luxthekitty
Member Since 2013
Hi everyone-- newly(ish) diagnosed here and I am a bit frazzled so I'm sorry for the wall of text!
Lux was diagnosed as diabetic in November. He is only 3 years old and could have stood to lose a pound or two but was not obese or very overweight by any means. This diagnoses came as a huge shock to us. The vet suspected that he was teetering on the edge and had received a cortisone shot for his kitty allergies/asthma a few weeks before the diagnosis that could have sent him over the edge. When I brought him in after coming home from vacation Lux was extremely thin-- he has lost a lot of weight and wasn't eating or drinking much of anything. He was very lethargic and non responsive when I tried to get him to play or run around with me. When I brought him into the vet he was admitted for 3 nights and was hooked up to IV's for for dehydration and electrolytes, etc. The vet told me he was not in DKA (but 5 months later I realize that he likely was). After 4 months of trying to get his glucose regulated with the PZI insulin we were still not getting anywhere. The vet I had been taking to him is wonderful, but not so skilled in feline diabetes. So I recently took him to a new vet with much more skill in feline diabetes.
It's been about 2 weeks since he has seen the new vet and everything seemed to be going well. I got a home glucose tester (AlphaTrak2) and continued him on the PZI but with a lower amount (currently have been giving him 3 units in a U-40 syringe) because we discovered my technique might have been off and he could have been getting the insulin in the skin rather than underneath the layer of skin.
Lux can be a picky eater but we have him on the Purina DM now and he seemed to enjoy it until about 3 days ago. On Wednesday night I noticed he wasn't eating as much but thought he just wasn't that hungry. Gave him his 3 units of insulin. Thursday morning he won't eat his wet food. He ate some dry food and I figured it was enough so I gave him his insulin that morning. Throughout the day on Thursday my boyfriend could NOT get him to eat anything. When I came home from work he wouldn't eat-- not even any treats. Around the time for his insulin shot he would not touch anything, so I skipped his shot when I checked his glucose and it was at 295 out of fear it would drop too low. The next morning again, he would not eat. He was very lethargic again and his water intake and urination has been high. I didn't give him his insulin and called the vet who wanted me to bring him in immediately.
At the vet they determined he was in DKA and hooked him up to more IVs/etc. My vet closes at 6pm so I transferred him at their recommendation to an ER vet on Friday night and he has been there since. He seemed to be improving but when I went to visit last night he had a slight fever and his glucose was continuing to elevate.
After speaking with an ER vet she told me that she thinks there is an underlying issue that has not been caught. She discussed this with another vet and they both agree. Lux is a mix breed with a lot of Siamese in him and she told me about how they are prone to more uncommon diseases. She thinks it is totally abnormal (which I agree) for a cat so young and otherwise healthy to develop diabetes and for it to take so long to get it under control. She recommends that I take him to a Vet Specialist to get very specific blood-work done and some x-rays and MRI's to make sure that there isn't something going on that we are missing.
I have already spent $5000+ since the diagnosis and am about to spend another $1500 when he checks out of the ER. She told me the specialist and the testing will run me another $3000-$5000. Of course this is insane and I do not have that kind of money but Lux means everything to me-- he's my little boy! I will drain my savings account or borrow money from my boyfriend if need be... anything to take care of him.
Do any of you have any ideas or similar experiences? Do you think this is something that needs to be done? I'm so drained and have run out of tears to cry. I hope he can come home today but I won't find out until later. I just want to make sure I am doing the right thing.
For reference:
Lux is 3 1/2 years old-- weighing 12lbs currently.
3 units of PZI insulin 2x a day with U-40 syringes.
Purina DM dry/wet food when he'll eat it. Otherwise Wellness Core or Friskies Pate/Minced.
Lux was diagnosed as diabetic in November. He is only 3 years old and could have stood to lose a pound or two but was not obese or very overweight by any means. This diagnoses came as a huge shock to us. The vet suspected that he was teetering on the edge and had received a cortisone shot for his kitty allergies/asthma a few weeks before the diagnosis that could have sent him over the edge. When I brought him in after coming home from vacation Lux was extremely thin-- he has lost a lot of weight and wasn't eating or drinking much of anything. He was very lethargic and non responsive when I tried to get him to play or run around with me. When I brought him into the vet he was admitted for 3 nights and was hooked up to IV's for for dehydration and electrolytes, etc. The vet told me he was not in DKA (but 5 months later I realize that he likely was). After 4 months of trying to get his glucose regulated with the PZI insulin we were still not getting anywhere. The vet I had been taking to him is wonderful, but not so skilled in feline diabetes. So I recently took him to a new vet with much more skill in feline diabetes.
It's been about 2 weeks since he has seen the new vet and everything seemed to be going well. I got a home glucose tester (AlphaTrak2) and continued him on the PZI but with a lower amount (currently have been giving him 3 units in a U-40 syringe) because we discovered my technique might have been off and he could have been getting the insulin in the skin rather than underneath the layer of skin.
Lux can be a picky eater but we have him on the Purina DM now and he seemed to enjoy it until about 3 days ago. On Wednesday night I noticed he wasn't eating as much but thought he just wasn't that hungry. Gave him his 3 units of insulin. Thursday morning he won't eat his wet food. He ate some dry food and I figured it was enough so I gave him his insulin that morning. Throughout the day on Thursday my boyfriend could NOT get him to eat anything. When I came home from work he wouldn't eat-- not even any treats. Around the time for his insulin shot he would not touch anything, so I skipped his shot when I checked his glucose and it was at 295 out of fear it would drop too low. The next morning again, he would not eat. He was very lethargic again and his water intake and urination has been high. I didn't give him his insulin and called the vet who wanted me to bring him in immediately.
At the vet they determined he was in DKA and hooked him up to more IVs/etc. My vet closes at 6pm so I transferred him at their recommendation to an ER vet on Friday night and he has been there since. He seemed to be improving but when I went to visit last night he had a slight fever and his glucose was continuing to elevate.
After speaking with an ER vet she told me that she thinks there is an underlying issue that has not been caught. She discussed this with another vet and they both agree. Lux is a mix breed with a lot of Siamese in him and she told me about how they are prone to more uncommon diseases. She thinks it is totally abnormal (which I agree) for a cat so young and otherwise healthy to develop diabetes and for it to take so long to get it under control. She recommends that I take him to a Vet Specialist to get very specific blood-work done and some x-rays and MRI's to make sure that there isn't something going on that we are missing.
I have already spent $5000+ since the diagnosis and am about to spend another $1500 when he checks out of the ER. She told me the specialist and the testing will run me another $3000-$5000. Of course this is insane and I do not have that kind of money but Lux means everything to me-- he's my little boy! I will drain my savings account or borrow money from my boyfriend if need be... anything to take care of him.
Do any of you have any ideas or similar experiences? Do you think this is something that needs to be done? I'm so drained and have run out of tears to cry. I hope he can come home today but I won't find out until later. I just want to make sure I am doing the right thing.
For reference:
Lux is 3 1/2 years old-- weighing 12lbs currently.
3 units of PZI insulin 2x a day with U-40 syringes.
Purina DM dry/wet food when he'll eat it. Otherwise Wellness Core or Friskies Pate/Minced.
