ToddyTiger
Active Member
So, a little background for folks who have not looked at my other posts..
Todd is 16 years old, has been a diabetic for over two years now. He got very sick in early July this year, with what the doctors believe was Pancreatitis. (The ultrasound showed that the pancreas was inflamed at some point) He stopped eating and drinking, started losing weight and of course his BG numbers went all crazy. He was on tons of medications, Sub-Q/IV fluids and such. We got him back to normal (mostly) in Sept. He started eating again, though not a whole lot. Throughout all of this, they were doing tons of blood work and found that sometimes his kidney values were in the normal range and sometimes they were a bit high. Nothing to worry about at the moment, so I was told.
Though he is back to getting insulin daily and acting more normal, he is still losing tons of weight. he has lost about 4lbs. His spine and hips are very boney, and his hair is not growing back. Well, it's growing back in clumps. He was shaved down like a lion in April, which I do every year, by now all of his hair is back... not this time.
The weight loss is the scary part. Our vet ended up putting him on i/d canned and dry, because of the Pancreatitis. She is worried about switching him to anything else, because she is worried the Pancreatitis will come back. She recommended going to see a internal medicine specialist, because she was at a loss as to why he is still losing weight and what are some foods we could try.
So last week, that is what we did. They did a followup ultrasound and fructosamine test. The ultrasound was clear of masses and such, though they noted his adrenal glands were a bit large. We are still waiting on the fructosamine test to come back. He didn't want me to change anything until that came back. His thoughts on what could be wrong are that Todd either has IBD or possible Cushing's, though he thinks Cushing's is less likely because he doesn't have all of the symptoms. He sent me home with some canned z/d and said to try to get him to eat it, but if he doesn't, to keep him on the i/d dry and canned until the fructosamine test comes back.
The z/d was NOT a hit, and I don't blame him, it LOOKED awful. So he is still eating the i/d, Hypoallergenic treats and Bonito Flakes.
a side note, last October 2009 he had major surgery for a intussusception. They did a biopsy and found no cause for it, but they did remove 6 inches of his intestines as well as removing the Ileum (I believe that is what it was called). After that, he was fine and doing great until this summer. At the moment, the vet does not think it is related.
His current medications are as follows
Lantus 1.5 units twice a day (original dose before getting sick was 2.5 twice a day)
Tumil-K tablet one tablet a day, broken into two
Prednisolone 5mg once a day, usually at night (started early Sept for IBD)
B-12 injection every Wed. morning
Before anyone asks, I DO home test. He's usually in the 200's throughout the day.
He is drinking and peeing normally. He is also pooping (not full on Diarrhea, but still soft, but shaped and it smells AWFUL) but he has started pooping under my office desk and under our piano. At first I thought it was our foster kitten, but I have caught him in the act now and I don't know why he is doing it. I do know that sick cats can do this, and I know that he may also be uncomfortable when he poops, and now he thinks the litter box is the reason. I hope I can get him to stop doing it, because it is not fun to come home to or wake up to. The pooping thing is new, as of maybe.. a month ago and it is not every single day. When I catch him doing it, I notice there is a lot of gas as well. I can hear it.
My biggest question is this, what are some foods I can give him, if he does have IBD? I had a cat for several years with IBD, and we had him on Natural Balance Venison & Pea, Royal Canin Venison & pea, Rabbit & Pea and Lamb & Pea, as well as the Hill's d/d version. He did well on all of those, but I don't know what Todd can have being a diabetic with possible kidney issues. I know we are going to have to switch his food though. Also, a raw diet (in case it is suggested) will not work. He refuses people food of any kind, raw or cooked. He LOVES dry food, but will eat canned if it isn't too chewy or like jello. I know he should eat only caned, but the specialist did tell me, that he can have dry, because eating something is better than eating nothing at all.
Anyway, that is where we are at right now. I left a voice mail for the specialist yesterday, because I am curious about what foods I can give him, especially since yesterday and (so far) today, he is hungry, but doesn't want any of his the i/d.
Thank you for any help!
Sarah
Todd is 16 years old, has been a diabetic for over two years now. He got very sick in early July this year, with what the doctors believe was Pancreatitis. (The ultrasound showed that the pancreas was inflamed at some point) He stopped eating and drinking, started losing weight and of course his BG numbers went all crazy. He was on tons of medications, Sub-Q/IV fluids and such. We got him back to normal (mostly) in Sept. He started eating again, though not a whole lot. Throughout all of this, they were doing tons of blood work and found that sometimes his kidney values were in the normal range and sometimes they were a bit high. Nothing to worry about at the moment, so I was told.
Though he is back to getting insulin daily and acting more normal, he is still losing tons of weight. he has lost about 4lbs. His spine and hips are very boney, and his hair is not growing back. Well, it's growing back in clumps. He was shaved down like a lion in April, which I do every year, by now all of his hair is back... not this time.
The weight loss is the scary part. Our vet ended up putting him on i/d canned and dry, because of the Pancreatitis. She is worried about switching him to anything else, because she is worried the Pancreatitis will come back. She recommended going to see a internal medicine specialist, because she was at a loss as to why he is still losing weight and what are some foods we could try.
So last week, that is what we did. They did a followup ultrasound and fructosamine test. The ultrasound was clear of masses and such, though they noted his adrenal glands were a bit large. We are still waiting on the fructosamine test to come back. He didn't want me to change anything until that came back. His thoughts on what could be wrong are that Todd either has IBD or possible Cushing's, though he thinks Cushing's is less likely because he doesn't have all of the symptoms. He sent me home with some canned z/d and said to try to get him to eat it, but if he doesn't, to keep him on the i/d dry and canned until the fructosamine test comes back.
The z/d was NOT a hit, and I don't blame him, it LOOKED awful. So he is still eating the i/d, Hypoallergenic treats and Bonito Flakes.
a side note, last October 2009 he had major surgery for a intussusception. They did a biopsy and found no cause for it, but they did remove 6 inches of his intestines as well as removing the Ileum (I believe that is what it was called). After that, he was fine and doing great until this summer. At the moment, the vet does not think it is related.
His current medications are as follows
Lantus 1.5 units twice a day (original dose before getting sick was 2.5 twice a day)
Tumil-K tablet one tablet a day, broken into two
Prednisolone 5mg once a day, usually at night (started early Sept for IBD)
B-12 injection every Wed. morning
Before anyone asks, I DO home test. He's usually in the 200's throughout the day.
He is drinking and peeing normally. He is also pooping (not full on Diarrhea, but still soft, but shaped and it smells AWFUL) but he has started pooping under my office desk and under our piano. At first I thought it was our foster kitten, but I have caught him in the act now and I don't know why he is doing it. I do know that sick cats can do this, and I know that he may also be uncomfortable when he poops, and now he thinks the litter box is the reason. I hope I can get him to stop doing it, because it is not fun to come home to or wake up to. The pooping thing is new, as of maybe.. a month ago and it is not every single day. When I catch him doing it, I notice there is a lot of gas as well. I can hear it.
My biggest question is this, what are some foods I can give him, if he does have IBD? I had a cat for several years with IBD, and we had him on Natural Balance Venison & Pea, Royal Canin Venison & pea, Rabbit & Pea and Lamb & Pea, as well as the Hill's d/d version. He did well on all of those, but I don't know what Todd can have being a diabetic with possible kidney issues. I know we are going to have to switch his food though. Also, a raw diet (in case it is suggested) will not work. He refuses people food of any kind, raw or cooked. He LOVES dry food, but will eat canned if it isn't too chewy or like jello. I know he should eat only caned, but the specialist did tell me, that he can have dry, because eating something is better than eating nothing at all.
Anyway, that is where we are at right now. I left a voice mail for the specialist yesterday, because I am curious about what foods I can give him, especially since yesterday and (so far) today, he is hungry, but doesn't want any of his the i/d.
Thank you for any help!
Sarah
So she wanted him to stay for the day (they close at 8pm) and get fluids and also recheck the blood work and urine tests that the specialist wanted to check next week. She thinks doing it now, before fluids, would be a good idea and then we can recheck again at the end of next week. She was also worried because his temp was low.. I don't know how low, but she was concerned about it. Since getting sick, he has had a constant low temp (though the 2nd opinion vet he saw in Aug. had a VERY long thermometer and said his internal temp was normal) The doctor we saw today said it very well could be that his temp is normal, and it's just that he has feces in there and it's making the temp look low. But she thought keeping him there for the day would be a very good idea. I agree, since he seems off right now.