big is that opening? I think you are right, must be some cost/manufacturing/regulation factor preventing a bigger unit. Maybe we should all design one and get rich :p
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6.5” by 3.5” oval. Maybe 2-3” deep bowl. I don’t want to open it and him think he’s getting fed lol
 
Thank you, Tim!! Please don’t give Pookey any false hope :p. That’s about half an inch wider than the cat mate’s but shorter length wise.
 
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