New Member - Ketoacidosis and Fatty Liver/Jaundice help!

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Marissa and Bella

Marissa and Bella

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I love that there is a forum like this! This weekend has been very hard and emotional for me.
My feline - Bella who is 6 years old, female, was diagnosed in September with Diabetes.. I had noticed that wherever she laid down, there would be like blood spots left there, which I thought was odd because I know cats don't get their periods and I had her spayed when she was a kitten. I took her to the vets and they did a bunch of tests and low and behold he was diagnosed with diabetes. We started her on 1 unit insulin AM and PM and on DM food. She was diagnosed at 13 pds and now down to 8pds, which feels like skin and bones and very fragile. When I took her back to the vets she tested at 2, which was way too low, so the vet dropped the insulin down to .5 am & pm. I did switch her to fancy feast pate because I read that was the best for diabetics and I stopped her insulin thinking that with a low carb high protein she didn't need it. I also read if you gave too much insulin the cat could be brain damaged. I take full responsibility and truly feel horrible for making that decision alone without my vet. Usually she is trying to wake me up at 5am for her food because she is so hungry, however yesterday she was no one to be found, very lethargic and would not eat. I put some syrup in her mouth and rushed her to the vets. they tested her blood and she was at 17... gave her IV fluids, advised me to put her back on DM food and 1 unit insulin and also do home monitoring. So when we got home, I fed her, which she ate a little and gave her shot. I also bought the One Touch Verio Reflect and tested her two hours after she ate.. the test was 10.9. The vet said ideally 5-9 is where I want her blood to be. Today she will not eat at all and will not let me test her. I have been giving her ice cold water which she will take some little sips of. I need help... the vet said he is not worried about her low energy but needs me to be monitoring her glucose levels every two hours. I also have two other cats who are in good condition, and a 6 year old daughter who loves and is has been such a great help through this all. I don't know if this is enough info.. but I feel so helpless to Bella and I couldn't sleep last night because Im just so scared of her dying. I haven't gave her any more insulin because she hasn't ate.. I read the forums about home testing and I will keep trying but I just feel awful poking and prodding her all the time. Any support/tips/help/ is really appreciated at this time! Thank you for reading.
 
Hi and welcome.
Did the vet test yesterday for ketones when she was given IV fluids?
If not, I would go out and buy a bottle of Ketostix this morning and test the urine for ketones. It is a simple test. Collect a sample of urine, dip the test strip into the urine and read the result against the colours on the side of the bottle exactly 15 seconds later. Anything above a trace needs vet attention.

If she is lethargic and not eating, I would take Bella back to the vet.
She needs to eat and to get her insulin.

Its great you are learning to monitor the BG levels.
What type of insulin are you giving?
 
So I just got home from the vets.. her ketones are very very high, however her blood sugar level is only at 11.. which the vet said is a little odd. However she does have jaundice and ketoacidosis.. she will be hospitalized for 3 days.. and if no improvement by then the vet said we will have to discuss our options.

I am heartbroken and really don’t know what to expect. Any advice, help or experience with this?
Thank you ❤️
 
A lot will depend on how your kitty responds to treatment. Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is serious and can be life threatening. It causes an imbalance in electrolytes. In addition, it sounds like Bela may have hepatic lipidosis ("fatty liver") given the jaundice.

Many of us, myself included, have cats that survived DKA and HL. In Gabby's case, I had 2 vets -- my own vet and the vet at the ICU -- prepare me that she might not survive. She did. And she lived 6.5yrs beyond her diabetes diagnosis. Ketones develop when there is an infection/inflammation, not enough calories (so fat stores start to be broken down), and not enough insulin. Unfortunately, it is going to be a waiting game.

Does your vet have 24/7 monitoring? It's crucial that Bella is monitored. In all likelihood, she should be on both an insulin and glucose or dextrose drip. They should also be getting frequent (x1 - 2/day) bloodwork to make sure electrolytes are going in the right direction. I'd encourage you to visit your kitty and bring along something that has your scent on it. It will be comforting vs being in a vet hospital with lots of strange smells and sounds.
 
This is encouraging. I have just been beside myself and have been crying on and off. My family was trying to steer me in the direction of putting her down and say she is suffering.. which I feel horrible about. However I am going to do the three days as my vet has suggested. He said by the end of the third day he will be able to tell if she is going to improve of not? Does this sound right? My vet does not have 24/7 monitoring however he said he will be going in every two hours to check on her.. this really makes me nervous ... I just feel so helpless and sad for Bella.

Do you happen to know stats on cats survival on this? I brought her to the vets yesterday morning and they gave her an IV and sent us home just saying she was dehydrated. So I am thinking maybe they over looked this. If I didn’t take your advice and get a urine sample to check her ketones who knows what would have happened to her

Tomorrow when I visit her I will bring her one of her toys she has for comfort. Thank you for your support and knowledge. Any other information is very appreciated!
 
Marissa, please be kind to yourself during this difficult time with Bella in the hospital, fighting for her life.

DKA (diabetic ketoacidosis) and HL(hepatic lipidosis) are both survivable for diabetic cats.

We have 2 other members whose cats had recent DKA diagnosis. One cat had DKA and HL. The other one only DKA.
Both are home now. Needing a lot of supportive care from their owners.

This is going to be intense and stressful and very draining for you emotionally.
Keeping all paws crossed for Bella's recovery.
:bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug:
 
Thank you for your kind words ❤️ The vet called and let me know that they have fluids, vitamins, and insulin in her now and they were able to force feed her. He also mentioned something about her blood work however I didn’t catch it all. He said something (missed the word) is normally only around 10, and Bella’s was at 160? Do you know what that could be?

And also what should I be doing now to prepare for her home coming? What will the aftercare look like?

thank you again for all the help !!! It means a lot during this time.
 
Marissa said:
He also mentioned something about her blood work however I didn’t catch it all. He said something (missed the word) is normally only around 10, and Bella’s was at 160? Do you know what that could be?
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No idea, call him back and ask.
Take notes as you are talking to your vet. Please.
For you and for us.
 
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Marissa said:
And also what should I be doing now to prepare for her home coming? What will the aftercare look like?
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It depends on how much better Bella gets in the vet clinic.
  1. Think of the aftercare being like supporting a sick relative or friend when they have come home from the hospital. Days too early, quicker and sicker as the insurance companies don't want to pay for extra days in the hospital. Lots of supportive care. Helping hands.
  2. You may need to learn how to give Subq fluids. We have videos on how to do that.
  3. You may need to give Bella multiple pills, anti nausea medication (cerenia, ondansetron), pain medication, perhaps an appetite stimulant (cyproheptadine, mirtazapine). Antacid (pepcid ac or generic 1/4 pill 2 x a day). Pills may need to be given multiple times a day and or at night.
  4. You may need to assist feed or hand feed. We have videos on how to do that.
  5. Your cat may need a feeding tube inserted before she can come home (feeding tubes save lives!).
  6. You will absolutely positively need to be home testing the blood glucose levels yourself at home. We can teach you how to do that for Bella.
  7. You will need to monitor those blood glucose levels multiple times a day. We can help with knowing when to do that.
  8. You will need to test Bella for ketones at home, at least 2 x a day. That can be done with either a blood ketone monitor or test strips to test her urine for ketones (ketone test strips).
  9. You may need a higher calorie food to get more calories into Bella. Vet may give you recovery food or Hill's A/d or something similar. DKA and post DKA cats need lots of calories. HL (hepatic lipidosis) cats need lots of calories too. 1.5 times what a cat may normally need. Maybe more.
  10. You will need to learn to adjust the insulin dose according to Bella's BG (blood glucose) levels.
  11. You will need a shorter acting insulin. Which insulin was your Bella on before?
  12. Most of all, you will need to get over your fear of poking and prodding Bella and do what is best to get her well again.
  13. You'll need to update your User id signature here on the message board. We have directions on how to do that.
  14. You'll need to create a spreadsheet to track the BG (blood glucose) tests. We have a standardized template you copy. And directions on how to do the setup on a PC, tablet, or smartphone.
  15. You'll need continued guidance from your vet, and from members here.
  16. You'll need a support system to help you when you are frustrated, in tears, want to throw in the towel and give up. We are here to provide that emotional and moral support as well as the "how to's" type of support.
Do you work? What are your other life responsibilities like right now? What will they be like in 3 days, when Bella is released from the vet clinic? (Besides the other 2 cats and the 6 year old daughter.)
 
Oh wow. Thank you for all the help honestly don’t know what I do without this community!

Bella is on Catsulin now.

I am 25, a single mother, and in university right now, and starting a new part time job next week :/ I don’t really have anyone else to help me with Bella, however my mom and sister are good emotional supports. I think my biggest fear right now is not being able to support Bella the way she needs to be - and to be honest with you I am carrying a lot of guilt right now because I feel like if I paid better attention to her then she wouldn’t be in the hospital right now - but I had good intentions and thought I was doing good for her. I just love her so much and honestly can’t imagine our life without her
 
I see you got a picture up of beautiful Bella. Holding a little sign saying you had to rush her to the vet hospital.

Whoops! You changed your profile picture already.
Is Bella a longer haired kitty?
 
Lol! I found this picture and thought it was a better one of her. She does have long hair.. unfortunately I’m not sure of her breed. Her sister has short black hair.. I had a rescue cat and wanted to find her a companion, so I found Bella but when I went to pick her up she had a sister with her and the people told me their mom was killed by a dog bite... so I decided to keep them together and that’s how I ended up with the three!
 
Hi Marissa and Bella ... she is beautiful.
Just catching up on all the news of Bella. I am so sorry she has DKA and possibly HL. I am so glad you took her back to the vet. I know how hard it is to watch our kitties so ill in hospital.

It sounds like she is getting good care. It’s a good idea to write down quick notes as the vet is talking to you. If you are not sure just ask him to repeat or explain what he says.
We can help you get prepared for when Bella comes home and help you each day.
We will give you a list of things you need to buy such as home testing meter...human meter is better, Ketostix for testing for ketones and suitable food and things you need to ask the vet for such as cerenia for nausea. Because ketones /DKA form when there is not enough food and not enough insulin and an infection or inflammation, we have to make sure Bella is getting enough insulin, plenty of food and any infection or inflammation is being treated.
Can you ask the vet if she is getting antibiotics for an infection or if she may have an inflammation somewhere please?
Thank you for all the updates.
Bron
 
Thank you for the reply! I know I should have asked what he said but I kind of just feel so numb and sad. But I am going to go visit Bella tomorrow and get an update.. I will ask then and make sure to take notes and updates!

thank you once again for all the kind words and support!!
 
It is hard to take it all in when you are totally unfamiliar with all the medical terms and you are stressed and worried about Bella. Totally understandable. Great idea of Chris’s to record it.
You are also entitled to all her path results so when she comes home be sure to ask for them so you can post them and we can see them.
 
Hey everyone.. today I have been feeling much worse. The vets office is closed to the public so just the vet is there every few hours making sure Bella is okay. He called again this morning and said she was a little more active.. was sitting up. But is not using the litter box and still not eating.
He said he is worried that her jaundice is from a separate live failure problem because her glucose is at 11 which he said is okay for now and isn’t concerning him. He also said that the blood liver tests were 16x higher then what they’re supposed to be at... I asked what he thought the outlook is and he said to wait for tomorrow ??? He also said she smells and I am really upset thinking that they didn’t wash the pee off of her!!!! I’m going to go there tomorrow morning after dropping my daughter off at school to visit her. And I feel like I will lose it if they didn’t wash her off my poor baby. I feel so bad.. I hope she can come out of this but I also feel bad if she is suffering and in pain how do you guys know what the right decision is for them? And I forgot to ask about if she is on antibiotics.. I will have to wait until he calls again.
Thank you for listening and once again all the valuable information.
 
They need to be force feeding her if she will not eat on her own.
Are they feeding her or waiting for her to eat on her own?

The hepatic lipidosis is giving the high liver bloodwork results.

How does she smell? Like over ripe fruit smell? Like she didn't have the energy to get to a litter box to pee? Like she pooped on herself? Like she vomited on her fur? Some other kind of smell?
 
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Yes he said he is force feeding her!

As for the smell I’m not sure he just said that she smells bad, and when I brought her in she had peed on herself and I asked for a warm cloth and cleaned it off but I couldn’t get it all from just a cloth and the vet tech said she would bath her so I’m wondering if they didn’t wash her properly or maybe shes just too weak to pee anywhere else I’m not sure.
 
Are they giving her fluids? Something to balance her electrolytes back to normal?
What is her ketone level today?

Be sure to ask the vet when he calls you back.
 
Update on Bella.. I went to see her this morning, we brought her a little shark stuffy that she liked to carry around and cry with at home, and she is WAY more yellow then she was when they admitted her. Im not sure how all this works but is she getting worse? I am going to keep her in the hospital for a couple more days and they said they should know more tomorrow.. I asked what her keystone levels are at and they said they have just done the glucose check and it is not of concern. I am getting a little frustrated because I do not know the proper terminology or care that she needs, and they said we should know more by today but are now saying tomorrow.. It was soooo hard seeing Bella the way she is. She is hooked up on IV fluids and on antibiotics, and being force fed. I have been watching Youtube videos and reading information and preparing myself for when she comes home.

Is she going to recover and come out of this or is she just slowly dying?
 
Here is a picture of her. Her mouth was kind of left open and her tounge was out.
 

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Have them give you copies of the lab work. On paper.

There should be levels of glucose and ketones on there.
Plus other levels such as the liver values, potassium, phosphorus, ketones in the blood.

Sounds like they are ignoring your questions.
Have them stop and explain everything, until you are satisfied. Make notes, record what they say as Chris suggested.
 
It is very frustrating for you if they won’t answer your questions properly.
I think questions you could ask are
  • At what level are her ketones, are they dropping yet? They might say small, moderate or large. Or they might give a number.. try and remember the number. Try and write it down
  • Are they giving her an antinausea medication?....this is important for both the DKA and hepatic lipidosis as she needs to eat. I know they are syringing feeding at the moment but she will need to start eating at some point and she won’t if she’s nauseated.
  • Have they been able to correct the acidosis in her blood?. This will help indicate if she is improving from DKA
  • I don’t know a lot about hepatic lipidosis but you could ask what is happening with the liver levels in the blood. Are they improving yet? The jaundice is to do with the hepatic lipidosis (HL) @Sienne and Gabby (GA) knows a lot about HL.
Don’t let them put you off. Bella is your cat and you are entitled to know how she is. They should be keeping you informed and you should be able to have input into the conversation.
You are paying them to look after her and you are also entitled to all the test results.
:bighug:
 
Ask them how many calories of food they are getting in her a day. Once a cat won’t eat because of hepatic lipidosis, it can take a while getting them to eat again. I had to assist feed a can a day of a/d to my HL foster for a couple weeks before he started eating on his own. A feeding tube is an option.

Good luck!
 
So they do have her on an anti-nausea, and they are feeding her every two hours on DM food. Didn’t give me the calories but told me not to worry she is getting the nutrients that she needs. They said she has also had a little poo this afternoon and that is a good sign. They gave her a pain med too. She looks so out of it.. it is so hard seeing her like this and having to go through this. This is the most heart ache I have ever endured in my life.

As for blood work and levels of liver function and ketones they said they are not monitoring that consistently yet because they are more focused on treating her glucose levels and we won’t see a big difference yet. Which they said were 11/129.. which I didn’t think was that concerning ? I’m not sure... I asked if they please could so we can see where she is at with her levels in blood and asked at what point will we know if she is going to get better and they said they will call me tomorrow with the results and more clear answers? Her eyes are very goopy and I asked about them and they said it’s all the toxins trying to escape her body which is good... I do want to trust them because I do not know anything about this type of stuff and I can only hope she is getting the best care that she needs right now.
 
Marissa and Bella said:
So they do have her on an anti-nausea, and they are feeding her every two hours on DM food. Didn’t give me the calories but told me not to worry she is getting the nutrients that she needs. They said she has also had a little poo this afternoon and that is a good sign. They gave her a pain med too. She looks so out of it.. it is so hard seeing her like this and having to go through this. This is the most heart ache I have ever endured in my life.

As for blood work and levels of liver function and ketones they said they are not monitoring that consistently yet because they are more focused on treating her glucose levels and we won’t see a big difference yet. Which they said were 11/129.. which I didn’t think was that concerning ? I’m not sure... I asked if they please could so we can see where she is at with her levels in blood and asked at what point will we know if she is going to get better and they said they will call me tomorrow with the results and more clear answers? Her eyes are very goopy and I asked about them and they said it’s all the toxins trying to escape her body which is good... I do want to trust them because I do not know anything about this type of stuff and I can only hope she is getting the best care that she needs right now.
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Hello! I am very new here as well, but I think a lot of people here have gone through something similar to you.

My Hugo had miraculously avoided the DKA, but his hepatic lipidosis was off the charts when we had brought him in! After his stay in the ER, with the appetite stimulant and just some home feeding (Friskies pate), he's pretty much back to normal liver levels just a week or so after. They can bounce back. They are resilient little creatures. I know it's hard to trust the vets, but just try to keep yourself informed and BE NOSY! You are your own best advocate, and your cat's as well. I'm confused as to why they wouldn't be monitoring the ketones and liver function? I'm glad that you insisted.

I will keep you in my thoughts. Stay brave.
 
That is good Bella is getting antinausea meds and fed every 2 hours. The pain meds could be making her a bit ‘out of it’ so don’t worry too much about that. If the pain med is bupe she will be a bit dopey. It sent my Sheba completely if it.

It is frustrating they aren’t telling you about the ketone and other levels but I’m sure they are doing at least some tests in that area. Just not as much as we would do them. Just keep asking for information when you go in or ring.
I know how distressed you must feel but it does sound as if they are doing the right things.
:bighug::bighug::bighug:
 
Elle D said:
Hello! I am very new here as well, but I think a lot of people here have gone through something similar to you.

My Hugo had miraculously avoided the DKA, but his hepatic lipidosis was off the charts when we had brought him in! After his stay in the ER, with the appetite stimulant and just some home feeding (Friskies pate), he's pretty much back to normal liver levels just a week or so after. They can bounce back. They are resilient little creatures. I know it's hard to trust the vets, but just try to keep yourself informed and BE NOSY! You are your own best advocate, and your cat's as well. I'm confused as to why they wouldn't be monitoring the ketones and liver function? I'm glad that you insisted.

I will keep you in my thoughts. Stay brave.
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Awe I’m so happy for you and Hugo! This makes me so happy and hopeful for Bella! Did he lose a lot of weight? I feel like Bella is just skin and bones and sooo frail. And I thought it was a little odd as well that they aren’t monitoring it but I think she is in the place she needs to be and that’s her best chance so just trying to be thankful for the job their doing! Thank you sharing!
 
Bron and Sheba (GA) said:
That is good Bella is getting antinausea meds and fed every 2 hours. The pain meds could be making her a bit ‘out of it’ so don’t worry too much about that. If the pain med is bupe she will be a bit dopey. It sent my Sheba completely if it.

It is frustrating they aren’t telling you about the ketone and other levels but I’m sure they are doing at least some tests in that area. Just not as much as we would do them. Just keep asking for information when you go in or ring.
I know how distressed you must feel but it does sound as if they are doing the right things.
:bighug::bighug::bighug:
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Bron and Sheba (GA) said:
That is good Bella is getting antinausea meds and fed every 2 hours. The pain meds could be making her a bit ‘out of it’ so don’t worry too much about that. If the pain med is bupe she will be a bit dopey. It sent my Sheba completely if it.

It is frustrating they aren’t telling you about the ketone and other levels but I’m sure they are doing at least some tests in that area. Just not as much as we would do them. Just keep asking for information when you go in or ring.
I know how distressed you must feel but it does sound as if they are doing the right things.
:bighug::bighug::bighug:
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Thank you for sharing that! I was wondering if maybe it was the pain meds because it almost seemed as if she was worse!! But I am glad to know she isn’t in pain. Her sister is starting to get a little antsy and I think it’s because she wondering where she is. They haven’t left each-other side their whole lives.

I will keep this thread updated as I know more. Everyone’s support and own stories are really comforting at a time like this!
 
Marissa and Bella said:
This is encouraging. I have just been beside myself and have been crying on and off. My family was trying to steer me in the direction of putting her down and say she is suffering.. which I feel horrible about. However I am going to do the three days as my vet has suggested. He said by the end of the third day he will be able to tell if she is going to improve of not? Does this sound right? My vet does not have 24/7 monitoring however he said he will be going in every two hours to check on her.. this really makes me nervous ... I just feel so helpless and sad for Bella.

Do you happen to know stats on cats survival on this? I brought her to the vets yesterday morning and they gave her an IV and sent us home just saying she was dehydrated. So I am thinking maybe they over looked this. If I didn’t take your advice and get a urine sample to check her ketones who knows what would have happened to her

Tomorrow when I visit her I will bring her one of her toys she has for comfort. Thank you for your support and knowledge. Any other information is very appreciated!
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Hi Marissa, I just went through what you're going through, and still am going through it. My cat Oscar was diagnosed with DKA last Tuesday and spent three nights/four days in the ER receiving intensive care. Oscar still had very high ketones at the end of his stay, he hadn't made much if any improvement and we unfortunately couldn't keep him there any longer as we already had spent 4k.
Vet really wasn't sure he would pull through, but said we could try him at home for a few days and see how he did.
Since then we've been syringe feeding every 2 hours, giving subq fluids every night as well as a couple different meds and starting last night he's been showing no ketones. Against what my vet said, he's improving and it looks like he will pull through. It took about 5 days to see those improvements, and like I mentioned, the doctor didn't see any in those three days...so I wouldn't be so quick to euthanize if you don't see quick results.
Oscar also had a touch of HL, which we won't find out if it's improved until his appointment Wednesday, but if I'm not mistaken getting food in your kitty is the way this will be improved.
Have they done full diagnostics yet? Blood work, urinalysis? This will help to figure out what set off the DKA (besides going off insulin, which don't beat yourself up over this, Oscar's DKA was also preceded by him being off insulin for 2 days. We couldn't have known this would happen).
Oscar also went from ketone free to very high ketones in less than 24hrs, so they happen quick..easy to miss.
And he also was in the low 200's BG when the DKA happened, which is low for him, so while unusual... DKA can definitely happen at low BG's.

If you have any questions please let me know. I literally just went through is and am still helping my kitty recover. My mind is fresh with all the info. I know this isn't easy, but you're doing everything you can for your kitty right now.
 
Chloe007 said:
Hi Marissa, I just went through what you're going through, and still am going through it. My cat Oscar was diagnosed with DKA last Tuesday and spent three nights/four days in the ER receiving intensive care. Oscar still had very high ketones at the end of his stay, he hadn't made much if any improvement and we unfortunately couldn't keep him there any longer as we already had spent 4k.
Vet really wasn't sure he would pull through, but said we could try him at home for a few days and see how he did.
Since then we've been syringe feeding every 2 hours, giving subq fluids every night as well as a couple different meds and starting last night he's been showing no ketones. Against what my vet said, he's improving and it looks like he will pull through. It took about 5 days to see those improvements, and like I mentioned, the doctor didn't see any in those three days...so I wouldn't be so quick to euthanize if you don't see quick results.
Oscar also had a touch of HL, which we won't find out if it's improved until his appointment Wednesday, but if I'm not mistaken getting food in your kitty is the way this will be improved.
Have they done full diagnostics yet? Blood work, urinalysis? This will help to figure out what set off the DKA (besides going off insulin, which don't beat yourself up over this, Oscar's DKA was also preceded by him being off insulin for 2 days. We couldn't have known this would happen).
Oscar also went from ketone free to very high ketones in less than 24hrs, so they happen quick..easy to miss.
And he also was in the low 200's BG when the DKA happened, which is low for him, so while unusual... DKA can definitely happen at low BG's.

If you have any questions please let me know. I literally just went through is and am still helping my kitty recover. My mind is fresh with all the info. I know this isn't easy, but you're doing everything you can for your kitty right now.
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Omg I am so sorry you are going through this too! That makes me so warm inside to know that you healed him at home! Brings tears to my eyes .. I can only hope Bella will share a similar story! I am kind of glad to know that the healing takes multiple days because I am starting to think she won’t come back from this. Your story makes me soo hopeful for Bel!!! $4k? Omg that is a lot of money.. my vet is being very fair with me and so far I have handed him $800 cash, (literally all my money right now lol) he gave me a quote for 3 days of her in the hospital for $800 cash no taxes. But she is going to have to stay in longer and said $190 a day. Fortunately he said he will do a payment plan.. being a single mother and in school I am very fortunate for his kindness and I really can not even think about putting her to sleep yet, but am worried that I am making her go through hell.

Tomorrow will be her fourth day in the hospital, so depending on how her tests come back should I keep her in there until day 5? 6? As far as I know there was no real diagnosis, they did blood work and urine sample on Saturday and that’s when we found out about very high ketones and her blood liver levels were at 166 - and they’re supposed to be at 10. He said that these are secondary symptoms to the diabetes and they said they are feeding her very frequently which makes me happy because I keep hearing that is the most important!

Did Oscar turn yellow at all? Bella is very yellow and she wasn’t this yellow when she was admitted. Bella is also super skinny and it is making me very weary thinking that she has nothing to fight this battle with. Did Oscar lose a lot of weight as well? What food is he on? Where did you get the syringes from? The vet did mention something about a feeding tube.. and I have heard good things about that.

I’m so glad he is doing better and you’re amazing for taking such good care of him!! He is soooo lucky to have such a good mommy. I can’t help but feel guilty about letting her diabetes get out of control.. I wish I had found this site sooner :(.. I am starting a new job this week so if Bella does come home I worry being away from her for the day something bad might happen. Is 24/7 care required when they come home? I did buy a home glucose meter and strips and have a full box of needles and insulin ready for her. I also stocked up on DM food because that’s what they are recommending she be on.

I really appreciate you sharing your story and am feeling a lot more hopeful!!
 
What is the full box of needles you mention for? Do you mean lancets?

Make sure you have a bottle of Ketostix as well at home as you will need to test for ketones in the urine twice a day at first, especially if there are still ketones lurking around in the urine.
 
Ah yes thank you Bron & Sheba! I knew I was forgetting something. Twice a day right? How do you test the ketones? What is the best way.. I do have two other cats so not sure how urine testing works ?
 
You would need to collect a urine specimen from Bella and then you dip the test strip into the urine and read it exactly 15 seconds later against the colours on the side of the Ketostix bottle. Anything above a trace needs vet attention.
Because you have other cats, if you think it may be hard to catch Bella in her act of peeing, you might look at getting a blood ketone meter which works in the same way as a glucose meter. You are then testing the blood for ketones instead of the urine. The test strips for the blood ketone meter are $1 each so not cheap but you don’t use many of them compared to the glucose meter.
Do you think you could catch a urine sample from Bella? there are other ways of collecting a urine specimen providing you can isolate her from the other cats so you know the urine is hers and not another cats urine.
 
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