Corduroy and the Dental Vet (Update)

[blove7]

Good morning everyone,

I talked to the dental specialist yesterday and told him about how Corduroy's BG levels were sky-high since the shot of Convenia. He said that he usually uses another antibiotic, but that that one (I can't remember the name of it :sad: ) causes kitties' BG levels to go up, so this is why he chose Convenia because it usually doesn't do this. He said, of course, Corduroy proved him wrong this time. He wants us to have an ultrasound done to rule out pancreatic cancer because:

1. The insulin isn't taking his numbers down
2. He seems to think the crunching is from "referred pain" because the Convenia isn't working. In other words, it's not really from his mouth. However, I'm really questioning this because he mostly does it after/while he's eating. There have been times here and there when he's cleaning himself and it happens, but most of the time, it's when he's eating.

Of course, after I talked to the dental specialist yesterday, another twist in the plot...Corduroy's numbers go sky-diving down! So, I imagine that I'll need to call him back to tell him this because in this light, it may NOT be a problem with his pancreas. I'm just confused. I have an appointment for this Friday with a vet that the dental specialist recommended to get the ultrasound done. However, it's going to cost around $400 by the time it's all said and done.

Thanks for listening! I hope you all have a great Wednesday and that your kitties are doing great as well! :mrgreen:

BTW, here's a link to my previous post about the dental specialist: viewtopic.php?f=9&t=118314

 

[Shelly & Jersey (GA)]

Hi Brigitte,

No advice from me on any of this - just lots of moral support and healing vines headed to you and Corduroy. :YMHUG: I didn't see any numbers on the SS for today. How was Corduroy's number this morning? That was quite a drop yesterday right around the PMPS time! :shock:

Shelly

 

[julie & punkin (ga)]

YAY that Corduroy's numbers came back down today after the skipped shot! that's great.

I don't know enough to comment about the dentist's thoughts. Perhaps someone else will. I have a hard time thinking that him making a crunching noise could mean that he has pancreatic cancer. What could the connection possibly be? Seems to me that it would make a lot more sense to say that he's got something in his mouth that's bothering him.

Doesn't mean that it's not possible, but I'm not aware of any antibiotic that increases blood sugar unless it has sugar added to the AB. Do you know what that other AB that increases BGs is?

If he were mine, i'd probably want to try a different AB before I paid for an ultrasound. Or have a dental done (which would cost a similar amount to the ultrasound) and have his mouth looked at more closely while he's under anesthesia.

but i'm not a vet - that's just what i'm thinking.

 

[Sienne and Gabby (GA)]

Brigitte:

You might want to ask the vet a few more questions. Pancreatic cancer in cats is typically due to the presence of an insulinoma -- a tumor that secretes insulin. What you would see are symptoms of hypoglycemia. That's not what concerned you with Corduroy. You were worried about the high numbers. With most forms of cancer, numbers drop. Cancers suck up all of the glucose so that even a cat that's been in higher numbers all of a sudden is hanging out in a normal range. With pancreatic cancer, the danger is of a sudden episode of symptomatic hypoglycemia.

Frankly, what his SS looks like to me is the presence of an infection. I don't think Convenia was a good choice of an AB. Did the vet take dental x-rays?

 

[blove7]

Hi Sienne,

No, the dentist didn't take any x-rays this time around. I think he did way back when we had the first procedure done, which was a few years ago. I'm thinking about taking him to another dental specialist here in MI to get a second opinion because I really can't help but think it's a problem/infection with his mouth since when he eats, he runs away, starts doing the crunching noise and paws at the left side of his mouth furiously. Poor little guy! I have an appointment scheduled with this same dentist for June 17th, but am going to call to see about another dentist in the area to check him out.

 

[tiffmaxee]

Hi. In my humble opinion I would go to a different vet. My Max has chronic pancreatitis so I read a lot about cats with liver issues. This does not sound like that to me unless he believes that the sound Corduroy makes is due to nausea. How is the appetite? Max was given a shot of convenia a couple of weeks ago because he was making grunting noises and his x-rays showed a possibility of infection in one lung. My vet also said it would not interfere with his diabetes and it didn't. I'm not sure if it helped or not as we didn't find a cause for the behavior but after a few days he stopped. He seemed in distress to me at the time so I okayed the convenia but I wouldn't get it again because I read it can stay in the system for a few months. So if there is a bad reaction there is nothing that can be done and if it doesn't help you may need a different antibiotic on top of it. Sorry for the long post but I've been up most of the night. I sure hope you see a different vet though and that you get to the bottom of whatever is bothering Corduroy quickly.

 

[blove7]

Hi Tiffmaxee,

I just made an appointment today for a different dental specialist to get a second opinion! I feel really good about it too...a little more peaceful than if I would just go back to him. Don't get me wrong, I think he's a good vet, I just feel better doing this first. So, the appointment is for May 30th. I hope they find that it's something with his mouth.