5/5 Asia AMPS 338, +2.5 308

http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/...75-2-79-blood-in-urine-test-questions.196250/

Sorry I haven't been around, it's the busiest time of year in our house and way too much on the to do list!

Asia is doing okay, she's coming down in dose and letting me know that she needs less insulin. I hope it sticks for once that she needs less insulin and can keep in reasonable numbers. I gave her a one time kick in the pants dose this morning to see if it brings down the number to something reasonable by next shot. I tried to do that with R yesterday but it was an epic fail. I just want her on a more predictable path from today onwards since I won't be around too much this week and neither will my girls. There will likely be some skipped shots in our future this week which makes me feel really bad, but what can you do.

Blood in urine had been negative whenever I checked since the last time where it came up positive. ...until yesterday, that is. It came up small (+) for blood last night 30 minutes before my vet closed, so I dropped everything I was in the middle of and hopped in a cab to get it there in time. They can test in house and they tried but "couldn't interpret the results" so they had to send it to a lab. It was sent to a lab and came back with the same result on my strip (0-2 RBC or 1+). So yay, my strips are accurate in that regard, but boo on the response from my vet:

"She had only 1+ blood which I would consider normal. I would not be further working up this scant amount of hematuria as it is not clinically significant."

Huh? So it's normal to have a small amount of blood in your urine, not from a cysto needle poke, and while you're on antibiotics for a UTI? What was the point of having me bring in a sample then? Couldn't you have said before, it's no big deal unless it's over X amount so don't go out of your way to bring in a sample?!

I really get the feeling she is checked out as far as doing anything other than keeping Asia on pain meds until she kicks. Very frustrating, I don't want to go down a diagnostic rabbit hole either, but if this were normal, why didn't she just say so before? And if it's not normal, why is it no big deal and we can just ignore this? Sigh. I wish she would just refer me to an IM. It's not something I'm capable of pursuing much this week of all weeks, but after Sunday I will investigate that further, I might ask my old vet for a referral, he seemed open to doing that anyway.

Some good news, her pain level is back to what it was pre numbers going haywire/panc flare or whatever the heck that was. She is back to her regular .1mL BID bupe dose. That is a relief to know she's not in crazy pain other than her usual arthritis/old lady related pain. Interestingly enough, her insulin needs came down as her pain level decreased. Coincidence? I think not. She's still eating great and it doesn't seem like teeth are bothering her currently.

Toki update, of course at the most inconvenient time, Toki started having a weepy eye and keeping one eye mostly closed last night. Then it progressed to green goop discharge, so I think she has some type of eye infection from who knows what. I called my (old) vet to make an appointment (prices much more reasonable and they are great for easy things) and they are booked up this week but the doctor is going to call me back if he can squeeze us in soon. I didn't want to wait with her eye so I had some terramycin ointment that I gave her until she can be seen. I'm trying to keep her away from Asia so it doesn't spread to this poor old lady who has enough medical issues to contend with. I don't know how I'm going to rearrange my life to take her in this week, but I will figure something out. I hope they can see her today as I actually have pockets of time. Tomorrow-Sunday it will be near completely impossible.

 

I'm glad Asia's pain level is down and she is eating great. Sorry your vet isn't more helpful. I hope Toki's eye clears up quickly. Sending prayers.

 

I’m happy to hear sweet Asia is feeling better. So wish you didn’t have to deal with all of the wacky unknowns.
Hope Toki gets better soon

 

Little mini update, vet suggested seeing an IM if I want to explore this further! Hooray! I don’t want to explore this further if it isn’t anything to be worried about, but I told her should anything else come up I would like to see an IM that specializes in CKD issues and such. I found one here that has an interest in CKD and diabetes specifically and as a bonus, she coauthored some journal articles with none other than Jacqui Rand! I really hope that means we’d be on the exact same page regarding diabetes, is that possible?

So at least that is a future possibility if needed. A bit of a relief.

 

Just a suggestion, you might want to set up the initial appointment with the IM, take her records, get her "on file". I hope you don't have to wait 4 weeks like me but jic there is a wait. Consultaton with the IM we went to was $130, which I didn't think was too bad.

Glad Asia is doing good, sorry you are so busy but I too, resemble that remark . Hope Tiki's eye gets better and you can get her in before things get (more) crazy the rest of the week

 

So glad to hear Asia is feeling better, hope Tikis eye gets better soon!

 

Yeah, I thought about that, I'm sure it's a 4-5 week wait. I wonder if I could schedule an appointment just to discuss Asia's issues/my concerns without bringing her along so they have a baseline and a history. Is that even done? I don't want to bring her in unless she needs to go in for something, especially because IM vets typically take your cat away somewhere to do whatever to them, I'm not keen on that one bit.

 

I got an appointment for Toki first thing tomorrow morning so it's not ideal, but at least it's in the morning and won't disrupt anything, just makes my really long day a little bit longer.

 

Good to hear Asia is feeling better! How is the Adequan working for her? Notice any difference in that regard?

 

Good to hear Asia is feeling better! How is the Adequan working for her? Notice any difference in that regard?

 

It’s not a miracle of all miracles, but it seems to help more than anything else we have tried. She can itch her ears with her back legs and sit “like a chicken” which seemed uncomfortable for her before. She also folds her paws under when sitting which she had stopped doing for awhile. She jumped up on the couch once since Adequan. I think the real issue is her back leg muscles are probably somewhat atrophied from not jumping for so long, she doesn’t have the strength to do it anymore even though she probably could do it without pain. All in all, I think it’s pretty great and although she’s not doing anything too dramatic since being on it, the little things she is doing tells me it’s made her much more comfortable and that’s really what matters.

How is Rufus doing with everything?

 

It’s not a miracle of all miracles, but it seems to help more than anything else we have tried. She can itch her ears with her back legs and sit “like a chicken” which seemed uncomfortable for her before. She also folds her paws under when sitting which she had stopped doing for awhile. She jumped up on the couch once since Adequan. I think the real issue is her back leg muscles are probably somewhat atrophied from not jumping for so long, she doesn’t have the strength to do it anymore even though she probably could do it without pain. All in all, I think it’s pretty great and although she’s not doing anything too dramatic since being on it, the little things she is doing tells me it’s made her much more comfortable and that’s really what matters.

How is Rufus doing with everything?

 

You are so right, any little thing that helps them makes it worth it. It's weird with Rufus, because I know he can jump, but he still really doesn't. I think when he lost 3 pounds when unregulated he lost some muscle too. So a combo of that and arthritis. He used to be a lap cat, and when he started have issues last Sept, he stopped laying in my lap He has maybe 2 times since. I was thinking partly because not feeling well and part because of arthritis. I dunno.

So I've been out of work for nearly a year, and Rufus had all his issues starting back in Aug so I've been fortunante in a regard in that I could be at home with him. Well he is doing much better, but still has some issues. I started working again yesterday and now am gone from 6:30 am until 5:15pm. I think he's not happy about it. I cam home to poop on the carpet in the family room downstairs. So that worries me a little because when he started having issues last year that was the first thing he started doing, going outside of the box. So is he doing that again becasue he is mad I'm gone, or because of pain. He had that dental back in Feb and is having issues still/again and not sure if its dental or GI issues. Well either way it's going to cost $1500-$2000 to for either one or both of those determenations. Ugh. I've spent I think $8000 since Aug on him, couple with being unemployed for a year.......

 

I'm sure the weight loss has so much to do with it. For Asia, before diabetes, she didn't have any weight to lose, so I'm positive she lost muscle then. Now she's a bit chubby, but it's fat that she gained, not muscle. I wonder if there is some home version of PT we can do for them. I doubt cats would be a fan of hydrotherapy in the bathtub! I'm sure the lap cat problems are arthritis related too. Asia can walk over legs and feet to get where she wants to go, but with arthritis, she avoids doing that, it's more effort and likely was painful.

His timing is impeccable, I would assume its behavioral since it started on a day where you were gone all day, but I'm sure it will become clear shortly. Hopefully he will get used to you being away during the day again. Maybe have treats at the ready when you are right about to leave so he doesn't associate you leaving as a bad thing?

These cats are expensive I tell you! I'm glad you have a job again so you can spend all that hard earned cash on your fave little furball! Rufus is lucky to have you and I'm sure he's way better off now than he would have been if he didn't have you to advocate for him and get him this far.

 

Thanks Stacy! I would do just anything for an animal, and especially my Rufus. I hate to see them suffer. I just have a problem spending the $ when I get no answers. So tired of going to vet(s) and being told to take a step back when you know there is an issue. Oh well. And Asia is so lucky to have you and your family in her life. Everyone on this board cares so much for their cats, it's incredible. Makes me super sad when people "can't handle" dealing with a sick kitty.

We should totally open up some kind of kitty gym. Hire some trainers, get them back in shape It's kind of odd, because Rufus needs to lose weight but he's not, and I don't want him to secretly because then he would be said to have IBD (according to IM vet). Everytime we go to the vet they say "well he hasn'r lost weight so that's good! He must not be sick " which is true, but...you know what I mean. We all just have to keep on keeping on