Steroid induced diabieies

Status
Not open for further replies.
P

Paige19

Member Since 2016
I wrote this post on the newbie thread and it was suggested to me that I try on this thread.
I wonder if someone can help. My 19 year old cat paige has been on steroid injections for over a year now every 4 weeks. Had her urine tested as she was eating and drinking more it showed glucose 4+ and ketones 2+ we then tested taking blood from her ear and it showed 15.9. We can't stop the steroids because she will start vomiting losing her hair and develop lots of scabs. I've been told by the vets that if we startedinsulin it wouldnt work as thesteroids probably caused it and unless we stopped them the unsulin would be useless. I've been told to come to terms with having her put to sleep. Is that really the only option?
I have had very helpful replies on the newbie thread but someone thought there may be someone on here who's cat is on both steroids and insulin? I have now changed her food as suggested to wet food and got the most natural one I could find in the pet shop as in the UK I would need a vet prescription to get special diabetic food.
Thanks for reading.
KATY
 
Last edited:
Steroid induced diabetes really isn't much different from other forms of diabetes. Steroids raise the blood sugar and in an animal with a tendency to diabetes for whatever reason can tip the animal into a diabetic state. Stopping steroids can reverse this but if that is not an option then you just treat the diabetes, fortunately it is very treatable with insulin in the cat. In the UK there are two licensed insulins for cats, Caninsulin and Prozinc, having used both I would say Prozinc seems to be a better option as it lasts a little longer. Injections are given 12 hours apart after feeding and with regular monitoring of the blood sugar. It really isn't as hard as it sounds and I would say the best option for your cat is to treat him, he will feel much better for it and properly treated diabetic cats have a normal quality of life.

You said your cat had 2+ ketones at diagnosis - was this a test at the vet? They should have explained to you what this means at the time.

Vets in the UK are obliged to have some sort of 24 hour availability, either by their own practice or a rota or deputising arrangement, there will be an answer phone message on your vets number or a direct re-route of calls when they are closed. Ketones are a medical emergency so please phone and speak to a vet now, the treatment is fluids, food and insulin together with regular monitoring of blood tests, it can progress very quickly and admission is usually needed. It isn't the kind of thing that can wait.
 
Reposting from a PM received this morning:

@Paige19 wrote:

Is a good quality of life in one room? Sofa to good,litter tray then sofa again? We are only in there in the evenings but she does get straight on our knee when we sit down then purrs all evening making sure we stroke her again when we stop.
Click to expand...

It's a judgment that only you, Paige's family can make. We all slow down when we get older and Paige is 19 years young. Is Paige happy and content in herself? Is she eating well and enjoying her grub? Is she comfortable and not in pain? Were it not for the high BG and current ketones (which are treatable) would you have seen any reason not to carry on as you are?

Here are some links from this forum sticky with things to consider:

Pet Quality of Life Scale (Dr McVety)

Pet Quality of Life Scale with Daily Diary (add your own categories as well)

The above are very general metrics. Only you know your cat. Only you can know what to do.

(NB: any current excess urination could potentially resolve quickly with instigation of insulin treatment and energy levels may possibly improve - high BG can make a kitty a bit lethargic).

@Paige19 wrote:

Thanks for the links, the Exeter vet hospital only accepts pets from the vets on their list so they wouldn't help. I'm going to take another sample in today and see if even the new food is helping, I'm.going to say that I've been on here and people say she can have both steroid and insulin but what I am most scared of is that if she has to stay in on a drip she will die from the stress all Alone.
Click to expand...

Katy, you MUST take Paige to the vets with you and YOU MUST TAKE HER IN TO THE VETS THIS MORNING. Ketones are a medical emergency - there isn't time to wait for test results. If Paige is throwing ketones she needs insulin NOW.

If you act fast the treatment to flush out the ketones plus getting enough insulin and food into her her may not take very long. Thereafter you could then continue insulin treatment at home. The diabetes side of things is treatable. Of the cats who have come here but who become well-managed it is typically not the diabetes that will eventually take them from us. If you do decide to treat then I recommend you ask your vet for PROZINC insulin, not Caninsulin. (Both are authorised for feline diabetes treatment but Prozinc is gentler-acting and longer-lasting in cats. Caninsulin works better for dogs.) It may be after commencing treatment it could help Paige feel better in herself (high BG can make a cat feel really cruddy) or you may feel it's maybe a bit too much for Paige - only you will know what's right for your kitty.

If Paige does not get insulin and she's ketotic it will tip into diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). DKA IS A LIFE-THREATENING MEDICAL EMERGENCY. It requires intensive treatment in a hospital setting.

We can see how deeply you love Paige: Please, please get her to the vets ASAP. I'm using CAPS not to shout but to stress that Paige needs your help URGENTLY. You do not have the option to wait and see how a diet change goes. This really is a medical emergency.

I know how scared and worried you are and I truly feel for you. Please post a word or two of an update when you can.

:bighug:


Mogs
.
 
Katy - re ketone test strips.

Ask your vet to give you some to take home with you. (I'm sure they should have some in stock as part of their regular test supplies.)

Also go to any chemist/supermarket pharmacy and ask them for regular home urinalysis test strips (the ones used by humans). Check the box for the list of tests on the strips and make sure the ones you buy have glucose AND ketone tests on them.


Mogs
.
 
Hiya!
I'm sorry to hear about all this that's going on and I know you must feel overwhelmed with all the advice and information. :bighug::bighug:

Im also in the uk. All chemists including boots will sell you ketone test sticks - mine is a local pharmacy and supply me with those for £5 - you just need to ask at the counter for them - they are used by people with diabetes.

I also want to give you some hope. My kitty is 15 and was getting old, she slowed down spent much of her time under my bed and hid a lot or just slept most of the time in one spot. I put most of it down to old age.

After being treated successfully with the help of this forum and the advice given to me
On here, she has gone into remission (I know that this can't happen for you while she's on steroids but) after 2 - 3 weeks treatment with insulin she started to show signs of coming out more, being active and grooming. Now she plays about the house like a kitten, playing fetch and I've bought her lots of new toys she is enjoying playing with. They really do feel so rotten when they have diabetes at the beginning but given time they do take on a new lease of life! :)

Like everyone else has said here it's urgent to have her treated ASAP for the keytones issue otherwise she could die a really horrible death. So please please please get her treatment for that - if you haven't done so already.
All vets in the uk including my current one have an out of hours number you can call for emergencies. I think a lot of them are Vets Now and are 24 hour. There will be one linked to your vet too even if it's s different company.

I hope to hear some good news really soon. Wishing you all the luck and best wishes In the world for an amazing outcome! :) :bighug:
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Thanks so much to EVERYONE who has helped me.
We have some excellent news, ketones gone and glucose has come down loads. It's definitely because of the steroids as they have to be coming down because the time since her steroid injection is further away each day. We are not going to have anymore so now have to try different foods again to see if she can tolerate something so once the steroid wears off shes not back to losing her hair scabbing up and being sick. I guess there is a thread somewhere on here for that question!
I really appreciate how much help I got from you all.
I have glucose and ketone sticks to test her urine twice a week still but looks like we have cracked it.
She had full blood work done and the vet says they are truly amazing for her age.
Thanks again.
Katy
X
 
Paige19 said:
Thanks so much to EVERYONE who has helped me.
We have some excellent news, ketones gone and glucose has come down loads. It's definitely because of the steroids as they have to be coming down because the time since her steroid injection is further away each day. We are not going to have anymore so now have to try different foods again to see if she can tolerate something so once the steroid wears off shes not back to losing her hair scabbing up and being sick. I guess there is a thread somewhere on here for that question!
I really appreciate how much help I got from you all.
I have glucose and ketone sticks to test her urine twice a week still but looks like we have cracked it.
She had full blood work done and the vet says they are truly amazing for her age.
Thanks again.
Katy
X
Click to expand...


THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE UPDATE!!! There were many of us here who were very worried for you and Paige. What great news that the ketones are gone and that you will be testing for ketones at home. You can post another thread on this forum and ask for advice on foods that might help with the allergies. I know some people will use novel proteins like dusk or rabbit, with their kitties that have skin or IBD issues. Sorry I don't have any information for you, but if you do a post asking for food advice I am sure you will get some excellent ideas.

Again, than you for posting the update and I am SO SO glad to hear that Paige is doing much better. :bighug: :bighug: :bighug:
 
Wonderful news. If the steroids are being discontinued the glucose should come down. Are you giving insulin ? Would you be interested in making homemade food cooked or raw for her?
 
Tuxedo Mom said:
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE UPDATE!!! There were many of us here who were very worried for you and Paige. What great news that the ketones are gone and that you will be testing for ketones at home. You can post another thread on this forum and ask for advice on foods that might help with the allergies. I know some people will use novel proteins like dusk or rabbit, with their kitties that have skin or IBD issues. Sorry I don't have any information for you, but if you do a post asking for food advice I am sure you will get some excellent ideas.

Again, than you for posting the update and I am SO SO glad to hear that Paige is doing much better. :bighug: :bighug: :bighug:
Click to expand...
 
Katy, I am so pleased and relieved to hear your good news!

:bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug:

Please post here on Feline Health asking for help with the food allergies problem. Also try www.ibdkitties.net.

FWIW should it be necessary to reinstate steroids in the future please ask members here for advice on which steroids they use. I think some of them don't have as severe an impact on BG levels as others. You can keep a note of this info for the future in case you ever need it (and hopefully you won't).

Sending scritches for Paige.


Mogs
.
 
Critter Mom said:
Hi Katy,

Spotted another post today on the forum about a new allergy treatment med. It might be worth asking your vet about whether it might help Paige. Here's a link to the relevant post:

http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/cyproheptadine.165794/#post-1790071

(Tip: Do your own research into the drug and any potential side effects/contraindications: vets don't always have enough time to research this sort of stuff themselves.)

:bighug:


Mogs
.
Click to expand...
Thank you, I will take a look... So far so good but her steroid injection will still be working till the 11th when she WAS due to go back for her next x
 
Good to hear that Paige is doing well. Be sure to post an update to let us know how things go with her, Katy.

:bighug:


Mogs
.
 
Oscar & his Mom said:
In 2010, I took Oscar to the new vet at the clinic 2x. The 1st time it was for a skin flare-up. The vet prescribed (or gave) him 1.0 Depo-Medrol 20mg/mL Long Acting Glucocorticoid. He was scheduled for a dental cleaning 2 1/2 weeks later & of course, asked them to do blood work previous to the surgery. When I got home I received a call that Oscar could not have the surgery because it was discovered that he was diabetic. I've heard tell, that steroids can induce diabetes in animals. Do you think it was true in Oscar's case? Also, are animals who become diabetic ever go into remission?
Click to expand...
You might want to repost on your own thread about steroid induced diabetes so your post isn't lost in the original poster's thread.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top