Elizabeth20
Member Since 2020
Hi, I'm Elizabeth and my 12 year old tabby mongrel Lily was diagnosed with diabetes this week. She'd been losing weight and getting a bit stiff looking for a while but given her tendency to access my first floor flat via the balcony I assumed it was just age and antics. She's always been tiny so I just thought she was an old lady getting a bit thin around her back end. You can imagine how terrible I feel now.
She pulled a toe pad away from her foot last month, and the vet saw her and fixed her up and said she had a bit of a rubbery intestine (she's always had a sensitige stomach) but otherwise was fine. She was 3kg then. I was worried she was going to be cold staying out overnight as she likes to do, now it's getting colder. I changed her onto wet food to encourage her to eat more and her appetite went through the roof but it really upset her stomach - turns out it had wheat gluten in it which she must be sensitive to. Kept catching her on the kitchen surfaces and the dining table which she doesn't usually do unless there's something really irresistible up there. Three weeks on I was worried she was looking even thinner and when I weighed her she was 2.5kg. She was looking really stiff, moving awkwardly like she was uncomfortable. She also had been very grumpy and not purred for days. Took her to the vet and they did blood tests for thyroid and diabetes and her blood sugar came back at 25mmol. She'd lost all that body fat because she couldn't use the glucose. The vet asked me to get a urine sample to check for ketones. Finally after an 11 hour stand off she did one for me at night and I took it in yesterday morning.
Her legs were really struggling by then. We don't really know if it's neuropathy or weakness. The vet had me bring her in at lunchtime and they kept her in to give her fluids and start her insulin. She responded really well to the insulin, just one unit/mg (?) and they let me take her home at 6pm. She had one tsp of Sheba (I've ordered some Carny and some Boxita) and purred when I put a tiny piece of steak down for her but couldn't eat it. She got to the litter tray twice but she ended up sleeping on the floor near it rather than making the journey repeatedly. I didn't think she'd still be with me by this morning but she was. I took her back this morning and her glucose was at 21.5mmol. The vet taught me how to inject her and sent her home with me. She's still not eaten and is just lying shattered on the sofa behind me with her third eyelid across. I've tried putting the pate food the vet sent me back with on her lip but she's not interested. I'm worried she'll go into a hypo if she doesn't eat something.
A very kind local lady has offered me a brand new glucometer with all the bits to go with it, which I'm going to pick up later. I really want to see Lily eat something. I'm worried this is the end for her, she's so fed up and weak. I feel like a terrible mum to her. If I'd spotted something earlier she would have made a much faster recovery. I'm off my own food now!
Anyway, I'm keen to learn as much as I can and look after her the best I can and was directed here by someone who said it was a really great place to get help and support. Sorry this was so long.
Thanks for listening.
Elizabeth
She pulled a toe pad away from her foot last month, and the vet saw her and fixed her up and said she had a bit of a rubbery intestine (she's always had a sensitige stomach) but otherwise was fine. She was 3kg then. I was worried she was going to be cold staying out overnight as she likes to do, now it's getting colder. I changed her onto wet food to encourage her to eat more and her appetite went through the roof but it really upset her stomach - turns out it had wheat gluten in it which she must be sensitive to. Kept catching her on the kitchen surfaces and the dining table which she doesn't usually do unless there's something really irresistible up there. Three weeks on I was worried she was looking even thinner and when I weighed her she was 2.5kg. She was looking really stiff, moving awkwardly like she was uncomfortable. She also had been very grumpy and not purred for days. Took her to the vet and they did blood tests for thyroid and diabetes and her blood sugar came back at 25mmol. She'd lost all that body fat because she couldn't use the glucose. The vet asked me to get a urine sample to check for ketones. Finally after an 11 hour stand off she did one for me at night and I took it in yesterday morning.
Her legs were really struggling by then. We don't really know if it's neuropathy or weakness. The vet had me bring her in at lunchtime and they kept her in to give her fluids and start her insulin. She responded really well to the insulin, just one unit/mg (?) and they let me take her home at 6pm. She had one tsp of Sheba (I've ordered some Carny and some Boxita) and purred when I put a tiny piece of steak down for her but couldn't eat it. She got to the litter tray twice but she ended up sleeping on the floor near it rather than making the journey repeatedly. I didn't think she'd still be with me by this morning but she was. I took her back this morning and her glucose was at 21.5mmol. The vet taught me how to inject her and sent her home with me. She's still not eaten and is just lying shattered on the sofa behind me with her third eyelid across. I've tried putting the pate food the vet sent me back with on her lip but she's not interested. I'm worried she'll go into a hypo if she doesn't eat something.
A very kind local lady has offered me a brand new glucometer with all the bits to go with it, which I'm going to pick up later. I really want to see Lily eat something. I'm worried this is the end for her, she's so fed up and weak. I feel like a terrible mum to her. If I'd spotted something earlier she would have made a much faster recovery. I'm off my own food now!
Anyway, I'm keen to learn as much as I can and look after her the best I can and was directed here by someone who said it was a really great place to get help and support. Sorry this was so long.
Thanks for listening.
Elizabeth
