Dribbling Urine

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Pia

Pia

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Richard Parker is on Gabapentin and B-12 for neuropathy for the past two days and today I've noticed urine is pretty much constantly leaking out of him. He still gets around pretty good (except on the tile floor), so I'm having a hard time believing the dribbling is due to the neuropathy.

Is it possible that the gabapentin is causing incontinence? (He's going to the vet tomorrow for a UTI check.)

And does gabapentin cause GAS? Because, Good Lord!
 
It can cause both - a friend of mine needed Gab, and this happened. While it could be a UTI, I don't think so - my friend had to live with it for about 2 weeks with puppy pads but it slowly died away and all was fine. Definitely see your vet though just in case but otherwise, it will die down and disappear.

Where are you seeing the incontinence, near the box, far, droplets, etc?

Gab CAN cause gas, it's a limited side effect just like incontinence (not one readily available in the literature) - can you lightly jiggle his belly/tummy off and on? That can help, a lot. If he's okay with that, let him sit on his back end, lift him up under his front legs and rub/jiggle his tummy/abs. He won't like it, but eventually he SHOULD burp OR pass gas.

If it's outside the box, get puppy pads and put them where his favorite places are - where he lays, beds, etc.

Also be sure, once or twice a day to clean him up - a warm, wet washcloth - he won't like it but it'll stop urine irritation/urine burn.
 
Are you using the Methly B12 tablets? Ordinary B12 will not do it for neuropathy. A lot of us use Zobaline for cats.
It should improve when the BSL come more under control. It is scary to see but it does get better!
 
Thank you for the information!

I am using the Zobaline. He's still dribbling, but I cut his gabby by a quarter this evening. Hopefully that will improve the dribbling. He's basically got a slow leak of about a drop every 30 seconds regardless of what he's doing. He's still using the litter box normally and he lays on a somewhat water resistant old bedspread folded up pretty much all the time.

He's the most easy going cat I've ever seen - I'm going to go rub his belly for him. He'll like that.

Maybe rather than taking Richard Parker to the vet tomorrow, I'll just bring the vet a urine sample. I've been really lucky that my previous sugar kitties let me hold a Tupperware under their tails while they urinated.

I'm going to Nashville for a long weekend in 10 days - I hope this dribbing is cleared up by then or my pet sitter is going to have her hands full.
 
I recommend that you have the vet check for a UTI to rule it out. My cat Callie had the same issue a few months ago and it turned out to be a severe UTI. In her case they discovered several different types of bacteria infecting her. She was on multiple antibiotics for several weeks.

Unfortunately I did lose her last week. I think that one of the strains was not killed by the antibiotics and spread though her system.

Fly free sweet Callie and know I will always love you.
 
Yeah that's why I mentioned seeing a vet - definitley, but if your baby will allow tum/ab jiggles, please do it? Nice and slow - nothing fast, nice and slow - rub, massage, distract if you have to with your free hand on their head, etc. Make sure they're sitting up - if they're laying down, start rubbing but slowly encourage them to sit up. If that doesn't work, you need to cuddle them - their font paws over a forearm of yours, a shoulder, something. They need to drape/grip SOMETHING.

If your baby is ok being airborne, walk a room with them in your arms - if not, stay on the couch/on the floor. They might growl a little, squirm, fuss... be patient, slow, calming but don't stop - they WILL BURP. Talk to them, love on them, keep them entertained - you're their parent.

Be ready to listen for it - it might be light, or a series of light. Feel their abdomen, if it's a bit poofy massage it, lightly jiggle it.. Do that with one hand but distract with the other, petting their head and shoulders, etc.
 
Candy&Company said:
Yeah that's why I mentioned seeing a vet - definitley, but if your baby will allow tum/ab jiggles, please do it? Nice and slow - nothing fast, nice and slow - rub, massage, distract if you have to with your free hand on their head, etc. Make sure they're sitting up - if they're laying down, start rubbing but slowly encourage them to sit up. If that doesn't work, you need to cuddle them - their font paws over a forearm of yours, a shoulder, something. They need to drape/grip SOMETHING.

If your baby is ok being airborne, walk a room with them in your arms - if not, stay on the couch/on the floor. They might growl a little, squirm, fuss... be patient, slow, calming but don't stop - they WILL BURP. Talk to them, love on them, keep them entertained - you're their parent.

Be ready to listen for it - it might be light, or a series of light. Feel their abdomen, if it's a bit poofy massage it, lightly jiggle it.. Do that with one hand but distract with the other, petting their head and shoulders, etc.
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I massaged his tummy a little last night and again this morning. My husband thinks I'm crazy. I'll keep it up until there's some relief. Thank you for all the tips!
 
Update on Dribbling: Richard Parker apparently has Capillaria Plica (CP). Small mammals, including cats and dogs, get this from eating earthworms. Basically he has worm larvae in his bladder. It is treatable with a single shot. Yay!

Although all kinds of websites show incontinence and bloating as symptoms of Capillaria Plica, the vet believes the dribbling is related to the neuropathy. He also believes that any improvement in Richard Parker''s mobility is due to the gabby and not the B-12.

I really hope either the gabby or the CP is causing the dribbling. Stay tuned.
 
My Kitty Ravan has the same problem, leaking urine. He's 16 yrs old & was diagnosed with diabetes 8 months ago. I've noticed that when his Blood glucose is high he leaks urine more frequently When it comes down to low numbers the dripping nearly stops.
The neuropathy can be helped with B12 Methyl Here's some information
Methylcobalamin Supplementation
Methylcobalamin is a form of vitamin B12 that contains the mineral cobalt. Deficiency of B12 leads to nerve damage, anemia and gastrointestinal problems. The supplement is given in a dosage of one 3 mg tablet, once a day. Methylcobalamin tablets successfully treat the symptoms of feline diabetic neuropathy in a short period of time. Although neuropathy is cured once the diabetes is regulated, administration of methylcobalamin supplements aid in faster recovery.

I love that you took him in off the streets! You're a good kitty momma :bighug: And he's so Lucky you found him. I've been on the Lantus Forum for 8 months but i don't give dosing advice. It does sound like 2 units of Lantus is too high to start with. A lot of Vets seem to not know how Lantus insulin works & start the Kitties on dose that's too high.
It would be a very good idea to go to the Lantus forum & ask for help. The people there have been donating their help for a long time & they really do know more than most vets about Kitties with diabetes.

Best of Luck to you & Kitty Richard Parker :)
 
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JoyBee&Ravan said:
My Kitty Ravan has the same problem, leaking urine. He's 16 yrs old & was diagnosed with diabetes 8 months ago. I've noticed that when his Blood glucose is high he leaks urine more frequently When it comes down to low numbers the dripping nearly stops.
The neuropathy can be helped with B12 Methyl Here's some information
Methylcobalamin Supplementation
Methylcobalamin is a form of vitamin B12 that contains the mineral cobalt. Deficiency of B12 leads to nerve damage, anemia and gastrointestinal problems. The supplement is given in a dosage of one 3 mg tablet, once a day. Methylcobalamin tablets successfully treat the symptoms of feline diabetic neuropathy in a short period of time. Although neuropathy is cured once the diabetes is regulated, administration of methylcobalamin supplements aid in faster recovery.

I love that you took him in off the streets! You're a good kitty momma :bighug: And he's so Lucky you found him. I've been on the Lantus Forum for 8 months but i don't give dosing advice. It does sound like 2 units of Lantus is too high to start with. A lot of Vets seem to not know how Lantus insulin works & start the Kitties on dose that's too high.
It would be a very good idea to go to the Lantus forum & ask for help. The people there have been donating their help for a long time & they really do know more than most vets about Kitties with diabetes.

Best of Luck to you & Kitty Richard Parker :)
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He has been on the B-12 Zoboline for only 5 days. He still pees in the litter box, but drips all the time. Luckily he only sleeps in two locations and confines himself to the back room. I've been cleaning him at 630 AM, 630 PM and again at 10:00 PM. He purrs when I clean him. The dripping speeds up though due to the stimulation so it's hard to get him really dry.

The shot for the CP did not clear up the dribbling obviously.

I'm getting a BG Meter on the way home from work this evening so I won't have to take the vet's word anymore that Richard Parker''s BG is good.
 
Pia said:
I'm getting a BG Meter on the way home from work this evening so I won't have to take the vet's word anymore that Richard Parker''s BG is good.
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That's great ! You'll be able to check his BG (Blood Glucose) more frequently. Did you get a chance to go on the Lantus forum yet? They will help you get a spreadsheet set up and can answer all your questions.
It's a good idea to read the YELLOW STICKY NOTES. Once you understand how the insulin works it will be much easier. Please read the one about feeding Dry food (Kibble) Some of the people that stopped feeding dry food Their cats went into remission.

Do you know you can use a regular Human meter A lot of people get the Relion meter at Walmart It's inexpensive & the strips are too. I use the Relion Prime meter.
I'm so glad you are going to get help for your kitty. There's a lot to learn but it will get easier! :)
 
Thanks! The husband is on his way home with the Relion meter right now. This is my third diabetic cat, so I've gotten pretty good at this. In total time, I've probably spent a decade with a diabetic cat.

After the 2nd cat died, though, I gave away all my meters and tools. Silly me. Who would have thunk I'd have a third diabetic cat???

Since I don't have a cat meter anymore and don't want to pay $100 for one , is there a conversion for the human meter?
 
That's why I suggested you go on the Lantus forum, I'm not sure about the conversion. I just go by the bg reading on the meter. If you had a spreadsheet it makes it so much easier to follow his progress.

You'd be amazed at the great advice & support you can get on the Lantus forum. You can look at Ravan's SS (spreadsheet) & get an idea of what I mean by following his bg.
The goal is to get the Numbers into green. As you can see by his SS it's not so easy.
The vets advise a special meter for cats because they make money from selling them( maybe from the company that makes them also) They also want you to bring kitty in to check his bg.Once you start home testing ,(frequently) you won't need to bring him to a vet for testing.

The neuropathy is caused by the diabetes & not getting the correct amount of insulin. He needs to get regulated & continue getting B12 & the neuropathy will get better.The neuropathy doesn't cause the leaking urine. My cat Ravan started leaking urine a few months ago & I had Blood work done & was sad to find out he also has Kidney disease.

Vets usually start the kitty on too high a dose I know that with Lantus we usually start at .5 units 2 times a day at the same time i.e. 8am -8 pm. then we hold that dose for 3 days to see what his bg will do. Increases are done at .25 units. You don't just give a high dose to get his Bg lower Lantus insulin doesn't work that way.
I know you said this is your third diabetic cat, but if you've been listening to the vet it would still be good to get advice here.
Even just to get a spreadsheet going. It will help so much. I check my Kitties SS several times a day.

I'm trying to be helpful but no one can advise you on the right thing to do if you don't have a spreadsheet with information on his Glucose readings.

Best of luck to you.:)
 
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