Mercedes

[danielle]

danielle
Hello my cat Mercedes was diagnosed with diabetes back in January. He is a 15 year old male domestic long haired cat who I had since a kitten. I never had any health issues with him until around christmas time. He started urinating outside his litter box, large amounts, bloated stomach, and he was acting very strange. I took him to the vet and after X-rays and blood work I was told his bg was over 600 and he needed to be on novolin N. He also had a blockage so I was given lactulose to give him twice a day. He is an indoor cat who had ate the same food, Iams dry for about 14 years. The vet suggested I did not change his diet because of his age and high protein in the other foods? Anyway, I started the novolin N and bg's were still very high. The vet suggested he spend the day there and they monitor him every 2 hours but nothing had changed. Every few days I would take him back for a bg and was told to keep increasing and he was possibly insulin resistant or had some rare disease? I decided to google and Google my days away and took it upon myself and with the help of other members to change his food to fancy feast classic. I also took it upon myslef to stop the insulin since I was worried giving 6 Units twice a day and no progress. About a week after the new food and no insulin his sugars are in the high 200's low 300's. He weighs about 13 pounds and was always a heavier cat since being neutered. I have now taken the advice of fellow members to start him on lantus which will begin in the morning. I am not sure if I should being with the lowesr dosage or 1 unit twice a day? I have met some wonderful people who are helping me a great deal and I feel very comfortable with starting the lantus! Some have made comments I should of never stopped the Novolin N but it wasn't doing anything I feel. I feel like besides finding out my cat was diabetic and had a blockage my vet is kind of useless. I called the other day explaining I took him off the insulin and changed the food and the vet was like "wow his numbers went down, that's bizzare?" Anyway he gave me a prescription for the lantus pen and a very very kind woman was able to help me get it. So I am ready to get the ball rolling in the am and get my baby back in shape. I have also started him on Zobaline because his legs seem to be weak. Thank you all for listening and I appreciate all the input I can get.I have also forgot to mention after his poop yesterday I happen to immediately clean the litter box and see a worm in his stool? My fiancé brought it to the vet and they tested it. They told me it was a tape worm? We do not have fleas however my neighbor brought over a puppy a week ago and my car spent the day at the vet and had been going back often? Any recommendations on that? Could that be why he is so hungry? Could that spread to another animal? Could that raise his blood sugars? I am suppose to treat him with a pill that I have to pick up Monday and I guess I will treat my other cat since she had fleas when I first got her 2 1/2 plus years ago but was treated. My animals do not step foot out of the house and my dog only runs out to go to the bathroom. His weight is approx. 12 pounds and I have been checking his sugars regularly.

 

[BJM]

The web site Feline Constipation will tell you more than you ever wanted to know about the feline GI tract and how to help if it has issues.

For feline nutrition information, go to Cat Info read, and get the food list.

Stopping all insulin when the cat has elevated glucose levels risks a condition called diabetic ketoacidosis. Ketones for as a by-product of fat breakdown for calories. Too many ketones may indicate diabetic ketoacidosis, a potentially fatal, expensive to treat, complication of diabetes. You can test the urine for ketones with KetoStix or KetoDiaStix (which also test for glucose), which may be obtained online or at pharmacies (you may have to ask for them).

His legs could be weak due to low potassium too. The vet can check that with a blood test. Do not give potassium on your own as too much can be harmful.

Tapeworms are spread by fleas or by consuming the eggs on contaminated food. That could explain at least some of his hunger. And if you have more than 1 cat, yes they can spread. They may have come in on the dog and it only takes 1 bite.

 

[phlika29]

Hi

I already posted this reply in your thread in the newbie section but have coped it out again below. It is great that you have managed to switch over to a low carb food , are testing at home and are ready to start the Lantus.

So converting over your cat weighs just over 5 kg.

We follow to protocols for lantus. The start low go slow
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/lantus-levemir-start-low-go-slow-method-slgs.129446/

Or tight regulation
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/lantus-levemir-tight-regulation-protocol.1581/

Have a read through both and see which one fits your situation the best. The tight regulation starting dose is based on weight.

Using a weight based formula for determining a starting dose of Lantus or Levemir when following the Tight Regulation Protocol:

• the formula is 0.25 unit per kg of the cat's ideal weight

• if kitty is underweight, the formula frequently used is 0.25 unit per kg of kitty'sactual weight

• if the cat was previously on another insulin, the starting dose should be increased or decreased by taking prior data into consideration

The start low go slow is worked out another way

• 1u BID if kitty is not on a wet/canned low carb diet

• 0.5u BID if kitty has been switched to a wet/canned low carb diet

• If the cat was previously on another insulin, the starting dose should be increased or decreased by taking prior data into consideration

• Generally, shots are to be given 12 hours apart.