Worried about Moggy

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Sarah_and_Moggy

Sarah_and_Moggy

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Good morning everyone.

I'm sure I'm just overreacting and reading far too much into it, but Moggy just hasn't seemed himself the last little while. He's never been much of a talker, but it's been almost non-stop (it's what woke me up before the birds this morning). He seems constantly hungry, but not pulling any of his usual tricks (I never thought him not begging at dinner or jumping up to steal food would strike me as a bad thing!). When he isn't eating/drinking/following me into the kitchen to pester for more food then he's asleep (even his sleeping isn't normal for him, he's pretty much just going to sleep anywhere [the middle of the bathroom floor last night] where as before he'd only ever sleep in his bed or on our bed). When he isn't eating/drinking/whining/sleeping he seems happy enough, he just isn't acting like his normal Moggle self.

I don't know, I'm a worrier. Maybe it's nothing, it just scares me when he isn't himself.

Any ideas? We're not due back at the vet until the 20th, but I'm thinking about trying to get him in next week.
 
Are you home testing? What are his numbers like? Is he eating the normal amount (when you feed him - I know that you said he's hungry). Is he drinking more than usual? Litter box activity? Does he seem to be more hungry and sleepy at any particular time related to his shot - say a few hours after perhaps?

Not to worry you, but usually when our intuition says that something isn't right, it isn't. Its not necessarily something disasterous, but its always worth looking into just a little more.
 
We haven't started home testing yet, that was on the list to talk to the vet about at our next visit.

At meal times he's eating his serving and pushing his sister out of the way to get at hers (that's nothing new really).

His drinking seemed to come down a bit when he started insulin, but it's gone back up again. If I go anywhere near the bathroom he follows me in (he prefers a running tap to a bowl of water).

His litter visits seem "normal" in relation to how much he's taking in (drinking lots = weeing lots).

The hunger doesn't seem to relate too much to when he has his shots, it's pretty much all the time. Anytime it looks like someone is going to the kitchen he follows and squawks.
 
Have you watched the videos on youtube about how to home test? It is really quite easy after a few tries. The beauty of home testing is that it gives you so much information about how your kitty is responding to the insulin, if his dose is too high or too low, if this brand of insulin is the best for him - I'm sure you get the picture. You don't need to wait until your vet visit - more than a week away - to begin. You just need to get a glucometer (a human one will do just fine), some strips, and some testing lancets. If you were able to test a few times today, it would quickly tell you if his blood glucose is going too low or too high and then you would know if you need to try and get an earlier appointment. I'm sure that there are other UK members on the board who can help with the best place to get a meter, and maybe some hints about how to sample. It will be a few hours before the east coasters are on again (unless there are a few night owls).
 
Yep, I second the point about not waiting to talk to the vet. Start home testing now. Moggy's your cat, you don't need permission to do it and with those numbers, I bet folks here might be able to give you a better idea of what's going on. I would suggest getting some ketosticks too, to test for ketones in his urine.
 
Sarah_and_Moggy said:
I'm sure I'm just overreacting and reading far too much into it, but Moggy just hasn't seemed himself the last little while. He's never been much of a talker, but it's been almost non-stop (it's what woke me up before the birds this morning). He seems constantly hungry, but not pulling any of his usual tricks (I never thought him not begging at dinner or jumping up to steal food would strike me as a bad thing!). When he isn't eating/drinking/following me into the kitchen to pester for more food then he's asleep (even his sleeping isn't normal for him, he's pretty much just going to sleep anywhere [the middle of the bathroom floor last night] where as before he'd only ever sleep in his bed or on our bed). When he isn't eating/drinking/whining/sleeping he seems happy enough, he just isn't acting like his normal Moggle self..
Click to expand...

Reading this post, and then looking back at your previous post, I would say that the reason he's not acting like his normal Moggle self is that he has unregulated diabetes. Constant hunger is one of the clinical symptoms, as the food he is taking in is not being appropriately used by his body. Lethargy is another clinical symptom. When my first diabetic was first diagnosed and unregulated, he would lie on the tile floor in the bathroom. I finally figured out that he was more comfortable if he could get cool. So unusual spots to rest his weary body is Moggle's way of letting you know he doesn't feel well.

FWIW, I echo the suggestions of others that you begin hometesting your sweet baby. It's the first best thing you can do to keep him safe and help him heal.
 
Just a quick update. Had Moggy to the vet today, he has an infection, he's dehydrated, tummy troubles and a few other problems. He was given high dose antibiotics and if he isn't loads better come the morning then he has to go in and go on a drip for 24 hours. She was worried that his blood sugar was too low (he was pretty floppy) but his numbers were the same as last week.

Today was the first time she's mentioned that "other" option that we don't want to think about.

She's going to sort out a home testing kit for me and teach me how to use it. I know it's important, but I'm more worried about getting him over the infection at the moment.
 
I'm glad he has gotten help for the infection and may be back to his old self soon.

It is great that your vet will support hometesting; it will ease your mind so much to know what is really happening with his diabetes.
 
Best wishes that Moggy gets feeling better. Home testing will give you a much better idea of what is going on with his diabetes.

Good luck with testing Moggy.

Claudia
 
Morning update on Moggy

He didn't eat very well last night (usually he inhales his dinner, but he wasn't overly interested), and he was still flopping out when we went to bed. This morning he seems better, he ate well and is acting a little more "him". I'm going to call the vet when they open and update her and see what she things we should do. He's showing improvement so I don't think she'll want him to come straight in but I'll keep an eye on him through the day and if he starts acting un-Moggy-like again I'll take him back in.
 
Moggy has been kept in at the vet today to be put on a drip and have x-rays. When I took him in this morning the vet felt a lump in his belly so wanted to check it out. Turns out that his liver is enlarged, but it wasn't as nasty as we thought it would be. His prognosis is "guarded" at the moment, and that's a step up from the way the vet was talking this morning.
 
Thank you for all the support.

Moggy is back in kitty hospital today. He's back on fluids and the vet is running tests to try to figure out what's going on with him. Right now we're working through a process of elimination. It's all gone down hill so fast, it can't just be the diabetes, there has to be something else going on with him.

I fear we're losing him
 
I am so sorry that Moggy is sick, Sara. Fingers and paws crossed here that they can find out what is wrong and get him feeling good again soon.
 
Thank you

I picked Moggy up a couple of hours ago, he's been asleep under the bed since he got home.

He isn't responding to any treatments. The vet says to give him the weekend and see if he gets better on new insulin (a long shot), if he doesn't improve then we have a choice to make.
 
Sara,

Can we talk you into learning how to test his blood sugar at home? This could make a huge difference. At least you would know you had a handle on his glucose levels. There may be other things wrong, but at least you would have control over this and know that he was getting the right dose of insulin.

We have taught hundreds of people how to do it over the internet and we would love to teach you.
 
I have no issue at all with home testing, unfortunately it's become a case of too little too late.

The vet believes that his sharp decline has little to nothing to do with the diabetes, I think she's giving me the weekend with him trying new insulin more for us (to say good-bye) than out of any hope that it will fix anything. We're into miracle territory now. I don't want to sound all doom and gloom, but I'm realistic and I trust not just the vet but my own instincts. Everything has it's time to pass and Moggy has been telling me for a week that his time is coming. He has had a nice long happy life, now I pray that his passing will be peaceful.
 
Sarah,

I am so sorry to hear this. I thought the new insulin was something that might turn things around and that hometesting might help.

You are right. You know Moggy best and you will know when it is time to let go. It is a great gift you can give him to be free of pain. I read recently that they live on forever in our hearts and I liked that idea. It did help me to know that I had given my kitty a wonderful, love-filled life and that he trusted me to do what would be right for him.

Sue
 
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