Diabetic cat is twitching and shaking his head

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catslwilson

Member Since 2014
Our cat was diagnosed with diabetes about a year ago. Starting out with 3 1/2 units, dropping to 3, then 2 1/2 and recently told by our vet to lower his insulin from 2 1/2 units to 2 units, which we have done for the last two weeks. His appetite has slowed just a bit, and his water intake slowed a bit as well. I've noticed in the last couple of days, he has randomly been shaking his head, blinking his eyes and twitching. It's not all the time, but enough for me to monitor it. He plays, eats, bathroom habits are normal (actually he isn't urinating as much due to the fact that he isn't constantly consuming water). He isn't lethargic, acts normal in all other ways.

Could someone please tell me why the recent twitching, etc, and is this cause for concern?

Thanks so much.

Grover's Mom
 
It is possible that he is too low and experiencing hypo symptoms. The only way to know is to test him. Would you consider getting a meter and testing him? You can get a ReliOn meter at Walmart with strips for around $40. We can give you a shopping list and help you learn how to test him tonight. Then you won't have to worry and wonder - you'll know what his blood glucose levels are.
 
I'm open to testing him, however I'm curious - low meaning we might not be giving him enough insulin or too much??
 
When a cat is getting too much insulin, they can drop low and have a hypo, with symptoms like twitching, howling, seeming spaced out, being non responsive and sleepy. That may not be what is going on with your cat, but it could be.
 
Here is some info on how we test with a video:

Great site for beginning hometesters
Newbie hometesting site
Good hometesting site: How to Hometest


Video for hometesting

A shopping list and how to get your kitty ready


What you need to start hometesting

A human glucometer. Any one that sips and takes a tiny sample is fine. Some members stay away from any meter with True in the name and the Freestyle meters. Some people think they are unreliable and read lower than other meters. The meters are often free at drug stores; it’s the strips that are expensive. You can, however, buy them on ebay at less than half the price of stores. Lots of people here also like the ReliOn from Walmart. It is an inexpensive meter and its strips are the cheapest around. Try the meter out on yourself or someone else before you try it on your cat. You want to be familiar with it before you poke the cat.

Lancets and a lancet device. Usually, until the ears “learn” to bleed, a 26-28 gauge is good. Any brand will work as long as the lancets match your device.

Ketone strips. (Ketostix) Just like human diabetics use. You will sometimes need to test urine if the numbers are high.

Rice sack. Make this out of thinnish sock, filled with raw rice or oatmeal and then knotted. You heat this in the microwave until very warm but not hot. Then heat the ears before poking. You can also use a prescription bottle filled with very warm water. It provides a good surface to poke against.

Also nice to have. Flashlight: so you can look at the ears and find the little capillaries that come off the vein running down the ear. Vaseline: Put a tiny smear where you want to poke. It will help the blood bead up.

And some lo carb treats to give your kitty, successful test or not Lo carb treats

How to get the cat ready for home testing

First pick a place where you want to test. Some people use the kitchen counter, a blanket on the floor, between your legs while sitting – whatever works for you. Take the kitty there and give him/her lots of praise while you play with his/her ears. Give a treat and release. Next time, add the rice sack (thin sock filled with raw rice, heated in the microwave until very warm but not hot) or a prescription pill bottle filled with very warm water. Lots of praise, treat and release. Finally add the lancet so he/she will get used to the noise. The hope is that when you finally poke, they will be used to the process and know a treat is coming!
 
hi grovers mom. i totally agree with sue, and she knows her stuff. :) i would definitely test him regularly. is he on lantus?
my cat larry does this too since starting lantus. i wonder if its the same symptoms? for him, he is not low. not saying ur kitty isnt :) hope hes not. just wondering what this does mean. hoping to learn.
when larry does it, its like someone splashed water in his face, almost. he does 2 or 3 blinks, and 2 or 3 twitches. it has gotten much better since his dose has been reduced. it was bad when he was on a higher dose.
i hope we both learn the cause soon. best wishes!
 
Is there anything I can do right this moment to raise his levels? He seems to be twitching more rapidly. I gave him 2 units at 8 pm with his food.
 
If you were sure his numbers were too low, you could put honey on his gums, but he is not low, giving him honey may not help and could hurt. (If he is too high rather than too low, the honey would raise his numbers and make it worse.)

This is why testing is so wonderful. Instead of our guessing, we'd know.
 
cats, can u get to a 24 hr. walmart tonight? and pick up a relion meter and test strips? just to be safe? better safe than sorry.
 
I will test him for sure, but from what I'm seeing, he's too low. I've read Karo syrup is good, as well. Is one better than the other and how much?
 
Me, too! Husband is going to Walmart to get he testing supplies. He ate about a tablespoon of his wet food (friskies salmon) about 15 minutes ago. Our vet is open in the morning at 8 and I will take him over first thing. I'm just worried about him going through the night. If I need to give him the honey or karo, how much is enough?
 
Once you see what his number is, then you can know whether he is low and you need to give gravy food or honey and keep retesting until his numbers rise, or whether he is not too low and there is something else going on.

Can you hang on till you get the testing supplies? Make up a rice sack or find a pill bottle while you are waiting. Get a flashlight and look at his ears. Find the vein that runs down his ear. You want to aim for the capillaries that run off that vein toward the edge of the ear.
 
Yes, he has calmed down - no twitching or blinking right now. I'm thinking the food helped, right? Regardless, I will test him and go from there. I appreciate your help so much (and will make a donation at the first of June on payday).
 
Yes, food usually brings them up a little. He could go back down again if he is hypoing, so test when you get the supplies. You need to see 3 rising numbers, if he is low.
 
You want his glucose to stay > 50 mg/dL at all times.

If he is lower than that
1) feed 1-2 teaspoons of high carb gravvied food (ex Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers) OR 1-2 teaspoons of low crab food with a few drops of Karo or other syrup.
2) wait 20 min
3) then re-test
Repeat until his numbers are over 50, rising 2 or more times in a row, and it is more than 7 hours after the shot was given.
Note that Karo/syrup/gravy can wear off quickly, which is why you must keep checking.
 
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