3.16 Rufus AMPS 90, PMPS 130, +2 122 (AT2)

Yesterday

Better number today, but didn't eat anything except a little bit of deli chicken overnight. Made him some of the food he devoured yesterday this am for breakfast and of course wouldn't touch it . Made him some Friskies and ate most of it. I'm sure we'll both pay for that later. Today will be first full day of no bupe, we'll see if that was making a difference in his mood. Going to vet to pick up dontral for other dude. He had worms earlier this year and had doses to get rid of them. Guess that didn't work as he puked up some last night. Gonna ask about an xray for Rufus just to see if he is backed up in some way or any other issue in there. He did have some liquid poop last night, but there has got to be more in there.

Happy Friday!

 

Nice start! When Bubba gets constipated, his numbers go up a lot higher. Sending appy vines. Hope the no bupe proves to increase his appy some. It can make them constipated so hopefully you will see a nice deposit in the LB once the bupe is out of his system.

Good luck with the de wormer for civvie cat. As long as he is still hunting and eating his prey, it is possible that he got re infected with worms again. Worms are gross and both of my boys have had them.

 

That's the thing! He hasn't really been out since he had them in January. He rarely goes outside in thje winter, and if he does he only sits on the deck. I think he probably just had a really bad case of them and it wasn't taken care of with the 2 doses. Somewhere I read said it can take 4 or 5 doses!

I don't know what is going on with Rufus' appetite. There is no rhyme or reason why it is up and down. I'm wondering if steroids are next on our list

 

with steroids, his numbers will go up and you'll have to adjust the insulin needs. If it were my kitty, steroids would only be giving if absolutely necessary because of asthma or something like that.

Is it possible that maybe because he is getting into better numbers he is just not as hungry? Just how much he is getting to eat each day?

 

I really don't want him on pred again. Unfortunetly we've been dealing with the inappetance since last August, even before he developed diabetes. He was on steroids before, and possibly developed diabetes from them No idea what is causing it. He was on ondansetron, pepcid, and cernia. Somedays a single one those will, work other days he can be on all 3 and it doesn't work. No rhyme or reason. Possible IBD/lymphoma so I wondering if the steroids would calm the inflammation enough to get him to eat and to eat a novel diet. Hopefully we can calm it down enough to get him to eat consistently and then ween him off of the steroids again. Nobody has any idea exactly why he doesn't want to eat.

 

If it is possibly IBD, Slippery Elm Bark can help. I give to my boys everyday. I put 1/4 tsp in their first and last meal of each day every day. It helps to heal the digestive tract and reduce inflammation. If you use the SEB, it needs to be given an hour away from any meds that you would give as it interferes with absorption. I also give George's Aloe Vera Juice, 1/2 tbsp. twice a day right in the food, it has no taste or smell . ( it needs to be fractionally distilled that is why I use George's brand, amazon sells it cheaper than a health food store)

Those two things are helping to keep Bubba mostly regular. Before I started both of those things, he could vascilate between no pooing to diarrhea. Both of these things have helped him a lot.

 

I actually bought some that! I'll try using it again. I'll try that aloe vera juice, too!

 

Another thought would be an appetite stimulant to get him to eat a novel protein diet. I used cyproheptadine because I was afraid of mirtazapine causing seratonin syndrome. Now you can get mirt as a transdermal and give a small amount daily. It’s working well that way for many without the side effects of the pill.

Are you weighing him? If he’s not losing too fast he’s eating enough. If you don’t have one I’d get a digital scale and weigh a couple times a week.

 

Yep, typical cat not touching something he devoured yesterday. I hope his appy has picked up by now.

Blech on the worms! Hopefully the next round of meds will end that!

 

That's a good idea. App stimulant is not something we have tried. Good news (and bad) is he has gained weight. But seriously wondering how much of that is poop! Even on his worst days, he probably stills gets about 200 cals. I'm not sure where he should be cal wise. Theoretically around 400, but he doesn't exercise as much. Maybe 300-350? We have an appointment next Thursday at the specialsist. I'll see about the app stim. We might being doing xrays and possible biopsy too.

 

I bought some fancy feast seafood something. Not something I need him to be eating! But, he ate the whole can! So, at least we have that going for us! I did give an an ondansetron this am. Not sure if that was the trick or the "new" flavor

 

If you look at Dr. Pierson’s sure she has a section on weight loss. You are feeding too many calories. My friend’s cat weighed nearly 19 pounds and we cut him down to two cans of fancy feast plus a little dry or treats and still weight loss was slow. He’s reached his ideal weight. You need a digital scale as you don’t want weight loss too fast. He’s. It diabetic so weight loss will be even slower for Rufus.

 

I was told by vet to feed him about 20 cal per pound. That would be 440 cals! I do want him to lose about 3 more pounds. Rufus has a huge frame, so he's not super super overweight.

 

That’s a lot for weight loss but I won’t ever disagree with a vet. What’s his ideal weight? The formula Pierson uses I “think “ multiples desired weight by a percentage. Can’t remember what that is. Worth reading what she says.

http://catinfo.org/#Obesity

 

Not sure what his ideal weight is, I've I asked many times and nobody had an answer for me, except to weigh less Actually one vet tech said she thought 18 or 19 would be good for him.

 

He is big. What does he weigh? Can you feel his ribs?

 

He weighs 21.8 pounds. He was at 24.0 before diabetes last Novemeber. He's been above 20 the last 6 years. You can feel the end of the rib cage, I think you'd call it.

 

Here is a good formula for you to use: weight X 13.5 +70 = calories a day. Use the ideal weight for the cat, so let's say 18 lbs. 18 X 13.5=243 +70=313 calories a day. If the kitty is underweight, use what the ideal weight should be in the formula. It is a guide line and it can be tweaked for less active cats or very active cats. But, it's a good starting point and you'll be feeding kitty closer to the needs of the ideal weight and not what the weight is.

Bubba is a very big cat also. He has held 17 - 17. 4 lbs for over a year. Before DX he was 23 lbs! Recently, he has gained 1 lb so I have scaled back his food a bit as he is very inactive now that I won't let him outside while he's on insulin. Hope this helps.

 

Sounds good. I'll have to tweak his feedings, and see what works best for him. He used to get 3 meals of about 100 cals each and then he could nibble on a little dry if wanted. Thanks you!

Can I ask why he can't go outside anymore? Is it in case he goes too low?

 

PMPS 130. Ate all lunch and all of dinner. Fancy feast seafood. Ugh. Better then not eating I guess. Sleeping all day. Pooped today, pretty soft stuff.

 

It's mainly because I can't control want additional meals he might get outside. He was a very prolific hunter. At one time on insulin I was letting him outside and one day I took 3 mice away from him! That was a lot of fun wrestling mice out of his mouth! And also with the possibility of additional calorie intake , I couldn't get an accurate assessment of how low the dose was taking him. It breaks my heart keeping him from being outside but as always I promise to restore his outdoor privileges when he goes OTJ again.

 

Makes total sense! Bobbie would love my other cat Ozzie then. Always hunting, like he never gets fed at home! He even tries to bring me food, too. Rabbits! He doesn't like them, but thinks I do.

 

+2 122 Good day eating (even though eating not what I want him to eat, and needed pepcid and onda), but sleepy almost all day. Really hope he bounces back tomorrow and that it wasn't the bupe that was making feel so much better.