HELP ASAP!! Not Eating- Drinking Lots of water- high ketone test

Oof. I don't know enough to be able to help here, but there are definitely some people around here who should. Posting all the labs you have in the "labs" tab of the spreadsheet will be really helpful.

I'd also suggest starting a new thread with this topic in Feline Health, to get more eyes on it. You can link back to this thread so that the full history is easily available.

I'm glad he seems to be feeling a bit better and that at least some of this is under control. It's also fantastic that Murphy's Vet Team is being aggressive with another antibiotic. Throw everything at this!

Keeping everything crossed over there...
 
One step at a time. Sometimes it’s even baby steps. The fact that the vet is optimistic is good. Hang onto that and try to be patient. Now that she’s told you that she’ll bring up the subject of letting Murphy go when/if it’s time, try to put your faith in her and remove those thoughts from your mind for now. Cats have amazing healing capabilities and it sounds like your vets are doing absolutely everything in their power to stack the deck in Murphy’s favor.

Yes, we’ve been down both the hepatic lipidosis and liver failure path at our house. It is definitely not a hopeless diagnosis, although it can be very grave. Don’t panic if you hear mention of clotting factors and elevated liver enzymes and so forth. There are a lot of moving parts but it sounds like your vets are fighting hard, as is Murphy. And the liver can indeed regenerate and heal. At some point they’ll probably add in some liver supplements, such as milk thistle (silymarin) and SAMe (S-adenosylmethionine) — those can be very helpful as well. A product that is commonly used is Denemarin, which combines both.

Sending positive vibes your direction.
 
Nan & Amber (GA) said:
Posting all the labs you have in the "labs" tab of the spreadsheet will be really helpful.
Click to expand...

I have LOTS of paperwork. Once I get the actual numbers from the vet (vs. my scribbled notes as I was on the phone), I will enter the info in the spreadsheet and start a new thread.
You all have been just as inspiring to me through this as the amazing 2 vets working with him.

I went to pick up my dog at day care today, and it is near the vet. I texted Dr. Todd to see if I could stop by and visit with Murphy. They are really limiting anyone coming in the vet b/c of Covid, but she said I was welcome. I went in and spent some time with him. He looked pitiful and mad (big pupils, etc.). The tech who has been working with him said he's been feisty/hissing, etc. The tech took that as a good sign. It made me sad that he's so miserable, but I guess it means he has energy. The other day I don't think he had it in him to fight back.
ANYWAY-I stared into his eyes as I loved on him. I was looking for signs that "it is time." I have certainly seen it in pets before.
He had sort of a blank stare that I did not understand.
I told Dr. Todd that I felt like his eyes were "closer to telling me," but the tech said she'd just given him some meds before I got there.
She said she was still hopeful and he'd had a dose of some pretty heavy stuff to relax him and help with discomfort right before I got there, so she thought that's why he looked like that. (For the record, I am sure they would have waited to administer that drug if they'd known I was coming by. It was a last minute stop).

Anyway- sharing details here with you all is very cathartic. Thanks to you for being there, supporting, praying, listening and advising.
You will be hearing from me again soon, I'm sure.
She's calling me before she leaves the clinic to take Murph home with her. Ahhh...another comforting thought...I'll take all I can get!

I'll start another thread about the liver issues when I have more information.
 
I was with him but he was almost already gone. So thankful that I could hold his little head as he left us.
So sad that he spent his last days being poked and prodded.
Wish I could go back to Tuesday and let him go in peace.
Thank you all for your support.
With sincerest regards, I hope I don't need this forum again.
But, I know you are here, if so, and will certainly share with anyone who finds themselves with a furry little diabetic love bug.:(:(:(:(
I will check in with you on your little ones and pray for you in your care for them.
 
@Leigh B This is so heartbreaking. :-(

So much went wrong so fast that it’s hard to wrap ones mind around it all. I’m glad you were there with Murphy at the end — I’m sure he sensed your presence and that it gave him peace.

No matter how things transpire, it seems we always have regrets. “If only this, if only that, I wish I had done a/b/c, I should have known”... but please try not to let yourself go there. You gave Murphy a great gift — you gave him a chance. Sometimes that is the very best we can do.

My thoughts are with you.
 
JL and Chip said:
No matter how things transpire, it seems we always have regrets. “If only this, if only that, I wish I had done a/b/c, I should have known”... but please try not to let yourself go there. You gave Murphy a great gift — you gave him a chance. Sometimes that is the very best we can do.
Click to expand...

I can't stop doing it. He was so good this time last week.
I'm so sad and angry and will have to figure out how to deal with that, rather than hang on to it.
His time would have come, likely from diabetes complications, bit I really don't think it was now.
But, it happened that way and I need to try to move forward.
There were lots of blessings in it, that I was with him so much today and at the end, for sure.
Circumstances aligned for whatever reason in the grand scheme of things that caused us to be at that clinic with that negligent vet on that day. (Again, my clinic was closed on Sunday) It frustrates me to no end to know that her negligence caused his rapid decline. But for whatever reason, that's the way it happened and I need to try to move forward.
If only I had taken him straight to the emergency clinic...
If only I had waited and taken him to another clinic...
If only I had been in town on the day he actually started showing signs, rather than the next morning...
If only I had gone ahead and put him to rest on Tuesday and never gotten the phone call that it was an infection... Would I have felt peaceful about my decision and not angry at the doctor for her negligence and never known the difference
....
Going to do my best to let all of this go because it will not bring him back. We had an amazing time together... I loved him beyond measure and I know that he knew it... Just feeling horrible that he spent his last few days suffering so terribly with tubes and needles away from home
:(:(:(
 
Oh no.... Leigh, my heart is absolutely breaking for you. I did not expect this news at this point, I just can't believe it. :( :( :(

Please don't second-guess yourself. You did the best you could with the information you had at the time, at every step doing what seemed right for Murphy. And it was working-- he was improving! There was just something else going on that no one knew about until it was too late.

That said, I think many of us know all too well the kinds of thoughts you are having now, losing a heart kitty after a series of care decision forks-- the what ifs are terrible and haunting... We are here for you, whatever you need.

:bighug: :bighug: :bighug: :bighug:
 
Oh, Leigh...

I am desperately sorry to read the sad news about Murphy. My heart is aching for you... :(

:bighug: (((Leigh and Spirit Murphy))) :bighug:


Mogs
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A few last things to you all...

I know I said earlier that I hope to not "need" this site anymore. But, as I gather Murphy's things from around the house, I realize I may stay connected here. If his story can help someone else, that is a wonderful tribute to him.
He dealt with neuropathy 2 years ago, for example, and I was afraid I'd have to put him to sleep when he could no longer walk. I researched and treated him with Zobaline. He got better, to the point he was jumping on countertops and other high areas around the house.
Neuropathy was not a complication I had been expecting, and it seemed dire for a while.
Murphy's legs rebounded strong!

Also, wanted to share a story from this morning. I had just ordered Alphatrak lancets and strips from Chewy.com. AS YOU ALL KNOW...they are not inexpensive! Anyway, I have not opened the box yet. I called Chewy to see if I could return them and explained that Murphy has passed away. The rep I spoke with was so wonderful! She said she had lost her dog a month ago and was still grieving. She said she would refund the money for the Alphatrak items, told me to keep them, and hoped that I would donate them to another pet in need. <3 THEN, she asked me if it was ok if she sent me flowers today.
I believe we have angels in our everyday lives, if we stop to notice them. I feel like she was an angel for me today.

I am going to speak with Dr. Todd today when I go to gather Murphy's things.
I will ask her if they have a patient who can use Murphy's diabetes supplies.
If not, is there a forum here that I might access?
I have Alphatrak kit, fresh strips and lancets, unopened syringes and an unopened bottle of Zobaline.
I would love to especially help with the Zobaline, as people dealing with neuropathy may not know how affective it can be (like myself at first).

You have all been angels to me through this. You have given me so much strength. You are all important.
Thank you
:bighug::cat:cat_wings>o
 
You have a big heart Leigh - hang in there :bighug:

Leigh B said:
I will ask her if they have a patient who can use Murphy's diabetes supplies.
If not, is there a forum here that I might access?
I have Alphatrak kit, fresh strips and lancets, unopened syringes and an unopened bottle of Zobaline.
Click to expand...
There is a board on the forum called the "Supply Closet". I believe you can also donate to Diabetic Cats in Need (DCIN). Here's their website - https://dcin.dreamhosters.com/ - I think @Chris & China (GA) is connected to them.
 
Leigh B said:
I would love to especially help with the Zobaline, as people dealing with neuropathy may not know how affective it can be (like myself at first).
Click to expand...
Peter posts on Feline Health about his cat, Peeka. She has neuropathy and she's getting methylcobalamin. Peter recently switched her to Prozinc and she has a little way to go to become better regulated.

Here's one of Peter's recent threads:

https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/peeka-11-12-bed-jump.238473/

Peter gets a little disheartened sometimes that Peeka's progress with the neuropathy is slow. When you're ready, maybe you could share some of your experience of the condition and any little milestones he could look for to gauge her progress. I think he might really appreciate that.

:bighug:


Mogs
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I'm so, so sorry. Please don't second guess yourself. You did what you could with what you had and what you knew at the time. Murphy knows that. He also knows that you loved him to the moon and beyond. Concentrate instead on the good times – the purring, the snuggles … and maybe that time you stepped in car barf in your bare feet and it squished between your toes. :bighug:
 
Red & Rover (GA) said:
I'm so, so sorry. Please don't second guess yourself. You did what you could with what you had and what you knew at the time. Murphy knows that. He also knows that you loved him to the moon and beyond. Concentrate instead on the good times – the purring, the snuggles … and maybe that time you stepped in car barf in your bare feet and it squished between your toes. :bighug:
Click to expand...

Thanks for the laugh ❣️
 
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