Rosie update

[Carol and Rosie (Beaka)]

Good morning all

Just a quick update and a question, Rosie is up and about this morning, no wobbles so far and eating well, which is good. Just tested her and she's still at 16.7 (300.6). Vet said leave until Monday to give antibiotics chance to get on top of the infection (if that is what it is) but I'm wondering if it will come down on its own or will we need insulin for a while to try and get back to remission? Does anyone have any experience of this?

Hope you and your kitties are all good today xx

 

[Elizabeth and Bertie]

Rosie is up and about this morning, no wobbles so far and eating well, which is good.

Great to see that Rosie has improved, Carol! That's very encouraging.

Just tested her and she's still at 16.7 (300.6). Vet said leave until Monday to give antibiotics chance to get on top of the infection (if that is what it is) but I'm wondering if it will come down on its own or will we need insulin for a while to try and get back to remission? Does anyone have any experience of this?

Infection can raise blood glucose levels; so if that is the cause of her high blood glucose the levels may drop once the infection has subsided. Let's hope that this is what happens.

If the levels don't come down on their own then it looks like insulin will be needed again. There are quite a few folks here whose cats have gone in and out of remission.
It is usually harder to get the cat into remission the second time around, but that doesn't mean it's not possible. Some folks have found that they needed to be more 'aggressive' with treating the diabetes. But I know that your vet wants you to stick with Caninsulin at this point, and as you know, Caninsulin has a tendency to drop the blood glucose 'hard and fast' sometimes, so isn't a suitable insulin for 'aggressive' treatment of diabetes.

Could your vet be persuaded to prescribe another insulin...?
We have a few options in the UK now; Prozinc, Lantus/glargine, Levemir, and Hypurin bovine PZI. When prescribing alternatives most vets seem to go with what they've had experience of before. Have you had a talk with your vet about alternative insulins? Did s/he mention any specific possibilities..?

Keeping fingers and paws crossed for you and Rosie,

Eliz

 

[Squalliesmom]

So glad to hear Rosie seems to be better!!!

 

[Carol and Rosie (Beaka)]

Thank you both.

I did mention the other insulins so to the vet and he's not against trying them but as she did so well on caninsulin before he wanted to try that first. I will discuss it further with him giving the rationale you have given Eliz and see what he says.
I am still hoping it doesn't come to insulin again but I had hoped to see a drop in her numbers today to show that we were getting back to where we were but we can only wait and see xx

 

[Critter Mom]

I'm glad to hear that Rosie's improving, Carol!

I concur that Caninsulin ain't the greatest when it comes to helping a cat who's in fairly good numbers to get into - and stay in - better numbers.

I can relate to the position where your vet is reluctant to change insulins because Rosie has responded will to Caninsulin; I had exactly the same conversation with my vet when I was negotiating with him to get Saoirse onto Lantus. It might be worth having a more indepth discussion with your vet about insulin choices. It may well be true that Rosie has responded well to Caninsulin but that doesn't rule out the possibility of Rosie having an even better response to a longer-acting insulin with a 'gentler' action profile and, as I suggested on your previous thread, it may give you a far superior opportunity to let Rosie's pancreas rest for longer and thus create a foundation for a really solid remission.

Regardless of Rosie's improved clinical signs I very much recommend that when you next see the vet that you ensure you get him to examine Rosie's ears. Some vestibular issues respond to antibiotic treatment so it is still a possibility that Rosie may have had an inner ear infection. Be sure to tell him exactly what you posted here - especially about how Rosie was wobblier when her head was moving and also be sure to tell him that she was vomiting. Granted, Rosie's clinical signs may not be related to a vestibular problem but I think it would give you better peace of mind if you had a more definitive Dx from your vet as to what caused the unsteadiness and nausea, in which case it's no bad thing to investigate all possible causes in order to fully determine the root cause.

I hope you're now feeling a bit better too, Carol.


Mogs
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[Carol and Rosie (Beaka)]

Thank Mogs, I will discuss insulin types more with him when we go on Monday or tues (mon if her glucose levels stay up!) I think if Rosie is still around 16 as she is now its a good argument against caninsulin as it hasn't far to go down and maybe caninsulin will be too much. I'll test her again later this evening to see where she is at now.

I already told the vet that I need him to check her ears and he said he would. Personally I'm torn between an ear infection and an injury like a pulled muscle or something (she thinks she can jump the same as she always has), I really don't think it was a stroke but who knows?

I feel so much better today now Rosie is, it was awful to see her like that and I got myself very stressed by it. Once again you ladies on here were there for me so thank you all! xx

 

[Diana&Tom]

We know that stress all too well, Carol.. Try to relax a little if you can and have a good chat with the vet next week.
Very glad to hear that Rosie is better and paws crossed that it stays that way!

Hugs
Diana x

 

[Critter Mom]

Be sure to ask him to check Rosie's blood pressure to be on the safe side. (Note: BP readings at the vet's surgery may be elevated due to vet stress, much as BG levels may be temporarily elevated for the same reason.)

I am just the same as you, Carol; I'm fairly miserable at the best of times but when Saoirse's not right in herself my own misery is worse by several orders of magnitude. So glad to hear that both Rosie and yourself are doing better today.


Mogs
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[Olive & Paula]

Glad to hear Rosie is better.

 

[Carol and Rosie (Beaka)]

Good morning all!

I know you like to know how kitties are getting on so I thought I'd update again. Rosie has continued to make progress over the weekend, the wobbles and staggering have gone now she just occasionally overbalances when she's turning right round to wash her scruff.
Yesterday morning her BG was 18.1 before eating but then in the afternoon her urine stick was neg for glucose but although I tested, I couldn't get blood :-/ but she seemed better somehow.
This morning I tested two hours after eating and BG was 7.4! So although I don't want to get ahead of myself I am very pleased with that.
I'm awaiting a call from the vet now to see what he thinks but I'm presumimg that, if she keeps at these sorts of numbers, we won't need insulin? Xx

 

[Critter Mom]

This morning I tested two hours after eating and BG was 7.4! So although I don't want to get ahead of myself I am very pleased with that.

Very good news, Carol! It's possible that the lower BG might be due to an infection resolving. I'm not a vet but I really do wonder whether it was an ear infection causing all these woes for little Rosie. :-/


Mogs
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[Diana&Tom]

Very happy to hear Rosie is feeling better, Carol - 7.4 is a lovely number
I think you'll have to carry on monitoring for a few days to see if BGs have come down permanently (paws crossed) or if there's anything else going on that the vet can help you with. These kitties do keep us on our toes, don't they!
Diana x

 

[Critter Mom]

Hi Carol,

I had a look at Rosie's spreadsheet earlier after seeing a comment from Eliz; you must be delighted to see such a great improvement in Rosie's BG levels! How is she doing in herself? Have the wobblies disappeared now?


Mogs
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