Wish all Vets thought the same.

[George and Bert]

Matilda ( Nor. Forrest cat) and Andre' ( large Orange Tabby) are still on Lantus and look and act fine even though I can only test Mattie. They are both on EVO now for five months and some canned Wellness Chicken twice a day. Brought Mattie in today because she jumped off a high table and jammed her shoulder. But what had me more concerned is her loose stools outside the box ( which happens now and then ) but she stopped eating along with it. I expected a fever because of ignoring her food, but Vet says she looks fine and has no fever. I thought her periodic litter box misses had to do with either high or low BGs, but he said no, the other way around and she probably has periods of Colitis. I can see the correlation, I just had it backwards. The Vet says low or high BGs do not cause loose stools so I have been laboring under a misconception. She reacts strongly to Lantus and gets low numbers fast so I have to watch her closely. Her numbers are always surprises and Andre's usually consistent.Once again he chastised me for feeding canned.
The last time Mattie was at the Vet was five years ago when she was first diagnosed. Since then she has lost three pounds ( She is eleven years old ) and is down to twelve pounds, but looks perfect to me. But here is what's confusing..The Vet said keeping Her at low numbers too long can cause her to lose weight, which could cause the three pound drop in five years...like it's a bad thing..I think that was his tone. I always thought we wanted to keep them at low numbers consistently. Thoughts?

 

[BJM]

Send your vet to Cat Info to get up to date on feline nutrition from Dr Pierson.

And when you say 'low', how low do you mean?

 

[granadilla]

Hi George. If Mattie's numbers drop fast, it might be time to change her dose. Maybe post on the Lantus forum to get some thoughts on that. I don't know enough about dosing to comment on the vet's comments about her numbers and her weight.

Yes, it would be nice if all vets were on the same page! When my cat got diabetes, my former vet told me to feed her dry W/D. When I asked about putting her on high-protein diet, he said that was just for overweight cats. I switched to another vet who told me to look up Dr. Lisa Pierson and to switch her food. I had already found this site but I was heartened that the new vet supported home testing and everything else I'd read about here.

Good luck with both kitties!

 

[Critter Mom]

I monitor Saoirse's weight using a body condition chart, a moderately-priced digital baby scales, and a log of her calorie consumption. (Easiest when one's cat eats only one type of food. ) Works well.

I've not come across anything about tight regulation leading to weight loss. (Doesn't mean that there isn't info out there - just haven't looked and it has not been my experience thus far with Saoirse.)

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[George and Bert]

Send your vet to Cat Info to get up to date on feline nutrition from Dr Pierson.

And when you say 'low', how low do you mean?

Vet did not stipulate number. At least for me I have found a correlation between preshot and expected Nadir numbers with Lantus producing such flat curves. I can usually tell where the lower number will be by the preshot number. The only tricky part is how much they are eating so I watch that. I assume he meant below 120. I did not question it because we are arguing over food. Vets don't give you a chance to finish talking. They figure we know absolutely nothing. I think her weight drop was good since it was obviously gradual over years. Possibly her heavier weight and less healthy diet caused the problem in the first place. And a better diet..no grain..very low carb caused the drop in weight and not low numbers. But I don't know how it all works.
She is walking better and seems in a good mood and eating some, but still leaving soft and a little bloody stools outside the box. I used to give Baby rice single grain with Baby Chicken to help it, But now the food ( single grain rice for infants ) is all pumped up with minerals and I don't know if that can hurt. I guess I can try pumpkin, but I doubt she would eat it.
Thank you all for your comments.

 

[granadilla]

Bloody stools aren't okay... If she were my cat, I'd take her to a new vet. You can also give her the pumpkin through a baby syringe if need be, but the blood is worrisome.

 

[BJM]

Food intolerance/allergy, colitis, ulcer, and cancer are some of the common causes of blood in the stool.

 

[Critter Mom]

I agree with @granadilla's suggestion about a new vet.
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[rhiannon and shadow (GA)]

If it's really red blood, it's something right near the exit..... if it's blackish then it's further up in the intestine....
Shadow got hemorrhoids with her ibd. Yes. apparently they can get them too.
If he's straining a little, he could be doing something similar.

 

[George and Bert]

Thanks..tried all the Vets and in general this one is the best around this area. He gets impatient with me sometimes because I challenge him and just don't take what he says all the time. the rest simply have too many drawbacks. This all boils down to two simple questions...
1. Can injuring her shoulder ( walking improved now, but not all better ) cause an upset stomach?
2. Can high or low BGs cause stomach upset or the other way around?
She was never a chow hound, but is turning her nose up at food, but sometimes she seems fine eating. I was think of trying Sulasalazine..never had luck with flagyl-Metronidazole or pumpkin really.

 

[granadilla]

A lot of diabetic cats also have colitis and it sounds like your vet thinks Mattie has some issues with colitis. Flare ups of intestinal issues could indeed raise her BG.

You can also ask the vet for Panacur or try probiotics for the diarrhea. How does your vet propose treating her intestinal flare ups? Sometimes kitties with IBD go through phases of not wanting to eat because their intestines are upset. That could be why she's turning up her nose at food. Maybe it's time for another call to the vet. Doesn't sound like he addressed her colitis situation thoroughly.

 

[George and Bert]

NO, he did not address it except to say it could be this or that and insisted on dry food. She loves baby food chicken and because her stomach tends to be upset chronically, but not as severe like now I give here Baby food chicken while the others eat Wellness chicken. Regular canned food seems to make it worse...hard to tell. Two days ago I boiled some chicken and smashed up some white rice in it. She ate a little also put some in BFC, but did not like the consistency. Does Pumpkin really work? Never thought it worked for my guys.
I switched dry food to Petcurean Go ( 13% carbs ) and it seemed to have stop the upset. She all of a sudden was hungry again and no loose stools for two days! Then today, back again, but not bloody.
Called vet and he is out. Going to try switching water from Poland Spring bottled to Poland Spring Distilled and see what happens. If not stopped by tomorrow going to try some Sulfasalazine I have on hand. BTW...at plus 8 hrs he was 280..extremely high for her. Will see where she is at plus 12 at 2o pm today.

 

[George and Bert]

NO, he did not address it except to say it could be this or that and insisted on dry food. She loves baby food chicken and because her stomach tends to be upset chronically, but not as severe like now I give here Baby food chicken while the others eat Wellness chicken. Regular canned food seems to make it worse...hard to tell. Two days ago I boiled some chicken and smashed up some white rice in it. She ate a little also put some in BFC, but did not like the consistency. Does Pumpkin really work? Never thought it worked for my guys.
I switched dry food to Petcurean Go ( 13% carbs ) and it seemed to have stop the upset. She all of a sudden was hungry again and no loose stools for two days! Then today, back again, but not bloody.
Called vet and he is out. Going to try switching water from Poland Spring bottled to Poland Spring Distilled and see what happens. If not stopped by tomorrow going to try some Sulfasalazine I have on hand. BTW...at plus 8 hrs he was 280..extremely high for her. Will see where she is at plus 12 at 2:00 pm today.

I want to add something here..The change from 4% dry to 13 % dry could account for a higher BG reading and in fact most likely at least added to it. I Will be ordering Young Again 4% to replace the Petcurean. I am down to 14 cats recently losing Bert's sister Cory and Helen. Feeding wt is an impossible chore and cannot afford it with my chow hounds. Several bowls out and let them eat what they want. This has worked for seven years with three controlled Diabetics until Mattie just started having problems. Bert was controlled between 80 and 120 and Andre' now hovers in the low 100's. Just sayin......

 

[Critter Mom]

I'm very sorry to hear about Cory and Helen.

 

[George and Bert]

I'm very sorry to hear about Cory and Helen.

Thank you. They are hard to lose. Cory was my constant companion and sister to Bert who's pic is posted here.

 

[George and Bert]

Update...Two visits to the vet and a lot of trial and error, but the vet nailed it! Four years of off and on belly problems gone almost overnight. She is a new cat running around as I have not seen her do. Her leg and shoulder have also healed from her injurious jump off a table and she's walking fine as well.
The result....She was allergic to her littler. And when she groomed herself and licked her paws she ingested corn fragments she picked up. The litter causing the problem was World's Best Litter. Maybe not the best for every cat.
Hope this helps someone looking for answers.

 

[Critter Mom]

They are hard to lose. Cory was my constant companion and sister to Bert who's pic is posted here.

Oh how hard ...

Your relationship with Cory sounds like the one I had with Saoirse's brother, Amadán. He was taken from me on the road - two weeks shy of their third birthday. I still ache for him, and Saoirse gets two of everything - fusses, treats - one for her, and one for my beloved Ammie ...

 

[Critter Mom]

... the vet nailed it! ... She was allergic to her litter ... Hope this helps someone looking for answers.

What wonderful news! I'd like to hug your vet! Wonderful that her injury has healed, too.

I also hope this nugget of information will help other kitties. I've certainly filed it for future reference.


Mogs
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[George and Bert]

Oh how hard ...

Your relationship with Cory sounds like the one I had with Saoirse's brother, Amadán. He was taken from me on the road - two weeks shy of their third birthday. I still ache for him, and Saoirse gets two of everything - fusses, treats - one for her, and one for my beloved Ammie ...

So sorry for your loss and pain...they stay with you in your mind and heart. I guess/hope is one day we will be reunited.

 

[George and Bert]

Than

What wonderful news! I'd like to hug your vet! Wonderful that her injury has healed, too.

I also hope this nugget of information will help other kitties. I've certainly filed it for future reference.


Mogs
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Thank you. Such a simple solution. Maybe we should all look closer at things that seem so basic we don't believe them to be an issue. I also want to add that the food I switched to help settle her stomach bringing healing faster. It's canned food called ALMO Chicken Breast. It consists of only chicken and water. They are very small nuggets, a bit dry. With some wrap over the paper plate I smash them a bit with a tack hammer, then add warm distilled water making a soup. She laps it right up and I have to fight the other cats off it. I relent and give them all a little and they are happy. My Vet is impressed with ALMO and Young Again Senior low Carb.

 

[Critter Mom]

So sorry for your loss and pain...they stay with you in your mind and heart. I guess/hope is one day we will be reunited.

I hope for that, too. The loss and pain are only so bad because of the joy our little ones bring into our lives. I'm very grateful I got to be Ammie's person. I just can't forgive myself for not looking after him better. He was wonderful, and there isn't a day I don't miss him ...

I'm so glad your little one likes her new food. It's such a relief to find something that they will eat that does them good. It took me nine months to find a food that Saoirse could eat most of the time without discomfort from the pancreatitis.


Mogs
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