? 1/26 Darcy. I'm worried. He's vomiting. +11 289, AMPS 270

Yes, I'm starting to see a few yellows. I realize that he's always flat and I know about the (I think terribly inaccurate) 20% meter variance which always drives me crazy.

Anyway, something is "off" about Darcy this morning. He vomited at 6 a.m. (+11) so I checked his BG and it was only 289 and his ketones were 2.1 (he always has high ketones these days and that was actually down a tiny bit from yesterday). An hour later when I went to give him his shot, he was at 270 (after first getting what I thought was a fake reading of 376). But normally he eats with great gusto. He was slow in his eating today. So far (about 45 minutes since he ate) he hasn't vomited again, but I'm keeping a close eye on him. I may take him into the vet for a little in house bloodwork to make sure he's not getting an infection. I'm sure they think I must be an "alarmist," but anybody who has spent $5,000 on a cat who had DKA and hepatic lipidosis would understand that you need to jump at the first sign of something wrong. I'd rather spend a few hundred now than thousands later on.

I worry about his liver. Back in early October 2020, when he spent the week going back and forth every day and night between the ER vet and the regular vet, my vet did an ultrasound of his liver. She said it had a "moth eaten appearance" and that there were many spots that were hyperechoic. We even did a fine needle aspiration and sent it off to the lab. There was one large spot that she said she could not reach with the needle, but she sampled many other spots that had the same appearance on the ultrasound. The cells sampled were not cancerous, and seemed much more consistent with fatty deposits (the hepatic lipidosis). I have him on Denamarin and he has been on it for a few months now (although I only give it once a day and probably should be giving it twice a day).

This could be an infection. He seems prone to them. When he was first admitted to the hospital he had a very high fever and they treated him with several different kinds of IV antibiotics and we went home with antibiotics and kept him on them for maybe 30 days, as I recall. Later on, when I took him back for a recheck his white count was up again. I think it was maybe after being off the antibiotics for a month or so? I'd have to go back through all my vet records to find out. Then after another course of Baytril his white count was down to WNL again.

So that's a little bit of history and why I am so worried if he's not doing his usual "eating like a horse." Yes, his numbers are down a little, but not enough (I thought) to cut his appetite first thing in the morning like this. Soooo... he may have a little vet visit today? Sorry this is so long.

Oh, my question is: Has anybody else out there been told that their cat's liver was hyperechoic or "moth eaten in appearance." At the time of the ultrasound, the rest of his organs looks fine, she said (pancreas was not inflamed, kidneys looked good, etc.

Yesterday's post:https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB...301-4-277-8-323-pmps-264.242086/#post-2727318

 

I'm glad that you shot and that you took the dose up this morning.

I am worried about the ketones and the lack of appetite, especially given his history, especially if you think he may have an infection going on. You may want to monitor it again today, they can go up quite dramatically when a cat is not feeling well. A vet visit would be a good idea if his appy doesn't pick up.
Have you seen the recipie for the liver shake?
https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/the-liver-shake-for-sick-cats.30432/

My cats find it very appetising when they are not feeling well, as its liquid like it is fairly easy to syringe feed, though mine will lap it from the bowl, or from my fingers (when they are feeling peaky). It usually kick starts them into eating their normal food.

It's important to get enough insulin, food and hydration to avoid another DKA episode.


Has he eaten anything?

 

Thanks for the liver shake recipe. I guess I would have to go to a health food store for spirulina or kelp. I sure don’t have any on hand.
I want to do an update on Darcy and I am not sure if I should just edit my post from earlier today or start a new one? I did take him to the vet... he’s there now.

 

Do the update here. I’ve been wait to hear.

 

Well. I took Mr. Darcy to the vet. I asked them to do a CBC and electrolytes panel. I gave the vet a copy of my SS. His temp was 103.4 and his white count was 17000 (it was 12000 last time he was in there) so it looks like he has an infection (elevated neutrophils). Electrolytes normal (thank goodness!) She’s going to start him on antibiotics. I just knew from his behavior this morning that he had an infection. So glad I took him in, but I am worried. The good part about being at the vet is that she’s going to go ahead and draw the blood and send off the tests for Acro and IAA. I’ll pick him up later today.

 

I found both at GNC. If I recall it is ~$10/bottle. They are in capsules so just empty them out into measuring spoon.

 

I’m glad you got him to the vet. He should feel better soon when the antibiotics kick in.

 

He is doing pretty well this evening. She said his temperature went up to 103.8. She gave him a Baytril injection and we will start with oral tablets tomorrow for 10 days. His temperature had dropped to 102.3 at the time I picked him up. He actually was pretty hungry when I got him home so that’s a good sign.

i just don’t understand why Darcy keep getting infections. His teeth are good (what few he has left). It’s not urinary tract infections. Is this common for diabetic cats to get sick like this every few months?

 

Urinary tract infections are more common for diabetic cats, though Neko never had one. Did the vet rule out UTI's? Typically a urine culture will tell you for sure. My vet said she's seen some cats have clear urinalysis, but still have bacteria show up on culture. High blood sugar is a breeding group for bugs. I hope Darcy gets better soon.

 

Thank you, Wendy. He seems to be bouncing back very well i am glad that I caught it early. They drew his blood and froze it and will send it on Monday to University of Michigan for the testing. The University people at the lab said that they only run the tests on Wednesdays but freezing the blood is fine.

 

Are you giving any D-mannose?

https://www.felinecrf.org/pyelonephritis_utis.htm#dmannose

Here is an old thread discussing it
https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/suggestions-on-urinary-health-cat-foods.146240/

 

I am very familiar with D-Mannose and its usefulness in combating UTIs if they are caused by E coli. I do have some on hand and have given it to CKD cats before but I don’t give it to Darcy because he’s never had a UTI before. Thanks!