New member - Question on strange blood sugar readings

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And who is the vet who mentioned FIP anyway? That’s so frightening and they should not be throwing that around unless they’re pretty sure.
 
Oh, and I would not use Revolution Plus on my cats. It is known to cause neurological problems and even seizures. You did not say Revolution Plus; I am only assuming that you used it because you mentioned that it is known to cause seizures in some cases. Regular Revolution is okay. Does he go outside? That’s why you need to put on flea meds?
 
Suzanne & Darcy said:
I also questioned the FIP diagnosis. It’s kind of a process of elimination- diagnosing FIP. But the vet should not say pancreatitis and IBD without at least doing an ultrasound or at the very least the Texas A&M GI Panel. What were the results of that? Do you have them? Didn’t they do that panel? Unless I am mixing you up with somebody else, we talked about this yesterday. Also, what about a specific test for pancreatitis (and not the snap rapid test) - the Spec fPL.
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There was a GI panel but those results have not been uploaded to my file in the vets app. I asked this morning and she thats why she diagnosed IBD and pancreatitis. I will ask they upload so I can see.
 
Jcoasternut said:
There was a GI panel but those results have not been uploaded to my file in the vets app. I asked this morning and she thats why she diagnosed IBD and pancreatitis. I will ask they upload so I can see.
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Okay, well that is good (I mean that the vet got the results back... not that Flame has IBD. It is good news that she does not think it is FIP (even though there is a treatment.)
 
Jcoasternut said:
Vet does not believe it is FIP. She thinks he has pancreatitis, ibd and diabetes. Right now going to try 1/2 unit of Prozinc twice a day. What meters do you recommend?
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The test was released to the vets app this weekend. It said Positive due to high FCV titers. It was from the test on the app that I got that. She was off until this morning. So at his appointment this morning she said that result was meaningless and that test was just included on the battery of tests she wanted which were felv, fiv and toxoplasmosis.
 
Suzanne & Darcy said:
Oh, and I would not use Revolution Plus on my cats. It is known to cause neurological problems and even seizures. You did not say Revolution Plus; I am only assuming that you used it because you mentioned that it is known to cause seizures in some cases. Regular Revolution is okay. Does he go outside? That’s why you need to put on flea meds?
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Yes it was Revolution Plus and we have switched to regular Revolution. He does not go outside but since he spent several days at the vet office even before last week for glucose curves, I was afraid he would pick up a flea and bring home. So I have treating. Another spent all day at another vets after the skin tumor surgery.
 
Now that I am back home (before I was answering on my phone and sitting in the hair salon). I thought my replies seemed a little "short." I didn't mean them to be. I was just happy that Flame doesn't have FIP. Sorry about the IBD, but at least it's a diagnosis you can deal with. The pancreatitis is something a lot of people here deal with in their kitties (and when the cat is having a flare up of pancreatitis it definitely raises their BG.) I'm also super happy that you are going to start with half a unit of ProZinc and start home testing. I want Flame to feel better quickly! Post a photo of him when you can. We love kitty pictures here. :-)
 
What is their plan to address the IBD. I recently had a cat diagnosed with IBD (or I guess they have to call it "suspected IBD without a biopsy and I am NOT doing a biopsy. He is now on Prednisolone and just finished the first ten days of 2.5 mg. twice a day, he is now on 2.5 once a day and will, after 30 days, go to 2.5 mg. every other day. The vet also suggested a hypoallergenic diet, which is not something that I have implemented yet (and not sure I will be able to as I just have too many cats to do that right now, I think.

Does Flame have symptoms of IBD such as vomiting, diarrhea, inappetance, etc? It manifests in so many different ways and not all cats will have all of the symptoms. My boy had severe diarrhea that would clear up with Metronidazole, then it would come back a few days after stopping the Metro. We restarted the Metronidazole and the diarrhea would stop. This made me suspicious of IBD and I asked the vet to perform the abdominal ultrasound (just two weeks ago now). He does have thickening of his intestinal loops. Some cats have the thickening higher up in the GI tract (and that's why they have different symptoms.)
 
For the Pancreatitis, the usual treatment is pain medication (if he appears to be in pain), Cerenia, sometimes Ondansetron if there are signs of nausea, sub-q fluids done at home.
 
Just another note. I have considered changing vets. Last year with five cats I was using three different offices just so I had multiple options. Now I am down to just two offices. Four go to the office Flame goes to and one to a different office. There is such a shortage of vets here that it is near impossible to get into another office. The third office the vet got very irate with me that I would not keep them all on Revolution year round even though they are inside. I only treat when any of them have spent a day in a vet office. She basically refused to continue seeing them. Some people here are routinely driving hours for routine care. So many of our vets retired in the past few years. The remaining offices are overwhelmed with patients. Our overnight emergency hospital now is only open 6pm - midnight.
 
Jcoasternut said:
Just another note. I have considered changing vets. Last year with five cats I was using three different offices just so I had multiple options. Now I am down to just two offices. Four go to the office Flame goes to and one to a different office. There is such a shortage of vets here that it is near impossible to get into another office. The third office the vet got very irate with me that I would not keep them all on Revolution year round even though they are inside. I only treat when any of them have spent a day in a vet office. She basically refused to continue seeing them. Some people here are routinely driving hours for routine care. So many of our vets retired in the past few years. The remaining offices are overwhelmed with patients. Our overnight emergency hospital now is only open 6pm - midnight.
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Oh, that is awful. I cannot believe that vet who would not see them because you won't put them all on Revolution every month when they never go outside! I had a vet who told me she wouldn't see my cats anymore because I wasn't vaccinating them every year (don't get me started on that!), but for a flea treatment for indoor cats! I don't know what I will do if my vet retires. Fortunately she's not ready to do that yet. She still has two young daughters in private schools to pay for. I asked her about this one time when so many of the veterinary practices around here were being purchased by corporate entities (and the vet care really suffered after that!)
 
Suzanne & Darcy said:
What is their plan to address the IBD. I recently had a cat diagnosed with IBD (or I guess they have to call it "suspected IBD without a biopsy and I am NOT doing a biopsy. He is now on Prednisolone and just finished the first ten days of 2.5 mg. twice a day, he is now on 2.5 once a day and will, after 30 days, go to 2.5 mg. every other day. The vet also suggested a hypoallergenic diet, which is not something that I have implemented yet (and not sure I will be able to as I just have too many cats to do that right now, I think.

Does Flame have symptoms of IBD such as vomiting, diarrhea, inappetance, etc? It manifests in so many different ways and not all cats will have all of the symptoms. My boy had severe diarrhea that would clear up with Metronidazole, then it would come back a few days after stopping the Metro. We restarted the Metronidazole and the diarrhea would stop. This made me suspicious of IBD and I asked the vet to perform the abdominal ultrasound (just two weeks ago now). He does have thickening of his intestinal loops. Some cats have the thickening higher up in the GI tract (and that's why they have different symptoms.)
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He was on cerenia last week. I spent a fortune on hypoallergenic food which he won't eat. 150 last week from chewy. He was on pain medication as well as week. She is assuming that ibd is causing him to not absorb food well which is causing the issues with blood control on insulin. He is on 2.5 mg of prednisolone every day right now. He is acting totally normal now. Eating except the hypo diet without issue. His temp is normal at 101.
I am familiar with IBD as another cat of mine has had IBD for years. He is prednisolone, b 12 injections and cyprohedatine as an appetite stimulant. He is the one being treated at the different vet. He also has been epileptic for four years and takes phenobarbital twice daily. He also is the one who skin tumor surgery last month for a malignant adenocarcinoma. Whew I am worn out just trying to explain. Then the fiv cat with megacolon. Another cat that is diabetic besides Flame that was easily controlled and the our cat with breast cancer. I wake wondering who is going to vet today.
 
Suzanne & Darcy said:
Oh, that is awful. I cannot believe that vet who would not see them because you won't put them all on Revolution every month when they never go outside! I had a vet who told me she wouldn't see my cats anymore because I wasn't vaccinating them every year (don't get me started on that!), but for a flea treatment for indoor cats! I don't know what I will do if my vet retires. Fortunately she's not ready to do that yet. She still has two young daughters in private schools to pay for. I asked her about this one time when so many of the veterinary practices around here were being purchased by corporate entities (and the vet care really suffered after that!)
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Yes most of our offices have been sold to corporations.
 
I hear you. I have even more cats than you. I wake up with the same feeling. It does sound like Flame has improved though. So will you start the B-12 for Flame, too. My vet didn't mention it for my cat, Bingley, but I'm going to start it anyway since IBD definitely interferes with B-12 absorption.
 
I almost forgot. Chewy has always allowed people to get refunds for food that their cats won't eat. That is in the past anyway -- I have noticed that their customer service went WAY down when they were bought out by PetsMart a few years ago. I would call them on the phone and not try doing a chat. I get a lot better results/service when I speak to a human on the phone. I do know people who have received refunds for food their cats will not eat -- and Chewy just requests that they donate the unopened food to a shelter. If I don't get help one time, I will call back and get a different person. Sometimes it's like night and day.
 
Suzanne & Darcy said:
Oh, that is awful. I cannot believe that vet who would not see them because you won't put them all on Revolution every month when they never go outside! I had a vet who told me she wouldn't see my cats anymore because I wasn't vaccinating them every year (don't get me started on that!), but for a flea treatment for indoor cats! I don't know what I will do if my vet retires. Fortunately she's not ready to do that yet. She still has two young daughters in private schools to pay for. I asked her about this one time when so many of the veterinary practices around here were being purchased by corporate entities (and the vet care really suffered after that!)
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Her agrument was that a mosquito could fly into the house and bite them and give them heartworms.
 
Suzanne & Darcy said:
I almost forgot. Chewy has always allowed people to get refunds for food that their cats won't eat. That is in the past anyway -- I have noticed that their customer service went WAY down when they were bought out by PetsMart a few years ago. I would call them on the phone and not try doing a chat. I get a lot better results/service when I speak to a human on the phone. I do know people who have received refunds for food their cats will not eat -- and Chewy just requests that they donate the unopened food to a shelter. If I don't get help one time, I will call back and get a different person. Sometimes it's like night and day.
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Thanks !
 
Suzanne & Darcy said:
Now that I am back home (before I was answering on my phone and sitting in the hair salon). I thought my replies seemed a little "short." I didn't mean them to be. I was just happy that Flame doesn't have FIP. Sorry about the IBD, but at least it's a diagnosis you can deal with. The pancreatitis is something a lot of people here deal with in their kitties (and when the cat is having a flare up of pancreatitis it definitely raises their BG.) I'm also super happy that you are going to start with half a unit of ProZinc and start home testing. I want Flame to feel better quickly! Post a photo of him when you can. We love kitty pictures here. :)
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No problem you have been more help than than the vet. Also just an FYI when I contacted FIP Warriors, I got a quick approval and a message on messenger that they would setting up a chat with me, but it may be 3-6 hours befors it starts there were to be 3 of them in on the chat. If I didn't hear anything I was to make an entry in the chat and that would kickstart it.. I did that several times with no response. This started yesterday morning. At around 9 last night, I gave up and told them In the char I was going to sleep. This morning after Flames appointment, I entered into the chat that at this time I would not need their help. Then they started chatting. I know thet are volunteers, but just FYI that people definitely need patience with them
 
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