Sickly cat brought home

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Linda5

Member Since 2017
This is an update on Blackie. He was in the vet for 2 days. He had insulin and fluids. He sugar levels came down from the 600's to the 200's. Vet said to give him 2 units of Lantus in the morning and eve. preferably. But she said that he needs to eat at least 1 ounce to qualify for a shot. But then she said that if I didn't think he ate at least an ounce to hold off on the shot. Well this morning..it was the first time..I thought he ate a bit less, so I held off..now I'm waiting on the vet to call me back. He did eat about an ounce in the morning. Should I give him an insulin shot now? It is the evening. Maybe I should give him 1 unit instead of 2?
 
2U is a high starting dose...how long has he been diagnosed?

When did he get his morning dose? It needs to be given as close to every 12 hours as possible

Do you know how much he weighs?
 
How is Blackie? HERES the link to your last thread. With DKA it’s very important for Blackie to eat and receive insulin. Also be sure to test him for ketones daily especially if he’s not eating. Please let us know how he’s doing. We have several members with DKA experience that can help guide you.
 
Would you dose insulin to your child if it could cause him to go hypoglycemic and die? Sorry to be so dramatic...but the only way to know if your kitteh needs insulin is by testing at home.
 
JeffJ said:
Would you dose insulin to your child if it could cause him to go hypoglycemic and die? Sorry to be so dramatic...but the only way to know if your kitteh needs insulin is by testing at home.
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First of all, thank you for caring. I actually am a very careful person. This has been all so overwhelming for me with everything else I have going on in my life. I'm working with a vet who is trying to do the best she can, and she is trying to keep the bill low. Blackie has been holding his own, but is still not "himself". I still have to support his feeding with syringe feeding. Basically the vet feels (due to the blood sugar testing that she has given him) that if he eats at least an ounce he can have 2 units of insulin. It was very hard for her to get blood from his ear vein when she did it. She said if he eats less than an ounce - 1 unit of insulin. I am trying to learn more every day with my limited time. He seems to be doing ok with the 1 to 2 units, and I did see a site that confirms this making sense due to the blood sugars he has tested at. I do understand that a cat can have too much insulin. I did ask her what I would do if I thought he was too low, and she said to put honey on his gums. He is sneezing. She thinks he has a virus, and he needs to get an appetite back! I'm trying no appetite stimulant today..We will see..
 
Noah & me said:
That one ounce has to relate to body size, a big difference from an 8lb cat to a 28lb cat. Has he lost weight recently?
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Blackie is in the 9 pound range. Most recently Blackie used to be pretty steady at 11 pounds. At one time he was a 17 pound cat!
 
Sharon14 said:
How is Blackie? HERES the link to your last thread. With DKA it’s very important for Blackie to eat and receive insulin. Also be sure to test him for ketones daily especially if he’s not eating. Please let us know how he’s doing. We have several members with DKA experience that can help guide you.
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Linda5 said:
Blackie is in the 9 pound range. Most recently Blackie used to be pretty steady at 11 pounds. At one time he was a 17 pound cat!
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I really do know how hard this is. He'll never be 17 pounds again so let's forget about that and concentrate on now. I can't hold Blackie in my arms and feel what you feel. Syringe feeding can be so unpleasant but it's worked for me more than once and there was a light at the end of that tunnel. Keep your faith and spirit up.
Really big hugs from the whole house.
 
Sharon14 said:
If he can’t smell it, he won’t eat it.
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That's science. The Voodoo I use on Noah when he stops in the middle of a meal; pull his tail, move the dish, get the other cats out of the room. He's distracted by and/or frightened of so many things. I also crumble up Temptation treats in the food, 50 if I have to!
 
Keep up the spirits Linda. I know how hard it is. Also we want to avoid an insulin overdose. To regain some weight, Blackie needs to ingest some food. Then he needs the insulin you inject - to soak up the calories from that food. It is a balancing act.

Syringe feeding is very tasking. I know you are trying. We went thru rolls of paper towels when we syringe fed Leo. Keep trying. Also, warming up the food and trying different foods will help.

I cooked chicken breast meat for Leo today. That always works for him when I chop the heck out of it. Maybe this could work for you too. It's inexpensive.
 
JeffJ said:
Would you dose insulin to your child if it could cause him to go hypoglycemic and die? Sorry to be so dramatic...but the only way to know if your kitteh needs insulin is by testing at home.
Click to expand...
OK, slap me..lol..or maybe the vet..you are right..Blackie must have had too much insulin today..had a seizure..luckily my college-age son was there to help him out..Blackie got an antibiotic shot tonight..hoping this brings back his appetite..so much going on..I will not give him more insulin today..problem is that I was with the vet when she did the ear glucose test..it was hard for her..his vein in the leg..don't think I can do testing there either..I have heard about paw prick glucose testing..so much when you have to try to figure this out, and go to work..and everything else. I think 2 units in the morning and night is too much..He is between 9 and 10 pounds.
 
So glad your son was there to help Blackie! It’s really not hard to test a cats BG using their ear. Start by choosing a testing place and take him there several times a day, rub his ear and give him a treat then let him go. After a bit you both will relax and you’ll be able to add the poke. HERES a video by one of our members @JanetNJ testing her cat. There are others online too, watch a few and come back ask any questions you have. You need to remember you’re doing this to help Blackie.
 
I'd stay with the ear, it's not nearly as painful and gruesome as it can look. The more you believe it will hurt the more negativity Blackie will pick up on. I still dislike it but rubbing Noah's nose helps me. It will come to you soon.
 
I also think you’re correct in that 2u twice a day is too much to start, especially since you’re not yet testing. The usual starting dose is .5-1u 2x/day. Is he eating better?
 
I am sorry for your loss. I'm sorry I came off harsh. You did everything you could. Poor kitteh. He knew he was loved, and a lot of kittehs never even get that. You were a good cat Mom.
 
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