Just some general questions...

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KarensPoe

Member Since 2013
I might be posting this on the wrong board, so please let me know, and I'll move to the appropriate place.

I know it's only a month since Poe's diagnosis and onset of treatment, so his data is limited.

I'm currently giving him 1.0, and tonight's PS will be the beginning of the 10th cycle. He's beginning to spend more time in yellow, so I know an increase is due, which I will start Friday PM, with 1.25.

I wanted to know when I might start seeing him gain some weight back. I know he lost a bit prior to diagnosis, and has probably lost some along the way since. His appetite has always been good, never a problem in getting him to eat anything I've put down. There was one flavor of the Friskies pate I thought he didn't like, but it turns out that I put his food bowl too close to the water fountain and I think the vibration from the motor bothered him.

I've also had to up his asthma treatments since we've had a few episodes that warranted it, and I sure don't want to risk a full blown asthma attack.

Poe would probably eat all day if I let him...and in all honesty, there are days I have. I have always been aware, though, to remove the food 2 hours prior to shots.

His bowel/urinary habits are back to normal and have been pretty much since I took away the dry food and started his insulin.

He's never had a hypo, or anything else related to diabetes like neuropathy, so I've been very lucky.

I am asking for extra eyes to take a look to see if there is anything I can do to improve his health, other than what I've been doing so far. All the P's are in place, and am thinking more of supplements as opposed to treatments. I've been thinking about the B12 for felines, for example.

I just would like to see him gain some weight back, and I know that takes time, and didn't want to miss anything that might aid in that.

It just seems that most times I kind of feel like I'm just shooting from the hip...in other words, more reactive than proactive.

Thank you in advance :)
 
Hi Karen, welcome to LantusLand. You're doing a great job with Poe and it's good that he doesn't have other complications except the asthma. How much does he weigh and how much should he weigh? Another question, how much do you feed him? With Zener, we weigh everything that he eats and record it. And we weigh weekly. He has poor appetite though so we have become food pushers to try to maintain his weight. :lol: :lol: I would try keeping track of how much Poe eats and then give a little more to see if that puts weight on him.
Liz
 
The last trip to the vet which was a month ago he weighed in at 14 lbs. Vet said he should never weigh less than 12, and I haven't been back to the vet (no reason), but I have been trying to locate a baby scale.

I don't see him being below the 12, but it's possible and I'm going to try again this weekend to get a scale.

He easily eats 2 + cans of the 5.5 oz Friskees pate variety, all from the recommended food list a day. I usually give him 1/2 the can at each preshot meal, then he ends up finishing the can grazing after that. There are days he eats more, but rarely less. He is a good eater for sure. Plus, he gets treats, the freeze dried chicken, shrimps (he's not too crazy about those), and the salmon.

I have on hand a boiled chicken breast that I give him as a snack sometimes.

I'm going to grab that recommended food list again and get him more variety.
 
I was reading that thread, and my math is absolutely horrible. I have no idea how much to add to his food, or even by itself. As of now, I give it to him as a treat or a little snack, just a few bite size pieces at a time mostly.
 
KarensPoe said:
...I know it's only a month since Poe's diagnosis and onset of treatment, so his data is limited..... He's beginning to spend more time in yellow, so I know an increase is due, which I will start Friday PM, with 1.25...I wanted to know when I might start seeing him gain some weight back. I know he lost a bit prior to diagnosis, and has probably lost some along the way since. His appetite has always been good, never a problem in getting him to eat anything I've put down. There was one flavor of the Friskies pate I thought he didn't like, but it turns out that I put his food bowl too close to the water fountain and I think the vibration from the motor bothered him.

I've also had to up his asthma treatments since we've had a few episodes that warranted it, and I sure don't want to risk a full blown asthma attack.

Poe would probably eat all day if I let him...and in all honesty, there are days I have. I have always been aware, though, to remove the food 2 hours prior to shots.

His bowel/urinary habits are back to normal and have been pretty much since I took away the dry food and started his insulin.

He's never had a hypo, or anything else related to diabetes like neuropathy, so I've been very lucky.

I am asking for extra eyes to take a look to see if there is anything I can do to improve his health, other than what I've been doing so far. All the P's are in place, and am thinking more of supplements as opposed to treatments. I've been thinking about the B12 for felines, for example.

I just would like to see him gain some weight back, and I know that takes time, and didn't want to miss anything that might aid in that.

It just seems that most times I kind of feel like I'm just shooting from the hip...in other words, more reactive than proactive.

Thank you in advance :)
Click to expand...
Hi Karen--first and foremost, you are doing a great job managing Poe's FD. You're getting in plenty of tests--so you are building up history. And honestly, a good portion of newbies won't test that often, at first at least--kudos to you! As for weight gain: if you take a look at Gobbles' SS, he weighed 11.2 at dx. I kept good track of his weight (still do, in fact) and noted his weight on his SS. He gain .5 pound three weeks later, but dropped back down to 11.2 a little over a month of his dx. Then he was up to 11.8 a few months later....he did not reach his pre-dx weight until 5 months after dx (and went OTJ exactly 6 months after dx). So it may take a little time for Poe to get back to pre-dx weight. When you get a chance, I would like you to take a good look at Gobbles' SS. You'll see how often I would test at first (rarely--bad sugar momma!), how I kept track of his weight...how many times he went high and when his BG finally started showing lots of blue and green numbers.... Regarding food: glad to hear there's a Friskie pate Poe likes--you could also switch him to the 2 FF kitten flavors (should help Poe gain weight quicker, maybe) or supplement his Friskies diet with the FF kitten flavors...I hope someone jumps in there re: foods to help weight gain because I know there are others, but not sure which they are....so he is peeing a normal, undiabetic cat amount? If so, that's good. You could try the B12 injections for appetite, but if he eats well, I don't see the point....if he gets neuropathy, I would highly suggest Zobaline (can be purchased online). I'm glad he's never hypo'd, of course you know that since you hometest, which is a good thing! I'd say you're being proactive...great you want to up his dose Friday (unless he goes low between now and then)....the only advice I would add is that when he warrants an increase per protocol--(once you post for advice as there can be extenuating circumstances)--give him his increase UNLESS you are not going to be around to monitor.
 
KarensPoe said:
...I don't see him being below the 12, but it's possible and I'm going to try again this weekend to get a scale...
Click to expand...
I ended up buying a very precise human scale...always reads the same when I weigh twice...I hold him, get weighed, put him down, weigh myself and do the math....then repeat same....I started weighing him about every 5 days, back in February (on Gobbles' SS, it is on days where the "notes" second is highlighter in yellow (unless for whatever reason, sometimes vets appointments, I highlighted in a different color)...
 
On the pure protein like the chicken breasts, how much to add to the diet.

For every 5 ounces, replace 1 ounce with 1 ounce of the pure chicken.

4 ounces canned commercial food, 1 ounce pure protein

So 4 ounces of Friskies or Fancy Feast or whatever canned food, 1 ounce of the chicken, or the cooked lean turkey

this is roughly 4/5ths of a can of Friskies to get the 4 ounces.

Does that help?
 
Yes, thank you very much, Deb :)

And thanks for all your input, everyone. I will focus on getting that scale this weekend.
 
I have been looking online for a scale, went to my local WalMart who had nothing, so the search continues.

I've checked ebay, craigslist, and then the link from Amazon. I was hoping to get one locally, I think I will try Target this weekend.

Thanks for the food and scale suggestions. I'm going to increase him to 1.25 and hope it brings him more into the blues and greens.
 
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