12/15 Zoozey AMPS 295 +4 204 +6 211 Diarrhea??

[emchic]

Hi all. I had a question about Zoozey. He's going through a bounce right now. I think he's having what's called a quiet cycle right now? (I'm still new at all of this) See this thread for more info: viewtopic.php?f=9&t=84998
He appears to be doing okay right now (he ate well this morning, played a little, groomed himself, wandered around, wanted petting), but he had diarrhea twice between 11-12 this morning, shortly after I took his +4 reading. Should I be concerned about the diarrhea? He's not had any bm's in the last hour.

 

[Ann & Tess GA]

Hi! Nice to see a Zoozey condo. We need a little more info, have there been any food changes or is he on any other meds?

 

[emchic]

It's nice to be here!
I did buy them a case of DM savory selects as a bit of a holiday treat (because they all love this food like no other food they've ever eaten), but he's been eating it all week without problems--and he's had it in the past several times since his dx (but this was when he was diet controlled). And he doesn't appear to be carb sensitive because he was on a dry/wet diet before his DKA and insulin (and before I knew any better) and he did just fine. He'd been eating the DM savory selects for 4 days before his bounce started and today is two days after the beginning of his bounce. He's currently not on any other meds besides Lantus, and he's not getting any other food other than the DM.

 

[Marje and Gracie]

Barbi

Thanks for doing the new condo.....great job!

I'm wondering if he's starting a new bounce. With his lower PMPS last night and then his zoom zoom up, he might have gotten lower during the day yesterday. So, yes, flat yellow is a quiet cycle but we often say you have to watch the next cycle that follows flat yellow. Often (but not always), they tend to be more active cycles and some cats are lower at night.

If you've made no food changes and he didn't get into anything, I'd watch him today and see if his stools firm back up and if he starts visiting the LB on a more normal and less frequent basis. Our GI specialist for the cats said sometimes they just have a little soft stool and it's nothing to worry about as long as it resolves in 24-48 hours and isn't constant. If Zoozey starts going to the LB often with runny stools, then we worry about dehydration and you would want to call the vet.

 

[emchic]

Thanks Marje. That's a relief and you saved me a call and probably a trip to the vet which would have cost me money I don't really have.
I'm home sick with some vile upper respiratory illness, so I'll be able to get a bunch of readings from Zoozey today and at least a couple tonight. I guess there really is a silver lining to every cloud. Since he was so sick with his DKA, I suppose I've been a bit hyper vigilant in watching his activities, but I'm still learning what's unusual and what's not. He's not been to the litter box in a couple of hours, so I'm taking that as a good sign.

 

[Marje and Gracie]

So sorry you aren't feeling well and I hope you get better soon. It's good, though, that you can be there to watch him.

 

[Sienne and Gabby (GA)]

Barbi --

You said Zoozey has been getting the DM for the last 4 days. It could be that the switch between foods set off your cat's system. Some cats don't deal well with changes in their food. In addition, depending on what you were feeding prior to the DM, it may have been a better food. Below are the first several ingredients of the DM Savory Selects:

Water sufficient for processing, chicken, liver, wheat gluten, meat by-products, corn starch-modified, soy flour, artificial and natural flavors,

If Zoozey is gluten sensitive, this may be the reasons for the diarrhea. Many cats are gluten sensitive and gluten in their diet can result in diarrhea. I am also quite skeptical that this is low carb food. Between the gluten, corn starch and soy flour, the ingredients don't read as low carb.

 

[emchic]

He's been eating the regular DM exclusively for the last year; he's been eating the DM savory selects this week--which he's had before with no problem (but that was when he was diet controlled). From looking at Dr. Pierson's chart, I did notice there's quite a difference between the DM savory selects and regular DM, so I won't be buying that again even though they really love it.
I do intend to switch foods, but I've got to do some research to find a good food that I can afford that will work to help Zoozey gain weight, for Pepper to lose weight, and to maintain Molly's weight, but honestly I'm so sick right now that it's all I can do to take care of bg readings and shots.