Marj & Djoko
Member Since 2020
Hello,
I am joining this forum because I am exhausted and desperate. I am putting all my heart into saving my diabetic cat with no great results so far. I truly need your help.
**
My cat Djoko (male, 13 yrs old , around 4k) has been diagnosed with DB in last September (high values (27 – 35 mmol/l). At the time, my mother was taking care of him in another city. He started to melt and was urinating a lot. It would have been better to go to the vet before given his symptoms but no point in blaming her. Prior to insulin, we tried to adjust his BG by changing his diet (was eating treats and anything he wanted basically while at my mother’s) and oral medication without success. He started eating M/D canned food and M/D dry food in November. Please note that it took everything for eat one canned food per day. In fact, feeding him one can per day was considered a success and although dry food is not good for his health, we needed to feed him with some to ensure he eats enough before shots. I have recently switched his diet as it will be explained later.
On January 18, I brought him to my house because my mother did not want to give him insulin shots and I wanted to save him. The move and transportation (3 hours in a snowstorm) did not go well. Djoko got very sick (could not move and vomiting) and got hospitalized for 24 hours to get rehydrated and receive other treatments. The diagnosis was a possible pancreatitis. I felt very bad because I had asked the vet prior to bringing him with me for recommendation and she said it would be fine.
history
I started giving Djoko Pro-Zinc insulin on January 17 (0.5U x2). After his hospitalisation, on January 20th, the vet advised to increase his dose to 1 U. We performed a BG curve on February 1 (he had a fare-up of pancreatitis again between the move and this BG curve so could not give him consistent treatment while vomiting, etc.).
SEE ATTACHMENT.
Note that the glucometer was calibrated to ensure reliable results.
Given these results, the vet recommended to increase the dose to 2U which we did. After 24 hours, the cat vomited bile. I called the vet and asked whether I should give him the shot. They said yes as long as he has eaten. I did give him the shot. Next day, 48 hours after starting to give him 2U, he vomited twice and I noticed him trembling. I was not comfortable knowing that hypoglycemia was a possible consequence of giving him insulin so I tested him. He was at 3.2. I retested him to make sure this result was adequate. He was at 3.1. I gave him maple syrup but now I know it would have been better just to feed him. I brought him to the vet as I was panicked and they wanted to hospitalize him again (3rd time in 3 weeks $$$). I said no because I felt I was able to monitor him. No one told us about the somogi effect. He did not receive insulin when he was at 3.1 of course, but we gave him his 2U dose at night because he was higher than The following day we found him at 1.9 at 4PM without any symptoms. It was a random test to ensure his values were fine. I started to be very paranoid about hypoglycemia after this 2-day episode. I also did not understand his reaction to 2U given his high values.
After that, we decreased his dose to 1U and he was still high. On February 13, Djoko got sick again (diarrhea) and seemed in pain (intense meowing). I rushed him to the vet. I was so scared of keto but he tested negative. They switched his insulin to Glargine (Lantus). They wanted to start him with 2U but I was still concerned about the hypo episode and we agreed to start with 1.5U. We also started giving him B12 (weekly injection).After a week on new insulin, we performed a BG curve (on th 7th day of new dosage).
SEE ATTACH.
We were unable to get the last value. Djoko could not stand being poked again and we knew that with these results, the vet would suggest increasing his dose to 2U. I did not share the values with the vet as the last result was missing and I was also thinking that it may have been premature to perform the BG curve that quick. The reason I did so is because I was scared he would develop Keto. I asked another vet (in my family) about his values and she said we should increase the dose to 2U. I did not run this information by my current vet but knew she would agree because giving him 2U was their first recommendation. It seems also in accordance with scientific literature: more than 20mmol/l – start at 2U for glargine. I told her what happened aftwerwards.
After giving him his firs 2U, I tested him three hours later to know how his body was reacting. He was at 25 mmol/l so felt he would not go into hypo. The following morning, I gave him his shot without doing a blood test. I tested him 15 minutes after the shot and he was at 10mmol/l. I panicked because I know his tendency to go very low. On that note, I need to inform you that my vet believes I am over testing the cat. From my perspective, his values are all over the place and it is the only way to understand what is going on and if he can indeed receive insulin (his poor ears though).
After realizing I had made a mistake, I started to feed him a lot (dry food) to counteract the effect of insulin. I did even put some maple syrup on his gums. It may have been better to not do anything and see how his body was reacting but did not know what to do within the moment. Please see his values from that day and following days in the chart below. You will also note that we performed a BG curve during the night of Feb 29 – March 1 as we were wondering what was going on due to too many variations. The vet (at emergency and not usual vet) recommended to decrease the dose to 1U (I still question this advice).
SEE ATTACH.
On Monday March 2, I had to switch his food because he did not want to eat canned m/d anymore. He is still addicted to dry food but decided to stop feeding him with dry food to increase his chance. I went to buy him quality food which has less than 10% carbs. I fed him the same amount of calories as recommended but with another type of can (240 per day). I know consistency matters so as of today, I am only feeding him with D/M dietetic in sauce which is supposed to have less than 10% in carbs as well. I give him maximum 4-5 dry food to reward him after his blood tests.
I am very sad and do not understand what is going on. He seems off this week. He has not vomited (knock on wood) but I can tell by his behaviour that his blood level is high. I am trying to understand the results, but I obviously don’t. Is it because of the possible pancreatitis? Because I switched his food? It seems like his pancreas has been completely off on March 4. On Glargine, we have never had results in the 30s at 1.5U. Insulin is refrigerated and fairly new.
On one hand, I am concerned with hypo, on the other hand, I am terrified about Keto. His results vary a lot. Please see the day he went from 27.1 to 5.7 without going back up at his time of shot.
I apologize for the length of this text and mistakes (first language is French). I hope someone will be able to shed some light so that I can help Djoko. It is painful to see him that way without being able to help him.
Thanks
Marj
I am joining this forum because I am exhausted and desperate. I am putting all my heart into saving my diabetic cat with no great results so far. I truly need your help.
**
My cat Djoko (male, 13 yrs old , around 4k) has been diagnosed with DB in last September (high values (27 – 35 mmol/l). At the time, my mother was taking care of him in another city. He started to melt and was urinating a lot. It would have been better to go to the vet before given his symptoms but no point in blaming her. Prior to insulin, we tried to adjust his BG by changing his diet (was eating treats and anything he wanted basically while at my mother’s) and oral medication without success. He started eating M/D canned food and M/D dry food in November. Please note that it took everything for eat one canned food per day. In fact, feeding him one can per day was considered a success and although dry food is not good for his health, we needed to feed him with some to ensure he eats enough before shots. I have recently switched his diet as it will be explained later.
On January 18, I brought him to my house because my mother did not want to give him insulin shots and I wanted to save him. The move and transportation (3 hours in a snowstorm) did not go well. Djoko got very sick (could not move and vomiting) and got hospitalized for 24 hours to get rehydrated and receive other treatments. The diagnosis was a possible pancreatitis. I felt very bad because I had asked the vet prior to bringing him with me for recommendation and she said it would be fine.
history
I started giving Djoko Pro-Zinc insulin on January 17 (0.5U x2). After his hospitalisation, on January 20th, the vet advised to increase his dose to 1 U. We performed a BG curve on February 1 (he had a fare-up of pancreatitis again between the move and this BG curve so could not give him consistent treatment while vomiting, etc.).
SEE ATTACHMENT.
Note that the glucometer was calibrated to ensure reliable results.
Given these results, the vet recommended to increase the dose to 2U which we did. After 24 hours, the cat vomited bile. I called the vet and asked whether I should give him the shot. They said yes as long as he has eaten. I did give him the shot. Next day, 48 hours after starting to give him 2U, he vomited twice and I noticed him trembling. I was not comfortable knowing that hypoglycemia was a possible consequence of giving him insulin so I tested him. He was at 3.2. I retested him to make sure this result was adequate. He was at 3.1. I gave him maple syrup but now I know it would have been better just to feed him. I brought him to the vet as I was panicked and they wanted to hospitalize him again (3rd time in 3 weeks $$$). I said no because I felt I was able to monitor him. No one told us about the somogi effect. He did not receive insulin when he was at 3.1 of course, but we gave him his 2U dose at night because he was higher than The following day we found him at 1.9 at 4PM without any symptoms. It was a random test to ensure his values were fine. I started to be very paranoid about hypoglycemia after this 2-day episode. I also did not understand his reaction to 2U given his high values.
After that, we decreased his dose to 1U and he was still high. On February 13, Djoko got sick again (diarrhea) and seemed in pain (intense meowing). I rushed him to the vet. I was so scared of keto but he tested negative. They switched his insulin to Glargine (Lantus). They wanted to start him with 2U but I was still concerned about the hypo episode and we agreed to start with 1.5U. We also started giving him B12 (weekly injection).After a week on new insulin, we performed a BG curve (on th 7th day of new dosage).
SEE ATTACH.
We were unable to get the last value. Djoko could not stand being poked again and we knew that with these results, the vet would suggest increasing his dose to 2U. I did not share the values with the vet as the last result was missing and I was also thinking that it may have been premature to perform the BG curve that quick. The reason I did so is because I was scared he would develop Keto. I asked another vet (in my family) about his values and she said we should increase the dose to 2U. I did not run this information by my current vet but knew she would agree because giving him 2U was their first recommendation. It seems also in accordance with scientific literature: more than 20mmol/l – start at 2U for glargine. I told her what happened aftwerwards.
After giving him his firs 2U, I tested him three hours later to know how his body was reacting. He was at 25 mmol/l so felt he would not go into hypo. The following morning, I gave him his shot without doing a blood test. I tested him 15 minutes after the shot and he was at 10mmol/l. I panicked because I know his tendency to go very low. On that note, I need to inform you that my vet believes I am over testing the cat. From my perspective, his values are all over the place and it is the only way to understand what is going on and if he can indeed receive insulin (his poor ears though).
After realizing I had made a mistake, I started to feed him a lot (dry food) to counteract the effect of insulin. I did even put some maple syrup on his gums. It may have been better to not do anything and see how his body was reacting but did not know what to do within the moment. Please see his values from that day and following days in the chart below. You will also note that we performed a BG curve during the night of Feb 29 – March 1 as we were wondering what was going on due to too many variations. The vet (at emergency and not usual vet) recommended to decrease the dose to 1U (I still question this advice).
SEE ATTACH.
On Monday March 2, I had to switch his food because he did not want to eat canned m/d anymore. He is still addicted to dry food but decided to stop feeding him with dry food to increase his chance. I went to buy him quality food which has less than 10% carbs. I fed him the same amount of calories as recommended but with another type of can (240 per day). I know consistency matters so as of today, I am only feeding him with D/M dietetic in sauce which is supposed to have less than 10% in carbs as well. I give him maximum 4-5 dry food to reward him after his blood tests.
I am very sad and do not understand what is going on. He seems off this week. He has not vomited (knock on wood) but I can tell by his behaviour that his blood level is high. I am trying to understand the results, but I obviously don’t. Is it because of the possible pancreatitis? Because I switched his food? It seems like his pancreas has been completely off on March 4. On Glargine, we have never had results in the 30s at 1.5U. Insulin is refrigerated and fairly new.
On one hand, I am concerned with hypo, on the other hand, I am terrified about Keto. His results vary a lot. Please see the day he went from 27.1 to 5.7 without going back up at his time of shot.
I apologize for the length of this text and mistakes (first language is French). I hope someone will be able to shed some light so that I can help Djoko. It is painful to see him that way without being able to help him.
Thanks
Marj
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