Webster 12/22 AMPS=350 +2=353 +6=175

Yesterday's condo

Webster has been staying out of the 400's and 500's at pre shot lately.

I'm going to look into scheduling a dental appointment for him. My first choice is going to be NC State which has a vet school. From what I'm hearing, they are very knowledgeable and will probably do the work for much less.

Any additional words of wisdom when it comes to searching for or going to a dental specialist?

Edit: Well, as it turns out the university is not accepting new patients until February. I'm not sure if that's going to be an option..

Is there a central database that allows you to search for dental specialist nearby? Do you think a specialist is necessary? Maybe I can have have my vet take a closer look?

 

Re: Webster 12/22 AMPS=350 +2=353

I just added on the link to the site for accredited veterinary dentists on the Where Can I Find ___? post. Look at the bottom link section under dentals.

Glad to see the ketones are gone for the moment. Looking at his ss, it looks like he may need another increase before long. I'd give it a couple more cycles and then increase if you're not seeing some green cycles.

 

Re: Webster 12/22 AMPS=350 +2=353

Thank you Julie.

I checked out the link that you posted in the "Where Can I find.." when it was mentioned a couple days ago in another post. The only place that I found nearby was at NCSU which was who I contacted this morning. The next closest one is 4+ hours away.

Do you know of any additional resources? Do I really need to see a specialist? Maybe I should ask my vet if they can take a closer look? Perhaps he can take some xrays or something.. I don't know. Maybe I should get on the list for NCSU and wait until Feb?

I agree, he might be ready for yet another increase. I suppose the good news is that he seems to be handling the 1.25u dose fairly well. While still high, his levels seem to be much more stable (and a bit lower on average) than in previous weeks.

 

Re: Webster 12/22 AMPS=350 +2=353

You might as well, just get on the list before it gets longer. You can always cancel.

 

Re: Webster 12/22 AMPS=350 +2=353

I agree with Dyana that I'd get on the waiting list.

Your vet can look again but the only way to do X-rays is with anesthesia. Even Gracie, a sweetheart at the vet (and at home), would not be able to sit still for dental X-rays. AND they really should be digital dental X-rays which not all vets have the capability of doing. If there is a red spot on the gum, they might suspect FORL (feline odontoclastic resorptive lesion), they can't know for certain without the X-rays. I think the pictures on that website are advanced FORL. Our GA Gussie was prone to them and we would catch them early when they were just a tiny red spot on the gum and the gum tissue a little receded.

I also agree that it's about time to raise the dose another 0.25u.

 

Re: Webster 12/22 AMPS=350 +2=353

I agree with Dyana and Marje. Most "general practice" vets don't have dental x-ray equipment. Sienne has posted this link to the Cat Hospital of Chicago to what to ask about when considering feline dental work. It is excellent:
http://www.cathospitalofchicago.com...guide-to-comparing-veterinary-dental-services

The Cat Hospital of Chicago also has a dental "blog page":
http://www.cathospitalofchicago.com/february-is-national-pet-dental-health-month

Good luck, Mike!

Ella & Rusty (who has 5 teeth)

 

Re: Webster 12/22 AMPS=350 +2=353

Hi there

My $0.02-
February is right around the corner. Book an appointment with NC state and at the same time locate a few veterinary dental specialists in your area via google and see if you can consult with any of them, making sure to mention not only the FD - but also the ketones.

IMHO Webster is not yet out of the woods - 1.2 (trace) is the lowest ketone reading you have caught .
If it were my kitty I would want him to have as much going in his favor as possible before undergoing his first dental surgery.
I'd want him ketone free and not just for a week. The more ketone free time under his belt the better.

Even if extractions are not needed and he just needs a good deep cleaning, for a kitty still throwing ketones it could tip the scales in the wrong direction.
What if afterwards he doesn't feel like eating much, for even a day ? Or the AB prescribed doesn't do the trick or disagrees with him? Or both?

I know you want to do everything possible to help Webster. Take time to build the best possible foundation - one that will support healing. If it's in the cards, regulation will follow, maybe even a trip the falls.

I'm no stranger to coping with relentless high BGs that refuse to budge. I know how depressing and draining it is and how hopeless it cam seem.
If you take a good look at the firsts 6 months of BKs ss, you'll notice - there is no green. None. Not one single cells worth.
It took 6 months and 13-14u (Lantus + R combined) to see 3 hours of green and it would be another 6 weeks before we saw green again.

First things first. Don't rush and don't cut corners- The teeth must be addressed but are not life threatening. Get the ketones well behind him.

 

Re: Webster 12/22 AMPS=350 +2=353

Thanks Marje.

I just checked out my vets website and it says that they offer "digital dental radiology". Maybe I should give them a call and let them take a look?

About the dose increase.. What do you guys think about bumping him up .25u this evening? He dropped off a bit today but came nowhere close to the greens.

 

Re: Webster 12/22 AMPS=350 +2=353

Thanks Ella. I'll take a look over these links later this evening.

It looks like my vet does have the dental xray equipment.

Now... as for getting on the waiting list at NCSU vet school, they are requiring a referral which is likely needed prior to being put on the waiting list.

At this point (after seeing that my vet has this x-ray equipment that you speak of) I'm thinking that maybe it would be a good idea to have my vet use his equipment to take some xrays and check things out instead of bypassing him and asking for a referral? Your thoughts?

I'm trying hard to build a good relationship with my vet although we seem to disagree on some items..

 

Re: Webster 12/22 AMPS=350 +2=353

Thank you Sandy. That was some really solid advice that you offered.

I agree, I want him to be in good condition if he does require any surgery.

Right now, I understand that his teeth are a prime suspect and I'm eager to correct any problems that may be causing other problems. It's difficult to continue to raise his dose to combat an potential underlying cause but what you said makes perfect sense.

If a procedure is needed and he has issues afterwards (such as infection or lack of appetite), this is only going to stoke the fire which could lead to rapid development of ketones.

Maybe I should just have some x-rays taken so that we know whats going on and give him a little time to recover from the ketones prior to making any decisions on (potential) surgeries if needed?

 

It's just that he'll need to go under anesthesia for the xrays, and why not have the xrays done and the dental done all at the same time?
My regular vet, at first said no dental for J.D. because of his diabetes. I eventually talked him into it, but I don't even know if they did xrays. That was when J.D. was 15. After that, my regular vet would not do a dental because of his age, so at 18, I called a referral hospital and made an appointment for J.D. to see a cardiologist first and if he passed that to then meet with the anesthesiaologist (sp?), and then have his dental done by a very top of the line Veterinary Dental Specialist. It really helped to ease my mind knowing that I had the very best care for J.D. during his procedure.

I agree with the dose increase.

 

Ah, well that makes a huge difference.

I had no idea they had to go under anesthesia just to get xrays. Well... I'll have to rethink this once again.

I'm going to increase his dose tonight from 1.25u to 1.50u to see if his numbers will come down. I'm also going to get a ketone reading here shortly.

 

Just wanted to say you are doing really well with Webster. I know it's been tough for you but with the excellent advice you have received you are heading in the right direction.

 

Thanks for checking in.

I feel as if Webster is headed in the right direction thanks to you guys. So much great information and helpful folks here!

 

Nice nadir for Webster. Looks like the increase is kicking in.

 

Yeah, He's been having some pretty nice cycles lately. Now, all we need is to get his numbers down into the blues and greens.