06/23/11 Zener AMPS 571; +3 475; +6 491; +9 434 Added tests

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Anne & Zener GA

Anne & Zener GA

Member Since 2011
I have added Zener's test results that I have been keeping since we started on Lantus a month ago. After entering these numbers, I realize we were changing doses quite often and now that I've been reading more, probably did not give him the proper time. We started on 2 with Lantus when my vet switched us from Humulin N, he was on 4 u with that and did not feel good at all. Within a day or two of starting on Lantus his PUPD, rear leg weakness and energy levels improved. I would call my vet with reports every 3-5 days and was adjusted doses based on vet's advice. After getting on this message board last night, (at the end of my rope!), Jill has given me advice on weight dosing and we are going with the 1.5u BID as advised.
 
Re: 06/23/11 Zener AMPS 571; +3 475 - & Appetite question

Good afternoon, guys! No advice on the appetite meds, but remember, it may also just be due to the fact that Zener is a cat!! :lol: :lol: :lol: I know Willie will go through periods where he is less enthusiastic about food, then will generally dig in with gusto right about the time I start to actually worry! I use purebites freeze dried chicken treats for Willie, and I actually pour the bag of treats into a strainer over a bowl to strain out the pieces that are like dust. The treats go back into their bag, and the dust goes into a ziploc bag... great for sprinkling on food to generate interest! Fortiflora works great for that as well... has the animal digest flavoring that coats dry food.

The 575 isn't all that surprising after a skipped shot. Once you get down settled in to an appropriate dose and get Zener's shed filled, he'll be back down to acceptable numbers in no time.

We generally post a link to our previous day's condo when we start a new one. That way, people can read backwards and get caught up quickly on what has happened the previous days, which is especially important if you need advice. Here's how you type it:

Yesterday's Condo

Once you've done it once, you can just hit edit, copy the whole thing, paste it into the new day's condo, then just change out the url. eventually, you'll memorize it... but you've got more important stuff to learn at the moment! :lol: :lol: :lol:

I also mentioned this in Boo's condo, but I highly recommend printing out all the stickies and putting them in a binder. The first thing in order should be how to handle hypos. In front of that or on the cover should be the phone number to both your vet and the closest 24 hr. emergency vet, and if you aren't familiar with the location of the 24 hr vet, the address and directions. If you are in a true emergency, the last thing you need to be doing is trying to figure out where you are going. There is just so much info in the stickies that it is hard to keep track of all of it when you are just starting out. Having it printed so you can just read through it at your leisure was a big help to me... and I never had to track down a specific sticky when I was unsure of something and didn't have folks around to ask.

You're doing great!
 
Re: 06/23/11 Zener AMPS 571; +3 475 - & Appetite question

Anne --

I know you have other test data. It would be great if you could fill in that info on your SS. That will give us some background on Zenner's dose and response history.

Also, we link our posts (we call the thread a "condo") from the previous day to the current day. Here's the link to Zenner's 6/22 condo.

I tend to not pull out an appetite stimulant unless I really have to. Have you tried any other means, besides cypro, to entice Zenner to eat? Lots of us use freeze dried treats (e.g., freeze dried chicken) and crumble it over our cats' food. A pinch or two of FortiFlora (a probiotic) may work. Ditto for parmesean cheese.
 
Re: 06/23/11 Zener AMPS 571; +3 475 - & Appetite question

Thanks for the help! I will work on posting the url from the previous day in my message. The code business is all new to me, but I managed to get a spreadsheet and profile up. I have used freeze dried chicken treats, Parmesan cheese, lots of different kinds of food at first, and hand feeding before going to the cypro. I will try the probiotics, where would I find those? And yes, I have other test data, about 2 months worth - I can post that later tonight when I get home from work. Thanks so much!
 
Re: 06/23/11 Zener AMPS 571; +3 475; +6 491; +9 434

Just checked his 9 hour value and it was a little down; he did not eat before I took it.

I'll post previous test results from old doses tonight.

Thanks for the info on the probiotic from Amazon, on order.
 
Re: 06/23/11 Zener AMPS 571; +3 475 - & Appetite question

Anne, some vets will sell fortiflora, but it doesn't requires a script. Amazon sells it as well... the price listed is very good and comes with free shipping!
 
Re: 06/23/11 Zener AMPS 571; +3 475 - & Appetite question

Anne,

I just commented on your thread on the main board, but I figured it may be better to say hello here.

I just wanted to welcome you to the forums. I live in Flagstaff, also. Let me know if there is anything that we can help you with!
 
Re: 06/23/11 Zener AMPS 571; +3 475 - & Appetite question

Yes, are you happy with your vet's management of diabetes? If so, do you mind telling me who you use. Thanks!
 
Re: 06/23/11 Zener AMPS 571; +3 475; +6 491; +9 434 Added te

how are things going today, anne?
love your new spreadsheet! i see zener is has been high all day. to be expected after yesterday's drop into double digits. he will come down. these "bounces" from low numbers can take up to 72 hours to clear.
 
Re: 06/23/11 Zener AMPS 571; +3 475; +6 491; +9 434; PSPM 39

Hello Jill, and thank you for asking! It has been a better day for me, with all the help and support from this group I don't feel quite so alone and know others have had similar experiences. I was asked to post older test results so I did, but I didn't have very early post dx results because I wasn't checking BG at home for the first month. It sure looks like lots of changes without probably waiting appropriate times.

At the time Zener was switched to Lantus, I started working on getting him off dry food (although it was a good one from Wellness, then the Purina DM) and on wet food which he is almost exclusively on now. We still struggle with poor appetite and today was one of those days, perhaps because his BG was high. I have used cypro as an appetite stimulant because he tends to still loose weight and someone on the list told me about a probiotic so I will try that instead. He also was more low energy today and had an episode of peeing on the carpet. I just added his PSPM BG to the spreadsheet. I will check again at +3 but need to get some sleep, yesterday was darn stressful and I didn't sleep very much.
 
Re: 06/23/11 Zener AMPS 571; +3 475; +6 491; +9 434 Added te

i sprinkle parmesan cheese on alex's food when her appy is off. maybe zener would like it.
i'm sure zener isn't feeling too hot because his numbers are high. tomorrow should be better. you must be exhausted! leave some food out for him to nibble on during the night and get some sleep.
 
Re: 06/23/11 Zener AMPS 571; +3 475; +6 491; +9 434 Added te

Thanks for the information. I've tried Parmesan cheese on his food before and he turns his nose up. My other cat loves anything. Whatever food Zener turns his nose up over, she eats. And she is becoming a butterball! I've also given him a few bits by hand and that sometimes gets him started. The cypro works great but I hate to pill him, he already is messed with so much, poor guy. He is a trooper about it all though.
 
Re: 06/23/11 Zener AMPS 571; +3 475; +6 491; +9 434 Added te

here's a few ideas from cheryl/winnie:

Here are some things you can do do entice your cat to eat:

-sometimes in order to get a cat to eat you even have to resort to dry it is more important that they eat. there are a couple low carb / grain free brands -- EVO and wellness core.

-making a buffet to give him choices
- heating food

sprinkle food with :
- forta flora -- a probiotic you can get at vets or online. is very smelly and cats love the taste of it.
- parm. cheese
- smashed crumbles of dry food
- bonito tuna flakes
- halo chicken treats -- crumble into dust over food -- my Wolfie loves this stuff.
- poor a little water from tuna in water over food ( I use low sodium/no sodium added as other kinds in water has veg. broth in it and I assume that means onions, which are toxic to cats-- check labels)
-powdered oregano. yep sounds weird . but some cats like it and it will entice them to eat.

other ideas of foods to offer your kitty to stim appy:
- trader joe tuna for cats
-baby food -- beechnut turkey and broth or chicken and broth. they have no onions or other additives. some babyfoods have onions . please read labels if you can't find beechnut.
- kentucky fried chicken
- deli turkey /chicken
- plain cooked ( boiled or baked ) chicken breast
-canned chicken for people (watch the label that their are no onions)
- chicken broth -- low sodium

If enticements don't work, you should consider:
-assist feeding ( syringe or make little meatballs and place in mouth)
-and/or talking to your vet about appetite stimulents ( mirtazapine or cyproheptidine)



maybe there's something on this list he'll like...
 
Re: 06/23/11 Zener AMPS 571; +3 475; +6 491; +9 434 Added te

Thanks for all the suggestions! I have used a few of them and he has turned up his nose to most, though he does like the Halo treats. But this is quite the list. I will print it off to refer to. Love the buffet idea! I do leave a little bit of Wellness Core out at night just in case, so I'm not awakened by a hungry kitty. Some days he eats a little but lately he has not been interested in the dry food at all.
 
Re: 06/23/11 Zener AMPS 571; +3 475; +6 491; +9 434 Added te

it's worth trying some of these things tomorrow. he does need to eat. tonight, i'd just leave some food out for him and get some sleep. it's important to take care of yourself and you have to be running on empty about now. as my mom used to say, "get to bed!" :lol:
 
Re: 06/23/11 Zener AMPS 571; +3 475; +6 491; +9 434 Added te

Thank you for the caring advice and for sharing your mother's wisdom, consider it done! Food is out and I'm off to bed. I will post his BG values on the spreadsheet tomorrow. Thanks again! cat_pet_icon
 
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