Looking for some help/guidance for my wonderful 6-year-old Ragdoll cat, Bonser. Bonser has an interesting health history. He has spent the last three years under the care of an Allergy/Dermatology vet, due to his overfunctioning ear wax problems with ongoing infections and problems. He has been treated with Atopica (25 mg pill) once daily (a drug that suppressed his immune reactions - the animal equivalent of the medication given to transplant patients to prevent rejection). Also, he was receiving 0.1 mL of Dexamethasone in each ear daily. Interspersed with this were various antibiotics, whenever he was diagnosed with an infection.
Over the past few months, we had noticed a ravenous appetite, pooping for four cats, excessive thirst and urination. I started to suspect he may have diabetes, but he seemed fine. Finally, he started acting funny, hiding all day away from us, not grooming himself, and suddenly his appetite dropped off. We went to see the Allergy/Derm vet for a check up, he had staph infection and Aspergillus in his ear wax, and began treatment for another ear infection. I mentioned my concerns to his wonderful vet, who did blood work and exam. He had dropped 1 lb in three weeks. Sure enough, blood sugar returned at 348 the next day, with elevated ALT. So, I was sent back to our regular vet, who hadn't seen Bonser in three years. The next day, blood glucose was down to 296. They ran a fructosamine which came back at 396 I believe. They are referring to him as "prediabetic." So switched to DM food and and set up monitoring glucose at the vet. A week later, glucose was 306.
Now, he is not eating at all, despite our best efforts at both dry and wet diabetic food. He is still drinking and urinating, but is constantly cold (ongoing for about 4 months), sleeping a lot, bad, bad breath (new) and is losing his whiskers randomly, along with not taking care of himself and losing hair. I just have to wonder if my wondercat (who has reacted/overreacted to every known situation - he is very sensitive) has something else going on besides elevated blood sugar - thyroid, pancreatitis, whatever. I just don't know where to turn, but am very concerned he is not eating - or eating very little. Does anybody have any ideas/resources/suggestions for me? Of course, we are going to make another visit to the vet tomorrow to have him checked out, but today he hid somewhere in the house (and wouldn't come out) until it was after the time the clinic closed, despite my searching the house four times in every nook and cranny I could find. He is a very smart kitty, but I know him so well that I know when things aren't right and they aren't right!
Thanks.
BonserMom
Over the past few months, we had noticed a ravenous appetite, pooping for four cats, excessive thirst and urination. I started to suspect he may have diabetes, but he seemed fine. Finally, he started acting funny, hiding all day away from us, not grooming himself, and suddenly his appetite dropped off. We went to see the Allergy/Derm vet for a check up, he had staph infection and Aspergillus in his ear wax, and began treatment for another ear infection. I mentioned my concerns to his wonderful vet, who did blood work and exam. He had dropped 1 lb in three weeks. Sure enough, blood sugar returned at 348 the next day, with elevated ALT. So, I was sent back to our regular vet, who hadn't seen Bonser in three years. The next day, blood glucose was down to 296. They ran a fructosamine which came back at 396 I believe. They are referring to him as "prediabetic." So switched to DM food and and set up monitoring glucose at the vet. A week later, glucose was 306.
Now, he is not eating at all, despite our best efforts at both dry and wet diabetic food. He is still drinking and urinating, but is constantly cold (ongoing for about 4 months), sleeping a lot, bad, bad breath (new) and is losing his whiskers randomly, along with not taking care of himself and losing hair. I just have to wonder if my wondercat (who has reacted/overreacted to every known situation - he is very sensitive) has something else going on besides elevated blood sugar - thyroid, pancreatitis, whatever. I just don't know where to turn, but am very concerned he is not eating - or eating very little. Does anybody have any ideas/resources/suggestions for me? Of course, we are going to make another visit to the vet tomorrow to have him checked out, but today he hid somewhere in the house (and wouldn't come out) until it was after the time the clinic closed, despite my searching the house four times in every nook and cranny I could find. He is a very smart kitty, but I know him so well that I know when things aren't right and they aren't right!
Thanks.
BonserMom
