Hello kitty

Discussion in 'Feline Health - (Welcome & Main Forum)' started by D.J. Carlberg, Jun 6, 2017.

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  1. D.J. Carlberg

    D.J. Carlberg New Member

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    Hi, I have a new friend that found me a few days ago. He said he had been on such a long and difficult journey to find me. Slim Shady is an approximately twelve year old abandoned and declawed x four male. He's kind of a fixer upper kind of cat. We found out yesterday that he is negative for FIV and felv but he's diabetic. Hes at my vet for observation and a recheck today. Ill need to learn a bit to make this work but I'm a retired ER nurse and that helps a little . So my eyes and ears are open here and I'm grateful to find this resource!
    D.J. 20170604_162014.jpg

    This is Slim. He's smiling :)
     
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  2. Sharon14

    Sharon14 Well-Known Member

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    Welcome DJ and Slim! Awww sweet Slim:cat: kudos to you DJ for taking him in. There's lots to learn and we'll be here to answer any questions you have and listen if you just need to talk. Has the vet started insulin yet? How about food, what is Slim eating? As a nurse, you know that low carb diet is best. Most of the vet prescribed foods are actually too high in carbs if you're in the US, THIS is a great food chart. Look for foods under 10 carbs. The other important thing to learn is how to home test Slims Blood glucose. It's easy to do and we'll help you with it. HERE'S some good info on that. Please ask any questions you have and we'll do our best to answer them.
     
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  3. Kris & Teasel

    Kris & Teasel Well-Known Member

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    Aug 17, 2016
    Congrats to you for taking in this sweet "fixer upper" kitty. There's a ton of support for you here. :)
     
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  4. JanetNJ

    JanetNJ Well-Known Member

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    Jun 8, 2016
    Thank goodness you found him!!!! First thing get fancy feast classic or Friskies pate foods..... Feed him as much as he will eat. How is his appetite?
     
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  5. Yong & Maury GA

    Yong & Maury GA Well-Known Member

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    Jan 11, 2017
    So glad he found you and you want to care for him! Some of the questions Sharon asked above can be put in your Signature, it's like a quick patient chart each time we post :cat:. Also helps those of us with bad memories ;).

    If you will be home testing Slim, many of use Google sheets (all 4 of us who have posted here have a link of our kitty's BG spreadsheets). Here are the instructions and if you need any help setting it up, just ask:
    http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/fdmb-spreadsheet-instructions.130337/

    Lastly, as a retired ER nurse you probably encountered at least a few diabetics whose sugar dropped too low, so here's some information for dealing with kitties but I hope you never need it: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/how-to-treat-hypos-they-can-kill-print-this-out.15887/

    Looking forward to seeing your new fur baby get better!:bighug:
     
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  6. D.J. Carlberg

    D.J. Carlberg New Member

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  7. D.J. Carlberg

    D.J. Carlberg New Member

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    Hi Sharon, We sure appreciate the support!
     
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  8. D.J. Carlberg

    D.J. Carlberg New Member

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    He has no appetite but he did eat a half can of fancy feast and licked the gravy from the friskies diabetic this afternoon. That's an improvement so I'm hoping the appetite stimulant is working and maybe just knowing someone cares will help as well.
     
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  9. D.J. Carlberg

    D.J. Carlberg New Member

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  10. D.J. Carlberg

    D.J. Carlberg New Member

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    My vet wanted to see him again today for a recheck of his glucose and to attempt again to obtain a urine sample
    His blood glucose was about the same in the middle 200s. Urine was 1000. He has some abscesses on his toes and pus from his left tearduct? He's on amoxicillin for that and Dr. Kuhn thinks his numbers might improve once his infection is resolved. I'd like to do a pcr soon in case the eye problem is a URI that one could affect my other cat and two if he has a bacterial URI it can be treated and may help overall. But that's entirely my idea. He said we could either try to control his glucose with diet only or start a dab of insulin which he was out of and I didn't think to ask which insulin . I'm going to get him some fancy feast pate in the morning instead of the one I got from my vet. I'm not sure about trying the insulin
    I thought I'd ask for input first. Dr. Kuhn didn't recommend home testing just a recheck next week. Other than that he has to stay on the patio until our house is finished next month. ( I'm building a MIL suite onto my youngest daughters home that they are building) Since I sold my house I'm staying with them in an apartment. My daughter is allergic to cats but has agreed to let my other cat in my room only. As far as Slim she would prefer I didn't keep him at all much less inside . He does stay put though until I snuck him in the house for s bath when Noone was here to object and he promptly ran off asap. He'll be back he's just mad :)
     
  11. Yong & Maury GA

    Yong & Maury GA Well-Known Member

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    Oh definitely try the diet switch first before starting insulin. As the infection clears up you may be able to have a diet controlled diabetic :). Aww doesn't she know Slim went and sought you out? [​IMG]
     
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  12. D.J. Carlberg

    D.J. Carlberg New Member

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    I'm
     
  13. D.J. Carlberg

    D.J. Carlberg New Member

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    I'm going to do that. Well my daughter doesn't like kitties and especially ones that cost money but her objections have been overuled!
     
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  14. D.J. Carlberg

    D.J. Carlberg New Member

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    Thank you Sharon :)
     
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  15. D.J. Carlberg

    D.J. Carlberg New Member

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    Thanks!
     
  16. JanetNJ

    JanetNJ Well-Known Member

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    He's probably so stressed from all he's been through. Half a can is a start. I'm glad he's on appetite stimulants. You can try sprinkling FortiFlora on his food too.... It's a probiotic but it had a taste most cats can't resist.
     
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  17. Sharon14

    Sharon14 Well-Known Member

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    If he has an URI, he may not be able to smell his food. If a cat can't smell it he won't eat it. Try warming the food and stirring it good to help it smell more. The fortiflora Janet mentioned would probably help too.
     
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  18. D.J. Carlberg

    D.J. Carlberg New Member

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  19. D.J. Carlberg

    D.J. Carlberg New Member

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    That's what I thought as emaciated as he is I'm happy to see him eat anything. I'll pick up some of the flora flora it can't hurt! Thanks for the suggestion :)
     
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  20. D.J. Carlberg

    D.J. Carlberg New Member

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  21. D.J. Carlberg

    D.J. Carlberg New Member

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    That's a good point Sharon. But I've only seen his nose run once so I think his smeller is ok. I'll do a pcr when I can anyway just to know if he's contagious and to help him feel as well as possible. He deserves it after all he's been through. I'm going to pick up the pate this morning and I'll try the fortiflora as well
     
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