Kitty 5/31
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Rob & Harley (GA)
Very Active Member
You'll get on top of this, don't worry.
Have a great day.
Have a great day.
Angela&Henry
Very Active Member
Hope Cool Sweet Kitty gets some really good numbers on 4U!
kse
Very Active Member
Thanks for the well wishes!
We didn't get any mid test, but the pm preshot doesn 't look good--- 438.
I need to get some type of curve on the 4 units.
I have been reading about acro today, trying to rule that out as our dose increases. I read where most acro cats need in excess of 20 units of insulin a day and 90 percent are male. I really don't think the symptoms fit her--- I have been looking at her feet all day, trying to decide if I think they are "big"!
Any thoughts?
We didn't get any mid test, but the pm preshot doesn 't look good--- 438.
I need to get some type of curve on the 4 units.
I have been reading about acro today, trying to rule that out as our dose increases. I read where most acro cats need in excess of 20 units of insulin a day and 90 percent are male. I really don't think the symptoms fit her--- I have been looking at her feet all day, trying to decide if I think they are "big"!
Any thoughts?
Angela&Henry
Very Active Member
From what I have read about Acro, she doesn't really seem to fit the profile. Some of the more experienced long term members probably know more about it. Wasn't either Charlie or Klinger diagnosed with Arco? I think they are on a different insulin now.
Rob & Harley (GA)
Very Active Member
Funny I was starting to think about that too. BTW it was Charlie who was dx Acro. Another BTW Claudia had a healthy baby boy.
I don't think that we've really aggressivly tried to get Kitty regulated yet. Maybe it's time.
I don't think that we've really aggressivly tried to get Kitty regulated yet. Maybe it's time.
kse
Very Active Member
She doesn't have the classic symptoms of acro-- first she is a "she"', she hasn't gained weight, and doesn't appear to have the large head etc. But, you start to wonder.
I agree that l have not tried agressively to get her regulated. It is so hard to get the necessary test with the work schedule. I want to do the best by her that I can. In no way do I want to short her care or treatment-- but it is so hard to get the test.
She eats well, grooms, talks, and is very alert to be 15.8. I want her to have a good quality of life -- I really am not sure what to do.
Suggestions?!!
I agree that l have not tried agressively to get her regulated. It is so hard to get the necessary test with the work schedule. I want to do the best by her that I can. In no way do I want to short her care or treatment-- but it is so hard to get the test.
She eats well, grooms, talks, and is very alert to be 15.8. I want her to have a good quality of life -- I really am not sure what to do.
Suggestions?!!
Rob & Harley (GA)
Very Active Member
I know how hard it can be, I work full time too so I would do my curves on the weekends. Sometimes if the stars were aligned I could run home at lunch time and get a mid cycle test in, that's not so easy these days.
How about we schedule dose changes for the weekends so you can get a curve and then let it settle for another week.
How about we schedule dose changes for the weekends so you can get a curve and then let it settle for another week.
kse
Very Active Member
I just looked at Charlie's spreadsheet-- I am not sure what I think by comparison. When you want something not to be true it taints how you view it.
Maybe I should get her tested for acro. At least I would know and I would know how to precede-- what do you think?
Maybe I am getting carried away with a high day! Who knows?
Can this get anymore frustrating and heartbreaking?
Maybe I should get her tested for acro. At least I would know and I would know how to precede-- what do you think?
Maybe I am getting carried away with a high day! Who knows?
Can this get anymore frustrating and heartbreaking?
Rob & Harley (GA)
Very Active Member
I don't think that they start considering Acro until you're over 5 units.
I have been reluctant to push to hard because I know you have a work schedule but I just hate seeing her sit in these high numbers. It is scary and heartbreaking, but our kitties are the best cared for kitties on the planet because we all here care enough to treat their diabetes, too many people choose not to.
I say lets work to get her regulated.
FWIW Harley has been getting Adequan injections for his arthritus for a while now, they are supposed to be given intramuscular but I was so scared to do that, I was advised on Health that they can be given SubQ so I have been doing that instead even though I was also told that SubQ didn't have the same umph. But after watching him limp around here for the last few days with his bg's rising and my heart breaking for him knowing he was in pain, I finally put on my big girl panties and shot it intramuscular. How impowering that was. I honestly thought he would fight me but it wasn't any more difficult than his insulin shot.
I have been reluctant to push to hard because I know you have a work schedule but I just hate seeing her sit in these high numbers. It is scary and heartbreaking, but our kitties are the best cared for kitties on the planet because we all here care enough to treat their diabetes, too many people choose not to.
I say lets work to get her regulated.
FWIW Harley has been getting Adequan injections for his arthritus for a while now, they are supposed to be given intramuscular but I was so scared to do that, I was advised on Health that they can be given SubQ so I have been doing that instead even though I was also told that SubQ didn't have the same umph. But after watching him limp around here for the last few days with his bg's rising and my heart breaking for him knowing he was in pain, I finally put on my big girl panties and shot it intramuscular. How impowering that was. I honestly thought he would fight me but it wasn't any more difficult than his insulin shot.
kse
Very Active Member
Speaking of pain-- kitty limps all the time. She does skip across the floor sometimes, when a treat is involved. I got the dasuquin last week and haven't even started it--and, I have been assured it is safe. I just hate to throw something else in the mix.
She has bad skin allergies, the vet said the inflammation from that could raise the bgs. She use to get depo shots-- obviously, that isn't an option.
And, truly-- I wonder how long she can have a quality life.
Make no mistake about it, I love her and want to do all I can for her.
She is starved tonight-- downstairs camped out in the kitchen!
She has bad skin allergies, the vet said the inflammation from that could raise the bgs. She use to get depo shots-- obviously, that isn't an option.
And, truly-- I wonder how long she can have a quality life.
Make no mistake about it, I love her and want to do all I can for her.
She is starved tonight-- downstairs camped out in the kitchen!
Rob & Harley (GA)
Very Active Member
She can have quality of life for a long time. Pain raises bg's, allergies raise bg's, carbs raise bg's. If you can eliminate all of the external reasons for her bg's to be high you can then focus on the insulin.
Start the Dasuquin and start to get her out of pain, experiment with the food for the allergies. Beef and Wheat tend to cause more allergies than some others, Wellness canned food is grain free and some have had great success with it.
If she's hungry feed her, until we can get this figured out.
Start the Dasuquin and start to get her out of pain, experiment with the food for the allergies. Beef and Wheat tend to cause more allergies than some others, Wellness canned food is grain free and some have had great success with it.
If she's hungry feed her, until we can get this figured out.
Barbara
Very Active Member
Thumper & Callie have limped for quite a while. Callie has been xrayed cause her's seemed like it was getting worse. All they could ever say was arthritis but they said there was not much that they could give cats. They did give her some kind of shot once but I didn't see it make any difference. I guess I need to ask about meds again. They did say if it got worse bring her back. What is Adequan? Maybe I need to ask about it.
Hang in there Kim! You are taking good care of Kitty!
Hang in there Kim! You are taking good care of Kitty!
kse
Very Active Member
One more point/question-- I think the allergies are seasonal. She never has them in the winter, they normally start in late April and last through Sepember. It looks like little red bumps, and then it scabs over. Any suggestions on what I could do to help that?
I will start the dasuquin. I read that it normally takes 2 weeks to see results.
She has given up the kitchen position and moved to the den for the night.
And, thanks for saying "we"--- I appreciate the help!
I will start the dasuquin. I read that it normally takes 2 weeks to see results.
She has given up the kitchen position and moved to the den for the night.
And, thanks for saying "we"--- I appreciate the help!
Joanna & Bix (GA)
Very Active Member
Sorry things are so tough. I would probably try dosing more aggressively. When I got Bix regulated it was when I got systematic about it, and did 0.2 increases every 3rd day. It was nerve wracking, but it got him ultimately in perfect #s. The longer one stays at doses, the slower the regulation process often is. They get used to the dose, and don't get results. If you can really push it, you can get there more effectively.
Of course you have to be able to test early to mid cycle to be more aggressive with it. You don't know when they will have that breakthrough to blues & greens, so you need to test for nadirs often. I usually tried to test for a nadir on cycle 3 and 4 of each new dose, as those are the most likely breakthrough cycles. It can happen on cycle 2, but that didn't seem to be Bix's pattern, so I often skipped that one and went for sleeping instead. If you can manage it with your schedule, I would just go for it and try to get a breakthrough and be done with the dragging in higher #s all the time. Of course I can't promise anything
but that's what I would try to do.
If something like that isn't manageable, I'd probably be looking at other insulins. It might be easier to get her regulated if you have a clear protocol to follow like they have on Lantus & Lev. It's tricky to convert over though if you are at higher doses - you can't go back to 1u on a new insulin, that's just a scary thought. I'm not sure how they do switches when you are at a higher dose, but I'm sure someone in the L forums would know, if not someone here (if you are interested in considering that option).
Of course you have to be able to test early to mid cycle to be more aggressive with it. You don't know when they will have that breakthrough to blues & greens, so you need to test for nadirs often. I usually tried to test for a nadir on cycle 3 and 4 of each new dose, as those are the most likely breakthrough cycles. It can happen on cycle 2, but that didn't seem to be Bix's pattern, so I often skipped that one and went for sleeping instead. If you can manage it with your schedule, I would just go for it and try to get a breakthrough and be done with the dragging in higher #s all the time. Of course I can't promise anything
but that's what I would try to do. If something like that isn't manageable, I'd probably be looking at other insulins. It might be easier to get her regulated if you have a clear protocol to follow like they have on Lantus & Lev. It's tricky to convert over though if you are at higher doses - you can't go back to 1u on a new insulin, that's just a scary thought. I'm not sure how they do switches when you are at a higher dose, but I'm sure someone in the L forums would know, if not someone here (if you are interested in considering that option).
nancy and payne
Very Active Member
Kim,
We have all been where you are now, some of us more than others with the DKA and all .... give yourself a break! By definition she is not a young a cat and has other issues, plus a full blown DKA takes A LOT out of a cat. But don't give up on her, she could have her best years to come.
I agree you might want to be more aggressive with the dosing and I think when I looked into acro it was 12u that was the bottom number. (Payne gets 13.5 ...... )
Plus, we see others with new DX's come into the fold ..... and weeks/months later they are OTJ. Where we feel happy for them, we want it to be us too! and when it's not, we think at times we are doing SOMETHING wrong .....
I have made peace finally with all that and I am doing my best, as I'm sure you are. Yesterday I laid in the sun with Payne for awhile .... not doing anything but stroking her and telling her how much I loved her, it was nice. All we can do is our best, the rest is not in our hands anyhow
Like the oldies like to say ..... just breathe.
I have faith in you.
Nancy and Payne
We have all been where you are now, some of us more than others with the DKA and all .... give yourself a break! By definition she is not a young a cat and has other issues, plus a full blown DKA takes A LOT out of a cat. But don't give up on her, she could have her best years to come.
I agree you might want to be more aggressive with the dosing and I think when I looked into acro it was 12u that was the bottom number. (Payne gets 13.5 ...... )
Plus, we see others with new DX's come into the fold ..... and weeks/months later they are OTJ. Where we feel happy for them, we want it to be us too! and when it's not, we think at times we are doing SOMETHING wrong .....
I have made peace finally with all that and I am doing my best, as I'm sure you are. Yesterday I laid in the sun with Payne for awhile .... not doing anything but stroking her and telling her how much I loved her, it was nice. All we can do is our best, the rest is not in our hands anyhow
Like the oldies like to say ..... just breathe.I have faith in you.
Nancy and Payne
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