Hi, Nickie. Welcome to yourself and Frosty.
they treated for pancreatitis. They took him off insulin for 10days,
I agree with Bron; Frosty should have been kept on insulin during the pancreas flare.
For general information, researchers into pancreatitis at the University of Manchester have identified a protective effect that insulin has on cells in the pancreas during an acute flare. (Research is in the early stages.)
http://www.manchester.ac.uk/discove...hope-for-the-treatment-of-acute-pancreatitis/
From the above article:
Diabetes makes pancreatitis worse and diabetics are at higher risk of developing pancreatitis and multiple organ failure. Moreover the incidence of pancreatitis is reduced in diabetics that receive insulin. Although tenuous, these studies suggested that insulin might have a protective role, however, it remained unclear how insulin was working. What makes the Manchester research unique is that it provides the first evidence that insulin directly protects the acinar cells, which is where the disease is initiated.
Dr Bruce explains: “Insulin works by restoring the energy levels of pancreatic acinar cells, which fuels the calcium pumps on the membrane of these cells. These calcium pumps help to restore cellular calcium and prevent the catastrophic cell death and autodigestion of the pancreas.”
For future reference, a common reason cats fall out of remission is due to pancreatitis flares. In Saoirse I noted a re-emergence of her chronic pancreatitis symptoms when she stopped insulin treatment after going into diabetic remission. Other members of FDMB have reported similar observations in their kitties. I've attached below a journal article co-authored by vet and respected authority on feline diabetes, Dr. Jacquie Rand. It specifically mentions the importance of insulin treatment for diabetic cats with pancreatitis and hyperthyroidism.
From the attached article:
Frequent causes of relapse are hyperthyroidism and chronic pancreatitis. Very few such cats achieved a second remission because additional glucose toxicity of a further
diabetic episode has destroyed too much beta cell mass for a second remission to be possible.
The more quickly effective treatment with insulin begins and the return to euglycemia is achieved, the more likely a second remission will become. It is advisable that
cats whose blood glucose concentrations increase and are consistently at more than 120 mg/dL be treated with insulin, beginning with small doses that can be ramped
up quickly.
If Frosty continues to be affected by chronic pancreatitis it can help with management to have a good awareness of the clinical signs of nausea, and also the appropriate treatments tp request from your vet. It also helps to learn tricks to encourage pancreatitis kitties to eat, and also to ward against constipation (the latter can make symptoms worse). Here are some resources that I have found to be extremely helpful.
Nausea symptoms and treatments
IDEXX pancreatitis treatment guidelines
Persuading your cat to eat
Tips for stimulating a kitty's appetite
www.felineconstipation.org
I hope Frosty is fully recovered from his flare; it's tough on both cat and caregiver. (((Frosty and Nickie)))
Mogs
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, but it will get easier. One thing that really helps things make sense, is home testing our cats glucose. Its really easy to do and with the data you gather you will know how well your insulin is working. It will also help you to avoid a hypo episode and if one would occur, enable you to treat it quickly. Come to the Main Health Forum to ask any questions you have on feeding, testing and any other feline problems you have.
