Complex cat - experienced eyes please!

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Barbara

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My cat was diagnosed April 1, she has been on Pro Zinc & as you can see from her SS she has gotten to some pretty low #'s but then shoots back up again. A few weeks ago I noticed her breathing seemed strange. It's kind of fast, you can see her breathing on her sides, almost as if you are sniffing something. I took her into my vet last week & they ran blood work, urinalysis, EKG and did a chest xray. They said her lymph nodes were enlarged & they thought they saw some fluid around her heart so they put her on 25 mg Zenequin. After 7 days on that she still has the labored breathing & has gotten very lethargic. I took her back yesterday & they decided to repeat the xray & do another EKG to compare. They said the lymph nodes looked smaller & consulted an cardiac specialist & she said the EKG was fine. All other blood work looked ok & the urinalysis also. Somehow they decided she might need a echocardigram so I was gonna make an appt with the cardiologist. He gave her an injection of lasix to see if that helped. For the life of me I can't remember exactly why he said that. He also said her blood pressure was high so gave me a prescription for med that I didn't end up filling. Oh and he said her red blood count was high. I also forgot to add on ketone pee strips she has showed trace for a couple of months & when I mention that to him he says it's not an issue. I asked them to check her ketones by a blood test & they said they had never even heard of doing that. I got her home yesterday & for about 45 mins she seemed ok. I checked BG & she was at 600, she has never been that high. I put her food out & she didn't come so I picked her up, when I put her down she fell over & couldn't stand. She gained some composure, walked to the cat bed, peed then ended up being able to jump back on the couch. I assume the peeing was due to the lasix. I took her to the emergency vet & they at first thought she was DKA since BG was so high & she was showing trace ketones. I left her over night along with her insulin & FF can food. They gave her fluids & Humlin R at 10:00 pm last night. She improved & today her BG was 349 @ noon - 271 @ 3:00 - she hasn't had any insulin, she is now @ 292. Now they are blaming everything on diabetes. Since she ended up not being DKA I asked why was she unable to stand & they said just cause her BG was so high. Now they said they think it's Syomogyi, they sent her home & said not to give her any insulin unless she goes above 400 since she dropped from 600 last night to 100 with only the one dose of R. They said I need to feed W/D or D/M, I told them FF was low carb & they said it's the kind of carbs that count. They said once she gets on a good diet she might be able to come off insulin. :roll: I'm not planning on taking her back to my regular vet...I don't think he knows what to do & is just guessing...like here, take this antibiotic & see if it will work. I do have an appt tomorrow afternoon with an internist about an hour away. The ER vet referred me there to see if they can get her diabetes under control. Right...I just quit talking to them. I already tried to tell them it's something else but they won't listen. I told them she has been in lower #'s then shoots right back up. I hope I've made sense here and haven't rambled too much! Anyone have any advice?
 
Re: Need advice - long post!

Barb,

Did a quick search on the side effect of Lasix in cats....Love my college vet library....these are the signs of overdose of Furosemide (the active ingredient in Lasix)

Cats who have too much furosemide in their system may suffer from weakness, dizziness, fainting, loss of appetite and confusion.

I don't know if that is what happened here, but sounds close to what you are describing, but I have no clue if that would also cause her BGs to spike.

Mel, Maxwell and The Fur Gang.
 
Re: Need advice - long post!

Geez, just wing out the Lasix and shoot the cat! Lasix is good when proven it is needed. Besides the internist, I would also get to a cardiologist for an echocardiogram. EKG doesn't rule out a heart problem alone. I would also have her potassium level checked along with her thyroid if possible.
 
Re: Need advice - long post!

MommaOfMuse said:
Cats who have too much furosemide in their system may suffer from weakness, dizziness, fainting, loss of appetite and confusion. Mel, Maxwell and The Fur Gang.

Thanks! That does sound exactly like what happened. I still think there is an underlying issue though. The ER vet said she wasn't breathing fast/shallow...too bad she's still doing it. Even my regular vet recognized it wasn't normal. One thing he got right!
 
Re: Need advice - long post!

Hope + (((Baby)))GA said:
Geez, just wing out the Lasix and shoot the cat! Lasix is good when proven it is needed. Besides the internist, I would also get to a cardiologist for an echocardiogram. EKG doesn't rule out a heart problem alone. I would also have her potassium level checked along with her thyroid if possible.

Yeah, I should have realized it was a bad move anyway...trace ketones, then lets get all the fluid out of her! I think that's where he was going with the echocardiogram, that the EKG wouldn't show everything. They checked her potassium last night & said it was ok and her thyroid is actually on the low side which they said could happen in a stressed out cat.
 
If she is still breathing fast/shallow then there is definitely something underlying it all...but no clue what. But given the timing of the shot of Lasix and her becoming almost unresponsive would make me think at least part of the problem would have been an overdose of lasix...wish I could be more help, for now all I can do is offer prayers that you can get to the bottom of it and Thumper makes a complete recovery...(hugs to you both)

Mel, Maxwell and The Fur Gang
 
How much Lasix was given (mg)? Plumb's says up to 4.4 mg/kg IV or IM every 1-2 hours. My Mitten was on oral Lasix 10 mg three times a day with not adverse problems.
 
Larry and Kitties said:
How much Lasix was given (mg)? Plumb's says up to 4.4 mg/kg IV or IM every 1-2 hours. My Mitten was on oral Lasix 10 mg three times a day with not adverse problems.

I don't know...he just said he was giving her a Lasix injection. I didn't know enough to ask. I saw an internist today & he says there is no evidence of heart trouble. It was just some sort of wild guess I suppose? This guy basically ignored my questions, did an ultrasound, said he didn't see any problems except small kidneys & is doing a urine culture. No explanation for the breathing or the lethargy.
 
List of VA Board Certified Veterinary Cardiologists

Virginia
blacksburg
Dr. Jonathan Abbott
Small Animal Clinical Services
VA-MD Regional College of Veterinary Medicine
Virginia Tech. University
Blacksburg. VA 24061-0442
Tel: 540-231-4621; 540-231-7288
E-mail: abbottj@vt.edu
www.vth.vt.edu/clinicalservices/smallan ... animal.asp

Dr. Andrea C. Lantis
Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences
VA-MD Regional College of Vet Med
Phase II, Duck Pond Drive (0442)
Blacksburg, VA 2406
Tel: 540-231-4621
lantis@vt.edu

Dr. R. Lee Pyle
Small Animal Clinical Services
VA-MD Regional College of Veterinary Medicine
Virginia Tech. University
Blacksburg, VA 24061-0442
Tel: 540-231-7666; 540-231-7367
E-mail: rpyle@vt.edu
www.vth.vt.edu/clinicalservices/smallan ... animal.asp

leesburg
Dr. Gina Pasieka
Chesapeake Veterinary Cardiology Associates
The LifeCentre
165 Fort Evans Road NE
Leesburg, VA 20175
Tel: 703-669-9311; 703-777-5755
www.cvcavets.com

Dr. William D. Tyrrell, Jr.
Chesapeake Veterinary Cardiology Associates
The LifeCentre
165 Fort Evans Road NE
Leesburg, VA 20175
Tel: 703-669-9311; 703-777-5755
www.cvcavets.com

richmond
Dr. Jess A. Weidman
Chesapeake Veterinary Cardiology Associates
Veterinary Emergency Center of Carytown
3312 West Cary Street
Richmond, VA 23221
Tel: 804-497-8940
www.cvcavets.com

springfield
Dr. Bonnie Kay Lefbom
Chesapeake Veterinary Cardiology Associates
Regional Veterinary Referral Center
6651 F Backlick Rd.
Springfield, VA 22150
Tel: 703-281-7717
www.cvcavets.com

Dr. Jennifer A. Sidley
Chesapeake Veterinary Cardiology Associates
Regional Veterinary Referral Center
6651 F Backlick Rd.
Springfield, VA 22150
Tel: 703-281-7717
Email: jensidley@gmail.com
www.cvcavets.com

vienna
Dr. Kristin A. Jacob
Chesapeake Veterinary Cardiology Associates
140 Park Street SE
Vienna, VA 22180
Tel: 703-281-7717
www.cvcavets.com

Dr. Bonnie Kay Lefbom
Chesapeake Veterinary Cardiology Associates
Hope Center For Advanced Veterinary Medicine
140 Park Street SE
Vienna, VA 22180
Tel: 703-281-7717
www.cvcavets.com

Dr. Gina Pasieka
Chesapeake Veterinary Cardiology Associates
Hope Center For Advanced Veterinary Medicine
140 Park Street SE
Vienna, VA 22180
Tel: 703-281-7717
www.cvcavets.com

Dr. Jennifer A. Sidley
Chesapeake Veterinary Cardiology Associates
Hope Center For Advanced Veterinary Medicine
140 Park Street SE
Vienna, VA 22180
Email: jensidley@gmail.com
Tel: 703-281-7717
www.cvcavets.com

virginia beach
Dr. Merrilee Small
Tidewater Veterinary Cardiology
364 South Independence Boulevard
Virginia Beach, VA 23452-1049
Tel: 757-499-1709
 
wow - I totally understand your frustration level. here you are telling them that something is wrong and instead of questioning and listening to you, they trot out expensive tests and insist on giving drugs that may or may not be needed and from the sound of it, had adverse effects.

Keep your resolve and find a vet that will listen and work with you. Maybe one of these specialists that were listed will be good and help you figure out what's going on.
 
Hope, thanks so much for taking the time to post those cardiologists. Dr Small in VB is the one I would go to. I have heard good things about her.

We had to go back to the vet this morning. She ate last night & I gave her insulin. I have been sleeping on the couch with her for the last 2 nights. She woke me up at +8 throwing, up BG at that time was 355, she vomited again sometime after that. I couldn't manage to drag myself up so I didn't get a BG till +12.5 & it was 335 but she wouldn't get up or eat. I had no choice but to take her back to my regular vet. He told me not to worry ab out giving the insulin unless she got over 400. He said she's been through a lot the past few days so she might just need to rest. They tried to get more blood but couldn't...said she was bruised from all she had done since Wed. I had asked about testing for pancreatitis even though she hasn't really been throwing up...a shot in the dark. He gave her an injection for nauseau & a pepcid injection and told me what time he would be at the clinic tomorrow (they are closed) in case she's still not eating. I'm not real comfortable letting BG get that high but she's sleeping so I'm leaving her alone for now. It seems most of the vets think it's great to have BG in the mid 300's, they have all told me those #'s are not too high.
 
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