Help with Shadow =(

[Shadowboy]

Hi- It's been a while since I've visited the board. Shadow had been doing really well- key word HAD. Shadow had been stable on 1/2 unit twice a day and 1/2 a can of EVO twice a day (down from 3/4 can). At least I thought we were doing good. His numbers ranged in the mid-100s. I didn't test every day, but tested randomly before eating and based on his symptoms. He hasn't had a flare up of pancreatitis in a long time. Our problems probably started 3-6 months ago.

I felt like Shadow was still hungry all the time. So, I started adding a little Tiki Cat canned food becuase it is really low carb/calorie and our vet felt like he was overweight so didn't want me to give him more EVO. He seemed to be doing well, and wasn't gaining weight, but then started having really foul smelling loose stools and was vomiting- once the vomit was bloody. Stopped the Tiki Cat and the vomiting stopped and stools went back to normal. Ever since that time though, I haven't been able to get his blood sugars regulated again. He was probably on the Tiki Cat for 1 month.

He is losing weight and acting like he's starving. I put him back up to .75 unit because I was getting a lot of high numbers (numbers we hadn't seen since he first came to us) and he had a low one night 97 so I dropped him back down to 1/2 unit, but now his numbers are high again. The Lantus pen is new.

5/1/15 weight 16lbs
10/22/15 weight 12.4lbs
12/4/15 weight 13.6lbs
12/21/15 weight 12.8lbs

Thoughts?

*Edited- ok, just entered all the numbers in the spreadsheet and I guess I dropped him to 1/2 unit too soon. I did it based on the 97 on 12/18 because when I saw he went that low I felt maybe the highs I had been seeing were rebounds, but maybe they weren't =( And.... I realized I haven't tracked enough BGs to be able to be able to come to any conclusions. UGH!

 

[Critter Mom]

Hi,

I'm sorry to hear that Shadow hasn't been having such a good time of it. With the history of pancreatitis and the symptoms you describe, if he were mine I'd be looking to get the vet to run both Spec fPL and fTLI tests to check for both pancreatitis and exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. How are his stools now? If they're still whiffy it might be worth asking your vet about pancreatic enzyme supplementation.

This is speculation on my part but I wonder whether something in the Tiki Cat triggered a flare of pancreatitis symptoms. I know that when Saoirse has had something that makes her pancreatitis worse her appetite has increased at times. She has recently fallen out of remission and I was having to feed her more in order to maintain her weight and her numbers started climbing outside the healthy range. Now that she's back on Lantus again her appetite has reduced again. Her pancreatitis symptoms have lessened in severity, too.

Is Shadow showing any signs of pain, e.g. meatloafing, hiding? If his pancreas is irritated then the pain could also be influencing his numbers. Buprenorphine can help with pain.

You need to start getting mid-cycle tests ASAP in order to determine how the Lantus dose is working for Shadow. If he's losing weight and showing strong signs of hunger then either he's not getting enough calories or else he's not getting the benefit of the food he is eating. Definitely time for a trip to the vet.


Mogs
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[Shadowboy]

Thanks for taking the time to respond. Yes, that's exactly what I thought, that the Tiki Cat triggered a flare up of pancreatitis. His stools are normal now, and no signs of pain. Although, he has never shown signs of pain. In the past when he's had pancreatitis we've treated with buprenorphine becuase my vet believes it is painful even if they don't show signs. When I first got him he had a lot of issues with stools and we tried him on pancreatic enzymes and they didn't change his stools.

I'm so mad at myself for thinking he was in good control and then when I looked at the numbers in the spreadsheet realized that he hasn't been. Tonight I increased his insulin to 3/4 unit and gave him an extra 1/8 can of food. Will work on getting more numbers mid cycle.

 

[Critter Mom]

Having a sugar cat can be a real roller coaster, and having pancreatitis in the mix can make things much trickier. Try to take heart from the fact that you're doing a grand job of monitoring Shadows clinical signs well. Living creatures aren't static, and by home testing you've put yourself in a position to respond quickly to Shadow's changing needs. This is all good.

With the new dose it's even more important to get mid-cycle tests because as the depot builds up with the extra insulin you need to ensure that it is safe.

Regarding the Tiki Cat food, I'd suggest making a careful note of all of the ingredients it contains and the percentage of fat it contains. It may help you to identify foods that are possible pancreatitis triggers for Shadow and therefore help you to avoid them in the future.

I hope Shadow feels better soon. Be sure to let us know how he gets on.


Mogs
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