Diagnosed and scared

Kitty, age 10, was diagnosed two days ago and started treatment with glargine insulin yesterday. 1 unit twice daily, her first dose went ok but her second dose, at night, was very different, earlier tonight she was stiff and panting hard, I'm pretty sure that means it made her sugar level too low...it was so scary, I held her for 2 hours and gave her syrup, since I don't have corn syrup, which I just read is a good thing to have on hand. She is sleeping hard now, but is responsive. This was so scary. I feel like I am going to do something wrong and mess it up for her. She has not eaten in 4 days and has no interest in anything at all, wet, dry, people food, treats, nothing. Has anyone had similar experiences? I am in some need of support!

 

Hello and welcome to FDMB,

Did your vet actually advise starting insulin while Kitty wasn't eating?
Did the vet examine her to find the cause?
And what treatment was suggested?
Does her breath smell fruity, like peardrops/acetone?
It sounds to me as though she needs to go back to the vet ASAP. It can be very dangerous indeed when a cat stops eating. Are you able to take her back to to the vet today?


Eliz

 

Did the vet check for ketones when she was diagnosed? You can check yourself using strips available from the chemist but I'm with Eliz if Kitty hasn't eaten for four days she needs to be at the vet. Something very serious like diabetic ketoacidosis (which the presence of ketones shows) could be causing it and even if the cause isn't so serious the results of not eating will be. cats can't go too long without eating before developing liver problems and four days is too long.

 

I agree with the others who replied to your post that you need to take your cat to the vet as soon as possible to find out what is going on. You must be feeling so scared and that is understandable with a new diagnosis and also your cat not eating too. There could be many causes for Kitty's symptoms and only a vet can diagnose and treat her at this time and as the others have said not eating for four days is very concerning. All the best and I hope your Kitty is better and eating very soon.

 

When a cat doesn't eat for 2 or more days, it can be quite dangerous. Fat is broken down for calories and a byproduct is ketones. Too many ketones may indicate diabetic ketoacidosis, an expensive to treat, potentially fatal condition. Additionally, the fat goes to the liver, causing it to swell. If the liver swells too much, hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver) may happen, and this disrupts digestion. This, too, can be fatal.
At this point I'd strongly recommend taking the cat to the vet. These conditions are complex and when advanced, require veterinary hospitalization and treatment.

 

Thank you for the welcome and the advice. Kitty was seen by the vet Monday and her liver and kidney levels were normal. I spoke with the vet this morning and they believe her reaction to the insulin was because of not eating. Her blood sugar levels were too low. It was scary, but she is better this morning. They told me to skip the morning injection and try to get her to eat. She refuses everything so they recommended trying to force feed a little baby food with children's liquid medicine syringe. I did that and she ate it and is staying down so far. Vet said she'd call later tonight to check on her and see if I should give a Kitty 1/2 unit tonight or not, instead of the prescribed 1 unit.

 

Hi again,

I'm glad you've been able to give Kitty some food, albeit a small amount. Are you going to continue to syringe-feed her?

Is she peeing and pooping OK?

As Vyktor's Mum said above, it is advisable to test Kitty's pee for ketones.
You can get Ketodiastix test strips (or equivalent/generic ketone strips) from most pharmacies. You only need a tiny amount of pee to test. Crumpling plastic food wrap in the litter tray is a good way to catch a sample. Anything above a 'trace' reading requires a vet visit ASAP.

I would strongly suggest that you also buy an ordinary 'human' glucose meter and start testing Kitty's blood glucose at home. This is the only way you will know if her blood glucose is high enough to warrant insulin.
Most of us here 'hometest' (test our cat's blood glucose at home). This is way easier than it sounds. Honestly. And it can be a life saver.
Hometesting should not hurt Kitty at all. In a nutshell it involves pricking the outer edge of her ear to get a teensy blood droplet; transferring that droplet to a test strip in a glucose meter; waiting for the meter to count down and give the result; and rewarding Kitty with a cuddle or a treat.
Which part of the world are you in? We should be able to suggest glucose meters to buy in your location.

Here is the link to the FDMB page of hometesting info, tips and tricks, and example videos:
Hometesting Links and Tips

Keeping everything crossed that Kitty feels better very soon.

Eliz