? 8/23 Samba - prep for upcoming dental? AMPS 302 +1 355 PMPS 373 +1 363 +2 318 +3 290

http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/...-304-1-239-pmps-375-2-331-3-315-5-276.182341/

Hello,
Samba's 1st ever dental was supposed to be today, but the vet asked to reschedule it to Friday, 8/25... I'm dropping him off around 7am and then picking him up after work. My instructions were to not feed him after 8 PM the night before (which is tomorrow night), to not give him any water or food the morning of, and to give him 1/2 his normal dose of insulin in the morning. Is there anything else I should do to prepare?

Just thinking ahead, and if his PMPS number tomorrow night is low, should I give 1/2 his normal dose of insulin then as well? If I can't feed after 8pm, and he dives, that would be a dilemma... also, the vet said that he might be discharged with some meds (antibiotic or pain med?) If so, should I request that these be in liquid form? The last time that he needed a pill, I used Greenies pill pockets, but I am not sure with his diabetes that he is still able to have those. What's the best way to give him medicine if I need to? Thanks so much

 

Seems like every vet is different. My vet said no food after midnight but water was okay and no insulin. I was given buprenorphine for pain which is liquid and use just drip a little on the gums. So since you need to cut off food at 8:00 I would give a half dose if low. If extractions aren't needed you may not need pain medications or an antibiotic. I didn't when that was the case. Good luck with the dental.

 

Except for the Buprenorphine, which goes in the cheek to be absorbed by the gum tissue, most liquid meds contain a sweetener. The only way to get one without it is to have it compounded. I always got pills and put them in gelcaps, which slide down easier and don't have a risk of dissolving in their mouth.
If Samba is food oriented, you could try make a small ball with some of his food and hiding the pill in that.

Unless Samba has had it before with no issues, I would tell the vet not to give a Convenia shot. It's a long lasting A/B and the problem is that if the cat has a bad reaction to it, there is nothing you can do - it has to work it's way out of the system.

Be sure they give you pain meds if there are any extractions (preferably Bupe).

You might want to get some all meat baby food for the first day or two. My vet said not to feed that night, but Harvey was always eager to eat, so I gave him a tablespoon or so of baby food, then waited half an hour to be sure he kept it down before giving him more. Anesthesia can make them nauseous.

If Samba goes low during the time you are fasting him, it's okay to rub syrup on his gums to bring him up.

Anesthesia can also affect BGs, so you may find he is lower than normal the night after the procedure.

Sending lots of good dental vines.

 

I would call the vet office tomorrow, and ask again about the cutoff time. Remind them that Samba is diabetic. Usually they have a later cutoff for diabetic kitties. With the dental specialist I could feed up to 6AM, other vets said midnight. And you can always feed higher carb food tomorrow night for dinner if his numbers are lower. Or better yet, post here before shooting if you get a lower number. Some people will reduce the night before, though I never did.

Some antibiotics come pill or liquid. I always asked for liquid, no sugar, in case she had extractions and difficulty eating afterwards. The antibiotic liquid, came in a non sugar form from the vet. You can use Greenies pill pockets, but only the allergy free duck and pea, which are the dog version. Break off a piece and use it to wrap the pill. If you are giving antibiotics, you might want to add a probiotic to his meal, as the ABs can be hard on the tummy flora.

As Tricia says, go slow on feeding when you get home. Also take his BG when he gets home, as well as at PMPS time. Some anesthesia induction drugs lower the BG, so you might be conservative with Friday night's dose, especially if his mouth is sore and he's reluctant to eat. Post here for help if you are unsure.