Sickness with Lantus?

[Tilou]

Hi folks

This could be totally unrelated to Bob's switch to Lantus, but has anyone else's kitty experienced vomiting and lack of appetite when using the insulin?

The problem I've got here is that Bob is currently suffering from a reoccurring illness - an upper respiratory infection (sneezing, runny eyes and nose) - that always makes him lose his appetite and can cause sickness, so I'm not sure if it's just that.

He had his usual 1u this morning, but has eaten very little and thrown up a couple of times. Tested him after six hours (he tends to peak around that time the 12 hour cycle) and he was at 18 mmol/L, so no danger of a hypo. Obviously I'll retest before giving him his evening injection.

Any advice appreciated.

 

[Amy&TrixieCat]

Adjusting to insulin may bother some kitties, but it usually not the norm. If Bob hasn't been sick until just now, I would suspect something other than the insulin.

Have you tested for ketones?

Also, I see you don't have a lot of pre-shot data or nighttime data (or at least the data isn't recorded on your SS). Both of those are very important - with preshots, you want to be sure it's safe to actually shoot insulin; without nighttime data, you have no idea where Bob's BGs are going, and some kitties do tend to drop during the nights. At the very least, we always recommend a "before bed" test, just to be sure all is safe.

I hope Bob is feeling better ASAP!

 

[Sienne and Gabby (GA)]

A agree with Amy -- is there any way you can get at least a before bed test every night? It's also very important to get pre-shot tests. You have no way of being sure that it's safe to shoot without getting a pre-shot BG value.

Even with an upper respiratory infection (URI), vomiting isn't common. There aren't any cats that I'm recalling that were vomiting and experienced a loss of appetite due to Lantus. I'd suggest a couple of things if this is a URI. Run the bath or shower until the bathroom is very steamy. Let Bob hang out in the steamy bathroom for a good while. The steam may help to break up the congestion. Add L-lysine to his food. This acts as to boost the immune system. Warm his food. If he's congested and can't smell very well, it may be why he's less interested in his food.

The above said, vomiting isn't a routine thing in cats. Vomiting up a hairball once or twice a month isn't out of the ordinary. More than that, I'd be in to see the vet especially if there's a loss of appetite. Bob may have something going on with his GI track. However, unless you know the URI symptoms are resolved, it could be hard to know if that's what's causing the loss of appetite.

 

[Tilou]

Adjusting to insulin may bother some kitties, but it usually not the norm. If Bob hasn't been sick until just now, I would suspect something other than the insulin.

Have you tested for ketones?

Also, I see you don't have a lot of pre-shot data or nighttime data (or at least the data isn't recorded on your SS). Both of those are very important - with preshots, you want to be sure it's safe to actually shoot insulin; without nighttime data, you have no idea where Bob's BGs are going, and some kitties do tend to drop during the nights. At the very least, we always recommend a "before bed" test, just to be sure all is safe.

I hope Bob is feeling better ASAP!

Thank you for the info, much appreciated. I check Bob for ketones with urinary strips and so far all ok.

He's difficult to blood test (reformed feral!) but I have got a pre-shot test tonight as he hasn't eaten much today and he is low (for him!), so I won't be giving him his evening shot.

He does most of his eating through the night, so I'm hoping he might perk up if he manages to keep some down.

He has trouble bringing up fur balls, so it could be treated to that too. A veritable minefield!

 

[Tilou]

A agree with Amy -- is there any way you can get at least a before bed test every night? It's also very important to get pre-shot tests. You have no way of being sure that it's safe to shoot without getting a pre-shot BG value.

Even with an upper respiratory infection (URI), vomiting isn't common. There aren't any cats that I'm recalling that were vomiting and experienced a loss of appetite due to Lantus. I'd suggest a couple of things if this is a URI. Run the bath or shower until the bathroom is very steamy. Let Bob hang out in the steamy bathroom for a good while. The steam may help to break up the congestion. Add L-lysine to his food. This acts as to boost the immune system. Warm his food. If he's congested and can't smell very well, it may be why he's less interested in his food.

The above said, vomiting isn't a routine thing in cats. Vomiting up a hairball once or twice a month isn't out of the ordinary. More than that, I'd be in to see the vet especially if there's a loss of appetite. Bob may have something going on with his GI track. However, unless you know the URI symptoms are resolved, it could be hard to know if that's what's causing the loss of appetite.

Hi - thanks for the reply. You'll see from my reply to Amy that testing Bob is a quite difficult, but I have got a pre-shot BG for tonight that reflects his lack of eating, so I'll miss out his shot tonight.

Bob's URI occurs two or three times a year and is sometimes accompanied by vomiting - but as he can't expel fur balls it is just as likely to be that (a double whammy!).

Since I originally posted he has had a bite to eat, so might be feeling a bit better. He's still got a runny nose but hasn't sneezed for a while.

I'll check out the L-lysine (I'm learning something new every day).

Thanks again

 

[Amy&TrixieCat]

Glad ketones are OK.

I know Bob is a challenge, but I would especially work towards getting those PS tests and one night test...for safety reasons. It looks like you do OK with him during the day, so hopefully that means he's adjusting!

 

[Sienne and Gabby (GA)]

We may have cross posted. While it's far from ideal, there are also urinary glucose strips. Ketodiastix test both for ketones and urinary glucose. There are inherent problems with urine glucose testing but if it's the best you can get, it's better than noting.

If you're looking for L-lysine, be careful if you find the lysine chews. I think they contain corn syrup which would raise Bob's BG numbers. I have bought loose powder from iHerb. Here's a link. I add about 1/8 of a teaspoon to my cat's food twice a day.

 

[Tilou]

We may have cross posted. While it's far from ideal, there are also urinary glucose strips. Ketodiastix test both for ketones and urinary glucose. There are inherent problems with urine glucose testing but if it's the best you can get, it's better than noting.

If you're looking for L-lysine, be careful if you find the lysine chews. I think they contain corn syrup which would raise Bob's BG numbers. I have bought loose powder from iHerb. Here's a link. I add about 1/8 of a teaspoon to my cat's food twice a day.

The urine strips I have do glucose as well so it's quite handy if I can't get bloods - although to get a urine sample involves stalking Bob in the garden and tracking down where he goes for a pee!

Thanks for the link

 

[Dyana]

Please keep getting the ketones tests twice a day, whenever possible. The recipe for DKA is not enough insulin + not enough food + an infection for other symptomatic stress. It sounds like he is close to all three. DKA is very expensive to treat. My kitty J.D., is a DKA survivor, so I what that's like and you don't want to go there.

 

[Ella & Rusty & Stu(GA)]

I add about 1/8 of a teaspoon to my cat's food twice a day.

I add about 1/8 teasp. to Rusty's food, too. The powder is tasteless. Rusty also has chronic congestion and I think the L-Lysine helps. I buy Solaray 500 mg capsules (in the health-food store), open one up, dump the powder into a small container, and dispense it from the container with a 1/8 teasp. measure.

Sending healing vines for Bob.

 

[Tilou]

Please keep getting the ketones tests twice a day, whenever possible. The recipe for DKA is not enough insulin + not enough food + an infection for other symptomatic stress. It sounds like he is close to all three. DKA is very expensive to treat. My kitty J.D., is a DKA survivor, so I what that's like and you don't want to go there.

I've read a lot about DKA on the forum. Sounds awful, glad that J.D. survived it. I'm surprised Bob hasn't succumbed because his DX was so late. I suspect he had FD for at least three months before the vet tested him for it. Again, this was due to another illness making the symptoms.

Checked his ketones this morning and all clear. Unfortunately Bob is an outdoor cat, has never used a litter tray, and today's test involved my method of shoving the lid of an old ice cream container underneath him, while I was balancing on the edge of the riverbank that he inconveniently choose to use as his toilet today!

Great fun!

 

[Dyana]

Checked his ketones this morning and all clear. Unfortunately Bob is an outdoor cat, has never used a litter tray, and today's test involved my method of shoving the lid of an old ice cream container underneath him, while I was balancing on the edge of the riverbank that he inconveniently choose to use as his toilet today!

Great fun!

Whatever works.
There are also blood ketone meters that are just like glucose meters only with a test strip specifically for testing ketones. With him being had to catch a pee happening, you might consider investing in one of those.
I hope he's feeling better today.

 

[Steph & Quintus & L & O]

Run the bath or shower until the bathroom is very steamy.

If he does OK in his transport cage, another (slightly less steamy) option is to put a bowl of hot water in front of the cage door (out of reach) and cover cage + bowl with a large towel. In France they sell drops called "Respicat" that you can add to the water. Here in Switzerland my vet gave me a mix of liquid-form meds to give inhalations with. Maybe an idea worth looking at if he has this regularly.

 

[Tilou]

If he does OK in his transport cage, another (slightly less steamy) option is to put a bowl of hot water in front of the cage door (out of reach) and cover cage + bowl with a large towel. In France they sell drops called "Respicat" that you can add to the water. Here in Switzerland my vet gave me a mix of liquid-form meds to give inhalations with. Maybe an idea worth looking at if he has this regularly.

I'll check this out as he does get this problem several times a year. As he was a stray we don't know what he was exposed to before we took him in. He has his annual boosters but they don't alleviate these cold-like symptoms. If it gets bad and we take him to the vet he gives him an antibiotic injection.