HUGE Bounce - Concerned

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Critter Mom said:
@scs islander -

How is Goma's appetite, and how is her weight?

In particular, does she need to gain weight?

If yes to the previous question, is she very underweight or slightly underweight? (Body condition chart.)


Mogs
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Goma has a great appetite - Ravenous actually - Her weight now is about 6.6 lbs (3.3kg). When I brought her home from the vet she was 2.23 kg (about 4.4 lbs). She was a 1 on the body condition chart. I now put her at a 3. I am actually glad you asked because I am becoming concerned that I am overfeeding her and could be contributing to the problem and not helping. All she gets is the export version of ff (mon petite) pate and 20 grams of hand ground chicken that has been lightly boiled in plain water. Initially the advice was to let her eat as much as she wants. She'd eat all day I think if I let her. But I do ensure no food 2 hours before amps and pmps.
To answer the question, I think she needs an additional kg to be ideal.
 
Kris & Teasel said:
Yes, to fat and skinny doses for bouncy cats. I do it all the time with my rubber ball of a kitty. If you have half unit marks on your syringes, just nudge the flat top of the plunger up to but barely touching the bottom (relative to the syringe needle) of the 2.5 u line - no daylight between the plunger top and the 2.5 u line. You'll get good at these over time.

As Rachel said, it's nothing to do with being smart and everything to do with looking at many, many SSs. ;)
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But you do have to know what you are looking at...Some day there will be an idiots guide to all this and I'll be first in line.
 
FurBabiesMama said:
Hi. Just a comment.. The AlphaTrak is the most accurate meter you can have for testing her. I am glad you explained that the 389 was taken on 'old' blood, because that would have been the only reading out of the four that I would have said was way out of line. Having a backup meter is a great idea though!

For what it's worth, I agree with the other ladies. I would increase the dose. I would do it at an AM dosing just because it is easier to monitor more during the day time. And, I would probably just go to a 'fat' 2.5, putting the plunger of the syringe just over the 2 unit line. My baby was a bouncy ball for months, and I found that very small dosing increases held consistently for several cycles worked best to calm things. It's so good to see Goma's progress. I know you are a ball of nerves and probably cannot appreciate it as much as we 'outsiders' can. :)
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I guess it goes with the saying I can't see the forest for the trees.
 
FurBabiesMama said:
This is great! :joyful:
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May I ask how you prepare the home-cooked chicken breast and bone broth? I have been making 20 gm balls of hand ground chicken from breast meat light boiled in plain water. I'd like to come up with more variety for her.
 
scs islander said:
May I ask how you prepare the home-cooked chicken breast and bone broth?
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I cook the chicken breast like this (except no salt and pepper): https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-co...ry-time-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-36891
Here is info on bone broth: https://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2013/12/02/pet-bone-broth.aspx
I put chicken drumsticks in a stock pot and barely cover with water then add a couple of tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and let it set for maybe 30 minutes. Then, I simmer it for about 24 hours. I have to add a little bit of water at a point or two during that time, but never more than just enough to keep the bones just barely covered. Once it is done, I strain out the bones, meat, skin with a colander. then pour it through filter to make sure there not any tiny pieces left in it (I use a permanent coffee filter.) As it cools, I skim the fat off the top. I freeze it in ice cube trays so it will stay fresh longer. I keep a Ziploc freezer bag with the cubes in it and can pop one in the microwave anytime I need some.
 
Oh, and... I keep a chicken breast in the refrigerator. I tear off a chunk and microwave it just a few seconds then hand shred it when I want to give them some. I keep a few cooked breasts in the freezer so that when the one I am using starts to run out, I can pull out another.
 
FurBabiesMama said:
I cook the chicken breast like this (except no salt and pepper): https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-co...ry-time-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-36891
Here is info on bone broth: https://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2013/12/02/pet-bone-broth.aspx
I put chicken drumsticks in a stock pot and barely cover with water then add a couple of tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and let it set for maybe 30 minutes. Then, I simmer it for about 24 hours. I have to add a little bit of water at a point or two during that time, but never more than just enough to keep the bones just barely covered. Once it is done, I strain out the bones, meat, skin with a colander. then pour it through filter to make sure there not any tiny pieces left in it (I use a permanent coffee filter.) As it cools, I skim the fat off the top. I freeze it in ice cube trays so it will stay fresh longer. I keep a Ziploc freezer bag with the cubes in it and can pop one in the microwave anytime I need some.
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Thank you so much for sharing this. I am going to give it a go when the dust begins to settle. What happens with the meat? (Obviously I am not a cook either)
 
scs islander said:
What happens with the meat?
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Be sure to watch the video about making bone broth. You definitely do not have to use whole drumsticks with meat on them, I just do because it is easier for me. In the early stage of cooking, just after the meat is cooked, I pull some out to give the girls as a treat, but once it gets past that point, it gets nasty. Once it is done cooking, I just strain everything, including meat, out. My way actually wastes a lot of meat.. again, this is just easier for me.
 
Great to hear that Goma's regaining weight and has a good, strong appetite. :) (Anti-jinx!)

The general rule is not to restrict access to food if a diabetic kitty needs to regain weight, with the exception of the two hour period before each preshot test. If a kitty isn't yet regulated it can't make full use of the food eaten so while Goma still needs to put weight on you should have no worries about overfeeding her. Just monitor her progress against the body condition chart and check her weight regularly. When she gets back to ideal weight you can gradually reduce the amount fed to a maintenance amount. Indeed, as her regulation improves you'll most likely find that the ravenous hunger (polyphagia) will reduce as her body starts properly utilising the nutrients she consumes.

As Goma's weight gets back to normal there is a possibility that it might help make her a little less bouncy (her system will be more resilient). Time and testing will tell. :)


Mogs
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Rachel said:
It's nothing to do with being smart! We've been here for years and studied thousands of spreadsheets...and over time we've developed a better sense of patterns and what kitties usually will and won't do. Also, it's a lot easier to look at someone else's SS and discern patterns...when it's your own cat, it's harder since you are so scared of making a wrong decision. Even after I started to feel comfortable with making my own decisions, I used to come on here daily and ask what others thought. I didn't want to make the wrong decision and I was always afraid I wasn't reading the data right.

We're here and happy to help!
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I sincerely appreciate all the information and guidance you and everyone else is providing to assist me in the decision making process. Someday hopefully I will figure it out and maybe even be able to help someone else.
 
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Djamila said:
Goma! Look at her go!!! :D:D:D Goma says, "No thank you, on that increase. I can do it myself!" :cat:
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She had a really good run this go around. From yellow early this morning to pink (amps) to green to blue. However pmps is back to black. Took three readings again because she was just acting so darn playful (which is a complete turnaround), I couldn't believe it would be 583. Second reading reflected 489 and third 544 which is what I am recording. Gave injection so I am hoping once it takes hold, she will once again get some low, soothing numbers. Apparently the bounce continues. But I am grateful, as I am sure she is, now for the longer period of rest her body got. This really is a totally different cat from a month ago. Wish I could figure out what is going on in the afternoons.
 
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I would expect she will stay a little higher this cycle since she isn't used to those green numbers yet. Don't worry though if that is what happens, that's just how this works. She'll show you more of those nice healthy numbers soon enough. I'm so so so happy to hear that she's playing and feeling better now! Sleep well!
 
Djamila said:
I would expect she will stay a little higher this cycle since she isn't used to those green numbers yet. Don't worry though if that is what happens, that's just how this works. She'll show you more of those nice healthy numbers soon enough. I'm so so so happy to hear that she's playing and feeling better now! Sleep well!
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Thank you for the reassurance that all remains ok. Now I think I will sleep better. Hope you have a great day.
 
scs islander said:
This really is a totally different cat from a month ago.
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Repeat this to yourself any time the meter gives you a high reading. ;) And give yourself a big pat on the back for doing such a great job of looking after her. :)

After the nadir this AM cycle I had a suspicion that Goma would do a bit of a ...


iu



Your girl did not disappoint me. :rolleyes:

;)


Mogs
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Remember that time in those healing numbers is good and allows her pancreas a break...bouncing is unfortunate but exactly what we all expected...and it doesn’t take away from the good numbers earlier!
 
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