Diagnosing diabetes

Hi all,

I have a 13 year old cat, Franny, who has mild pancreatitis and kidney disease. We are treating these issues with meds and fluids. The last visit to the vet included 12 hour fast blood work. Franny’s glucose was 260 the highest it’s ever been. Usually it’s elevated but not to that extent. The vet used that blood work to do a fructosamine test. This came back at 254 (normal range 191-349). Today she had to go in for constipation. They did an enema. At the end of the day they did urinalysis. She had one glucose present but the vet said this could be from the stress of the day and that they shouldn’t have done at after an enema. She said we would retest in two weeks.

Does this seem like we’re heading toward diabetes? My cat is overweight 13 lbs and has had dry food her entire life. I didn’t know any better and she’s addicted to it. She also might have IBD. I’m very overwhelmed with all of these issues.

Is it normal to have diabetes with conflicting lab results?

Thank you,

Patty and Franny

 

Welcome to the board Patty and Franny. I suggest you go to the Main Forum with this information, your concerns and questions. More eyes to see and get some responses for you. If you like you can copy your original message, go to the Main Forum, start a thread there and just paste. That way you won't have to retype everything. Here is the link for the Main (Health) Forum: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/forums/feline-health-the-main-forum.28/
I do know now, like you, that dry food is not ideal for either diabetic or non-diabetic cats. There is information here on the board about wet food and transitioning from dry to wet. I hope you can find some answers here for Franny and yourself.

 

Welcome!

 

Thanks everyone! I am having trouble imagining her transitioning because she’s so picky and old, and she has already had a decreased appetite as it is because of the pancreatitis (or maybe undiagnosed diabetes?). What should be our next step in diagnosing this? We have a retest in two weeks. Is that safe or should we be more aggressive? Thanks

 

The fructosamine test shows the average for two weeks. If that's normal I would be surprised if she's diabetic. I think retesting in two weeks is a good plan. There are a few dry foods that are lower carb such as young again zero carb or Dr elsley's clean protein chicken or epigen 90. Of course wet is best but these are better then high carb dry.