Waiting for Pet Insurance to kick in...

Status
Not open for further replies.
Erinia

Erinia

Member Since 2014
Hello,

I'm pretty new here; I guess you can tell that. I have four cats, and my oldest, M, is most likely diabetic judging from the symptoms (increased thirst/urination, huge appetite, loss of weight, walking flat-footed (hocks)).

A little back story: M used to be 28 lbs and my vet suggested I put him on Hills Metabolic Diet. That was 9 months ago or so. Now M is about 13 lbs. I realized there was a problem when I could feel his vertebrae. That was about a month ago. I figured that the Metabolic food was too successful and messed with his metabolism, turning him hyperthyroid, so I've been giving him a ton of wet food to supplement the dry (and I add extra water to the wet food too). I prefer (and M prefers) Soulistic chicken in pumpkin soup, but he's a beggar, not a chooser, so he'll eat anything. In fact, he's been diagnosed with PICA. This has resulted in the requirement of free feeding, or he will literally start to eat cabinets. Anyway, 8 days ago, I bought pet insurance, because I know that his blood-work, etc, has never indicated thyroid or diabetic issues, and thus insurance would help me pay for treatment. I have 6 days left on my insurance waiting period (to avoid that pesky pre-existing condition clause), but know I can't afford to take him to the vet until the 27th (stupid bills) I flipped out yesterday when I realized he was walking on his hocks. (He's always had hip trouble. Pretty sure he was involved in an accident before I got him from a rescue organization). I'd been wondering why litter was sticking to his feet.

I figured that I would join the forum for support and advice. He is going to the vet on the 27th. I'm getting the Banfield special care policy to help pay for the bloodwork and UA's that I know he'll need.

I really don't want his neuropathy to get worse. He seems miserable right now because he can't hop out onto the cat porch my landlord built for me. I'm having Methyl B12 5mg over-nighted to me (don't worry, I got the kind with no xylitol), and I bought the local pet food store out of Evo dry (the low carb kind) and wet and Young Again is going to send me a sample pack for their ZERO CARB food. I'm getting a glucose meter tomorrow (which I still don't know how to read). I'm making sure I keep his feet clean. I'm really concerned about the joints in his legs. Is there anything else I can do between now and Vet time?

I feel terrible that I just now put all the symptoms together. He's always had weird skin conditions and limping, etc, so I didn't think anything of it. I don't want people to think I'm a terrible cat mom. This cat has literally saved my life. I'm terrified that any damage he has sustained is irreversible.

Any advice will be welcome. (And yes, his vet appointment is scheduled 1st thing on the 27th).
 
Start now by checking if the food you are feeding is low carb. We recommend feeding over the counter, low carb, canned or raw food. Doing so may drop the glucose level 100 mg/dL (how the US measures feline blood glucose)One inexpensive example is Friskies pates; another is Fancy Feast Classic pates. Make any food changes gradually to reduce the chances of nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea which can happen when food changes are sudden. To learn more about feline nutrition, pop over to Cat Info

Next, pick up some urine ketone testing strips - either KetoDiaStix or KetoStix - and try to test a fresh specimen of urine. Some folks put a piece of plastic wrap over part of the litter, then wait for a deposit to test. Others will hold a ladle underneath a voiding cat to get a sample. If you see more than a trace of ketones, it is an emergency.

Also, we advocate home blood glucose testing to keep your cat safe and monitor his condition. We suggest using an inexpensive human glucometer with pet-specific reference numbers. One many of us use is the WalMart Relion Confirm, or Confirm Micro, which is also sold at American Diabetes Wholesale as as the Arkray USA Glucocard 01 or 01 Mini (same manufacturer - Arkray USA). It uses a tiny blood droplet and the cost is significantly lower for test strips (like $0.36 each).

Comparing a human glucometer to a pet-specific glucometer is like reading temperature in Celsius vs Fahrenheit. Both are correct. You just need to know the reference ranges to interpret what the numbers mean.

[Glucose reference ranges are unsubstantiated and have been removed by Moderator]


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *​
Examples of using the chart:

Ex. You are a new insulin user and you test your cat before giving insulin. The test is 300. It probably is safe to give insulin.

Ex. You are an established user of Lantus, following the Tight Regulation protocol. You've tested around +5 to +7 to spot the nadir. It is 200 mg/dL. You probably need to increase the dose, following the instructions for the protocol.

Ex. Your cat is acting funny. The eyes are a bit dilated. You are concerned and test the glucose. The number is 35 mg/dL. ACK! The cat may be in a hypoglycemic state. You quickly follow the HYPO protocol linked in the glucose reference values chart. (which we really, really, suggest you print out and post on your refrigerator.)
 
Hi! Welcome to FDMB. First things first...breathe. Now breathe again. Diabetes isn't a death sentence. Sounds like you are doing great so far. Switching to low carb food is a must. Is M a dry food addict? Lie carb wet food is best but if M has always had dry food, you probably will want to slowly change over using the lower carb dry. If you vacant get him on 100% wet eventually it's best since it is lower carb than dry plus gets water into him...which diabetics need. Evo is great from what I hear. However, if you find it's too expensive remember you can use friskies classic pate or special diet. It's pretty cheap but still good.

What meter are you getting? You can use a human glucometer to save money. Lots of us use the relion from Walmart. The strips are much cheaper than pet meters. Once you get it, we can help you home test and interpret the numbers.

You ate definitely not a bad cat mom. Look at everything you are doing already! We actually suggest changing food before insulin since cats can drop over 100 points from just a food change. Some kitties never need insulin...others only to help boost healing with food change. It's best to home test with a food change to see where he stands. Either way, if he does need insulin it isn't hard to give and helps him feel better. The neuropathy should start to clear up as he gets better.

You ate a GREAT cat mom. All the research you've done and your commitment to doing whatever needs to be done tells me that.
 
Hello, and a very warm welcome to you. :YMHUG:

Chin up, sweetie.
You've found the best site on the planet for help with feline diabetes.

Please do be kind to yourself.
You are not alone in not realising sooner that your cat might be diabetic.
(My cat was very poorly indeed when he was diagnosed. He'd obviously been unwell for quite some time but for some reason I just hadn't seen it.)
The important thing now is that you have realised that your cat is sick, and you are doing everything you can to remedy that situation.

Feline diabetes is very treatable. And, with treatment and care, the symptoms that you are seeing in your cat should resolve.
You obviously care for your cat very much, and I've got a feeling that you and your cat are going to be just fine. :smile:

Welcome aboard!

Eliz
 
Thanks guys for your replies and help!

Since M has pica, it's imperative that dry food is left out at all times since he is trained to eat that if it is down. If there is no dry food available, he immediately starts trying to eat the cabinet, the trash can, trash can liners, cords, carpet, bedding, etc, etc. So it's not so much a dry food addiction as it is a necessity.

I try to use as little dry food as possible. I usually put a cup of food out every morning, along with two cans of wet food (in AM and PM) I even dilute the wet food further by adding warm water and making it soupy to ensure that they are getting enough water. They love their morning and evening soups! Every so often, I buy a can of organic pumpkin since they LOVE pumpkin. Since I work 12-15 hour days EVERY SINGLE DAY, having the dry food as a backup also means that none of my cats go hungry. I'm planning on switching all my cats to the zero carb dry from Young Again...if they like it. If not, they will either be getting Evo or Nature's Variety Instinct, since I know they enjoy those and they are the lowest carb options for Dry Food that I can find.

He has been having some trouble getting into the litter box, so I've been placing them in rubbermaid bins, on top of wee-wee pads. That worked out splendidly this morning since he missed the box last night. I was extremely pleased that I didn't have to mop my floor. I did buy him a new lower box this morning.

Am I crazy to be making him little shin guards to protect his "elbow" joints while he's walking on his hocks?

I bought him a Walmart Relion today. I tested my blood sugar first to figure out the pain level...and it didn't hurt. This gave me more confidence to test him.

I was pretty sure he had eaten very recently, but I went ahead and did my first test. I tested his glucose level via his ear...and it was 391. I tested again as blood was still welling and it was 407 (literally 15 seconds between tests). Obviously he's hyperglycemic, but now I'm scared and worried. I realize these levels are high, but the vet is absolutely NOT an option until the 27th at 8am. Scared and worried doesn't pay vet bills :(

I'm honestly not sure if I did the blood stick right, and I probably stressed him out (which can skew the results?) It literally took me 10 tries to get blood. M was *angry*. I did smell his breath and it was fine; no smell even vaguely reminiscent of acetone. I'm going to try to test for ketones (walmart was out of testers) later. and I'll probably use his paw pad to test next time, since I'm always cleaning them anyway.
 
If you can get going with either Young Again 0 Carb (5% calories from carbohydrate as we calculate it) or Evo Cat and Kitten dry food that will help. Again, mix it in slowly to avoid GI distress. And make sure the food is all < 10% calories from cabohydrates.

I am concerned that if diet doesn't bring his numbers down enough, he could have a fatal complication. There is a stop gap measure and I am not telling you to do it. I am presenting facts. In most, if not all, states, Humulin or Novolin N is available by request at the pharmacy. It is roughly $30-40 per 10 mL vial and lasts 6 to 8 hours in the cat. It would help lower the glucose some. Check to see if your state requires a prescription for syringes. If not, you would need some U-100 syringes. The injections are given subcutaneously by pulling up the fur,, sliding the syringe into the tented area, pushing in the plunger, then pulling it out. It wouldn't be the best option, but it could help prevent diabetic ketoacidosis, a potentially fatal, expensive to treat, complication of diabetes.

And check to see if the policy actually covers diabetes, diabetic ketoacidosis, and hepatic lipidosis (which can happen if too much fat gets broken down for calories).
 
How long has he been on the evo and other low carb foods?He is no longer getting the higher carb stuff right? Not even treats?

It can take a few days for the blood glucose to come down , so keep testing daily. Also definitely test his urine for ketones - you can get relion ketone strips in walmart cheap.

Wendy
 
Thank you guys for that information.

I'm pretty crafty when it comes to get feline prescription medication without a prescription. I'm sure he'll be fine until Thursday, but his BG numbers are freaking me the heck out! I'm monitoring him every 2-3 hours. Good news? I'm already a pro at testing! Maahes doesn't mind it at all because he gets all the extra loving.

Bad news? I'm utterly terrified. (his BG levels have been 395, 359, 591, and 444 so far). I've been crying off and on all day and at work. I'm so scared he's going to die, or that his blood-work will come back with his kidneys damaged beyond repair. Maahes is my baby. He saved my life 6 years ago, and I want to save him so badly. Waiting until Thursday is killing me.

The insurance plan I chose does in fact cover Diabetes, etc, as long as they are not "pre-existing" meaning that a vet would have had to clinically indicate it prior to taking out insurance. And it's not. M went to the vet about 7 months ago and everything was clean except for pesky ear mites. So, in a nutshell, he will be covered. The Banfield wellness plan that I'm purchasing in addition will cover all the office visits and initial testing.

So far the boys are loving the Evo dry and wet food. They've been on it all of one day. All my cats are completely off the high carb crap. I had a new bag of Purina Pro Plan and I gave it away. The only thing that contains carbs that he is getting? A pill pocket for the Methyl-B12. I don't typically give my cats treats unless it is fresh catnip. (I grow my own. I'm totally a kitty drug dealer). I think I'm really lucky when it comes to my cats and changing their food. Maahes believes that variety is the spice of life and will literally turn his nose up at food if it is always the same. Clawwork (yes he's orange) is the only one who pukes due to food change, but is so far tolerating the EVO well. Then Harlequin and Bestiarie just go with the flow.

I'm hoping that the low carb food is going to help get Maahes' numbers under control, even mildly, especially during this next week. Even after a day on the new diet, Maahes appears to be stepping more lively. He did jump on my bed this morning and he hasn't done that in weeks. Heck, he even scampered down the hallway, trying to get my pizza.

I'm trying not to go crazy here, but my mind keeps catastrophizing.

Thanks for your support guys!
 
You don't need to test every three hours since he isn't on insulin. But it's good practice!

It can take 24 hours for the high carb to clear his system, then it could take a few days to see any difference. But don't worry, even if it doesn't come down much, the insulin will help.

You can get hypo allegergenic pill pockets as they are low carb. Or only give him a portion of the pill pocket at one time , enough to cover the pill and save the rest for later.

Also pick up some urine ketone strips, he is high and at risk from diabetic ketoacidosis. It's an expensive and difficult condition to treat so best to keep an eye out for it.
 
I went to 5 walmarts today and 3 drug stores and no one had any! Ordered some from amazon, but they won't be here for a few days.

I'm encouraged by his responsiveness thus far though. He is more alert and just purry!

Thank you!
 
A nice way to assess how your suspected diabetic kitty is doing are the appetite and the 5 P's (peeing, pooping, purring, playing, preening). So, how is Maahes doing today?
 
Here's another thing that may help.

A timed pet feeder, such as the PetSafe 5, can spread out the food intake which helps by not overloading the pancreas and controlling how much glucose is being created per meal. This may help keep it from going so high all at once. When you're home, you can feed mini meals for the same effect. Just divide the food up into small amounts to be given every 2 or 3 hours. Canned food can be frozen and placed in a feeder, or put out to be nibbled as it thaws. Non-stick muffin cups work well for this.
 
He's doing well today. This whole time, other than a fascination with water, he's acting normally...which is why I didn't realize anything was wrong. He never grooms himself or plays. Never has, never will. He prefers to let the other boys groom him.

A timed feeder is a great idea. Do you have experience feeding multiple cats that way? Maahes is needy, and I'm uncomfortable leaving him along all day. He likes to snuggle with my other boys.

I'm definitely going to see about freezing canned food!
 
So...maahes smells lightly of urine tonight. Not just his back legs, but his back as well! Almost like someone peed on him. I smelled his beds, but they were fine. He definitely went outside the box on the wee wee pads I put down. Honestly, this is really starting to scare me to death to the point I feel like I'm going to break down.

Praying that vet day gets here soon. I wish I had the money to afford the er Vet.
 
Deep breaths. He will be at the vet soon.

When the blood sugar is high, the kidneys are working hard to clear it. That means they drink more.. And pee more.. And don't always make it to the box.
 
Looks like he made it to the box all day today. His back legs are so weak.

However, he's purring. He greeted me, and then stumbled around the kitchen while I fixed his lunch.
 
no =( stupid saver shipping.

HE JUMPED TODAY! Granted, he wanted my ribs.

I took his BG several times. The average number is definitely coming down on the low carb food. He hasn't gone over 400 at all, which is a good 40 points below the past two days average, and 200 points under the high of Saturday. Total win!
 
Lets get you started on recording the glucose tests in our spreadsheet. The instructions are here.

Since you're not giving insulin yet, you'll actually be recording AM BG (morning blood glucose) and PM BG (evening blood glucose)

Understanding the spreadsheet/grid:

Each day is 1 row. Each column stores different data for the day.

From left to right, you enter
the Date in the first column
the AMPS (morning pre-shot test) in the 2nd column
the Units given (turquoise column)

Then, there are 11 columns labeled +1 through +11
If you test at +5 (5 hours after the shot), you enter the test number in the +5 column
If you test at +7 (7 hours after the shot), you enter the test number in the +5 column
and so on.

Halfway across the page is the column for PMPS (evening pre-shot)
To the right is another turquoise column for Units given at the evening shot.

There is second set of columns labeled +1 through +11
If you snag a before bed test at +3, you enter the test number in the +3 column.

We separate day and night numbers like that because many cats go lower at night.

It is merely a grid for storing the info; no math required.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top