wendy ross
New Member
Hi there, my name is Wendy and we have a kitty named Socks. She is 8 years and weighs 8lbs now. She has lost some weight the past month or so.. but was never overweight (that would be my other monster, Bubby) We had noticed this past month that she was maybe drinking a bit more than normal and was peeing on our front door, something that is not characteristic of her at all. But it didn't smell so much like pee... it was thick. And she was backing up like she was spraying - much like a skunk. Something was wrong Our other kitty, Bubby has peed outside his box, but only when he was not well. He would stop and pee right in front of me, on the kitchen floor and look up like "help me". We determined that he had crystals with the vet's help and switched his food to grain free. It was dry food. That is all we have ever fed our cats (we didn't know) and when he was having trouble, Science Diet Urinary is what we started using. And I would give them a little "treat" of Iams Perfect portions grain free as well. Just 1/2 of a little container each, once a day. Well, Bubby seemed to be better! But now we have Socks, having some sort of trouble. Our first trip to the vet was a week and a half ago. She HATES the car ride, hates the vet, HATES everything about the whole trip! She hyperventilates and pants and cries these awful meows the whole way there.. 25 minute trip one way. They tested her sugars and low and behold, she was at 576. The vet put her on Vetsulin, 4 units in the AM and 4 units in the PM. He showed us how to give the shot by the shoulders/scruff area and off we went. I should mention that we had a house fire last summer and both of our fur babies were saved!! So it was quite a scary time for them and took a while for us to get back into our house. At first we thought that our Bubby was just traumatized, living at a friends house for a couple of weeks, then in small campers for a few months... maybe that's why he was peeing right in front of me, but no, he had crystals. Also thought "well, maybe Socks is still adjusting to all of the new things here in our NEW house, with new food and whatnot." But no. Her blood sugars are crazy! And also should mention that my husband was diagnosed with diabetes this past February. And I work with a mentally/physically fellow that has type 1 diabetes - so I already knew how to count carbs and all that jazz. My husband is managing his diabetes with a low carb, almost Keto diet. Working out very well, no pills or drugs at all. He was averaging 395 - A1C was 14. Doctor said he would have to take metforim for the rest of his life and we were lucky she wasn't starting him on insulin right off the bat... We also questioned the diet they wanted him to eat (5 carb meals) when his blood sugars were so high. They didn't like being questioned. So we are doing KETO kind of things all on our own. And he is doing great! This is why I thought maybe changing to this new food had done something to Socks. I asked the vet the next day about changing her diet and he suggested that we just keep doing what we had been, give the insulin, and we would go from there. So we didn't change anything and gave 4 units of Vetsulin in the AM, 4 in the PM. Took Socks back in 1.5 days later and her blood sugars were still 560. The vet increased the dosage to 6 units, twice a day. Told us that some cats don't respond to insulin and she may be one of them. Said there was maybe another brand of insulin that we could try, but he just wanted us to be aware that nothing we did might help her. So 2 days into this and we are at 6 units and I am feeling very glum about the whole thing. Took her home and started doing some research on foods and insulin, as I really have no idea HOW insulin works, but thought there HAS to be something that we can do! . Then I found your website and began reading and learning and soaking in all that you folks say and do.. and I got nervous about the starting dose and the 2 unit increase,, but also, I am not a vet and have NO idea what we are doing. So we just followed directions (I kept reading and learning) and took Socks back 2 days later early in the AM so they could do a curve on her. When I picked her up that night, the vet said the insulin didn't really do a thing to her sugars and wanted us to up her to 8 units, 2 times a day. I asked him about diet change. Explained that I had been researching a bit on my own and found that dry food is high in carbs. Said that I wanted to switch her over to a low carb wet food diet, but after reading everything, I was nervous about the dosage of insulin that he wanted us to give. So I asked if we could try switching diets while giving this much insulin. Was it safe? He said we could try to switch diet, but most likely, Socks was insulin resistant. Probably nothing we did was going to help her. Said we were probably (pardon the french that he used) SCREWED. I asked again about changing the diet and the dosage of insulin. He said he could give me the Hills MD. I politely declined and told him I had found YOUR webiste and a big list of foods that were low carb WET foods and that is what I wanted to try. And since we were probably "screwed" anyway, I just wanted some advice on giving insulin WHILE changing diet. I am not home testing yet... It has just been a few days now and our little Socks is NOT a lap cat. Giving the shot of insulin was proving to be a 2 person job! He finally said that we could give her the 8 units of insulin and try to change her diet, but he didn't think it would help any. Said her sugars were high enough that even if she dropped, it wouldn't be hypo. I also asked about maybe trying a different insulin. He said an insulin was an insulin.. didn't think it would help. Figured Socks was resistant. (the first day he said there were a couple we could try, yet today he says it won't help) I said that I didn't mean to sound like I wasn't listening to him and believing him, I just wanted to learn all I could about what was happening. And there were many different opinions out there. Said that google was probably his most favorite thing LOL. Everyone self diagnosing everything these days. HAHAHA. But really, we had done some research about human diabetes and the approach we were taking was proving to be a good one, not at all what our doctor had suggested we do, but it was working out. My husband is off metforim and sugars are great! And I wanted to be able to ask questions when I found new information (to me) so that I could get medical advice to go along with what I was reading.. He said "listen, some cats just don't respond. There isn't a lot we can do when the insulin doesn't bring the reaction we are hoping for. I can send you to a specialist down at Iowa State, but they will tell you the same thing.. I think we are screwed here" I don't think he was trying to be mean or hurtful. It was more like matter of fact, like "Don't question me with your google searching questions" Really, I like the fellow very much. He has always been a really good vet! But I wasn't blindly following his advice this time and he was a little put off about it. Much like my hubby's doctor, our vet was giving us a glum outlook. Telling us that diet and things wouldn't help. And pretty much telling us that he "knew better" and we should not question what he knows. So we shut up..... BUT maybe it was that new food that we switched to! I just couldn't believe that some kind of diet change wouldn't help a little bit even! Or after reading all of your posts about all the different types of insulin... SOMETHING could be done! Or at least we certainly had LOTS of options to try. But our vet was very blunt about his thoughts on the matter. That is what led me to start looking even harder and well, I decided that I would just give the 6 units that we had been giving and feed more wet food - leave the dry out for them to eat - and see what happens. I thought if I fed more wet food, maybe she would eat less dry food.. but I left it there in case! Cuz I didn't want her to go low! Took her back two days later and her blood sugars were at 346. Down about 200! Vet was more hopeful.. but still figured she was resistant...and he thought I had given her 8 units in the AM and 8 in the PM, but I had only given her 6 and I left the dry food out. I was nervous to tell him that I didn't increase the dose... I didn't want him to get so mad that he quit treating us! I just spent quite a bit of money to have her looked at, have a curve done, buy the supplies and insulin... I can't afford to just go to a different vet tomorrow!! And I still wasnt' testing at home - so I needed to know what her blood sugars were - so I just didn't say what I had done. He said we should go up to 10 units, twice and day and recheck in 2 days again. I DID NOT go up any units. I stayed at 6. And I took the dry food completely away! Only Fancy Feast wet. (I am still reading and reasearching and trying to learn cuz my vet is not very open to all of this, it seems) So we just agreed, didn't change a thing except ALL WET food. Today at the vet, her blood sugars were 70. This reading is about 8.5 hours after her morning insulin shot. About 4 hours after her 1/4 portion "snack" We are feeding main meals 2 times a day, with a small "snack" in between (1 can of fancy feast split into 1/4 portions) So Socks is getting 2 1/2 cans of food a day.. We have never done all wet food, so I am making an educated guess about the amount she should have LOL. Yesterday I had made an account and got a spreadsheet set up, and planned to start home testing this next weekend, when I can be home to test every 2 hours to get a curve... I thought I would have time this week get going on things, ask your opinions, just do my own thing and maybe find another vet that was more "open" to our questions and approaches, but after today, I don't know what to do. I am elated that Socks is down to 70! But I am also nervous about giving her insulin - it's a fairly high dose, right?! How much did that diet change to low carb really affect her sugars. How LOW will she go? What is her blood sugar before she gets her shot. I am not sure! And I have done no curve at home yet. So now I really don't know what to do. Should I test her sugars tonight (if I can get it done) It is not going to be fun, I expect. She doesn't like to be touched much. And if so, depending on what they are, should I give her insulin? 6 units like I have been? Or is it safe to just not give her insulin and try testing her to see what she is at with nothing and basically start over with the dosage? I don't want her to die in the middle of the night from going too low. But I don't want her to get super high either. And the vet totally thinks we are giving her 10 units - he is super shocked that we got a low reading and he wants to do another curve on her this Thursday. I will tell him that we are NOT giving her so much insulin, but he was put off by our questions and by our theories about low carbs and different insulins and I was nervous to talk to him, honestly. I am not sure of what I am saying - I am not educated on this stuff. Maybe I am wrong. So it makes me nervous to question a medical professional. When you are a common folk, trying to talk shop with a pro (Dr or Vet) it gets a little intimidating! I will muster up the courage, and maybe look for a new vet that isn't so ignorant about this stuff, but that will take a couple more paychecks! I just don't know what to do TONIGHT. This is all happening so fast! I am scared and nervous and just don't know what to do. I will go right now and see if I can get a blood test done. My husband has a meter and strips galore. I will do the vasoline, warm rice, towel routine and see if I can test her. But I don't really know what I am doing yet... I am scared. And I would just like to know if I should give her insulin - or not. If I should start over with dosing.... or keep doing what we have been. It has only been 1 1/2 weeks. I am freaking out a bit on the inside - and feeling a little ashamed that I was/am chicken to talk to the vet. I just don't think he is giving me good advice and I don't think he will be receptive to me taking matters into my own hands. Anyway, I will go try to do a test and see if I can at least know her blood sugars before we do ANYTHING! I am thinking in my gut, it would be better to be high than to go low in the middle of the night, right?! Thanks for this wonderful website!! I am learning SO MUCH! I am so grateful that I happened upon you people! Will check back later to see if anyone has any advice and if I manage to get Socksy's blood sugars done, I will post those as well. Sorry about the novel. My brain is all over the place - much like my story! Wendy
