Day 3…

Amybee and Pandora (GA)

Amybee and Pandora (GA)

Member
AMPS still black, I gave the 1 unit. So frustrating!

Still no ketones which is good though.

No poo for a few days so she had malt paste which she loves after her test. I am going to get a second litter tray, so I can have one with the non absorbent litter for when I want to test ketones and one normal in case she prefers to dig for pooing.

She did eat breakfast but only about 1/2 pouch. So eating, but not enough. She ate a bit more at +1 and I will try little and often throughout morning. She is thin, I can feel her spine and her bottom bones. She is still drinking. I am wondering if I should try giving her other tempting food that’s high in calories like yogurt, cream or baby food?

She is nearly 19 and she’s really unhappy. Worried if I am being cruel by keeping her going :(
 
I’m so sorry that she’s still bouncing. I understand how discouraging it is! It feels so hopeless when you keep getting those high numbers every time you test.

Unfortunately, I do not think that reducing her dose is going to help. It is true that when a cat experiences a very steep, rapid drop in BG that it can precipitate a bounce, and sometimes those bounces are bigger and more long lasting. However, bounces can still occur even if the lower number (that the cat isn’t accustomed to) occurs slowly over a period of hours. We haven’t seen rapid, steep drops on Pandora’s spreadsheet. On April 26, she took a long time to get down to pink.

My recommendation would still be to increase tomorrow to 1.5 units. We will not have waited a full 6 cycles at that point for the bounce to clear, but she is in such high numbers that it will still be safe to do the increase. We also don’t know if the bounce will take a full 6 cycles to clear. I hope not.
 
Amybee and Pandora said:
AMPS still black, I gave the 1 unit. So frustrating!

Still no ketones which is good though.

No poo for a few days so she had malt paste which she loves after her test. I am going to get a second litter tray, so I can have one with the non absorbent litter for when I want to test ketones and one normal in case she prefers to dig for pooing.

She did eat breakfast but only about 1/2 pouch. So eating, but not enough. She ate a bit more at +1 and I will try little and often throughout morning. She is thin, I can feel her spine and her bottom bones. She is still drinking. I am wondering if I should try giving her other tempting food that’s high in calories like yogurt, cream or baby food?

She is nearly 19 and she’s really unhappy. Worried if I am being cruel by keeping her going :(
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I would be careful about the dairy products as they may cause gastric upset - although I find that my cats can have plain yogurt without problems usually— I assume it’s because the lactose has been consumed by the probiotic organisms. You might tempt her with some baby food as long as it’s all meat with no seasoning like onion or garlic. I give this as well, at times. I hope you will give her a little more time to adjust. I think we really can get her feeling better. I see that many times after cats start to receive insulin they start feeling and acting better/happier even before I see them getting into much better numbers. Of course, I am sure she’s not feeling well in black, but sometimes just a little lowering of the numbers makes a lot of difference in how they feel.
 
Ok I will test at 3pm (+9) and take stock from there. It’s so hard seeing her so unhappy.

I’ve bought some Fortiflora which did tempt her to eat a couple of teaspoons of food for lunch but that’s it. She is sipping her water but peeing a lot less than yesterday.

I will give her the 1 unit this afternoon as usual and then email the vet about increasing the dose. If I do 1.5 tomorrow morning I will test more regularly afterwards.

thank you for checking in on us :)
 
It really must be hard to see her unhappy. Good about the Forti Flora. Sometimes that works for me. Lately what has been working even better for my 17 year old heart disease kitty is ground up Pure Bites freeze dried chicken pieces. I run them through a mincer until thy are finely ground and I sometimes have to sprinkle this “magic chicken dust” on her food to get her to eat much. I also use Mirataz appetite stimulant trans-dermal ointment on her ear.
 
I know you just have to kind of trust me, and I could be a complete idiot who doesn’t know what she’s talking about! If you want to, I will tag one of our moderators to come along and comment here.
@Shawn & Sir Maximus and @JulieL are members here on the ProZinc forum who have received help from me. Can y’all give some moral support here to Amy? She’s very worried and frustrated about the high numbers that her Pandora is currently having. They’re only on Day 3 of ProZinc, but the black numbers and bouncing are very worrying. You both can relate to what it’s like.
 
Suzanne & Darcy said:
It really must be hard to see her unhappy. Good about the Forti Flora. Sometimes that works for me. Lately what has been working even better for my 17 year old heart disease kitty is ground up Pure Bites freeze dried chicken pieces. I run them through a mincer until thy are finely ground and I sometimes have to sprinkle this “magic chicken dust” on her food to get her to eat much. I also use Mirataz appetite stimulant trans-dermal ointment on her ear.
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I have the Miratraz too! I was a bit worried about applying that to poked ears, but what I will do is to apply it to one ear at bedtime, and next day poke that ear and ointment the other ear and keep swapping.
 
Suzanne & Darcy said:
I know you just have to kind of trust me, and I could be a complete idiot who doesn’t know what she’s talking about! If you want to, I will tag one of our moderators to come along and comment here.
@Shawn & Sir Maximus and @JulieL are members here on the ProZinc forum who have received help from me. Can y’all give some moral support here to Amy? She’s very worried and frustrated about the high numbers that her Pandora is currently having. They’re only on Day 3 of ProZinc, but the black numbers and bouncing are very worrying. You both can relate to what it’s like.
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That would be great, thank you, I can tell you know what you’re talking about and are helping me greatly but the more, help the better! I have anxiety disorder which makes it harder for me to cope with stressful situations like this.
 
Amybee and Pandora said:
That would be great, thank you, I can tell you know what you’re talking about and are helping me greatly but the more, help the better! I have anxiety disorder which makes it harder for me to cope with stressful situations like this.
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Hello! I completely understand how you are feeling right now. When my Liberty was diagnosed in February, I was completely overwhelmed! I like to research and I was doing so much- it totally consumed me. It can be a bit confusing, because there is definitely a lot of conflicting info online. I lean towards scientific research and documentation, and I read a lot! I can’t tell you how grateful I was to come across this FDMB forum. It has helped me process everything, and I have learned so much. The experienced members here have years of knowledge, and I trust the wealth of information they are willing to share.

My kitty is on ProZinc, and the fact that there is a “process” to go through and guidelines to follow was so helpful. The ProZinc dosing methods info was invaluable! I read and reread it, and made notes so that it all made sense to me.

I am also incredibly grateful to Suzanne (@Suzanne & Darcy) for helping guide me through this often frustrating and overwhelming journey! She has been “with me” every step of the way, and that has been so comforting. Every cat is different (and cats can be so challenging because of that), but I really encourage you to trust Suzanne and the advice she gives you. And know that there are members here who truly care about what you are going through. I’m not experienced enough to give dosing advice, but I can offer moral support! :bighug:
 
Suzanne & Darcy said:
I know you just have to kind of trust me, and I could be a complete idiot who doesn’t know what she’s talking about! If you want to, I will tag one of our moderators to come along and comment here.
@Shawn & Sir Maximus and @JulieL are members here on the ProZinc forum who have received help from me. Can y’all give some moral support here to Amy? She’s very worried and frustrated about the high numbers that her Pandora is currently having. They’re only on Day 3 of ProZinc, but the black numbers and bouncing are very worrying. You both can relate to what it’s like.
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I can definitely relate to your frustration and with the high numbers and the bouncing. When my cat Sir Maximus 16 years old was diagnosed he was in the red numbers forever and then he would bounce from low back up to high. I was beginning to wonder if I was ever going to get him regulated and I times was losing hope but knew I had to hang in there for him and pray that he would balance out in due time and get used to the lower numbers. It takes time and a lot of patience and consistency for a cats body to adjust to being in lower numbers and prevent the bouncing. If you look at my spreadsheet from the beginning to where we our today you can see the progress Sir Maximus has made over time. I couldn't of got him regulated without Suzanne and the groups support and advice. Suzanne has been an Angel sent into our lives and we our both very grateful. Hang in there you will get your kitty regulated, It will take time and devotion but continue to follow Suzanne's advice and your kitty will be on his way to a healthier life and hopefully in remission one day. Reach out anytime. I have several posts that you can also read with my interactions with Suzanne and my own kitty's experiences thru out his journey.
 
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I would have never gotten through this without the help of this group.
although my girl is no longer on pro zinc I still follow this group as all the good advice here is like a refresher for me.
My girl is coming up in 6 years and although we never achieved remission, she is happy, playful and cuddly. I owe her life to this board.
 
JulieL said:
Hello! I completely understand how you are feeling right now. When my Liberty was diagnosed in February, I was completely overwhelmed! I like to research and I was doing so much- it totally consumed me. It can be a bit confusing, because there is definitely a lot of conflicting info online. I lean towards scientific research and documentation, and I read a lot! I can’t tell you how grateful I was to come across this FDMB forum. It has helped me process everything, and I have learned so much. The experienced members here have years of knowledge, and I trust the wealth of information they are willing to share.

My kitty is on ProZinc, and the fact that there is a “process” to go through and guidelines to follow was so helpful. The ProZinc dosing methods info was invaluable! I read and reread it, and made notes so that it all made sense to me.

I am also incredibly grateful to Suzanne (@Suzanne & Darcy) for helping guide me through this often frustrating and overwhelming journey! She has been “with me” every step of the way, and that has been so comforting. Every cat is different (and cats can be so challenging because of that), but I really encourage you to trust Suzanne and the advice she gives you. And know that there are members here who truly care about what you are going through. I’m not experienced enough to give dosing advice, but I can offer moral support! :bighug:
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Hello Julie, thank you so much for taking the time to post. Your post really echoed with me, I have been totally consumed too the last few days and I am someone who researches, analyses, monitors… I like to feel in control and so this is awful for me! It is almost “too much information” which I’m looking at obsessively and not able to relax or focus on anything else.

Most of what I’ve read has been on this forum and the information is incredibly helpful. I’ve also looked at your spreadsheet which has helped me to see that progress is possible and hopefully this is not forever! Pandora is an old girl now, and as soon as anything changes or she turns her nose up at one meal, I panic that it means she’s about to die. She’s so unwell right now and I feel so sorry for her and powerless. She just seems to be getting worse :(

Suzanne has been absolutely amazing and has probably stopped me going totally off the wall!

I am so glad your kitty is doing so much better, Liberty is gorgeous :) Hopefully Pandie will be able to follow in his paw prints. Or at least if not, I will have done my absolute best for her.
 
Shawn & Sir Maximus said:
I can definitely relate to your frustration and with the high numbers and the bouncing. When my cat Sir Maximus 16 years old was diagnosed he was in the red numbers forever and then he would bounce from low back up to high. I was beginning to wonder if I was ever going to get him regulated and I times was losing hope but knew I had to hang in there for him and pray that he would balance out in due time and get used to the lower numbers. It takes time and a lot of patience and consistency for a cats body to adjust to being in lower numbers and prevent the bouncing. If you look at my spreadsheet from the beginning to where we our today you can see the progress Sir Maximus has made over time. I couldn't of got him regulated without Suzanne and the groups support and advice. Suzanne has been an Angel sent into our lives and we our both very grateful. Hang in there you will get your kitty regulated, It will take time and devotion but continue to follow Suzanne's advice and your kitty will be on his way to a healthier life and hopefully in remission one day. Reach out anytime. I have several posts that you can also read with my interactions with Suzanne and my own kitty's experiences thru out his journey.
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Hello Shawn thank you so much for your support. I didn’t know what to expect with this but I guess I just thought the insulin would make her better right away! Looking back at the posts and spreadsheets of you and others I can see it’s not that simple :(.

It’s the blacks that scare me and I see you had a few of those mixed in there but your colours are looking so lovely now! I hope one day Pand’s spreadsheet will look more like that! At the moment I am trying to just take one day at a time and not lose hope. It’s when she won’t eat I get really scared as she’s already so thin from this horrible thing.

This is going to take work but am encouraged by your and Julie’s hard work and results!
 
Lisa and little said:
I would have never gotten through this without the help of this group.
although my girl is no longer on pro zinc I still follow this group as all the good advice here is like a refresher for me.
My girl is coming up in 6 years and although we never achieved remission, she is happy, playful and cuddly. I owe her life to this board.
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Wow you’ve persevered for such a long time and I meltdown on day 3 haha! I’m so glad your kitty is doing well. And long may it continue.
 
Amybee and Pandora said:
Hello Shawn thank you so much for your support. I didn’t know what to expect with this but I guess I just thought the insulin would make her better right away! Looking back at the posts and spreadsheets of you and others I can see it’s not that simple :(.

It’s the blacks that scare me and I see you had a few of those mixed in there but your colours are looking so lovely now! I hope one day Pand’s spreadsheet will look more like that! At the moment I am trying to just take one day at a time and not lose hope. It’s when she won’t eat I get really scared as she’s already so thin from this horrible thing.

This is going to take work but am encouraged by your and Julie’s hard work and results!
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Just wanted to offer a few other notes to you. I have had great success with the Pure Bites Freeze Dried( Chicken). I get them at Pet Smart and get they have them both for cats and dogs. I get the dog ones because they our bigger and you get more for your money. Just crush one up finely and sprinkel on his food. It's like a food stimulate for cats. I currently feed my kitty Fancy Feast Chicken Classic but all comes down to what your kitty likes. Right now it is just important she eats enough calories. Try the Pure Bites and hopefully they will help with her appetite.

Also i did notice something valuable with my Pro Zinc, My bottle was 3 1/2 months old and when i switched to a fresh new bottle his numbers and dosage dropped significantly. I called the manufacturer and they told me the bottle is good for 60 days and then should be replaced but i also see other members say its fine to go longer that the 60 days. I would just keep an eye out for that when that times comes. Going on my own personal experience i will be replacing the bottle sooner than later because i did see a difference.

I know its stressful but just trust the process and and be patient and you will have a big smile on your face when you start seeing those blues and greens.
 
Amybee and Pandora said:
I have the Miratraz too! I was a bit worried about applying that to poked ears, but what I will do is to apply it to one ear at bedtime, and next day poke that ear and ointment the other ear and keep swapping.
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That’s a good way of doing it. Periodically you have to clean the inner ear with some warm water and a cloth. I recommend starting slowly with Mirataz- like using half the length of the strip that is printed on the box. And many cats only need it every other day instead of every day. We don’t want her to get restless and extremely vocal, which can happen with Mirtazapine either in pill or ointment form.
 
Amybee and Pandora said:
I will reply properly later to the lovely messages; I had a meltdown.

@Suzanne & Darcy PMPS is 38.9
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Oh, I saw that 700 and just cringed! I didn’t even realize that the Alpha Trak went that high (and can we really trust that number?). My meter just got to a certain point and read HI. That was bad enough!

I’m thinking your vet may even recommend moving to 2 units. Vets tend to make changes in larger increments than we do here, and many do not seem to understand the huge differences that small changes in dose can make to a cat. If you do that, we would hold the dose longer. I was thinking we should give 1.5 units 3 days or so and then decide on the next steps. Her body is adjusting to receiving insulin. Now if you should start seeing ketones in her urine, that would change things.
 
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