06/16/2011 Spitzer @ vet; NOT false alarm on my part

I didn't notice any problems immediately and did the morning routine of testing & shooting.

And when I gave him his 3 pellets of kibble reward ... he mouthed them and didn't eat them.
And he always scarfs his treat.

I put down fresh Fancy Feast classic turkey and giblets ... and he didn't eat that either.

I offered fresh Fancy Feast turkey florentine ... and he didn't eat that either.

And his morning routine is to be a voracious eater, even competing with the other cats for the food.

Then I noticed someone (of my 11) had vomited sometime during the night. And Spitzer was meatloafing on the lid of the garbage can. High index of suspicion for me.

OK. vet visit. Dropped him off about +1.5 since insulin.

On my way to work, the vet calls and leaves me a message - he's eating and they couldn't put it down fast enough. Naturally.

I think thats the insulin kicking in. If he is the one that threw up last night, his GI system is on the fritz and he could throw up again after eating. I called and discussed with the vet - she'll check routine bloodwork and will send out the feline pancreatitis test (because I'm concerned and want to rule it out ... or in). She'll also run serial curves, but we know those'll be higher due to vet stress.

Not how I wanted to do morning!

 

Re: Spitzer @ vet; could be false alarm on my part

Praying for a false alarm, but as they say...Better safe than sorry.

We have fingers, toes and paws all crossed that he is just having a off day and it is nothing more than him being a cat.

Mel, Maxwell and The Fur Gang.

 

Re: Spitzer @ vet; could be false alarm on my part

Rough morning! Hope he was just having a bad morning of it and all is well.

 

Re: Spitzer @ vet; could be false alarm on my part

Not my imagination; something is not right.

The vet report:
his glucose is elevated (could be some vet stress, too):
+2-ish 251,
ate
+5 395 @ 11:30;
+6.5 394 @ 1
vet wants me to increase Lantus to 2 units bid (was on 1.5 units bid)

urine cloudy, well concentrated, and sugar in urine; urine culture pending

ALT elavated liver NOT happy!
WBC elevated

spec CPL (test for pancreatitis) sent out (is the right one? I thought it was fPLI)

antibiotic prescribed - amoxicillan - this may help if infection elevating glucose.

 

Just wanted to say I'm sending healing vines to spitzer!

 

Prayers coming your way and hoping he is just having a bad day, we beans have some of those Nancy

 

Re: Spitzer @ vet; could be false alarm on my part

spec-fPL is the new name for the specific feline pancreatic lipase test (formerly known as the fPLI)

spec-cPL is the specific canine pancreatic lipase test

I hope they didn't run the second one... :razz:

 

The bill says: Fe Pancreatic Lipase $60

 

My vet told me they really did not have test for pancreatitis. I am becoming more and more irritated with my vet. They keep testing my cats sugar levels and not testing for pancreatitis.

 

It appears there is an even newer test that was just announced last April which would be used as a preliminary test before possibly sending out for the Spec fpl. I don't remember this being mentioned on the board - possibly it has - this was just recently shared with me by Vicky (Gandalf). It is called the SNAP fpl. You might show this to your vet Terri.

http://www.idexx.com/view/xhtml/en_us/corporate/news/press-releases/20110420pr.jsf?SSOTOKEN=0

I hope Spitzer kitty feels better soon.

 

And also point your vet here, for a spot of continuing education (or print out the page and drop it off):

http://vetmed.tamu.edu/gilab/service/assays/pli

Pancreatic Lipase Immunoreactivity (PLI)

≤3.5 µg/L "Serum Spec fPL concentration is in the normal range. It is unlikely that the cat has pancreatitis. Investigate for other diseases that could cause observed clinical signs."

3.6 - 5.3 µg/L Serum Spec fPL concentration is increased. The cat may have pancreatitis and Spec fPL should be reevaluated in two weeks if clinical signs persist. Investigate for other diseases that could cause observed clinical signs.

≥5.4 µg/L Serum Spec fPL concentration is consistent with pancreatitis. The cat most likely has pancreatitis. Consider investigating for risk factors and concurrent diseases (e.g., IBD, hepatitis, Diabetes mellitus). Periodic monitoring of Spec fPL may help assess response to therapy.

 

I'm hoping the antibiotic clears any infection and thus brings his glucose down too.

I'll have to step up testing to make sure that upping his insulin doesn't wind up over-dosing him if the elevation is due to infection.

Gotta love the sugar dance, eh?

 

Hope Spitzer's feeling better.

 

Hope Spitzer is doing better. Sending prayers your way.

Pattie