oily fur??

[JanetNJ]

Our 12 yo cat CC was diagnosed with diabetes about two months ago. One of the symptoms that prompted me to take her to the vet was an excessively Oily coat.

It's gotten a bit better since starting insulin and she started feeling better, but still Oily. She also has arthritis for which we give her cosequine, which could also be the reason for a lack of grooming.

Is there anything we can do besides a full on bath? We may loose a hand attempting that. Haha. We do occasionally wipe her with baby wipes but I thought someone might have other ideas.


Janet

 

[Sharon14]

Any ideas @jayla-n-Drevon

 

[Tuxedo Mom]

My Tuxie had oily fur AND dandruff. This is one of the symptoms that some kitties get with higher numbers and uncontrolled diabetes. When his numbers are in a better range his fur is much smoother and less oily. When he bounces back to the high numbers again his fur will get more oily again.

 

[jayla-n-Drevon]

Hmm--well is kitty very opposed to bathing with water... a regular bath?? Maybe a "spot" wash and rinse?
You can use dawn dish washing soap or they make shampoos specially for oil--they are very expensive and I would order it from a reputable groomer.(not at a commercial pet store or online)
Dawn is safe if kitty will allow a bath and let you scrub the skin gently of course.-in my experience it is the excess /over active oil glands and it sticks to the hair and if not able to keep it "clean" it can turn to bacteria which will breed on the hair follicles. Air is needed to get to the skin often times to remedy this.

Another option is "shaving" or at least trimming the hair enough to let the skin breathe-a 7F blade is safe and most groomers prefer this blade on a cat-it will not make your cat bald it will look like a short "tight" short hair cat.
My FD cat prefers to be shorter so we use a #10 blade-I would not nor do I ever recommend using scissors on a cat-the skin is very thin ---
it is dangerous.
My CKD kitty gets the oil on his spine --remember the spine is where virus/bacteria reside in the body even when it is inactive-
I shave my CKD kitty every summer and his hair comes back perfect-no oil.
If you bathe kitty and do the head PLEASE put 1 drop of mineral oil in each eye to protect them-
I would personally not use a leave in shampoo-I have just never seen them work well-
I am not sure where you are located but I have my cat people stay with the cat at my shop-- I would ask for personal references if you do decide to get kitty groomed ....if you try to bathe at home please be careful....

 

[jayla-n-Drevon]

also have you talked to your vet about adequan for the slowing of the arthritis?? it is amazing.

 

[JanetNJ]

also have you talked to your vet about adequan for the slowing of the arthritis?? it is amazing.

Interesting. I'll ask about it at her next visit. We have gotten good results using the cosequine.... Before starting it she was constantly limping.... Now she has a few "stiff" days but rarely limps and is much more mobile. Going up stairs easier and more playful. She even got herself in a basement window that we haven't seen her in in over a year.

 

[JanetNJ]

Hmm--well is kitty very opposed to bathing with water... a regular bath?? Maybe a "spot" wash and rinse?
You can use dawn dish washing soap or they make shampoos specially for oil--they are very expensive and I would order it from a reputable groomer.(not at a commercial pet store or online)
Dawn is safe if kitty will allow a bath and let you scrub the skin gently of course.-in my experience it is the excess /over active oil glands and it sticks to the hair and if not able to keep it "clean" it can turn to bacteria which will breed on the hair follicles. Air is needed to get to the skin often times to remedy this.

Another option is "shaving" or at least trimming the hair enough to let the skin breathe-a 7F blade is safe and most groomers prefer this blade on a cat-it will not make your cat bald it will look like a short "tight" short hair cat.
My FD cat prefers to be shorter so we use a #10 blade-I would not nor do I ever recommend using scissors on a cat-the skin is very thin ---
it is dangerous.
My CKD kitty gets the oil on his spine --remember the spine is where virus/bacteria reside in the body even when it is inactive-
I shave my CKD kitty every summer and his hair comes back perfect-no oil.
If you bathe kitty and do the head PLEASE put 1 drop of mineral oil in each eye to protect them-
I would personally not use a leave in shampoo-I have just never seen them work well-
I am not sure where you are located but I have my cat people stay with the cat at my shop-- I would ask for personal references if you do decide to get kitty groomed ....if you try to bathe at home please be careful....

Ty. I think I will try a spot wash. The oily area is mostly mid back to tail. It did get better after insulin but this week got worse. The dr is considering upping her dose to 1 1/2 units twice per day (she does 1 now). I just ordered an Alphatrak meter which is supposed to get delivered today. I'm not too keen on testing the blood.... Poor thing gets poked so much.... But it's what's best for her health I know.

Do most people on here use a lancet or just poke with a needle?

 

[JanetNJ]

My Tuxie had oily fur AND dandruff. This is one of the symptoms that some kitties get with higher numbers and uncontrolled diabetes. When his numbers are in a better range his fur is much smoother and less oily. When he bounces back to the high numbers again his fur will get more oily again.

That's what's happening with cc. I think maybe her numbers were high this week. I just ordered my own glucose meter so we can test from home.

 

[Tuxedo Mom]

That's what's happening with cc. I think maybe her numbers were high this week. I just ordered my own glucose meter so we can test from home.

It takes awhile but once the glucose numbers get into a better range you should see some of the oiliness start to improve. I gently comb and brush Tuxie every day to help with the dandruff and oil. There is NO way I would be able to bathe him (not without losing most of my skin ) and for me anyway using wet cloths to wipe him down doesn't seem to help much.

Good job on getting a glucose meter. It is wonderful to know what is happening each day with the glucose levels and is a valuable tool to help in making dose changes.

 

[JanetNJ]

It takes awhile but once the glucose numbers get into a better range you should see some of the oiliness start to improve. I gently comb and brush Tuxie every day to help with the dandruff and oil. There is NO way I would be able to bathe him (not without losing most of my skin ) and for me anyway using wet cloths to wipe him down doesn't seem to help much.

Good job on getting a glucose meter. It is wonderful to know what is happening each day with the glucose levels and is a valuable tool to help in making dose changes.

I saw my vet used the Alphatrak so that's the one I ordered. The vet tech just poked her ear with a needle but said it's tricky because you could poke through. I am guessing the Lancet prevents that? What do you use? My mom has type 2 diabetes (no insulin) so that's really my only experience with the disease. I have pricked my own finger just to try it.

 

[Tuxedo Mom]

I saw my vet used the Alphatrak so that's the one I ordered. The vet tech just poked her ear with a needle but said it's tricky because you could poke through. I am guessing the Lancet prevents that? What do you use? My mom has type 2 diabetes (no insulin) so that's really my only experience with the disease. I have pricked my own finger just to try it.

I also use the AlphaTrak 2 meter, but many of the members here use human meters because the cost of the test strips for the AT2 meter is very high. The AT2 meter tends to read higher than a human meter, but is supposed to be closer to vet lab results. The protocols listed here are written for numbers using a human meter, so there is difference in when you would do dose reductions, but once you get started home testing and get your spreadsheet up people here can help you with that.

Here is a link with good information on home testing:

http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/hometesting-links-and-tips.287/

I use a cotton cosmetic pad and hold it behind where I am poking. This helps to prevent the lancet from poking through the ear...or poking your own finger which I have done more times than I care to mention. Even if you do poke through the ear by holding a cosmetic pad or tissue gently but firmly on the poked area, it will help stop the bleeding and help prevent bruising. I personally use the lancet to poke the ear freehand, since for me this gives better control. Others will use the lancing device that comes with the meter. Most lancing devices can be set for different depths and it just takes some trial and error to find the one that works for you.

In the beginning after getting a diagnosis of diabetes it can seem very scary and overwhelming, but it all becomes easier as you go along. I think I was in a constant state of tears the first 2 weeks when I started and home testing was a disaster the first week or so. Now I have two diabetic kitties and it is all very routine. I can test, feed and shoot both of them within 10 minutes, with only one eye open (since I am not really awake early in the morning). You are taking all the right steps to help CC and keep her safe. Just keep reading all the information and keep asking questions.

 

[JanetNJ]

I also use the AlphaTrak 2 meter, but many of the members here use human meters because the cost of the test strips for the AT2 meter is very high. The AT2 meter tends to read higher than a human meter, but is supposed to be closer to vet lab results. The protocols listed here are written for numbers using a human meter, so there is difference in when you would do dose reductions, but once you get started home testing and get your spreadsheet up people here can help you with that.

Here is a link with good information on home testing:

http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/hometesting-links-and-tips.287/

I use a cotton cosmetic pad and hold it behind where I am poking. This helps to prevent the lancet from poking through the ear...or poking your own finger which I have done more times than I care to mention. Even if you do poke through the ear by holding a cosmetic pad or tissue gently but firmly on the poked area, it will help stop the bleeding and help prevent bruising. I personally use the lancet to poke the ear freehand, since for me this gives better control. Others will use the lancing device that comes with the meter. Most lancing devices can be set for different depths and it just takes some trial and error to find the one that works for you.

In the beginning after getting a diagnosis of diabetes it can seem very scary and overwhelming, but it all becomes easier as you go along. I think I was in a constant state of tears the first 2 weeks when I started and home testing was a disaster the first week or so. Now I have two diabetic kitties and it is all very routine. I can test, feed and shoot both of them within 10 minutes, with only one eye open (since I am not really awake early in the morning). You are taking all the right steps to help CC and keep her safe. Just keep reading all the information and keep asking questions.

Ty so much. I'll take some time later to sift through the information in the links. Do you test after feeding before injection or before feeding? Or mid day?

 

[Tuxedo Mom]

Ty so much. I'll take some time later to sift through the information in the links. Do you test after feeding before injection or before feeding? Or mid day?

I ALWAYS do a preshot test. With my kitties, who I know will eat I test, shoot and feed. If I have any suspicion that one of them might not be ready to eat, I would feed before shooting. I use Levemir, which has a similar action to Lantus. This is a matter of knowing your kitty. If you are not sure if your kitty will eat, then best to test, feed and shoot in that order. When testing before a shot make sure that your kitty has not had any food for at least 2 hours before to make sure that the glucose reading you get is not food influenced.

Because Levemir has a later onset and nadir than Lantus I usually willdo my next test around +4 or +5 hours after shot. With Lantus, especially when you are first starting home testing it would be good to get a test at +2 hours after shot, since that is when Lantus usually starts working with most kitties. The nadir (lowest number) with Lantus generally happens around +5 or +6 hours after shot, although this can vary with each kitty. If you notice that the numbers are the same or lower at +2 then more testing would be needed, since that could indicate a cycle when your kitty could drop more.

If you get a chance you can add some information to your signature in your profile such as date diagnosed, age of kitty, type of insulin you are using and starting dose, type of food you are feeding, any other health problems etc This makes it easier for people to give advice based on the type of insulin and food, since advice will vary depending on the insulin type.

 

[jayla-n-Drevon]

Pre shot testing is very important--
I also use AT and I use a lancet but I free hand it-
now that we have been doing it a while we use a 33 gauge.
The spot your describing is the usual spot even for non diabetic cats--we call it stud tail-(even tho they are neutered) I suspect it has to do with hormones but I have no science to back that up-
I don't know if you have seen this but it may help with your testing area

 

[JanetNJ]

Pre shot testing is very important--
I also use AT and I use a lancet but I free hand it-
now that we have been doing it a while we use a 33 gauge.
The spot your describing is the usual spot even for non diabetic cats--we call it stud tail-(even tho they are neutered) I suspect it has to do with hormones but I have no science to back that up-
I don't know if you have seen this but it may help with your testing area
View attachment 21684

You test twice a day every day? Doesn't that cause the ears to get sore testing that often? The shots we do in different spots but the rates are the same place all the time. Ouch

 

[Tuxedo Mom]

You test twice a day every day? Doesn't that cause the ears to get sore testing that often? The shots we do in different spots but the rates are the same place all the time. Ouch

I test both my kitties at minimum 4 times each per day. When numbers are low or dropping fast I may test as much as 10-12 times in a day (or more) on one kitty. My Tuxie has been diabetic since November 2014 (he has other health issues too) and has literally been poked over 3000 times since starting. His ears are fine and because he gets a treat after each testing he goes to the test area on his own and waits for me AND purrs during the testing (he is VERY food motivated) It sure wasn't like that in the beginning but amazingly it got much better as I went along. When his sister Maxie ended up diabetic I was very worried since she hates being held or restricted. After about a month testing she sits very nicely on the test mat and doesn't move until I tell her "all done". Her "treat" is scritches and a brushing.

By applying gentle but firm pressure on the ear after testing with something like a tissue or cosmetic pad, it prevents bruising. The outer part of a kitty's ear does not have many nerves, so there is very little pain...much less than when a person has to poke their finger for a glucose test.