Fergus new diagnosis May 1 2017

[Supurrkitten]

HI,
My name is Trisha. My cat Fergus is a little over 10 years old we believe. He was found clinging to my brother's farm house screen door in the middle of a snow storm in January 2006/ late 2005.

I grew up on a farm. I had many cats over the years. Many of which did not get the care they should have. Because of that I have been driven as an adult to give my cats the best care I can.

Fergus had a blocked urethra about 6 years ago. He had this occur 3 times and on the third time we had the PU surgery preformed. He has been on Royal Canin Urinary SO, ever since, free feeding. We do not "treat" our cats.

About six months ago our other cat Diego (maybe 6 years old) started vomiting. He had been eating the SO since the vet told us it would be fine for him. He had to change foods to royal canin ID. It made him fat. It also was munched on by Fergus at times. I mentioned this to the vet. they said to cut back on it.

Anyway, Fergus was not himself. Very lethargic and drinking more. I noticed he had a little spot of urine when he slept next to me, on the sheet. I took him in and his Blood sugar was over 600 and he had a UTI. We also realized the UTI had irritated him and he had licked his PU site (urethral opening) and had injured it. It began to heal over in the middle. He will probably need surgery again but only after he is under control as long as it doesn't heal closed.

The vet diagnosed DM and the UTI and gave us clavamox antibiotic and spoke to us about insulin.
We also got info and a suggestion of this site.

The vet gave us wet urinary food to use, Ferg hated it. He was only eating turkey lunchmeat at this point and had lost a few pounds (a lot for a kitty). We started the clavamox and looked into acquiring insulin. I was lucky to have a friend donate a box of unused insulin pens of lantus for us to use. We started 5/3 on 1 unit twice a day and he took all his antibiotic except one dose he vomited.

After reading all the info here. I realized the dry food was bad. I couldn't get him to eat the caned royal canin and recognized it probably was not high protein low carb. I looked a the list and bought a bunch of different store available cans. I also have been reading about phosphorous, I got the lower phos ones I could but am reading more to see now that the under 250 is best and will search those out.

So he seems perkier. We are almost 7 days in.

I really really love him. He is my best friend. I have lost best furr friends before and I know the time they have on this earth is short, but I want him here and healthy as long as he can be.

Thanks for being here.

Trisha Fergus and Diego

 

[Tracey&Jones (GA)]

Hi Trisha Fergus and Diego,

Can I ask if you are home testing?

Also, was wondering if you checked out the website www.catinfo.org. There is a specific section on UT issues and recommendations on diet. As well there is a chart with an amazing amount of data that you can filter on carb, protein and phosphorus percentage.

 

[Yong & Maury GA]

Welcome Trish, Fergus, and Diego!
Glad Fergus seems perkier just after a week. Are you looking for lower phosphorus for kidney issues or for the crystals, or both? Dr. Lisa Pierson has a sortable version of her food chart.

Adding 1-2 tablespoons of warm water to wet food can help crystals from forming. @Kris & Teasel kitty has FLUTD, I think that's what caused his crystals, but the water helped a lot. I've tagged her to chime in and verify

If you are interested in receiving dosing advice here, members would be glad to help but we are data driven. Highly recommend home testing, you can use a human glucometer if funds are tight. ReliOn Confirm / Micro (walmart brand) is a popular one here. We use Google sheets/docs to share our spreadsheets of our cats BG numbers, if you are interested and need help setting it up just ask, or ignore: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/fdmb-spreadsheet-instructions.130337/
Home testing is the best tool in our FD kitty tool-belts

Lastly, I like to give new members this, better to be prepared: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/how-to-treat-hypos-they-can-kill-print-this-out.15887/

Ask any questions you want on the Main Health Forum

 

[Kris & Teasel]

Yes, my cat has had many bouts of cystitis, most with no evidence of infection and crystals weren't an issue. He'd have antibiotics if urine culture showed infection (rarely), pain meds and antispasmodic meds during his episodes. He ate canned Royal Canin Urinary S/O for a very long time. Once he was diagnosed with diabetes at the end of January 2016, his food was changed to canned low carb food and eventually I began adding warm water to every meal. He hasn't had a single bout of urinary tract inflammation in over a year. He eats Purina Pro Plan DM prescription wet food into which I mix Friskies or Fancy Feast pates.

 

[AlphaCat]

Hi Trisha.
I'm new to diabetes - this week actually. But I currently have 2 crystals boys (my diabetic is one of my older females.)
So currently I feed 3 different diets to my household, lol. Back when the boys had to go on prescription food I never thought I was going to manage my group with their feedings. Somehow I did though. I am lucky in that I don't have too many picky eaters, and the ones that are don't have any problems (knock on wood). I've been able to avoid both the PU surgery and further crystals due to diet and diligence, and mostly pure dumb luck. If the boys get a UTI they get immediately quarantined and fed a diet of "cat food soup" usually with a round of antibiotics, steroids, and sub-q fluids. Cat food soup is the S/O wet food diluted with a lot of filtered water mixed and heated. Mostly I'm happy if they just lick the water, because they don't want to eat or drink when a UTI hits. Having had them myself in the past, I understand both the desire never to drink again so the pain will stop, and also the need for extra fluid to flush it out.
As for my diabetes cat, well, I'm a little overwhelmed at the moment, but both of us are trudging through this new territory, and we will get to the same place of "I never thought it was possible, but it was" as with my crystal boys. I can't even begin to think of those two issues combined into the same cat. Fergus sure got lucky to be huddled on your screen. I hope you're able to find a food that works for both issues, and that he'll eat.

However, if he's turned up his nose at the prescription wet food during a time of issue, when he does get healthy he might be more accepting to eat it. When my Juan first came down with crystals the vet said if we couldn't get him to eat she would have no choice but to do the PU surgery. So I sat for a few hours in the exam room at the vet's massaging and rubbing his cheeks and whiskers (his favorite spot for rubs) and then smeared wet food in tiny amounts on his mustache. Which, of course he had to lick off... but the most important part at that time was that the eat something. After that day he stopped refusing food and made a turn for the better in his treatment. Gosh that time of my life he was touch and go.
The things we do for love...
I don't have any answers, because I'm new in here too, but I just thought you should know - you are not alone! There are good people in here who love cats willing to share their years of experience. Thank goodness for that! So, hang in there and good luck!

 

[Supurrkitten]

Hi Trisha Fergus and Diego,

Can I ask if you are home testing?

Also, was wondering if you checked out the website www.catinfo.org. There is a specific section on UT issues and recommendations on diet. As well there is a chart with an amazing amount of data that you can filter on carb, protein and phosphorus percentage.

We are not home testing. My. Bet wanted to wait till his first check up 2 weeks out. Since we are on the low carb wet food now (and I have been searching for low phos foods) I plan to call the vet Monday to get his retest. He will get a urine cx a blood retest. I don't want to wait too long but cannot get in on a weekend.
I found my glycine yet from my pregnancy but need new strips. I have an I open package but it is expired.

He is eating breakfast and a snack prior to shot and the lunch and dinner and snack before pm shot. We are using a couple different foods. Sheba perfect portion pate the lil 1.3 oz servings and purely fancy feast naturals 2 oz servings. I have a few others but he likes these. They are not the best phos option tho.

 

[Supurrkitten]

Hi Trisha.
I'm new to diabetes - this week actually. But I currently have 2 crystals boys (my diabetic is one of my older females.)
So currently I feed 3 different diets to my household, lol. Back when the boys had to go on prescription food I never thought I was going to manage my group with their feedings. Somehow I did though. I am lucky in that I don't have too many picky eaters, and the ones that are don't have any problems (knock on wood). I've been able to avoid both the PU surgery and further crystals due to diet and diligence, and mostly pure dumb luck. If the boys get a UTI they get immediately quarantined and fed a diet of "cat food soup" usually with a round of antibiotics, steroids, and sub-q fluids. Cat food soup is the S/O wet food diluted with a lot of filtered water mixed and heated. Mostly I'm happy if they just lick the water, because they don't want to eat or drink when a UTI hits. Having had them myself in the past, I understand both the desire never to drink again so the pain will stop, and also the need for extra fluid to flush it out.
As for my diabetes cat, well, I'm a little overwhelmed at the moment, but both of us are trudging through this new territory, and we will get to the same place of "I never thought it was possible, but it was" as with my crystal boys. I can't even begin to think of those two issues combined into the same cat. Fergus sure got lucky to be huddled on your screen. I hope you're able to find a food that works for both issues, and that he'll eat.

However, if he's turned up his nose at the prescription wet food during a time of issue, when he does get healthy he might be more accepting to eat it. When my Juan first came down with crystals the vet said if we couldn't get him to eat she would have no choice but to do the PU surgery. So I sat for a few hours in the exam room at the vet's massaging and rubbing his cheeks and whiskers (his favorite spot for rubs) and then smeared wet food in tiny amounts on his mustache. Which, of course he had to lick off... but the most important part at that time was that the eat something. After that day he stopped refusing food and made a turn for the better in his treatment. Gosh that time of my life he was touch and go.
The things we do for love...
I don't have any answers, because I'm new in here too, but I just thought you should know - you are not alone! There are good people in here who love cats willing to share their years of experience. Thank goodness for that! So, hang in there and good luck!

Thank you for your kind words. I regret not having the info I have now when Ferg got his surgery. Honestly tho, after his operation he did great. This is the first time he has ever had issue that we know of. I really think the diabetes set him up for increased risk of infection. I just wish he hadn't had the issue with his site healing over. I at least now, have info that will help. I am still searching for the perfect low carb low phos food that he will enjoy. He is such an awesome guy. I just want him to be happy and healthy.

Thanks again for the reply.
Best wishes to all of your furry clan. I hope this journey is managed as well as the others. You really seem to have it together.

 

[AlphaCat]

Thanks again for the reply.
Best wishes to all of your furry clan. I hope this journey is managed as well as the others. You really seem to have it together.

I'm glad it appears that way, because it certainly doesn't feel that way, lol.
<3