Sneakers 3-8 *checking out a new vet

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hmjohnston

hmjohnston

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Well... she had a bounce last night but I think that was because she ate all her food early and went long without food until I got home- but she wasn't starving at that time- ate her first 1oz chicken with mirilax and only 1/2 of the 2.5 oz mixed.

I am learning the fine line of what she will eat with the FF- not watery, just slightly soupy. Chicken she will eat anyway I fix it :lol: .

This weekend I hope to get a feeder for her while I am on my trip so she can have meals throughout the day/night.

I see another vet today... we shall see how it goes. The one I was going to check out, when I called, seemed okay at first but the guy had a hissy fit when I said I was feeding her canned with raw food "There are studies that prove that is dangerous... you'll get salmonella... She needs to be on prescription..." When I was adamant about the raw he referred me to a vet 40 minutes away. I got online and found other vets in NLR and checked out their ratings then started to call and will do appointments until I find one I like.
 
Re: Sneakers 3-8

Wishing you good luck in finding a new supportive vet. The right one is out there for our friend Sneakers.

:YMHUG:
 
Re: Sneakers 3-8

hmjohnston said:
I am learning the fine line of what she will eat with the FF- not watery, just slightly soupy. Chicken she will eat anyway I fix it :lol:
Click to expand...


I've found the same thing. Grayson has a particular level of hydration he likes w/ his fancy feast... unless he's starving... then he just says "Hurry up and open the can, Mom!!!" :lol:
 
Re: Sneakers 3-8

Vet visit went great.

He said that I am the only person he knows who does testing on their cat and I am more education about FD than his other beans- loved the fact that I brought my chart with me. He found it helpful that I understood a lot of the terms and applauded that I didn't mind the testing and shooting. He wanted to know about how Sneakers was diagnosed, what insulin she was on, how has the insulin changed her behavior/eating/drinking habits. Her first insulin and what improvements had I seen under that (not much, to be honest.)

He suggested the Hills prescription but when I asked him about the carbs he didn't know. I said I fed her less than 10% and really tried to be under 5% and that I made her food from a recipe on the FDMB created by a vet- and he said if I was comfortable with that so was he.

He has several patients with FD- their owners bring them in for curves because they can't (too old) or don't want to (too scared) to do it themselves.

He said Sneakers had a good bean to take care of her and would like to meet her when I get back from my trip :-D .

I thought it was a good visit.
 
That sounds like the visit went well.
Of coarse you are educated about FD because you are here amoung so many other commited owners. Goes to prove this is the best place to be!

Congratulations on the vet visit. So glad it went well. :YMHUG:
 
I did tell him about this site. When I go in with Sneakers I will let him know that if there are any of his FD beans who would like someone to talk to I would be willing (and to show how to do ear tests).

He said there were some guys... I wonder if any are single... :lol:

Now I have to break the news to my old vet :roll: :sad: .
 
I was trying to figure out why it doesn't seem like Sneakers has the sort of response to insulin that many other kitties seem to have. Not that the doses are "huge" doses, but that a dose like 3u or more just doesn't seem to have the impact we'd normally see. Here's a link that you might find useful, about a condition called acromegaly that is rare, but not unheard of here. You can read over the "symptoms" and see if anything sticks out at you. I don't know all that much about it, only that cats with it need large doses of insulin, but it sounds like it can be ruled out by a blood test. It might be worth at least mentioning to your new vet. Also ask him what sort of doses he is "used to" with other sugarcats he's diagnosed?


http://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=375

Carl
 
Thanks Carl-

I've bookmarked it to read and will print it out to take to the vet as well. I haven't noticed any of the symptoms except her breathing- almost as if she has asthma. The vet did mention cataracts as something cats with FD sometimes get.

I just accidently raised her dose tonight from 3.2 to 4u thinking I was going to 3.6. That's what I get for not checking the chart :oops: . But- she has had some high numbers- one i attributed to no food but the other ones today- she's had food and no stress to shoot them up- other than the food- a 4% carb FF chicken feast. i have two more cans then she goes to grilled feast which is only 2%. Other than that I don't know what is going on.
 
I don't know either, Helen. We are all concerned with these high numbers you are seeing. I had thought when you eliminated the dry food, you would see some downward movement but there wasn't much.

I would have a discussion with your new vet before you leave town about the consistently high numbers. I know it is not a good time to change things but the numbers make me nervous. As Carl said, Acro or insulin resistance is a possibility. Changing to another insulin is a possibility. You could check out the relaxed Lantus and Levemir forums to see how others are doing. I do not think you are a candidate for tight regulation; your schedule is just so variable. The other possibility would be three times a day dosing, but I think your schedule makes that impossible also.

I am sorry we have not been much help to you and Sneakers. You have certainly tried everything we had said and nothing seems to make much of a dent in her numbers.
 
Glad the new vet visit went so well. Sounds very promising Heather.
Fingers and pink kitty toes crossed for you guys here :-D
 
Finally got a chance to get on-line and update her chart- been out and busy all day and the computer sat idle :lol: .

Made a new batch of raw for the next few weeks as I ran out this morning. I stabbed byself at least twice with the knife while cutting. It was half frozen so there was no blood, no pain. Now there is pain- mainly because I'm typing on that finger :lol: . And this batch was almost totally raw this time and she enjoyed her test ounce :-D .

I'll call and schedule an appointment for the day or two after I come back- I have no time before that :cry: . There are so many things I have to get done before I leave with work and school and the vet isn't open until 7 (I wish!) which is the earliest time I could do it. He did say he usually prescribes levemir to his patients, so that would be good. And i will check out the relaxed forum when I get a chance to breathe.

And this forum has been a great help to both of us.

I now know how to test and what foods she needs to eat - I tell the vet the reason I don't want to feed Sneakers his PM food is because there is too may carbs per serving in the can- and he was impressed that I knew how much I was feeding her and how low the carbs were. And that I actually make the food.

I impressed the vet with the knowledge I have here- and it is nothing compared to some of you on the forum who have been dealing with this for a long time :!: But I wouldn't know any of it without coming here and reading.

This forum has cheered me up, given me hope that having a FD cat isn't the end of the world. You can't help it is my fur baby is determined to be the most orneriness cat in the world TODAY. Next week she will give someone else a turn. I promise :mrgreen: .

I'm not always one to list updates, I'm doing good if I get her chart updated some mornings. But it is nice to know I've been missed when I skip too many days in a row :-D .

Heather
*edit* But now I go by Helen.
And Anna.
Usually Jennifer, but most people don't know that is my mom's name- I just look like a Jennifer.
I've been called Steve, once, too. But the person was nearly blind so I forgave him.
 
carlinsc said:
I was trying to figure out why it doesn't seem like Sneakers has the sort of response to insulin that many other kitties seem to have. Not that the doses are "huge" doses, but that a dose like 3u or more just doesn't seem to have the impact we'd normally see. Here's a link that you might find useful, about a condition called acromegaly that is rare, but not unheard of here. You can read over the "symptoms" and see if anything sticks out at you. I don't know all that much about it, only that cats with it need large doses of insulin, but it sounds like it can be ruled out by a blood test. It might be worth at least mentioning to your new vet. Also ask him what sort of doses he is "used to" with other sugarcats he's diagnosed?


http://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=375

Carl
Click to expand...

I have to say that acromegaly is not near as rare as some may think. If a cat is not tested, you will never know of the condition.
I had to fight for months with my vet to get Shadoe tested because the vet did not think she was acro. If I had not had the issue mentioned to me on fdmb, I would never had known it existed and would never have pushed for testing.

I adopted a cat with FD through DCIN at the same time as Shadoe was tested, and that adopted cat turned out to have acromegaly, so a condition can't be that rare if I have two.

There have been a handful of cats who were on insulin but went OTJ fairly soon, then relapsed, and were eventually tested and found to be insulin resistance.

I don't think any vets suggested to owners to test for acromegaly, but rather the owners have approached their vets to have the testing done. Not all cats are high dose acros; some are much lower dose and have no visual signs of acromegaly.

I am sure that if all cats with FD or FD cats over a dose of 4u BID were tested for acromegaly and IAA, you would find a great deal more cats with insulin resistance issues.

It's just like the tree in the forest. If a tree falls in the forest and nobody is around, does it make a sound?
 
Glad you found a vet that sounds supportive. I hope the two of you have a solid partnership and will work together to figure out the best form of treatment for Sneakers.
 
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