1/14 Cinco Results from OV visit and more...

1/13 Recap:
1.25 units bid
AMPS: 253
AM+2: 212
AM+4: 225
AM+6: 267
AM+8: 270
PMPS: 299
PM+5: 225

Yellow, yellow, yellow. I really would like to see some blues in there, somewhere, but at least there are no pinks! Cinco was not at all enthusiastic about the curve yesterday, and I decided to skip the +10 because his poor ears looked so irritated (just like the rest of him :lol: ). This did not help me figure out his nadirs - since the previous night he dropped much later. :YMSIGH: Cats are indeed inscrutable (am I even close in the spelling?)! confused_cat

Yesterday I noticed that sweet smell around Cinco that he had back when we first took him in and he was so sick. I immediately started worrying about ketones, so I stopped on the way to bowling last night and picked up a bottle of test strips. The little darling was so cooperative as to pee right after his snack when we got home. He has a habit of going right at the edge of the box, and this time it was the front edge, which made it easier. The lb liner caught some pee, which I quickly swiped the strip through. NEGATIVE!! Whew! One thing I can cross off my worry list!

This afternoon is our follow up visit to the ophthalmologist. Paws crossed he'll tell me that the pressure and inflammation are lessening. I'm not expecting results yet from the blood work, as they warned that would take more than a week. I'm going to ask if prednisolone given via eye drops can affect the BG the way the oral meds do. It just seems strange to me that, despite two dosecreases and a fresh vial of insulin, Cinco's number haven't really changed. :?: Grasping at straws here.

Sending healing vines to all in need, and hugs to their beans. :YMHUG:

Re: 1/14 Cinco AMPS 288 +2.5 227 OV follow up today

Come on down Cinco. It is a mystery. Hang in there. It will change and you won't know why. :lol: Good vetty vines for the OV follow up today. Have a wonderful day!

Re: 1/14 Cinco AMPS 288 +2.5 227 OV follow up today

Cinco is a flat yellow kitty, but like you said, yellow is better than pink! Good vetty vines for Cinco and yippee for no ketones. Hoping you see some better colors soon~

Re: 1/14 Cinco AMPS 288 +2.5 227 OV follow up today

Thank you, Melissa and Jane. I have been getting more concerned because he seems to be peeing and drinking more lately, yet the BG remains the same, and neg for ketones (tested again this am). I also noticed he's breathing more heavily than normal, and is a little more lethargic. Personal hygiene is a little off, too. I got a wild hair a little bit ago that maybe there was something wrong with my meter, so I tested it on myself (ouch! ). Seems to be just fine. :lol: I'm going to ask the OV if he thinks I need to take Cinco to the regular vet for some bloodwork or something. It may just be whatever is causing his eye problems, but what if it's something else? I HATE not knowing what to do. Wish us luck!

Re: 1/14 Cinco AMPS 288 +2.5 227 OV follow up today

Good luck with the appointment, I was looking for you earlier to see if you'd been yet I'm so glad to hear negative ketones. I have to do that tonight...catch pee :? . Looks like Cinco is doing a nice slide today too. I hope your afternoon goes well and brings good news, paws crossed :smile:

Re: 1/14 Cinco AMPS 288 +2.5 227 +6 264 OV follow up today

Cinco really does like that flat yellowness, doesn't he? I hope you got some good answers from the OV today...have a great evening, guys!!

Re: 1/14 Cinco AMPS 288 +2.5 227 +6 264 OV follow up today

Any update from the ophthalmologist?

Any thought about increasing Cinco's dose?

Re: 1/14 Cinco AMPS 288 +2.5 227 +6 264 OV follow up today

Sweden is nice, the bean prefers Brazil! You can do it, Cinco.
Liz

Re: 1/14 Cinco AMPS 288 +2.5 227 +6 264 OV follow up today

It's been a long, tough day. Sorry I didn't post earlier. Here's the scoop:

First, the good news: The OV was very pleased with Cinco's eyes. He said the pressure was back to normal in both eyes :smile: , the inflammation has gone away, :smile: and the hyphemia (inner eye bleeding) has cleared. For now, Cinco gets to keep his eyes. :RAHCAT He will be on the prednisolone and the glaucoma drops for the rest of his life, :sad: although the dosage may be reduced after a while.

Now the bad news: Cinco tested "very strongly positive" for bartonella. :sad: He will begin an antibiotic, Azithromycin, tomorrow (it is being sent from a compounding pharmacy). Since this is a contagious bacteria, all three of my civvies need to be tested. I'm taking them in tomorrow for that (at once - am I nuts?) So far, none have any symptoms, but we need to make sure they don't have it, so...

Cinco is still drinking a lot more water than normal, peeing more, too. He peed over the edge of his lb this am. I took advantage of the wet liner and did another ketone test. Still negative. He peed in the carrier on the way to the OV.

I asked the OV his opinion of Cinco's current state, and he agreed that he seemed more lethargic than before, and that the peeing and excess drinking were causes for concern. He instructed me to call his regular vet right then and there and get him an appointment. I was given one for 7:00 pm. The OV did say that the prednisolone and the bartonella could be having an effect on the absorption of insulin, and that could be why we aren't seeing improvement, despite the dosecreases we've taken. He said he's had diabetic cats before that, once cured of the bartonella infection, needed a reduction in insulin. Here's hoping Cinco is one of those. We go back in two weeks for another recheck.

I brought Cinco home and washed his back end, which was wet with urine. He did not enjoy that, but he was pretty cooperative about it (further evidence of lethargy?). He liked the drying process even less. While he sulked in his hidey hole, I laundered the padding and hosed out the carrier. I had to use a different carrier to take him to the regular vet this evening, as his was still drying (luckily, we have three on hand and two more disassembled in the garage).

We fed him, gave him his insulin and his eye drops and popped him in Minka's carrier for the 15 minute trip to his vet. He peed in the carrier. After examining him, the vet said she wanted to do a urine test (uh oh!), but he didn't have any left in him, so they wanted to keep him for a few hours.

I took advantage of his absence and vacuumed the living room, which is where he hangs out. The vacuum cleaner upsets him, so I don't use it nearly as often as I should.

They gave him sub-q fluids (she said he was mildly dehydrated) and two and a half hours later I went to pick him up. We should have the results from the urine test tomorrow. She didn't want to do blood work right away, because he had a full panel two months ago before his cyst removal and dental. She does, however, want to do a curve, so I'm dropping him off at 7:30 am on Thursday. He did not pee in the carrier on the way home.

They checked his BG at +3 and he was at 264 on their glucometer.

That's all I know right now. Cinco is asleep in his hidey hole. I'm going to put my feet up and have an adult beverage.

And to make this even stranger, I just took his PM+6 reading, and it was 90! 90!! I was so shocked I poked his other ear and got 92. WTH?? :mrgreen:

He does seem more alert and happier. Maybe the sub-q fluids did it. Hmmmm.

Wonderful news about Cinco's eyes !!!! I'm sorry about the bartonella diagnosis, though. Trix had it many years ago, when we first took her in (she was abandoned by our former neighbors), and was on the AB for a month. She didn't have any symptoms, either, and has been fine ever since. No one else in my crowd picked it up, either.

There are a few kitties here who are on pred for life...the insulin can always be worked around that, since it is a helpful and necessary med for Cinco.

Since you hometest, there is no need for your vet to run a BG curve in the office. In fact, such a curve will most likely be inaccurate, since Cinco will be under stress with being there. Plus, it is an unnecessary expense for you. I would suggest you tell her you'd be happy to run the curve at home and give her the results - it will be accurate, Cinco will be happily at home, and it will save you some cash.

I don't have any firsthand subQ experience, but I have heard it can lower BGs, and can certainly make them feel better!! Hopefully the urine test will be clear of trouble.

We have a little experience with bartonella here. They generally bounce back quickly once they start getting treatment. Frank is not well regulated yet, but the more dehydrated he gets, the more issues we have with his insulin. Good luck with all of it!

I have no advice, just wanted to say hello and I'm so happy that the pressure (etc) has been relieved and he gets to keep his eyes! Sorry that you have to keep up with the drops, but I guess it's just like FD, we get used to all the steps we do for our furbabies and so do they, hoping he does soon :smile: I don't know what bartonella is, I will have to look it up! But I hope the AB kicks in fast and that your civies show no infection.

I have a peeing cat carrier puddy tat too. Good thing you have extras! I think I'm going to have to change to towels instead of her carrier insert, easier to wash!, poor girl. She's never done it to me, but when I leave her at the vet, she pees it for the vet and/or techs :lol: Although the last vet got excited because she could examine the urine :lol: Hopefully the infection clearing up will help the insulin do it's job better, ours sure did after we had an infected absessed tooth taken out.

I'm with Amy...I don't think I'd do the curve at the vet either but that is of course your call...mine have tried to get me to get a fructosamine a few times and I said it was a waste of money that I didn't have (and I hometest, they have the sheets from that). I hope you enjoyed the adult beverage, I'm so glad they make those! ;-) Chyna hates subqs, but feels better later. I hope she connects the two someday! Scritches to Cinco, and hugs to you! :YMHUG:

Good news on Cinco's eyes Sorry about the bartonella (I have to look that one up too), but hoping that once it starts to clear up, Cinco's numbers come down. And you deserve an adult beverage!!

I never took Cleo in for her curve - her numbers are sooo much higher at the vets from stress, it would be inaccurate. And who wants to spend the $$$ when you don't have to.