New Member July 9 - Binx hospitalized with DKA

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kelsey&binx

Member Since 2026
My soul cat Binx was hospitalized tonight with DKA. He’s 14. I feel so lost and scared for him.

I noticed starting last week he was drinking more water, but we were under a heat advisory with temps over 100° so I assumed that was the cause.

Yesterday he didn’t finish his breakfast (out of character) and last night had no interest in his wet food. He grazed on kibble, which he prefers, overnight and this morning, but I could tell something was off. Although he was acting mostly normal - still asking to go out in the back yard and for treats.

I decided to take him to the ER vet since my reg vet is closed. Blood and urine test later and he was diagnosed with DKA and admitted. The vet really scared me, saying DKA can be fatal and the prognosis of it is “guarded.” FWIW Binx went down swinging - I could hear him screaming when they took him back. I had to go back up there to bring his other medication and the tech told me it took three of them to get his catheter in. She did give me a print out of his blood work.

I’m not sure exactly what I’m asking. I feel so overwhelmed with all this new information, scared for my baby that hasn’t slept away from home in over a decade, and worried he may not come home. I’m hoping I caught the DKA early just because I do feel very in tune with my cats, but I’m also beating myself up for not taking him sooner and wondering what I missed.
 
Take in a t-shirt that you have worn for him to sleep with.

Many cats can survive DKA with the proper treatment at the clinic, followed by the proper treatment at home.

At the clinic, he should be getting IV fluids (for dehydration and to help flush out glucose), insulin (possibly a short-acting insulin to get the blood sugar down quickly), electrolytes (if indicated by the blood tests).
It is important for Binx to eat so they might give him something for nausea.

It would help to post the lab results.
Tagging a few people @Bron and Sheba (GA) @Marje and Gracie

What meds is Binx taking?

Some reading:
 
Thanks! Yes they’ve started him on fluids and said they hope to start insulin within 6-8 hours. He’s on fluoxetine for anxiety and amlodipine for blood pressure. I took his favorite toy for them to give him when I took his medicine. I’m attaching his blood results here.
 

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No I know they did that on a urine test. They are calling every 12 hours with updates and I’m going to try and visit him tomorrow if they will let me. I will ask then.
 
Hi and welcome Kelsey and Binx to the forum.
I’m sorry to hear Binx has DKA but it sounds as if you got him to the vet early which is so important with DKA.
I can see some of his electrolytes are low on the blood test and I’m sure the vet will be giving him medication to correct those.
Have they put him on an antibiotic?
DKA happens when there is not enough insulin, not enough food and an infection or inflammation in the body.
I’m going to give you a list of things you will need to have for when Binx comes home and a list of things you will need to do for him once he is home.

This is what you need to do now while he is in hospital so you can be ready for him coming home.
  • buy Ketostix for testing ketones in the urine. Can be bought from Walmart in the US or a pharmacy.
  • Ask the vet for antinausea medication such as cerenia or ondansetron. Most post DKA kitties are nauseated for a time so make sure he comes home with one of these. Ondansetron is better for nausea..
  • May also need an appetite stimulant… give the antinausea medication first before the appetite stimulant.
  • Ask the vet about giving sub Q fluids at home
  • get a range of canned food for when they get home including some higher carb foods.
  • set up a spreadsheet and the signature before Binx comes home
  • buy a human glucose meter over an alphatrak meter to measure the blood glucose
  • get copies or all the path results from the ER.
Here is what you need to be doing once you get Binx home.
  • you need to give one and a half times as many calories as he normally eats. Offer snacks every couple of hours during the day and evening as well as the 2 main meals. Food is like a medicine and helps keep ketones away. If Binx won’t eat the low carb food, feed him whatever he will eat as eating any food is better than not eating,
  • Don’t skip any doses of insulin as insulin helps keep ketones away. If the BG is not high enough to give the dose…stall, dont feed and test again in 20 minutes and post and ask for help.
  • Test daily for ketones. Put the results of the tests into the remarks column of the SS so we can see. Please report any trace ketones at all.
  • Give antinausea medication if needed. A lot is post DKA cats are nauseated fora time. This is normal, so give the antinausea meds.
  • Give appetite stimulant if needed after the antinausea medication
  • Give extra fluids. If kitty will tolerate warm water in the food, put a teaspoon into each snack..
  • Ask the vet about subQ fluids
  • Set up a spreadsheet and test the BG frequently
  • Post daily with updates and ask for help as often as needed.
Link to the spreadsheet and signature and other useful information

HELP US HELP YOU
 
kelsey&binx said:
No antibiotic - I’m not sure there is an infection. They didn’t say anything about that.
Click to expand...
I would ask about this. If it was DKA there would be an infection or an inflammation of some sort and it’s important this is addressed and treated.
Ask what the white cell count was in the blood test.
 
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Hi thank you for checking! He’s doing really great and they think he will be ready to come home tomorrow. His bloodwork today showed half a ketone left and they are going to switch him from the IV insulin to Lantus tomorrow morning. They are going to monitor him through that and as long as one unit doesn’t make him hypo he can come home tomorrow afternoon.

I’ve been visiting him everyday and I really think that’s helped. He’s a spicy boy to everyone else but he just laid in my lap today while I sat outside his kennel for about an hour. This group has been so immensely helpful! I’ve read so much information and ordered everything we will need from Amazon and it’s getting here tomorrow. So perfect timing! Thank you all so much for all that you do! I know I’m going to be here a lot moving forward. 🖤🖤
 
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