Alley update

Alley is still doing well and has not had any insulin for about a month now. Her bg levels are consistantly around 180/230. Because she is hypo the vet does not want to give her any unless she goes over 300. I took her back to the vet about 3 weeks ago when she still was not eating really well and her kidney levels were just about where they had been and she still had a little third eye at that time. at that time I was giving her subq's of 100ml 1-2 x a day and she was on Baytril and clavamox. We took her off the baytril (as I think it upset her stomach w/the clavamox) and kept her on clavamox for another week. We also up'd her subq's to 150ml 2 x a day. The next day she was eating her regular food and the day after that the third eye was gone and she was walking better. For the last 2 weeks she has been walking all over the house several times a day, getting off the couch by herself and eating all her regular food and the odd grinding sound has gotten "much" less. Although for the last week I have taken her subq's down to 150ml 1x a day. As I was to take her to the vet last week but I have been sick and unable to go. I did not want to risk over hydrating her. I am taking her back to the vet this week to check her kidney levels again and see if the up'd subq's made a difference w/her kidneys. My one concern is...she has lost a bit of weight. Which she really needed. She is eating several times through out the day but is not eating so much I have to take the bowl away or tell her to slow down. I am thinking that because she has lost some weight over the last few months...maybe that has helped w/her diabeties and is why she hasn't needed insulin again. She also has trown up a bit twice in the last few days, so i am concerned about that. If you remember she was on 1u of Novolin 2 x a day until this last episode. The vet thinks she might be one of those cats who goes in and out of diabeties. It would be great if she could stay off insulin and not have to worry about another hypo incident. Although they thought she might also have pancreatitist. I have read that can also cause them to lose weight. But for almost a month now she is walking very well..no more neuropathy, no third eye, eating consistantly and her bg seems to have become stable. I will update everyone after I take her to the vet this week. Thank you for all your help!!!!!!!!!!

 

If Alley is having kidney problems, glucose numbers that high are not helpful for her. Honestly, she could use a small dose of insulin to get her values back into normal range. Her weight loss is probably due to the high glucose values as well.

 

Further to Deanie's post, novolin N is NOT a good insulin for cats, so if she does require small doses you'd be much better off with lantus/levemir/pzi

Jen

 

Well the vet said that normal bg is between 100-200. He wants her around 200-250 because when she got just a bit of insulin when her bg was 260..and it plumitted down to 37 and that was too low for her. I asked him about the insulin and if she should be changed to lantus if she needs it again and he said that Lantus is stronger and would not be a good match for her. This vet is a specialist and she has seen a couple other specialist through the last 2 months and they were saying the same thing. Does this not sound correct? She seems to be stable and doing great. She is walking all over the house(which she had not done for a few yrs like this).

 

It seems a bit 'off' even with this additional information...

1. lantus is not stronger; in fact, it is gentler in that its action is smoother, without the peaks you see in vetsulin
2. what dose sent her to 37?
3. numbers in the 200s may be ok for some cats, but there may be damage being done to organs at those levels and you may see her gradually start to feel worse.

I know it is tough to get advice that is contrary to your vet's, especially when you've heard it from more than one vet so perhaps we can help get you some factual info to help you make a more informed decision..

Jen

 

Hi Jen,

Sorry I just got your reply. I was really sick and not on here till now again. She was given 1unit when she went to 37. That was when she was in the hospital. She still hasn't been on any insulin since and it has been about 2 months.

I just took her back to the vet today and she has lost almost a lb and a half. Althought while I was sick for about 2 weeks she was only getting subq's of 150ml 1x a day instead of 2x a day. Her kidney values were up a little but I am going back to giving the subq's 2x a day and we will recheck 3-4 weeks. Although, her bg level has been holding steady it was a little higher yesterday. The subq's can also make a difference there, so I am going to test her more often and she what she doing on a scale. I think that maybe the 2 weeks of her getting subq's 1x a day probably have something to do w/her levels. But..that is why we are going to test her bg more often now and then I will call the vet in a week and give him the levels. She is still walking all over the house all day long and she is eating well. Today she weighed 11.4 lbs ....we are not sure if that is the diabeties causing weight loss or just because she has been so active. For years she barely moved around at all....so it is hard to tell at this point. This week should let us know some things.

I had noticed that the grinding sound when she eats dry food did come back a bit after not getting subq's twice a day. Hopefully that will go away this week as well. I am open to any information you have. I didn't ask the Vet today about the Lantus because he isn't sure that she needs it yet. But I will be talking to him in a week when I give him her bg levels for the week.
Thanks Again,
Leslie and Alley

 

Have you tried to get her completely off dry foods? That can really make a difference in bg levels. Here is a website written by a vet that explains why wet, lo carb food is best for every cat, but especially diabetics: http://www.catinfo.org

 

This board keeps eating my posts...

I'm sorry that you were so sick! But I'm glad to read that you will be testing more frequently; this way you can make more informed decisions

Jen

 

She was on Humulin R? Seriously? R is totally not suitable for cats unless used in very specific occassions when a longer lasting insulin isn't sufficient.

The test you are referring to is a fructosamine. It doesn't show the ups and downs, just an average. There are times when it may be useful to run a fructosamine but cannot replace hometesting.