Chris & China (GA)
Very Active Member
Hey guys! Long time, no see!! Thanks in advance for reading my small novel!
On Friday, 6/28, Garfield walked into the living room and was open-mouthed breathing which I knew wasn't good. When I walked over to him, he fell on his side and every muscle in his body seemed to be trying to push air in/out/in/out. Of course this was after closing hours for the vets around here. I called the nearest vet who used to have a number you could call for emergencies, but now only has a recorded message telling people to take their pet to the University of Missouri vet hospital which is about 1 1/2 hours away. Scratch that! Wasn't sure he was going to make it the next 9 minutes much less 90! The next closest vet (about 18 miles) had an answering service and told me she would notify the vet on call and they would call me back. Didn't hear back from them until the next day! Finally called the vet in Sedalia who had helped me with Cheaser when we thought he had a bladder stone and was dripping bloody urine since he had stayed late (twice!) so I could get there. The receptionist said I could bring Garfield in but the vet was doing an emergency surgery and wouldn't be able to see him for about 45 mins to an hour. I said that would be fine since it would take me that long to get there anyway!
I felt so bad for Garfield. Not only was he unable to breathe but he HATES being in the car and every time, he defecates and urinates all over himself as well as vomiting and this time was no different. He didn't even move when I opened the top of the carrier so he could get more air. At one point his head dropped backwards and I thought I had lost him but we made it. (also found out how fast you could really go on the 2 lane curvy back roads in this area)
When the vet saw him, he took him back for an x-ray which showed a lot of infiltrates in his lungs and he thought he was having a severe asthma attack. He suggested a shot of Depo Medrol and I agreed, knowing that it may very well take him out of remission but I really had no choice if I wanted him to live. Leaving without him for the long drive home was so hard but there was nothing I could do for him at home. He needed to stay. The next day, the vet heard Garfield cough several times and began to wonder if something was going on with his heart instead of (or in addition to) asthma and gave him a shot of Lasix to help pull any water off his lungs and when he called me Saturday night, he said he seemed to be resting comfortably but he wanted to keep him until at least Monday. I also asked him to do another blood panel and include a ProBNP. He didn't have the tests in the office for the ProBNP so it would have to be sent out. Monday afternoon they called and said I could pick him up so I went up to get him. I did ask them to give him some Gabapectin to (hopefully) keep his stress level down while on the ride home. It helped a little, but he still soiled himself. I had brought a 2nd carrier with me so we stopped at an empty parking lot and I carefully moved him from the dirty one to the clean one.
Anyway, you can probably figure out what happened! Garfield is no longer in remission. The only Lantus I had in the house was 4-6 years past its expiration date so I had no choice but to use the Vetsulin that came with him until I could get a new script for Lantus. I started him on 1 unit (although old habits kicked in and while I knew I needed to use the conversion chart, I goofed and only drew up 1 unit of Vetsulin instead of the 2.5 when using a U100 syringe). OOPS!!
There's not much Vetsulin left in the vial and the expiration date on that is 7/24 so I'm hoping the script gets here soon (they have to mail it unless I want to drive all the way up there again to pick it up). I'm hoping I can get the 5 pack of pens for $35.
My question? He has had three 1U doses and the lowest he's gone was 194. I'm wondering if and when I should consider increasing his dose? I don't know how long it will take before the script gets here but probably at least a day or two so in the meantime, it's use the Vetsulin or nothing.
Garfield on Friday:
https://youtube.com/shorts/EjmnGpkaQRg
https://youtube.com/shorts/avWYNqKOU4k
Spreadsheet UTD including labs. Wild change in SDMA since March!
ETA: ProBNP was normal
On Friday, 6/28, Garfield walked into the living room and was open-mouthed breathing which I knew wasn't good. When I walked over to him, he fell on his side and every muscle in his body seemed to be trying to push air in/out/in/out. Of course this was after closing hours for the vets around here. I called the nearest vet who used to have a number you could call for emergencies, but now only has a recorded message telling people to take their pet to the University of Missouri vet hospital which is about 1 1/2 hours away. Scratch that! Wasn't sure he was going to make it the next 9 minutes much less 90! The next closest vet (about 18 miles) had an answering service and told me she would notify the vet on call and they would call me back. Didn't hear back from them until the next day! Finally called the vet in Sedalia who had helped me with Cheaser when we thought he had a bladder stone and was dripping bloody urine since he had stayed late (twice!) so I could get there. The receptionist said I could bring Garfield in but the vet was doing an emergency surgery and wouldn't be able to see him for about 45 mins to an hour. I said that would be fine since it would take me that long to get there anyway!
I felt so bad for Garfield. Not only was he unable to breathe but he HATES being in the car and every time, he defecates and urinates all over himself as well as vomiting and this time was no different. He didn't even move when I opened the top of the carrier so he could get more air. At one point his head dropped backwards and I thought I had lost him but we made it. (also found out how fast you could really go on the 2 lane curvy back roads in this area)
When the vet saw him, he took him back for an x-ray which showed a lot of infiltrates in his lungs and he thought he was having a severe asthma attack. He suggested a shot of Depo Medrol and I agreed, knowing that it may very well take him out of remission but I really had no choice if I wanted him to live. Leaving without him for the long drive home was so hard but there was nothing I could do for him at home. He needed to stay. The next day, the vet heard Garfield cough several times and began to wonder if something was going on with his heart instead of (or in addition to) asthma and gave him a shot of Lasix to help pull any water off his lungs and when he called me Saturday night, he said he seemed to be resting comfortably but he wanted to keep him until at least Monday. I also asked him to do another blood panel and include a ProBNP. He didn't have the tests in the office for the ProBNP so it would have to be sent out. Monday afternoon they called and said I could pick him up so I went up to get him. I did ask them to give him some Gabapectin to (hopefully) keep his stress level down while on the ride home. It helped a little, but he still soiled himself. I had brought a 2nd carrier with me so we stopped at an empty parking lot and I carefully moved him from the dirty one to the clean one.
Anyway, you can probably figure out what happened! Garfield is no longer in remission. The only Lantus I had in the house was 4-6 years past its expiration date so I had no choice but to use the Vetsulin that came with him until I could get a new script for Lantus. I started him on 1 unit (although old habits kicked in and while I knew I needed to use the conversion chart, I goofed and only drew up 1 unit of Vetsulin instead of the 2.5 when using a U100 syringe). OOPS!!
There's not much Vetsulin left in the vial and the expiration date on that is 7/24 so I'm hoping the script gets here soon (they have to mail it unless I want to drive all the way up there again to pick it up). I'm hoping I can get the 5 pack of pens for $35.
My question? He has had three 1U doses and the lowest he's gone was 194. I'm wondering if and when I should consider increasing his dose? I don't know how long it will take before the script gets here but probably at least a day or two so in the meantime, it's use the Vetsulin or nothing.
Garfield on Friday:
https://youtube.com/shorts/EjmnGpkaQRg
https://youtube.com/shorts/avWYNqKOU4k
Spreadsheet UTD including labs. Wild change in SDMA since March!
ETA: ProBNP was normal
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