Please help! Cat just diagnosed w/diabetes not doing good.

Status
Not open for further replies.
lrncats

lrncats

Member Since 2010
Hi. Today my cat was diagnosed with diabetes. His name is General (call him GenGen), 3 year old tabby. Ok this all started 2 weeks ago. He started having watery diarrehia, a day later it was very soft stools. Vets treated him for the diarrehia and givin an antibiotic. Since the first visit he hasnt been himself at all. (my cat is very aggressive at the vet and they had to gas him first, so thought that may be why he wasnt acting right. We gave him many days hoping the medicine would help. He just seemed to keep going down hill and during these days only had 1 bowel movement that was real hard, so I assumed he was constipated from the meds and all. During all this he stopped eatting hard food, only eatting soft. A day before we got him into the vet again he was only licking the juices from the can food.

They finally did the blood work and urine work, I cant remember his blood #, but the sugar in his urine was at 1000. Very High. They gave him an insulin shot and special food. The other vet there did tell us that his kidneys and liver looked normal. We brought him home early this afternoon. (again they had to gas his to work with him)... But since he was at the vet his membrane (3rd eyelid) on his right eye has been covering about 1/3rd of his eye, his back area is very wobbly, and he just finds a place to hide and lay there for a few hours. Then acts as he is looking for food but wont eat anything, wont drink now. (sorry when we brought him home he ate maybe 2 bites of this new food the vet gave me and drunk water a bit, and urinated)

He was already a rather skinny cat but seemed very healthy. But since the past 2 weeks he has lost weight. I'm scared to death. Not sure if he will make it or not. In the past if a cat of mine acted this way, there was never any hope. (this is first cat with diabetes). Afraid that he has had this for a long period of time and is maxing out now. The vet was extremely unhealthful with letting us know what to do and threw a fit when we didnt have enough money to cover the whole bill. Working on talking with a new vet, have to get her the info and stuff.

I guess I just need assurance that there is hope for him. The way he is now, I cant see it. I'm so exhausted, havent been sleeping much. Been trying to keep an eye on him as much as possible. And I'm worrying myself to death over him. Any advice or anything is greatly appreciated! And I'm sorry if all this is just rambling and thrown together. Been holding in alot. Thanks.
 
Re: Please help! Cat just diagnosed w/diabetes not doing goo

Update: he still wont eat but he did urinate some. Wouldnt drink water until I got a syringe and wet his mouth. Now as I type this he is drinking water. Gonna go try to sleep some. Again any advice would be great! Thanks again.
 
Re: Please help! Cat just diagnosed w/diabetes not doing goo

My first advice would be to take him to the emergency vet. He may be in hypo (too much insulin) or DKA (too little insulin) He can recover from a hypo at home, DKA must be treated by a vet. DKA: http://petdiabetes.wikia.com/wiki/Ketoacidosis But I realize that you posted late last night.

If he seems a little better this am, I would suggest you get a human glucometer and test him. If you know what his blood sugar level is, you will at least have some idea of what is wrong. You can go to Walmart and get their ReliOn meter, strips and a lancet device with lancets. We poke their ears to get their bg levels: Video for hometesting

Please let us know how he is doing this morning.
 
Re: Please help! Cat just diagnosed w/diabetes not doing goo

You stated that your kitty was very aggressive at the vets and that they had to sedate him to do any work so if he is aggressive with you,you may not be able to test so easily and you may need to get someone to help you and to towel him so that he doesn't move in the process. Here is a youtube video to help show you how to test your kitty's BG level: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zE12-4fVn8
If you don't think you can do it alone or you don't have help you may just need to take him back to the vets (another vets).

It amazes me how some vets won't tolerate or knows how to handle what I call Diva kitties that aren't exactly happy. It's unfortunate they had to sedate yours because this could also be causing some of the problem. If you kitty is extra unhappy maybe you can get a perscription from a vet to give your kitty some valum to help you and the vet better test and assess the situation. It is usually a little better than having to put them to sleep as that is always dangerous. You may also need it to help your kitty adjust to being medicated.

If your kitty is not eating you can try baby food or get some of the smelliest stuff you can think of to help entice him. He is hiding cause he doesn't feel good. Its a rough road when you first find out but if you and he can make it through this you can make it through anything.
 
Re: Please help! Cat just diagnosed w/diabetes not doing goo

As of this AM, he seems to be walking a little better, but when I woke up I talked to him and before I could get up to stop em, he tried to jump on the bed and busted his lil butt. :(
He is drinking some, but checked his litter box and hasnt peed since before my last post and he still hasnt had a bowel movement since tuesday evening. Still wont eat. The food the vet gave us is the DM food. Any other foods that we can try? I know he has always been picky as to can food. Doesnt like the smushy kind, he likes the kind that looks more like meat.
 
Re: Please help! Cat just diagnosed w/diabetes not doing goo

Many cats tire of the DM - it is liver based. Lots of us feed Fancy Feast, Friskies or Wellness between 8-10% carbs. Here is a food chart: Janet and Binky’s chart Here are ideas to get your kitty to eat: Getting your cat to eat If you find something he is interested in, add water to it to make it soupy. That can help with the urination.

But if he doesn't pee soon, you will need to go to the emergency vet.

Can we help you learn to test him at home so you will really know what is happening? If he is fractious at home, you can try the burrito: Wrap him up in a towel with just his head showing or the clothespin trick: Clothespin trick
 
Re: Please help! Cat just diagnosed w/diabetes not doing goo

The only time he ate any of the DM was soon after I let him out of his tote. He had 2 maybe 3 bites of it was early afternoon and now just smells it and turns away. Ty for the list, looking it over now. He has been eatting a certain kind of fancy feast, so maybe the smell will be a lil familiar and he will try the classic kind.
 
Re: Please help! Cat just diagnosed w/diabetes not doing goo

The DM is lousy food; none of my cats will eat it. Stick with the fancy feast pates, no gravies, and he will be fine.
Remove ALL hard food as it's very bad for diabetics.

What antibiotics did you vet give and how long did you give them.
Get copies of the tests done so you can see the numbers, also ask about the urine results as well.
You are entitled to the information, so be sure to get copies of all tests and results - make a folder for your cat as you will need it for the new vet.
If he had diarrhea a few days ago, and is not eating, I don't know if you will see alot of stool.

Don't worry; you will get this all sorted out and your cat will be fine.
 
Re: Please help! Cat just diagnosed w/diabetes not doing goo

lol called the vet and all the tech said was DM only food he can have....We just tried to force feed him but no luck. Try everything to pry his mouth open but cant get it to budge. Told Gen he has 5 minutes! Then Im comin after him under table to feed him lol. (Sorry tryin to cheer myself up a lil.) Can tell he is dehydrated cause when we had to tag team him, his skin didnt pop back. We will give the fancy feast a try n go from there.

To answer above...No...the diarreha ended over a week ago, then it took 4 days for him to have a bowel movement and it was very hard/dry. Like he was constipated...that was tuesday.

The vet gave him Amoxicyllin. And last time we gave it to him was tuesday night. started them the friday before.
 
Re: Please help! Cat just diagnosed w/diabetes not doing goo

You do need him to eat and drink. Can you get a oral syringe and feed/give him water that way? Here is advice on syringe feeding: Syringe feeding With both food and water, you syringe a tiny amount at the side of his mouth. You don't want him to choke.

This sounds silly, but sometimes if you put a dab of food on your finger, you can get him to start eating. You can also put a dab on the roof of his mouth (watch your fingers!)

IMHO, you have a very limited window to eat some food and water into him.
 
Re: Please help! Cat just diagnosed w/diabetes not doing goo

When you use yourfinger to smear a bit of food on the roof of his mouth, be sure that your fingernail is very short.

You are right that he has a short time to swallow something - good that you are comfortable syringing into his mouth. You can try plain meat baby food, tuna in water, deli chicken or turkey slices. Even DM in a wet slurry if your syringe has a large enough end so that it doesn't clog. And don't worry if some gets on his face or paws - as he cleans, he will eat a bit of it as well. Fancy Feast with gravy is also tempting.
 
Re: Please help! Cat just diagnosed w/diabetes not doing goo

Well he just peed a lil bit. We have some of the sticks that can test sugar in pee. I tested by sticking one in his pee last night to see if that would work and it showed his sugar in his urine was high still. (figured so)...but now after he just peed, unless I didnt get much of any on the stick, it didnt turn brown like it did last night, it did turn but not much. Is there another way to test his pee? didnt know if mixing a sample in a certain amount of water or anything was possible.
Is this ok until we can get a meter to check his blood?

Hubby just got back from store a few minutes agowith sone fancy feast classic. Gen acted interested at first but didnt go for it. I tried to force feed him again by myself, no luck...but giving him a few minutes and gonna tag team him again.

He busted his butt again when he got out of the litter box so he went to lay under the xmas tree. Figured a few minute break wouldnt hurt much, know he tired of being poked n grabbed.
 
Re: Please help! Cat just diagnosed w/diabetes not doing goo

The urine test tells you what sugar is in his urine, after it has traveled all the way through his body. The meter tells you what his sugar level is right now. You need to know what is happening now, as you have a kitty who is not eating or drinking well.

You can get the cheap meter at Walmart and we can walk you through it over the internet. It is the only way to know what is really going on.
 
Re: Please help! Cat just diagnosed w/diabetes not doing goo

Problem is the vet we saw yesterday, threw a fit when we didnt have all the money for the vet bill (like we knew how much it was gonna cost...the Jerk! sorry) I yelled/cried that we didnt even know if Gen was gonna be alive or dead from the way he has been acting.....Still wish hubby didnt send me outside! lol I would probably feel a lil better now....Anyways we had to give him all the money we had. We had a few dollars but just used most of that to get him a different food. So may be beginnin of week before we can get a tester.
Unless he does eat and drink something by a certain time today...I'm gonna bug my hubby to death until he calls the vet we normally see there at home. And let him know whats going on. Heck I still probably will anyway! Hate my baby boy not feeling well.
I will never let the other guy touch our cat again.....He all business....no heart!
 
Re: Please help! Cat just diagnosed w/diabetes not doing goo

Do you know any human diabetics who might let you borrow their meter and some strips?

You can get a free Newbie kit from us, with meter, strips, lancets etc. but It won't arrive until next week.viewtopic.php?f=28&t=19541 You need it now.
 
Re: Please help! Cat just diagnosed w/diabetes not doing goo

Update: We called the vet and told him that Gen wasnt eatting or drinking. That he just lays there. He told us to meet him at his office. He gave Gen fluids, B12, antibiotic, something for stress, a couple other things. Gen had a fever of 104. We are to meet the vet back there at 8:30am tomorrow.

When I picked him up to put him in his tote to carry him to vet, was just dead weight. Normally at the vet it take at least 3 people just to hold him down. But today the vet just took him out of the tote and he laid there. He did growl when vet would mess with iv. So glad he met us there! The other vet was there as well but he would of probably wanted to gas him again....

Just went in to check on him while he is sleeping. He chirped at me :) Taking that as a good sign. But he laid down on one of his blankets and hasnt moved since we got home about 5pm est. Letting him rest and take in what the vet gave him.

Will let yall know what happens after vet tomorrow. Thank you to all for the advice and concern.
 
Re: Please help! Cat just diagnosed w/diabetes not doing goo

Some good news: Gen just ate 1/4 of a can of the fancy feast!! He was eatting so fast, was afraid he was gonna make himself sick. So gonna give him more in a lil bit. He just peed and got in one of his favorite places in the house! On the top of the back of the couch! Wasnt able to jump this morning. Great to see him being a lil more like himself! :)
 
Re: Please help! Cat just diagnosed w/diabetes not doing goo

I'm so glad to hear he ate a little bit
smiley-eatdrink022.gif

It sounds like he is feeling better. Give him an extra pet and good boy, from us. cat_pet_icon
I would probably only feed him in small servings (like 1/4 can of FF) at a time, so he doesn't eat too much and barf and feel worse. Hang in there. You're doing the best you can. I think you'll sleep a little better tonight.
 
Re: Please help! Cat just diagnosed w/diabetes not doing goo

Whatever he gave him has turned him around some :)

After we saw the other vet yesterday, Gen took a huge turn for the worse. Thinking the shot of insulin he gave him made him worse. Which has me thinking...

Can anything else cause high levels of sugar in blood and urine? Like hyperthyroidism, infections, changes in food (about 2 months time) or change in treats(maybe 2 weeks time) or anything? Cause as soon as he treated him for diabetes he got alot worse. Brain working overtime tryin to figure out whats been going on the past 2 weeks....
 
Re: Please help! Cat just diagnosed w/diabetes not doing goo

Do you know what type of "gas" the vet used? Sone of the symptoms you described might be after effects of having CNS sedation so often.I deal with feral cats and have had some that are pretty wild. I had one that needed a low dose of injected valium but I have never had a vet use general sedation for routine procedures.Please don't go back to that vet again.Maybe that vet has been hitting the gas himself between clients! LOL. ;-)
 
Re: Please help! Cat just diagnosed w/diabetes not doing goo

Yes, there are other things that can cause high BGs like infection and stress. I would switch to exclusively all wet low carb food, and all meat treats only, and start testing his sugar yourself, while he is at home and not stressed.
 
Re: Please help! Cat just diagnosed w/diabetes not doing goo

jan ellery said:
Do you know what type of "gas" the vet used? Sone of the symptoms you described might be after effects of having CNS sedation so often.I deal with feral cats and have had some that are pretty wild. I had one that needed a low dose of injected valium but I have never had a vet use general sedation for routine procedures.Please don't go back to that vet again.Maybe that vet has been hitting the gas himself between clients! LOL. ;-)
Click to expand...


Not sure on the gas used. But dont worry, that vet will NEVER touch my GenGen or any future animal of mine ever again!

We saw him there today...My hubby said "Hey how you doing?" to him....I looked at him the way he should be looked at and went to the other vet lol Hoping he got hint! haha
 
Re: Please help! Cat just diagnosed w/diabetes not doing goo

I have seen Isoflurane gas used on fractious cats before. You just "dump" the cat in the tank and turn on the gas/oxygen mixture. A lot of time the ate is too fractious even for an injection.
 
Re: Please help! Cat just diagnosed w/diabetes not doing goo

Yeah thats how our Gen is. Most times he wont let anyone touch him at the vet, not even us.

Well update will be short: Gen Had alot more fight in him today at the vet. And he is acting more like himself. Is able to jump more too. And still eatting some so yaay! :)
The vet gave him more fluids and the cocktail of stuff like yesterday. We are to take him in again tomorrow.
 
Re: Please help! Cat just diagnosed w/diabetes not doing goo

Well after the fluids n stuff from this morning, Gen seemed more like himself, able to jump up and lay with me. But as the day has gone on, he just seems to be getting worse n worse. He has been eatting some but not alot and he has only drank water once and that was earlier this evening. I have been mixing some water in his food. And am giving him some by force. By doin skin test, he is real dehydrated.
Went from being relieved some from the improvement yesterday and earlier today to worryin myself to death again. Just don't know what to do, hate seeing him like this and knowing he doesnt feel good. So exhausted! Physically and mentally.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top