12/10, Bell AMPS 264 +2 317 +4 348, Blood Panel/Possible UTI

Yesterday

Got Bell into the vet this afternoon. Teeth look good, ears look great, eyes look good, blood panel looks good (I updated my spreadsheet with the results and will post screenshots below). The vet took a urine sample and noticed some blood in the urine. She thought that the most likely explanation for the lack of response to insulin was a minor UTI. I'm starting Bell on a week of Clavamox with 3 days of Onsior.

The vet wants me to hold Bell at 5 units, because she is afraid of her dropping if the antibiotics do the job. I trust y'all, so I think my options are as follows:
1) Bump up to 5.5 units tonight as @Wendy&Neko suggested this morning and hold that dose until we see the effects of the antibiotics.
2) Drop to 5 units and hold like the vet suggested.
3) Bump up to 5.5 units and continue to follow TR regardless of antibiotics.

Appreciate the help as always!

 

Blood panel:

 

Good questions and glad to hear results from the vet were overall positive

 

Thank you, Tim! I was relieved they didn't find anything really bad

 

These Clavomox chewable pills are huge (asked the tech if they were small and she said they were pretty small ). I had to break them into fourths (Bell doesn’t have the back teeth to chew anything) to pill her. I should have gotten the liquid form, ugh.

Any advice on giving them? I have some empty gel caps but it would prolly take 3 caps to fit all the tablet in. I was debating dissolving in warm water and then using a food syringe, but I’m not sure if that’s a good idea and I’m worried I might ruin a few doses trying that

 

Can your grind up the pills and put them in some Churu? Put a pill in a large spoon, use the back of a smaller spoon to crush it, if you don't have a pill crusher already.

Be prepared that Clavamox might upset her tummy as it can go after the good bacteria too. Giving her a probiotic might help. Just make sure it's two hours apart from the Clavamox.

Did the vet send in the urine for a urine culture? You want to make sure you are giving the right AB for the bacteria she has. The reason I'm asking is that normally the AB should start working in a couple days, unless it's the wrong antibiotic. She's also high enough that should the numbers start coming down you can back off the increase, and still have a cushion.

 

I had to look up what a Churu was (I'm sure everyone is ), so I don't have those on hand. Bell is weird and picky about food, but I will grab some of those to try in the future! After having to use 3 gel caps this morning to pill her, I'm going to just have the vet give me the liquid stuff, $40 is worth not having to do that twice a day...

I don't believe the vet had it cultured, looked at my bill and it says a blood and sedim test, which I'm guessing is just looking with a microscope. She's had Clavamox a lot before for the anal gland rupture and does surprisingly well on it, much better than zydaclin. I've had her on a good daily probiotic (multi-strain with s boulardii) ever since.

Her PMPS this morning was 105! Maybe the vet guessed correctly. Could the antibiotics be working that well after 1 dose? I backed off to 5 units this morning and will monitor her closely today if she is low. How should I proceed with reductions if she starts earning them? Should I cut the dose in half? Reduce like normal? Still follow TR but take bigger reductions? Thanks so much!

 

I’ve seen antibiotics help after a day when Ailish had UTI’s before, so maybe?

Glad the BG is coming down!

 

Woah! Thank you! I’d be very relieved if the antibiotics are bringing her numbers down

 

It's great if they are already working. I think I would keep monitoring her and adjust the dose as you would without the antibiotics.
It's a good thing you got the liquid form, it will be mucjh easier to give. She might like Churu, though, Bella goes crazy for that.

 

Yeah just picked up the liquid form and it is so much better. +2 is at 69, so I do think the antibiotics are working! I’m a little nervous about this 5 units dosage as she was hitting greens at 2.5 before this presumed infection (a lot of assumptions going into this I admit).
I’ll watch her closely here.

 

Follow the TR protocol for reductions at this point. No need to speculate in advance what might happen. She also saw green at 4.25 units. But she's had plenty of time to develop some glucose toxicity since then.

 

Thanks Wendy! Sometimes I like to future cast just to be prepared. I will continue to reduce by 0.25 as she earns it.

 

Wow, that was fast! So good you managed to see the vet and they found the reason for her numbers. I hope she comes down gently and it is not too stressful.

 

Thank you, Heike! I’m so happy Bell is getting a break from the higher numbers

 

Glad Bell is responding so well. Be safe Bell. Surf calmly please