advice - Praying for help!

My Baby Girl (her actual name) has been at the vet since Tuesday. I was on a work trip last week and when I came home on Sunday I noticed she was very thin. I asked my mom who checked on her and she did not remember her eating but did notice she was a more distant with her than usual. Turned out it's diabetes and she was very close to the end. I had no idea. This cat is 13 and it's been Baby Girl & I against the world since I adopted her at 6 weeks. She has been on fluids at the vet and antibiotics because they believe she had a secondary infection. She still will not eat, but this morning I was told she is stable. They have told me not to visit because it will upset her more to be left again (which I understand) I want to get her home & truly believe she will eat once she feels safe and relaxed. I don't know if I am wrong or right to stand my ground and say she needs to come home - I really cant imagine leaving her over the weekend when she could come home & start getting back to life. What should I do?

 

I’m so sorry your kitty is unwell.
If she has had DKA then I think she should stay at the vet until she is at least starting to eat. DKA happens when ketones form in the blood with diabetic cats who have not had enough insulin, not enough food and an infection which sounds very much like what has happened to Baby Girl.
I would be guided by the vet with this but once you get her home we can help you with getting her to eat and get better. So please keep posting. She will need a lot of care for a week or two.
Once home it is really important that she gets enough insulin, enough food and the antibiotics she is on to get rid of the infection.
What I would recommend you do is go out and buy a human glucose meter from a pharmacy or Walmart so you can test the blood sugars when she gets home. This is very important so you can guage how much insulin to give and to keep her safe.
Also go out and buy some low carb canned cat food. Fancy feast pates are good. There is no need to get the expensive prescription foods from the vet. The fancy feasts are fine. Also get some higher carb food that has gravy in it for when you need to bring the blood sugars up higher. Mark the higher carb ones and keep separately. Also make sure you have some honey or Karo in case of low blood sugars.
I am on my mobile at the moment but when I can get to my iPad I will send you some links for information.
Bron

 

If you have a tee shirt, pillow case, sweatshirt, something like that that’s got your scent on it you can take it to her while she’s at the vet. It will comfort her to smell you, and home.

 

Hi Lysa
Here is a link to various food charts. I am not sure which country you live in but this list should cover it.
Try and get canned food 10% carbohydrates or less....this is what diabetic cats need for everyday feeding.
Also get some cans of food that are around 15 or 16% carbs and around 22 % carbs for when you need to raise the blood sugar levels. You will only need a few of these and you can replenish as needed.
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/links-to-food-charts.174182/

Here is some information about DKA.....diabetic ketoacidosis. We have some very experienced people who know a lot about this illness who will be able to help you once you get home with Baby Girl.
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/...oacidosis-dka-and-blood-ketone-meters.135952/

Here is a link to our FAQ page
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/forums/health-links-faqs-about-feline-diabetes.14/

If you look at the bottom of all our posts you will see information about us and our cats. This is called our signature. I will give you the link so you can fill out your signature. We always read it when we are helping someone as it tells us a lot about the kitty.
Fill out what you can and you can go back later to fill out anything that you couldn't just yet.
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/editing-your-signature-profile-and-preferences.130340/

Do you know yet what type of insulin your vet will be prescribing? Lantus is one of the best for kitties.

Please keep us updated on how Baby Girl is getting on, and let us know as soon as you are ready to bring her home. Try and get well organised with everything before she comes home..
All the best
Bron

 

So sorry your baby isn't doing well. There are several of us on here who have had cats go into dka and eventually pull out of it. Good advice to take this time to get prepared with a meter, 28 gauge lancets, cotton cosmetic rounds, neosporin ointment with pain relief, a ketone blood meter or ketone urine strips, and low carb food.

Get familiar with how to test by watching videos. I have a video in my signature showing how I test my cat CC at home.

If she still isn't eating anything at the vet perhaps discuss having a feeding tube put in. If you don't want that then get a good feeding syringe as well so you can assist feed if she's still not eating willingly. A food enhancer, such as FortiFlora, sprinkled on top may or may not help entice her as well.

Keep us updated.

 

You've been given great advice. Yes, it seems from your description that diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) might be in the picture. It's very serious but can be treated by a vet clinic that has ICU capability - or at least knowledgeable, experienced vets and 24/7 care. It'll take her some time to recover fully once she's home. It's a really good idea to have anti nausea meds for her at home along with an appetite stimulant (if anti nausea meds aren't enough). She'll need calories, enough insulin, fluids and likely meds to recover well at home.

The absolute best way to prevent complications of feline diabetes is to test blood glucose at home and dose insulin appropriately. We can help with all that.

 

Hi, sorry to hear about Baby Girl, ask the vet the reason why he thinks he should still remain with them, if she's getting IV fluids and meds and needs ICU treatments then maybe that's why the vet thinks is better for her to be there, do let him know that if you can give her the meds and treatments at home you are willing to do so, so that as soon as possible you can take her home.

 

Being able to trust your vet is essential. They may not be telling you everything simply because there's a lot going on, the onset of diabetes combined with an infection can lead to much worse things. Being "stable" is a general term, I would leave her there where they are prepared for the unforeseen things you cannot treat at home. Everyone wants their cat to come home but these are not Baby Girl's last days, she just got whacked with a completely treatable medical condition. I've had many cats over the last 40 years so I actually do know how you feel, many of us have been there. Be thankful it was not some enormous tumor, she just needs the kind of care you can't give her at home and frankly you'll feel a lot worse racing to an emergency clinic on Sunday night if things go badly.
There is evidence that while dogs are always happy to be visited some cats have a negative reaction to being left behind.
What Lucy (Squalliesmom) suggested about familiar scents and objects makes perfect sense. If your anxiety is getting to be too much ask for a sit-down with the vet and have them explain all your questions. It's a sad fact that when we leave our babies behind they are just one of possibly many other cats and dogs.
Against our vets wishes we did visit with Andrew and everything after that went better but that was just us.
You need to have faith in your vet and established medicine as much as you want to squeeze her right now and take her home. If it's just killing you, and it sounds like it is, see if you can have a video link set up but please don't expect a 24 hour feed.
If all goes well and she is coming home Monday maybe you can sneak in a visit on Sunday.
After that there are hundreds of people here that can give you real and practical advice for the next 10 years of your lives together, we will not abandon you.
Get some sleep this weekend and we'll give you a shopping list for Monday. And when I said "the next 10 years of your lives together" there are plenty of people here with happy cats 20 years or older. I had one lucky boy that lived to 23.
Welcome to the club, crying is allowed. My name is Dickson, not Noah. Soon enough you'll have lots of new friends many of whom you'll remember for a very long time.
Feeling any better now?

 

I did this when I brought her food in a couple days back and it was a huge comfort.

 

I really appreciate the outpouring of support and advice!

I went to visit her this morning and she started eating! The visit was very therapeutic and needed for both of us; a solid hour of purring and face rubbing.
She's still on IV fluids but if her tests go well today, she should be able to come home later. I'll know in a few hours.

One thing I wouldn't mind tips on is the transition to wet food: I know it's best for her but she has hated it her entire life, same with seafood. She'll just walk away and not eat.

 

That's great that she responded well to your visit and that they didn't restrict to some inane time limit.
The wet food is another matter. We've switched all five to wet and our kitchen floor and sink are disgusting but it was for the best. We did have a cat that flat out refused anything but kibble. Tuna, salmon, pumpkin; nothing worked. The saying "They'll eat it when they get hungry enough" is cruelty. Try setting out small portions of different flavors even if it's mixed in with kibble. The stinkier the better.
Sorry for the long posts, most everyone here is used to it. I'm working on that.

 

I am happy to read your Baby Girl is doing better! Here is a link to Dr. Lisa's information on transitioning a kibble addict over to the wet food.

https://catinfo.org/docs/TipsForTransitioning1-14-11.pdf

 

I am so glad Baby Girl is improving.
Have they told you yet what insulin she will be on?,
Have you managed to look at glucose monitors yet and also to get a bottle of Ketostix from the pharmacy to test for ketones at home in the urine.......an easy test, but a very important one.