Feeling Despair

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LuluMblue

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Hi my name is christina and my cat Lulu is a Blue Burmese, turning 14 on November 7. Lulu has been the happiest healthiest little cat all her life until about 2.5 months ago. I had been working away and had family look after her while I waited to see if I was staying in my new job which was about 2000km away in the very top of Western Australia. Her vaccine fell due during this time and had it on my to do list when I got back. Unfortunately on my return I noticed Lulu had started sneezing on occasion...it all went downhill from there very quickly...the guilt I have felt at not getting that vaccine booster done on time is immense. I am not sure if the underlying diabetes was the cause as she was predominantly a house cat and in at nights, she never roamed far from her basket or visiting the neighbours in the complex I live in. She got an ear infection then her symptoms progressed to weakness in the hind legs and at the vets one day I noticed her third eyelid was up and nearly totally covering her right eye, the vet asked if she had been in a fight, she hadn't as I was keeping her totally indoors. She was given antibiotics, for the eye, ear and a stem cell injection and also antibiotic tablets. She worsened, and had bleeding from the nose. I was told she now had Horners syndrome and it could be due to anything including cancer...things got so bad I started giving her water from a dropper and her head became twisted at an odd angle and she would go face first into her food making a huge mess but still wanting to eat. She could barely walk, she couldn't get in or out of her kitty litter and would make messes everywhere, one day as she sat on my lap she wet herself...it was a rollercoaster of thinking the end was near to sudden bursts of recovery. One night I took her into bed with me and held her thinking the vet visit in the morning was the last one. Lots of tears have been shed. Then her nose stopped bleeding and her ear improved. Then a week of ravenous drinking and eating started, by then she was skin and bone but the vet said she is still eating and drinking and not in pain just miserable, she still purred when I was near and followed me everywhere. She devloped a big bald patch on her head and the eyesight in the infected eye is gone now, the infection is tenacious and antibiotics did not work. I took her into the vets to discuss the latest range of symptoms and I had an inkling it was diabetes and he tested her and agreed. She spent a week at the vets as they tried to regulate her but they said it has been difficult and she has not responded well. She came home for a week on Caninsulin and was happy and active last week, with coat condition improving, then they said bring her back and we will start her on Lantus as this may provide a better chance of remission and once daily shots. she had started sneezing occasionally again. Picked her up this Friday just gone and she was lethargic but purring once home, Saturday evening she had a seizure, it was terrifying, gave her honey and she recovered quickly rang the vet and took her in this morning, she has green mucus coming out of her nose and was panting on the way to the vet, her breathing is wheezing and laborious...today was meltdown day, we have been on such a rollercoaster and she has just refused to give up. I asked the vet if we should continue as i have lost all perspective now on whether I am doing the right thing....am staying home with her tomorrow (monday) and Tuesday will ring the vet to report how she is going. The most difficult thing is that she looks like she is at deaths door and then she rebounds giving me hope then it all goes downhill again. I have no idea what to do. If anyone has had a similar experience or has any ideas that would be greatly appreciated. And please for anyone whose cat is overdue for their booster please do it now...I guess I got complacent that she had been so healthy and happy all her life ...just a month or two overdue and combined with old age and lowered immunity and this is where i find Lulu. Perhaps the diabetes would have come anyway but not with all of these opportunistic viruses having a party in her poor old body...My beautiful Lulu has been with me since the year I turned 30 - through death, divorce and so many other things that are part of life...always there being funny and adoring and such a source of comfort and joy, I have cried all day today and feel this isn't going to end well.
 
I am sorry you are feeling this way, but I don't think that not getting her booster shots, had anything to do with her diabetes. In fact, since Thomas has been diabetic, the vet has never given him any shots, booster or rabies, whatsoever--and that is now going on to 10 years. Hopefully, little Lula, will start feeling better soon.
Dana
 
Wow... what a ride you two have been on .. I'm sorry I really don't have much in the way of advice, but I just wanted to let you know that I read your post, that I feel for you, and that I hope someone with a lot more knowledge will be here soon ... I am going to cross post this over in the lantus forum, even though you aren't currently on lantus, I'm hoping to get more eyes on this for you ... please hang around for awhile, Im hoping someone can shed some light on this for you ....
 
Missing one booster would not do all that.

I suspect tho, that the other infection, snot out nose, blood out nose etc, may be causing the high blood glucose numbers-the infections.. so be careful about giving insulin. when shes feeling better she may not be diabetic.

Make sure the vet is testing for ketones..shes still at the vet right?

Many of the symptoms sound neurological, and the ear infection i suppose could mimic that. It sounds to me like because shes got so much going on, there might be confusion over what illness is causing what symptoms.

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((CHRISTINA)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
Do NOT beat yourself up over this. Its very easy to do to oneself and you are not to blame. Sending many healing vibes to Lulu.
 
Christina, I'm so sorry, what an ordeal you and Lulu have been through! I'm a little bit confused so I have some questions. Did the vet give you a diagnosis for the sneezing? Is Lulu currently on any other medication besides the insulin? Is she on caninsulin or lantus now, and what is the dose? Did they do any x-rays or other tests besides the blood sugar test?

Diabetes makes it harder for a cat to fight off infections. My cat had an eye/sinus infection when he was diagnosed with diabetes, and it was difficult to get rid of the infection, and hard to get the diabetes under control. But it CAN be done....it's just a bit harder. Right now, it sounds like Lulu has a URI (upper respiratory infection), is that what the vet said? What medication was Lulu given for that?

It sounds like Lulu had a hypoglycemic episode this morning, so the dose of insulin she was on was too high. Were you told to decrease the dose since that hypo? If not, please do NOT give her that dose of insulin again!

I would suggest that you go get a glucometer, test strips and lancets from a pharmacy ASAP, and learn to test your cat's blood glucose. While you are there, also pick up ketostix and start testing for ketones. Ketones can be very serious, so you need to watch for that by testing her urine daily until you get her BG under control. We can help you learn how to do the testing, it is important to know what your cat's BG is so that you can safely give the insulin. It will also allow you to get her BG under control so that she will feel better and be able to fight the infection more effectively.

Take a look at the FAQS, there's a lot of great info to get you started. http://binkyspage.tripod.com/faq.html#glucose

That's a place to start, I'm sure others will chime in. Diet is also important, but right now I would focus on getting the meter and start home testing....it's the cornerstone that will enable you to start getting her problems under control.

Please don't give up! It sounds like Lulu is still fighting, and these problems sound very solvable to me! Please continue to post and let us know what is going on, give us some more info, and ask any questions you may have. We can help you!
 
I'm so very sorry for you and Lulu..... I know how you must be feeling... PLEASE know that not getting her booster DID NOT do this to her... my cats haven't had boosters in years (except when they travel) My sweet Charlie was alergic to it and at 12 he was my first diabetic... He looked like a dirty gray mop... put away wet and snarled when he was diagnosed.... After starting insulin, he started to shape up almost immediately... Then I started testing his blood glucose myself... SMARTEST THING I EVER DID, but I was kicking and screaming all the way to his first test... Then laughing at how easy it was. (others have a difficult time getting blood, but I heated his little ear, I used the lancet devise to poke, and WALLA... we had blood. I used my human blood glucose meter, (OneTouch Ultra) and He was at 300 something. I knew to give him his insulin was safe.... no worries about Hypo and it's deadly effects.

My suggestion is dump this vet and find one with knowledge of feline diabetes... Cats require two shots of insulin a day approxmitly 12 hours apart.... They process it more rapidly than either humans or dogs... Lantus is a great insulin and we have a board here that has many who use it and their cats are doing extremely well. Go there and ask for advise.

We have several people in New Zealand and Austrailia. Are you there with your new job, or are you home.. where are you? Some of us (or only one is all you might need) might live close to you... I'm in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA... ANYWAY... All your poor Lulu needs is some home testing and lantus ... about 1 unit twice a day for starters... depending on... My Charlie looked as though PTS was the only option... He lived well into his 18th year on the rightr diet of low carb canned, 1 unit of insulin twice and day... and played and stole my chicken on his very last night with me. He had a stroke.. (blood clot in his brain) and left me... Thus he was insulin and Stevie I adopted knowing he was diabetic... I've had him for three years now... and he received insulin for under ten days... and has been diet controled ever since.

Hang in there dear... find the Lantus land.. get their advise and kiss Lulu's sweet head... I'm placing my money on her snapping back.... Prayers are good, and God does help us... Even if she needs insulin every day.. heck thats a five minute deal, morning and evening... and you get to cuddle them when doing it.

Welcome to our family... God blessed you by guiding you to us... :-D
 
A Very scarey time for you, I know.

And it didn't happen from missing 1 vaccine, so it ain't your fault, OK?

There is ton's of info on this board, and the most important for all of us is the home testing of blood glucose (BG). It doesn't have to be the pricey cat specific meter; any basic over the counter meter, from a local pharmacy will do. Use a pharmacy that is open frequently, in case you need supplies at odd hours! (or, stock up on supplies and always have a spare box of test strips and lancets)

Once you've got the test supplies, read over the testing instructions.

Add in diet changes to reduce the carb load in the daily menu.

Note: if you continue giving insulin while making diet changes, you MUST be testing the BG. Getting the cat home may reduce the BG as much as 100 points (US measurements). Changing to all canned (or raw) low carb food may drop the BG 100 points (US measurements), and you must be able to reduce the insulin to accomodate that.

Find a vet who is up to date on feline diabetes, too. And here is an expert resource in Australia: http://www.uq.edu.au/ccah/index.html?page=41544&pid=41544 They may be able to recommend someone to you.

Hang in there.
 
The possibility is also there that she came down with Vestibular Disease along with a very bad upper respiratory infection. Others have given you the advice on diabetes, hometesting, etc. I just wanted to post info about vestibular and hopefully there is an antibiotic that will hep with her URI. Please let us know how she is doing.


The cat's ability to be flexible and agile comes from the vestibular system. When the vestibular system no longer functions properly, it is called vestibular disease. Vestibular disease is broken into two categories: peripheral vestibular disease and central vestibular disease. While the disease is not life-threatening, it can be debilitating and uncomfortable for cats.

How Does the Vestibular System Work?
The main function of the vestibular system is to keep the head and body controlled while under gravitational pull. The nerves of the vestibular system begin in the brain and travel to the inner ear. When a cat is diagnosed with vestibular disease, the communication system between the central vestibular system, located in the inner ear, and the peripheral vestibular system, located in the brain, is broken down. When the vestibular system is broken, it results in an unbalanced effect in your cat.

What Causes Vestibular Disease in Cats?
There is no confirmed cause of vestibular disease. It seems to occur without reason or warning. However, it does seems to appear more commonly in the late spring and early fall and more predominately in cats of senior age. Because there is no known cause for the disease, it is called idiopathic.

Signs of Vestibular Disease
Because vestibular disease can occur on whim and no prior testing could predict its occurrence, it is best to become aware of the symptoms. Because the symptoms are drastically noticeable, it is unlikely that you would be unaware of something being wrong with your cat. Some of the signs to watch for include:

•Dizziness
•Uncoordinated
•Significant head tilt
•Falling
•Crying out
•Repetitive eye movement
Because your cat is confused by what is happening to them, they may show a lack of movement altogether and resign themselves to one place in your home.

Diagnosis of Vestibular Disease
Before any firm confirmation of vestibular disease can be made, other ailments must be ruled out. Illnesses such as inner ear infections, cancer of the inner ear and polyps of the inner ear all have symptoms very similar to that of vestibular disease. A thorough physical examination, blood testing and x-rays can rule out an underlying condition that could be responsible for the change in your cat. Once any underlying conditions are ruled out and based on the significant effects of your cat, a firm diagnosis of vestibular disease can be made.

Treatment of Vestibular Disease
Any underlying conditions that are present will need to be treated. That can help to determine if a case of vestibular disease exists. However, what is truly amazing about vestibular disease, aside from having no known cause, is its ability to heal on its own. In most cases of vestibular disease, little or no treatment is needed. Vestibular disease is known to get better on its own over the course of a few weeks. While there is no medication on the market that could help to speed the process along, your cat may benefit from a motion-sickness medication such as meclizine. Meclizine or a similar medication can help them to feel more balanced and decrease the severity of their symptoms.
 
{{{{{Christina}}}}} I know how guilty we feel when our pets become ill and we think we caused it in any way. I'm a nurse and a diabetic and I missed the fact altogether that my 14 yr old Persian had become one. He lost four pounds which was 1/2 his body weight. His once beautiful coat was thin and greasy no matter how many times I lathered his back. The size of hhis urine clumps were much bigger than in the past. I just thought it was 'cause he was older and had a skin condition. When I found out what was wrong I felt horribly guilty and it still bothers me when I pick him up and feel his bony frame. But there is hope and in a month on Lantus he is brighter, much more active, his coat is beginning to bloom again and he's eating well. His litter clumps are less than 1/2 the size just a month ago and he is sleeping less and getting back his feisty attitude even growling at me when I groom him.

I'm telling you all this so you can see first that it is easy to not see what is in front of you even if you are in the medical field.
Secondly and probably most importantly her being late for her shot DID NOT CAUSE THIS IN ANY WAY. Please believe this.I have not given Powder kitty shots in over 8 years. Before that I only gave them every four years. What the others who are experienced with Lantus and the protocol have told you is true trust them. They helped me help my Powder and they will help you help your LuLu.
By the way my vet isn't a believer but cooperates with me. I'm sending comfort vines to you and healing vines to LuLu.
 
Is this cat still on antibiotics and if so, which ones? Do not give covenia unless absolutely indicated for her infection.

Are you giving insulin once a day or twice a day? If only once, she'll be running high 1/2 the day and your progress will be slim. Giving twice a day and hometesting will help you get a handle on the diabetes and vastly increase her quality of life.

I can't tell you what is going wrong, but if you can get a handle on the diabetes she may feel much better

Jen
 
Hello all, thank you so much for the love, support and advice given. I wish I had found you all about two months ago. I did ask the vet about hometesting some time back but I think we are a bit behind in Australia as they said there is no reliable way of doing it at home...
Lulu has been on the recommended Lantus dose (1 unit) x 2 daily since Friday and the vets have been very good, three of them have been consulting and one specifically with experience in America was monitoring starting her on the Lantus changing over from Caninsulin. The last week was great on the caninsulin I found the injecting a little nervewracking but not a major issue except finding her skin under the fur and did miss once and the fur was wet, pretty much all the things I read about on this site, some stuff I was doing instinctively I found before even reading about it. I had the old Lulu back for the first time in a few months, still ravenous but that helped, I could inject her just as I placed her in front of her food bowl for her meal which distracted her. She showed no pain or discomfort from the injections. I do not think the insulin/diabetes is the biggest issue. It is all the opportunistic viruses that have been attacking her non stop. We have tried a rang of antibiotics, vibramycin seemed to help the most, but dealt with one virus and more just kept on appearing. They thought it was calcivirus at first but later said it was Horners syndrome and that it could be a range of underlying issues but the diabetic symptoms started to overshadow all of that. On Sunday back to the vets for a glucose test after the seizure on Sat night she was panting in the car like a dog and soiled her carry box, which she never does. She loves the car and it does not stress her as i have taken her for little drives every so often, once we even went through a McDonalds drivethrough and she stood on my lap and let the attendant pat her. Yep, I know not very safe, but normally she would have a snooze on the floor on the passenger side. As you all know, by Sunday I just didn't want to take her to the vet, we have been living there lately and she would only purr when I got her home, we both had enough. To watch two vet assistants hold her down while the vet took blood from her paw yet again and hear her howl was horrible...I asked if we should continue as she was going downhill yet again he said we will know in the next few days. Sunday we had lovely purring and eating & drinking but a bit lethargic. Today was a nightmare, she is not walking, not that she is shaky on her legs that went ages ago, she just doesn't want to, she is not eating or drinking and not purring, just lying on her sheepskin rug in the courtyard. She hasn't made it to the toilet since last night, I put a heat pack in her basket as she woke me at 2am wanting the toilet but not able to make it in time, so we ran, me holding her, to the litter as she urinated. I slept on the couch with her in her basket beside me with a heat pack her breathing was terrible. Same today...she is telling me she wants to go now...so I took her to my neighour Lois, her honorary gran and they said goodbye, my friend Luke came over and i asked him what he thought as I cannot think clearly anymore and he was shocked at her appearance and agreed she is ready to go. She is not meowing or in pain just removing herself from the world. I rang the vet and said I felt it was time. They are expecting her in the morning. I am going through all the normal things, disbelief, then denial and maybe hoping for a miracle but I think they are all used up now. Later I fetched my other neighbour John who she visited daily and he came to say good bye also and told her he loved her, she looked so at peace in her basket, she hasn't moved all day now. Her other eye is closing but her breathing has calmed from the labouring it was, Luke feels she may pass on her own soon. I have clipped some of her fur so I can always touch her and am planning a cremation and wake this Friday. It is such a surreal feeling to plan all this while she is still alive, I am grieving already. We have both tried so hard for 3mths and had some extra time together. It happened so quickly the change. I am not sure how I am going to manage without her, I cannot express the depth of my grief and devastation that I have to make this choice. We had such a spiritual and physical connection. She would sleep under my arm while I read my book in bed...sometimes we would just lie and gaze at each other with adoration. I live alone and Lulu made this house a home. RIP my beautiful girl we fought well but it just got too much. I read the beautiful poem that someone posted for the loss of someone elses cat. Thank you all again and I will spread the word about you all. Ps. in all my searches on the net to try and find help for Lulu I came across and article that said Burmese cats bred in Aust, New Zealand and UK are more prone to diabetes I hope that helps someone and to be on the lookout for this as their Burmese ages. They are the most loving playful breed. I wish we could have a few more years together but if you could see her I know you would agree her time has come, so I cannot be selfish and hold onto her, she just has no fight left and is already halfway in to the next world.
 
Oh I am truly sorry! She has been through so much and you with her, just know that she will soon be at peace and that is the greatest gift you can give her now.

Hugs
 
I am so sorry that you will be saying good by to LuLu. But you have tried so hard to keep her well and she knows how much you cared and how well you have cared for her. Hold her close and tell her stories of what you have done together. Passing peacefully with someone who loves you is a great gift.
 
My thoughts and prayers are with you both. Thank God she has a mother like you. May peace wash over you as you send Lulu to her permanent home where she will wait for you.
 
HI Christina
I was very sad to read your posts. My Fred, was a blue Burmese from London and got diabetes 5 years ago and just died 10 days ago. He too was my soul kittya nd we would lie there and look into each other eyes for forever. I hope Lulu is feeling better. And if she has to go, she goes herself and goes peacefully. I'm wishing now that I had even 5 more minutes with Fred so that I could kiss him some more and tell hiim how much I loved him. Hopefully you are able to savor these moments now. It sounds odd what she has wrong with her. Like there hasn't been a clear cut diagnosis. But anyway, I didn't read it all. Best wishes for you.
Martica
 
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