Sidney Update. That was unexpected.

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SidneysMom

SidneysMom

Member Since 2019
Update on Sidney, who was **supposed** to start insulin today.

We went in to learn how to do shots, but found out Sid has a fever, likely from the UTI, so they don’t want to start the insulin yet. The antibiotic shot didn’t work, so now he is on half a pill of something per day for 14 days. He has to go back Thursday (god, this cat is going to hate me!) to get a check to see if the fever is gone and we can start the insulin.
The doctor wants me to check his urine once a day for ketones, and I pray to god we don’t have that situation to deal with before starting insulin. I just checked and it was negative when it hit fifteen seconds and then a few second later between negative and trace. I did it again and I got the same results so I think we are okay on that front.
I just feel so defeated right now. Sid is tough to pill, but the vet said the pills can be crushed. I figure I can hide a wee bit in tiny food balls or even pill pockets. I’d like not to traumatize him further. He was very stressed after todays vet visit. I feel like he needs kitty Xanax.
The vet wants him to start on 1 u of Lantus when we can finally start. He's fully for home testing. He said it was a good choice to start.
The shots don't look hard at all. They shaved a small spot to start so we can get used to it. Hubby and I both did a practice shot. Hopefully I can keep Sidney stable until his next visit and the fever has gone down.
He is really looking for cuddles right now.
Here is something interesting...first time at the vet, his values were 20.3. Last time, 22.4, this time, 17.9.
I wonder if his values are lower from the low carb food? The vet of course wants me to start him on DM food. <sigh>
Anyway, that's where we stand: On hold. Weirdly, I feel more confident to manage testing and shots now, but fearful of this infection and once again having to delay his treatment. I hope we can get it controlled. My pocketbook is feeling the sting. I had no money for this to begin with, and we are over a grand in by now, plus supplies. I'm looking around for something to hock on Craigslist. I can kind of chill and relax a bit today since he's already been pilled, and hopefully get some work done.
 
Try sticking the pill in a piece of cheese or chicken.

I'm not sure why the vet wants to wait. To me, the 17.9, which translates as 322, is high enough to start a 1 unit dose. Maybe he is being extra cautious. And yes, the switch to low carb food can make the difference. Switching to low carb can drop a cat's numbers by over 5 (100) points.

DM food: agree to buy two cans. Open one – it is low carb after all. Return the other for a refund. Tell them your cat will not touch the stuff. End of.

On the positive side, the vet has accepted Lantus and is for home testing (a number of vets do not see the need), and both you and your husband have successfully learned how to shoot.

Good for you for getting a ketone test in. If Sidney will allow it, add a bit of water to his food to help flush out that nasty UTI. Extra water will also help flush out the excess glucose which the body excretes through the urine.
 
I think he said something about not wanting to start while he has an infection/fever? Says he wants the fever down first. I'm not sure why, or can't remember. Every bit of food he gets I mix with water. I'm going to mix a lot extra now.
The vet is for testing before every shot. I was really surprised at that. He said if for some reason you can't get a test in because you're struggling and new, he wants to look for specific signs of lethargy, vomiting, or anything that seems off. Also signs he is eating well. If so, he said to shoot. But ALWAYS try to test first, as it's best and safest. He said if it hits lower than a certain point on the meter, no shot. He wasn't super fond of the Freestyle Lite meter, but recommended another meter that he said reads closer to the pet meter. I can't remember the name of it offhand, but I'll call tomorrow to find out. He was totally for human meters to save money. He's also totally happy about me charting tests and said it will be helpful. So that seems helpful. We just have to knock out this nasty infection so we can get rolling!
 
I was impressed a LOT with his knowledge of the different insulins, of testing, and the whole deal. He said being proactive is the best form of protection, and we want to do what we can to get him to remission, and Lantus is best for that. I was so prepared for opposition. The only thing he was insistent on was food, but I'm not surprised at that either.
 
Too bad the vet didn’t do a culture on the urine when he first suspected UTI. A culture tells you what bacteria you are dealing with, so you can give the right antibiotic the first time.

I am curious his logic in withholding insulin, especially with a UTI. Good plan to test for ketones, and yeah for negative so far!
 
It seems to be almost standard practice with so many vets these days to immediately use Convenia shots, an antibiotic meant for skin infections, for everything and more often than not, it doesn't work for UTIs and the opportunity to do a culture to find the right antibiotic is compromised. Your vet sounds like he's pretty reasonable about the diabetes in so many ways but why he wants to wait for the fever to clear to start insulin seems a bit odd.
 
My kitty had to be on antibiotics for 10 days after his initial hospitalization and getting him to swallow a pill whole was impossible. But I figured out that he is SERIOUSLY into yogurt. Like, I open any yogurt and he comes running from a deep sleep. I know dairy and cats often don't mix - but my guy is ok with small amounts and I only use the plain, unflavoured, unsweetened stuff with him. It was just the trick to get him to take his pills, crushed up. And I was able to mix the pill carefully onto the spoon with just a small amount of yogurt, so I knew I wasn't loosing much (if any) of the pill and he would lick every bit up.

Glad you vet seems to be so up to date on diabetes treatments! Such a nice feeling when you feel like you're on the same page.

My guy is on the Purina DM wet food. My vet recommended it because it's what he knows. I actually have tried to switch over to Fancy Feast Pate (Classic) a little at a time, but it's caused my kitty to have stomach upset every time I've tried. So we're sticking to the Purina DM for the moment. It's more $$ but getting kitty to eat consistently is important, so I'm going with the flow on that one for the time being. Every cat is different, but you'll soon figure out the best options for you both!

All the best!
 
If you use pill pockets, try the duck and pea. They smell revolting, but are lower carb than the others. I just broke off enough to cover the pill, smushing the stuff around it to enclose it completely.
 
I had to use a few today to get the pill into Sidney. I'm going to try to do lower amounts with more in them, but since it's a 14 day thing, I may just have to accept it's going to be a bit of extra carbs while he's being treated.
Thanks for the tip!!!
 
I'm concerned that your cat has an infection and the vet doesn't want to start insulin. If anything, the presence of an infection and a lack of insulin are 2 of the 3 ingredients that can contribute to the development of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). The 3rd ingredient is if Sidney stops eating or is eating less. Insulin and a fever do not have anything to do with one another.

Please stop by a pharmacy and pick up some Ketostix. These are urine test strips that you can use to test for ketones. You do NOT want to have to deal with DKA. It is a lifethreatening condition that is expensive to treat since your kitting will be in the kitty ICU.
 
From the subject line and subsequent posts, I was understanding that you weren't starting Lantus quite yet. Given that on thie Health board, the threads can start at one place and it's not always clear what's current, I didn't find things clear. Sorry for the misunderstanding.
 
We hadn't started the Lantus yet...still haven't. Tomorrow morning is the first time. We had to take him back today to get his fever checked. I asked both vets and they did not want to start him on it with a high fever. But fever is gone. So...I don't know, really.
 
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