Ruby 1/19 AMPS 181/+3 113/+9 108/PMPS 115 Ultrasound update

[Katherine&Ruby]

https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/10-1-ruby-amps-90-3-144-6-92-9-56.269108/#post-3004879

Hello everyone,

It's been a hot minute. I've been ridiculously busy and stressed out over work. Was working in Singapore all of last week (I normally live in NJ for those who don't know) and that is among the many places I've been since the fall. I did want to come on and update those of you who might be wondering about Ruby. She's doing very well. We had another ultrasound yesterday and everything looked totally clear and normal--no thickening of the intestines present. As a result, we are going down to 1.25 mgs of prednisolone once a day. Talked to the pharmacist at Wedgewood for a while today about all of the compounding possibilities and decided that fish flavored liquid drops would be the easiest way to administer. And since I know you'll ask @Suzanne & Darcy , it's 5 mg/mL, so .25 mLs per day. Once it arrives, I'm going to take Ruby's insulin down to maybe .75 units and see how she does. Her BGs have been a little all over the place, but it might be because I was away and DBF isn't as good about being consistent with dosing, even with the calipers as he has a hard time seeing bubbles. There was a moment when we were concerned about her calcium levels, but ⅛ teaspoon of soaked chia seeds twice a day seems to have gotten that situation under control.

Olive is doing pretty much the same. She's eating well with Cerenia a few times a week, and is generally a pain in the neck to her sister. Here's a photo of the two of them in a moment of calm, sharing a heated cat bed :

 

[Wendy&Neko]

Great to hear from you Katherine and get a Ruby (and Olive) update. Singapore - wow! That's a bit of a distance. Fantastic news on the ultrasound and best of luck with the pred reduction.

FYI - I can't see the spreadsheet, looks like permissions to view got changed.

 

[Katherine&Ruby]

Great to hear from you Katherine and get a Ruby (and Olive) update. Singapore - wow! That's a bit of a distance. Fantastic news on the ultrasound and best of luck with the pred reduction.

FYI - I can't see the spreadsheet, looks like permissions to view got changed.

Hi Wendy! Thanks for the good wishes! Whoops, I changed the permissions because I was sharing the spreadsheet with a housesitter who took care of the kitties while we were on holiday during the week between Christmas and New Year's. I got an actual endocrinologist to come and stay and take care of them! I cannot say enough good things about Trusted Housesitters.

Can you see the spreadsheet now?

 

[Wendy&Neko]

Yes on the spreadsheet, and thanks. First thing I do is open it.

Sounds like an amazing petsitter! So surprised an endocrinologist is looking for extra income?

 

[Katherine&Ruby]

Yes on the spreadsheet, and thanks. First thing I do is open it.

Sounds like an amazing petsitter! So surprised an endocrinologist is looking for extra income?

With Trusted Housesitter, the sitter gets a free place to stay in exchange for house and pet sitting. She is a single mother of three young girls, and staying at a hotel or an Airbnb can get expensive in the NYC metro area, particularly during the holidays. So instead of paying +$450 a night for a hotel, she opted to stay here. Plus, her girls love kitties and like taking care of them.

 

[Wendy&Neko]

Sounds like a win-win to me!

 

[Bandit's Mom]

Good to hear from you Katherine! Glad to hear that Ruby and Olive are doing well. LOVELY pic
Who is the annoying younger sibling of the two?

ETA: The sitter was able to give shots and test etc? She has experience with giving cats insulin and meds?

 

[Diane Tyler's Mom GA]

Oh my God it's you Katherine It's so good to hear from you.
I'm glad to hear that Ruby Do and Olive are doing very well.
Just look at those two kitties, I just want to lay a big fat kiss on both of their noses I can't stop looking at their pic!
Well take care and try to pop in more often
You and Frank take care

 

[carfurby (GA)]

Love the picture. How adorable! I'm glad Ruby and Olive are doing well.

 

[Katherine&Ruby]

Good to hear from you Katherine! Glad to hear that Ruby and Olive are doing well. LOVELY pic
Who is the annoying younger sibling of the two?

ETA: The sitter was able to give shots and test etc? She has experience with giving cats insulin and meds?

Hi Bhooma! The doctor only had experience with humans before agreeing to staying at my home. She went to the local cat clinic in her hometown to train herself on testing, shooting, and pulling a cat before she brought her family. I also made a video going through my whole routine that I sent to her in advance and she watched it. She said that most humans don’t get the same level of attention as Ruby, and that she was impressed by how well controlled her diabetes is with a proper dosing protocol and diet. In short, all of the things I learned here. Hope you’ve been well, dear Bhooma!

 

[Katherine&Ruby]

Oh my God it's you Katherine It's so good to hear from you.
I'm glad to hear that Ruby Do and Olive are doing very well.
Just look at those two kitties, I just want to lay a big fat kiss on both of their noses I can't stop looking at their pic!
Well take care and try to pop in more often
You and Frank take care

Miss you, dear Auntie Diane! Hope Tyler is being good to you.

 

[Katherine&Ruby]

Love the picture. How adorable! I'm glad Ruby and Olive are doing well.

Thank you, dear Carla. And again, I’m so sorry about Furball.

 

[Bandit's Mom]

Hi Bhooma! The doctor only had experience with humans before agreeing to staying at my home. She went to the local cat clinic in her hometown to train herself on testing, shooting, and pulling a cat before she brought her family. I also made a video going through my whole routine that I sent to her in advance and she watched it. She said that most humans don’t get the same level of attention as Ruby, and that she was impressed by how well controlled her diabetes is with a proper dosing protocol and diet. In short, all of the things I learned here. Hope you’ve been well, dear Bhooma!

Wow! I am impressed with the doctor! All well here. We too have been able to find house-sitters so we've begun to travel, but it is stressful. After a few trips of only 2-3 nights, we've increased our trips to a week or so. Wondering whether we can dare to plan for 2 weeks in May. Always worried about leaving these two - now that they are senior cats and have multiple issues. They will both be 15 soon!

 

[Katherine&Ruby]

Wow! I am impressed with the doctor! All well here. We too have been able to find house-sitters so we've begun to travel, but it is stressful. After a few trips of only 2-3 nights, we've increased our trips to a week or so. Wondering whether we can dare to plan for 2 weeks in May. Always worried about leaving these two - now that they are senior cats and have multiple issues. They will both be 15 soon!

I know how hard it is, but we have been away for a total of 4 weeks this past year thanks to these housesitters. Check out the Trusted Housesitters site. Most of the people who apply have zero experience with pet medical issues, but many are willing to be trained if you can do that. I’m sure many would jump at the opportunity to have a place to stay in Mumbai with two kitties!

 

[Bandit's Mom]

I know how hard it is, but we have been away for a total of 4 weeks this past year thanks to these housesitters. Check out the Trusted Housesitters site. Most of the people who apply have zero experience with pet medical issues, but many are willing to be trained if you can do that. I’m sure many would jump at the opportunity to have a place to stay in Mumbai with two kitties!

I went to the site almost as soon as I saw your post. We already have 2 "regular" house-sitters - one is a vet's assistant and the other a vet student. So we are sorted on that front. It's just that I worry about them falling ill when we are away.

 

[Katherine&Ruby]

I went to the site almost as soon as I saw your post. We already have 2 "regular" house-sitters - one is a vet's assistant and the other a vet student. So we are sorted on that front. It's just that I worry about them falling ill when we are away.

Pet sitting if administering meds can be expensive here, probably $100 per day for just twice daily 30 minute visits, so the housesitting site has been a godsend. Then the kitties at least have company and aren’t alone outside of feeding and shot time.

 

[Bandit's Mom]

Pet sitting if administering meds can be expensive here, probably $100 per day for just twice daily 30 minute visits, so the housesitting site has been a godsend. Then the kitties at least have company and aren’t alone outside of feeding and shot time.

I have to pay for the petsitters more to stay over at my place but I like the continuity and familiarity of having the same sitter(s). A few years back it was not a problem but now with them needing meds, insulin, fluids and just being much older, I want to be extra careful. Maybe I'm just worrying too much!

 

[smorgasbord]

Hi Ruby (and Olive)! Glad to hear you’re doing well.

 

[Suzanne & Darcy]

Katherine!!! Hi!!! It's so good to hear from you. I'm glad I saw this tag and had a little time this afternoon to hop on the Board. I was just thinking about you and Ruby and Olive this past weekend... was thinking that your job must be keeping you so busy. I'm really glad that you and Frank have been able to get away and that you've found good people through Trusted Housesitters. And I am really, really STOKED UP! about Ruby's ultrasound. It's just amazing. Everything looked normal. That is so good to hear and I am really pleased about the pred reduction. Who knows, her SS may even look better and better. Quite frankly, I just peeked at it and it looks pretty good... lots of the colors we like on it Also, that's very interesting about the Chia seeds. Where did you learn about that? Is it just the added fiber from the Chia seeds or something else in there that helps with the calcium? Inquiring minds want to know! Take care and stop in more often. We miss you.

 

[Katherine&Ruby]

Katherine!!! Hi!!! It's so good to hear from you. I'm glad I saw this tag and had a little time this afternoon to hop on the Board. I was just thinking about you and Ruby and Olive this past weekend... was thinking that your job must be keeping you so busy. I'm really glad that you and Frank have been able to get away and that you've found good people through Trusted Housesitters. And I am really, really STOKED UP! about Ruby's ultrasound. It's just amazing. Everything looked normal. That is so good to hear and I am really pleased about the pred reduction. Who knows, her SS may even look better and better. Quite frankly, I just peeked at it and it looks pretty good... lots of the colors we like on it Also, that's very interesting about the Chia seeds. Where did you learn about that? Is it just the added fiber from the Chia seeds or something else in there that helps with the calcium? Inquiring minds want to know! Take care and stop in more often. We miss you.

I don’t think anyone is more excited about the ultrasound results than me! Well, maybe Ruby, too. The tapering of the pred might mean that she will go off it completely by July which is when she is due for her next ultrasound. And that means maybe no insulin. We shall see.

Here is a paper I read about chia seeds and hypercalcemia in cats: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7387619/

It’s not really such a great study, but chia is so nutritious that I could not imagine there would be many downsides to it. So either the chia has done something or the hypercalcemia resolved on its own, but I continue to put it in her food every day and she doesn’t seem to mind it one bit.

Hope you and your kitties are doing well!