? Alex: 2/25 AMPS 422, +2 397, +5 320 PMPS 564

alexMama

alexMama

Member Since 2026
Alex is 361 this AM after some high 500 levels yesterday! Yesterday was a rough day!
This morning he is walking a little funny, kind of side stepping with back legs my husband said.. very lethargic… Worried..

At what point do we think he may be insulin resistant?


Post in thread 'Alex : 2/23 AMPS 378, +3 455 , 7.5 513, +9.5 521, PMPS 533, +3 461+5 352'
Alex : 2/23 AMPS 378, +3 455 , 7.5 513, +9.5 521, PMPS 533, +3 461+5 352
 
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Is this FF ok as well?? Seniors Pate’s?
 

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alexMama said:
Is this FF ok as well?? Seniors Pate’s?
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This food is probably fine in the beef flavor. I looked on chewy.com and they report that the chicken senior pate is 2% carbohydrates on a dry matter basis, so I imagine the beef is similar. I did put in a question and ask, however, how many carbs were in the beef on a dry matter basis also — so I’ll let you know when they answer me.
 
I would like to know what his numbers are doing today and if they are going down and if he is feeling better than he was yesterday? Definitely keep testing for ketones. Keep adding a good amount of water to his food to keep him well-hydrated and make sure that he’s eating a good amount of food and not vomiting.

As for being insulin resistant, I do not believe that Alex is insulin resistant because if he were, you would never be seeing his blood glucose going down much at all — he would have very high and flat cycles almost all of the time. I know what it’s like to have an insulin resistant cat because my baby had acromegaly. He worked his way up to well over 40 units of insulin at one point— and supplementary insulin to boot. It didn’t really budge him much.

Alex hasn’t even been on his insulin for a full month yet, and it does take time to get them regulated ….. and it does take time for their bodies to become accustomed to using the insulin properly. Alex is very bouncy and yesterday he really bounced hard. I was happy to see him back in the pink this morning and also last night. I think he’s going to do better on this dose than the previous one, so let’s see how it goes.

Believe me, I know how upsetting it is to see the high numbers… and I know how upsetting and frustrating it is when you feel like everything you’re trying is just not helping your cat. It feels so frustrating and you feel so helpless… and you feel like the darn insulin isn’t doing anything that you expected it to be doing.
 
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Suzanne & Darcy said:
Believe me, I know how upsetting it is to see the high numbers… and I know how upsetting and frustrating it is when you feel like everything you’re trying is just not helping your cat. It feels so frustrating and you feel so helpless… and you feel like the darn insulin isn’t doing anything that you expected it to be doing.
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And like we say, treating feline diabetes is a marathon, not a sprint. More than likely, the dose will go up, then he'll earn a reduction, then he'll need to go back up...Up/Down/Up/Down....until he finally "settles in" and we start to see some kind of pattern.

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Suzanne & Darcy said:
I would like to know what his numbers are doing today and if they are going down and if he is feeling better than he was yesterday? Definitely keep testing for ketones. Keep adding a good amount of water to his food to keep him well-hydrated and make sure that he’s eating a good amount of food and not vomiting.

As for being insulin resistant, I do not believe that Alex is insulin resistant because if he were, you would never be seeing his blood glucose going down much at all — he would have very high and flat cycles almost all of the time. I know what it’s like to have an insulin resistant cat because my baby had acromegaly. He worked his way up to well over 40 units of insulin at one point— and supplementary insulin to boot. It didn’t really budge him much.

Alex hasn’t even been on his insulin for a full month yet, and it does take time to get them regulated ….. and it does take time for their bodies to become accustomed to using the insulin properly. Alex is very bouncy and yesterday he really bounced hard. I was happy to see him back in the pink this morning and also last night. I think he’s going to do better on this dose than the previous one, so let’s see how it goes.

Believe me, I know how upsetting it is to see the high numbers… and I know how upsetting and frustrating it is when you feel like everything you’re trying is just not helping your cat. It feels so frustrating and you feel so helpless… and you feel like the darn insulin isn’t doing anything that you expected it to be doing.
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Thank you so much!
It is really hard.. My son is really worried about his buddy and is really fearful of what’s to come.

Questions on amount of food to feed him of the FF at AMPS and PMPS…? How much of a can do you feed them?

Also, what snacks are best recommended for the in between times??

Thank you!
Maria
 
alexMama said:
Thank you so much!
It is really hard.. My son is really worried about his buddy and is really fearful of what’s to come.

Questions on amount of food to feed him of the FF at AMPS and PMPS…? How much of a can do you feed them?

Also, what snacks are best recommended for the in between times??

Thank you!
Maria
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There are different ways of doing it. One way is to take the full amount of food that you want him to eat for the day and split it up — feeding a larger meal at breakfast and dinner and feeding the +2 and +4 snacks of anywhere from a teaspoon to a tablespoon of food. Do you need him to gain weight? Lose weight? Or is he at a healthy weight right now?
 
Suzanne & Darcy said:
There are different ways of doing it. One way is to take the full amount of food that you want him to eat for the day and split it up — feeding a larger meal at breakfast and dinner and feeding the +2 and +4 snacks of anywhere from a teaspoon to a tablespoon of food. Do you need him to gain weight? Lose weight? Or is he at a healthy weight right now?
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he is down 2 pounds from his normal weight now… he’s now 10 pounds and is usually 12 pounds..
 
I am wondering if we are having kidney issues? He is not wanting to finish his food and he usually is ravenous for his food. He goes over and eats a little and then turns away.
He is definitely not feeling good..,
 
Suzanne & Darcy said:
There are different ways of doing it. One way is to take the full amount of food that you want him to eat for the day and split it up — feeding a larger meal at breakfast and dinner and feeding the +2 and +4 snacks of anywhere from a teaspoon to a tablespoon of food. Do you need him to gain weight? Lose weight? Or is he at a healthy weight right now?
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Do you only give additional food at +2 and +4 from AMPS or each time you check him throughout day for BG?
 
alexMama said:
I am wondering if we are having kidney issues? He is not wanting to finish his food and he usually is ravenous for his food. He goes over and eats a little and then turns away.
He is definitely not feeling good..,
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I’m sad to hear this. It’s probably the higher BG making him feel yucky. It’s hard to say. Hopefully he gets back to normal eating at least by tomorrow.
 
alexMama said:
Do you only give additional food at +2 and +4 from AMPS or each time you check him throughout day for BG?
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Well he always should get a treat with every ear prick, but the snacks/mini meals should be given earlier in the cycle. If he’s honestly ravenous though and just can’t wait — and it’s after nadir when we don’t like to give a lot of food — then go ahead and give him another snack of LC wet food — especially since he’s lost weight.
 
Tonight he would not finish his food at shot time, which is def not like him at all. He is slow and walking more on hocks like you mentioned.. I had not seen this before.. but my husband and son had..
He is very low energy and not purring and clearly doesn’t feel well. Hate this!
 

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I hate that too. Let me know if he’s still like that in the morning. Can you give sub-q fluids at home. What about B-12 injections (very easy - given just like an insulin injection sub-q.) It’s not the same as the oral form, but it still could be helpful until you get the Zobaline (which can also be ordered from Amazon.) Recheck ketones in the morning too.
 
422 this morning, AMPS, +2 397, but was hungry an purring,, so that’s good, but did not finish his food again.
Definitely weak in back legs, more weak than he already had been. Rear legs/Feet seem to be sliding along with him more often than him walking on them..

Ketones .7 (up from .4 and .5 from previous days)

Do you also know if I can buy more keto mojo ketone strips without buying their glucose strips?

Lastly, should I leave his food out for him or take away until next bg check?

Thank you,
Maria
 
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alexMama said:
Do you also know if I can buy more keto mojo ketone strips without buying their glucose strips?
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I don’t know. Where did you buy them from?

You can leave food out for him if you want to…. especially if he didn’t eat all his breakfast. Maybe just don’t leave a huge amount but at least the rest of his breakfast.
 
Suzanne & Darcy said:
I don’t know. Where did you buy them from?

You can leave food out for him if you want to…. especially if he didn’t eat all his breakfast. Maybe just don’t leave a huge amount but at least the rest of his breakfast.
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Respiratory rate is 46. Looks like he’s a little labored to me.. Which is what my son and husband saw while i was gone. He was fine and normal when I got there yesterday.. I got his rate while he was sleeping in window..
Sent video to vet of his breathing and they are concerned and want me to bring him in at 1:30
 
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321 at +5, high 46 respiratory rate and deep in breathing signs on his back sides.. AI makes it sound like DkA coming on.
I’m loading him up and heading towards vet now..🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
This is all new to us! What should I expect?
 
alexMama said:
321 at +5, high 46 respiratory rate and deep in breathing signs on his back sides.. AI makes it sound like DkA coming on.
I’m loading him up and heading towards vet now..🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
This is all new to us! What should I expect?
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Oh my no. That’s could be a heart problem. It should not be over 30 tops. I was going to say take him to the vet immediately but I see you have already. Now I am so worried. Please let me know. Saying a pretty for Alex now.
 
Here, he has fluids in lungs and it’s either DKA or Heart failure he said..
How do they know if it’s DKA for sure?
Dr in with another emergency now .. and I’m a mess!!! 🥹🥹
 
alexMama said:
Here, he has fluids in lungs and it’s either DKA or Heart failure he said..
How do they know if it’s DKA for sure?
Dr in with another emergency now .. and I’m a mess!!! 🥹🥹
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If he has heart disease it is very treatable! They also can daw the fluid off of his lungs. My heart disease kitty lived for years. She had fluid removed from her lungs and with meds had great quality of life. Don’t give up on Alex.
 
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Also …
This is a little of what I wrote on your direct message

DKA is diagnosed via bloodwork. Typically you will see low blood pH, low potassium, low bicarbonate, and other electrolyte abnormalities, high glucose obviously.
 
Def not giving up!! We love him dearly and he’s a part of our family. We will do our best to manage this new path with his heart and give him as much quality of life as we can. If things change drastically and we can’t keep him comfortable and he’s suffering at all, then we will cross that bridge when the time comes. Hopefully not for a good long time! 🥹
 
Suzanne & Darcy said:
If he has heart disease it is very treatable! They also can daw the fluid off of his lungs. My heart disease kitty lived for years. She had fluid removed from her lungs and with meds had great quality of life. Don’t give up on Alex.
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I told her the same thing....that heart disease is very treatable and many cats go on to live years. Some Lasix to get the water off and usually some type of heart medication to help it pump harder.

Vet said his heart is enlarged, which I told her would make sense since it's been having to work harder and when you work a muscle harder, it grows! So we're all hoping the Lasix will remove enough of the water to help his breathing and that it shouldn't take long to see (at least) some improvement....certainly by tomorrow since the vet gave 2 injections of lasix and is sending pills home.

Told her the same thing about DKA....that bloodwork would show abnormal electrolytes if it was DKA....the vet also told her there was a "possible" stone. So for now, we're concentrating on the heart first, the diabetes 2nd and we'll deal with "possible" later.

Also had to remind her that cats are MASTERS at hiding illness. This is nothing she could have anticipated.
 
We are back home and he looks much more comfortable and used the bathroom and ate a little.. Purring some too and very happy to see my son! He’s grooming now! all good signs!

I Will increase insulin to 1.5 tonight. Vet wanted to go to 2.0, little nervous about going that high. He was very impressed with my Bg spreadsheet though! lol! ☺️

I will ask about heart meds as well that you mentioned!
Will be keeping a watchful eye on him!!

Thank you for all of your help!!😻
 
Hi Chris. Yes. I have experience with heart disease have been making recommendations on her direct message she sent to me. Pimobendan, Lasix to keep fluid away (or Torsemide) Clopidogrel to help prevent clots (amd saddle thrombus). Rapamycin (Sirolimus). They can also draw the fluid from the plueral space via cystocentesis immediately since it looks like that’s where the fluid is on the report.
 
Keep an eye on that resting respiratory rate. When he is sleeping or resting and not purring, count one rise and fall of the chest as one breath. Set a timer on your phone for 15 seconds and count. Then multiply by four.
 
A cardiologist is the way to go. I drove two hours to get to ours. The regular vets are not specialists in this. Our cardiologist made several changes to my girl’s treatment plan and meds. Her equipment for visualizing the heart was light years ahead of the regular vets as was her knowledge of the heart, obviously.
 
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