Peyton...we're back!

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jcc1531

Member Since 2014
Hello everyone! Peyton and I had a wonderful year in remission. The 7th of this month marked the year anniversary of his OTJ party. Well our excitement was short lived. My precious Pey is diabetic for the 3rd time. This time he has had a lot of muscle wasting. It all happened so quick!
I took him to a vet a couple weeks ago (couldn't get an appointment with our regular vet) and his blood sugar came back 144. I didn't like this vet at all and we still couldn't get in with his regular vet so we went to my sisters vet who I have used before. His blood sugar there was 243 and I panicked but the vet did not. Peyton stayed there a couple days on IV for his kidneys and when I picked him up that Friday her couldn't walk. They did not Check his blood sugar again as I asked and he stayed there all weekend. Picked him up Monday and called out refgular vet and told then I HAD to get Peyton in there no matter what. His blood sugar was 426. Vet sent him home cause he didn't want to jump the gun and start insulin yet. Wanted all his results back in before making that decision. His blood sugar then went up so high it wouldn't show up on the machine. He has been at the vet since yesterday morning and was started on fluids and Vetsulin. Last time Peyton was diabetic we used Lantus and he was in remission within a few months. This time the vet said he wanted to try something that wasn't quite so strong. What are your thoughts on Vetsulin?
I don't know how this has happened because I am like the carb police when it comes to his food. I have read many cats with kidney disease are diabetic for no rhyme or reason. I guess sometimes you can do everything right and it's just not enough. Any advice is much appreciated. Especially what I can do for his muscle wasting. Has anyone used Astro's Protein Powder
 
I am sorry to hear that Peyton is back again. Any chance he has an infection(teeth or UTI or?) that could cause a rise?

I disagree with your vet. Most kitties here who start on Vetsulin go to another insulin. It tends to be harsh with a fast onset and often doesn't last 12 hours. Lantus is milder and longer lasting. I would say that Vetsulin is much stronger (and harsher) than Vetsulin and more difficult to regulate with. If he gave you Lantus before, can you say you liked it, were used to dosing with it (they are dosed very differently) and would rather use it again?
 
I am sorry to hear that Peyton is back again. Any chance he has an infection(teeth or UTI or?) that could cause a rise?

I disagree with your vet. Most kitties here who start on Vetsulin go to another insulin. It tends to be harsh with a fast onset and often doesn't last 12 hours. Lantus is milder and longer lasting. I would say that Vetsulin is much stronger (and harsher) than Vetsulin and more difficult to regulate with. If he gave you Lantus before, can you say you liked it, were used to dosing with it (they are dosed very differently) and would rather use it again?

Thank you for your replies. The Lantus insulin would drop his sugar so low and I was constantly checking his blood sugar and having to give him gravy to bring it back up. He did go into remission on it but my friends cat went into remission on Vetsulin as well and didn't have the blood sugar drops like Peyton. I'll see how it goes over the next few days and see if we need to make a switch. I'll go read up on Vetsulin for now.
Do a lot of kitties become diabetic again even while eating low carb foods?
 
As many as 1/4 of cats with diabetes have pancreatitis which may continue as a chronic, low grade, process which eventually destroys many of the islet cells which produce insulin. So, yes, relapse happens.
 
I agree with BJM about pancreatitis. The first time Squeaker was in remission it only lasted 8 months then he developed pancreatitis (Spec fPLI 36) and was back on insulin for 2 months then back in remission for about 14 months now. He has had several flare ups of pancreatitis but none bad enough to warrant the use of insulin.

Squeaker is also in kidney failure so it seems pancreatitis is a constant event (every six months so far).

A suggestion for the protein------egg whites. I would either boil the whole egg then remove the yolk and mix the white with food or even separate the white and poach it. Egg whites contain about 4 grams of protein and does not increase the phosphorus level. This article is about an egg white study in human dialysis patients but is an interesting read: http://www.davita.com/kidney-diseas...keep-protein-up-and-control-phosphorus/e/5348. Even with the price of eggs increasing, I think using egg whites as a protein source is probably a more cost effective and possibly better protein source than Astro's Protein Powder.
 
Thank you BJM. That makes a lot of sense. Peyton has been in kidney failure for 4 years and has been diabetic twice before. The first time was YEARS ago and thought to be from the use of steroids. The second time was just last summer. Must be some pancreatitis lurking in there
 
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