Not doing bad but not getting better

[jkminn]

Hi everyone; I haven't posted in a while about Bemmer. He's been doing relatively well in the last year with me monitoring him and switching doses when I feel is necessary. I'm not really posting for help on his numbers.

Being honest, I don't test him like I used to where I would try and get a curve. Life has been way too busy and I'm usually gone for most of the day because I'm working around 30 hours a week and at college full time, so I base his health off of his behavior and I can tell when things are off. He usually will get hunger strikes, an increase in his water intake, and of course pee a lot, and biggest indicator is the vomit.

Within the last year his dose has gone from 1.2 units to 4.0 and the last week his actions indicated that it needed to be changed, so I raised it to 5 units. This seemed to work today, as I had just done this last night and his numbers were relatively okay but I don't fully judge it until the second day.

I've checked him in the last week sporadically, and I like to get a test done when I come home at around 630ish pm, as I feel that it's a good indicator of the insulin working since it's around the 7 hour mark. I have some of the numbers listed on the SS but right now it's only for like 3 days. Still on Prozinc (New bottle last month) and eating Friskies Pate.

My concern is that yes he's reacting to the insulin and yes in a sense it's helping him, but doses are lasting for months at a time. I just want to know if there is a reason as to why the insulin is not ultimately aiding him in trying to get to a point where he can get off the juice and if I should be preparing emotionally for a loss?

I know that I'm doing things right in regards to getting a diabetic cat under control by checking the glucose at home and fixing doses, feeding low carb food at specific time intervals(about 2 1/2 cans a day) and ultimately keeping him stress free, but dosage/number wise he's only getting worse. His balance sometimes isn't good anymore and he does the trip thing on his back foot. Sometimes he can't jump all the way onto something so he falls off the side of my bed or couch(back legs getting weak?) and i'm starting to feel his spine a little bit more than usual.

Honesty is accepted and appreciated, thanks.

 

[BJM]

Some diabetic cats never get off insulin. They may get regulated, ie, have a good dose that lets them use the food they eat and prevents diabetic complications such as diabetic ketoacidosis, hepatic lipidosis, peripheral neuropathy, and weight loss.

Your description of difficulty with balance and jumping could be diabetic neuropathy. In addition to good glucose control, give methylcobalamin, a specific form of Vitamin B-12, has been helpful for many cats with this.

It would be helpful to draw a very solid line, or insert a blank, shaded row, in between when you stopped and restarted logging the numbers. That way folks won't miss the change.

 

[Wulfwin]

As BJM said, some diabetic cats never get off insulin and the weak hind legs could be diabetic neuropathy. Here's a little blurb about it from the FDMB FAQ.

Have you checked for any other underlying health issues? Has Bemmer had senior bloodwork/UA done recently? There are other diseases that can cause some of those symptoms, and could affect his insulin needs.

 

[Squalliesmom]

Ask your vet about the potential for Bemmer having a potassium deficiency, as well. My Squallie started getting weakness in his hind legs, stumbling and unable to jump up on anything, and I was sure he had neuropathy; he was diagnosed instead with a potassium deficiency and now he gets supplement twice daily in his food and he is fine, can run and jump again!

If possible, getting a senior panel on him would be a good idea.