Worried about Georgie

Georgie was diagnosed with diabetes just over a week ago. We started him in insulin and his appetite was ravenous. Vet said he was allowed to eat as much as he wants for now. But since 10:30pm last night, since his last dose of insulin, he has almost no appetite. What he has eaten, he vomits. He won't even eat his treats. I don't have a glucometer yet and the vet is closed until Monday. What should I do? Should I skip his next insulin dose and see if that helps?

 

How many units of insulin did you give? And at what hours?

 

2 units every 12 hours of Caninsulin. 10:30am and 10:30 pm

 

I'm in a different time zone, so how many hours ago was your 10.30 pm insulin?

 

8 1/2 hours ago now. He's due for his next dose in 3 1/2 hours

 

Ok, I needed to know the hours in case he was in hypo.

If he doesn't eat and vomits up everything, you shouldn't give insulin.


Has he been like this before ever in his life, no appetite, vomits e.t.c?

 

No, never. He's such a foodie! I mean, he's had reduced appetite in the past on occasion but for a very short period (just a few hours). He's never turned down treats before though

 

Do you know the blood level measured at the vet? If so how long was the BG taken since he would have eaten?
I agree with not giving insulin if he can't keep his food down.

 

Ok, don't give him his 10.am insulin, and instead try get him to eat and his food stays down.

Your vet aren't open until tomorrow Monday, who is the only one who can test Georgie for a pancreatitis fPLI blood tests and Pottasium blood tests, Blood Ph together with a Blood B-Ketone tests if he is in DKA, Diabetes Ketoacidosis.

 

All the vet told me from his blood test was that his sugar is supposed to be between 4-8 and it was at 34. He's supposed to go for a curve test this week. I've not bought a glucometer yet, waiting on my paycheck to do that. That's this Thursday.

 

Oh boy. What does this mean and what would I need to do?

 

Oh, the vet also mentioned that his kidneys, liver and thyroid were fine when they did the blood test last week

 

DKA, Diabetes Ketoacidosis happens when the blood glucose been too high and unregulated too long, it changes the Pottassium (one crucial of the body salts) and Blood Ph and from there it is fast critical. You can read up here on this link http://www.felinediabetes.com/ketones.htm

 

Oof. My poor Georgie. I'll look around for a vet asap. Thank you

 

You could also first try find an open pharmacy and buy Urine Ketones test strips. In order to use them, you must catch Georgie when he goes to pee, and either collect his pee stream in a small glass or manage to lift up Georgies behind high enough so you can put the ketone test strip direct in his pee stream. That will show if he had high urine ketones which is and can be an indication if he is in super critical DKA.

 

Oh, good idea. Thank you. He just ate a few of his treats, I'll see if he keeps those down too

 

Yay, Georgie, Eat is GOOD

 

Update: just over an hour ago I gave Georgie half his breakfast (the small 156g of Friskies Pate) and he's eaten it and kept it down. I've just given him his other half since he's hanging out at his bowl meowing for more. Relief!

 

Hi Nancy! Welcome to the club. I'm pretty new here, too (just diagnosed in December). And I don't know if Georgie's situation is similar to Tigger's, but maybe?

We are using Vetsulin/same as Caninsulin, too. And we had two bouts of hypo our very first week. My vet first prescribed a really high dose (4 units BID)--we crashed in a hard and terrifying way about 2 days later. But what I'm especially remembering is a second crash three days after that. I had dropped her down to 1.5 unit doses for several cycles, and I thought things were going okay. I still didn't have a meter yet--was just giving the shots. Tigger, who NEVER vomits (I can think of like 3 times in 4.5 years), vomited several times close together about four hours after her nighttime shot. No idea what her BG was, but it definitely seemed her insulin was hitting her too hard. She was hungry soon after, which seems different from Georgie, so maybe it's not the same situation. But maybe? Anyway, after that second scare, I swore off of any shots without checking BG first.

Luckily her meter arrived the next day; it took two skipped shots after her throw-up episode for her to get back to a safe-shoot level. As my SS shows, I'm still struggling to find the right dose for Tigger, but we never got back up to 1.5. When you do resume dosing Georgie, maybe lower your dose, at least right at first? I'm pretty sure if I had skipped only one dose and then given her the whole 1.5 at the next cycle, we could have been in trouble again.

I'm sure some of our friends here with more experience will give you more certain advice, but I thought Tigger's story might help.

Sending you & Georgie healthy wishes,
Kerri

 

I'm sorry for the delay in replying. I work night shift, so I've been sleeping.

I think it was a hypo incident. He's not vomited since this morning and has been eating pretty steadily. I'm going to call the vet first thing in the morning, I know he needs to have his curve test done. I've not given him any insulin, but I'll ask her if I should give a reduced dose until she can give him his test

 

Hello again

How are you and Georgie?

 

Hi. Georgie is doing much better. I've brought his insulin down to 1 unit every 12 hours. His appetite isn't huge, but he's eating at a steady pace (I'm spacing out the food 1/2 at a time) and there's been no more vomiting.

 

I know you said you were waiting to get your paycheck before you would be able to purchase a glucometer, test strips and lancets.

Did your vet help you to adjust the insulin? From 2U of Caninsulin to 1U of Caninsulin?

 

I called and that's what she told me to do until I can get him in. I'm buying the glucometer in the morning right after I leave work

 

Good. It's always a smart move to call and ask your vet.

Have you looked at any of the home testing tips info?

 

Omg yes! And I'll be doing that again before I start. Weather and transportation permitting, I'll be bringing Georgie in on Friday to see the vet

 

Good Luck at the vet visit.


What was Georgie's curve at the vet's?

 

That's supposed to be today. Georgie and I will be heading out as soon as I get home from work

 

Keep us posted. Hope you were able to get an early vet appointment and are able to get some sleep before you have to go back to work tonight.

 

Vet had an emergency and put us off until Monday. But I have a glucometer and have been testing him today. So at least I'll have some information for her Monday