Hello, my name is Robyn. My cat Lincoln was diagnosed with diabetes on May 13th. This has been a very confusing time for me. I feel so lost. I'm very thankful for the information I have read here. It helps so much to know there is a community of knowledgeable and friendly people. 
My husband and I adopted Lincoln as a FIV+ adult cat of unknown age about 5 years ago. The whole time we've known him, he's never been very active. He's always has hind-leg issues (that we were told was simply arthritis and would get worse with age), drank a lot (and we were told it was good he drank his water), and had quite an appetite. He weighed about 16 pounds when we adopted him, and I believe we got him down to 14 pounds at one point, but he tended to hover around 15 pounds. He also has a history of gingivitis and tooth disease.
I realize his inability to lose weight is directly our fault for overfeeding him. We had tried to limit his food intake in the past, but he always seemed abnormally hungry and demanding about his food. Lincoln is not our first cat, and we have helped other cats lose weight, but somehow Lincoln always seemed a bit different. Perhaps he was exhibiting pre-diabetic signs the whole time we've had him.
His BG readings have been all over the place. I don't know if that's typical when first beginning insulin or if we're seeing the Somogyi effect. Through all this, he has been showing improvement and is in good spirits. I think the biggest thing I am struggling with right now is how to organize all the information I have collected on him in a useful way.
I have started a spreadsheet for him (linked in my signature) where I've taken some BG readings at home. I have also posted him lab work from 5/13 where he was diagnosed with diabetes. Here is some of his recent history...
July 21, 2014
Regular wellness visit, vaccines
15.13 pounds
normal blood tests prior to dental cleaning (data not available currently)
high-carb dry food diet
May 12, 2015
Wellness visit, having a "bump" on his jaw checked out, intended to schedule dental cleaning
11.00 pounds (We had no idea he had lost weight
)
vet suspected diabetes due to weightloss, pu/pd, hind leg weakness, and plantigrade stance
likely not well enough for dental cleaning
Blood test and urinalysis taken to look for disease, most likely diabetes
Prescribed antibiotics for "bump" on jaw, but they forgot to give them to us
high-carb dry food diet
May 13
Received call from vet about blood test results. Told he had 553 BG and diabetes, and that we need to come in to get insulin prescription.
May 14
Began transitioning from dry food to canned food
May 17
On an exclusively canned food diet. Primarily Friskies pates with some Fancy Feast pate.
May 20
Brought Lincoln to the vet to pick up Lantus prescription and syringe prescription. They showed us how to give injections. Clarified about the antibiotics and received ZydaClin. Told to come back once a week for a glucose curve until he's regulated.
May 21
Began 1 unit of Lantus twice daily and 1.25mL of ZydaClin twice daily.
May 22 - 27
Fed him about 11-12oz canned food daily, concerned about overfeeding but he often whines for more food. He is good about taking his injections and antibiotics. Still showing signs of pu/pd, but is noticeably drinking/peeing less. Hind legs showing a little improvement. He is experiencing soft stools (about a score 5 on the Nestle Purina Fecal Score Chart) probably due to antibiotics, but checking his scruff shows he's doing alright on hydration. Only took about 1 BG test a day.
May 28
Weighed 11.63 pounds (so he gained ~10oz in his first week on insulin)
Brought him in for glucose curve. We do not have the data from this, but we spoke briefly with the vet who said he went from 124 to 400-something and they only wanted him for 6 hours. She didn't want us coming back for glucose curves anymore. Told to bring in a urine sample in 2 weeks for urinalysis, and to bring back Lincoln for a fructosamine check in 4 weeks. Continue with 1 unit Lantus twice daily. Still on 1.25mL ZydaClin twice daily as well. Vet says the "bump" on his jaw is likely an abscessed tooth, and it is responding well to the antibiotic treatment.
May 29
Caught my first midstream urine sample from him for practice! He was good for it. I did test it with a urinalysis strip. Glucose +++ but no ketones. He seems to be adjusting to timed feedings better and not begging for food as often, and the "new deliciousness" of the wet food seems to be wearing off, so I am attempting to feed him less to avoid weight gain. Introduced homemade chicken stock (just chicken simmered in water with the fat skimmed off) to help keep his hydration up.
May 31
His soft stool has firmed up a bit, seemed midway between a score 2 and a score 3. He seemed much more energetic today.
I'm sorry, I realize I'm all over the place with his information. Thank you for making it through this wall of text to learn about my handsome little Lincoln.
I must get a picture up soon.
My husband and I adopted Lincoln as a FIV+ adult cat of unknown age about 5 years ago. The whole time we've known him, he's never been very active. He's always has hind-leg issues (that we were told was simply arthritis and would get worse with age), drank a lot (and we were told it was good he drank his water), and had quite an appetite. He weighed about 16 pounds when we adopted him, and I believe we got him down to 14 pounds at one point, but he tended to hover around 15 pounds. He also has a history of gingivitis and tooth disease.
I realize his inability to lose weight is directly our fault for overfeeding him. We had tried to limit his food intake in the past, but he always seemed abnormally hungry and demanding about his food. Lincoln is not our first cat, and we have helped other cats lose weight, but somehow Lincoln always seemed a bit different. Perhaps he was exhibiting pre-diabetic signs the whole time we've had him.
His BG readings have been all over the place. I don't know if that's typical when first beginning insulin or if we're seeing the Somogyi effect. Through all this, he has been showing improvement and is in good spirits. I think the biggest thing I am struggling with right now is how to organize all the information I have collected on him in a useful way.
I have started a spreadsheet for him (linked in my signature) where I've taken some BG readings at home. I have also posted him lab work from 5/13 where he was diagnosed with diabetes. Here is some of his recent history...
July 21, 2014
Regular wellness visit, vaccines
15.13 pounds
normal blood tests prior to dental cleaning (data not available currently)
high-carb dry food diet
May 12, 2015
Wellness visit, having a "bump" on his jaw checked out, intended to schedule dental cleaning
11.00 pounds (We had no idea he had lost weight
)vet suspected diabetes due to weightloss, pu/pd, hind leg weakness, and plantigrade stance
likely not well enough for dental cleaning
Blood test and urinalysis taken to look for disease, most likely diabetes
Prescribed antibiotics for "bump" on jaw, but they forgot to give them to us
high-carb dry food diet
May 13
Received call from vet about blood test results. Told he had 553 BG and diabetes, and that we need to come in to get insulin prescription.
May 14
Began transitioning from dry food to canned food
May 17
On an exclusively canned food diet. Primarily Friskies pates with some Fancy Feast pate.
May 20
Brought Lincoln to the vet to pick up Lantus prescription and syringe prescription. They showed us how to give injections. Clarified about the antibiotics and received ZydaClin. Told to come back once a week for a glucose curve until he's regulated.
May 21
Began 1 unit of Lantus twice daily and 1.25mL of ZydaClin twice daily.
May 22 - 27
Fed him about 11-12oz canned food daily, concerned about overfeeding but he often whines for more food. He is good about taking his injections and antibiotics. Still showing signs of pu/pd, but is noticeably drinking/peeing less. Hind legs showing a little improvement. He is experiencing soft stools (about a score 5 on the Nestle Purina Fecal Score Chart) probably due to antibiotics, but checking his scruff shows he's doing alright on hydration. Only took about 1 BG test a day.
May 28
Weighed 11.63 pounds (so he gained ~10oz in his first week on insulin)
Brought him in for glucose curve. We do not have the data from this, but we spoke briefly with the vet who said he went from 124 to 400-something and they only wanted him for 6 hours. She didn't want us coming back for glucose curves anymore. Told to bring in a urine sample in 2 weeks for urinalysis, and to bring back Lincoln for a fructosamine check in 4 weeks. Continue with 1 unit Lantus twice daily. Still on 1.25mL ZydaClin twice daily as well. Vet says the "bump" on his jaw is likely an abscessed tooth, and it is responding well to the antibiotic treatment.
May 29
Caught my first midstream urine sample from him for practice! He was good for it. I did test it with a urinalysis strip. Glucose +++ but no ketones. He seems to be adjusting to timed feedings better and not begging for food as often, and the "new deliciousness" of the wet food seems to be wearing off, so I am attempting to feed him less to avoid weight gain. Introduced homemade chicken stock (just chicken simmered in water with the fat skimmed off) to help keep his hydration up.
May 31
His soft stool has firmed up a bit, seemed midway between a score 2 and a score 3. He seemed much more energetic today.
I'm sorry, I realize I'm all over the place with his information. Thank you for making it through this wall of text to learn about my handsome little Lincoln.
I must get a picture up soon.
