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michelle & jake

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Hi all!

I haven't been to this board since it moved. I think on the other board my user name was just "michelle p". You all taught me about canned food & home testing. I just want to thank everyone!! I have Jake, an orange tabby (brother Elwood does not have diabetes), 14 yrs old...& I'm afraid he's near the end. He's lost so much weight, & when I took him a few months ago for his check up, they did a......I can't remember what it's called.....a blood test to show his glucose average the last couple of weeks. Well, I thought he was under control....glucometer was reading around 100 every day...so I stopped giving insulin...still tested every day. Well guess what....test showed he was not regulated at all. I brought the glucometer in & while it was accurate with a high glucose level (over 200)...it was way off when under...which makes no sense. But it doesn't matter. I went months thinking he was fine & he wasn't.

So now he will barely eat....I've been giving him tuna fish...but not too much because he'll puke it up....& crying a lot. His walking has slowed, & I just noticed tonight his paw pads look swollen. He still drinks water & goes to the litter box....but my formerly 22 lb cat is now just 9 lbs. I am so upset......& feel that if our former vet had told us about diet in the first place he would have lived longer. I can't be sure, of course, but we went years before learning (from here) about the importance of a low carb, canned diet. I am just devastated. I will not let him go too long....the minute I think he's in pain I will take him in. I just wanted to thank you all for sharing your knowledge, stories & friendship. I feel badly because we kind of disappeared.....life got so busy I never had time to check in. But thank you all!!

Michelle & Jake
 
Hi Michele,

I remember you and your boys. Blues Brothers.

I am so sorry to hear about Jake not doing well. Is there any way to reverse this? Would putting him back on insulin help? What meter were/are you using? Maybe changing meters may help too?

The test you are referring to is a fructosamine test.

Please let us know if we can do anything to help you and Jake.

Hugs to you.
 
Hi Hillary!!

Yes....fructosamine....that's it...

I have been giving him insulin again....but I do test first & I'm very careful how much I give. Our insulin is a year old, but is still very effective. Because it's been so hard getting him to eat, he gets no more than 1 unit, less if his BG isn't super high. It's hard because I work now, & even though my husband is here (he works 2nd) he wouldn't know what to watch for or what to do if something happened.

When I had taken him to the vet....it was for their yearly....she was shocked at how much weight Jake had lost. She ran every test she could think of, & the only thing that came back was that his diabetes wasn't controlled. But it's taken its toll. His eyesight has been deteriorating for years (maybe why he moves slowly)....I just wish I could get some weight on him. But ever since she told me what his weight was at his check up, I've tried everything.....even a bit of dry food. Now he's eating tuna fish. I know it's not good for him but he really likes it. I want my fat, nondiabetic cat from 8 yrs ago back :cry:

Oh, & we use the Walgreens True Track meter.

I don't think anything about Jake is reversable. Last Friday he was clearly not feeling well, I thought for sure Saturday would be the day. But then he perked up & was eating & seemed better.....but he just doesn't do his normal "Jake" stuff anymore....he doesn't beg at the dinner table....he doesn't eat in the kitchen (I bring it to him)....he doesn't walk around wailing for his brother anymore....it's so sad....

Thanks for your well wishes, Hillary!
 
I am so sorry. I understand about the weight loss concern. This happened to my civvie and after several tests and ultra sound, the conclusion is very early stages of renal failure. Of course, she doesn't know that and thinks she's just fine. So, I take it day by day and hope she has several more years left in her.

I know if and when you have to make that decision, you will do so knowing it is for Jake's greatest good and will be that last act of love to give him.
 
Renal failure is a possibility, although his liver & kidneys were just fine 2 months ago at his appt...she checked those too. But, of course it could have developed since then. I emailed my vet this morning (she happens to be a friend) & while she can't remember his thyroid exactly, she does remember it was normal. That could have changed too, of course.

She works Wed, Thurs & Fri.....I can't decide whether to take him to a different vet tomorrow....or wait to go to her on Wed....or maybe something will happen naturally before then .....I just can't stop crying. I'm grieving for a cat that isn't even gone yet. And to top it off....my husband said it's my fault for starving him. I think he thinks because I stopped giving him dry food, that he wasn't getting the proper nutrition. Yet, I'm the one who took Jake to every single vet appt, including to the vet hospital an hour away 5 times when he was first diagnosed, because we couldn't get him regulated......I gave him every single insulin shot....tested his blood every single day.....yet it's all my fault. Sorry, I'm venting.

I lost animals while growing up....but it's different when you're the mom....& you have to make the right decision...
 
Did the vet do a complete blood panel? Sometimes senior kitties can be hyperthyroid but their numbers shows in the normal range so it gets ignored, but if it's high end of normal, then meds for thyroid should be tried.

I'm mentioning this simply because of the weight loss, hypert caused the metabolism to speed up and they lose weight.

Were electrolytes and kidney values checked also?
 
I know what it's like to feel helpless. I almost lost Tucker about two months ago. He'd been losing weight for months and then one morning he was limp and lifeless. But he also had been circling around for a bit.

The vet thinks he had a stroke, we had to put him on steroids and it has helped his circling and he has gained a lot of weight since then, well a pound and a half, but it's amazing since he kept losing. Also Tucker's potassium was low so he started a potassium supplement.

I don't know if you want to wait a bit and see if your little man can rally, but if you do, if it were my kitty I'd get a new meter, I like the One Touch Ultra or Accu Check Aviva and I'd get a different insulin. Tucker is on Levemir now, he used to take PZI, before that N. He's so much better on the Lev. Lantus is amazing too, but we started Tucker on Lev so we'll stay with that.

No matter what you decide, it will be the right decision for your little man. I do remember when you used to post on the old board, your boys are such well loved kitties and are so lucky to have you as their mom. My thoughts and prayers are with you no matter what.
 
That's so weird that you said stroke because last Friday is when this all started...he curled up on my bed & didn't come down. I brought his food up & he didn't really eat. Then the next day, he started feeling a bit better & ate a little, at first I thought he lost a tooth, or had an infected tooth.....but then Sunday he was walking really stiffly. We thought it was the weather, it was so rainy & cold that day....but then I started thinking maybe he had a stroke. I should have taken him in last week...but I started a new job & really couldn't take the time. Horrible, I know...but I'd been looking for a job for a year & I thought they'd think I was a nutcase if I said I needed time off to take my cat to the vet, lol. Now I feel terrible. I shouldn't have waited. I have off tomorrow so even though we wouldn't be seeing "our vet" I should get him in.

And yes....definitely a new meter is in order!! When I first started testing it seemed the Walgreens was the most popular....but now I'm reading posts that are saying they aren't that reliable. I am SO MAD that mine was not accurate....it may have cost Jake his life :(

Thank you for your support. I know so many here have been through the same thing....I'm still thinking it's the end.....hard to be optimistic at this point...
 
Tucker's was on a Friday also, we didn't think he'd survive. I brought him into the vet for two days, took home nights. There wasn't much they could do but give him fluids.

Maybe, if you think it was a stroke, talk to your vet. I had a cat named Lucy who had two strokes and survived them both. Cat's are pretty amazing.

Tucker was walking strangely by Saturday morning, stiff and like he didn't know where he was.

You are in no way at all a bad person for not going to the vet. The economy and the job market is terrible, you have to keep things good at the new job or else you won't be able to take care of your cats.

Call your vet tomorrow, talk to the vet about the symptoms, I'd even suggest checking electrolytes (potassium) because lately there have been a lot of low potassium kitties on the board, low potassium causes among other things, lethargy. You'd want to check the potassium level before giving supplements because too much potassium can be bad too.

So, get the new meter, see about getting some fresh insulin unless your positive yours is still good and go from there.
 
Wow. Now I don't know what to do.

All week not only was he not eating much, but I had to give it to him from a spoon or my hand...he didn't want it from his bowl....& I had to bring it to him in ou rec room where he was hanging out.

This morning I woke up, & there is Jake (along with Elwood) in the kitchen, meowing for food. Huh?? So I gave him some regular canned mixed with a bit of the left over tuna fish.....he ate it all!! And he even checked to make sure Elwood finished his, just like he always did before last week. I was making my son's sandwich for school, & he was begging for the bologna...

I've been careful & only giving him a bit at a time, waiting, then giving more....because I'm afraid he'll puke it all back up. Elwood puked.....but no big deal. They've always been pukers....I always say it's a tabby thing. But so far so good with Jake.

So now I'm stuck.....I had decided last night that I was going to call first thing this morning & get him in. My vet had given me the name of another vet that is good with cats. I hate to take him....he HATES riding in a car....but I'm also very cautious. Either it's a show, because he heard me say he was going to the vet....or he knows he's going to die & wanted a last meal....lol....I don't know what to do. Wait now until Wed when we can see our regular vet? It just would be easier today because I'm off of work.....oh I just don't know!!

The one thing I do know is today I'm getting a new meter!!!
 
If it was a stroke the turn around can be that quick. My Lucy(GA) and Tucker both turned around within days.

I'd go to the vet, get the blood pressure checked, do a full blood panel and check that potassium (electrolytes) and of course get a new meter and go from there. No decision has to be made today.

Wonderful that he ate so well today.
 
Cats can rebound on their own, however, given all that's gone on, I too would be cautious and still get him in to see the vet. He could also just as easily revert back to the vomiting and other stuff.

I think there are several unanswered questions that hopefully with tests can provide answers.
 
We are going in at 10 this morning. We got in with one of the vets my vets suggested, she said she's good with both cats AND people...very impt....our former vet wasn't really good with either.

He's still eating! I actually had to cut him off, which I hated to do, but no sense in giving him all that if he pukes it up in the end.

Wish us luck......
 
Just got home. It's his liver. I am so completely devastated......I can't stop crying.

My options were: put him down today, hospitalize him, or give him fluids at home. No way was I putting him down today.....my kids need to say goodbye....& I can't afford to hospitalize him, nor would I want to put him through that. So I brought fluids home. It's a really big needle. I don't think I can do it....but I'll try.

Thank you so much for your support. Please send good throughts & prayers our way....we are going to need them in the coming days!

Michelle & Jake
 
I'm sorry.

What did they say about the liver?

For subq fluids, I find if you warm the bag up first, I place it in a bowl of warm water to get it to room temp, it's easier on the kitty. I put the needle, bevel side up, in between the shoulder blades and then squeeze the bag so it goes faster.

Did they give you extra needles? It's best to use a fresh needle with each time you give sub q fluids. I'm assuming we're talking about subq fluids, right?
 
I don't know how many needles they gave me....they gave me lots of stuff.....2 bags of fluid, & some pills he should take each morning....& some liquid medicine to be given orally. My friend the vet....our regular vet.... lives right down the road so I know if I have problems I can call her. She didn't know specifically....some of the tests won't be back until tomorrow....I am going to call her in the morning. She said the bilirubin level is high.... It could be cancer....she doesn't know yet. My dad died of liver cancer. I know it's not the same....but it's eerie that this is what my cat could die from. His liver was perfectly fine at his check up, just 2 months ago :(

What really stinks is he is looking & eating the best he has in 10 days. She gave me some food for him....I think it's high in calories...& he scarfed that, plus some tuna, plus his regular food. He's purring like crazy....it all just sucks :cry:
 
Oh & the bags of fluid do not go in the fridge, so they will be room temp anyway. I was surprised, for some reason I always thought stuff like that went in the fridge.
 
I would suggest that you start a new thread and title it something about the liver, possible liver disease or cancer, just something so that others who may have experience with liver issues can help out. With "Thank You" as the subject you probably have less eyes on this.

Hopefully some tests can help determine what the cause is, whether it's cancer or liver disease or even fatty liver caused by not eating.
 
She did mention the fatty liver as a possibility. Poor Jake has sure gotten the short end of the stick :(

I will start a new thread later......gotta run to school.
 
Liver values can be elevated if he hasn't been eating, and liver issues can be very treatable. I would strongly suggest that you get more detailed information from your vet and get working on getting food into him as well as insulin and look into SamE support for his liver....
 
I'm back, but I'm going to wait to start a new thread until after I talk to the vet tomorrow. May as well wait until I have all the facts....as much as I am dreading them...

Then I get to go have a root canal done....I know....you all are jealous.....
 
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