? Ketones and Illness

[Asiina & Alex(GA)]

So I'm a little concerned. Alex is still unregulated, although we're trying, so he spends at least some amount of the day at high numbers. He seems to have a bit of an upper respiratory infection, he gets these once in a while. It might be allergies. He's coughing and his nose is running. He feels generally fine and active otherwise, and he's still a voracious eater.

Because of the unregulated diabetes and him being ill though, I am on the lookout for DKA and have been testing his ketones daily, usually in the morning right after his shot. The colour of the stick has the slightest pink to it, but it's not quite trace. I'd put it somewhere between none and trace, whereas previous to this illness it was always none. It's been like this for a a few days without really getting better or worse.

Is this cause for concern? I'll keep monitoring but I'm not sure where the emergency begins. If DKA does begin in earnest, how long do I have to get him to the vet? Should I check more than once a day?

 

[Asiina & Alex(GA)]

Any help with this?

I checked again when he went to the pee again and it looked about the same, but looked under a different more natural light and it definitely was closer to trace, much more pink, but it had probably been at least 30 seconds at that point and I know I'm supposed to check at exactly 15.

I'm not sure what to do because he might be fine and I'm being paranoid, or he might be headed into DKA. He has no other real symptoms except being sleepy but he's a cat.

I honestly can't afford to take him to the emergency vet if I'm wrong, but I don't know what else to be looking out for. The resources say DKA onset can be fast but I don't know what that means.

 

[Sharon14]

If hes eating and playing you are probably fine. Do keep an eye on him though. The test strip will darken past the 15 second mark, so be sure to have good light when you read it. If you want you can snap a pic and post it for another opinion.

 

[Asiina & Alex(GA)]

Next time he goes to the bathroom I'm going to bring my phone so I can use the light on it to make sure I'm getting a clear reading. I'll take a picture if it's ambiguous. It's just hard waiting for him to need to pee again, wondering if he's getting worse in the meantime.

Can ketones progress over just a few hours? If I don't manage to catch him going to the bathroom again until tomorrow will that probably still be fine?

 

[Sharon14]

I’ve never dealt with ketones, but I understand they can progress quickly. If he’s eating well I wouldn’t worry too much though. Here’s sone info
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/...oacidosis-dka-and-blood-ketone-meters.135952/

 

[nancy and payne]

DKA can come on quickly, when you can I would get a ketone meter, which will let you know
exactly where you are. A cat that is fighting high ketones looks sick, usually doesn't eat and has high blood glucose.
DKA is very expensive, which is why it is important to get the diabetics
under control . . . . good luck.

 

[Darnell & Sprocket (GA)]

Its now days later. How is kitty??

 

[Asiina & Alex(GA)]

I keep checking for ketones every day, but they're always negative, and maybe ever so slightly pink, but not to the level of trace. He's eating better, although being finicky with the Salmon in this particular box of wet food which is obnoxious, but he eats other food I give him.

He still coughs and has the sniffles from time to time, but is generally fine. I'm just going to keep working to improve his pre-shot numbers. One day they'll go down, I'm sure of it.