Questions about Casey's diabetic neuropathy

[ohiogal]

Hi everybody!

I took Casey to the vet earlier this month, and the vet did a blood draw and told me her clinicals all look good.

Her BG is still fairly high - she tops out at between 250-300, and bottoms out in the mid- to high 100s.

Her fructosomine came back at about 400, which my vet called 'regulated'. I have Casey on 4.5u of Lantus twice a day, and I just can't get her blood sugar down any lower than what it currently is.

The vet seemed to think that as long as her fructosomine was regulated, everything else was about as stable as it's going to get.

Casey's still got her diabetic neuropathy (walking on the hocks of her back legs), so the vet gave me some injectable cyanocobalamin (Vedco brand) and I'm currently giving Casey .25m injected sub-q once a week.

So, it's been four weeks, but I haven't seen any improvement in Casey's walking. The vet also recommended "therapy" to strengthen Casey's legs because her back tendons are stretched out - getting her to walk up stairs, etc., which I'm trying to do but naturally Casey is reluctant!

I guess the question I have is - how does this sound to everybody? I've suspected that Casey might just be a high-sugar cat because her BG has stayed the same from about 2u's up - it doesn't seem to want to go any lower than, say, 175 no matter how much insulin I pump into her.

Does anyone else use the injectable B12? How long does it take to work? The vet says she looks really good except for the neuropathy, so I'd like to get that reversed, but I don't know if that's possible without her blood sugar being lower - but it doesn't seem like that's a possibility. I also don't know how long a cat can have diabetic neuropathy before it's irreversible.

Thanks for any help! I told the vet about this board and she was pretty impressed She might even stop by! She's pretty cool.

 

[Lisa and Witn (GA)]

Unfortunately cyanocobalamin does not help with neuropathy. You need to give your cat Methyl B12 which is also known as Methylcobolamin. Even though they are both B12 vitamins they do not both control neuropathy.

You can get Methyl B12 at health food stores or online. With a combination Methyl B12 and regulated BG levels, you should see improvement in the neuropathy. It will take several weeks, but it can be reversed.

4.5 units of Lantus is a high dose. Looking at your spreadsheet, Casey's BG reading were much better at 2 units. You may want to also consider dropping back your dose to that amount to see if you get better results. You were only at that dose for about 2 weeks before you increased.

 

[ohiogal]

Unfortunately cyanocobalamin does not help with neuropathy. You need to give your cat Methyl B12 which is also known as Methylcobolamin. Even though they are both B12 vitamins they do not both control neuropathy.

That's what I thought at first too, but apparently animals break the cyanocobalamin down into the methyl-B12 form in their bodies:

http://www.ehow.com/about_5456213_methy ... -cats.html

I figured this is why the vet gave it to me - it starts out at regular B12, but breaks down into methyl B12 once it's in the cat's system. Or am I reading that wrong?

If the cyanocobalamin won't work, what other options do I have? I was giving Casey Zobaline twice a day for two months, and nothing changed.

I'll ask my vet about dropping the dose back to 2 units. If the levels are the same I don't see what it could hurt, but I'm not sure what the effects of suddenly cutting the insulin dosage in half would be. As for having her on that dose for "only" two weeks before I upped it...I understood two weeks was how long you held a dose before changing it. I had someone say I should only hold the dose for ONE week, and two weeks was too long. So, I don't know.

Thanks for the reply! I'll give the vet a call tomorrow and ask her if she's sure the cyanocobalamin is what she wanted to give me, and about the dose change.

 

[Maggies Mom Debby]

Here is a quote from the website you mention about B12, with my added bold type, that I interpret to say that Methyl B12 is better because is doesn't have to be broken down in the body.:

Methylcobalamin
Methylcobalamin is the type of B-12 essential for nerve and brain health. This specific role in neurological function, plus the fact that the body does not need to break it down into a usable form, are the reasons that methylcobalamin as a supplement is preferable for therapeutic uses.

 

[ohiogal]

Here is a quote from the website you mention about B12, with my added bold type, that I interpret to say that Methyl B12 is better because is doesn't have to be broken down in the body.:

Methylcobalamin
Methylcobalamin is the type of B-12 essential for nerve and brain health. This specific role in neurological function, plus the fact that the body does not need to break it down into a usable form, are the reasons that methylcobalamin as a supplement is preferable for therapeutic uses.

Thanks, Debby! I didn't get a chance to call the vet today, maybe tomorrow.

Unfortunately, Casey didn't respond at all to the Zobaline I was giving her, and she was on it for two months. Maybe I should try it again? I'm just bummed that nothing seems to be helping. I know she misses being able to walk and jump properly...

 

[RockStar033]

we use the injectable B12(methylcolamine) and we use it with Potassium gel we put in her food every night. How are her Potassium levels? From my knowledge(and i could be wrong) the B12 supplement uses Potassium in the body to help it work. Giving your kitty a potassium supplement may help the B12 work, i would ask your vet what her potassium levels are. If they are too low, it could cause serious problems and death.

Someone correct me if i am wrong please!

Also, from what i know(and again i could be wrong), the MethylB12 will work better, and you will see more of an improvement, once BG levels are lower or more regulated.

Although Annie has been on the B12 for about 8 weeks, i find her legs still get really bad if her numbers shoot up high, and once her numbers come down her legs seem fine.