3 years diabetic cat

[Charlene piotrowski]

My cats Swergen has been diagnosed with diabetes approximately three years ago. We have been maintaining his weight and his food with dietetic management food from Putin’s. He is currently getting 4.5 units of Lantus from twice a day. Today he let out a big growl and Peed all over the floor while drooling which is so out of the ordinary for him. He is attentive and still purse and is presently sleeping, so I’m not sure what has happened.

 

[Critter Mom]

Hi Charlene,

> How is your cat now? (Worrying if he might have become hypoglycaemic.)

>>> If you have a glucometer and can home test his blood glucose please check it ASAP and post the result here. (If lower than 68 on a pet meter or lower than 50 on a human meter give Swergen a teaspoon of the highest carb food you have, mixed with a little honey/karo - or just go with the straight honey/karo. Please post an update of what happens after giving the )

>>> If he appears to be asleep, for safety please wake him up to check that he becomes fully alert, fully attentive and knows what's going on around him. If he's unresponsive, rub honey/karo/glucose syrup on his gums.

> Has he eaten anything since you first posted?

> How many hours have passed since you gave the last dose of insulin?

> How many hours after giving insulin did this episode of peeing/drooling happen?


Mogs
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[Critter Mom]

Charlene, please can you read this document and follow it:

How to treat hypos

There's no way of knowing for certain without a blood glucose reading at the time it happened but I am worried that there's a possibility that your cat could have been hypoglycaemic earlier. By way of general commentary, even though he might have been on the 4.5IU Lantus dose for a long time, the amount of insulin cats need can vary over time and what was previously a safe dose could end up being too high if the cat's insulin needs decrease. Also it is possible for a cat who's been on insulin for quite some time to start to go into remission.

I strongly recommend you call your vet straight away to get advice on what to do about your next insulin doses. I do think you need to get a clear picture of the range that Swergen is running in and whether or not his insulin dose is safe. There is also the possibility that the signs you observed earlier may not be related to insulin treatment/blood glucose levels at all. Your vet should be able to advise you on next steps.

If you're not already monitoring Swergen's blood glucose at home, you can do so with a human or a pet meter (human meter testing typically works out cheaper, and it's usually easier to get test strips locally in a hurry if the need arises). We can help you to learn to home test. Here are some helpful links:

Home testing links and tips

Testing and injection tips

Please post again for help if you need it. I hope Swergen is OK.


Mogs
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