Confused after Fearless's vet visit

[fearlessmom]

Fearless trying to clear a bounce (AMPS=210 +3 120 vet visit +5 184)

Vet visit this morning to check Fearless's teeth/gums and discuss TR approach. Vet doesn't think minor dental issues (tartar) are contributing to Fearless not holding reductions. Thinks OTJ is unlikely after 6 mos and we should go for regulation (100-250 on feline meter) instead of remission. Thinks we're testing too much and concerned that our approach is contributing to bouncing. He suggests going off insulin for 2-3 days to see if counts stabilize below 250. Thoughts?​

 

[Bobbie And Bubba]

Hog wash from your vet! Tarter causes inflammation. Inflammation keeps numbers higher. I would get a dental done to take that off the table.

Also, Bubba went OTJ after 14 months of being diabetic and then 2 more times. (hoping for a 4th). Most vets don't even promote testing at all which blows my mind! How can you keep a cat safe and how do you know how low the dose is taking the kitty so you know if the dose needs adjusting up or down?

Why would you want to take him off insulin when he is giving you numbers higher than the renal threshold? ( these questions are more for your vet, LOL ) If you took him off insulin for a few days you would destroy all the progress you have made with Fearless. You have gone from 2 units down to .75 of a unit. Bouncing is just part of the dance with a lot of kitties. Some kitties bounce all the way into remission. Other kitties flatten out and then go into remission.

I would ignore every thing your vet has said to you today. I'm sorry. Vets are really smart docs but really missing the mark with feline diabetes. That's my 2 cents worth. Rant over.

 

[tiffmaxee]

I agree with Bobbie! Max bounced for a year. Then he was tightly regulated. He had chronic pancreatitis for several years which is likely why he never went into remission but a three week holiday early on because I wasn't home testing and couldn't be around enough to feed him often due to family illness likely didn't help either. Lots here went into remission after a year or two.

 

[Amy&TrixieCat]

I agree with Elise and Bobbie. FYI, Trixie went into remission after being on insulin for 3 years...not the norm, of course, but you never know. But yes, some kitties go into remission; some simply become regulated; others bounce all the time. Going off insulin isn't the answer, nor is backing off testing. Regulation is not a bad thing to shoot for, but there is no reason to not hope and aim for remission.

 

[Tricia Cinco(GA) & Harvey]

Sorry, I have to agree with the others about your vet's being off base. There is no such thing as testing too much!!!! Sounds like he doesn't have a lot of experience with FD. To be fair, vets get only about 5 hours of study on diabetes in vet school, and that covers both cats and dogs. They have to know a lot about many different illnesses and conditions in multiple species, so it isn't surprising that they don't know a lot about any one disease.

If it's been over a year since Fearless had a dental, then I'd definitely get one scheduled. Even if it doesn't help with his numbers, it's better for him all around.

Conventional wisdom is that a cat is most likely to go into remission in the first 3-6 months after diagnosis, but that isn't true of all cats. As others have said, we have had plenty of cats here that have gone into remission after longer than 6 months. Carla's Furball is another, and if I did some research I could probably list at least half a dozen others.

The question is, what is your goal for Fearless, not your vet's?

 

[Gill & George]

I haven't stopped by for ages, but I have to add my voice to the others.

Taking him off the insulin makes no sense. I've seen a number of CG's vets suggest a similar approach, the so called 'rebound check' just ends up wasting time, kitty ends up in high numbers, then when you restart the insulin you end up having to take the dose up higher than he was in the first place before you start to see nice numbers again.

I wouldn't lose hope, he's doing ok, some kitties are just bouncy, I don't think your testing is contributing, though you do a great job monitoring him you're by no means top of the league tables in terms of testaholics anonymous, look at how flat George was....and look at how often I tested, honestly the bouncing has nothing to do with your testing.

If you feel like he's not holding his reductions you could try using the 3drops into the 40s rule, that's a strategy that can help with bouncy kitties that don't hold their reductions.