Newly Diagnosed Coming Home with Feeder Tube need help

Discussion in 'Feline Health - (Welcome & Main Forum)' started by Arthur Rindfleisch, Sep 17, 2017.

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  1. Arthur Rindfleisch

    Arthur Rindfleisch New Member

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    Sep 16, 2017
    I have already posted that Boo may be coming home from ER tomorrow. She will have a feeder in, need syringes, need pain killers, need to be fed and take other medicine as well. She has DM2 and pancreatitis as well as cat asthma.

    Where do i start?

    Cheers

    Arthur
     
  2. Tuxedo Mom

    Tuxedo Mom Well-Known Member

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    Dec 2, 2014
    Last edited: Sep 17, 2017
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  3. Kris & Teasel

    Kris & Teasel Well-Known Member

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    Aug 17, 2016
    My experience with a feeding tube is decades old. My cat at the time had what's called a PEG tube which entered her stomach from her side and the excess tube was under a mid body wrap with the valve end exposed on her back. This was what was done then. I think the esophageal tube is less daunting in appearance at least.

    Structure aside, the basics are the same. I had to mix food with enough water to make a "soup" that I could syringe into the valve slowly in small amounts multiple times a day. My cat had no problem with the tube or the feeding method - she'd hunker down and purr through it all. After a feeding I syringed plain water into the valve/tube to clear it out. Occasionally I had to take the valve off mid feed to rinse it out because it got blocked with food. I did this for three weeks until she was eating totally on her own. Tube removal was an easy tug out by the vet - no sutures or anything required.
     
  4. TempestsMum

    TempestsMum Guest

    Hello and welcome, I just wanted to say hello and that the main thing to do right now is take a few deep breaths. Make yourself a cup of tea/coffee and try to relax a little.
    I know it all seems really daunting right now. But all you need to do is take one step at a time. :)

    I don't know anything about feeding tubes but I have read a few threads on here and it seems fairly simple.

    If you are concerned about giving the shots. I got a soft toy and practiced on that about a million times o_O (using the same syringe) before I gave my first shot. And yes I talked myself through it (out loud) :D

    The bg testing was the hardest thing for me to learn, check out JanetNJ video which is a nice informative one to watch but don't expect it to be just that easy the first while. Keep some special treats for only test occasions - even my kitty learned and she's a real meanie when it comes to some things - but, she's my lovable meanie. Lol

    Before you know it, it will be a routine for you both. :cat:
     
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  5. Bron and Sheba (GA)

    Bron and Sheba (GA) Well-Known Member

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    Feb 21, 2015
    Hi Arthur,
    Welcome to the forum. I am sorry you and your beautiful Burmese Boo have found yourselves having to deal with diabetes. It is very overwhelming at first but it does get much easier. You have come to the right place to get wonderful information and lots of ongoing support.
    Once the pancreatitis settles down and she is eating again for you, things will seems much brighter. Pancreatitis makes them feel pretty awful....my cat Sheba used to get pancreatic flares but with the right treatment it usually managed to settle down fairly quickly. Sheba also lost a lot of weight when she was first diagnosed and lost her appetite but she put all the weight back on over time.
    Having a feeder tube in will ensure she is getting adequate food while she gets better.
    I live in Sydney too and will help in any way I can.
    Ask lots of questions...we are only too happy to answer them. And we all remember how anxious and upset we felt when we first found out our kitty had diabetes. But it is a very treatable disease and you will become very used to giving the injections and testing the blood.
    Do you know yet what insulin Boo will be on?
    Again welcome!:)
    Bron
     
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  6. Bron and Sheba (GA)

    Bron and Sheba (GA) Well-Known Member

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    Feb 21, 2015
    Just read over your other threads.
    Tuxedo Mom mentioned cerenia and Zofran for nausea. The vets here in Australia will often give an injection of cerenia but tablets are available from the vet for use at home. They are quite expensive but worthwhile having at home and are cheaper than having to go back to the vet for injections.
    The Zofran (ondansetron) is available as a wafer 4 mg that you put on the tongue, and the vet has to write a script for it and you get it at the chemist. It costs about $20 and is very reasonable. Both cerenia and Zofran are great to have at home if your cat has nausea and doesn't want to eat.
    Foodwise you will need to be looking for canned food that has carbohydrates 10% or less.
    I will post some of those tomorrow....getting late here and I have to get up early.
    Good luck bringing Boo home. Please keep up posted how you are going.
    Bron
     
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  7. Larry and Kitties

    Larry and Kitties Well-Known Member

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  8. Chris & China (GA)

    Chris & China (GA) Well-Known Member

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    May 10, 2013
    Some great general information on feeding tubes is available HERE

    Dr. Lisa is a wealth of information on feline nutrition and posts here occasionally
     
  9. Arthur Rindfleisch

    Arthur Rindfleisch New Member

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    Sep 16, 2017
    Thank you everyone so much. I saw Boo today and she is not herself. She seemed very drugged, distant and very quiet and just wanted to cuddle. Bron I am so glad you are in Sydney. I do feel quite overwhelmed at the moment and keep flipping into thinking that maybe its all going to be too hard. As I'm on my own I will need a carer when I travel. Do you know anyone in Sydney who could give Boo Boo her meds when I'm away? I do know Critter Sitters.

    I don't know yet what insulin Boo will be on.

    Thanks again everyone

    Cheers

    Arthur
     
  10. JanetNJ

    JanetNJ Well-Known Member

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    Jun 8, 2016
    It's most likely the pain killers making her drowsy.

    Once the pancreatitis has subsided it wont be as difficult. Take it a moment at a time.
     
  11. Bron and Sheba (GA)

    Bron and Sheba (GA) Well-Known Member

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    Feb 21, 2015
    Hi Arthur,
    Boo would have seemed drugged because she is having a pain medication that does make them very drowsy. They can seem quite out of it when on this drug. Don't worry as she will be back to herself when it wears off. She will need pain medication at the moment for the pancreatitis so may be drowsy for a few days.
    Please don't think it is going to be too hard. It is hard for you at the moment as I'm sure it is all so sudden and unexpected and you are on your own without support..please lean on us here and we will help and support you.
    Just take one day at a time. Things will improve and you will feel more able to cope.

    Where abouts in Sydney are you?
    Which vet hospital is Boo in?
    Do you have to travel much?
    There are several options you can look at for when you travel. Most vets will take care of a diabetic cat when the owner has to go away. And some people find a vet nurse or someone similar who will come to your house for a fee and feed and give the insulin.
     
    Last edited: Sep 18, 2017
    Reason for edit: added question
  12. Arthur Rindfleisch

    Arthur Rindfleisch New Member

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    Sep 16, 2017
    Thanks Bron. I almost feel back at the shock stage again. Not a good night. I do take heart at what both you and Janet have said though. I'm in Newtown. She's in the Uni of Syd Vet Hospital. They are amazing with her I must say.
    I travel every three weeks or so. Im happy to have a vet nurse come and feed her etc. She is the sweetest most loving and responsive cat and up to now has been no problem at all and obviously she can't help this. Poor little thing.

    Thanks for coming back to me on this
     
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  13. Bron and Sheba (GA)

    Bron and Sheba (GA) Well-Known Member

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    Feb 21, 2015
    She is in a good hospital and I am sure she is being well cared for. It is always a shock to see our beloved kitties when they are in hospital sick.
    The vet hospital is the perfect place to ask around to see if someone can help you on a regular basis with the insulin and feeding, when you travel.
    They probably have trainee vets there as well who might like to do it. And it is not too far from where you live.
    Hopefully they will put her on Glargine insulin (a lot of people on the forum call it Lantus). It is a really good gentle insulin for cats and is given every 12 hours.
    Please keep us posted on Boos progress. She looks a sweetheart. Is she a blue Burmese?
    Bron
     
  14. Arthur Rindfleisch

    Arthur Rindfleisch New Member

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    Sep 16, 2017
    Hi Bron. Yes I will check out trainee vets when I travel. So helpful. Thank you. Boo was very flat yesterday and the vet reported today that she has eaten a tiny bit of food and her insulin level is good, not that I have any idea of what good or bad is as Im still feeling overwhelm in my body.
    Boo is a blue cream tortie Burmese.

    Your support matters. Thank you.

    Cheers

    Arthur
     
  15. Mandy Lai

    Mandy Lai New Member

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    Sep 12, 2017
    Hi Arthur I'm also new here and have received lots of kind concern and helpful advice. Sorry I can't offer much, but I'm really happy that Boo is showing good signs of improving! All the best Boo! Let's fight together and win this!
     
  16. Arthur Rindfleisch

    Arthur Rindfleisch New Member

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    Sep 16, 2017
    Thank you Mandy. Your support in your response is more than enough. I appreciate it

    Cheers

    Arthur
     
  17. Bron and Sheba (GA)

    Bron and Sheba (GA) Well-Known Member

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    Feb 21, 2015
    Eating tiny bits of food and good blood sugar levels....that's progress!! Wonderful.
    Loss of appetite is one of the main symptoms of pancreatitis so if she is showing interest in food it is a very good sign.

    Blue cream tortie Burmese.....How gorgeous. I have had Burmese cats and they are very affectionate. My last two cats have been Australia Mists...they are half Burmese, quarter Abbysinnian and quarter domestic short hair and they have many of the characteristics of the Burmese.

    Please keep us updated with Boos progress.
    Bron
     
  18. JeffJ

    JeffJ Well-Known Member

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    Jul 7, 2016
    Hi Arthur. Leo has diabetes, and some remnants of acromegaly. He also has small cell lymphoma. Earlier this year he basically stopped eating. So we had the esophagus feeding tube put in. Leo started eating in 3-4 weeks and we had the tube removed. He started eating because of prednisolone which stimulated his appetite. He now receives insulin, prednisolone, and chemo.

    Positives:
    The feeding tube benefits - it was easy to feed Leo since he was not eating on his own. Also meds were easy to give.
    Leo was properly fed and got good calories while the tube was in.

    We got lucky. He only barfed once while he had the tube. It was my fault. I picked him up after a full syringe feeding.

    Downsides / negatives:
    He wouldn't leave the collar alone. Multiple times I had to retape the tube. I marked the tube at the proper location so I could push it back in to the proper length, then re-affix it. If your cat pulls it all the way out, you have to take them back to the vet.

    Also the threaded tip busted on the feeding tube end. The tip was supposed to seal the end. I didn't like it. So I converted to a twisted cellophane piece, with some tape.

    The tube going into the neck/esophagus gets kinda nasty. I took Leo back twice to get him cleaned up. The insertion site never smelled clean. I changed the bandage pad every day.

    Post feeding tube"
    The insertion site actually healed pretty quick. There was a skin bump there for awhile. But it all faded away. It took several months for the fur to grow back. Leo does not seem affected months later by the insertion site. It just feels like a normal scar now.

    Lemme know if you have a particular question. I missed the original tag. Here are one or 2 pics of Leo with the tube in.
     

    Attached Files:

  19. JeffJ

    JeffJ Well-Known Member

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    Jul 7, 2016
    Adding. Without the tube, Leo probably wouldn't be here. He had lost weight and stopped eating. His small cell Lymphoma (SCL) got diagnosed at the end of that period. He basically looked washed out. But he pulled out of this phase as a result of:
    - us spending lots of money
    - mostly me spending a lot of time feeding and caring for him
    - get proper meds for his SCL

    I added this stuff because it is worth going the extra mile. Sometimes a kitteh will pass away. But sometimes you can get them thru a tough spot. Now he is on insulin and chemo. The actual meds are not that expensive to us. If we are lucky, his SCL will stay in remission.
     
  20. Arthur Rindfleisch

    Arthur Rindfleisch New Member

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    Sep 16, 2017
    Wow Jeff. You are doing a great job. Thanks for sharing. I hope that Leo's SCL stays in remission. Because I'm on my own I am finding it all very new and daunting and have felt like giving up several times. Im not quite as overwhelmed as I was at the start I must say. Boo is steadily improving and ready to come home, but I'm not ready yet emotionally or skills-wise, so she's still in hospital while I learn and adjust to the situation myself. I had my first training with the feeding tube this morning at the Sydney Uni Vet School and it went ok I think. I have yet to learn about the needles and the urine testing.
    Boo is on 0.5 (half a unit of Glargine). I have yet to understand how to measure 0.5 without over or under dosing her. It is difficult to read the injection for such a small measure.
    She's also on Clavulox for an infection, Maropitant and Mitazipine. She has been on Prednisonlone for feline bronchitis and as the Prednisonlone is reduced it is possible that she may go into remission. As I understand it, it is possible that her pancreas ( she has pancreatitis) may start to produce more insulin and so her blood glucose could go too low, so I need to watch her. Lots to learn. It's a divine day in Sydney.
     
  21. JanetNJ

    JanetNJ Well-Known Member

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    Jun 8, 2016
    There are syringes with half unit markings on them.
     
  22. Kris & Teasel

    Kris & Teasel Well-Known Member

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    Aug 17, 2016
    Having a pair of cheap magnifying reading glasses in a power higher than you need can help you see the lines on the syringe barrel. Please post here with any concerns you have. There are many people with lots of experience with all sorts of kitty health care issues to advise. :)
     
  23. Bron and Sheba (GA)

    Bron and Sheba (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2015
    Hi Arthur,
    Great news that Boo is ready to come home.
    The syringes with the half unit markings have to be bought from overseas but arrive fairly quickly I think. I'm going to tag @Girlie's mom as she ordered them recently and can give you the link. I always used a magnifying glass when I drew up the insulin ...it makes it easier.

    Have you thought about home testing the blood sugar levels? Most of us do that here. It takes a few days to master the art of doing it but then it is easy. Most cats are very co operative and don't mind the prick. It is a great way to keep our kitty safe. Here is a link to seeing how it's done.
    http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/hometesting-links-and-tips.287/

    Here is the link to how to treat hypos.....hopefully you won't need to but print this sheet out and put it on your frig so that if you ever need it you will know where it is. Also make sure you have some honey in case you need it and a few tins of high carb food to give if the blood sugar drops too low. The fancy feast Tuscan or Florentine range are high carb.
    http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/how-to-treat-hypos-they-can-kill-print-this-out.15887/

    Glad you are feeling a bit more relaxed about it all
    Bron
     
  24. JeffJ

    JeffJ Well-Known Member

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    Jul 7, 2016
    Glad to help. Thanks for the kudos. Boo will be a lot happier at home. It isn't that hard to deal with the feeding tube. Most cats do just fine with it. Our vet has had many patients with feeding tubes in for over 2 months. Once Boo starts eating again regularly, the tube can come out.

    After the first couple of weeks of insulin injections it really just becomes routine. Ear testing too. It's just not that hard. I never chastise Leo if something happens. We just wait a minute or two and try again. And he HATES pills. Jeez, what's up with that?

    Mirtazipine didn't work for Leo. However, the prednisolone did stimulate his appetite.

    Theresa and I went to Sidney twice (1995, 1996) for a week each time in Australia's spring. It was so great that Theresa wanted to move there!
     
  25. Arthur Rindfleisch

    Arthur Rindfleisch New Member

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    Sep 16, 2017
    Hi Jeff, Bron and Janet. Boo has been home for a week and I am seeing little change. She sits or lays in the one spot for most of the day or likes to be close and cuddle. With your support I have learned to tube feed her 4 times a day with 40 mls of food and give her injections. Thank you so much. She has been taken off insulin as she looked like she may go into hypoglycaemia and it is very remotely possible that she is going into remission. She will do a glucose curve today to see where she is regarding diabetes. It is at least 3-4 weeks since she has shown any real interest in food and i notice that her stools are quite black. Im pretty much at my wits end as Im not seeing any improvement really and she has no interest much in anything. I play with her in the garden, but she is like an old lady.
    Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get her to eat on her own? She is not on pain killers for pancreatitis and does not seem in pain. I tube feed her and she sleeps all day and purrs when stroked, but does not seem terribly engaged in anything. It's beyond me.
     
  26. JanetNJ

    JanetNJ Well-Known Member

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    Jun 8, 2016
    Tempt her with tuna? FortiFlora?
     
  27. JeffJ

    JeffJ Well-Known Member

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    Jul 7, 2016
    Agree with Janet, both those have worked for our cats.

    Is Boo still on the following:
    - Clavulox for an infection
    - Maropitant and Mitazipine
    - Prednisonlone for feline bronchitis...and as the Prednisonlone is reduced

    Are you testing BG at home? It's pretty easy.
     
  28. Tanya and Ducia

    Tanya and Ducia Well-Known Member

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    Feb 25, 2017
    Hi Arthur,

    I am sorry haven't gotten the tag to your post earlier but I can see that others gave you great suggestions.

    Forgive me but one week after such serious procedure as etube fit is still early days.. My cat has her tube in for just over a month and her demeanor and behavior was very much like Boo's. She'll get back to norm once her appetite returns and her Bg numbers are in the good range. Hang in there - she went thru so much, just give her some time.

    Ducia was taking anti nausea pills Cerenia - 1/4 20 mg pill every 24 hours and a dose of antibiotic for ten days and I think it helped a lot with improving her appy. We never used appy stimulant medication but I heard it works well with Cerenia.

    If Boo were my cat here is what I would try to do: start feeding her via tube as you usually do but stop after a little bit and offer her - bring to her face - a bowl of her favorite food - I hope she has favorite low carbs canned food - and add some warm water to it.
    You can sprinkle it with a little Parmesan Cheese (dried or grated) or put some FortiFlora probiotic powder on top of it, and see if she'll show any interest. Even a little licking is a progress at the beginning. If she is still not interested - keep trying the same at every time you feed her. Sometime giving a little food via tube "jump started" Ducia's appetite and she'd eat a little on her own and then I'd finish it via tube. If that doesn't work - talk to your vet about anti nausea, appy stimulant and antibiotics - if should she be taking them now .
    Would you care to post the results? I tested my cat frequently as her lethargy and disinterest worried me a lot and I was working very hard to find good insulin dose for her. Being in high-ish numbers or going too low or too low too fast made my cat to appear drowsy and nauseated - resolved once we got her in to the ok range of BG.
    Is it blood?
    Blood loss can lead to anemia (my cat had it) and if so it could explains her "old lady" type of behavior. Ducia was acting tired, slept a lot and wasn't interested in much around when she was anemic. All resolved once we got her to gain weight via tube feeding, meds and found insulin dose that kept her in relatively acceptable BG numbers for a while. If Boo bleeds - a vet visit is in order to investigate the reason.

    Sometimes after a pate style food my cat's poop looks black - we inspect it for presence of black tar-ish matter and so far it does not seem to be blood. Her poop looks different/lighter when she eats non pate food.
    Then it makes you luckier than me - Ducia never purred for me. Never. It's a good sign that Boo does.

    How is her weight?

    I hope this helps. I really think it is too early to expect any significant improvements. Ask you vet about meds I mentioned above and just keep do what you doing - she'll come around. I think you are doing great job with her and will succeed.
     
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  29. Arthur Rindfleisch

    Arthur Rindfleisch New Member

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    Sep 16, 2017
    Thank you everyone. So much support when I feel at my wits end and my patience is thin at the moment. How you all stay patient I don't know. The financial and emotional stress of all this is a real lesson in being calm and being true to my meditation practice. Boo likes to sit on my lap when I meditate.

    I apologise if Im starting to sound like a victim. I will know from her insulin curve today where things are at regarding DB 2. No Im not testing at home apart from the urine stick. There has been so much else to learn.

    I have taken her back to the University hospital today for the curve measurements and by now she is way over being prodded, poked, having her stomach felt and having her temperature taken and she's a very placid cat normally. I quite like the idea of Forti Flora or parmesan cheese and giving her a little bit of vitamised food through the tube and then testing her reaction to the food. Thanks Tanya.

    One thing I learned that helps feed her by tube is to put her in a cardboard box ( a little like a horse coral at the races ) and this helps to steady her when I feed her. ( you guys probably already knew this). I have had friends drop in to help but 4x day is a big ask and so I have had to become a bit more skilled and cunning.

    Yes she is still loving and affectionate and sleeps right next to me and purrs and responds when i tell her that I love her and that we are both doing our best.
     
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  30. Arthur Rindfleisch

    Arthur Rindfleisch New Member

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    Sep 16, 2017
    Boo Boo's glucose this morning is 32. I don't understand any of this, but it does explain why she goes up and down like a yo yo
     
  31. Arthur Rindfleisch

    Arthur Rindfleisch New Member

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    Sep 16, 2017
    Any thoughts on diet. The tube feeding diet that Im giving her Im sure is making her worse
     
  32. Tanya and Ducia

    Tanya and Ducia Well-Known Member

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    Feb 25, 2017
    Hi Arthur,

    I am not familiar what canned low carbs food is available in Australia but basically you need to aim at below 10% carbs per 100Kcal and to get the necessary number of calories. Someone I knew from Australia fed Weruva BFF pouches - but I think it is a bit low in caloric value and if Boo needs to gain some weight her daily feeding will exceed 160 ml.

    When my cat was on the tube she needed to gain about 2.5 - 3 pounds quickly - and she did on 1 1/4+ 5.5 oz can a day of wet low carbs Friskies Classic Pates.Is it sold in Australia?

    Is Boo weight ok? Or does she need to gain? You posted that you feed about 160 ml per day via tube - do you know how many calories is it? I'd take in to account how much she needs to eat depending on her weight level. If she need to gain I'd go over 200 Kcal per day fed in small portions.

    Sorry I am a little unclear about her dose - is she on Glargine dose right now or is she not?

    If this number is in the World Measuring system that it is high. I might be mistaken but it looks like over 500 in the US system
    If so she needs insulin. If it is in the US system- then it is too low and she needed to be fed right away to raise it.
    Have you considered setting a spread sheet to keep track of Boo's numbers? There is an auto conversion, I believe, between test results taken in the World system and the US one - most of us here understand the US system better.
    If you posted other test results in another thread I have not seen it. By saying "yo-yo" do you mean that she also went very low? Sorry, I am confused...

    Being in high numbers, having the pancreas inflamed and not receiving insulin and enough calories is potentially dangerous combination - it can lead to keton development in urine (Ducia had that too). Have you had any success in testing her urine yet? Ever since Ducia had DKA I made it my routine to test her daily (it is much easier done than it sounds).

    Sorry for so many questions - especially if you have already answered them. I am just trying to be clear before I can offer any help.
     
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  33. JeffJ

    JeffJ Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2016
    I know it is frustrating Arthur. I have been there too. You can reduce some of the stress for your kitteh if you learn to test BG at home. It's not that hard. And it will save you money.

    That is pretty low BG (32). Boo may not be getting sufficient calories. When we tube-fed Leo, we used his regular Fancy Feast food. It was low carb, high protein. I agree with Tanya's suggestions.
     
  34. Tanya and Ducia

    Tanya and Ducia Well-Known Member

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    Feb 25, 2017
    I was not sure which system Arthur used. Thanks, Jeff.
     
  35. Myrtlesmum

    Myrtlesmum Member

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    Apr 13, 2017
    Hi Arthur, I'm in Australia too - Melbourne but I lived in Sydney for many years and I used to have a beautiful Burmese girl too - they are the most amazing cats. I'm sure you are feeling overwhelmed, I had a major freak out when Myrtle was diagnosed with diabetes back in April and had to learn to do BG testing and give her shots which was a major learning curve but thankfully she is now in remission and her diabetes seems to be controlled after changes in diet. Tanya & Ducia suggested Weruva food - don't do it!!!!!!! We had a Weruva recall here in Australia and many cats died (you may have seen it on the news? or google it). There are rumours on Facebook that Petbarn are planning to put the faulty/poisoned food back on the shelves - may be totally untrue but I personally wouldn't risk it - especially with a sick cat. If you want food suggestions for what is available here I'm happy to let you know what I feed Myrtle or have fed cats in the past. I don't visit this board too much since Myrtle's been in remission, but I'll get back to you ASAP if you want to ask any questions.
     
  36. Myrtlesmum

    Myrtlesmum Member

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    Apr 13, 2017
    Oh, I just saw JeffJ's post too. I think he is used to US numbers - a BG of 32 is really high in Australian numbers ( we try to keep a cat's BG under 7-8). 32 is the US equivalent of 576.
     
  37. JeffJ

    JeffJ Well-Known Member

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    Jul 7, 2016
    Thanks Myrtlesmum. In that case, that BG is sky high! In the U.S. system that would be a hypoglycemic event.

    Keep up the spirits Arthur, I can tell you are doing your best.
     
  38. Tanya and Ducia

    Tanya and Ducia Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 25, 2017
    Thank you so much for catching it :nailbiting: - Arthur please avoid Weruva food!!!
    I completely forgot about it.:oops: My bad.
     
  39. JeffJ

    JeffJ Well-Known Member

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    Jul 7, 2016
    I read the Weruva updates (from Weruva). They said the issue was isolated to Australian-exclusive line of BFF canned foods, and those have been removed from the market.
     
  40. Bron and Sheba (GA)

    Bron and Sheba (GA) Well-Known Member

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    Feb 21, 2015
    Hi Arthur,
    I was pleased to see posts today about Boos progress.
    What food are you feeding her now via the etube? Is it just over the counter food or is it special food the vets gave you?.
    There should be some special high calorie food that would be suitable for her to have. It might be worth asking your vet if that is possible.
    I wonder if she is not eating because she is nauseated. Did the vets give you any antinausea medications to give her at home. I would definitely ask about giving her some antinausea meds. Cerenia tablets can be given at home or a cerenia injection at the vets. Or Zofran wafers....they are very good and can be given up to three times a day. You need a script from the vet for those and you get them from the chemist. The wafers come in 4 mg and I used to give Sheba 1/2 a wafer.
    They were very effective.

    Cats are very good at hiding their pain. I would ask the vet also if they think she could be in pain.
    Both nausea and pain will stop them eating.

    You could try a little piece of cooked salmon...that might tempt her.

    Bron

    Yes Jeff, the issue has been resolved here in Australia. It only effected the BFF line and all that was removed from the shelves at the time. I sometimes buy the 'cats in the kitchen' line and have bought some recently.


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  41. Myrtlesmum

    Myrtlesmum Member

    Joined:
    Apr 13, 2017
    Hi Jeff, I posted about Weruva as Arthur is in Australia. Weruva have been very secretive about test results and finally claimed that it was a lack of thiamine in the food which doesn't explain why cats who ate it once or were eating other thiamine replete foods in addition died. There has been a lack of communication with Weruva and the Australian Veterinary Association and many people who had cats die or becoming extremely ill. Most vets who have been involved and cat parents won't ever trust Weruva again and I'm one of them. Completely up to each individual to decide what to feed their cats but I for one would never ever ever ever trust this company again. If you want to do some digging rather than trust the Weruva company line on Weruva updates it's all there.
     
  42. JeffJ

    JeffJ Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2016
    Thanks for the followup Myrtlesmum. It did seem like the info stopped flowing from Weruva.
     
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