2/28 Pepper AMPS 345

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pjstroop

pjstroop

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Hello LL!

WCR: Tired... grumpy... What more can I say! He was feeling so good yesterday and now is back down again.. Right now he is spread out on the dining room table sunning his pancreas. Hope it helps! He also started biting and itching at himself last night.. Guess the new antihistamine isn't working anymore.. :? He still has a real good appetite.. and is not drinking water.. so that is a good sign.

I know that we have lost regulation completely and we are working it like we are back at square one..(almost two years ago). Tank.. Tank.. Tank..

Health update: He has been on antibiotics and the new antistamine for 9 days now **sigh** I thought that we had started seeing some improvement last Friday evening and that he was just hanging out in RBC for a couple days. However, the last few cycles are very flat and high.. and of course I am stalking him for a ketone check due to the high numbers.. Ladle is ready!

Tilly says:
if the cat is continuously producing moderately elevated BGs (nadir always >=200 mg/dl), increase the dose every 2-3 days by 0.25 IU ( if the cat is getting a low dose) or 0.5 IU (if the cat is getting a higher dose).

Question??? Should I be increasing Pepper's insulin by .25 (not a drop.. like I have been doing)? Or, is he considered a higher dose kitty (currently on 2.0f units) and I should be increasing by .50 units? Just dont want to keep him in the higher numbers due to the health risks.. kwim.. and want to make sure that by being the tank that I am also increasing dose the right way.

Thanks for any suggestions!

Off to
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Hi Paula,
Haven't seen you around for a while. Poor Pepper...Alex feels his pain. We know about wanting/needing to get down from those high numbers.

I was wondering that very same thing about the increments of increases about a month ago. I'm sure you'll
get your answer soon. I hope Pepper starts feeling better. Give him a scritch for me cat_pet_icon

Caryl
 
Awe, poor Pepper, don't like to see him that high.

Not sure on the dose question, but sure someone will be along. Hope he gets back to his better numbers soon!
 
You've had blues at nadir. If you're going to increase, it would be by 0.25u. I am wondering, though, if there are some greens in there that you're not catching and that's what's causing the bounce into the pink.

Is the vet doing any blood work to know whether the infection is under control?
 
PM+6~172 - PM+8~109

Looks like Pepper is finally being 86'd out of RBC
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Fingers and paws crossed for a nice PMPS..

Thank you Sienne.. That answered my question! I don't think that Pepper needs to be increased by just drops..
At least not at this point.. Seems like he is treading water when the objective is to keep him in some safe numbers..
Vet and I were both shocked that his blood work (WBC) indicated NO infection.. Therefore, vet and I agreed that the higher numbers might indicate a bacterial infection of the skin.. I should have been more adamant about him doing another skin scraping instead of a visual..

In addition, his SED test (checks for inflammation) was high. We expected this due to the allergies, but now I am wondering if Pepper is maybe suffering with some arthritis. Maybe that can also explain the fatigue and his inability to jump up on the counter.. In fact, his civie had some left over FF Tender beef up on the kitty condo this AM and he just sat on the floor and looked up at it! This is truly not my Pepper..who truly has his stomach in mind.. 24/7..

On a better note.. I am sooo relieved to see these numbers! And.. now hoping for some smaller bounces..
Looks like NO increase this PM :-D

Thank you ((everyone)).. I do appreciate your kudos and encouragement for my Pepper..

Caryl - Pepper says "thanks" for the scritch!
 
I think I would increase by 0.25 when you increase too. Drops were ok when you were just fine tuning, but a longtimer like Pepper with such an experienced bean can use a more aggressive approach (we want to get him back into his all green ASAP). It looks like he might be heading back down today, though, so if he has a good PMPS then I wouldn't change anything yet. Sienne is right, you could be missing some greens, but as long as you stay on top of things I would be ok with you increasing.

Hopefully it will just take one increase to get him back to where he belongs. I don't have to tell you to test, though, because with the AB in the picture and the fact that he has had some good green on this dose (just not a lot of it), he might only need a couple of cycles on the higher dose to bring him back in line. I hope so, anyway.
 
Hi Paula...forgive me if you have had this suggested or if you've already been through this discussion...

Have you have Pepper tested for allergies? Years ago I had our dog tested (they even tested for allergies to cats!) and we were able to have a serum made up for him. I think we gave him shots for a year or so (graduated - they would change the dose...it's been a while so my memory of it isn't as strong).

While it didn't take away his allergies, it did make a huge difference. He was allergic to the strangest things.

So I'm not sure about cats and testing...but wanted to put it out there. Also, we had a cat we used to bath about once a month to help with her allergies. She had horrible skin allergies that developed for a year or so. It wasn't fun and I'm not sure Pepper would be a good candidate, but it did help. We bought some seriously good shampoo via the vet - hypoallergenic stuff.

I hope Pepper is feeling better soon and back to his greens in no time!
 
Thanks Libby! We're hanging in there.. :mrgreen:
I'm looking at the the last three cyles.. where is this green that you might be seeing... lol!! I iz blinded by the pink..

Amy- Thank you for your input and knowledge on allergies.. He has them that's for sure! He does have a dermatologist (Dr G) that wants to put him through the Heska Allergy Test this April (that's when she will be back in our area). And.. trying to find the $$ ($1200) to get the test done. However, the $1200 includes everything.. even the first set of shots with the magic serum. She said that she has a 50% success rate! So that is encouraging.. Dr G also mentioned about giving Pepper a bath.. Truthfully, that scares me.. as I have a hard enough time giving him a chin washing.. Although, I have been thinking about looking for an experienced groomer. Wonder if a second party makes it better or worse.. lol! Thank you Amy :YMHUG:
 
Paula,I am so sorry you have to go through all this & Poor Pepper... :cry:
You did have 2 green numbers 2 nites ago..Moonie was responding to drops a while ago, but I just increased 0.25U the other day & look at her numbers now!! We have same problem with that, Moonie holding the dose..She never cn hold them for long..
Sometimes in the sugar dance, we lose our good numbers, but the good thing is, there is always room for improvement & correction, with lantus!
So stop beating yourself up--You are doing everything in your power to help Pepper--You are a great momma bean.
I know you will find the way..We are here for you!! Big HUGS!!
 
Wow! Pricey!!!! I don't remember the cost for our dog...it doesn't seem like it was that much, but it could have been over the course of the year, ya know? I don't flinch at large vet bills anymore so it probably was in that range. :lol: I think a new set of serum was $100 - 200 a pop.

About the bath...I got better at it over time. Not perfect, but better. Our girl also got used to it too. That helped as well. Do you have anyone around who could "help" and are willing to get some scratches too? Love scratches of course!

Keeping you and Pepper in my thoughts...allergies are so miserable!
 
Got caught up today with the Olympics and thought i would pop in to see my Bro and saw the amps.. I am hoping everything clears quickly for him. I have been giving Skippy Xobaline Methyl B-12 from LifeLink and it has done miracles with him. However, not sure if Pepper can take this will all the other meds he is taking with his skin. I would also tell you that since Skippy has been in the 200+ he too has been just sitting around. I have been a pro to know that if he does not come downstairs for this food he is high. I think he knows that the stairs is a big trip for him but when he is in the 80-100s he is running a marathon. I hope that Pepper comes out of this quickly. Funny I was ready Tilly last night too....
 
I don't know if an over the counter preparation like Cosequin will be sufficient if it is an inflammation due to arthritis. It does sound like maybe some form of anti-inflammatory would help if that's what's elevating Pepper's SED rate.

I had to give Gabby and Gizmo baths (separately) when Gabby had ringworm. It was the saddest thing imaginable. All she wanted to do was climb up into my arms and all I kept trying to do was keep her scruff in a Vulcan death grip while I soaked her in a foul smelling sulfur concoction. I wasn't ever sure who was wetter. I can say that I got sufficiently soaked that I never contracted ringworm.

As for where some of the green may be, if you look at a day like 2/25, the yellow may have dropped into the greens with a bounce back to the pinks by PMPS.

I'm very glad Pepper read my note and his numbers are better tonight.
 
PMPS 109

Woo hoo for the blooooo!
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Sienne - Thanks for the info on the bath.. You are a brave woman! Maybe a big heavy coat, gloves, and a face shield and I'll be up for the job.. However, that might scare him more!

"As for where some of the green may be, if you look at a day like 2/25, the yellow may have dropped into the greens with a bounce back to the pinks by PMPS"

Seeee... when all I can see is pink.. it helps to have FD peeps to help me see the green :mrgreen:

Thank you!
 
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