Boo cat and I

Discussion in 'Feline Health - (Welcome & Main Forum)' started by Meow2thepaw, Sep 30, 2015.

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  1. Meow2thepaw

    Meow2thepaw New Member

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    Sep 30, 2015
    Hello folks!

    My name is Lindsey and my fur kid is named Boo. We are from Florida, USA. Very new to the forum and diagnosis of diabetes. Boo was diagnosed this June and has had plenty of ups and downs. Looking forward to the community and advice you all can offer.

    Have a purrfect day,
    Lindsey and Boo
     

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  2. Squalliesmom

    Squalliesmom Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 26, 2015
    Welcome, Lindsey and Boo! Boo is quite a cutie!

    This is absolutely the best place to be for support and questions when coping with a diabetic kitty. Everybody here is so helpful and kind, and has a wealth of knowledge to share. I don't know where Squallie and I would be right now if we hadn't found FDMB!

    Can you tell us a little bit more about Boo and yourself? Do you home test, which insulin is he on and how much, what kind of food are you feeding, that type of thing. We also have a spreadsheet that is incredibly helpful to chart your Boo's BG/insulin patterns, and is invaluable for reference by other members when you have a question or need advice. Here's a link to the instructions for you to check out at your leisure: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/fdmb-spreadsheet-instructions.130337/

    Looking forward to getting to know you and Boo better!

    Lucy:):):)
     
  3. Meow2thepaw

    Meow2thepaw New Member

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    Sep 30, 2015

    I wish I were more number and spreadsheet savvy. Thanks for the link.

    I'm currently getting into the field of teaching, it's been difficult even when the state whines that they don't have enough teachers. I've been going at it for 6 months now.

    Boo (female) is 14 years young. She had bladder stones 3 years ago. All 74 stones removed and she was on the mend. She was put on the Science Hills CD dry food to maintain her proteins for her bladder. It worked until she got fat. CD is known to cause weight gain. She's been a round "fluffy" kitty, but CD put too much weight on her. I noticed her back legs going limp and dragging while walking and I searched YouTube for other videos. She was experiencing neuropathy of the back legs without giving notice that she was diabetic. Two vet visits and tons of labs and me telling the vet she must be diabetic, the vet finally believed me once the numbers verified my Dr. Google guess.

    Since June she has been on Prozinc insulin. Started with 1unit twice a day and she did awesome. But then her numbers jumped up and maintained in the 470's for two weeks. I upped her dose to 2units twice a day, which helped her again for a little longer. She had yet another high reading 600 and the vet and I agreed to do 3units, twice a day. She found her stride and did awesome for three weeks.

    The day after my birthday she didn't eat enough, fooled me with her wet food intake and I gave her the 3unit dose. Two hours later I'm pumping her with syrup and rubbing honey on her gums because she was crashing. Her sugar was 12 and she was not seizing. $500 and 13 hours of treatment at the emergency vet she got back up to 270.

    Since Sept. 20th, she has been eating little (mainly gravy) and I figured it was the emergency visit that stressed her out. I weaned her off of insulin and she's fluttering between 160 and 200. She's currently on an anti inflammatory for her swollen back paw. She still is not eating enough, drinking plenty of water and no signs for kidney distress. Another vet visit tomorrow.

    Thanks for the warm welcome Lucy
     
  4. Sue and Oliver (GA)

    Sue and Oliver (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 28, 2009
    You both have had quite the adventure!

    Two things I wonder about. Have you seen www.catinfo.org? The vet there has some great suggestions for bladder conditions, including food choices..

    http://www.catinfo.org/?link=urinarytracthealth

    And I am wondering about her mid cycle numbers. Her preshot numbers could be high but if she drops low 5-7 hours the shot, she can bounce back up. A bounce is when her body perceives a lower number than it is used to and releases extra glucose, causing a bounce up to a higher number. That could have be the situation if her dose was increased until she finally crashed.

    So, now she is off insulin and in the 160-200 range? I am wondering if she would drop down into remission numbers (generally we consider those 40-120) if you got her on low carb food? Maybe check out the catinfo site and see if you can find a food that might work?

    If she likes gravy, maybe adding a little warm water to the pate food and making a gravy would help?

    Let us know how she is doing. We do have lots of ideas about ways to get cats to eat.
     
  5. Merlin

    Merlin Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 18, 2014
    Welcome Lindsey and Boo to FDMB! You have come to the right place for support. There are a lot of caring and experience folks here. You will be given a whole lot of information and at first, it will seem very overwhelming however in a couple of weeks, things will start falling into place. Some of the info below has already been given to you but duplication is sometimes good.


    Good Reading: This is a must read. It is an excellent 18 page informative document that covers feline health and nutrition. Don't take short cuts and read it all. www.catinfo.org

    Home Testing: Here, we all home test. It is mandatory to understand how your kitty is reacting to the insulin and the dose. You will want to test before each shot and some additional test in between the 12 hour cycle. Another reason to home test is to keep your kitty safe. Find a place in your home where you will always perform the test and give lots of hugs before and after testing. There are many videos showing you how to test. Here is a picture of where you test on your kitty. http://s106.photobucket.com/user/chupie_2006/media/testingear/sweetspot.jpg.html

    Here is another good link on Home Testing:http://www.felinediabetes.com/bg-home-test.htm

    Meters: There are many meters. There is a pet meter called the Alpha Trak2 and human meters. Some use the pet meter because it is what the vets use so the numbers will match up. The meter and strips are expensive though. Most use human meters that can be purchased at any pharmacy. It typically reads a little lower than the pet meter but we have ways of compensating it. Many use Walmart's brand, Relion Micro or Relion Confirm, because it only needs a tiny drop of blood. They cost around $15 and the strips are around 35 cents each.

    Lancets: These are used to poke the ear to get blood. There are many different sizes (gauges). It is recommended when you are first starting out to use a 26-28 gauge. Also, it would be a good idea to pick up Neosporin WITH pain reliever to apply on the edge of the ears and don't forget to alternate ears.

    Spreadsheets: Our spreadsheet instructions are here. If you look at the signatures of the members here, you will see a link to their kitty’s spreadsheets. We keep track of all our tests. This is basically a place to collect data and help you to determine patterns, doses, etc. It also aids those that may be helping you to better understand your kitty.

    Food: There are many reasons why we are here but one is due to feeding dry cat food which is high in carbs. You will want to consider changing your food to wet, low carb food. It is recommended to feed food that is under 10% carbs. Here is a list of cat food to choose from.food chartyou will note that the food with fish are lower in carbs however it is recommended that you only give fish once a week due to its mercury content. Many use Fancy Feast, 9 Lives, Friskies, etc. This list can also be found inwww.catinfo.org If you are already giving insulin and you have not transitioned to wet, low carb cat food, be sure to test while you are transitioning. This is because by changing to low carb food, it could decrease your kitty’s number by 100 points or more.

    Hypo Kit: Always good to be prepared for possible hypo events which means that your cat has reached dangerously low numbers. It can be fatal, hence, the importance of home testing and collecting data in a spreadsheet. In each of the Insulin Forums are stickie’s labeled Hypo Links. Please print and post on your refrigerator so everyone in your household is aware of hypo symptoms. You will want to create your hypo kit that would include and not limited to; extra testing strips, honey/karo/maple syrup, high carb food, medium carb food, vet information, etc.

    Ketones: Diabetic cats are susceptible to diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). It is best to buy testing strips that will measure (if any) ketones in the urine. One brand is Ketostix which can be found at Walmart or any pharmacy. You will want to test periodically unless you continue to get high numbers, then it is suggested to test more frequently. Ketostix typically costs around $10.

    Treats: It is always nice to have treats available for your kitty. Some use it after they have tested to reward. I like using Pure Bites. I have found it at Petsmart and other pet stores. It is freeze dried and the only ingredient is the meat i.e. chicken, duck, etc. If your cat likes it, then I would go to the dog section where it is cheaper than the cat package. It is bigger chunks but no problem in breaking it up. There is a link here somewhere that has a list of low carb treats but I don't have it right now.

    Injections: Most folks here use one of these main insulins; Lantus, Levemir and Prozinc. Two hours prior to your insulin shot, you will not want your kitty to eat. Then you will test and then feed. It is best for your kitty to eat a little before your shoot. I shoot while he is eating. The reason why you do not want your kitty to eat two hours prior to your test is because food elevates BG numbers. So you do not want to dose based on a food influenced number. Here is a link on how to give injections.http://www.felinediabetes.com/injections.htm

    Note: Please check your insulins as there are some (the harsher ones like Humulin, Novlin, Vetsulin, etc.) that would be best to allow some time after your kitty has eaten before you shoot.

    If you have any questions, please be sure to post in the Health Forum.
     
  6. Meow2thepaw

    Meow2thepaw New Member

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    Sep 30, 2015
    Thank you for the guidance and links on food alternatives.
     
  7. Tara & Ivana (GA)

    Tara & Ivana (GA) Well-Known Member

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    Aug 20, 2015
    Hi Lindsey and Boo! She is just beautiful, you will both find all the support you could ever want here at FDMB :)
     
  8. Meow2thepaw

    Meow2thepaw New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 30, 2015
    image.jpg
    Fresh sheets have been Boo approved this evening.
     
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  9. Tara & Ivana (GA)

    Tara & Ivana (GA) Well-Known Member

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    Aug 20, 2015
    She knew you really wanted furry sheets, right?!
     
  10. Meow2thepaw

    Meow2thepaw New Member

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    Sep 30, 2015
    I also have a white cat, she specifically sleeps on black clothing. Likewise, Boo had to furry the white sheets.
     
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  11. BJM

    BJM Well-Known Member

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    Oct 6, 2010
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  12. Sharon14

    Sharon14 Well-Known Member

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    Aug 16, 2015
    I have several black cats and have started buying dark or patterned clothes, never white, yellow...
     
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  13. Meow2thepaw

    Meow2thepaw New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 30, 2015
    Boo update. We went to the vet Thursday and her numbers were 137. She's been recommended to stay off insulin. Her lip smacking and heavy breathing were addressed too. The back paw is not as swollen now and she's using it, jumping a little, walking, and using the litter box no problem.

    She got X-rays for her breathing and she has a fluid sack, compressing one lung making it difficult for her to breath. She gets winded. Now she's on a diuretic to reduce the fluid build up. She had no problem complying with the order of bed rest. When friends come over they joke about the amount of cat beds I have through out the house. I've got about 14 staged, so when she gets winded, she can sit in one until she gets to her destination.

    Thank you all for the support.
     
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  14. BJM

    BJM Well-Known Member

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    Oct 6, 2010
    Did the vet explain why the fluid is there? There are several possible reasons - infection, heart disease, cancer, etc.
    See if you can get a more detailed diagnosis - we have members who have had cats with all of those conditions, with or without diabetes and may have good tips on management.
    My experience with a cat have fluid in the chest was the vet using a syringe to drain the fluid, then sending us to a 24 hour emergency services because the fluid built right back up. In her case, unfortunately, they couldn't stabilize her and she was suffocating from the fluid returning so I let her go.
     
  15. Meow2thepaw

    Meow2thepaw New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 30, 2015
    She had had an X-Rays in June and there wasn't fluid in the lung. The vet couldn't explain how or why, but did not suggest draining fluids with a syringe. He said it was a rapid growth. Financially Boo is having me go for broke, I love the stinker. But there comes a point when one can do all their best, but has to remain reasonable for both parties. The vet is trying to work with me. She's comfortable, not in pain, and she's an older cat that did not hit the genetic lottery unlike my other 17year tabby.

    Thank you everyone
     
  16. BJM

    BJM Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 6, 2010
    I understand - I was just thinking folks might have some ideas.
    Hang in there.
     
  17. Sue and Oliver (GA)

    Sue and Oliver (GA) Well-Known Member

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    Dec 28, 2009
    I am so sorry to hear this. I hope you will have some more days with her - sitting together in the sun, some good treats and delicious foods, lots of head scratches and pets. And take some pictures. We are so sorry we have so few of our Oliver.
     
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