Yesterday's shenanigans: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/2-18-max-amps-319-5-224.210897/ Ugh, a red number today. Gave Max his 5.5 units, a little breakfast and some Zobaline. He PUKED his entire stomach contents about half an hour ago. Why is he such a pukey boy? I gave him a dose of Cerenia and then I realized...his last dose was less than 24 hours ago (about 18 hours ago). The vet said not to give him more than one dose in 24 hrs. Do you think he'll be ok?
Max threw up again, about an hour after giving the Cerenia. Do you think it had time to get absorbed?
Max just puked AGAIN. There's no food in it...just foamy stuff. He hasn't eaten hardly anything today. Ok guys, what do I do?
I strongly recommend you get a urine ketone test ASAP: vomiting, high BG, possible pancreatitis or some other inflammatory issue set the scene for ketone development. If the ketone test gives you "trace" call your vet for advice. If it's anything higher than trace, take him to the vet today.
I got a ketone test last night, less than 24 hrs ago. A photo of the strips is in my previous post. Looked totally negative to me.
Monitor closely. If you gave insulin and he is puking, he could drop very quickly and if feeding won't work to keep him safe you might need to take him to vet.
I did a +3 and he was still pretty high. Gonna do a +4 in about 15 minutes. He ate a small amount of paté about 15 minutes ago. Fingers and paws crossed he keeps it down.
Has he had an ultrasound? It seems like something is going on here unrelated to diabetes. The cerenia should have helped. Have you ever tried ondansetron? Is he well hydrated? How’s his weight? If he’s losing toofadt it can be dangerous. Was he ever tested for pancreatitis? Has he ever had any other issues with vomiting before diabetes? Sorry for all the questions.
Just tested and he's actually going up? @tiffmaxee I had some testing done last week but they weren't able to do anything specific for pancreatitis. Based on the results from the normal blood work and his symtopms pancreatitis was their guess. His weight is ok and he's drinking. He's never has such consistent vomiting in the past, no. It would be every once in awhile or maybe once a day at most but this is the third day in the past two weeks he's been vomiting almost every hour. I WISH I could get an ultrasound done, but currently can't afford it. I've spent about $3,000 on him already over the past 4 months between vet/ER visits, medicines, tests, insulin, food... >.<
I get it about the costs! Unfortunately regular bloodwork does not really give indications of pancreatitis like it can in a dog. Sometimes cats need both ondansetron and cerenia to control nausea as they work differently. That would be worth a try, inexpensive, and totally safe. I have it’s nothing serious and goes away on its own. Feeling rotten can definitely raise the bg.
Max kept his little snack down from an hour ago! So far, anyway... I gave him a bit more just now. Feeding him little bits every hour. The only food he's interested in eating when he's feeling icky is Friskies turkey and chicken dinner with cheese (pate). It's 7% on the carb chart.
Just a small point. There's a negligible difference between the 393 and 412. There's a 20% meter variance in any BG test number. Essentially, the two tests are the same. If Max is throwing up persistently, you could try baby food (Stage 2 that contains only meat and broth, no veggies) since it's easy on the stomach. However, if this keeps up, you should have him seen by a vet.
I have some plain pureed chicken and also some plain pureed turkey but he's not a fan. Edit: He was seen by a vet for this exact thing last week. Without doing an ultrasound there's not much they can do but prescribe anti-nausea and pain medicine.
I'm no expert on nothing but... Did you ever get a blood test for pancreatitis? With this persisting, I'd want to know for sure whether or not that's the problem. Or is it totally clear from the symptoms?
Please give Max fluids. I think calling up the vet and asking for a bag of fluids will be very beneficial. His vomiting will dehydrate him quickly and drinking water isn’t enough. If I remember correctly, he was already dehydrated the last time you did a blood test. If you aren’t able to get fluids, then definitely try to get water in him if he’ll eat at all. Sorry Max is still not feeling well. Don’t worry about an ultrasound right now. I think giving supportive treatment and finding out if it’s pancreatitis or not with a blood test is what I’d try to do first. If it’s not pancreatitis, then it could be other things like IBD or something wrong with the kidneys which I don’t have much experience with how to diagnose.
If the pain meds and anti-nausea/anti-vomiting meds work, that's great. Keep in mind, you can give both Cerenia and ondansatron. They work on different systems and some cats do better with both. If Max is vomiting up pills, though, both medications come in an injection form. (The ondansatron really stings, though.) Sometimes, getting one injection at the vet's office, which should settle Max's stomach, and following up with pills can get him over the hump. I would want to make sure you have enough meds for at least a week. Crista is correct. Sub-cutaneous fluids may help providing Max doesn't have any cardiac issues. Am I remembering correctly that the vet ran out of the Snap fPL so they couldn't test? It sounds like the vet is presuming this is pancreatitis.
Ok, bad mom status...Max and I were chilling on the couch a few hours ago and somehow I passed out (asleep) and just woke up a little bit ago! I didn't even know I was that tired! I'm not sure what he was doing while I was out (probably sleeping with me, tbh--he was on top of me when I woke up) but I did a quick check and I haven't found anymore puke on the floor. I just coaxed him to eat and I let him eat as much as he wanted this time instead of the little bits I was giving him before. I really hope that was the right idea. I'll be watching the clock. We shall see... Also, I called the vet and they said they would put in an order for more Cereneia and Buprenex and that they would call me when it was ready, but I have yet to receive a call? If they don't call in the next couple of hours I'll call them back.
I hope he starts to feel better soon. Nothing more distressing than seeing your sugar baby so sick Sending healing vines and prayers your way.
They won't give me a refill of Cerenia or Buprenex without a recheck first! I said....what can you do this time that you didn't do last time apart from the ultrasound I can't afford?? She said..."I don't know, the doctor will have to determine that...." I just saw the doctor last week! Ugh. Guess I'll be taking him in tomorrow for another useless exam just so they can tell me the same thing they told me last time...
No not bad mom, just exhausted. Max was fine and probably needed the rest also. Keep in top of the vets, maybe just show up and pick up meds.
If you look at it this way: the exam tomorrow is to have a conversation with your vet about setting you up with pain meds and cerenia for the future and maybe even get ondansetron to help with nausea if Max has any (Ming is nauseas when he loafs in front of the water bowl). Also maybe a SQ fluid demo if you don't already know how to give (lol, sorry I sound like a broken record). Ugh that's so frustrating. This might be me, but I would have still went in and had a conversation with the receptionist and kind of bug them to talk to the vet about giving something to my cat who is very obviously sick. It's not bad to give bupe or cerenia even if an animal is healthy and otherwise hasn't had any other reactions to the medication.
^ right? That's what I thought. Anyway, they called back and their ultrasound guy is in tomorrow evening so I booked the appt on my credit card (woo, endless debt!). I had to...he needs it. They do a full abdominal so I'm pretty sure they'll look at liver, pancreas, kidneys, etc. Depending on results, I'll also be asking for the pancreatitis blood test.
Sorry about your credit card but Knowledge is power though! I also have lots of debt and Ming’s bill is one of them lol
You can also try CareCredit if you haven’t already.... they’re very good about giving credit. And quickly! Sending positive energy...
They should NOT require a follow up visit together more meds. In fact they should have given you enough for a few weeks. The first time my Max went on ondansetron he needed it for a few months. Since you are getting the ultrasound you should not be charged for another vet visit. It should be included. Prayers and vines that all goes well and they don’t find anything wrong in which case it’s likely pancreatitis. If that’s the case I wouldn’t waste money on a test for it.
I just dipped into my pet emergency fund (for hospitalization) so I can pay off carecredit. Maybe hold off on blood p'titis test. Ultrasound will confirm it, it doesn't give a value but will confirm it. US could pick up anything other abnormalities so it's not necessarily a bad thing, just expensive.
Most places allow you to apply then and there. You will get your acct number and vet can use it immediately.
Wishing you and Max tons of good luck for the Ultrasound tomorrow. Do give the all-meat babyfood a try (Beechnut Stage 1 or Gerbers Stage 2). Nothing with onions or veggies in it: just pureed meat. I hope you can settle on a plan with your vet and get the meds Max needs to help him eat.
I have a regular credit card I've been using. I tried the pureed chicken baby food and I pureed some turkey myself...unless he's super hungry, he's not interested.
Just throwing this out - I wonder if he has developed a food allergy. What are you feeding? The Snap fPL should be ~$40 or so. Sometime the labs keep extra blood on hand to do further testing but I think it would be too long since the first tests. Did they do the labs in house or send them to an outside lab? Be sure to get a copy of the lab results. You have every right to them. You paid for them! Prayers for Max (and you) and many vetty vines
