8/10 Mama AMPS 327, +4 112

[Ellen & Mama]

I am only giving her .1 IU now, for the last 4 cycles, and she seems to be doing well on this, no hypoglycemia so far, nadirs have been 90-113. It feels like I am giving her nothing though, and when I practice it's only a couple drops. But it certainly has an effect. She is eating some but am giving her an appetite stimulant also. Vet check yesterday and she is anemic, HCT 16% so put her on something similar to epogen but not epogen - darbepoetin? Vet thinks it is due to CRF (has anyone had anemia with diabetes?) Her potassium was OK at 3.1 (range 3.9-4.2) but I am still doing fluids with added potassium. Urinary tract infection is gone.

Ellen & Mama

 

[Sienne and Gabby (GA)]

Some of what's going on may be age related. Many elderly cats have kidney disease.

Decreased production of red blood cells is a common complication of some kidney diseases, including diabetic nephropathy. The red blood cells, which carry oxygen to tissues and organs throughout the body, are produced in the bone marrow. Healthy kidneys produce a hormone called erythropoietin (EPO), which stimulates the bone marrow to produce red blood cells when the blood oxygen concentration is low. However, diseased kidneys often don’t make enough EPO, causing a decline in red blood cell production. This is why an erythropeietin-like drug would be effective.