What can I do for my cat now?

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linda and guinness

linda and guinness

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My cat Guinness seems to be out of remission with a trip to the water bowl today and a BG reading of 351. He normally resided in the 70 range for his 2 year honeymoon. I have a call into my vet (who, really never supported our listening to people on this board in the first place) and I'm going to try and get him in on Saturday (today is Wednesday) to check for any infection, and probably back on Lantus, etc. Is there anything I can do for him in the meantime before we go to the vet? He's very vocal and following me around a lot trying to get food. I feed him 4 times a day (in small amounts). Would it help him feel better to give him a little more food at each feeding?
 
As you remember, they are very hungry when unregulated. Splitting the meals into several small ones is a good idea. How about adding a little warm water to it and making it stretch?

Will your vet be willing to go ahead and prescribe Lantus based on your number at home? Then you could start with a very small dose.
 
Hi Linda, and, of course, you too, Guinness,

I think it's great you're making an appointment for Guinness to be seen. You're right, it could be an infection that's driving up his BGs.

I would humbly suggest you feed him more food. With higher numbers, you're not just feeding the cat, you're feeding the diabetes, if it is diabetes... Not that 351 is all that high; but, if Guinness' BGs have been around 70 for two years, it's up there for him...

I'd also humbly suggest you start and keep checking for ketones -- not that it sounds like he has them -- but, just to be sure. You know, till you get him to his vet...

Guinness is lucky to have such a great mom!

Love and please keep us posted kind of hugs,
Deb and Nikki -- and, Giz, forever dancing in my heart...
 
Deb, really feed him more? I don't want to over tax his pancreas, but he's just crazy meowing for food even right after he eats. Maybe a tsp or two more at each meal?
 
Hi Sue,

Thank you for your response. I do add about 2-3 tsps of warm water to every meal. In fact, their meals are more like soup than solid. As far as my vet prescribing the Lantus without seeing us, probably not. I've been avoiding taking him to the vet since he went in for his first diagnosis two years ago. Yes, I know, bad, but I just couldn't do it. I have such bad experiences with the vet(s) that I have been putting it off. I know he needs to get his teeth checked, so I'm going to have to go in and have that done plus discuss his high numbers, hopefully, Saturday. My vet is very nice, but she admitted to me she didn't know much about Feline Diabetes when he was diagnosis, she then proceeded to treat him in a way that was 100% contrary to the advice I was getting on this board. I went with the boards advice and my relationship with the vet has been strained ever since. Hence, my avoiding going.
 
i am sorry your kitty has come out of remission. i have to strongly suggest NOT waiting until sat. to start insulin with a BG that high and a possible infection. there has to be a medical reason he came out of remission and an infection somewhere (how are his teeth? when was last dental?) is a likely scenario. the problem with waiting is the risk of DKA, a deadly and expensive condition, something you really do not want to happen. are you testing his urine every chance you get for ketones?
i would call the vet first thing in morning and get the process started. there is no doubt your cat is diabetic, needs insulin asap, and waiting is just too big a risky gamble.
~jojo

ETA: "my relationship with the vet has been strained ever since. Hence, my avoiding going."
i would also strongly recommend getting a new vet. you should love your cat's vet not avoid them. there are plenty of vets out there....
 
perhaps with the appt scheduled for saturday, the vet would call in a prescription for insulin in the meantime, given Guinness' past history with it. honestly, if i couldn't get in sooner, or the vet wouldn't call in a prescription sooner given the history, and i already had a strained relationship with that vet . . . a new vet sounds better and better.
 
The soonest appointment I could get was Friday at 3:30pm, not too far off from Saturday, basically. I'm not sure how to go about finding a shot or two of Lantus before that. Could someone give me the direction on that? Where to post, etc.
 
Hi Linda,

Where are you located? No specifics necessary. Maybe one of us can lend you some Lantus...

Hugs,
Deb in Northern NJ
 
I live in San Diego, CA. I'm going to a different vet on Friday (she was our vet a long time ago). I spoke with her at length on the phone last night and she seems fairly knowledgable about fd but still gave me grief about using a human glucometer, so that makes me a little nervous.
 
San Diego FD-friendly vets?

Hi Linda,

How's Guinness doing today? Is he still eating and looking for more food? Are you eating at all?

The difference between going Friday instead of Saturday could mean two shots -- Friday pm and Saturday am... And, maybe getting some test results back on Saturday, instead of waiting till Monday...

Dearest Linda, you should never be nervous about being proactive on Guinness' behalf. I'm not a vet basher at all; but, I have taught a couple of vets (who I dearly love) about home testing. If you think it might help to show your vet how simple and how little blood is actually needed, you might want to consider taking in your test kit and showing her... You could also mention that in his own surroundings, Guinness might have truer numbers than at the vet's... Just like some people exhibit anxiety at the doctor's office (white coat syndrome), animals often experience vet stress...

Did I mention that I think Guinness is lucky to have such a great mom?!

Love and encouraging hugs for you both,
Deb and Nikki -- and, Giz, forever dancing in my heart...

PS: Have you had a chance to pick up KetoStix or KetoDiastix and catch some pee yet?

PPS: Please keep us posted, okay?
 
I will keep you posted. Thank you for the kind words. It really does help to keep me motivated and not give up. I've been dreading this day (I always thought it would eventually come back) and now it's here. I'm not at home to see how he is doing, but he still ate and begged for more this am after breakfast. I will be able to see if he ate his 11am meal when I get home at 3pm and will check on his behavior. He's only acting slightly less active, lying around more, which has always been is MO when his BG was high way back when.

Thanks again for the encouragement...it means more then you know. Also, I will be taking my human glucometer and old spreadsheet to my new vet to show her I'm no dummy when it comes to this stuff.
 
If you take in the veterinary journal articles by Rand article links, that show how human glucometers are used and the reference ranges, that may be helpful to the vet.
 
Re: What can I do for my cat now? Update

Tested Guinness's urine this afternoon and negative for ketones, thank goodness. Only 24 hours away from his vet appointment. I've already put in a call to them to have the vet call in the script for the Lantus today, but she isn't in the office today so at least it will be there (hopefully) for me tomorrow before the vet visit. No luck on finding any Lantus earlier than that at this point.

Wish me luck, I'm taking two 11 year old cats and a hyper 6 year old to the vet over 25 miles away...it's my nightmare!
 
Re: What can I do for my cat now? Update

Dearest Linda, and, of course, you too, Guinness,

linda and guinness said:
Tested Guinness's urine this afternoon and negative for ketones, thank goodness.
Click to expand...

YAY!! Thank goodness indeed! And, whew...

Good move calling ahead for the Lantus scrip. Remember to ask for the pens, not the vial. The pens last much longer -- you know, in case Guinness decides he likes the ear poke routine again...

linda and guinness said:
Wish me luck, I'm taking two 11 year old cats and a hyper 6 year old to the vet over 25 miles away...it's my nightmare!
Click to expand...

You give new meaning to road trips, Linda... Good luck! Drive safely. And, please let us know how it goes when you can, okay?

Much love and countless encouraging hugs for you all,
Deb and Nikki -- and, Giz, forever dancing in my heart...

PS: Oh to be a fly on the examining room wall when you whip out your meter and Guinness' old spreadsheet... You go, proactive Mom!
 
Thank you for the good wishes.

I was hoping for the vial...it's what I used last time, so I'm not familiar with the pens. What is the difference? Also, Guinness is a recepient (willingly, surprisingly) of a paw poke and not an ear poke. He's gotten so used to it he basically lays down, presents one of his back paws and puts a front paw on my free arm. Then, he usually claws me with his front paw right before the click. It's his way of paying me back for the pain ;)
 
Pens are bascially a 3 mL vial attached to a handle with a cap. Humans add a special needle on the tip; you just use a regular U-100 insulin to remove the insulin needed for the dose.

They come in packages of 5. A recent trip to Sam's Club (pharmacy open to everyone, not just members) and the 5 pack was arounc $117. An individual vial was roughly $47. Cheaper in the long run to get the 5 pack if you can swing it. Maybe find some other folks nearby to split the 5 pack.

Remember to store it in the refrigerator to extend the life but NOT on the refrigerator door which moves it around too much.
 
Hi Linda,

Most of the vial gets wasted as it becomes ineffective after a month or so... The pens are like long vials that contain much less insulin (4 or 5 pens to a box), therefore each pen is a fresh start. Since one pen can last a month or so (depending on the dose and sugar cat and proper storage), you'll be getting 4 or 5 months worth of insulin for roughly the same amount of money (give or take). Make sense?

So Guinness is a paw man. Interesting!

Love and encouraging hugs continue for you both,
Deb and Nikki -- and, Giz, forever dancing in my heart...

PS: Nikki's a nipper... Payback's a you know what!
 
I haven't done this, but someone mentioned on another thread that Costco and Hospitals will sell you just a single pen. If you don't need all 5 pens, this would be the most economical, because you won't be wasting most of the insulin in the vial.
 
Good points regarding the pens. I'm going to push for those. Hopefully, my local Costco carries them and hopefully the vet will agree to them. I will keep you all posted. Thanks so much for the support. You are the best!!
 
Linda i did'nt know if you meant next fri or today. i will be in carlsbad tomorow and i could give you some loaded levemir syringes if need be. pm me.
 
as a matter of fact i could also supply you with a newbie kit if you need one. :-D
 
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