911 DeNiro New 911 - please help

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DeNiro

Member Since 2013
Sorry, running out door to get DeNiro to vet on way to work so posting in a hurry...please see my earlier posts for background. In short, looked like DeNiro was in remission, came off insulin, then got tooth abcess...was getting antibiotics to get health better before surgery...had been coming in with low readings (2.5-5.4Australia readings)....went off food last day or two...still low readings...syringe fed last night, he vomited it up...unsteady on feet this morning...dummy me gave him about 1/8 teaspoon honey assuming numbers low again and it perked him up the other day and didn't bring numbers high...just tested, just about 2 minutes after giving him honey expecting low numbers, but it was 20.2. I'm in panic, rushing him to vet. Extremely worried. Please any advice would help. It's 745am here...vet opens at 8 but vets don't start til 9...will need to leave him there and consult with vet over phone on way to work. Please help...I'm lost...have never had this happen before. Oh, and after the reading gave him shot of insulin, the dose he used to get.
 
Re: 000 DeNiro New 000 - please help

The antibiotics could still be upsetting his stomach which is why he isnt eating. Is he still getting them?

And the high BG could be the honey - which will wear off. Not sure why you are giving honey if you arent giving insulin though.. he shouldnt need it. 2.5-5.4 are NORMAL cat numbers and no need for concern at all.

I do think a vet visit is a good idea as I worry about the unsteadiness. Has he eaten anything the last few days?

Wendy
 
Re: 000 DeNiro New 000 - please help

Inappetance - loss of appetite/disinterest in food - could be any number of things, including the antibiotic (often upsets GI tract), pancreatitis (often causes GI pain, vomiting, appetite loss), hepatic lipidosis (fat breakdown for energy may overwhelm the liver), or diabetic ketoacidosis (ketones result from fat breakdown and can become toxic). He may be dehydrated, too, from not consuming anything.

I'm thinking he may be in DKA or have hepatic lipidosis ... or both. He likely will need IV fluids, possibly insulin, which will be put in the IV, and maybe tube feeding. If he is stable and unwilling to eat, they can do a procedure to insert a feeding tube; it may save his life.
 
Re: 000 DeNiro New 000 - please help

Wishing and praying for DeNiro to feel better.
 
Re: 000 DeNiro New 000 - please help

The honey was only given a minute before I did the test so shouldn't have effected the reading I got. I assumed he was low and had vomited last nights food up so thought it would perk him up.a mistake obviously. He is at vets now and I'm waiting for call after they examine him. What is dka? R these things all treatable? He isscary thin...we were hoping to get some weight on him before his dental surgery. Oddly his health has deteriorated a lot since going into remission and coming off the insulin.
 
Re: 000 DeNiro New 000 - please help

Just spoke to vet...his normal vet is on holidays...she wants to put him down. I've said no...want tests run, him to be given every chance. She says kidneys big but they were big a few months ago too and blood's came back normal. She wants to do abdominal ultrasound. I'm more focused on fact his health deteriorated after coming off insulin and his dental infection. They have him on saline drip and are running blood's.
 
DKA = diabetic ketoacidosis - too many ketones as a result of fat breakdown for energy. These are toxic to the body. DKa wreaks havoc on the metabolism and treatment is expensive, requiring hospitalization, IV insulin/glucose/electrolytes.

If he is very, very thin (what weight), and having trouble staying warm, his body may begin shutting down.
 
Last week he was 3.6 kilos but has lost a fair bit in last 2 days...he is skin and bones. I so want him to get better. Should I be bothering with ultrasound today?
 
Can you ask them if he has ketones?
DKA can be survivable, if he's in a hospital.
I am saying my strongest prayers for your boy. I'm glad you want to fight to help him rather than give up.
 
DeNiro said:
Last week he was 3.6 kilos but has lost a fair bit in last 2 days...he is skin and bones. I so want him to get better. Should I be bothering with ultrasound today?
Click to expand...

Is he stable? Stabilizing him may be first (insulin to control the glucose and make the calories useable, hydration as needed, electrolytes as needed, food if he'll eat for them).

If he is stable, then additional tests may be done when/if they are reasonably sure he won't crash on them during the test.
 
I would say he is far from stable at moment. I'm a lawyer and due in court in 1/2 hour...hope to have blood's back by then...vet also said have to decide in next 1/2 hour read ultrasound
 
How far do you want to go if his prognosis is questionable? Thats a difficult question to consider, I know. I've been there.

If the labs are really deranged, doing more may not help him.

If the labs are looking OK, and he isn't imminently crashing, it may be worth it to do the ultrasound.
 
If he has a chance I want to do all I can for him...ultrasound is to examine kidneys which seems to be least of his problems at moment depending on what the blood's show
 
Bloods show he is in renal failure. Also show FIV+ which I already assumed. He's having the ultrasound and some aspirates done...she suspects he may have lymphoma.
 
There are degrees of renal disease.

You may find it helpful to check Tanya's Feline CRF site.

Treatment of pets with cancer is aimed at control not cure. Some pets do not do well with chemo. My civvie Pepper always became violently ill the evening after chemo - major vomiting & diarrhea.
 
Thx for that link...I'm in court before jury at moment so can only do limited research! She said kidneys shutting down.
 
They are giving him fluids and meds to stop the nausea. She'll let me know results of ultrasound when it's done. For some reason I'm feeling optimistic...I so hope I'm right.
 
I've been thru chemo with another kitty...she took it well. Apparently if lymphoma, it is treatable with chemo. Hopefully will have some answers later today...they're hoping to get sample results back late today. If it is cancer, I would want to at least try him on chemo.
 
Ultrasound showed cancer on kidneys and growth blocking his intestine...waiting for the biopsy results to come back.
 
It is lymphoma. Treatable with chemo and often has good outcomes, but they have estimated about $15 000 to get him through the critical care stage. Yesterdays bill was about $2300 and they say about another $1500 today so not being rich, I'm in a terrible dilemna. Please send thoughts and prayers for DeNiro.
 
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