? New 6 Oct – Pumpkin – questions.

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Susan Fentz

Susan Fentz

Member Since 2020
I am also new. My Pumpkin was diagnosed 8 months ago.
I had a scary experience much like Nacho's mom.
My vet had Pumpkin on 7 units of Lantus. Learning how
to check his glucose was never an offer. I saw how the
gluclose was checked on YouTube.
But see, Pumpkin doesn't have much ears. My vet
checks the glucose with his paw. 120069334_3429822663768017_4037527977084791334_n.jpg
I need to learn how to check myself.
This looks like a place a can learn a
lot from.
 

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Susan Fentz said:
I am also new. My Pumpkin was diagnosed 8 months ago.
I had a scary experience much like Nacho's mom.
My vet had Pumpkin on 7 units of Lantus. Learning how
to check his glucose was never an offered. I saw how the
gluclose was checked on YouTube.
But see, Pumpkin doesn't have much ears. My vet
checks the glucose with his paw. View attachment 56949
I need to learn how to check myself.
This looks like a place a can learn a
lot from.
Click to expand...
7 units!!! :eek:
 
Susan Fentz said:
I know!!!
I did not know then. I actually have a friend guiding me until I
find a good vet. He is at 2.75 units now.
That time, they almost killed him.
Click to expand...
Hi Susan first welcome to the best place you want to be.
Our members here know more than most vets due, it's unbelievable
They have many many years of experience



First suggestion is to go to Feline Health the Welcome and Main Forum
and start your own post.
It would be too confusing helping you here Jellis's post

Introduce yourself and Pumpkin,
So cute, what breed is he that he has those tiny ears

This would be very helpful ,I'll post it below
 
Last edited:
Susan If you could set up you signature that would be great its what is under each of our posts
  • On the left, under Settings, Click on Signature. This is where you will put information that helps us give you feedback.
    • There is a limit of two lines which may include two links; you mayseparate pieces with commas, dashes, | etc. This is where you paste the link for your spreadsheet, once it is set up.
    • Add any other text, such as
    • Caregiver & kitty's name (optional)
    • DX: Date
    • Name of Insulin
    • Name of your meter
    • Diet: "LC wet" or "dry food" or "combo"
    • Dosing: TR or SLGS or Custom (if applicable)
    • DKA or other recent health issue (if applicable)
    • Acro, IAA, or Cushings (if applicable)
    • Spreadsheet link. Please put the signature link on the bottom line of your signature information, on its own, so it is easy to find.
    • Please do not put any information about your location in the signature for security reasons. If you wish to add your country location, please add it to your profile.
Be sure to click the 'Save Changes' button at the bottom. If you need help urgently it is important we know these things at a glance. We don’t want to waste valuable time finding out information.


tap on your avatar where it says your name ,then hit profile page ,tap on that ,then go up to the very top, upper right hand side and tap on your name ,it will bring down a drop box, tap on signature, the signature will be under settings, tap on the signature then and you can start to add what I posted above, make sure you hit save ,
Welcome to the best place you could ever be and an awesome group of people
 
Susan Fentz said:
I have been learning about diet - and feeding times.
Those are helping. He is just so ravenous. I'm searching
for a better vet, but I've already been looking for several
years (with different cats).

It made my boy get very very skinny.
Even on three cans, he is down to 8 lbs from 12. That's a lot of weight for a cat.
I know I spoiled him. I've been trying to get him to lose weight since
February 2019.
I found out he was diabetic early in 2020. There is no way he could survive on 2 cans of FF
a day.
He already is so thin. He has 3 cans a day and I can see his spinal chord. I see his rib cage.
Click to expand...
I didn't want to say it but he does look very thin
Susan please do your signature and do your own post, I only say this is because this is some one else's post .
So members can reply to your post on your page

You can comment on others posts but when it comes to asking questions or advice you need
your own :cat:
 
Diane Tyler's Mom said:
Hi Susan first welcome to the best place you want to be.
Our members here know more than most vets due, it's unbelievable
They gave many many years of experience

Thank you. I do not see signature at all.
I had a feeling I wouldn't be able to
navigate this message board.
Thank you anyway. :'(
Click to expand...
 
Red & Rover (GA) said:
Susan – we can help you help your cat and we can help you navigate this message board.
For starters, click on this.
Health Forum
Up near the top right hand corner you should see "Post New Thread" – click on that. This will allow you to start your own thread.
Then we will go from there.
Click to expand...
Thanks Kel, I hope she comes back, he's so cute, poor baby looks so thin
 
Roberta and Chloe said:
I think his legs are shaved. They shaved Chloe's legs when she was in hospital for DKA.
Click to expand...
This is what she said about his weight
Susan Fentz said: ↑ in # 32
I have been learning about diet - and feeding times.
Those are helping. He is just so ravenous. I'm searching
for a better vet, but I've already been looking for several
years (with different cats).

It made my boy get very very skinny.
Even on three cans, he is down to 8 lbs from 12. That's a lot of weight for a cat.
I know I spoiled him. I've been trying to get him to lose weight since
February 2019.
I found out he was diabetic early in 2020. There is no way he could survive on 2 cans of FF
a day.
He already is so thin. He has 3 cans a day and I can see his spinal chord. I see his rib cage.
 
Diane Tyler's Mom said:
Hi Chris, I hope Susan comes back , I can't stop looking at his pic
Click to expand...
I’m trying to figure out the proper way to reply. Pumpkin was supposed to be American shorthair. A year later he started growing very long hair. We were told he is half Siberian. Several years later his ears shriveled up overnight. I swear! Both of them Simultaneously. His hearing was still good. We took him to the vet and we were told that sometimes happens. I never saw it happen before.
Pumpkin is shaved. In 2019 my husband passed away and I try to keep up with the brushing and combing. There was so much flea dirt and I couldn’t keep up with it so I had him shaved like a lion. So now pumpkin is the baby lion King. Now I keep him shaved because it’s easier to give him a shot. I can’t imagine giving him a shot through all that fur.
I had another bad experience on October 1. It was my birthday, pumpkin got into my other cat’s dry food. He started vomiting. I could tell he was constipated. I took him to emergency. I thought I was gonna lose him again. I totally felt to blame because I forgot to put my other cat’s bowl away.
 
(((((((Susan))))))) You and Pumpkin have have been through a LOT.

The good news is you and Pumpkin have landed in a very safe place. We can help you learn everything you need to know about feline diabetes.
WELCOME TO OUR FAMILY:bighug:

We look forward to getting to know you both. Your first post means you are part of this wonderful community that is FDMB

Jeanne;):coffee:
 
Hi Susan, and a hearty welcome to you and Pumpkin, your littlle Simba. :)

I'm so sorry you've had such a baptism of fire on the feline diabetes front. (((Susan)))

I'm really glad to hear that you have a friend helping you now, and I hope we will also be able to help the two of you going forward.

Susan Fentz said:
I had another bad experience on October 1. It was my birthday, pumpkin got into my other cat’s dry food. He started vomiting. I could tell he was constipated. I took him to emergency. I thought I was gonna lose him again. I totally felt to blame because I forgot to put my other cat’s bowl away.
Click to expand...
This caught my eye. Given that Pumpkin was suffering from bad constipation, then it is most likely that he would have thrown up *any* food that he ate at that time, even the lowest carb food on the planet, so I hope you'll find a little bit of reassurance in that.:bighug: I know how hard that is, because we all beat ourselves up when anything happens to our little ones. (I'm a divil for doing this myself.)

Diabetes can sometimes affect the speed at which the body moves food along the gut, and that may give rise to problems with constipation. I found the following site to be very helpful in this area, and maybe there might be ideas there for you to ask your vet about for Pumpkin:

felineconstipation.org

Once again, welcome to you both. I'm very glad you've found us. We'll do all we can to help you. :)


Mogs
.
 
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Susan Fentz said:
I’m trying to figure out the proper way to reply. Pumpkin was supposed to be American shorthair. A year later he started growing very long hair. We were told he is half Siberian. Several years later his ears shriveled up overnight. I swear! Both of them Simultaneously. His hearing was still good. We took him to the vet and we were told that sometimes happens. I never saw it happen before.
Pumpkin is shaved. In 2019 my husband passed away and I try to keep up with the brushing and combing. There was so much flea dirt and I couldn’t keep up with it so I had him shaved like a lion. So now pumpkin is the baby lion King. Now I keep him shaved because it’s easier to give him a shot. I can’t imagine giving him a shot through all that fur.
I had another bad experience on October 1. It was my birthday, pumpkin got into my other cat’s dry food. He started vomiting. I could tell he was constipated. I took him to emergency. I thought I was gonna lose him again. I totally felt to blame because I forgot to put my other cat’s bowl away.
Click to expand...
I'm sorry for your loss, my husband died in 2018
Do you see where you wrote
New to the board
I have a diabetic cat He's 11
Add this to it

Your name/Cat's name, age, sex, date of diagnosis, type of insulin, type of meter, type of food, any other health problems or meds?.....then hit "save".

Like this
Susan/CJ/ 11 yrs/male/DX 1/2020/Lantus 2.75u/meter/FF /constipation/any meds
Then hit save




You don't have to put new to the board, we usually don't go to your profile to read this
Want to give it a try
When you want to reply to someone that wrote something to you just hit the reply under their message and then start to type what you want

Re read what Chris and China wrote above about how to do everything especially how to start your own thread

We really want to help you and CJ.
Don't get frustrated we will all help you
 
Last edited:
Critter Mom said:
Hi Susan, and a hearty welcome to you and Pumpkin, your littlle Simba. :)

I'm so sorry you've had such a baptism of fire on the feline diabetes front. (((Susan)))

I'm really glad to hear that you have a friend helping you now, and I hope we will also be able to help the two of you going forward.


This caught my eye. Given that Pumpkin was constipated at the time, then it is most likely that he would have thrown up *any* food that he ate at that time, even the lowest carb food on the planet, so I hope you'll find a little bit of reassurance in that.:bighug: I know how hard that is, because we all beat ourselves up when anything happens to our little ones. (I'm a divil for doing this myself.)

Diabetes can sometimes affect the speed at which the body moves food along the gut, and that may give rise to problems with constipation. I found the following site to be very helpful in this area, and maybe there might be ideas there for you to ask your vet about for Pumpkin:

felineconstipation.org

Once again, welcome to you both. I'm very glad you've found us. We'll do all we can to help you. :)


Mogs
.
Click to expand...
Thank you. Very nice of you because I was beating myself up. Pumpkin had an enema yesterday. I’ve never even had an enema. So he is cleaned out now and they gave me medicine. Stool softener.
 
Diane Tyler's Mom said:
I'm sorry for your loss, my husband died in 2018
Do you see where you wrote
New to the board
I have a diabetic cat He's 11
Add this to it

Your name/Cat's name, age, sex, date of diagnosis, type of insulin, type of meter, type of food, any other health problems or meds?.....then hit "save".

Like this
Susan/CJ/ 11 yrs/male/DX 1/2020/Lantus 2.75u/meter/FF /constipation/any meds
Then hit save




You don't have to put new to the board, we usually don't go to your profile to read this
Want to give it a try
When you want to reply to someone that wrote something to you just hit the reply under their message and then start to type what you want

Re read what Chris and China wrote above about how to do everything especially how to start your own thread

We really want to help you and CJ.
Don't get frustrated we will all help you
Click to expand...

That’s what I did. I just replied And I was told it was wrong. I’m really not a technical dope. I did have a rough day though
 
Susan – I'm going to create your very own thread.
It will be called "New 6 Oct – Pumpkin – questions."
Pumpkin has a lot going on and it would be good to have the discussion all to yourself.
Thank goodness you questioned the 7 unit dose.
Give me a minute and I'll give you the link to the new thread.
Then you can give us a history of Pumpkin.

Susan – click on the blue link below.

Pumpkin's Thread
 
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Red & Rover (GA) said:
Susan – I'm going to create your very own thread.
It will be called "New 6 Oct – Simba – questions."
Simba has a lot going on and it would be good to have the discussion all to yourself.
Thank goodness you questioned the 7 unit dose.
Give me a minute and I'll give you the link to the new thread.
Then you can give us a history of Simba.

Susan – click on the blue link below.

Simba's Thread
Click to expand...
Hey Kel who is Simba, her cats name is Pumpkin:cat:
 
Thank you very much for making this thread for me.
Pumpkin was diagnosed eight months ago. They started him on one unit and worked him up to seven units of Lantus! Every time I went for a glucose curve, they would increase his dosage by a full point. I later found out this is not normal. I think they almost killed him. He is now on 2.75 units of Lantus. He is 11 years old, seven months. He’s almost 12.
 
Here is the really crazy part. I asked them for a spreadsheet of his glucose curve. They could not provide one. I brought him in there yesterday because he was constipated and he was vomiting. Actually I took him to emergency the night before. Anyway, they gave him an enema but they also prescribed Lactulose as a stool softener.
I researched that medicine and it’s basically sugar syrup. They were giving sugar syrup to a diabetic cat, twice a day in definitely. Well I never gave it to him and I’m searching for a new vet.
 
Awww poor Pumpkin and poor YOU! Lets hope we can get you both on the right track now..
You are right about the 7 units. I shiver to think what would happen had you gone back to them. :rolleyes:
 
I'm going to give you some reading to do and ask some questions.

Susan Fentz said:
I brought him in there yesterday because he was constipated and he was vomiting. Actually I took him to emergency the night before. Anyway, they gave him an enema but they also prescribed Lactulose as a stool softener.
Click to expand...

A lot of people use Miralax.
Your best guide to feline constipation is
https://felineconstipation.org/

Susan Fentz said:
I’m searching for a new vet.
Click to expand...
Here are some links that can help you look for a new vet.
Susan Fentz said:
Every time I went for a glucose curve
Click to expand...

You can save yourself a lot of money and get a better picture of how a dose affects your cat by home testing. Home testing is how to keep your cat safe and out of danger.

Question: What country to do you live in? We can give you recommendations for the best meters for cats. (The pet meters take crazy expensive strips.)

Susan Fentz said:
They started him on one unit and worked him up to seven units of Lantus! Every time I went for a glucose curve, they would increase his dosage by a full point. I later found out this is not normal. I think they almost killed him. He is now on 2.75 units of Lantus. He is 11 years old, seven months. He’s almost 12.
Click to expand...

There are cats who do need a high dose but the majority certainly do not. It is recommended that dosing increases be no more than 0.25 units so that you do not go right past the best dose.
By home testing, you can find out how the current 2.75 unit dose is working for your cat.

Please read and print out the following guides for what to do in a hypoglycemic situation.
Food and testing ears/paw pads in my next post.
My apologies for the information overload. Feline diabetes is a steep learning curve but will become second nature very quickly. We can steer you to the learning materials, explain them, help you with dosing and diet, and answer any questions you may have.
 
Testing.
First off, I'm going to tag @Marje and Gracie who had a Scottish Fold diabetic cat. She may be able to give you some pointers.

Below is a link for ear testing. It contains tips and videos. Another great video was put together by @JanetNJ
How to test using paw pads:

A bigger lancet might also help. Look for 26 or 28 gauge lancets. (The smaller the number, the bigger the the lancet.)

Since Pumpkin is ravenous, giving Pumpkin a treat each time you test will help him associate being tested with a treat. You can use small amounts of his wet food. Some people give freeze-dried treats. No carbs.


Feeding.
Weight loss / ravenous: The short answer is that unregulated diabetic cats cannot process their food properly.

Questions:
1. What are you feeding now? How much? And when?
Your friend was right. Low carb (LC) under 10% is the way to go
You feed a major meal with each insulin shot and then you can give small portions throughout the cycle as snacks.

Here is a link to a Food Chart put together by an experienced vet.

Since Pumpkin is underweight, look for kitten foods under 10%. They are more calorie dense.

I'll stop for now. I'm sure others will chime in with their knowledge, experience, and support. I'm glad for so many things.
That you found us.
That you questioned the dosing. You may have saved your cat's life by doing so.
That you have an amazing friend who is helping you. Give your friend a hug from all of us. :bighug:
 
Red & Rover (GA) said:
Susan – I'm going to create your very own thread.
It will be called "New 6 Oct – Pumpkin – questions."
Pumpkin has a lot going on and it would be good to have the discussion all to yourself.
Thank goodness you questioned the 7 unit dose.
Give me a minute and I'll give you the link to the new thread.
Then you can give us a history of Pumpkin.

Susan – click on the blue link below.

Pumpkin's Thread
Click to expand...
Thank you so much for doing this for me. I hope I don’t screw it up
 
Critter Mom said:
Hi Susan, and a hearty welcome to you and Pumpkin, your littlle Simba. :)

I'm so sorry you've had such a baptism of fire on the feline diabetes front. (((Susan)))

I'm really glad to hear that you have a friend helping you now, and I hope we will also be able to help the two of you going forward.


This caught my eye. Given that Pumpkin was constipated at the time, then it is most likely that he would have thrown up *any* food that he ate at that time, even the lowest carb food on the planet, so I hope you'll find a little bit of reassurance in that.:bighug: I know how hard that is, because we all beat ourselves up when anything happens to our little ones. (I'm a divil for doing this myself.)

Diabetes can sometimes affect the speed at which the body moves food along the gut, and that may give rise to problems with constipation. I found the following site to be very helpful in this area, and maybe there might be ideas there for you to ask your vet about for Pumpkin:

felineconstipation.org

Once again, welcome to you both. I'm very glad you've found us. We'll do all we can to help you. :)


Mogs
.
Click to expand...
Thank you so much for supplying that site. It has been very helpful.
 
Susan Fentz said:
Thank you. Very nice of you because I was beating myself up. Pumpkin had an enema yesterday. I’ve never even had an enema. So he is cleaned out now and they gave me medicine. Stool softener.
Click to expand...
you can add a teaspoon of pumpkin to Pumpkin's food. :) That will hopefully prevent him from getting constipated again. WELCOME TO THE BOARDS!!!!!
 
Susan Fentz said:
Thank you. Very nice of you because I was beating myself up. Pumpkin had an enema yesterday. I’ve never even had an enema. So he is cleaned out now and they gave me medicine. Stool softener.
Click to expand...
It's ironic, but I heard that pumpkin is good for constipation. That's really weird about his ears. Maybe he has some Scottish Fold in him, too.
 
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Hi Susan. :)

Susan Fentz said:
They don’t have [canned pure pumpkin] at my grocery store.
Click to expand...
You might be able to get some from Amazon. Psyllium husk is another possible fibre source.

Tip: If you do try psyllium, I suggest you start with only a tiny amount and work up if you need to - a little psyllium can go a very long way.

Needless to say, be sure to discuss any proposed supplementary treatments with a vet first.


Mogs
.
 
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