Albert DCIN Foster update/low number fluke

This handsome guy needs a furever home; check out his blog at http://fdmb-cin.blogspot.com/2012/04/albert.html

Albert had hardly been eating all weekend. Today I got him to eat a little bit of cheese but then he vomited it up. When I offered him some more food a little later he gagged as if his tummy was upset and the sight/smell of food made him ill. So I went out and bought some Pepcid AC at Rite-Aid (thank God they were open!) and when I came home I offered Albert a quarter of a tab hidden in a pill pocket. He LOVED the pill pocket, but quickly found the pill and spat it out. It took a couple of tries but I got him to take the pill. A little later he still hadn't touched his breakfast or dinner (I'm trying out different flavors of FF to see what he likes) so I gave him a few more pill pockets (sans the pills) and mixed them in with his dinner. He ate very merrily, the first time since coming here. I just checked his BG 20 mins later and it had gone way up. 306. He had been in the 175-190 range all day and I hadn't given him any insulin because he hadn't been eating. But I just gave him 1u of ProZinc. I was SO glad to see him eating though; I was afraid a vet visit might be in order. I'm sure the stress of all he's been through has taken away his appetite, plus being in a strange house with several nosy cats.

Albert had been hiding under the bed yesterday, but today he spent most of the day on a blanket on the floor. This blanket, btw, was supposed to be for me while I spent time with him in there. It came from my bedroom with the scents of all the other cats. Albert seemed to really like the blanket and it made him feel calmer so I gave it to him. Unfortunately he got sick on it so it had to go in the washer. He has another blanket though, and he seems content with that. He's still not walking much, but he has everything he needs right near him. He does walk over and use the litter box. The vet tech who took care of him at the clinic for the week said that his walking has gotten better. He still has trouble but he is trying to walk on his toes. He'll take a step or two and then sit down. Venita is sending him some methyl B12 to help with his neuropathy.

Albert is SUCH a sweet boy. He sometimes purrs for me after I've tested him while I'm giving him lots of love and affection. He also likes to cross his front paws. Here he is earlier today (Sunday)...

He hadn't been eating so he looks pretty tired in the pic, but he seems much perkier now that he's finally eaten. I'm hoping to transition him to all low carb FF.

 

Re: Albert DCIN Foster update

Yay for eating!

And hang in there. Maybe a bit of kitty massage with a warmed, damp washcloth would help him feel "Mommed"?

 

Re: Albert DCIN Foster update

Good morning, Albert! Albert, buddy, you need to eat. Do you like freeze dried chicken or shrimp? You have a wonderful foster mom! And, I hear, a new blanket. My neighbor has two dogs aptly named Albert and Sophie - big time barkers but I love them both since they serve as my alarm system! Eat!

 

Re: Albert DCIN Foster update/ had near hypo this morning!!!

I don't know how to post links here, but I posted this regarding his near hypo on the PZI board:

Hello, I just took in DCIN foster Albert this past Friday. He was dx'd last Mon when the owner brought him to the vet to be PTS. Albert has neuropathy, and during his stay at the vet during the week they said his walking had gotten a little better. They started him on 2u ProZinc bid and had him eating both canned and dry food. When I brought him home he wasn't interested in any canned food at all. I've been mixing in a little bit of dry into the canned food and he might eat a little bit of that, but not much.

Yesterday I gave him a little bit of cheese which he ate, but then vomited. I offered him some dry kibble which he gagged at, as if the sight/smell of food made him ill. I gave him 1/4 tab of Pepcid AC and he LOVED the pill pocket it was in. His numbers on Sunday had been in the 175-190 range (basically fasting), and since he loved the pill pocket later on I gave him some more mixed in with canned food. He ate very merrily for the first time since being at my house. Of course that made his bg go way up. After eating his PMPS was 306 (I hadn't given him a shot since Fri night because he would hardly eat and his BG was just under 200) so I gave him 1u of ProZinc. and this is what happened:

PMPS 306 1u ProZinc
+4 327
+7.5 29!!!! I gave more pill pockets
couple of mins later 316
couple of more mins 22!!!! gave him some different dry food that he was interested in and ate
10-15 more mins bg 343
+10 mins 394
+10 mins 431
+20 mins 419
+30 mins 416

Five hours after what would have been his AMPS had I given it (but I didn't) he is now at 367.

I'm sorry I don't have a SS up yet, but I really need some advice here. I am thinking of giving him half a unit. What do the dosing advisers think of this situation?

Thank you and sorry this is so long.

Heather & foster Albert

 

Re: Albert DCIN Foster update/ had near hypo this morning!!!

hi,
next time you get a wonky number. retest again. sometimes not enough blood or too much can do this. i say this cause of the high number within 15 min then a few minutes later a 29. sounds as though an error someplace to me. let's see what others have to say

 

Re: Albert DCIN Foster update/ had near hypo this morning!!!

I think Dian is right. Something is wrong. Maybe leftover blood on the meter or the meter itself but it seems very strange for the blood glucose to change so much 3x in such a short time.

Melanie & Racci

 

Re: Albert DCIN Foster update/ had near hypo this morning!!!

Heather,
I replied in PZI, but basically, I think both numbers in the 20's were bad tests, and the 316 was the right number. The rest of the numbers you got in the cycle are consistent with that, and the climb at the end came from the dry food. The 1u dose really didn't do much if you remove those 2 wonky numbers. What doesn't make sense is the drop to 29, the rise to 316 just minutes later, and the drop minutes after that. To get him to rise that much in a few minutes, you would have to shoot sugar into his veins, and then have it clear just a few minutes later.
I'm thinking the strips were "bad" or the blood sample was too small like Dian and Melanie said.

Carl

 

Thank you, guys. I was very tired when I took the readings and I knew I should have retested instead of panicking. I'm going to see where he's at now and try to get him to eat something and shoot .5u.