? Tuck not eating need advice for PM dose

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AbyResq

AbyResq

Member Since 2016
Need advice for tonight's shot.

Tuck threw up about 2 hours after breakfast yesterday - out of character for him. I rested his tummy a bit then offered food again which he kept down. He gets 4 meals per day and he ate the next 3 like normal, no issues. Ravenous like normal. I chalked it up to a fluke.

This morning he wouldn't eat 1 bite of his breakfast. I tried offering juicy canned rabbit, tuna and even some dry. He wouldn't touch any of it.

AMPS: 422 wouldn't eat.
(Gave him Cerenia and started Zeniquin)
Waited 1 hour and retested: 466
Shot 0.4 U (normal dose has been around 1.4 U)
+4 - 274 (nibbled a few pieces of dry and some bites of Fancy Feast)
+5 - 252
+6 - 245

I need some advice on how to dose him tonight if he's still not eating :( My vet has Sunday hours so I'll be headed there tomorrow if he's still like this. I started him on antibiotics in case he has an infection somewhere. I also started him on Cerenia.

I haven't caught him peeing so I haven't been able to check for ketones. Ketoacidosis, UTI, Pancreatitis, an abscess - it could be any of these. His littermate sister was adopted on Wednesday so it's possible he's depressed. I've had many foster cats go off food for a few days with a major life change. I hope that's all this is.
 
Hey there Kristen, I hope some of the other more experienced peeps will weigh in. Question: Has Tuck every had DKA? I think you were wise to decrease his AM insulin since he isn't eating. He has come down steadily all day. If he still isn't eating I would probably shot the same reduced amount.

It could be that his litter mate left and he is depressed and on a hunger strike. Poor boy.
 
AbyResq said:
No history of DKA but I'm worried. Wish he would pee so I could test his urine!
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Glad about the no history of DKA. Hopefully he will eat better tonight and if his number is coming up you can get more insulin into him. Is he drinking water? You could add a little water to his PM food if he will eat. Is there any treats that he likes that you could top his food with such as bonito flakes, or do you have any florti-flora you could sprinkle on top. My cats love tuna juice too which you could try.
 
He was a dry addict in his original home. When he wouldn't touch that I became very worried. He's not drinking much either. I tented his skin and it bounced back very quickly. Doesn't appear dehydrated but I know that can change quickly.
 
Hi Kristen - how does he seem? Does he go to his food and look like he wants to eat but just can't? lip licking? seem in pain? or just not interested in food?

just a fyi- starting the antibiotic could make diagnosis of an infection (UTI for instance) more difficult for the vet - (nothing would grow out of the culture if they take one) so be sure you tell the vet that you started it.
 
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Carol & Murphy said:
Hi Kristen - how does he seem? Does he go to his food and look like he wants to eat but just can't? lip licking? seem in pain? or just not interested in food?

just a fyi- starting the antibiotic could make diagnosis of an infection (UTI for instance) more difficult for the vet - (nothing would grow out of the culture if they take one) so be sure you tell the vet that you started it.
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I know antibiotics will affect the ability to tell if he has an infection. I knew I couldn't get to the vet today so I wanted to err on the side of fighting an infection if there is one.

He's acting nauseous. Goes to the food sniffs it like he wants to eat but won't. Well wouldn't this morning but ate small amounts at 2 different times this afternoon. I suspect when his insulin was peaking he forced himself to take a few bites??? No lip smacking.

He is definitely quiet but not hiding. Accepts me petting him.

I think he may have plasma cell pododermatitis, 2 paw pads on different feet are swollen and mushy. Most of the main stream references don't mention the cat feeling systemically unwell. So, I don't know if that's playing a role here.
 
AMPS: 422 wouldn't eat.
(Gave him Cerenia and started Zeniquin)
Waited 1 hour and retested: 466
Shot 0.4 U (normal dose has been around 1.4 U)
+4 - 274 (nibbled a few pieces of dry and some bites of Fancy Feast)
+5 - 252
+6 - 245
+7 - 234
+8.5 - 388
 
Still refusing any food? I definitely think a vet visit is in order tomorrow if he's still not eating. Can you get him to eat anything? Treats, tuna, anything? I might go half a normal dose if he won't eat...I hear that's standard. You definitely want to give insulin if he's high enough to help ward off DKA. Any pee yet?
 
NEGATIVE for ketones, whew. I've never been so happy to stick a ladle in a pee stream, LOL!

Licking at food, @Rachel but still not really eating, sigh. I'm headed out to the store. I will pick up some gravy food in case I need that overnight. Based on his last reading of 388, I will be shooting something tonight. Yes, vet tomorrow unless he snaps out of his funk tonight.
 
Oh good!!! SO glad to hear it's not ketones. In that case, yes, I'd shoot tonight, keep an eye on things, and hopefully all will be well. He may be depressed like you said. Keep us posted. :bighug:
 
Do you, by chance, have any ondansteron (anti-nausea) or appetite stimulants (cyproheptadine or mirtazapine)? If so, I would think about giving some - I suppose you've done the easy stuff like elevate the food, warm up the wet a bit, etc. putting some food right by his nose when he is sleeping then gently wake him - try baby food? It does sound like a vet visit is in order - you are so lucky to have a vet with Sunday hours
 
:bighug: Hope he snap out of it Kristen, any luck yet? Iams makes a flavor of food called Tuna-topia, it's in the small cans. it's not quite a pate, but not shredded either. It usually works wonders when one of my crew is off thier appetite. I'm not sure it's LC but anything to eat is better then nothing.
 
I have pre-filled syringes of ondansteron but they are 6 months old and I was hesitant to give that this morning. I grabbed the cerenia instead for nausea. No appetite stimulants.

He approached dinner like he was hungry. Ate about 1/4 of his normal meal size. His sugar is now 511. His normal dose is around 1.4 +/-.2 so I think I'm giving him .6 which is slightly more than this morning.

Vet tomorrow.
 
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At least he ate something. As long as he is eating something and got a shot, which he did, I wouldn't be too worried about him tonight. Tomorrow, the vet can help determine if something's up.

Sending you hugs Kristen! I know how upsetting this can be.
 
Tuck ate breakfast! He didn't eat any of the food options left out overnight but perked right up when I cracked a can of Fancy Feast :cat:. Skipped Cerenia but plan to give him a full course of the antibiotic in case he was developing an infection somewhere.

Now I have to get the new girl eating :facepalm: . She's stressed from being in a new place.and needs time to acclimate. She's probably wondering what kind of place this is. The weird woman in charge pokes her ears, :eek:
 
Yay Tuck!! What's your girls name Kristen? Are her numbers half decent or totally off the charts?
Bless you again for helping another Sugar baby!
 
Sarah Smith said:
Yay Tuck!! What's your girls name Kristen? Are her numbers half decent or totally off the charts?
Bless you again for helping another Sugar baby!
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Her incoming name was horrible so I need to rename her. Stay Tuned. She's in my sheet as New Girl.

She had a high yellow last night at shot time. Didn't really eat and at +4 she was 98. Never really touched her dinner and was only 158 this morning. No shot. The vet gave me a case of Purina DM which is what she didn't touch overnight. I offered her Fancy Feast and she gobbled that down for breakfast. I'm betting she needs a shot tonight.

New Girl had a methylpred shot on 4/14. The hope is that like Cooter and Baco she will wean off of insulin. She's only on 1 unit now. I need to look up the carb difference for FF vs canned DM. If it's significant I will probably lower her dose with the food switch. New Girl is a gorgeous former show cat and only 7. If she comes off insulin she should be easy to place.
 
Bobbie And Bubba said:
First you are an awesome bean to take on multiple diabetic cats. :bighug: When you said New Girl, it reminded me of the TV show "That Girl" with Marlo Thomas..........
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My mom gave me a baby doll for Christmas one year and said, "Here's your New Baby". Well the doll's name became New Baby and she was my most cherished toy growing up. My brother used to tease me and ask if I was going to call her "Old Baby" when she grew up :smuggrin: So perhaps New Girl is her new name (no, not really)
 
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