New here. Cat diagnosed with DKA.

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gothikkrainbow13

Member Since 2023
Hi! I’m not sure where to post I’m still new here and to all of this. My cat chocolate was diagnosed with Dka last Friday and spent 6 days in the hospital. I decided to bring him home after not being able to afford anymore care at the hospital for him. He was sent home with vetprofin 2 units every 12 hours. His glucose numbers were normally in the 400 range and I’ve been administering insulin twice a day at the same time. However, last night his number dropped to 120 before his second dose was needed. I was afraid he would drop too low so was late on giving the second dose and only gave him 1.5 units instead. My question is now do I wait 12 hours from that dose or stick to my regular schedule? I’m still learning how to do all of this so any advice is greatly appreciated . He does have a feeding tube so he is eating every 12 hours a full high protein meal and also eats snacks in between feedings. He is about 14 lbs.
 
I’m tagging someone experienced with dka @Bron and Sheba (GA) Minnie had a feeding tube and it was a godsend when it came to get her eating. I think you should be feeding more often than every 12 hours. Cats do better with smaller meals throughout the day. It’s easier on their pancreas and it helps avoid big sugar spikes. Is he drinking water or are you giving it to him via the tube?

you should count 12 hours from when you gave insulin last for the next dose. You can adjust by 15 minutes increments to get back on schedule.

are you able to setup your signature and spreadsheet so we can better help you and your kitty? Here is a link helping us to help you link. If you noticed, our members have some basic information about their cat's in their signature. This helps us to not pester you by asking the same questions (your cat's name, insulin type, date of diagnosis, etc.) repeatedly. We also have a link to our spreadsheet in our signature. We are very numbers driven. The spreadsheet is a record of your cat's progress. By linking it in your signature, we can follow along and provide feedback should you need the help.
 
Welcome to FDMB.

I'm very curious as to why the vet hospital prescribed your kitty an NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) -- Vetprofin is an NSAID. These medications are used for pain (think Advil). Did your vet prescribe Vetsulin? Vetsulin is a type of insulin.

A couple of aspects related to DKA:
  • Make sure Chocolate is getting a good amount of calories. With a DKA kitty, you may want to be feeding more than your cat may have been eating prior to the diagnosis.
  • Is Chocolate making any effort to eat without the feeding tube?
  • What are you feeding your kitty?
  • What insulin are you using? This can make a difference in the timing of when you feed your cat and when you give insulin.
  • Make sure there's plenty of water available. Water helps to flush ketones out of your cat's system.
  • If you haven't already done so, please pick up Ketostix at the pharmacy. This is a way to test your cat's urine for ketones. There are also ketone meters and you can test your cat's blood. Most pharmacies don't stock ketone meters but they are available online.
It sounds like you've started to home test. That's great news! If you need to move a shot time, it's best to plan for the next shot to be 12 hours after the time you actually shot. You can move shot time either by 15 minutes at each shot (i.e., twice a day) or by 30 minutes once a day. If you're using Vetsulin, it's a harsh, fast acting insulin and I'd suggest moving shot time in 15 minute increments just to be on the safe side.
 
Hi and welcome to the group.

My cat was also hospitalized with DKA, but luckily only for 2 nights, then he was able to come home. Later I found this group and they helped me so much, you have definitely landed in the right spot if you are determined to help your kitty.
 
Hi there-

Thank you for the reply. And I accidentally said vetprofin but meant vetsulin. Lol

yes chocolate is trying to eat on his own but he is very picky and only likes certain types of wet food. He was eating dry food around the clock which is why he’s here now :(

I am feeding him fancy feast pâtés and tiki cat after dark pates as well. I feed him twice in his tube every 12 hours and then two snacks in between that that he will lick on his own.

He is drinking plenty of water and getting some in his tube as well.

We are doing 2 units of vetsulin every 12 hours and he is fed his large meals half an hour before that.

I have not started testing for ketones yet but will get a meter today.

Do you think I should drop the amount of insulin at night since his levels are about 120 on their own? Or continue the 2 units anyways ? I don’t want him to drop too low which is why I got scared last night and stalled giving it to him. Any help is greatly appreciated and I will also work on my spreadsheet.


I'm very curious as to why the vet hospital prescribed your kitty an NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) -- Vetprofin is an NSAID. These medications are used for pain (think Advil). Did your vet prescribe Vetsulin? Vetsulin is a type of insulin.

A couple of aspects related to DKA:
  • Make sure Chocolate is getting a good amount of calories. With a DKA kitty, you may want to be feeding more than your cat may have been eating prior to the diagnosis.
  • Is Chocolate making any effort to eat without the feeding tube?
  • What are you feeding your kitty?
  • What insulin are you using? This can make a difference in the timing of when you feed your cat and when you give insulin.
  • Make sure there's plenty of water available. Water helps to flush ketones out of your cat's system.
  • If you haven't already done so, please pick up Ketostix at the pharmacy. This is a way to test your cat's urine for ketones. There are also ketone meters and you can test your cat's blood. Most pharmacies don't stock ketone meters but they are available online.
It sounds like you've started to home test. That's great news! If you need to move a shot time, it's best to plan for the next shot to be 12 hours after the time you actually shot. You can move shot time either by 15 minutes at each shot (i.e., twice a day) or by 30 minutes once a day. If you're using Vetsulin, it's a harsh, fast acting insulin and I'd suggest moving shot time in 15 minute increments just to be on the safe side.[/QUOTE]
 
Hi and welcome to the forum. I’m sorry your Chocolate has had DKA.
In regards to the insulin timing . Give the next dose 12 hours after the last dose you gave.
In regards to the dose, it is very hard to recommend a dose without seeing some BG data so i am going to ask @Bandit's Mom to help you set up the spreadsheet so you can enter information for us to see.
With DKA it is important Chocolate is getting enough insulin to combat the ketones. I would hesitate to reduce the dose….but in the other hand we don’t want him dropping too low. Do you have some higher carb food you can give him in case if lower numbers?
I would post the +11 BG of the currrent cycle so we can see how he is going ….that will he 1 hour before the next dose is due. If you can tell me when that will be I will watch out for it. I am in Australia so please talk in numbers of hours not your local time:)

I would also get that ketones meter or urine test strips today to test for ketones as it is really important that we know if there are any present.
What type of glucose meter are you using? Pet or human meter?
What food are you feeding into the tube?
 
Also with Vetsulin or any other insulin you need to with hold food 2 hours before you test Chocolate's BG , because you don't want it to be influenced by food
With Vetsulin you test feed then wait 30 minutes to feed him
Vetsulin hits hard and fast and it's actually used for dog's
Lantus/by u can get the generic version which most members use or Prozinc
I like Lantus/generic is much more affordable
Do you have your hypo kit set up in case you have to bring his BG up
For your Hypo kit
Med and High Carb food and some honey/karo



Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers Gourmet Beef Feast in Gravy 20% High Carbs

Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers Gourmet Chicken Feast in Gravy 15% Med Carbs

Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers Turkey Feast in Gravy 15% Med Carbs

Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers Chicken and Beef in Gravy 15% Med Carbs

Good idea to mark the cans with magic marker how many carbs

Or any on the food chart. Doesn't have to be Fancy Feast just an example about the med and high carb foods

https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/dr-pierson-new-food-

Between 11% and 17% is medium carbs.

18% and over is high carb.

Correction
10% and under is low carb
, 10 - 15% is medium carb, and over 15% is high carb.
 
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If you have any data to add to your spreadsheet, it would be helpful to see how Chocolate is doing.

Also, to correct @Diane Tyler's Mom, below 10% is considered low carb, 10 - 15% is medium carb, and over 15% is high carb.

It sounds like your cat is eating at least some dry food. There are only very few dry foods that are low in carbohydrates -- Dr. Elsey's and Young Again Zero Carb (it's not really zero carb but it's low in carbs). You may want to look into switching over. The Young Again customer service may be willing to send you a trial amount to see if your cat will eat their food.
 
Thanks @Sienne and Gabby (GA) about the med and high carb , I will correct it now

I was told by a member that this is what it was and I was told I was wrong, that's why I changed it to what they told me to, but I will use what you said :cat:

So I'll go with this like I was doing all a long or with that you said:cat:
10% and under is low carb
11% -15 is medium carbs.

16- 24 is high carb.
from The Official Lantus, Levemir & Biosimilars Slang Dictionary MC =11=15% and HC is usually 16-24%
 
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