Could use some advice!

Garfield was diagnosed on3/3 and I started his insulin on 3/9. His appetite has remained poor and very finicky. I have tried many types of canned footed foods on the list. He had been on dry food until 2 months ago when he stopped eating it and I placed him on canned food before diagnosis. I sometimes can get him to eat half of can if I keep putting warm water in it to make it smelly. I have been weighing and he is maintaining weight of 10 pounds. His original weight was 17 pounds a year ago. I am posting link to my chart. I had him to new vet on Friday. He was baffled at why he isn’t eating- did check urine and felt he had uti and placed him on antibiotic. Garfield’s sugar at new vet was 78!!!!! In middle of afternoon!
Sine he has been on antibiotics his sugar has been coming down and I held his insulin today. I will try to post my chart to show what has been going on. He has been on novulin n 1 unit 2xday. Vet 2 doesn’t want to make changes . Here is the link for my chart. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1iQ4HToQneqFSTEbgEG3PK8Oa-jPPZC8IpWhPOK0yBqY

 

Hello .... to draw attention to your thread place a question mark icon at beginning and someone with more knowledge than myself should be along shortly

 

An infection can cause the higher glucose readings. Since he's on antibiotics that is probably why you were seeing lower readings. You may continue to see his readings drop while the infection clears.

 

Is this drop temporary or will it go back up and how do I get him to eat

 

He may be nauseous. You can give 1/4 tablet of Pepcid AC (original type only). Try sprinkling parmesean cheese on his food. If this does not work ask the vet to prescribe an appetite stimulant.

 

Infection does make his numbers go up but it's hard to know how he's going to react afterwards if he's going low you are going to need to monitor him a little bit more closely odds are you will need to adjust his dose down at least for a few days till he gets stable again, follow the protocol like you would if he wasn't sick if he earns a reduction give it to him

And later on when he's okay if his numbers go up again you adjust the dose again

 

If he likes it stinky try Bonito flakes or FortiFlora sprinkled on the food.

 

Has Garfield had a full geri panel including a check for hyperthyroidism as well as kidney and liver function and very importantly has he been checked for pancreatitis? there are two tests for pancreatitis...one is not as diagnostic as the other...if he hasnt been blood tested for this painful inflammation ask your vet to do a full geri panel ...including the "more thorough " test for pancreatitis...he may be nauseas for many reasons ....get to the bottom of why he wont eat...appetite stimulants wont necessarily help a kitty that is nauseas...wishing you well..He is absolutely adorable...

 

I find many folks wish to treat symptoms as opposed to getting to the bottom of the problem causing the symptoms...diabetes can be caused by underlying conditions...heart issues and pancreatic issues to name a few...just my two bits...

 

Is he constipated or doing fine that way? At least one BM a day... or more if you’re lucky?

 

Hi -I was just curious where you found an article that stated heart issues caused diabetes? I do see where Heart Failure is common IN cats with diabetes (already having diabetes)... but I have yet to see an article that states “diabetes can be caused by underlying conditions...heart issues”

Would love to read it if you can provide such article !!!

 

hi Magic...I read it on a sight on google ...I will try to find it...and i only read it once...justask.com might have it...

 

@allison goodall
Yes, me too! I've never heard diabetes could be caused by underlying heart disease. Please share the article when you find it. I'd love to read it!
Thank you!

 

Hi Allison, was it a scientific article or just something someone said?

because I have to say while new... I’ve read A LOT I have insomnia reading helps and nowhere does it mention heart issues causing diabetes..., because diabetes is an endocrine disorder...

An endocrine disorder over time could affect the heart but not the other way around (in my humble opinion). Therefore it does not make logical sense and so that’s why I’m asking to see the article and validity of the claim...because I can’t wrap my head around it

 

hi Magic ...I have been looking for about two hrs since i read your post and looks like you are correct...sincere apologies for posting misinformation....I misinterpreted an article that said if your cat has diabetes your vet may check for "underlying conditions such as heart disease"...it surprised me too...but it seems what the author meant was that the diabetes could (as you have said) possibly LEAD to heart issues....thanks for looking closely at this...I do a ton of research myself on diseases and the workings of body systems in humans and cats too....but I Can find nothing at all that says heart disease CAUSES diabetes....my kitty Bubbles had diabetes and her heart was enlarged...her heart enlargement was one of the key factors I took into account upon the awfully difficult decision I made to put her down at aged 17...perhaps her diabetes had lead to her heart being affected in some way....I think you remember our story...today is the final day to decide if I want a necropsy done on her...its tearing me apart...I am afraid if i dont have it done I may be very sorry that I never knew what caused her heart issue and her prolonged and untreatable inappetance...so very hard to know if I might be sorry the other way too...to find out she had no suspected (by vets) underlying condition at all and that I should have attempted a way to get food into her (i couldnt force feed her)...the vet never suggested an appetite stimulant which does my head in really...

 

Thank you for getting back to me... I have a really weird mind that gets stuck on problems and won’t let go till I resolve them... it makes me good at some things and other things not so much.

Are you doing a necropsy to figure out if you made a mistake or not? What can be gained from that? I’ve made a ton of mistakes ... you did what you did because you did not want bubbles to suffer and you felt she was... I can guarantee that if you find a reason for what happened it would not have been as easy to find that reason if she was alive ... lots and lots of tests and biopsies etc lots of pain

Definitely endocrine disorders affect ALL organs Of the body especially the heart, kidneys etc everything that is affected by the blood supply and I would say the heart is definitely affected by the blood supply

If you’re doing the necropsy because you just have to know what it was that led to her demise... I understand- that is something I would want to know

But if you’re doing it to see if you made any mistakes or not... I don’t think anything good can come out of that

You are a really good person and made the decision you did with your heart... and that was the right thing to do

I Think the world of you
K

 

hi Magic...i have precisely the same "issue" you have about getting stuck in neutral until I get to the very bottom of something...and then some...i annoy the hell out of all vets and staff overwhelming them all with a million questions and at one point I was even told I was taking up too much time with my medical questions...

your message just now really got to my heart...you are someone I can relate to and you are correct...i want to know if i did right by Bubbles or not...the intense relief finding out i did the "right" thing and didnt make a mistake would take away alot of this suffering....I was actually quite petrified at the possibility she might have HCM....or ANY serious heart condition because the end can be so traumatic and painful for pet and keeper...I couldnt imagine how i would get over another horrifying pet death....her age of 17 was a huge part of my decision too...had she been 14...different decisions would have been likely ...had she been a cuddle bunny easy to handle and pick up...different decisions there too...

thank you for putting this situation in perspective for me...i have noone to talk to here...i live with a person who is mentally challenged and unfortunately cannot shed any light on this ongoing agony ....

I maybe need to let this go...

 

It is a decision only you can make - Don't do it to beat yourself up over nothing good will ever come out of that. If you absolutely have to know exactly all the things that were wrong- that is different

Don’t use it as a weapon against yourself- you have so much to offer in saving pets that possibly no one wants to adopt that also have so much to give in return

Don’t be too hard on yourself - you’ve been through a lot

I hope you consider another kitty when the time is right for you...

 

Magic’s momma hit the nail on the head! I’m exactly like that in having to know all the details. It’s great in some situations but awful in other ways. I just really want to understand everything that’s going on with medical issues. I’ve also been told that I was taking too much time & I end up not getting all the answers. My fault for trying to analyze... I now go over only the important things I need to ask, write it & stick to my list. It won’t do any good for you to find out just to beat yourself up! Bubbles lived a long happy beautiful life! After all 17 yrs for a cat is great! That’s how I had to look at it last year when I had to put my Lizzie down, 17 1/2 years of a spoiled life I gave her. Who knows what other problems were right around the corner even if the cancer was removed. Other problems begin to happen when they get to this age. I would much rather them go sooner, not one day in suffering. Great advice you have received from Magic’s mom.(sorry I don’t know your name) hoping your broken heart soon heals- bless you! I hurt for you too! I think Bubbles is up in kitty heaven playing & thanking her momma! She went with dignity & respect knowing that her momma loved her very very much!

 

Thanks Becky....for your caring and response. .sometimes we want answers i think that we dont need and perhaps shouldnt even be seeking for....sometimes i think we dont seek or ask ENOUGH questions...and it haunts us in the end...i really wish i knew....all i know is Bubbles is gone and i will never see her again...i do not believe she is playing anywhere...shes just gone...the things that made her are from stardust....those things are still here...i hang on to that somewhat....the atoms and all her chemical make up and all that made her energy in this world ARE STILL HERE....what made her soul is not...thanks for your message of support...i have a long night ahead of me...i will leave this forum soon...its too painful to stay here...may be back another day....hugs

 

I’m sorry if I’ve upset you. I do think our cats are with us. I dream of all of my pets that have passed & believe that’s a sign that they’re still around. I do hope your pain & anguish subsides soon! I still see & hear my little Lizzie at times.

 

I feel badly we kinda hijacked Garfield’s thread so ima try and get it back to GARFIELD

How is Garfield doing? I checked his spreadsheet and saw in your notes that he did not eat much last night - how is he doing this morning? I understand you started on new food YA?

 

Sorry too & I hope that the infection clears soon. The numbers should remain lower with the antibiotics. Baby didn’t like the ya as much as Dr Elseys clean protein. Just a thought. It does get difficult trying to find a new low carb food...

 

@Garfield
how 's your boy doing today?