Cats potassium low

my cat is newly diagnosed with diabetes and on 2u twice daily insulin. He's been at vets all day today as he is very lethargic won't eat and trying to walk with his head drooping down. Vet said his potassium was low so put him on iv fluids plus potassium infusion. His potassium rose a bit and he ate few kitten biscuits at vets even though he is 16 years old, the vet also syringe fed him. He came home but since then not eaten or drunk anything and had insulin shot and he's just sleeping and very flat in himself. I'm going to as per vets advice give him 1u of insulin in morning instead of 2u as not eaten anything. He has developed a fatty liver due to not eating and his diabetes and his potassium would increase if he just ate but he won't and his potassium is going to drop again, I could syringe feed him but what would I feed him as vets have liquid food available but didn't have any left to give me. So worried about him his blood sugar was 12.9 at vets but his insulin dose still needs altering vet said.

 

Just out of curiosity as I am new to feline diabetes too, what insulin is your cat on?

 

It's important to feed!!! I can't believe your vet didn't instruct you to do so. Water down pate cat food and syringe feed him.

 

It's called caninsulin

 

Be really careful giving canisilun on no food.... Strong possibility of hypo.

 

He always eats biscuits as he doesn't like wet food but I have got cat tuna in tin which he loves but he won't entertain it at mo. He licked a bit of Greek yoghurt off finger but not sure if ok to give this to him

 

Yeh that's the problem I'm going to reduce dose in morning of the insulin as per vets advice if not eaten or drunk

 

Are you home testing? Even 1 unit may be a lot with little food.

Most dry food is very high carb. Not good for diabetics.

 

If your cat has a history of fatty liver, then he needs to eat. If he is not eating, then you need to go back to the vet. Getting food into him is imperative.

Here is a link to syringe feeding information.

http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/syringe-assisted-feeding-video-and-tips.144367/

There are also various videos on youtube.

 

If it's any help, might get his appetite up, my vet said the probiotic yogurt was okay for cats. She DID NOT SAY it was great, more of a passing statement. Anyone else heard this? Wishing you luck.

 

Sorry for the double. This is more of a morale boost Carly. If you've never syringe fed before it can be a hard thing to do emotionally depending on the cat.
Every cat is different, please do not let that get you down.
I did it with Noah's brother Andrew and he lived a good life.

 

Well I offered him some Greek yoghurt he had a lick of it but wasn't bothered and he loves Greek yoghurt usually

 

He ate a few biscuits this morning and few more this afternoon and drunk had good drink of water just now, today I gave him just 1u of insulin as he no where ate enough. He's a bit brighter in himself following me around house and when I put his food down he looks interested but doesn't eat or only managing a few, offered him tuna and chicken but not interested

 

He still needs to go in. It's Sunday night and some people may be logging off.

 

I'm going to take him to vets first thing in morning

 

i'm glad he's drinking, but still super important to get food in him. a few kibble isn't enough. You can syringe in meat baby food (as long as it has no onion or garlic in the ingredients). Cats can go downhill fast when they stop eating. It sounds like he's nauseous. they may prescribe cerenia or famodadine to get him eating again. i'm glad he's going in first thing in the morning, but please get more into him tonight.

 

Yeh I'm going to try I want him to eat more but hard with cat, he is definitely feeling sick as does want to eat but just can't

 

the fact that he seems intersted but then doesn't is what tells us he's most likely nauseated. you are going to have to put pureed food in a needless syringe, towel him if you must, and get some food in him.

 

I agree, he does sound nauseated. There is a Feline Assisted Feeding Group on Yahoo that can help you. I think I've heard that cats with Fatty Liver need to eat 1/3? more than the cat would normally eat, in small portions, of course. Good Luck with helping your boy.

 

Thank you everyone, I will update once he's seen the vet tomorrow

 

Hi, I just signed in this forum because I found this post on Google and I relived a bad moment I had with my cat a few months ago.
She was diagnosed with an extremely rare disease which was eating away all of her potassium. She was weak and lethargic, she was going to die. She spent several days in a clinic with IV fluids added with potassium at the highest level possible, but nealry nothing was changing.
After a week they sent her back home with a prescription for a potassium supplement for pets, but it didn't work either. Furthermore the taste of this supplement was terrible, so it was a hard task to give it to her.
So I searched the internet and found out a supplement for humans, specifically for people who do sports. With 3/4 of a tablet a day I improved the potassium level for my cat in about a week time. I had to give these tablets to my cat for all the time needed before she was operated. But as long as I gave her this tablets she was fine and a blood panel every ten days proved that I was doing the right thing.
This is what I used for three months
http://www.biohealth.it/en/metaboli...hos-plus-potassium-and-magnesium-citrate.html
and this is the Italian page for the same product
http://www.biohealth.it/patologie/store/156/lithos-plus-citrato-di-potassio-e-magnesio.html
You can use an online translator, I checked it up and the translation is really good.
I am Italian and live in Italy, so I don't think that you might be able to find the same product where you live, but you can ask your vet or your chemist if anything similar is available in your area. If not, you might be able to order it online.
I wish all the best for your cat!