? Hello from JoyBee & Ravan

I got a message from a vet online. He said it was unusual for a 15 yr old cat that was raised on raw meat to be diagnosed with diabetes. He thinks it's a pancreatic tumor! I'm SICK with the thought of that! I would not want to put him thru tests if there's nothing i can do? It's also weird that his sister Peggy Sue got sick at about the same time but does not have diabetes? There's something else that happened last December . I don't know if i should write it all down here or somewhere else on another post?

 

Yes, that's one possibility. However, Ravan could be the exception to that rule. I think it makes sense to bite the bullet and get him checked over thoroughly in a vet's office. You've said here that you don't trust vets, have had negative experiences, etc. Most are professional and well intentioned and have more expertise in cat health as a whole than a lay person does. Sometimes you have to make a leap of faith to help your kitty properly.

 

hi Joybee...you must be very worried...sorry i have been out of touch for a few days but you and Raven have been on my mind...what happened in December? write it here so we may be able to possibly shed some light...how can a vet diagnose a tumour without proper diagnostics...any older cat can get diabetes...its partly genetic i believe...what is he basing his assumption on?

 

I have to decide today if i want to go ahead with a necropsy for my sweet girl Bubbles...I am very torn as i continue to second guess whether euthanasia was the best choice. .I made this decision alone and under intense mental duress ...i felt very strongly after much research and many different vets opinions that her diabetes was a result of something else that was going to continue her suffering. ..she just wouldn't eat anymore...and she was 17t

 

Kris, Maybe I didn't express myself very well? Since they both got sick I've been to the Vet with both of them several times.This all started in May 2017 Peggy Sue was scratching at her ears & feet.One day she got all wobbly walking. I thought maybe an inner ear infection. She had quite a bit of dark debris in both ears. I cleaned her ears Put warm coconut oil in & did this for several days.Then Ravan began scratching at his ears & feet also.He also had thick dark wax in his ears. I brought them both to the Vet He examined them & said everything, ears included looked fine. He said the dark wax was normal He took a swab & said there wasn't any parasites or infection.
Back to the Vet. this time he looked in their ears with a camera. He again said No infection. I asked for blood work to rule it out for sure. He said,maybe allergies?

MAY 2017 Ravan elevated Lipase 274 ( not too high) & BUN 38 (normal in animals on high protein) His glucose was 142 & Bilirubin normal
Peggy Sue's bg 129 her ALT was 735 ( I was told it was probably a mistake)

JUNE 2017 Ravan Lipase down250 bg 117 everything else OK Peggy Sue Alt down to 300 ( still high but OK) bg 95 ( everything else normal)

Rechecked in August.2017 (Thoroughly examined both cats))

Dec 2018 .Chicago area. The the weather was cold, the cats don't go out this time of year. Nothing had changed in my house. I don't use chemicals or burn candles. I discovered years ago how harmful all that is. White vinegar is what I use to clean & rinse my wash. Cats food & water only in glass bowls.No treats! They went off their Raw meat diet several months before this started. I was buying the chicken from the grocery store all these years. When they stopped eating I tried Organic,chicken, beef. & turkey. It made no difference they didn't want it. They both still had itchy ears & Peggy still occasionally looked wobbly ( I still thought inner ear or Viral) Now they both developed a dripping nose. Clear fluid ,a lot . If they shake their head there is mucus flying. No temp. no sneezing or coughing just this clear mucus, Vet thinks allergies. ( They both still have the dripping nose!)

Jan. 2018 Had Blood work On both of them again.Peggy Sue had high H AST, H ALP , & ALT Bilirubin Normal, Albumin normal H Lipase elevated. Vet thought it could indicate Liver or intestinal problem.( which might explain going off her food)
Ravan's monocyte elevated ( intestinal or liver) Bun & WBC normal ALP & Lipase slightly elevated NOW his bg is 511 (could it be from extreme stress?) June bg was 117 !

After my experience 7 weeks ago ( When I was told he has Diabetes) The Vet drew urine with a needle from Ravan (used an ultra sound but still stuck him 3 times in the bladder before he got urine!) He was checking for Ketones?? At the time I didn't know anything about all this. He told me this test would determine if Ravan had Diabetes.!!I could have checked with strips at home. This guy just wanted to elevate his Bill ( he was not my regular Vet) He's supposed to be an EXPERT in Cat diabetes! ( I don't agree!) My poor Ravan was in pain every time he urinated for a week!

Can you understand why I do not want to trust any Vet ? Another factor, I was a single parent. Lost my job due to an accident over 18 yrs ago. I'm on LOW income, a Disability Check. I'm 71 & live alone. The amount on my credit card is a couple thousand since last summer It will take a LONG time to pay.
I'll do anything to help my cats but if I lose my home I don't know what I'll do.

This has taken me ALL day to put together. I sincerely hope you read it all. If you or anyone else has any advice,besides seeing the Vet again, please let me know. I desperately want to help them. But it's extremely frustrating in my situation!

I hope you all can understand.

 

Yes, you have been through the wringer for sure. It's hard to suggest any course of action that doesn't involve a vet evaluation because that would be outside my area of knowledge. Most of us here can advise on insulin dosing and other FD related matters. Some can share their experiences with pancreatitis, kidney disease, IBD and so on.

You posted earlier very worried about the possibility of a pancreatic tumour and that's not something most of us would know much about. It was suggested by an online vet as a possible cause of diabetes in a cat that didn't have the usual risk factors of a high carb diet or obesity. Yes, age can be a risk factor for a variety of malignancies. The thing is, you can't know that your kitty has something as serious as a pancreatic tumour without an abdominal ultrasound at the very least. That is non invasive and might give an indication.

When funds are limited you have to focus on what you can deal with at home and that's Ravan's food, BG testing and insulin dosing. Any other interventions are off the table. We can certainly guide you with dosing and so on. And on that topic - I've looked at his spreadsheet and I think you can try 1.25 u tonight or tomorrow morning. The last dark green number was 10 days ago and it won't necessarily happen again. As you become more comfortable with Lantus dosing you'll learn that it's possible to give a full dose on a pre shot number of 68. You're not there yet. I'd encourage you to get at least two tests in the +4 to +7 part of the cycle during the day and one before bed every evening. This will build up your spreadsheet as a good data base, you'll get a feel for the ups and downs of his BGs and you'll start to learn his patterns better. When there's too little data and the odd green pops up it all seems a mystery, is scary and makes no sense. Data is what eliminates that feeling.

 

Thanks Kris. Ravan did have an Ultrasound when he had the urine drawn with a needle. Vet said everything looked normal? Have you looked at his chart today? I've been checking every 3 hrs. His bg back up to 412 & he won't eat. Do you think I should syringe feed him ? I'd still like to know, if he had a pancreatic tumor what could they do. Has anyone ever posted on that? Also, what's your opinion on them BOTH have dripping noses?
What about his bg 117 in June & 511 in January?

 

We are very sorry for all you've been through, but unfortunately we are not vets so a lot of health issues are way outside of our league, I hope we could help you more, most of us try to make suggestions based on some experience we may have , maybe from having one of our kitties with the same illness but that is as far as we can go actually I don't think that an on line vet with out proper examination and test (that would be ultrasound, x-rays sometimes even a cat scan) of your cat can actually know that he has a tumor, yes a tumor can cause diabetes but so can a lot of other issues(heart disease, kidney disease or plain genetics) even if a cat is eating raw.

That being said let the people here try and help you with what they know best that is his diabetes

The theory of your cats having allergies could be a possibility since they are scratching a lot and their noses are leaking it could be food allergy ( some cats develop that even to the best quality food) maybe you could try changing both to a different food to see how they react, it could be to a carpet if you have one maybe something in the garden (I don't know if you have one) even if they don't go out the allergen could affect them I'm just guessing here.

 

Was it a full abdominal ultrasound? If so and nothing sinister showed then I'd put the worry about a pancreatic tumour on the back burner.

Yes, I did look at his SS numbers for today. He came down a little (107 points) from AMPS so that shows a response to the 1 u dose but it looks like that dose is a bit too low for where he is at this moment in time. Keep in mind that FD is an ever changing disease process and insulin needs can - and do - go up and down over time. Definitely give him insulin tonight and syringe feed what amounts to a tablespoon or two of his food in slurry form. Stay with the 1 u tonight if you're more comfortable with that but plan to go up to 1.25 u tomorrow AM unless he surprises you with a very low (near 50) AMPS. I don't think that will happen.

It depends on the type of tumour. If benign, surgery might be an option. If malignant maybe surgery and/or chemo. All very expensive and unpleasant options. There's a type of tumour called an insulinoma which secretes insulin and causes very low BG, essentially the opposite of diabetes. There's a member on the Lantus forum whose kitty (Boomer) has that. I don't think that's something you need to worry about with Ravan's high numbers.

I don't know. Maybe a URI? If they're related they might both have allergies.

June: maybe he wasn't yet a full blown diabetic. January: diabetes + vet stress? All you can do is deal with now unfortunately.

 

I don’t know anything about pancreatic tumors, so can’t help there, but if you had a normal ultrasound recently, I wouldn’t worry too much about it right now. Is Alice having any upper respiratory problems? Have you tried a lysine supplement? Some swear by it.

 

Thank you all. At the moment I'm having a melt down.I feel so helpless. Ravan will not accept any food tonight at all. Even the Slippery elm isn't helping!

 

Kris, When the Vet did the ultrasound on his bladder he said he looked at his other organs & everything looked good.

 

Deep breaths ... Have you tried syringe feeding while he's wrapped in a towel like a burrito? Get even a couple of teaspoons into him and give his insulin. He needs some calories and he needs insulin. It's possible his high numbers are making him feel unwell. Try to get a ketone test.

 

Good. Put the worry about a pancreatic tumour aside.

 

Sharon14 Alice has Stomatitis for many years no respiratory problems. And yes I have given Ravan & Peggy Sue Lysine along with several other supplements for months now.

 

Veonica, I've changed their food many times. Made no difference. I do have a garden but they rarely go in it. I'm in Chicago area so the garden is gone since months ago The cats don't go out in the cold weather NO I do not have carpeting. Only a few throw rugs that get washed frequently. The area rug in my front room is old & gets vacuumed often. I'm the only one here so I can't imagine anything in my house that they would have become allergic to? I appreciate the suggestions. Tonight neither one of them will eat anything. It seems they are both getting worse!

 

Kris, I will give Ravan some food with a Syringe before his shot at 9;30pm. I thought because he dropped to 162 a few days ago his body was trying to adjust (bouncing?) and I needed to wait for 6 cycles till I increase the Lantus? Is that right?

 

I've been looking at supplements https://www.thecatsupplement.com/ingredients.php has anyone tried this? "Ultimate Feline Health Supplement."
Last week I tried Dr. Mercola's Digestive Enzymes . Dr. Karen Becker highly recommended it. Every time i put a bit into their food they both vomited? I sent it back for a refund.

 

Are they pooping normally?

 

You’ve been on the 1 u dose far longer than 6 cycles so it’s time to increase because his BG is still too high. You also need more data in the +4 to +7 range to get a better picture of his responses. Once you go to 1.25 u you keep that dose for 6 cycles and then increase if it doesn’t get him down enough AND you’re following the Tight Regulation (TR) protocol for dosing Lantus. Have you read the yellow sticky on TR?

 

Yes I read it but it frightens me when his bg goes way down I'm so scared of hypoglycemia! Vet told me (back when he was 1st diagnosed) that if he stayed in the 100-200 range it would be fine. That's why I'm so cautious in increasing his dose. That one time it dropped to 68 back in February. I had increased it to 1.25 & it happened 2-3 days later?
Just 2 days ago it dropped 326 points!! 488 to 162 & that was with 1 unit?
If it goes down gradually I can deal with it but that drop nearly gave me a stroke I was so worried. Up all night. How would you know if you were sleeping & he went hyp0glycemic?

 

I will disagree on increasing just yet....the 1U dose has gotten him into blues twice (3/18 and 3/22) and both times he bounced quite high (into the 400's)

When you first start getting blue's, you should hold the dose for 8-10 cycles (even on TR)

All that being said, I do think you're probably going to need to increase soon, but I'd like to see some more testing (like Kris suggested) too. You did GREAT on testing today....how about trying to get a +2 and a "before bed" test on tonight's cycle and then maybe a +2,+5, +8 on tomorrows?

If he's still running too high at that point, it'll probably be good to increase to 1.25

 

Sharon14 I guess so No one has loose bowels. BM's look normal No one vomiting either.

 

If you test "before bed", you'll have a pretty good idea of how quickly he's dropping and can set an alarm if you need to and make sure you get another test or two in later in the night

I think you mean hypoglycemic (low blood glucose)...hyperglycemia is high blood glucose

 

Chris did you see just a while ago I tested, bg 290 He was hungry because it dropped He ate about 1 tbls. of can food,after I tested. Should i give him more food before the shot,I may need to syringe feed?
Not sure if i understand a +2 before bed? Would that be 2 hrs after his shot at 9:30 tonight? At 11;30pm ? Then his test is at 9am before shot at 9:30 ,so you want me to test at 11:00am, 2pm & again at 5pm? Is that right?

Hypo not hyper, thanks for the correction.
My brain is doing a MELT down!

 

The +2 test is done two hours after the shot to see if the insulin has started to lower BG significantly. If that +2 test is 100+ points lower then you’d feed a small snack to try to slow the drop and you’d test again at +3, +4, etc.

 

I love this group of ppl...so helpful and they really care...glad you are getting some feedback ...If your vet will do this (sum cost maybe) you might have the ultrasound results sent for second opinion...I wondering what the connection btwn runny noses ,ear issues in BOTH cats at same time....hmmm...they are related...just my opinion but i am leaning on it sounds like something in their envornment ...cats can be allergic to different chemicals that could be in even couch material...just a thought...justask.com is an excellent source for information from vets online from all over the world...you can ask any questions and they can give their best suggestions (obviously nothing compares to vet diagnostics but if your bank is breaking it only costs about thirty dollars and the answers are very detailed and they respond right away if you request that...this service is excellent as the public actually rates the veterinarians' answers (and if you do not like the answer your money will be refunded)...its a win win thing....they have really really helped me over the yrs...

 

Lantus is a depot insulin , that means a small amount is kind of stored in his body that on the long run helps keep the cycles more flat with less ups and downs (usually obviously not all cats react the same) that's why you usually need a few cycles to know really how he is doing with a given dose

When you are dealing with a kitty that likes to dive is stressful (believe me I know Babu most have been nominated to the number one diver) and I think that the only way to deal with it is with your testing and knowing that a big drop is not dangerous unless it goes too low that would be under 50 in a human meter .

When he starts going down you can give him some food (normal low carb unless he's already too low) you wait for a while and test again if he's still going down we'll you repeat the whole thing and when you test and he starts going up even a little well congrats you can rest or go to sleep with time you will start to identify how long after his shoot he starts going down and you can schedule your test around that time and know if he may go down that cycle or if you are lucky and is going to be a quiet evening / day

So patience you will learn to know him and his reactions with time

 

Hyperglycemia can lead as you know to seizures and worse so good thing to be concerned...I actually thought hyPoglycemia would be the one to really worry about...many ppl here would know much more...I hope someone out there answers this question for you now...i worried about the exact same thing...what if it happened while i was sleeping....i am alone too so i understand the worry...and your situation with bg levels all over the map must be very scary....

 

The +2 (2 hours after the shot) can act a lot like a crystal ball....if the +2 is about the same as the Pre-Shot, it's usually going to be a pretty normal cycle...gradually down to nadir and then gradually up again.

If the +2 is higher than the Pre-shot, it can indicate the beginning of a bounce...those are the cycles where you can usually take a break in testing so much.

If the +2 is lower than the PS, that's your "early warning" that Ravan might be going a lot lower later in the cycle, so you'll want to plan on getting more tests in.

With some cats, the +3 is a better predictor, but until you start getting some tests in at those points, we won't know which one Ravan is

 

Thanks Veronica, The problem is he doesn't seem to be regular with the up & downs. The time it dropped 326 pts was unexpected. It happened a few times at unexpected hours?

 

HyPOglycemia is the one to worry about.....it means the blood glucose is too low and that can cause seizures and even death very quickly

HyPERglycemia is blood glucose is too high....it takes time for high blood glucose to do damage to the internal organs, but we are more concerned about the development of ketones when they're high

 

I know it's stressful no matter how anyone puts it and it seems like is not necessarily regular specially at the beginning and it probably is not and it also seems like they like to do it at the worse time,it appears that doing it like that comes with the job description of being a cat but seriously you will get the hang of it and you will eventually learn to identify some trends that will help you

 

The + cells correspond to the number of hours since the SHOT

With Lantus, what most of us do is Test/Feed/Shoot.....all in about 5-10 minutes. There's no need to wait any time between the time you feed and shoot when you're using Lantus.

Lantus is a gentle insulin that doesn't usually start to "kick in" for 2-3 hours after the shot, so you have that extra time to get food into kitty.

Some of the older, harsher insulins required that you feed first and shoot about 30 minutes later, but it's not necessary with Lantus

So if you want to shoot at 9am, you can test/feed/shoot at 9am.....no need to wait until 9;30 to shoot.

If you shoot at 9am, +2 is 11am, +5 is 2pm and +8 is 5pm

 

Allison,Thanks for the suggestions but I guess it's really difficult to understand when i say I'm on low income. I don't even own a cell phone. I became vegetarian 15 yrs ago so i could afford to feed my cats raw meat. I'm close to losing my house The taxes go up but my income doesn't I had to cancel cable tv yrs ago. Every time I buy cat food I need to figure what else i can scrimp on. My computer eventually might need to go. I never thought my life would turn out like this! When you say it's "only" $30 for the question to be answered I see you don't understand just how low my income is. Everything goes onto my credit card.Everything! It will max out soon. Then i don't know what. I'm taking it one day at a time but I often PANIC !!

 

Chris, It's not that simple with Ravan unless I force feed him . Tonight he surprised me asking for food. Most of the time I need to give him a syringe of baby food before the shot! He's been mainly off his food for quite a while.
9:30pm I just gave him 1 unit of Lantus & a syringe of baby food. I'll test at 11:30pm OK?

 

I despise vets that give that kind of "diagnosis" without any proof at all.

The biggest risk factor for developing diabetes is heredity...if diabetes runs in the family, you're much more likely to become diabetic....but I doubt if you (or this vet) knows anything about Ravan's parents, grandparents, great grandparents, etc.

Diet plays a role too, but not as much as heredity does. You'll hear all the time "my cat ate nothing but cheap kibble all it's life and lived to be 150" (well, not really but you get the idea )

Overweight cats are more likely to become diabetic but it's only part of the picture.

No matter what you feed, if diabetes runs in the family, you're more likely to have a diabetic cat....period.

Do cats get pancreatic cancer? Yes, they do....but it's not terribly common so at this point, it's not something I'd lose sleep over.

We do need to get him eating though....have you ever tried one of the appetite stimulants like Cyproheptadine or Mirtazapine?

Does he show any signs of nausea, like sniffing at the food like he's hungry but then walking away? Lip-licking?

 

Yes he does act nauseous. I started giving Slippery Elm in baby food In a syringe a few times a day. It was working good for a few days not so good today. I gave him some CBD oil a little while ago. It's worked great in the past for my kitty with cancer. It also works with Peggy Sue. She still eats her cooked chicken a few times a day. If I skip the CBD she doesn't eat as much. I hope it works for Ravan. You never know each one is different. I really try not to give them (Or me) ANYthing from BIG Pharma!

 

A little over 2 years ago Ravan's brother Jai had melanoma on his lip. Had surgery & was doing OK. Several months later he had trouble breathing during the nite i took him to the emergency Vet. After X-rays they said the cancer had gone into his lungs. They sent me home with Buprenorphine.Said he was in pain. I hate to give Drugs (or take them) but he was still having difficulty so I gave him a pill. Within 30 mins his breathing was worse. I looked up the meds online & it stated, do not give to animal with respiratory trouble ,can cause severe reaction,even death! My Vet was open by then I rushed him in & asked if there was antidote for the Buprenorphine? He gave him a shot & put him in Oxygen. It did not help. I took Jai home & all day he continued to have difficulty breathing he began crying out. I was devastated I did not want to take his life but I couldn't stand him in pain. I asked the vet to come to the house & euthanize Jai. I thought it would be over in a minute. He gave my baby 3 injections in over an hour & Jai was down but still alive He was NOT ready to die! I will always regret my decision.The Vet said he didn't understand why it took so long! The next day the Emergency Clinic called & told me they had his X-rays reviewed by a specialist & Jai did not have Lung Cancer just a respiratory infection & it could be treated! They admitted the buprenorphine probably made his breathing worse but he could have been TREATED! I think of him every day.He could be still alive now. Due to the Vets at the emergency clinic, the meds they gave me for him,my Vet & my decision, my baby died unnecessarily. I cry every night because of the Mistake I made that cost him his life! I will Never TRUST any Veterinarian again. Or Pharmaceuticals ! If you feel it's ever necessary to give meds the Dr. prescribes PLEASE look it up online first before you give them to your animal. The doctors make mistakes all the time. I could tell you about meds they gave my Mom when she was in a nursing home briefly to rehab. She nearly lost her mind. But that's another story. I feel our elderly & our animals are helpless & sometimes drugs are used on them "off Label" without enough concern for the reaction. Maybe they're good subjects to experiment on because they can't complain & most people don't question the Doctors decisions! Well that's just my Opinion after after some Horrible experiences.

 

Oh I understand!!.....it's hard to know what the best thing to do is, especially when it's a beloved pet that can't tell us how they feel.

I know about the crazy reactions too....My mom had back surgery several years ago and they put her on Percocet for pain.....for the next several days she kept yelling to "turn off that damn radio"....she said she was hearing Nat King Cole songs 24 hours a day.

 

Chris, Are you still around? Ravan's bg 482 at 11:30pm up 193 points in 2 hrs since the shot! What is happening? that's a big jump! What if it keeps going up?

On March 5th bg was 441 9pm (shot) 499 1am 418 4am & still high 9am a day later dropped to192

 

Any chance it was a furshot?

If not, there's nothing you can do tonight but wait until morning to shoot again. You don't ever want to re-shoot, even if you're sure it was a furshot. We've seen so many times when someone was sure they hadn't gotten any insulin in, but the cat ended up earning a reduction by dropping below 50

If you're going to be home tomorrow and can test as much as necessary and have all the supplies you might need, I think you could go up to 1.25 in the morning

Remember, by home testing you'll be able to see if Ravan is dropping too much or too quickly and can intervene if you need to to keep him safe

 

NO! I had a light right on it it definitely went all in. I seperate his fur His skin is white & I can clearly see the needle & skin. I' m VERY careful every time. If this is a Bounce couldn't it drop way down tomorrow?

 

i would be very grateful if u would let me pay for your expenses...I dont believe i am going to be around myself too much longer ...will u let me help u?

 

Allison that is so kind of you! I may be down right now but I guess I'm stubborn I would feel very obligated to you & that would make me unhappy! Why do you say you won't be around much longer?

 

Anything is possible, but I seriously doubt if he will

Also, as long as you can test, you'll be able to handle it, even if it does! That's why we test in the first place....to keep our kitties safe!!

I've never seen anybody here that couldn't handle a low number at home as long as it wasn't caused by something crazy like a petsitter accidentally giving 20U instead of 2U.

Having the right supplies in your "hypo kit" will keep Ravan safe. Some high carb foods (like Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers), a bottle of Karo, honey or syrup and plenty of test strips is all you need

 

Thanks Chris. I do have Honey & cat food but I seriously might pass out from all this stress & lack of sleep! I keep telling myself you can do this but,this mind is willing but my old body is weak! My Poor Ravan is afraid of me now when I try to pet him he cringes & moves away! the constant testing is making him afraid of me!

 

it doesnt matter...i want to send you something because you stand out as a wonderfully caring person...and i really want to help you and raven and penny ...plse accept my offer...it would mean alot to me

 

Allison it does matter. You are a kind & generous person & I'd like to know what's wrong? That's why we get on forums like this to give people advice but comfort also!

 

Are you putting a little Neosporin with pain relief ointment on his ears after poking? It can really help take away any soreness he may be feeling.

Also, if you can find a special treat that he really likes (I know you're having trouble getting him to eat anything right now) it can really help. Something he doesn't get any other time. (Most cats go totally crazy over rotisserie chicken)

If food doesn't interest him, how about brushing or a special place that he loves for you to scratch? Anything special that he see's as a reward can really help

 

You're a real sweetheart Allison.....especially since you recently lost your dear Bubbles. It's so wonderful to see someone willing to help another who needs it.

I hope your heart is healing

 

im not well ...thats all...i will be ok for a while maybe ....but i want to help you...

 

Chris I'm very connected with my animals. I do all those things, Ravan just doesn't understand what's going on He thinks his mommy is hurting him & he's upset. He's slept with me all his life Since this started he will not come to my bed! That's upsetting to me! I've brought him to my bed at night & talk to him & brush him, all the things i know he loves but he leaves my room & won't sleep with me anymore? Believe me I've tried everything!

 

I'll start a private conversation now.

 

ok...

 

i dont see the private conversation ...

 

Also on the top left it says conversations Maybe you can click on that? I'm very tired right now Not sure if I'm telling you the correct thing to do? Sorry.

 

Look here

 

@JoyBee

I think you can take a break from testing tonight and get some rest. Hopefully things will look better for you tomorrow if you can get a little sleep.

I have to take my mom to church in the morning, so I need to get off the computer tonight.

Will add Ravan to my prayers (and you too!)

 

I am grateful! Thank you so much! I'll post tomorrow morning.

 

the way that my heart can heal is thru truly helping others...not with words...but really helping ppl in need financially...

 

t

 

thank u China...yes its bin rough in the second week...thx for your kind words

 

So weird about the music she was "hearing". Wow

 

Joy please dont beat yourself up over what happened to Jai. You did what you thought was best at the time. I had a similar thing happen and it still haunts me but I know that I did what I did to keep my baby from suffering. The one thing we can do is educate ourselves about our kitties and ask a lot of questions. This site is a great source of info. Vets do make mistakes, but a good also saves many lives and can ease the pain of a sick kitty.

@allison goodall you are an amazing, caring person and I hope you’re with us for a long, long time

 

Thank you Sharon 14 , You know what it's like to have a mistake haunt you then? I'll think about it the rest of my life.

I had to get caught up with some house work before i turned on the computer.

After getting all stressed out last night it was difficult sleeping. Ravan's bg stayed High . Why did it go even Higher after his shot? 9:30pm 290\ 2 hrs later 483! \494 at 5:30am \489 9:30am \ I gave a slight increase in dose . Now I'm afraid to leave the house. 10 days ago I gave 1.25 units bg dropped 300 points to 68 !
My poor Ravan doesn't want me near him . He walks away when I approach.He doesn't understand. Thinks I'll hurt him all the time now. The Vet told me this would happen if I tested too often. (He was right about this one thing! )I understand about the curve & knowing when the bg will go up or down but that doesn't make it easier to do!

Years ago when i was raising my 2 little boys & working full time I had 13 cats.( 2 from Animal Welfare,7 strays & I took in & a Litter of 4 no one wanted.) There wasn't enough money or time to go to a Vet. I was lucky, they were all healthy! It was one big happy family! When they got old 18,19 & some even lived to 20 & 22 yrs old. They just died naturally. Nearly all peacefully. I never considered taking them to a Vet. As I got older things have changed. Probably because i'm by myself now. I don't want to let go. I'm desperate to keep them with me. I thought for sure these last three would be with me until I was on my way out. I will make this work! No matter what it takes.
There were times after my last kitties died I thought No More animals! I didn't think I could go thru losing them again. But here were 5 babies in my garage & I fell in LOVE once again! I cannot imagine my life without a lovely furry companion ( or 2 or 3?? ha!)
Peggy Sue is the little Nurse. Even though she's not feeling well she takes care of us. Lays next to Ravan & washes him (she does that to Alice too but not as much ) I don't even need an alarm .She makes sure I get up at 1:30 in the morning(I do NOT know where that came from?) Then at 5:30 to feed them & at 9am for Ravan's shot & to begin my day.
She's also started sleeping with me since Ravan doesn't come in bed anymore. What would i do without my kitties. I NEED them more than they need me !

Well, One day at a Time! Hope this one is better & Ravan's bg comes down. I'm going to test every 3 hrs Is that OK? (instead of 2hrs) Maybe i can squeeze a nap in.

 

Thank you Magic, I'm still new here Is it OK for me to go on about my cats & my feelings? Or do I need to just stick to the questions? It's therapeutic to tell my story & let people know they aren't the only ones with problems. If it's not OK please let me know I don't mind. I do understand this forum is about our cats.

 

I think it’s purging and beneficial - don’t fret you are really doing well with Ravan! I don’t know what the protocols here are about that??? You don’t want your questions to get buried as mine sometimes do.

But I think Ravan is doing better than you think remember cats are very intuitive and if you are panicking or upset they will mirror you

I was looking at Ravan’s spreadsheet and you are doing a fine job with slowly upping the dosage. The important thing to do it stabilize and then work on a gradually downward procession.

You will then reach a point that you will be in blues and greens that is where it gets scary again because it’s a fine line between enough an too much insulin

ITS POSSIBLE that your really low reading one time was off... I got one of those on the beginning too you will see it on my SS

Then after 2-3 hrs it was 424 how was that even possible? In the future immediately retest and you will get a straight number - it happened a second time, i retested and got a more logical number!

Are you giving treats to encourage Ravan’s compliance with testing so he is begging you for treats first? and then you give in and do a test first?

That helps me not feel so bad about testing

 

You can rant, rave, cry, complain or just chit chat if it helps you and Ravan. My cat comes to get tested whenever I sit in the chair. I’ve gotton to the point where I don’t sit there unless I am going to test, because he thinks he should eat! Testing every three hours should be fine today.

 

That is cool! - I did not know what the site protocols are

 

@JoyBee how is Peggy Sue’s leg? Is she limping or is it much better. Would love to hear??

 

If you just want to talk or rant you’d do better to start a thread in off topic forum though. Keep Health forum for Health so, as you said, your questions don’t get lost. In fact there are several such threads there and, I think, in the Think Tank forum.

 

Thank you Sharon 14 & Magic, My son stopped in for a quick visit. That's why I wasn't on the forum. He doesn't like when I get upset about my animals. He thinks after all these years I should handle it better! So, when he stops by once in a while I must refrain from talking about my worries.

I'll check out the Think Tank forum. Sometimes it does feel necessary to vent!

at 3:30 Ravan's bg 311. I hope it's slowly coming down.He looks pretty miserable today. When bg was high he was eating every few hours now that it's down a bit, he looks nauseated. I gave him Slippery elm in baby food by syringe. He just had a bm & it looked normal but he Lay down on the cement floor like something was hurting? He was there for about 10 mins till I went & carried him upstairs.I'm thinking maybe some inflammatory bowel thing going on? The slippery Elm is supposed to help with that. All you talk about giving your cat treats. I guess I'm a weirdo! I've never given treats to them. I figured the raw meat diet was the best way to go . Now I think I screwed up If they were used to treats it would make things easier,Maybe. (My kitties are so spoiled Ravan wouldn't never Think of Begging for Treats! HA!)

Does anyone know if it's OK to give 100cc's of Ringers everyday? I've given it to Peggy Sue on & off for her High Liver Enzymes It seems to help her feel better. I need to make sure it's OK with Ravan. So it won't interfere with his diabetes?
And Yes Magic Peggy Sue's leg is better. Thanks for asking!

Do I now stay with the 1.25 of Lantus for a few days? I'm still worried he might drop low.

I'm sure the low 69 was correct. am was 115 & he got 1 unit 8 hrs later he was only 108 then by evening he shot up to 441! When I look at his sheet I don't see a consistent pattern it seems all over the place. Like now I increased the dose but his bg went up ever higher the next 2 readings. That doesn't seem right? Well you all know a lot more about this than I do. So I'll keep hoping for the best. I think him not eating again worries me the most!

 

If it is fully absorbed then it is OK to give 100 ml daily provided no heart conditions

 

Thanks Larry, Just wanted to double check so I don't make anything worse! You've been here a long time. Do you have any thoughts about why Ravan's bg got higher after his shot this morning? I increased from 1 unit to 1.25. I thought it would go way down. It did a few times before.

 

How much does she weigh?

 

Ravan is about 14 lbs Peggy Sue 7 lbs. When I give it to Ravan right before it reaches 100cc's he starts getting up Like he he knows it's enough? Since Peggy Sue is so small I give her a bit less too. It seems to make them feel a bit better. maybe from the electrolytes? It's getting difficult to find it here & the price has nearly doubled in 6 months. I tried to order it from Walgreens & they said it was unavailable right now? I did get 2 bags from my Vet but it's nearly $14 a bag Last year $6.

 

When someone posts "I like this" are we supposed to respond? I still have a lot to learn about using this site!

 

If I ‘like’ a post, it means I either really agree with what you said, or I just want you to know that I’ve read it. No need to respond unless you want to.

 

Thanks for the answer Sharon.

 

HI JoyBee,

I am so glad that Peggy Sue is o.k.!!!!!!
I do not know anything about ringers...you are brave!
Hope you are doing well

K

 

hi Larry...interested to know if heart condition is affected by iv ringers as no vet has told me this and i have used it alot on my cats with CRF...?not asking for vet advise...just your knowlege about this...I am currently giving my other kitty (Bubbles buddy) 150 ringers every second night...he has not been checked for heart issues (and i know they can be silent)

 

sorry folks ..I forgot to restrict my talking to diabetes related issues...should have made that a private convo!

 

No problem Allison, this forum is about any health problems in our kitties even if they aren’t diabetes related. We learn from all the different issues brought up!