? Luna dose dropping like flies; and so is her weight.

Discussion in 'Lantus / Levemir / Biosimilars' started by pevsfreedom, Mar 2, 2018.

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  1. pevsfreedom

    pevsfreedom Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 16, 2015
    Good news: Luna is on 2 units a day of insulin from 18 units a day. It's amazing. No seizures or muscle cramps or whatever they were (2 vets had no clue) in over 2 months as well (she was having them once a week or so).

    Bad news: She's at 6lbs. She was 6.8lbs two months ago. We started giving her 2 more oz a day (from 4 oz/day) and she LOST weight. Going to add another 2oz a day of food.

    She started kinda grinding her teeth like 2 months ago and has started machine gun sneezing within the last month. She is siamese and has allergies so not sure what to think. We can't afford a vet visit at the moment (head x-rays, etc.). I ordered Clindamycin and am going to give her that as I think she might have a dental abscess.

    She's extremely, extremely, extremely talkative. As in never stops. She's also started peeing on random places such as the counter and by the couch and on the bed, places she never has gone before. She handles low numbers very well, as in she's never been any different when she's very low. I often just pop open high carb food and give her 1.5 oz of that and she's always fine.

    What's going on with Luna? Sorry her spreadsheet is all over the place and pretty empty. I have all her info in the glucometer and only drop her dose by .5 if she goes under 40. I marked when these instances happened. Been rather sporadic with feeding/injecting because of schedules being out of control - best I can do.
     
  2. LizzieInTexas

    LizzieInTexas Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2016
    Teeth grinding

    Sneezing

    Both have dehydration and dental issues as a possible cause.

    Are you feeding enough calories? Some food that is low carb also don't have enough calories.
    This is the formula I have for weight maintenance:
    Cat's weight times 13 and add 70. So a 11 lb cat X 13=143 +70=213 calories/day

    Inappropriate Elimination
     
  3. pevsfreedom

    pevsfreedom Well-Known Member

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    Jan 16, 2015
    I feed all the cats 4oz a day and the other 3 are a healthy weight. Luna's dropped like 4 pounds in the last year or two. She's very skinny, and has lost weight since increasing her food by 2oz a day. I think she's getting about 300 calories to 350 a day.
     
  4. LizzieInTexas

    LizzieInTexas Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2016
    Has her thyroid levels been checked? What about phosphorus level?

    When was her last full bloodwork done?
     
  5. Wendy&Neko

    Wendy&Neko Senior Member Moderator

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    Feb 28, 2012
    Hi John. All I can suggest is bloodwork to start. Loosing that much weight in spite of getting a good amount of food is usually due to one of three things; uncontrolled diabetes, hyperthyroidism or small cell lymphoma. You might have a handle on the first (hard to tell with that SS), the second two are treatable with medication. Chatting SS or howling at night might be hyperT. Unfortunately, it requires a vet visit and bloodwork as th first step to diagnose.

    Your last post here: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/required-insulin-dose-dropping-rather-rapidly.188493/
     
  6. pevsfreedom

    pevsfreedom Well-Known Member

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    Jan 16, 2015
    Here's her latest blood tests. We took her in because she was having massive seizures and it turned out to be a severe inner ear infection and "outer?" ear infection. I have no idea which ones are phosphorus or thyroid or if they're on there at all. I see PHOS which looks relatively normal.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Mar 2, 2018
  7. pevsfreedom

    pevsfreedom Well-Known Member

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    Jan 16, 2015
    I believe her diabetes is in the best control she's ever had. Sorry my spreadsheet sucks I stopped doing it for a long time because she was stable on 9 units BID. She's always been a loudmouth. It's adorable, she's done it for 3+ years. But she's been way "more adorable" recently. No howling or chattering, just talking and meowing. She's very smart.

    Anyone notice anything on the bloodwork? Is that considered a full blood test?
     
    Last edited: Mar 2, 2018
  8. Stacy & Asia

    Stacy & Asia Well-Known Member

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    Oct 2, 2017
    It did not test for thyroid, all vets do things a bit differently, but I had to ask for the thyroid test specifically. You also probably want to get a unrinalysis as that in conjunction with thyroid and other tests can shed a lot of light on what is going on. I hope you are able to get back to the vet soon and get more bloodwork/take care of any teeth issues and Luna is feeling better soon. Love her adorable face!
     
  9. pevsfreedom

    pevsfreedom Well-Known Member

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    Jan 16, 2015
    I will get her in when we get some money. My 2014 car decided to blow up in several ways and has cost several thousand dollars. If we have emergencies we take her in but we're trying to maintain her health as best as we can and she/we are happy I think with all her progress. I will check into thyroid test, urinalysis, and x-ray of her mouth if this clindomycin doesn't take care of the sneezing/grinding. Sorry I have to show off her goofy face.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Mar 2, 2018
  10. Ella & Rusty & Stu(GA)

    Ella & Rusty & Stu(GA) Well-Known Member

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    Jan 11, 2010
    I don't see the T4 test for Hyperthroid. Perhaps ask the vet if that was done.
    Is Luna over-grooming? That and the weight loss could be HyperT., but only the blood test would tell. I think excessive urination could also be a symptom. Stu (GA) had HyperT and as I understand it, everything in the body speeds up when the thyroid is over active. He lost a lot of weight, pulled out his fur, and peed a great deal.

    p.s. what great pics!
     
  11. pevsfreedom

    pevsfreedom Well-Known Member

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    Jan 16, 2015
    One odd thing is she definitely knows where the box is. She IS blind. At least we're 90% sure. It's just urination in super weird spots. And she only does #2 in front of the box, never #1.

    One thing is she absolutely started this behavior when we got a new kitten and is about 6 months old (getting fixed next week). My mom mentioned Luna might be sensing the kitten's maturity coming in and perhaps marking the place up.

    She does not over groom. She's terrible at it, it's kinda funny. She just licks randomly and gets herself all wet.

    I will absolutely check into getting her thyroid tested.
     
  12. Wendy&Neko

    Wendy&Neko Senior Member Moderator

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    Feb 28, 2012
    Adorable pics. As the other said, the T4 is missing and a lot can change in 5 months. Grinding can be an acro issue from soft tissue and bony growth. Neko had both gum growth and a bony bump on her jaw which caused mouth noises when eating.

    Out of box behaviour can either be the new kitten, or a sign she's not feeling 100%.
     
  13. pevsfreedom

    pevsfreedom Well-Known Member

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    Jan 16, 2015
    Always nice to hear from you. I still have no idea if she has acro, I'm assuming "the worst" and the tumor is waning away for right now (maybe even going away?) and that's why her numbers are so fantastic. Or she is just going into normal remission, fingers crossed. I would wonder though because the grinding kinda stopped when she was around 2 units so if acro-related IDK if that'd be kind of the opposite of what you think would happen? If that makes any sense. /rambling

    I'll ask the doctor to look at her teeth as well and mention acro, not that any vets know what that is.
     
  14. Stacy & Asia

    Stacy & Asia Well-Known Member

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    Oct 2, 2017
    Oh, test for ketones too, even if the numbers seem low.
     
  15. pevsfreedom

    pevsfreedom Well-Known Member

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    Jan 16, 2015
    Will do. I actually have a uhh, ketometer?
     
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