Triaditis...DKA....Unstable diabetes

[Willow71]

Hi, just wondering how others have managed when their cat has had issues with stabilising their diabetes particularly when possible triaditis is at play or even just pancreatitis on its own? Willow just isn’t responding well to insulin even with changes in types and quantities... and she has been developing ketoacidosis a couple of times and had pancreatitis at least once confirmed but likely at least three episodes leading to hospitalisation. They have spoken about gallbladder bile tests as a possibility also. I’m just concerned as two weeks is about the maximum time between hospitalisations. I’m starting to wonder if we will ever get her stable.
She is home again at least. . On pain killers, potassium tablets and regular and short acting insulin for a few days then hopefully back to regular insulin. So glad she is home again but concerned she will end up back in the vets. There was talk last time of possibility of starting her on metronidazole but they seemed reluctant saying it was a very bitter tasting tablet to administer.

 

[allison and Bubbles]

Hi Willow 71...you are in the right place ...a bit surprised noone has responded to you yet...perhaps you entered another forum...there are forums (scroll down) with very experienced ppl answering questions depending on the type of insulin kitty is on...it might be very helpful for you to enter one of those forums...many ppl have had trouble understanding what n the beginning regulating bg levels...you will find the answers you need here in the main forum...or in the specific forums scrolling down...diagnosis with pancreatitis is very worrying as it is painful and as u well know does need to be treated immediately ...

 

[allison and Bubbles]

and i am certain your vet informed you of the serious nature of DKA (KETOACIDOSIS)....there is a difference between ketones in kitties urine and full blown ketoacidosis which requires quite immediate hospitalization...i am not a vet...just have some knowledge...hugs yur way...wishing you and kitty well....

 

[JanetNJ]

Hi, just wondering how others have managed when their cat has had issues with stabilising their diabetes particularly when possible triaditis is at play or even just pancreatitis on its own? Willow just isn’t responding well to insulin even with changes in types and quantities... and she has been developing ketoacidosis a couple of times and had pancreatitis at least once confirmed but likely at least three episodes leading to hospitalisation. They have spoken about gallbladder bile tests as a possibility also. I’m just concerned as two weeks is about the maximum time between hospitalisations. I’m starting to wonder if we will ever get her stable.
She is home again at least. . On pain killers, potassium tablets and regular and short acting insulin for a few days then hopefully back to regular insulin. So glad she is home again but concerned she will end up back in the vets. There was talk last time of possibility of starting her on metronidazole but they seemed reluctant saying it was a very bitter tasting tablet to administer.

Can you set up a spreadsheet so we can see what your dose and readings are? In your signature it said up to 2.5... It's that still accurate? your problem may simply be that you haven't found the breakthrough dose yet. When my cat was first diagnosed I didn't even see a number under 300 for the first three months until I hit 3 units. Esp given that your cat had had dka, you may have to be more aggressive with dosing.

Please set up a signature so we can advise you better.
If you have trouble setting it up let me know and I'll tag someone to set it up for you.


http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/fdmb-spreadsheet-instructions.130337/

 

[Willow71]

Thank you. Yes I need to get Willows spreadsheet set up. I’ll have a look at it and see if I can work it out. Willows current Caninsulin dose is 2.5 units twice a day but she had only increased to that a few days before she got ketoacidosis. The vet confirmed she was in DKA but we caught it really early. I agree regarding more aggressive dosing...I feel like she is sitting in high BG levels for too long before dose increases. I know we need five careful of low levels as well... we aren’t getting those on the Caninsulin but we’re geyting them on lantus ... though she was bouncing low and high on lantus... hence the insulin change.

 

[Kris & Teasel]

I agree that there might be an issue with dosing. We can help you with that but really need that spreadsheet with any/all data you have on it. Some vets seem to think that cats should get a certain maximum dose and no more - not so.