How bad is it?

[csepulveda85]

Ok i haven't been on back in a while here but i have some concerns about my cat right now.

Shes still not on insulin because i thought she was getting alittle better when i changed her food from M/D to Fancy Feast classics. . . Its been a month so far and everything was ok until the past two days ... She started having very soft poop and not eattings or drinking.. She will come nepple on her food and thats a bout it.. Shes loosing some weight i noticed.. And then i have to clean her all the time because she has some pop on her fur...

Im so nervous and i cant take her blood because she doesnt let me near her ear.. She hates it....

im taking her to the vet Monday.. Anyone know what it could be?

I was hoping that it was the new taste of fancy feast i gave her but i stopped and shes still feeling sick.. She seems so delicate now..

 

[Ry & Scooter]

Hard to diagnose over the internet. Monday may be too long to wait for the vet if she is not eating. Hepatic lipidosis can come on FAST. Please go to any pharmacy and pick up Ketostix or Ketodiastix and use those to test her urine for ketones. You could also pick up some Pepcid AC 10mg tablets (generic brand is fine) and give her 1/4 of a tablet and see if it helps her tummy feel better.

Also, all of our cats pretty much hated home testing in the beginning. It's not so much that the poke hurts them. It's because their owner is approaching them all paranoid, stressed, and scared and they feed off those emotions. They also are also not used to being messed with and restrained and that unusual situation makes them annoyed more than anything else. You have to understand that blood testing is a necessary part of treating this disease and if she is in something like DKA (diabetic ketoacidosis) it was likely brought on by the lack of insulin. Even if you have to wrap her in a towel and sit on her, she will soon learn that testing isn't so bad if she just holds still... make sure to give her lots of praise and treats... I had a very hard time for the first 2 weeks or so before Scooter smartened up and now he sits on my lap quietly and purrs through the whole thing. Doesn't even shake his ear any more :lol:

 

[Dyana]

I agree with Ry.

Please test her urine for ketones, and let us know what it says.

A cat can not go very long without eating. And ketones come from lack of insulin and lack of eating and/or an infection of some sort. Ketones can be life threatening. Please go buy the ketone test strips if you don't already have them.
You can get them in the diabetic section of any pharmacy.

Also, home testing was hard to learn for 99% of us here, but we all learned because it's necessary. We'll help you, and before you know it, you'll be helping others.

 

[hmjohnston]

Does she approach the food and lick a few times then back away while licking her nips or anything like that?

 

[csepulveda85]

Please go to any pharmacy and pick up Ketostix or Ketodiastix and use those to test her urine for ketones. You could also pick up some Pepcid AC 10mg tablets (generic brand is fine) and give her 1/4 of a tablet and see if it helps her tummy feel better.

I was able to take her to the doctor today instead of Monday. They did all new testing on her blood and did another testing to check if she need to be hospitallized. (sorry don't remember the name)

Good news is that she didnt have to hospitalized bad news is she deffently needs to start her insulin now... Sooo i have the insulin and will start tommrow hopefully is she starts eating normally.

Does she approach the food and lick a few times then back away while licking her nips or anything like that?

Yes she will lick some, maybe for 1 min and then walk away.. I would have to keep brining her to her plate to have her start licking again.
The doctor gave her some shots for her belly to help start her appatite.. she still is eatting the same but i boiled some chicken (she loves it) and she started eatting a little of it now.

I wont find out about the blood results until Tuesday or Monday but i have to start the home testing
Im soooooooooo nervous nailbite_smile

Im hoping that by tmm she will be eating better and we can start this home testing... Wish me luck guys! :-|

 

[Helene & Cleo]

Im hoping that by tmm she will be eating better and we can start this home testing...

If she is still not eating, but you have been advised to start the insulin immediately, it is even more important that you start home testing. Immediately.

With a lower than usual food intake, you risk a hypoglycaemic episode if you are not testing your kitty's blood sugar regularly upon starting insulin. And your vet has stated you cannot delay the insulin any longer. So please do start with the BG testing now.

BG testing really is not as bad as you think. My cat was an absolute terror when I started BG testing her; she would howl, yowl, growl, hiss, scratch and bite. Now, a month or so later, she's not one of those kitties who comes running when she sees the BG machine... but she does let me get on with it (most of the time); and then scoffs her treat afterwards with an indignant swish of het tail. It is possible!

You'll have all the support you need from the wonderful people on this forum, who have been through it all before themselves. Just post any problems you have.

Finally, which insulin have you been prescribed, and at what dosage?

It'll be okay!

H

 

[csepulveda85]

If she is still not eating, but you have been advised to start the insulin immediately, it is even more important that you start home testing. Immediately.

The Vet said to start the insulin when she starts to eat more because it wasnt good to give it to her on a empty tummy. I will be watching her blood levels today to make sure they are ok.. She has began to eat today alittle more with help of the boiled chicken! :smile:
She seems alittle herself more today which is great and im hoping that i can start the insulin tmm.

Finally, which insulin have you been prescribed, and at what dosage?

The vet had me get Lantus and told me to start her on 1 unit twice a day...
Heres my question i forgot to ask... What are the best time in the day? Morning and night before her last feeding?
I know i can give her it while eating but i dont know how many hours apart.

Also i was told to keep a record.. I see all of you have one.. and i looked at them but dont understand it.
How can i make and what does it need to have in it?

 

[Helene & Cleo]

The vet had me get Lantus and told me to start her on 1 unit twice a day...
Heres my question i forgot to ask... What are the best time in the day? Morning and night before her last feeding?
I know i can give her it while eating but i dont know how many hours apart.

Many people here adopt a Test, Feed, Shoot routine; test kitty first, so that your BG test results aren't falsely altered by food, then feed her, to ensure she has eaten something before finally giving her the insulin shot.

As you know, it is important that the cat has eaten before she is given the insulin, to avoid the risk of a hypo. This is also why it is important to get your kitty's blood glucose tests before each shot, along with readings at the 'nadir', which should be somewhere around the mid-point between the two daily shots, when insulin is most effective and blood glucose is at its lowest.

Also i was told to keep a record.. I see all of you have one.. and i looked at them but dont understand it.
How can i make and what does it need to have in it?

Here's the link with all the info on setting up a Google spreadsheet to track your cat's blood glucose levels:

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=18207

And here is how to create a profile (a history of your cat with details such as insulin type, food etc):

viewtopic.php?f=28&t=82802

Don't hesitate to post if (or when) you have more questions!

H

 

[hmjohnston]

I asked about the lip licking as that is sometimes a sign of nausea which can be helped by Pepcid AC- not the other as it has aspirin in it. She may WANT to eat but won't b/c she feels ill to her stomach. Unless the vet gave her something for that giving her an appetite stimulant will not be beneficial.