Eldroch
Member Since 2013
Just as the subject hints, I just recently received the frightening news about my Asia. Like many of you, I'm sure, I have been beating myself up for not noticing the signs earlier, and am now over analyzing everything that's happening. Here are the bullet points from the past 10 days:
Asia is an 8.5 year old Seal point Siamese male. He was largely fed store-bought dry food (strike 1) through my college days, an was given canned food when possible. He was switched to an almost exclusive canned food (Science Diet) diet in recent months. When he seemed very much so "not himself", I took him to the vet about 10 days ago, where they found his glucose at 360, fever of 104.5, and had ketones as well. He was kept from 3PM of day 1 until 6PM of day 2, where they released him with an antibiotic for a UTI (Clavamox for 14 days) and PZI insulin (1.5 units, twice a day). Also, they sold me on Purina DM canned and dry food. I asked about the dry food, and she said that, yes, dry food is not good for the diabetes, but it is good for dental hygiene and she thinks that's of equal concern in older cats. He had definitely improved, and continued to over the following couple days, but I'm still concerned over a few things...
For one, while his appetite is great, his thirst hasn't seemed to decrease at all. It almost seems like he's afraid to be too far away from water, which keeps him somewhat standoffish from us. We have since been keeping a bowl of water on the nightstand, and on the end table next to the sofa so that he can relax with us and still be close to water "just in case". Throughout the night, he will get up probably 7 or 8 times to get a drink, and use the litter box at least twice. Of course, when he urinates, he is usually "going" for around 50 seconds or so. When he has a bowel movement, he seems very constipated. Now...most recently, he had an accident on the kitchen floor that I noticed when I came home from work. Of course, it looked like someone spilled a glass of water on the floor. After I cleaned it up, and walked back through the same area later that evening, it was VERY sticky! Like...if someone had spilled a glass of pepsi and left it to dry...which makes me think that there is a TON of sugar spilling over.
Here is my routine since he came home: He eats every day at 8AM and 8PM. I give him 1/2 of a 5.5 oz can of Purina DM canned food, and a small handful of the dry food on bottom, which he usually eats all of the canned food and maybe half of the dry. This also includes his antibiotic, which he has no problem taking with food. When he's done, I give him 1.5 units of PZI behind his shoulder blades. I keep the water bowls full and clean at all times, and am typically gone during the week for around 9 hours each day.
On another note, something else that has changed...he seems to be overly warm quite often. Where he used to snuggle relentlessly, cuddling, and at times, would even climb under the covers to get warmer, he now sprawls out on tile floors, in front of the freezer, or under the ceiling fan. When he does cuddle with me, he typically only lasts 30 minutes or so before he has to hop down and cool off.
So, in summation, my biggest concerns are 1.) His excessive thirst that is still persistent 2.) Seemingly high sugar content in his urine 3.) Sudden change in body warmth/comfort and 4.) What seems like constipation when he's drinking so much water.
Money really isn't an issue in this case. I will do anything to make him feel better.
Thanks,
-E
Asia is an 8.5 year old Seal point Siamese male. He was largely fed store-bought dry food (strike 1) through my college days, an was given canned food when possible. He was switched to an almost exclusive canned food (Science Diet) diet in recent months. When he seemed very much so "not himself", I took him to the vet about 10 days ago, where they found his glucose at 360, fever of 104.5, and had ketones as well. He was kept from 3PM of day 1 until 6PM of day 2, where they released him with an antibiotic for a UTI (Clavamox for 14 days) and PZI insulin (1.5 units, twice a day). Also, they sold me on Purina DM canned and dry food. I asked about the dry food, and she said that, yes, dry food is not good for the diabetes, but it is good for dental hygiene and she thinks that's of equal concern in older cats. He had definitely improved, and continued to over the following couple days, but I'm still concerned over a few things...
For one, while his appetite is great, his thirst hasn't seemed to decrease at all. It almost seems like he's afraid to be too far away from water, which keeps him somewhat standoffish from us. We have since been keeping a bowl of water on the nightstand, and on the end table next to the sofa so that he can relax with us and still be close to water "just in case". Throughout the night, he will get up probably 7 or 8 times to get a drink, and use the litter box at least twice. Of course, when he urinates, he is usually "going" for around 50 seconds or so. When he has a bowel movement, he seems very constipated. Now...most recently, he had an accident on the kitchen floor that I noticed when I came home from work. Of course, it looked like someone spilled a glass of water on the floor. After I cleaned it up, and walked back through the same area later that evening, it was VERY sticky! Like...if someone had spilled a glass of pepsi and left it to dry...which makes me think that there is a TON of sugar spilling over.
Here is my routine since he came home: He eats every day at 8AM and 8PM. I give him 1/2 of a 5.5 oz can of Purina DM canned food, and a small handful of the dry food on bottom, which he usually eats all of the canned food and maybe half of the dry. This also includes his antibiotic, which he has no problem taking with food. When he's done, I give him 1.5 units of PZI behind his shoulder blades. I keep the water bowls full and clean at all times, and am typically gone during the week for around 9 hours each day.
On another note, something else that has changed...he seems to be overly warm quite often. Where he used to snuggle relentlessly, cuddling, and at times, would even climb under the covers to get warmer, he now sprawls out on tile floors, in front of the freezer, or under the ceiling fan. When he does cuddle with me, he typically only lasts 30 minutes or so before he has to hop down and cool off.
So, in summation, my biggest concerns are 1.) His excessive thirst that is still persistent 2.) Seemingly high sugar content in his urine 3.) Sudden change in body warmth/comfort and 4.) What seems like constipation when he's drinking so much water.
Money really isn't an issue in this case. I will do anything to make him feel better.
Thanks,
-E
