Re: New to this forum need some advise please
Postby kjmysko » Sat Feb 22, 2014 9:50 pm
I am the permanent foster mommy of a feral cat with FIV for the last three years. I reached out to a cat rescue organization in my area back then since this poor kitty had a fractured front leg. The rescue group had a vet neuter him, and vaccinate him. The fracture eventually fused together. When this black feral returned to my home one week after the TNR process (Trap-Neuter-Release) - he has never left. My husband & I fell in love with this pathetic survivor, and with love, good food, & shelter, he came back to health and we named him "KEITH RICHARDS". It took over a year, but this "feral" is now my lap cat, with caution, however.
Even though the rescue group legally owns him, I am his caregiver, and KEITH lives in our heated garage, forever, I hope. My two purebreds live indoors, and have to be separated from Keith, and his FIV virus, which is contagious through blood.
To the point here, Keith was losing weight (four lbs.) the last six months and hair loss. Yesterday's weight was 7.95 lbs. down from 12.13 lbs. one year ago! I attributed much of that to FIV, and his years as a feral outdoors (we do not have an age for him!) Yesterday, 2/21/14, he wasn't eating or drinking his water excessively as usual. He also vomited twice and when I wiped it up with a white paper towel, I noticed blood in the vomit. I panicked, and phoned the rescue group who secured a vet appt. for Keith. I always pay for Keith's vet appointments as a "charitable" contribution, however, I receive the rescue groups 50% discount. Otherwise, we could not afford it. The vet's office is wonderful, and family owned. They not only treat feral cats and strays, they offer adoptions, and free service to "comfort dogs". Keith was hospitalized overnight and had a battery of tests and an abdominal X-Ray.
Keith was diagnosed with diabetes and pancreatitis as a secondary infection. He was given SQ fluids, buprenorphine injection, and 2 units of insulin. Doctor said initially his glucose level was over 600 - which would be diabetic coma for humans. Today, (Saturday 2/21/14), his glucose was in the 400's. We brought Keith home this morning, with pain syringes, and my Wal-Mart purchased Novolin insulin and syringes. Instructions at this early time for me is 2 units in AM, and 1 unit PM. Besides the diabetes shock, I was also shown the abdominal X-Rays where the doctor pointed out the three buckshot bullets that were lodged in Keith's hind leg and lower abdomen. Obviously, Keith was shot at when he was out in the wild, and because the buckshot bullets are encased in scar tissue - it does not appear to be a medical problem. I was appalled at all this and felt even more empathy for this cat.
Keith Richards will go back to the vet hospital Monday morning for a glucose curve over two days. The vet told me to keep Keith's diet the same for now - Fancy Feast Classic, with dry kibbles. I am committed to the insulin injections but am overwhelmed considering Keith's domestic situation is far from normal!
I will be able to give you more medical info on Keith's diabetes after his testing next Monday & Tuesday. I will definitely need your professional advice! Thank you very much, Kathy
kjmysko Posts: 1Joined: Sat Feb 22, 2014 8:46 pm
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Re: New to this forum need some advise please
Postby Chris & China » Sat Feb 22, 2014 10:35 pm
Kathy, please go ahead and start a new post with your information. It's fine for you to just copy/paste your info from here, but it's important that you start a separate post so we don't accidentally give the wrong person the wrong information.
Just real quickly though, the dry food is too high in carbs for our diabetic kitties, and this includes the expensive "prescription" diets. The Fancy Feast classics are fine since they're less than 10% carbs. Here's a Food Chart that includes pretty much any food you can buy and the percentage of carbs (Column C). Again, it's important that you feed foods that are less than 10% carbs.
Novolin is NOT a good insulin for cats. The only 3 insulins that work well are Lantus, Levemir and ProZinc. Lantus and Levemir are human insulins so are available at any pharmacy. ProZinc is only available through a veterinarian. Novolin is too harsh, can drop their blood glucose too low too quickly and wear off too fast too. It sounds like you are going to need to talk to the rescue as well as either getting your vet to do a little research on the latest treatments for diabetes in cats or you find another vet so you can get a prescription for a better insulin. If your current vet is willing, here's the Roomp/Rand Tight Regulation Protocol which uses Lantus insulin. (Works for Levemir too)
It's very important that you learn how to home test. You wouldn't give a child insulin without knowing if it was safe first, and it's the same with our furkids.
Please go ahead and start your own thread and we'll all do our best to help you. There's a lot to learn, and we understand it can be overwhelming at first, but the people here are very experienced in treating diabetes at home, both safely and effectively.
God Bless you for caring for a FIV+ kitty too!!
Chris & China White (12yr F/S)
Dx date 5/10/13
Lantus
Relion Prime
Nature's Variety Raw Chicken 1%/Fancy Feast 4%
China's SS 2014
China's SS2013
China White's Profile
Civies..Cheaser & Cleocatra..Maine coon X's
Re: New to this forum need some advise please
Postby kjmysko » Sat Feb 22, 2014 9:50 pm
I am the permanent foster mommy of a feral cat with FIV for the last three years. I reached out to a cat rescue organization in my area back then since this poor kitty had a fractured front leg. The rescue group had a vet neuter him, and vaccinate him. The fracture eventually fused together. When this black feral returned to my home one week after the TNR process (Trap-Neuter-Release) - he has never left. My husband & I fell in love with this pathetic survivor, and with love, good food, & shelter, he came back to health and we named him "KEITH RICHARDS". It took over a year, but this "feral" is now my lap cat, with caution, however.
Even though the rescue group legally owns him, I am his caregiver, and KEITH lives in our heated garage, forever, I hope. My two purebreds live indoors, and have to be separated from Keith, and his FIV virus, which is contagious through blood.
To the point here, Keith was losing weight (four lbs.) the last six months and hair loss. Yesterday's weight was 7.95 lbs. down from 12.13 lbs. one year ago! I attributed much of that to FIV, and his years as a feral outdoors (we do not have an age for him!) Yesterday, 2/21/14, he wasn't eating or drinking his water excessively as usual. He also vomited twice and when I wiped it up with a white paper towel, I noticed blood in the vomit. I panicked, and phoned the rescue group who secured a vet appt. for Keith. I always pay for Keith's vet appointments as a "charitable" contribution, however, I receive the rescue groups 50% discount. Otherwise, we could not afford it. The vet's office is wonderful, and family owned. They not only treat feral cats and strays, they offer adoptions, and free service to "comfort dogs". Keith was hospitalized overnight and had a battery of tests and an abdominal X-Ray.
Keith was diagnosed with diabetes and pancreatitis as a secondary infection. He was given SQ fluids, buprenorphine injection, and 2 units of insulin. Doctor said initially his glucose level was over 600 - which would be diabetic coma for humans. Today, (Saturday 2/21/14), his glucose was in the 400's. We brought Keith home this morning, with pain syringes, and my Wal-Mart purchased Novolin insulin and syringes. Instructions at this early time for me is 2 units in AM, and 1 unit PM. Besides the diabetes shock, I was also shown the abdominal X-Rays where the doctor pointed out the three buckshot bullets that were lodged in Keith's hind leg and lower abdomen. Obviously, Keith was shot at when he was out in the wild, and because the buckshot bullets are encased in scar tissue - it does not appear to be a medical problem. I was appalled at all this and felt even more empathy for this cat.
Keith Richards will go back to the vet hospital Monday morning for a glucose curve over two days. The vet told me to keep Keith's diet the same for now - Fancy Feast Classic, with dry kibbles. I am committed to the insulin injections but am overwhelmed considering Keith's domestic situation is far from normal!
I will be able to give you more medical info on Keith's diabetes after his testing next Monday & Tuesday. I will definitely need your professional advice! Thank you very much, Kathy
kjmysko Posts: 1Joined: Sat Feb 22, 2014 8:46 pm
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Re: New to this forum need some advise please
Postby Chris & China » Sat Feb 22, 2014 10:35 pm
Kathy, please go ahead and start a new post with your information. It's fine for you to just copy/paste your info from here, but it's important that you start a separate post so we don't accidentally give the wrong person the wrong information.
Just real quickly though, the dry food is too high in carbs for our diabetic kitties, and this includes the expensive "prescription" diets. The Fancy Feast classics are fine since they're less than 10% carbs. Here's a Food Chart that includes pretty much any food you can buy and the percentage of carbs (Column C). Again, it's important that you feed foods that are less than 10% carbs.
Novolin is NOT a good insulin for cats. The only 3 insulins that work well are Lantus, Levemir and ProZinc. Lantus and Levemir are human insulins so are available at any pharmacy. ProZinc is only available through a veterinarian. Novolin is too harsh, can drop their blood glucose too low too quickly and wear off too fast too. It sounds like you are going to need to talk to the rescue as well as either getting your vet to do a little research on the latest treatments for diabetes in cats or you find another vet so you can get a prescription for a better insulin. If your current vet is willing, here's the Roomp/Rand Tight Regulation Protocol which uses Lantus insulin. (Works for Levemir too)
It's very important that you learn how to home test. You wouldn't give a child insulin without knowing if it was safe first, and it's the same with our furkids.
Please go ahead and start your own thread and we'll all do our best to help you. There's a lot to learn, and we understand it can be overwhelming at first, but the people here are very experienced in treating diabetes at home, both safely and effectively.
God Bless you for caring for a FIV+ kitty too!!
Chris & China White (12yr F/S)
Dx date 5/10/13
Lantus
Relion Prime
Nature's Variety Raw Chicken 1%/Fancy Feast 4%
China's SS 2014
China's SS2013
China White's Profile
Civies..Cheaser & Cleocatra..Maine coon X's
Re: New to this forum need some advise please
