? 3 Nov | Girlie | AMPS 155; +4=77; +6=90; +7=97 PMPS 286

[Girlie's mom]

Condo: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/...ausea-still-constipation.186202/#post-2068120

Great numbers since increase to 1 Unit on 1 Nov. Going to vet for blood tests today to see if U/S is warranted on kidneys, etc. Still licking her lips; won't really do more than lick food unless I give her Mirtazapine. Not even Max can eat all the food she's rejected! Didn't give Cerenia last night. Will get Cerenia and Ondansetron today.

Enema yesterday produced very little poo, so acupuncture vet was right. I need to learn how to feel for poo.

Her tummy feels tight - I wonder what that could be? She's wee'ing, but not a lot. No ketones as of 31 Oct.

I can't stop thinking of Michelle and dear Beenie. Special hugs to all kitties and cat moms and dads tonight.

 

[Girlie's mom]

Hope Girlie gets some relief soon. Sounds like what we're dealing with with Boots the past 2 weeks. Constipation and lack of appetite. Seems like nothing's getting Boots to eat more than a bit or two at a time (we've now tried Cerenia, Ondansetron, Mirtazapine, and Cyproheptadine (NOT all at the same time!) and no luck. We're heading back to the vet this afternoon. 8 days since his last enema and very little poop since then (though little food too, so that could contribute). I hope we can both figure something out for our kitties soon! Do you know if Girlie has any pancreas issues? I'm wondering if Boots isn't experiencing a prolonged acute pancreatitis flare, because I know he's got pancreas issues. Maybe some bloodwork and/or ultrasound to check for Girlie?

I put your post here as I'm in Australia, so if I reply in (my) yesterday's post it will all get too confused!

Poor Boots! I feel for where you're at. Girlie had an U/S on her pancreas a few months ago, and no problems. She's not showing the typical pancreas ball of pain sign; just the licking lips and lack of appy. We're going in to get the whole blood work thing today, and then we'll do U/S as required next week. Silly vet intern won't do the needle stick for urine test as well: I'll see if I can persuade him, as I wonder if there might be an underlying UTI, even though there's no blood or anything visible in the urine and she's not showing the typical signs. Still, not as much wee from her as usual, given how much she drinks from her water fountain.

Hugs and fingers crossed that things improve for you! Keep us posted.

 

[Carol in Chicago]

I would agree that it would be good for any pet parent dealing with constipation to be taught by their vet to feel the abdomen. In my case, with my Rosie, I tried several things at home to help her. I thought it was ok because she still had a BM each day, but it was an acute situation and vet intervention was required. My vet had me feel "the problem". Once I knew what I was doing, it felt like a basket of rocks. The crisis was resolved with multiple enemas.

As for tight tummy, could it be gas?

Glad you are going to the vet. Any co.bo of decreased appetite, low urine output and vomit with constipation suggest a vet visit is in order.

Hope you get more guidance on how to help her and she feels better soon!

 

[Christie & Maverick]

Hi Darrah, I hope the vet visit goes well for Girlie, sending lots of good vetty vines. BG numbers look good today

 

[Girlie's mom]

I would agree that it would be good for any pet parent dealing with constipation to be taught by their vet to feel the abdomen. In my case, with my Rosie, I tried several things at home to help her. I thought it was ok because she still had a BM each day, but it was an acute situation and vet intervention was required. My vet had me feel "the problem". Once I knew what I was doing, it felt like a basket of rocks. The crisis was resolved with multiple enemas.

As for tight tummy, could it be gas?

Glad you are going to the vet. Any co.bo of decreased appetite, low urine output and vomit with constipation suggest a vet visit is in order.

Hope you get more guidance on how to help her and she feels better soon!

The acupuncture vet seemed to think that feeling for poo was something you learned over years, but sounds like it's not such a magical thing! When she's next full of poo, I'll get my vet to show me how. I've read up on it in the constipation page, but I think it's be easier if the vet feels poo and then shows me how to feel the same thing. THAT would be invaluable and stop unnecessary enemas like the one the other day. Thanks so much, Carol!

 

[Girlie's mom]

Hi Darrah, I hope the vet visit goes well for Girlie, sending lots of good vetty vines. BG numbers look good today

Thanks, Christie! I hope you and Maverick are well!

She's edging towards 68 on Alpha Trak which is the lower the dose / take action number, but I was hoping we wouldn't reduce straight away on the 1 Unit; this is only cycle 5, and I was hoping to get some time in healthy greens before we reduced. I wonder, though, if I should try to keep her numbers up for that or just reduce if she goes into shark territory?

Part of the problem is the lack of willingness to eat LC 6 and up foods: bad Girlie! Gotta get that sore tummy or whatever it is in order. Thank goodness the Mirtazapine has kicked in today, at least; she's eating - also probably because of the drop in BG levels.

 

[Christie & Maverick]

Thanks, Christie! I hope you and Maverick are well!

She's edging towards 68 on Alpha Trak which is the lower the dose / take action number, but I was hoping we wouldn't reduce straight away on the 1 Unit; this is only cycle 4, and I was hoping to get some time in healthy greens before we reduced. I wonder, though, if I should try to keep her numbers up for that or just reduce if she goes into shark territory?

Part of the problem is the lack of willingness to eat LC 6 and up foods: bad Girlie! Gotta get that sore tummy or whatever it is in order. Thank goodness the Mirtazapine has kicked in today, at least; she's eating - also probably because of the drop in BG levels.

We're using the AT2 as well, Maverick's having a good day today , he'll likely bounce at some point. I know, it's tough when you want to continue with the healthy greens, but I keep re-reading the stickies, and since TR is already an aggressive approach, my Canadian 2 cents are that under 68 earns a reduction. More experienced people might say differently, but I tend to be a bit more cautious, since I'm really afraid of hypo . And most certainly, you need to know she will eat if she gets low...that is very important. Good to hear the med is helping her appy today!

 

[Girlie's mom]

We're using the AT2 as well, Maverick's having a good day today , he'll likely bounce at some point. I know, it's tough when you want to continue with the healthy greens, but I keep re-reading the stickies, and since TR is already an aggressive approach, my Canadian 2 cents are that under 68 earns a reduction. More experienced people might say differently, but I tend to be a bit more cautious, since I'm really afraid of hypo . And most certainly, you need to know she will eat if she gets low...that is very important. Good to hear the med is helping her appy today!

I am SO glad to hear that Mav is having a good day! Oh, those horrible bounces...grr...

I'll reduce, of course, if she goes under 68. Given that earlier in the month she was on 0.1 and now is on 1.0, she might well want to head back to lower doses of insulin! Who knows - I certainly don't.

I'm not afraid of hypos anymore as long as I'm home, but if she were on the edge like this and I had to leave the house, I simply wouldn't - that would be TOO scary. With all of her high numbers, though, I'm worried about ketones. We'll see how we go! Not much of this is in our hands, is it?

 

[Christie & Maverick]

Girlie definitely is running the show , and her patterns are so much different than Maverick's. Most of what I say comes from what I see Maverick doing, which could be entirely not what another kittie needs . I'm the same way, I don't want to leave if the numbers are getting too close to the take action level. Let us know how the vet visit goes, I'm curious what suggestions they have for you.

 

[Girlie's mom]

Girlie definitely is running the show , and her patterns are so much different than Maverick's. Most of what I say comes from what I see Maverick doing, which could be entirely not what another kittie needs . I'm the same way, I don't want to leave if the numbers are getting too close to the take action level. Let us know how the vet visit goes, I'm curious what suggestions they have for you.

They all run the show - we just try to play catch up, eh?

They just took blood tests; we won't know the specfpl until Monday, but if anything alarming shows up for the others they'll let me know tomorrow.

Such a good girl: even BG even after the vet's: still green 97 @+7. A good day for BG levels, at least! I have to go to work now, but I'll try to check in and see how Mav's doing when I get home. Have a safe surf tonight...

 

[Girlie's mom]

I mistakenly drew Girlie's PM shot an hour early (forgot how to tell time). Can I still give her that syringe in an hour or should I draw a new one? I can put the syringe in its tray in the refrigerator.

 

[Girlie's mom]

Well, I guess this answers my question and it's a no - what a pity! Page 3 says only a few minutes is okay. Hmmmm..... Just curious if that's the general concensus?

 

[LizzieInTexas]

How is Girlie feeling? Appy?

I hope BW comes back ok and provides some answers.

 

[Girlie's mom]

How is Girlie feeling? Appy?

I hope BW comes back ok and provides some answers.

Her appy is coming back, thank goodness! She's munching on food now at her PM+4. I'm thinking that it probably isn't pancreatitis if she's eating again, but I don't know... Anyway, the blood work will tell us about that by Monday, and by tomorrow I'll know if anything else jumps out to alarm us. You know, though, when you know your cat so well and they are just "off" somehow? There's a look in their eyes and subtle behaviour changes that make you think - well, something's not quite right. That's what I'm getting from Girlie, although there's definitely improvement from two days ago.

We'll see! Fingers crossed...

 

[Chubba (GA)]

Hope Girlie is continuing to feel better today.

 

[Marje and Gracie]

Hi Darrah

I hope you are feeling much better. I’m glad to hear that Girlie is eating better again. I hope you can get the ondansetron. FWIW, Gracie was on it a very long time and never had any constipation but then she wasn’t prone to it either. I think it might be worth a try but that’s up to you. I really found it addressed nausea the best but, as I indicated before, I gave them both for a nice “cocktail” since they do have different properties that address nausea.

It looks to me like she ran out of duration yesterday and last night. There was no reason for her to bounce up to black and to go from 191 to 567 in five hours definitely indicates the duration went out the window and she added a little bounce in for good measure.

I also see that you fed a lower carb food (6%) this morning (because she wouldn’t eat anything else) and she dropped; going from black to blue in 7 hours is a little drastic but she's definitely taken bigger hourly drops than she did today. I was really hoping the 1u dose would keep her out of the blacks. Will she eat any higher carb gravy on the LC food since she doesn’t like the other food and she doesn’t like honey?

The goal needs to continue to be to flatten her out and even if she goes up a bit out of blues and greens, it would allow us to get a bit more insulin in her. I know it’s hard to think about yellow when you have blue and green but flat yellow is better than black to blue in several hours. It’s also difficult to get her there if she won’t eat foods with a little more carbs.