!! Vets can't stabilize glucose levels.

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Hello everyone. Thank you so much for your kind messages! It's so great to see so many positive people on such a complicated time. Tonight's report of Taro's health went a lot better, I saw him active, trying to jump off the table, he was also as cuddly as yesterday and his nose had little food crusts, which means he's been eating well, typical Taro. The vet confirmed this, he is eating a good amount of wet food by himself, drinking water and using his littler box regularly. He was around 150 and 250 through the the day and only once did he spike up to 400, he did not go below 150. They are testing his glucose levels every 2 hours. The vet, which was not the same one as yesterday but a girl, told me his numbers are better, they did a ketone test and even though they are still present, the number has dropped considerably. She still told me to think about it because Taro will not be able to leave the hospital and be healthy just like that, I think she was just trying to make sure that I understand that he will need care for the rest of his life. The specialist could not take him in today but I'm feeling much better after tonight's report. I will still be moving him to the specialist tomorrow. Thank you again for all the information and support. It's been easier to understand what's going on by reading your replies.
 
Mariana.Mnez said:
Hello everyone. Thank you so much for your kind messages! It's so great to see so many positive people on such a complicated time. Tonight's report of Taro's health went a lot better, I saw him active, trying to jump off the table, he was also as cuddly as yesterday and his nose had little food crusts, which means he's been eating well, typical Taro. The vet confirmed this, he is eating a good amount of wet food by himself, drinking water and using his littler box regularly. He was around 150 and 250 through the the day and only once did he spike up to 400, he did not go below 150. They are testing his glucose levels every 2 hours. The vet, which was not the same one as yesterday but a girl, told me his numbers are better, they did a ketone test and even though they are still present, the number has dropped considerably. She still told me to think about it because Taro will not be able to leave the hospital and be healthy just like that, I think she was just trying to make sure that I understand that he will need care for the rest of his life. The specialist could not take him in today but I'm feeling much better after tonight's report. I will still be moving him to the specialist tomorrow. Thank you again for all the information and support. It's been easier to understand what's going on by reading your replies.
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You are doing so well.
First, you did not blindly take the recommendation to kill your Taro. You felt it was wrong. Given his improvement, you decided euthanasia was a wrong idea, and you were right.
Then, with only our strong recommendations, and reasons we gave for them, you immediately researched your area and found the appropriate vet.
Next you made arrangements to transfer Taro, and get him the care he deserves.
Finally, you have apparently, admirably handled the vets at Taro's present clinic knowing that you had to rely on them, until you could transfer Taro.
I am impressed. I am also tremendously relieved for you and Taro:cat:.

Good fortune tomorrow, and hugs for tonight. :bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug:
If you need us, we are here, and by now we are involved, and will be pleased to help you on this journey.
 
I just want you to know that lot's of prayers are going up for you and Taro. You have been so wise and strong while dealing with this like a pro. When you pick up Taro to take him to the new vet, take something that has your scent on it, like an unwashed shirt. If he has a favorate toy, bring that too. Since he might at the vets for a while, you want him to feel at ease. I hope you and Taro have a good night.
 
So pleased to read Taro's positive report, especially that the ketones are reducing. (Anti-jinx!) Also that you've found a better, much more caring vet.

Jill and Meya are highly knowledgeable about all things ketones and have given you great information to work with, including the food that's right for Taro at the moment. You need to deal with the ketones first and help him to regain some weight.

Sending more prayers and healing thoughts for Taro and some :bighug::bighug::bighug: for you, Mariana.


Mogs
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Just chiming in to say well done and give you a big hug, Mariana, for everything you're doing for dear little Taro. You're doing an amazing job!
Please keep coming here with any questions, big or small. We all care very very much about you both.

Diana
 
So good to see that Taro is showing more signs of improvement. Even if the glucose numbers are still high, they are getting into a workable range.

Diabetes DOES require treatment at home, but it is not that complicated once you get used to the routine and with regular home testing and adjusting doses as needed Taro can have a good quality of life. There are kitties on this forum that have had very rough starts and have been hospitalized with DKA that are doing very well. You would need to be more vigilante about testing for ketones at home, because of the DKA episode, but it is all doable. And you will have the support of all the wonderful people on this site that can be there with you as you go through this journey.

I have a kitty with diabetes and also another health issue that makes treatment more difficult. Almost 2 years ago I considered having him put down, since he was so sick and I didn't want him to suffer. After changing vets and finding this wonderful site, I continued treating him and he is still with me and doing just fine right now. With a little work and a lot of love and support you too can give Taro more good quality of life,

Sending more healing energy for Taro and lots of hugs for you. :bighug: :bighug:
 
wow well that is night and day!!! so thrilled to hear he is doing much much better! see why we all got really upset here when the other vet suggested having taro put to sleep? well done, you, for not listening to such awful advice and being a guardian angel to this very lucky kitty.

well done and many back pats, you!
 
Good afternoon, this morning the report was the same as yesterday, he is still having ups and downs, so there is no significant changes, however, the vets once more confirmed me that there is nothing else to do, and that I can take him home because what they are doing for him can be done at home. This lets me know that they are running out of ideas. I will be picking him up and driving him straight to the specialist, who has already made time to receive us today. I still have a lot of hope, mostly because of how I've seen him change his mood in the past days, and because I have been learning a lot from you guys about the topic! I will have a new update around 6pm CT and I will let you know what the specialist tells me. I will also be retrieving all information, studies and medical stuff from the current vets to give it to the new specialist, hoping this will help her get acquainted with his case a little faster. Thanks again! You've made a great difference in mine and Taro's lives already :)
 
Mariana.Mnez said:
Good afternoon, this morning the report was the same as yesterday, he is still having ups and downs, so there is no significant changes, however, the vets once more confirmed me that there is nothing else to do, and that I can take him home because what they are doing for him can be done at home. This lets me know that they are running out of ideas. I will be picking him up and driving him straight to the specialist, who has already made time to receive us today. I still have a lot of hope, mostly because of how I've seen him change his mood in the past days, and because I have been learning a lot from you guys about the topic! I will have a new update around 6pm CT and I will let you know what the specialist tells me. I will also be retrieving all information, studies and medical stuff from the current vets to give it to the new specialist, hoping this will help her get acquainted with his case a little faster. Thanks again! You've made a great difference in mine and Taro's lives already :)
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The is great that you are getting copies of all the tests and information from the current vet. It will certainly be very valuable information for the specialist.

Lots of prayers that everything goes well at the specialist. :bighug: :bighug:
 
Hi Mariana,

I've not had to treat for ketones myself but I have read about them a lot here. We have seen cats sent home too soon and I am worried about that happening if Taro doesn't get the right tests done again today at Taro's new veterinary specialist.

My understanding is that a cat throwing ketones needs continuous veterinary treatment in a hospital setting until the ketones have been cleared and it is clear of DKA - IV glucose, specialised insulin treatment and intensive monitoring of electrolytes, BG, ketone levels, etc. - not the sort of stuff one can do at home (see Jill's earlier post).

When you get Taro to the specialist please make sure the specialist checks ketone and DKA status straight away. If ketones are still present to the very best of my knowledge the specialist will need to admit Taro to continue intensive ketone treatment.

I am tagging @Jill & Alex (GA) and @Meya14 to ask them to check in on you both. Please can you post updates as soon as possible, especially about Taro's ketone/DKA status. If ketones are still present, I'm fairly certain based on what I've learned here that he needs to be kept in by the new specialist but Jill and Meya should be able to give you better information as they have great experience and knowledge in this area.

Sending more prayers and healing thoughts for little Taro.

:bighug:


Mogs
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Great news on many fronts. Taro is eating, you are changing vets. Still can't believe vet is still telling you to PTS. Thank goodness you didn't. Regarding the ups and downs, well that's diabetes. Glucose will change hourly depending on food, activity, stress you name it, it will change.

Wish you the best of luck at New practice. Keep us posted. :bighug::bighug::bighug:
 
I am so glad Taro is going to the specialist today! I don't think those current vets have any idea what they are doing. :mad: You are a great kitty Mom for not losing hope and hanging in there with Taro! I hope the specialist will have some better news for you. Sending prayers and healing thoughts to both of you! :bighug::bighug::bighug:
 
The risk of taking home a cat with ketones centers on three things really: 1. Ketones+hyperglycemia can cause dehydration rapidly which can be severe. 2. Ketones can cause nausea and anorexia which will prevent recovery and elimination of the ketones. 3. The conditions that caused the DKA in the first place may not be resolved (ie. improper insulin dosing, starvation or anorexia, infection, chronic illness.)

All these things can cause a kitty to slide right back into a critical state. If a cat is eating very well, well hydrated, not ill, and electrolyte labs are good I feel that homecare is appropriate if ketones are low or trace. Home management consists of testing blood sugar at least 3 times a day, checking ketone level at least once a day preferably twice, adjusting insulin as needed, and providing extra calories. If ketones levels begin to rise, or appetite begins to slide, or cat appears weak/sick then it's better to go back to the vet.

Since your kitty is very small and probably underweight, it's important that you ensure she is eating enough when she comes home. A cat her size and diabetic probably needs about 150-180 calories to maintain. I would aim for 200 to promote weight gain. This is about one to one-and-a-half 5.5oz can of wet food a day depending on the brand. Most foods list calorie counts on the packaging.

If you aren't testing at home, now is a great time to get a crash course from the vet. After DKA, and because you have a "brittle" diabetic, you want to aim your blood sugars higher than what most people here consider normal. Try to keep blood sugars between 150-200. If she starts to drop under 150, add extra food instead of reducing insulin (she needs the insulin to gain weight). If you have a hard time keeping all her sugars above 150 with wet food, try adding some dry food. If she starts to be consistently over 200, you will need to increase insulin (don't reduce food). Also, allow her to eat as much as she wants, don't restrict food. People here can help you with insulin dose changes if you are able to keep track of the blood sugars.

You may want to ask your vet regarding her electrolyte labs, and make sure they are normal. Potassium can go dangerously low with ketones, and you might need a supplement. Also, you may want to ask if you can do subQ fluids at home for a little bit to continue to clear out the ketones. They should be able to teach you and provide the amount to give and all the supplies.
 
Meya14 said:
Try to keep blood sugars between 150-200. If she starts to drop under 150, add extra food instead of reducing insulin (she needs the insulin to gain weight). If you have a hard time keeping all her sugars above 150 with wet food, try adding some dry food. If she starts to be consistently over 200, you will need to increase insulin (don't reduce food).
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Question:

Are those reference numbers for home tests done with a human glucometer, Meya?


Mogs
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Mariana.Mnez said:
Good afternoon, this morning the report was the same as yesterday, he is still having ups and downs, so there is no significant changes, however, the vets once more confirmed me that there is nothing else to do, and that I can take him home because what they are doing for him can be done at home. This lets me know that they are running out of ideas. I will be picking him up and driving him straight to the specialist, who has already made time to receive us today. I still have a lot of hope, mostly because of how I've seen him change his mood in the past days, and because I have been learning a lot from you guys about the topic! I will have a new update around 6pm CT and I will let you know what the specialist tells me. I will also be retrieving all information, studies and medical stuff from the current vets to give it to the new specialist, hoping this will help her get acquainted with his case a little faster. Thanks again! You've made a great difference in mine and Taro's lives already :)
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Hi @Mariana.Mnez ,

What did the specialist tell you?
 
Hi everyone, yesterday after moving Taro to the new vet, she said the numbers he had been having and his general health file are still very treatable and explained to me what you initially said about the bounces being pretty normal, but she did confirm that he needed to be hospitalized rather than go home so soon, so he is currently staying at the clinic. Today's report is good, he did have some up and downs, but the highest number was 400 and that's when the insuline had worn off. At night he did go low, at 40, only once and then remained between 150 and 200. She says he had a good night, he is still eating very well and just had a nice breakfast about an hour ago. Yesterday she showed me how to get the blood sample from his ear to test, and when we tested he was over 600, but she says it could be partly because of the stress he may have suffered during the car drive to the new vet (it was a long drive, lots of traffic!) Hopefully Taro's situation will start getting better and better, though it seems it was already getting better at the old vet, so that makes me happy. This specialist is very nice, plays them music, has feliway on the clinic and treats them with a lot of love. I hope Taro can see that and feel better as well. Thank you for the support!
 
That's wonderful news! Taro is indeed lucky to have you in his corner, fighting for him. Prayers for you both! :bighug::bighug::bighug:
 
Glad to hear Taro is stable, you learned how to poke the ear and is eating. He will be home soon. Keep us posted.
 
Hello everyone, I have a new update but also a few questions. Taro has been doing great, he seriously looks like a different kitty, he's very active, playing around, eating really really well and is not testing positive for ketones anymore. He is scheduled to come home with me tomorrow, however the new vet changed his food to normal wet food in order to get him to gain weight, but his new dosage is 3.5 units of insuline. I feel a little weird going from .5 units to 3.5, he is stable and his levels have not dropped drastically anymore, but would you consider this is okay?
 
Has his insulin dose been increased up to 3.5 units in hospital? Are they doing frequent blood glucose tests at this dose? Are you planning to do BG testing at home? I would certainly be unwilling to go from 0.5 units to 3.5 units in one jump!
 
So glad to hear that Taro is doing so well and will be coming home tomorrow.

I would get all information on the types and doses of insulin that were used for Taro during the whole stay at the vets. Also a detailed list of all glucose readings that were taken at the vets. If you are not already home testing this would be a very important step to take.

It is hard to say whether the dose they are recommending is appropriate for Taro, but if you can get that information and post back you can get some feedback from our members.
 
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Mariana.Mnez said:
Hello everyone, I have a new update but also a few questions. Taro has been doing great, he seriously looks like a different kitty, he's very active, playing around, eating really really well and is not testing positive for ketones anymore. He is scheduled to come home with me tomorrow, however the new vet changed his food to normal wet food in order to get him to gain weight, but his new dosage is 3.5 units of insuline. I feel a little weird going from .5 units to 3.5, he is stable and his levels have not dropped drastically anymore, but would you consider this is okay?
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I'm with Tuxedo Kitty on this one. Has Taro stabilized at that dose? If so, then you see him healthy and happy at that dose now. No?

Taro is not going from .5 to 3.5 in a normal way at all. There was, as I understand, a DKA, a near death experience, and all kinds of other Hell in between. Now you have a healthy and stabilized kitty. Now you have a competent doctor. If I were in your shoes, I would take time to evaluate any decision about changing the advised dose. Correct me if I am misunderstanding what you have written, but what this doctor has done is save Taro, with, as I understand, precisely the dose you are unsure about?

So go with Tux Kitty's advice, and get ready to do a lot of home testing, no matter what dose you give Taro.

When I first joined, I came in with my vet's recommended dose, and we didn't change it, until we had some good solid data to support a change. We got this data from my home testing.

Congratulations on getting Taro:cat: home. You've done a super job.:woot::woot:
 
@Mariana.Mnez -

I am beyond delighted to hear the great update about Taro! I'm also delighted that you now seem to have found a great vet to help you care for him.

:bighug:


Mogs
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Mariana.Mnez said:
Hello everyone, I have a new update but also a few questions. Taro has been doing great, he seriously looks like a different kitty, he's very active, playing around, eating really really well and is not testing positive for ketones anymore. He is scheduled to come home with me tomorrow, however the new vet changed his food to normal wet food in order to get him to gain weight, but his new dosage is 3.5 units of insuline. I feel a little weird going from .5 units to 3.5, he is stable and his levels have not dropped drastically anymore, but would you consider this is okay?
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So glad to hear happy news for taro!

That is quite a large jump of insulin. I dont know what to tell you. This new vet sounds very good but why such a big increase i dont understand. Have you questioned her on why that amount of insulin suddenly? If he is stable, especially.
 
Meya14 said:
After DKA, and because you have a "brittle" diabetic, you want to aim your blood sugars higher than what most people here consider normal.
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Meya14 said:
When there are no fat stores left in a diabetic the liver has a very hard time compensating for insulin doses. This in humans is referred to as "brittle" diabetes. What happens is that the blood sugars go very high, then insulin is given, then you get dangerously low sugars, and back and forth. The solution is actually to increase the amount of carbs you are feeding, so that you can give larger insulin doses - this will allow her to gain weight faster and for her sugars to be less "brittle". Once she is more stable, slowly reduce the carbs in the food, and monitor weight closely. The only way she'll gain weight and be healthier is with larger insulin doses than what she's been getting and that's going to mean increasing intake.
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Mariana.Mnez said:
the new vet changed his food to normal wet food in order to get him to gain weight, but his new dosage is 3.5 units of insuline. I feel a little weird going from .5 units to 3.5, he is stable and his levels have not dropped drastically anymore, but would you consider this is okay?
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[Emphasis mine]

If it were my cat I would be OK with this. Indeed, your specialist's treatment plan for Taro is completely in line with Meya's earlier contributions to this thread. (Meya is extremely knowledgeable about ketones and DKA.)

Kathy and TiTi said:
Taro is not going from .5 to 3.5 in a normal way at all. There was, as I understand, a DKA, a near death experience, and all kinds of other Hell in between. Now you have a healthy and stabilized kitty. Now you have a competent doctor. If I were in your shoes, I would take time to evaluate any decision about changing the advised dose. Correct me if I am misunderstanding what you have written, but what this doctor has done is save Taro, with, as I understand, precisely the dose you are unsure about?
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I am on the same page as Kathy, Mariana. From reading many of Meya's contributions to the forum my understanding of the path to a solid recovery from DKA is to make sure the kitty gets amounts of food and insulin which are specific to the needs of a cat recovering from DKA and especially those needing to gain a significant amount of weight as part of their recovery. All efforts need to be made to keep the cat as stable as possible during convalescence in order to prevent relapses.

It sounds like you have now got a very good vet for Taro. Her treatment plan appears to be working well and Taro is doing much, much better on it. If I were in this situation I would follow the specialist's treatment plan and monitor BG and ketones every day at home. I'd also keep a record of the type and amount of food he is eating every day and weigh him regularly. (A reasonably priced digital baby scales is ideal for home weight monitoring.) The data you gather will be a great aid to you and to Taro's specialist when assessing his progress and ongoing treatment needs.

If there is anything you want to learn more about please keep asking questions here and we'll do our best to help you.

Sending lots of fusses for little Taro and a huge :bighug: to you, Mariana, for loving him so much and caring for him so well.


Mogs
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Misterbeesmom said:
That is quite a large jump of insulin. [...] why such a big increase i dont understand.
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Hi Jen,

If you look back at Meya's earlier posts in this thread she explains how DKA kitties have very specific insulin and food needs as part of their treatment and recovery. (I recommend always studying Meya's posts; you can learn a tremendous amount about treatment/prevention of ketosis and DKA from her.)


Mogs
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Hello everyone, I have a few updates on this, but I also have some concerns! Taro is doing great, he is putting weight and is actually almost 7 pounds now! (6.83lbs) He is eating great, levels are pretty decent, not too high, not too low. However, it's my turn now to shoot him with insulin and im having a hard time, as some of it has been spilling, this has not affected the results much, but it's obviously making us check his levels more frequent than we were, do you have any advice on it? Also, when taking tle blood sample for the glucometer, my vet told me it's faster to go through, but I saw on some videos that it's not necessary to really go through his ear to get the sample? Any advice on that? As you can see he is doing great, its me that is having some trouble getting used to giving shots and taking tests!
 
Mariana.Mnez said:
Hello everyone, I have a few updates on this, but I also have some concerns! Taro is doing great, he is putting weight and is actually almost 7 pounds now! (6.83lbs) He is eating great, levels are pretty decent, not too high, not too low. However, it's my turn now to shoot him with insulin and im having a hard time, as some of it has been spilling, this has not affected the results much, but it's obviously making us check his levels more frequent than we were, do you have any advice on it? Also, when taking tle blood sample for the glucometer, my vet told me it's faster to go through, but I saw on some videos that it's not necessary to really go through his ear to get the sample? Any advice on that? As you can see he is doing great, its me that is having some trouble getting used to giving shots and taking tests!
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Hi Mariana,

I'm so glad that Taro is doing well! I'm not sure I understand what you mean by spilling insulin. Do you mean that sometimes it doesn't all go into Taro? There are good videos on YouTube showing how to grab fur and skin, lift it up tight and then shoot into the front of the little "tent" that forms. Is Taro cooperative when you give his insulin? You can train him using treats to enjoy going to a certain spot without injecting him. Repeat this and make it enjoyable for him and eventually you should be able to do the injection more easily. Some cats are more sensitive to the needle than others and their reaction can make the owner nervous.

No, you don't have to go through the ear to get blood but it's much easier if the ear is warm. We recommend making an "ear warmer" by putting a little rice in the toe of a sock, tying a knot in the sock and then heating it in the microwave until it's very warm (but not too hot). Put the hot sock over Taro's ear to warm it and there will be better blood flow.

I guarantee that with time and practice all this will be easier for you.
 
Good morning. Today was Taro's second night at home and first night with a new food. We changed his food under the specialists instructions because he was eating Diamond normal food and the calories were too high, he was taking 9units every 9 hours. Since yesterday after the switch (hills w/d dry food) he took 3units, at 4:00am, 5 hours after his take he was on 189, this morning after 11 hours he is on 356, as far as I know, at the end of the twelve hours it's expected to be higher. I a,so posted a question on a different thread, about schedules, at this point I'm a little stressed out about Monday, because Taro's schedule is so spaced out, I cannot manage it at work, and I don't have anyone to help me out at home. Now that the shot is every 12 hours instead of 9, it's a bit easier but still, shot is at 11am and 11pm, food is 2 hours after every shot at 1am and 1pm, and testing is before the shots and 6 hours after 5pm and 5am, but I work 9 to 6. I was reading here that some people test, feed and shot around the same time. Would eating at the same time of his shot affect his numbers? Also, if I wanted to feed him two times instead of three (2/3 of a cup) would that affect his numbers randomly? He is negative for ketones but we are still trying to get him to put on some weight. And what are the ideal numbers to have throughout and at the end of the 12 hours of the shot? He is not on Lantus anymore, he is in Glargine but of a generic brand, seems to have worked better for him at the specialist.
 
Mariana.Mnez said:
Good morning. Today was Taro's second night at home and first night with a new food. We changed his food under the specialists instructions because he was eating Diamond normal food and the calories were too high, he was taking 9units every 9 hours.
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Hi Mariana,

Could you please tell us a little bit more about Diamond normal food? Is it a dry or a wet food? What is the carbohydrate content of this food?
I know that it's a tricky question, but have you already chosen between the Start Low Go Slow and the Tight Regulation methods, supposing that the same regulation methods apply to your generic Glargine (generic name of Lantus)?

Both methods are described here:
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/lantus-levemir-start-low-go-slow-method-slgs.129446/
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/lantus-levemir-tight-regulation-protocol-tr.1581/

The first method, SLGS, is adapted to your schedule, I think, and in that case, you can continue to feed with dry food.
The second method, TR, is a little bit more difficult to apply with your schedule, but not impossible(http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/...ion-possible-with-a-full-time-job-yes.129378/), but in that case, you need to switch your cat to a low carbohydrate wet wood, with less than 10% of the metabolized energy brought by CHO.


Don't be afraid too much, I have personally succeeded in putting my cat into remission, having a full time job, living alone, and having a lot of extra activities.
It can be quite frightening at the beginning, but knowing your motivation, I'm sure that you will succeed in dealing with all that stuff!!!!
 
@Mariana.Mnez -

Can you tell us EXACTLY what instructions the specialist gave you about when to give insulin, what dose to give plus when and how much to feed Taro? (I know from your post on another thread that he's on Hill's w/d dry food at the moment and it's important that you DO NOT change his food right now.)

We need this information from you because of Taro's special circumstances (post-DKA, very underweight, brittle diabetic) and I want to make sure that both you and we understand fully what you've been told to do so that any suggestions you receive here will be safe and appropriate for Taro's current special needs.

Please post the information on this thread so members can better follow what's happening.


Mogs
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o_O
Critter Mom said:
Attention of all members following Taro's progress:

Please see the posts relating to Taro in the following thread so that you'll have a full picture of the dialogue there as well as on this thread.

http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/...ng-high-numbers-bouncing.165901/#post-1796127


Mogs
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Oupssss, I have missed some information.

But there is still something that I don't understand : Taro's food has been changed because it contained too much calories.
Taro is underweight, needs to regain weight, but has been transitioned to a prescription food to loose weight and avoid obesity ? o_O


If somebody could explain me the above, that would be very kind, for my own culture...
 
Capoo said:
o_O

Oupssss, I have missed some information.

But there is still something that I don't understand : Taro's food has been changed because it contained too much calories.
Taro is underweight, needs to regain weight, but has been transitioned to a prescription food to loose weight and avoid obesity ? o_O


If somebody could explain me the above, that would be very kind, for my own culture...
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I understand clearly why Taro is needing currently a high carb diet, but not why he needs a low fat and high fiber diet...
 
Capoo said:
I understand clearly why Taro is needing currently a high carb diet, but not why he needs a low fat and high fiber diet...
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At the moment the most important thing is to keep Taro stable and get enough insulin into him. The w/d is the higher in carbs of the Hill's diabetic foods. The specialist may have chosen it to provide support for Taro to be able to receive the amount of insulin he needs at the moment to make a strong recovery form DKA and gain weight. Because he's showing signs of being a 'brittle' diabetic the standard recommendations for uncomplicated cases don't apply here. Pure speculation here but perhaps the lower fat content may be a little easier on Taro's digestive system while he's recovering?


Mogs
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Taro was on a diet of Diamond normal food until yesterday morning, while on this food, he was takin 9units every 9 hours, the new food w/d Hills was changed under the instructions of the specialist. He is taking 3.5 units every 12 hours. We started with 3 units, raised it to 3.5 for today's 11am shot. I just took his numbers and he is in 220, so I'm guessing that dose isn't working well? I'm not sure just yet which are the ideal numbers to get on the reading.

Current instructions are:
3.5 units of insulin every 12 hours
Feeding 3 times a day 1/4cup of food each time (65grm in total), 2 hours after the shots and in between during the day.
Testing prior the shots and 5 hours after.

Also, I have to test him 4 times a day, will this be bad for his ears? Any tips on that?
 
The hills dry is still a fairly high carb food, so for now that is fine for him to be on. I'm not sure the thought process behind your vet wanting you to switch, but it doesn't really matter. Some vets are -AFRAID- of high doses of insulin. Unfortunately, it prevents some cats from being regulated. The body needs the amount it needs, and each cat will have different insulin requirements. Vets will sometimes recommend reducing calories or withholding food, and if the cat is obese this may be ok. With an underweight cat, it is a poor idea to reduce food or calories in order to control blood sugar. There is nothing inherently dangerous about higher doses of insulin if the cat requires it, especially if underweight.

I would try to hold food consistant and stop making changes to the food situation for at least a month. Times aren't as important as consistency. Adjust the insulin per one of the protocols we use on the site to provide guidance. Your sugars will be all over the place for a while, that is normal. Look at weight gain, appetite, and mood as your indicators. Monitor the sugars, but you should really only be concerned if he goes either low, or if for an extended period (2+ days) goes really high.
 
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Hello everyone, I managed get a night shift at work so that I can keep an eye on Taro during the day. He's doing good, he's eating well, using his litterbox, loves to hang out with me in bed and watch TV. We raised the dose to 4units this morning as we have not managed to get numbers within 100 - 250, vet says the ideal number at the end of the 12 hours is under or at 250. So today, at 4 units, after 6 hours he was in 220, but at the end of the 12 hours he was in 459! This is the highest he's been since he's been back with me. Is this normal while we are trying to get the right dose? Is this bad? I also noticed, not sure if it's related, that he had one eye a little bit more closed than the other, but since I have a smaller cat that likes to play with him, maybe he poked his eye or something. I have been managing the tests and the shots well enough, but this kind of results scare me a bit.
 
It's pretty normal to be up and down a little bit at first while finding the right dose, also since lantus lasts a long time in the system, the full effect of the dose change won't be seen for 2-3 days. Also, are you testing for ketones at home? If you can keep track of his weights too, that can help you assess if the insulin is working well.
 
Mariana.Mnez said:
not sure if it's related, that he had one eye a little bit more closed than the other,
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Get that checked out with the vet as soon as possible, Mariana. Always better to be safe. Ask the vet to check intraocular pressure and do a retina exam as part of the check-up.

Very glad to hear that Taro is eating well and that the two of you are enjoying snuggle time.

:bighug:


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