sick cat

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coconut8

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I have been treating Maria for diabetes for 2 months. Was on Lantus and needed to keep going up until I reached 6 units, 2 times a day, and the BG numbers started to get high and flat. I thought something else might be wrong, so test showed a urinary tract infection and she has been on Clavomox for 2 1/2 weeks now.

So, then we switched to Levemir and started that on May 5th. Started with 1 unit to see how that would work. During the week, I was only able to check pre-shot, and got readings in the 300's to low 400's.

Yesterday, I did a curve, and the readings every two hours were ranged from 352 to 472, so did not really see the insulin working.

Last night, she did was not her usual ravenous self, seemed lethargic,

This morning, I see that she threw up her food from yesterday, just kind of laying there, would not eat, and BG at 551!

I called my vet, and he advised giving her 2 units of Levemir and testing her BG in an hour to see what happens.

Any other advice?

Ilene
 
If she is currently being treated for a UTI, with high BGs and vomits and acts sick, please either get ketone test strips and test her urine or take her to an ER clinic that could test her for ketones. Ketones can be a life threatening situation.
 
Also, her breath may smell fruity or like nail polish remover if she is in ketoacidosis. She may breathe funny in an effort to cope with it.
 
Just tested her 1 hour after shot, and reading is "HI", so over 600. No fruity breath, but she is breathing hard.

I guess it's time to take her to the ER.

Ilene
 
((((Ilene)))) I'm sorry you're going through this with Maria.

Please let us know the results. There are some things we can treat at home with diabetes, but ketones or even the possibility of them is not. If there are ketones, the ER can administer fluids and give fast acting insulin to bring the BGs down. They will most likely test the blood for ketones, rather than the urine as we do. If they do take urine, please have them send it off to a lab for a Culture and Sensitivity test so they can find out what bacteria and which antibiotic is best to treat it. Not all UTIs are alike and some need a stronger antibiotic to resolve.
 
Well, I brought her to the ER and they hospitalized her.

Tests so far say ketones okay, BUN high, heart and liver seem a little enlarged, breathing rate up but heart rate down a little.

They are going to put her on IV fluids and other meds as needed. I will call them at about 5 PM for any updates.

Thanks for caring!

Ilene
 
I'm so glad you took her to the ER. She will get the care she needs there.
I was so afraid that she had ketones and possibly DKA, when you described the symptoms.

Please keep us updated.

I will be sending healing vines and keeping your cat in my prayers for a fast recovery. Is her name Coconut?

ETA: Also, if she isn't eating, make sure they address that. Cats can not go very long without eating, and you don't need Fatty Liver Disease on top of whatever she's going through, now. I have heard of vets that do not address the eating until too late, so please make sure they do something if she does not eat.

It's also a good idea to bring something from home that smells like you (an unwashed T shirt, or pillow case), to put in her cage, to make her feel a little more comfortable while she's there.

Hugs to you, and scritches to your cat.
 
Praying for Maria! Hope they figure out what is wrong and it's nothing serious!

Suze
 
ER vet thinks it might be heart disease from the x-rays, and will show the x-rays to the cardiologist on Monday to see what he thinks and whether Maria should have a EKG or something else.

Does not want to give fluids for dehydration because it looks like there is fluid in lungs....so, complicated, and not good at this point.

Will be putting in a feeding tube down throat.

We have very good specialist vet care here in Northern Virginia.

Ilene
 
Vet may try a diuretic to get fluid excreted.

Might discuss using distilled water in food and water with vet; absolutely no solute to be processed, so it may help the renal system excrete excess fluid a little bit. (My aunt, an RN, does this for herself.)
 
After being in critical care for 2 days, Maria was only getting worse....they told me she had seriouis heart disease and lungs filling with fluid on top of the diabetes. She was in an oxygen tent, breathing very hard and in obvious distress. The vets said they could keep going and trying to treat her, but she was going to be very hard to get back to a quality life.

So, I decided that I needed to put her out of her misery.

She was the sweetest cat in the world, and, before she showed signs of diabetes, was still so playful at the age of 11.

I will miss her terribly!

Thank you all for your prayers and good wishes.

Ilene
 
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