1/12 Asia PMPS 135, +4.75 151 vet visit update good stuff so far

http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/1-11-asia-pmps-164-4-93.189459/

AMPS 121, a good start for Asia.

Something is off with her, I'm glad we are seeing the vet today and it worked out that they couldn't send someone to do a blood draw.

Last night I got caught up with some teenager stuff after food and shot time and I forgot to give her the bupe (which I do after shot time, but it's not a quick thing). Went to show her the +1 food which gets her up and she runs to the kitchen to eat it, except she perked up seeing the food and stood up, I left with the bowl for the kitchen and no Asia. Came back to my room and she was laying down again. I picked her up and put her toward the cat stairs and she thought about Tim but wouldn't go down. That's when I remembered the bupe and so I gave that to her and chalked it up to pain/bupe having long since worn off.

I put the freeze dried chicken in her +9 slot, I don't think that's going to work out. Toki monster could smell them in there and has never bothered with the autofeeder or Asia's food, now she is interested to pry it open.

Woke up for am routine and saw chicken treats in the +9, untouched. Okay, I thought, maybe she had trouble eating them so didn't bother. I made up her preshot food, she was excited to see it, took a lick or two and walked away. This wouldn't be out of character for prediabetes Asia, but it is now, and certainly she wants her AMPS and PMPS foods since she goes 2+ hours without. Longer today because she didn't eat the +9. I'm shocked I didn't wake up to vomit.

I brought her food to her and she ate it. But something isn't right. She has been breathing faster than usual, I wouldn't call it rapid breathing at this point, but it's faster than her norm. Sometimes her whole body is rising and falling like she's making effort to breathe, that's not so unusual for her, but she used to only do it when in a deep sleep. She makes a lot of snoring and grunting noises in her sleep, typically, but there have been infrequent occasions where her breathing is noisy when she's awake. She seems to tire very quickly, recently, hesitates at the litter box, still laying in her box on occasion. We will see what the vet has to say about all this.

Outside of these things, she's still having spaz runs, or had a couple this week anyway. Cleaning her face, purring, happy for attention and belly rubs. She still wants to be Asia, but her body isn't always cooperating.

Thinking of Darwin today, I hope he is okay and the night wasn't too long for Tasha.

 

I'm glad you're taking her to the vet today. It could just be she's getting older and will have off days. My cats that lived to be older did that. Sending good vetty vines.

 

Good luck at the vet today. Hopefully she just had an off moment with the fuds. If her breathing has changed since starting fluids I might get an X-ray to make sure there is no fluid buildup.

 

Hi Karen!

Probably could have coincided about the time of starting fluids, will bring that up at the vet.

Trying not to freak out about heart stuff until I have something to freak out about, but that is in the back of my mind. I’m calling it a one of for now.

 

Thanks, Carla. I know, she’s pretty ancient and it’s been easy to be in denial about that somewhat until a few months ago because she certainly didn’t act her age. Hoping the vet can reassure me.

 

Hi Tracy, sending good vetty vines for Asia's appointment today. I hope you'll receive some answers.

 

I hope it's nothing serious. Hugs to you & sweet Asia

 

Sending vetty vines and feel good vines for Asia.

 

She was 77 at +2.75 (crazy morning, more contractors)

Because +3 seems to be where the big drops can happen, I gave her 1/2 tsp, as in with a measuring spoon, of gravy only, no karo. She blasted to 129 in 15 minutes!

New rule is, she needs zero to micro interventions in the am cycle, pm cycle is an entirely different story. So weird, so weird.

 

Good luck at the vet's and hopefully it is nothing more than old kitty syndrome.

 

Sending some good-vetty vines!

 

Just sending support and healing thoughts for Missy Asia!

 

Back from the vet. He gave her a good once over and listened to her breathing, said it sounded all clear and she was at 32? bpm which he said was fine considering she was at the vet and not happy about it. I clocked her, very unofficially at about the same (30) last night. He said to pay attention to when it’s happening, like after she’s been up and about vs resting. Going to keep an eye on that for sure. I’m unconvinced it’s nothing, because she’s never done this before, hopefully it’s just nothing to worry about.

Otherwise she did very well, he was impressed with her overall appareance and that she’s able to keep weight on (although I think she’s gone to the ever so slightly plump side of where she should be). He was impressed by her SS this time and I said the biggest difference I saw was after the bupe and he agreed. He has changed his mind about pancreatitis and pain mgmt (he didn’t think it was painful before), so yay for the future kitties that see him.

He said I could try 3 times a day and play around with the bupe dose and see if that helps, because I’m wondering if it’s wearing off too soon and also if it is contributing to some of the number rises/duration issues as of late. Going to give that a try starting tomorrow.

I’m trying not to get my hopes up, but he did anyway. He took the blood and said he thinks he’ll be calling me with good news in a couple of day (re: BUN and creatinine, I hope, I hope, and hopefully phos as well).

All in all she did well, it was warm out today, a little rainy, much better than the bitter cold last time. Asia had a stress pudding poo as soon as we got back, just like she did after the last vet visit, but bg was 75, so at least her bg numbers don’t show her unhappiness at the vet’s office.

 

I'm glad you had a good vet visit and that the vet was optimistic. Weight gain is great! Sending tons of good bloodwork vines. I hope she's eating well now. We helicopter parents always think the worst. Like Karen, I'm always on edge about fluids and the heart. It took a couple weeks of fluids before Neko saw the worst of it.

 

Glad you got a positive response from the vet! Sending good blood work vines!
Remind me again, are you injecting bupe? If so, did it come from a compounding pharmacy?

 

Me too, I’ve read just enough prior to this to worry me. And she’s old, that just doesn’t help because everything is out of warranty at this point.

Vet said weight gain is great too, I think she just needs to maintain, not gain. She was 9.8 on the 7th and is 10.3 now. She’s a bowling ball.

 

They don't make 'em like they used to. The newer ones fail earlier now.

 

No, it’s transmucosal, I just shoot it in there somewhere and hope some of it hits her cheek vs being swallowed or flung all over the room. I doubt there are many vets that would rx the injectable form, or if that’s even legal.

 

That's right, I knew that! I remembered that Asia didn't like the "in-the-check" method, so that's why I was thinking something else.

 

Vet is willing to try the transdermal ear gel, but so far this is doable enough and I don’t have to worry about Toki’s cleaning Asia having unintended consequences.

 

Is there anything supportive I can do (after the fact) since she’s had blood draws so close together?

 

Good point... two wacked out cats, no thank you!

 

I'm glad the vetty visit went well. I hope you get good b/w results back.

 

Glad the vet visit eased some of your fears even if Asia was not impressed with the whole thing. Sending some good B/W vines as well.

 

I think that's a good thing! Vines to both of you.

 

Do you mean for her hematocrit? Just the methylB12 and MultiB as far as I know.

Paws crossed for good labs and I’m glad she’s doing well in the weight Department. Lots of CKD kitties, and older kitties, lose muscle mass.

Did he X-ray her chest? I’m also very cautious about watching the breathing in an older cat, especially. And I think your instincts should not be dismissed. All of your observations are important so I’d keep writing them down.

Let me know if I can help with the labs.

 

Yes, I was just thinking general blood regenerative support. He doesn’t think b multi or methyl help with anything CKD or anemia, but it can’t hurt to try them. Same with probiotics. I find many MDs think similarly when it comes to vitamins for some reason.

No chest X-ray. He listened to her and did the percussive thing. The only thing she’s ever done like this before is if she’s in a deep sleep, she is a noisy breather or her whole chest and abdomin will fall and rise somewhat dramatically and she’s twitchy, this is not a new thing and I’ve been told by prior vets that she is probably dreaming (and it does seem like she’s going after something in her dream state). But she has done a bit of this recently when awake (minus the twitching) and she’s breathing faster like she’s hot (which she could be, unregulated steam radiator heat, can only open windows a crack due to Toki wanting to play daredevil). No panting or open mouth breathing though. And it’s not a constant thing. In my mind it links together with her recent laying in the litter box episodes. I am keeping track, I’m going to make videos if it happens again. It just worries me a bit to continue giving fluids, I might cut the amount in half or something similar.

And thank you tons, as always, as soon as I get the labs back, I will let you know.

 

Drives me crazy when vets dismiss this. I’ve never had a CKD cat become anemic and I’ve seen ones who were mid 20s on the HCT improve on B vitamins.

While this info on probiotics focuses on IBD cats, there is a good basis for all cats to have them.

Wise move on the fluids. As cats get older, lungs and heart get more fragile, as you know. My 21 year old went into CHF after getting fluids for CKD...and I had an echo done on her before we started fluids. Not to scare you but just great that you are watching and documenting.

 

So glad it went well today and I pray for good lab results. Myagi thinks she's beautiful with the "extra" weight! I hope the adjustment in the pain meds makes things better for her. Big love!

 

Thanks! We think the chub is cute too, but it harder on her joints.

 

She finally decides to be flat...in the 150s!

 

I totally agree with Marje on being cautious the fluids. How much are you giving and how often?

She seems to be doing amazingly well, for her age. But I do understand your concern. I got to the point where I was watching my cats every move all day long with great concern. You can't help it when they're old. You're just waiting for the other shoe to fall. I think you're doing everything you can Stacy.

Sending good bloodwork vines.

 

Thank you, I’m trying, as long as she’s still wanting to be a cat, I’m going to help prop her up where I can.

100ml every 2-3 days, doesn’t seem like much, but she’s not a loose skinned cat and everything is pretty taut. Her camel hump always stays on top until it absorbs and this has always been the case.

 

Is her "hump" completely gone before you give the next round of fluids?

Maybe you should consider doing 50 mls at a time, possibly more often than you're doing the 100? This would be easier on the heart. I would ask your vet about that.

 

Yes, absolutely, it absorbs within a couple hours. I will definitely look in to that.

 

Glad to catch up on the news, fingers crossed for lab reports!

 

100% agree. Perhaps some of this information is anecdotal, that doesn’t make it without merit. It’s not like researchers are being thrown tons of money to study how diet or inexpensive vitamins can heal things in humans, never mind cats! I’ve been on the probiotic train for many years, I’m just picky with them because many of the formulations are not what they claim to be at best, or utterly ineffective.

 

Thank you! Quintus is holding it down over there, huh? Just peeped at his SS, good boy!

 

Sending some good b/w vines!