Fighting DKA (Diabetic Ketoacidosis) & Chronic Pancreatitis

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Susan D

Susan D

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Hello,

I have a 15 a/2 year-old named Sasha whom I have posted about before. Sasha has been diabetic for more than 5 1/2 years, and we managed his BG very well until last October, when he was diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis. I've been working hard to manage and balance the panc. and diabetes, while also caring for his brother Orlando, a CKD kitty who we lost in January due to an attack of acute pancreatitis (and of course while working more than full-time, but thankfully, I work part of the week at home). Here is why I am writing especially today:

Over the weekend, I took Sasha to the emergency vet clinic near here after I spotted a couple of things off and he had quit eating. The vet there, an excellent one, found that he has diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). I could not do any hospitalization for Sasha for two reasons: one is that I've made a decision to do as much home care because he has been in the hospital five times in three months, and it is not quality of life for him to keep spending time in the hospital; 2) I am already over my limit budget-wise; I have probably spent $8,000 in vets' bills between the two kitties during the last several months.

So this is the treatment and approach I am using, below. Please help -- while I was scared that I may need to put Sasha to sleep I want to do all I can to support his healing/wellness from this very tough combo of DKA, pancreatitis, and diabetes.

*** FLUIDS, INSULIN, AND FOOD: First, I have learned since that the key to fighting DKA is fluids, insulin, and food in a good amount (1.5 times usual amount is what a friend from the Feline Panc Board relayed to me, from a friend here). Toward that end, I am giving subq fluids --which I was already doing -- at 150 ml per day (100 ml in the morning, 50 ml in the evening). Food: I did assisted-feeding late Saturday night and all day yesterday. Today (Monday) when I woke up, Sasha wanted to eat on his own, and he has had a good appetite all day. If he does not eat at any time, I plan to continue assisted-feeding.

*** HOME TESTING: I have never done home testing of BG. While I have accomplished a lot in taking care of my beloved boy, I fumbled at this when I first tried it. But today I am going to pick up a kit and start testing tonight if I can get the process down. Knowing the proper amount of insulin and reading the BG are crucial, but until now I had relied on frequent vet visits to do a BG curve. I know this will not be sufficient to manage the pancreatitis and fight the DKA. So home testing it is!

*** MEDS: Sasha is currently taking prednisolone once a day; amoxicillin 2x/day; metronidazole; ondansetron for an anti-nausea med. I have also ordered a digestive enzyme called Total Zymes, recommended by a fellow member of the Feline Panc Group on Yahoo.

*** FOOD: I have also, on the ER vet's prescription, started Sasha on mirtazapine as an appetite stimulant.

*** FEEDING SCHEDULE: The vet at this ER recommended the following meal/insulin schedule:

Meal at 9 a.m., insulin at 9:30 a.m.
1/2 meal, 3 p.m.
meal at 9 p.m., insulin at 9:30 p.m.
1/2 meal between 12 a.m. and 3 a.m.

He is currently eating W/D food with a teeny amount of Fancy Feast Classic food mixed in, with a little water for moisture.

*** OTHER: The vet recommended a B12 weekly injection, which I am speaking to my own vet about

*** POTASSIUM: Sasha's potassium was low, and has been from time to time. The vet recommended Tumil K Powder or tabs.

I would appreciate your thoughts on other treatments to fight DKA while simultaneously managing the diabetes and pancreatitis -- especially if anyone else has done home treatment for this situation. I just cannot afford a huge hospitalization, and I can tell that Sasha has had it with being in the hospital -- and I made that decision knowing it entails a risk somewhat. However, I believe I need to make this decision, both financially certainly, and very importantly from the standpoint of not wanting my boy to spend most of his remaining days hospitalized. I know there must be others in this situation.

Thank you so much for whatever comments, support, and suggestions you can make.

With gratitude to all and thoughts of wellness and affection for your felines,
Susan
 
Re: Fighting DKA (Diabetic Ketoacidosis) & Chronic Pancreati

Susan

While I can not give advice you are certainly doing your very best. I do understand about vet bills as I too ran up thousands of dollars in a couple of months.
From your post you seem to know exactly what you are doing and are seeking every avenue possible to give Sasha the best care possible. My best to you and hopefully the others will be along shortly for advice.

Terri
 
Re: Fighting DKA (Diabetic Ketoacidosis) & Chronic Pancreati

The WD food is very high in carbs. How much insulin are you giving him? He is getting too little insulin with DKA.
 
Re: Fighting DKA (Diabetic Ketoacidosis) & Chronic Pancreati

Pain meds... I did not see a mention of pain meds and pancreatitis is VERY painful. If you are not giving buprenex, get some from the vet.

Thank goodness you are going to start home testing! You can save alot of money if you pick up a Relion meter, the strips and lancets, plus pick up some KETOSTIX to test urine for ketones.... VERY IMPORTANT.

Once you get your testing stuff, there are tons of people here who can help you with testing.

I know there will be people who will say ... not a good idea to treat DKA at home, but if you don't have the funds, it's tough.

For pancreatitis, you want to give fluids, and buprenex for the pain, plus you can give pepcid for nausea anytime ... the dose is 5mg/day so pick up the plain Pepcid AC, cut the tab into quarters. Give 1/4 tab (2.5mg) am and pm.

Without knowing how high your cat's BG will be when you test, you may need to get some humulin R insulin which is a fast acting insulin that can be used to pull down very high BG.

What insulin are you giving, what dose, and what times are you giving shots.

For food, I can't really say much... for diabetics, you want to give low carb wet foods, so the fancy feast pates are just fine.

How is your cat acting now and before? If you can think of any other info to add, just include it when you answer the above questions.
 
Re: Fighting DKA (Diabetic Ketoacidosis) & Chronic Pancreati

Gayle,

Thanks for all of your points and questions. Lots of good stuff. To reply:

Pain meds: I have been giving pain meds to Sasha. My vet gave a pain med to me called Val-Morph -- a mixture of a syrup that has B vitamins and is a highly digestible substance, in combination with morphine. He was receiving pain meds for the past several weeks. This past week, with his pancreas area feeling much better, and his appetite very much up, my vet and I agreed that I could back him off that and use as needed. Yes, a syrup, you perhaps wonder -- I did, with a diabetic cat. But my vet said this is the one her office uses and it is fine for diabetic cats. Not feeling good about that, I want to switch to bupe, but I haven't been able to yet.

Thanks for the recommendation of the Relion meter and the Ketostix. Will check those out tonight.

I understand people's views that DKA should be treated at the hospital. My kitty cannot at this point spend another 4-6 days or whatever at the hospital. This is a choice, I know, and one I am living with. But to me, it's about his quality of life. He has been a happy boy at home, almost all of the time. Also, I am truly out of funds for this. I have veterinary insurance but have been finding that the rate of reimbursement is pitiful.

He has ondansetron for the nausea, and I am going to pick up Pepcid tonight -- also recommended by this ER vet over the weekend.

Sasha has been getting fluids each day, and he really takes to that. I can see how it helps him.

He has been on Humulin N insulin for a long time. I will take a look at the Humulin R. The dose right now is 1 unit, given at 9 a.m. and 9 p.m.

Sasha did well on the Fancy Feast classic food, as a meal right before his insulin injection, for a long time. But this conflicts with the pancreatitis, for which I need low fat and bland. The ER vet said the W/D wet food is fine, but a friend on the Yahoo feline panc group recommended M/D. I am not sure right now exactly what I will do with food, because he is doing well on the W/D with a little FF mixed in, because he was used to that. I need to pace whatever changes I make on that score.

As for his status, this afternoon, he has been much like his Sasha self...eating well, grooming, purring (though not robustly), and exercising a bit...much different than yesterday. I do know that the DKA is quite a challenge.

Thanks, Gayle, and hope you and yours are having a lovely evening.

Susan
 
Re: Fighting DKA (Diabetic Ketoacidosis) & Chronic Pancreati

I appreciate your caring thoughts and support, Terri. Means a lot!

Ann, thank you so much -- that is my sense, too, about the amount of insulin...that he needs more. To understand how this happened, you'd have to know my past week: Sasha was getting between 2.5 and 3 units per dosage every 12 hours, for the most recent two weeks. However, last Wednesday, I took him to his regular vet for a recheck, and she found his BG -- at the 6-hour mark after injection -- was 30. 30! He showed no signs of hypoglycemia. The vet told me to stop his insulin for the next couple of days until we could do a BG curve on Friday/early Saturday at the vet hospital (he was going to board there since I planned a trip...which I later cancelled).

So he had no insulin for two days, on the vet's recommendation -- Thursday and Friday -- which now looks to me like a mistake. The chronic pancreatitis, as you likely know, makes it very hard to manage the blood glucose level. After I brought Sasha home on Saturday night, he wasn't eating and was walking in a wobbly fashion, so I took him to the emergency clinic. This is when the ER vet, whom I think is far more proactive and takes a holistic view on this stuff, found the ketones in a urinalysis.

This makes it all the more imperative that I test for BG and ketones at home. So I am buying the kit tonight and will start on the BG. I will order a ketone kit, too.

How do I know how much to give him now? I should know more once I test, starting tonight. But I've never home-tested and relied on working with the vet to establish suitable levels. He did fine that way for 5 years. Now it is all the more tricky due to balancing three conditions: diabetes, chronic pancreatitis, and DKA that has just been diagnosed.

What are your thoughts? I would appreciate them, Ann.

Thank you!
 
Re: Fighting DKA (Diabetic Ketoacidosis) & Chronic Pancreati

with his pancreas area feeling much better, and his appetite very much up, my vet and I agreed that I could back him off that and use as needed. Yes, a syrup, you perhaps wonder -- I did, with a diabetic cat. But my vet said this is the one her office uses and it is fine for diabetic cats. Not feeling good about that, I want to switch to bupe, but I haven't been able to yet.
Click to expand...

Syrup..... please check, and I mean really check. I'll tell you why.

When I first started giving my two gabapentin, the vet was mixing the capsule contents into a syrup. I thought nothing of it and went home with it, giving to both mine.
After a few days, I was noticing both of their BG were a bit higher, so I asked the vet 'what's in your syrup?' They said it's the same stuff they use in their office and it should be fine. When I asked that they check the jug, or whatever kind of container the syrup is in, for ingredients, they said nothing there. I said contact the company and find out.....
sure enough, it had a bit of a sweetener in it, so I told the vet to get some SUGAR FREE syrup. ... got chicken flavored too!
So, please double check that they are using a SUGAR FREE syrup and if not, tell them that's what you want.

Push to get the buprenex to have on hand; one of my cats was always having pancreatitis issues, so I wanted to have it on hand in case she had a flare..
I should mention that after I started giving both cats B12 shots (the pink stuff) there were no more pancreatitis problems, and only the rare grumble. Ask your vet about getting a vial of B12 to give shots at home.... it really will help. I like giving the B12 so that it's like a preventative method to eliminate worse and more expensive health issues. The same goes for the Pepcid.... I was giving one cat pepcid am and pm for the longest time... she just seemed to be a 'gassy girl' and her pancreas was also touchy and getting inflamed all the time. If pepcid twice a day and a shot of B12 once a week is enough to ward off more attacks, it's a good thing to try.

OK the insulin he is on... see if you can switch to Lantus or Levemir.... they may cost a bit more but they are much better and longer lasting. Even the PZI from the vet would be better than N which is just harsh and not long lasting enough. With luck, using a better insulin, you may have a happier kitty.

Because you are not home testing, you truly have no idea how Sasha's doing, no clue at all. Once you are testing, you will see that the insulin you are using is not lasting anywhere near 12 hrs.

Don't bother with any fancy and expensive vet food, it's got lousy ingredients, and is too high in carbs. Stick with Fancy Feast or Friskies pate flavors, with no gravies and no dry food... you will have a better time with Sasha's numbers and health. If you still have some cans of the expensive vet food, take it back for a refund and say Sasha has totally stopped eating it..... actually most cats don't like that food.

keep up with the fluids; they are going to work wonders, and get the buprenex for pains.

Post in here when you have your test stuff.... we will see if you can get a test done before Sasha's shot tonite at 9
 
Re: Fighting DKA (Diabetic Ketoacidosis) & Chronic Pancreati

the BG numbers are manageable with pancreatitis issues, but the secret is to be home testing.... you are going to safe lots of money by handling much of these issues at home.

Cats showing signs of hypo? Nope, they are very secretive creatures... here's some hypo info for you:

List of Hypo symptoms
How to treat HYPOS-They can kill! Print this out!
Jojo’s HYPO TOOLKIT

Ketones

that vet rec of no insulin for 2 days was horribly wrong, geez,

when you go to the pharmacy or wherever to buy the BG meter and supplies, just ask the pharmacist for a container of KETOSTIX. You just lay a strip in the urine or see if you can hold the strip under Sash in mid stream to catch a reading.
 
Re: Fighting DKA (Diabetic Ketoacidosis) & Chronic Pancreati

Gayle,

Thanks so much! A few quick notes for now:

Yes, I am feeling well done and over with the syrup. I will get a supply of the buprenex.

As for B12, this ER vet advised me to get it for the injections. Funny thing was, I had asked my vet about his over a month ago, and she said it had been in Sasha's fluids when he received the IV fluids in the vet hospital. No suggestion about at-home injections. I relayed a question to the vet today so that I can get a vial of B12. If I do not hear about this tomorrow, I will follow up elsewhere to get it. I am glad to hear about your experience and your hopefulness about it.

Yes, I didn't use the big-priced wet food for quite a while. I have given Sasha FF Classic for awhile, but this ER vet felt strongly that the FF pates are a problem for the pancreatitis. I need to rethink this and yup, I am not into those gravies, binders, and all.

To say the least, the vet's recommendation for no insulin for two days was bad news. I feel partially responsible.

Thanks for the links on hypo and ketones, and all of your info and help. Between these boards and that ER vet who is much more holistically inclined and proactive on treating my boy, I feel much, much better.

I'll post when I have the test stuff.

I can't thank you enough! Much food for thought and action.

usan
 
Re: Fighting DKA (Diabetic Ketoacidosis) & Chronic Pancreati

Ann,

Thanks for the links for the blood ketones home-testing kit -- checking out the links.

I read the line about your Simba, and it sounds like you know this terrain very well.

All the best,
Susan
 
Re: Fighting DKA (Diabetic Ketoacidosis) & Chronic Pancreati

Susan D said:
Gayle,

Thanks so much! A few quick notes for now:

Yes, I am feeling well done and over with the syrup. I will get a supply of the buprenex.

As for B12, this ER vet advised me to get it for the injections. Funny thing was, I had asked my vet about his over a month ago, and she said it had been in Sasha's fluids when he received the IV fluids in the vet hospital. No suggestion about at-home injections. I relayed a question to the vet today so that I can get a vial of B12. If I do not hear about this tomorrow, I will follow up elsewhere to get it. I am glad to hear about your experience and your hopefulness about it.

Yes, I didn't use the big-priced wet food for quite a while. I have given Sasha FF Classic for awhile, but this ER vet felt strongly that the FF pates are a problem for the pancreatitis. I need to rethink this and yup, I am not into those gravies, binders, and all.

To say the least, the vet's recommendation for no insulin for two days was bad news. I feel partially responsible.

Thanks for the links on hypo and ketones, and all of your info and help. Between these boards and that ER vet who is much more holistically inclined and proactive on treating my boy, I feel much, much better.

I'll post when I have the test stuff.

I can't thank you enough! Much food for thought and action.

usan
Click to expand...

I think that vets push their RX food too much.... if you want to find other foods not the fancy feast, check binky's list and look for the foods with carbs under 10% ..... just in case Sasha goes low one day, have a few cans of food with gravy in it...lotsa carbs in the gravy, and it will bring Sasha's numbers up but will not be filling.
here are some food links for you, including one with food lower in fat for pancreatitis issues.
Binky’s Food Lists
Feeding Your Cat: Know The Basics of Feline Nutrition
List of Low-Carb/Med.-Fat Food for Cats with Diabetes AND Chronic Pancreatitis

I would suggest you get the vial of B12, give shots at home and you will save money on having to give fluids to get the B vitamin.
You can always add water to the food.... put half can water mixed in with a full can of foods.
 
Re: Fighting DKA (Diabetic Ketoacidosis) & Chronic Pancreati

Everyone has answered your questions very well .... I have a very complex cat that that has gone into DKA 4x and has pancreatitis. I have found that FF pates work the best for her, adding water .... I add 1 can of water to every can of food but you need to work up to that, they don't usually like in the beginning.

My Payne does well on SQ fluids every other day, daily if she is having an attack, buprenex also and if she has ketones .... possibly moving to DKA, R added. I agree 2 days without insulin could have led to the DKA which is very hard to treat at home because of other imbalances but I understand the money.

When you start testing you will be able to add the R but should not until you get numbers but you will not stop the DKA without R, it is important that enough insulin is given and you won't know that without testing. If you are aggressive and the DKA is mild .....maybe, but DKA can do harm quickly, so testing is very, very important.

Nancy and Payne ......
 
Re: Fighting DKA (Diabetic Ketoacidosis) & Chronic Pancreati

I can't offer any assistance on the DKA front, but I have a lot of experience with pancreatitis. Right now my kitty has asthma/chronic pancreatits/diabetes and nearly died from an acute attack of pancreatitis in Nov which ended in placing an e-tube.

In one of your posts you mention needing a bland, low-fat diet. There is no medical data supporting this for cats with pancreatitis. Not to say that diet isn't important, but don't restrict yourself based on these criteria. This seems to be a common problem (vets suggesting low fat diets)...but cats are not small dogs. And for cats, this theory just is not supported.

Best of luck,
LOC
 
Re: Home Testing Challenge -- DKA & Chronic Pancreatitis

Nancy (and Payne) and LOC, Gayle, and all,

Thanks for your thoughts and suggestions. Sasha is eating well this morning, and has been showing more energy in roaming around to his usual places in the house. I know this whole thing is tough, and day to day, and I can tell how much each of you has been through this with your kitties (sending healing energy, too!).

Gayle, last night I did try the home testing for the first time (you had wondered if it might happen before Sasha's injection). I did not do so well in that I kept having a hard time doing the prick of the vein in the ear to really get it. It feels like I cannot get enough pressure from the lancet pen to pop the teeny hole for the blood drop. I then used the lancet on its own, but I felt this wasn't very comfortable or easy for Sasha. It's interesting because I have been able to do all of the other types of things so far -- assisted feeding, subq fluids, etc. -- but this one feels more daunting to me.

Any suggestions? They would be much appreciated. I almost wish I would get an in-house tutoring, and may seem if I could arrange that with one of the vet techs or vet nurses who have now become friends.

Sasha's BG last night prior to the injection was 218... 12+ hours after his injection. I gave him a 1/2 unit insulin, not 1 unit. I am just learning to interpret but I did not want a hypo situation, given that his pancreatitis has made this tough to control.

LOC, I read the same stuff about the low-fat diet not having been proven with regard to cats and pancreatitis.

Thank you, everyone!

Susan and Sasha
 
Re: Fighting DKA (Diabetic Ketoacidosis) & Chronic Pancreati

The best thing from your post was mentions of Sasha going to usual places... when our cats are feeling better, closer to their old selves, their old habits start to return, and you will see this sort of thing before you see numbers settling down.

For the lancet device, see if you can adjust it to a diff setting.
Also, hold something solid, firm, to the other side of the ear so it stays in place when you poke.... I have never aimed directly for the vein as if you hit it bang on, you may have a gusher and not just a drop of blood. If you do get a gusher, get your test, then hold the poked spot firmly with a bit of pressure with maybe a Kleenex or cotton, to stop the bleeding like you would do for yourself.
Their ears 'learn' to bleed, so just keep at it with the lancet device if possible because the device when set to the depth that works for you will be consistent.... free hand can hurt sometimes and sometimes not, so your cat may always be wondering how the next poke is going to feel.

Where are you located? You never know who is just around the corner from you and who can help you over the starting rough spots. The next time you see your vet or one of the vet techs, take your meter and lancet and some strips with you, then get them to show you how to test.... Once you get the hang of it, it's no big deal for you or your cat.

Be sure to keep up the fluids and give a tiny bit of pain meds until you are seeing the old Sasha up and running again.
 
Re: Fighting DKA (Diabetic Ketoacidosis) & Chronic Pancreati

Susan,

I would take and put a roll of toilet paper in the room where I tested Lilly my diabetic. I would then tear off two squares and keep folding them up until they were about the size of a half dollar, then I would hold on the inside against the ear where I was going to poke for the test with the lancet. I always set the lancet on 5 the hardest poke as thats what it took to get the blood drop. I would get the toilet paper out, the meter and the lancet ready and then go get her as I had to chase her down at times. I also would draw her shot up before hand and lay every thing out in the floor. Thank goodness Lilly was a Siamese mix and light colored and it was easier. I tested my tuxedo once for the heck of it who had black ears and what a time I had.
Also Lilly had pancreatitis and when she did she hid all the time in my bedroom because she felt so bad. So it is very good news that Sasha is out roaming around going where he normally goes.

Terri
 
Re: Fighting DKA (Diabetic Ketoacidosis) & Chronic Pancreati

Thanks for all of your additional tips and info for help with Sasha. So appreciative!

Ann, you asked how the home care is going (and thanks). It is going well in many respects. And in one aspect I am flying without instruments...not having accomplished the home testing for his BG.

Sasha has been showing improvement each day, with many signs of this progress. He has been "brighter" and more alert, walking yesterday and today much more surely, purring up a storm often, and going around to his places and various resting spots in the house more. His appetite has been very good, and his elimination, too.

I've been giving fluids to him daily (100 ml in the morning, 50 ml in the evening); getting a very good amount of food into him; administering his round of meds (daily amoxi, metronidazole, one/quarter of a 5-mg tab of prednisolone, ondansetron; and mirtazapine every third day); and giving lots of affection and gentle care to my boy. I've ordered digestive enzymes (Total Zymes, recommended by a friend from the Feline Pancreatitis Support Group, whose cat is also diabetic), and I am going to start a B-complex with Sasha in the next day or so. I also have the pain meds and am using as needed.

Also, my vet, at my request, is going to do every-other-week B12 injections, though I don't understand why we wouldn't do weekly -- and I need to ask about that and possibly follow up myself on that one.

Home Testing for Sasha's BG...aargh! I've attempted this three times in the past two days, and just once gotten a successful reading. I employed the tips you all generously suggested, but still was not able to get the right ping into Sasha's sweet little ear to get a drop of blood. And Sasha, who is usually a very laid-back, easy, and sweet boy, was very squirmy -- maybe like your tuxedo, Terri? When I did get a drop of blood this morning after several attempts, my meter had an error on the strip that I put in. As I say, aargh! So I am going to do two things: 1) enlist a local vet tech who has become my friend to either tutor me in-person about home testing, or ask if the vet tech would be available to do this several times with me possibly and I would pay her until I get the hang of it (she is eager to earn some extra bread); and 2) call a local holistic vet for a consult and, as part of it, discuss the home-testing with her. (Gayle, I am in the Hudson Valley, in New York.) I may also put the word out to a couple of my neighborhood groups to see if I have a neighbor who is already doing this and who can kindly tutor me.

So that is the story this evening with Sasha and me. I just would say he was more his Sasha self the past two days, and that heartened me. Onward!

Thanks very much for your care. I feel like I would like to contribute more knowledge and support to the board members as I learn more. Hugs and gentle thoughts to all of your beloved felines this evening!

Susan
 
Re: Fighting DKA (Diabetic Ketoacidosis) & Chronic Pancreati

I can't find where it says that you are testing for ketones (at least with urine strips, which are not expensive)... I have never treated a DKA cat, but it seems like that would be vital to making sure the ketones are headed in the right direction. Maybe it is upthread and I just didn't see it?
 
Re: Fighting DKA (Diabetic Ketoacidosis) & Chronic Pancreati

Jennifer (& Paul & Saimam),

Good point about the testing for ketones. Yes, I plan to and am getting the ketostix at the pharmacy today.

Thanks,
Susan
 
Re: Fighting DKA (Diabetic Ketoacidosis) & Chronic Pancreati

Hi Susan,

Also, my vet, at my request, is going to do every-other-week B12 injections, though I don't understand why we wouldn't do weekly -- and I need to ask about that and possibly follow up myself on that one.
Click to expand...
Can you ask your vet to give you a vial of the B12 so that you can give the shots yourself, at home?
I can understand vets wanting to give the shots at the office for normal animals, but you are already a pro with injections and give fluids and meds at home, so there is no reason at all that you cannot give the shots yourself.

When I first started giving B12 shots to my 2 cats, the instructions were to give a shot once a week for 6weeks, then every 2weeks for 6weeks, and then finally a maint dose once a month. Because Shadoe has had so many issues with pancreatitis in the past, I never went down to the once a month level, but stuck with every 1 or 2 weeks.

Testing for ketones is CRITICAL with DKA issues, so please pick up the sticks as soon as you can and test as often as you can, OK? Things can take a turn for the worse very quickly.

Thanks very much for your care. I feel like I would like to contribute more knowledge and support to the board members as I learn more.
Click to expand...

Just by your sharing your care and all related matters for Sasha is contributing, and sharing updates on progress is contributing. You may be having a few issues with home testing right now, but if you see someone post later on, saying their cat has pancreatitis, guess who will be able to help that person with info? YOU.

You are already helping others who may not even be posting but just reading posts, and in the future, you will be able to contribute even more to the new guys.
 
Re: Fighting DKA (Diabetic Ketoacidosis) & Chronic Pancreati

Susan D said:
Jennifer (& Paul & Saimam),

Good point about the testing for ketones. Yes, I plan to and am getting the ketostix at the pharmacy today.

Thanks,
Susan
Click to expand...

OK great! :smile:
 
Re: Fighting DKA (Diabetic Ketoacidosis) & Chronic Pancreati

Gayle, Jennifer, Ann, Terri, et al,

News on Sasha's ketone testing -- I just was able to test Sasha for ketones, and the stick said "negative" (though I don't trust my eyes and kept wondering if it was really trace). One other point is that when I caught it in the little cup, one piece of litter was in it, too. So I will retest as soon as possible. Just me being nervous. Very good test result, and I'm going to keep up the testing.

Quick update today: Sasha's appetite remains very good. He is bright and has been going to his usual spots in the house. He has had regular eliminations. Also, he has been very responsive today, a purr boy. It also feels like he is keeping his weight, but I need to get that baby scale. It's day by day!

Gayle Shadoe & Oliver said:
Can you ask your vet to give you a vial of the B12 so that you can give the shots yourself, at home?
I can understand vets wanting to give the shots at the office for normal animals, but you are already a pro with injections and give fluids and meds at home, so there is no reason at all that you cannot give the shots yourself.
Click to expand...

Excellent idea, Gayle. I see the vet today for Sasha's recheck, and I am going to ask her about this...if she wants to give the B12 every other week, then I can do it on the intervening week. I believe this is crucial, especially right now.

Gayle Shadoe & Oliver said:
Just by your sharing your care and all related matters for Sasha is contributing, and sharing updates on progress is contributing. You may be having a few issues with home testing right now, but if you see someone post later on, saying their cat has pancreatitis, guess who will be able to help that person with info? YOU.

You are already helping others who may not even be posting but just reading posts, and in the future, you will be able to contribute even more to the new guys.
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That means a lot, Gayle, especially because you and others have been so helpful and made such a difference. If I can do that for someone, great!

Thank you, all!! Hope you and your felines are having a very good afternoon!

With hugs and gratitude,
Susan
 
Re: Fighting DKA (Diabetic Ketoacidosis) & Chronic Pancreati

That's great on the negative ketones. I would keep testing for them, though, as much as you can.
Hugs.
 
Re: Fighting DKA (Diabetic Ketoacidosis) & Chronic Pancreati

Thanks, Dyana! And I will keep testing for ketones, for sure. Important!

Hugs to you and yours, too,
Susan
 
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