My Angus

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TroyandGretchen

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Well, new to the board, and new to FD.

Angus is about 10-13 (we have had him 8 years, an unknown age rescue) who was recently diagnosed with FD.

The vet has him on 1U glargine 2x a day. All was going very well for the first week, but then suddenly he has lost all appetite for his regular food (Core Wellness, which he loves) and is disinterested in water.

He will take wet food, but does not act at all well. I have witnessed him dry-heave, and there is evidence that he may be vomiting something. This has been a sudden change, and I can't help but think it is insulin related.

A call to the vet led to instructions to make sure he eats before receiving insulin, but in his current condition, I am hesitant to give his shot tonight.

He has been on prozac for some time for marking, and I have read in a couple of places that it can change the reaction to insulin.

Am hoping to get him in tomorrow.

Any ideas?
 
Dear Angus's parents,
It would be really really helpful if you knew Angus's bg numbers. We all do this at home.
It would help you know if he is too low, too high, god forbid having ketones.
I recommend you pick up the following as soon as you can
a glucometer (a reliOn) is cheapest, but any one that you are comfy with
a vial of strips for it.
lancets to poke for blood (just ask for them at the store, walmart is cheapest)
and a vial of keto-stix.

I would send these to you for free as I run newbie kits, but I feel you need them asap.
Then I will link you a video to show you exactly how we do it
and we ALL do it, everyday....you can too! it will empower you.
Lori
and tomtom
 
hopeing you are still here, which coast are you on if I may ask. would be great if you could start tonight. I am worried a little about ketones....or him being too low.
either way,,,,have a blood glucose test would tell us volumns.
 
There are a couple of things that would be helpful to rule out:

  • Are you testing for urinary ketones? If you're not, this is relatively inexpensive and easy to do. You will need to get Ketostix at any pharmacy. There are strips in the container. You try to get a bit of urine on the strip by stalking Angus to the litterbox. Following the instructions on the container, you compare the color on the strip to the color key on the container. You do not want to see more than trace ketones. If you happen to notice an acetone or alcohol smell on Angus' breath, that is indicative of ketones. Get to an ER. Ketones can be life threatening.
  • Another possibility is pancreatitis. Often, cats will not eat because of the pain that pancreatitis causes. They may also be nauseous and/or vomit. The best way to diagnose pancreatitis is through a blood test -- spec fPLI -- which means a trip to the vet. Typically, pancreatitis is treated with Pepsid, pain medication, and other meds and/or supplements.
  • Please do what you can to assist Angus with eating. Cats that go for more than two days or so without eating are at risk for developing hepatic lipidosis.
FWIW, the combination of Prozac and insulin in humans may lower blood glucose. Given the interaction of the two medications, it's important that you home test, if you're not already doing so.
 
Sienne and Gabby said:
  • Are you testing for urinary ketones? If you're not, this is relatively inexpensive and easy to do. You will need to get Ketostix at any pharmacy. There are strips in the container. You try to get a bit of urine on the strip by stalking Angus to the litterbox. Following the instructions on the container, you compare the color on the strip to the color key on the container. You do not want to see more than trace ketones. If you happen to notice an acetone or alcohol smell on Angus' breath, that is indicative of ketones. Get to an ER. Ketones can be life threatening.
Click to expand...


  • this is what a box of ketostix looks like:

    7a95a23f.jpg


    is there someone there with you who could run out to a pharmacy to pick some up?
    follow the directions on the box.

    [*]Please do what you can to assist Angus with eating. Cats that go for more than two days or so without eating are at risk for developing hepatic lipidosis.
    Click to expand...
yes, it's important to get food and water into angus.

here's a few tips and tricks from cheryl and winnie:
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=26965#p273790

Remember -- getting to the bottom of why he is not eating is most important. That way you can treat the underlying cause ( or symptoms of underlying cause) . It is always very important to get cats to eat, as they can quickly develop hepatic lipidosis from lack of food.

Here are some things you can do do entice your cat to eat:

-sometimes in order to get a cat to eat you even have to resort to dry it is more important that they eat. there are a couple low carb / grain free brands -- EVO and wellness core.

-making a buffet to give him choices
- heating food

sprinkle food with :
- forta flora -- a probiotic you can get at vets or online. is very smelly and cats love the taste of it.
- parm. cheese
- smashed crumbles of dry food
- bonito tuna flakes
- halo chicken treats -- crumble into dust over food -- my Wolfie loves this stuff.
- poor a little water from tuna in water over food ( I use low sodium/no sodium added as other kinds in water has veg. broth in it and I assume that means onions, which are toxic to cats-- check labels)
-powdered oregano. yep sounds weird . but some cats like it and it will entice them to eat.

other ideas of foods to offer your kitty to stim appy:
- trader joe tuna for cats
-baby food -- beechnut turkey and broth or chicken and broth. they have no onions or other additives. some babyfoods have onions . please read labels if you can't find beechnut.
- kentucky fried chicken
- deli turkey /chicken
- plain cooked ( boiled or baked ) chicken breast
-canned chicken for people (watch the label that their are no onions)
- chicken broth -- low sodium

If enticements don't work, you should consider:
-assist feeding ( syringe or make little meatballs and place in mouth)
-and/or talking to your vet about appetite stimulents ( mirtazapine or cyproheptidine)

and if those fail talking to your vet about feeding tubes
- Here is Dr. Lisa's link on feeding tubes :

http://www.catinfo.org/?link=feedingtubes



hope this helps...
 
It is NOT hypoglycemia. He is running a fever due to an infection, and his behavior is related to that.

He is on antibiotics, and pain medication, and is being spoon fed.

Whether or not it is diabetes related is unknown, but, being diabetic, it is all the more serious.

Back on the insulin, and wet food before his injection.

Only time will tell.
 
Troy and Gretchen,
I know only time will tell, but the funny thing? The numbers on a daily basis will tell even more.
Infections make the bg's run high...that is why we are encouraging you to get the ketostix and check for ketones. You simply slide the strip into the urine stream and wait 15 seconds. Like a pregnancy test. You want to catch that early if you have them.
Also, as the infection clears up, well, the numbers will likely go down. Maybe WAY down.
You are still so new to this, trust me when I tell you there is absolutely no security and doing it right without hometesting.
I make and mail out newbie kits....I would be happy to send you one. My concern is that with all you have going on it would be in Angus and your boths best interest to test asap. Really. I have nothing to gain by telling you this, and you have everything to gain. I'm going to find a link of one of our members doing it. It's easy really. And gets even easier with practice.
Lori
and tomtom
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zE12-4fVn8
How great is this? Everyone on of us (thousands I tell you) test our cats daily.
If anything is wrong you can correct it at home and not have to go the vets or er.
Also you do all your own curves at home.
Vet stress adds 100 or more points to your Angus's reading...and that won't happen when you home test.
ok, off my soap box.
Lori
and tomtom
 
Troy, your newbie kit will go out in the morning. I'm sorry I am not carrying keto-stix right now. You can pick them up for $10 at walmart, cvs, or any type of pharmacy. The symptoms you mentioned are associated with ketoacidosis, something you can catch early and treat at home...
Kit should arrive by Tues because of the Holiday weekend.
Best of luck for you and Angus,
Lori
 
Sorry to hear about your sick kitty and how you're going through a tough time.

You might try switching food for a change of pace. We tried all the high end brands and landed on Fancy Feast and Friskies. Sometimes he gets bored so sprinkling oregano has worked for us.

Sienne wrote:
If you happen to notice an acetone or alcohol smell on Angus' breath, that is indicative of ketones.
Click to expand...

If their breath also smells fruity or sweet smelling, then they could be in danger of DKA as well. It's critical to get them to the ER.

Hope Angus gets well soon. Please give him a belly rub for me.
 
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