FIV positive

Hi there, looking for any help with information and experience caring for a cat with FIV and diabetes. My sweet Michi is about 7, or so the doctors believe. My mom and I rescued him from the streets 4 years ago and two years ago he had a herpes outbreak that almost took his eye but we got it under control. Then he's generally been healthy until this February 2021 when he suddenly got a very high fever of unknown cause and was hospitalized twice. He was diagnosed with FIV and the reason for his fever his still unknown but has been stable on some steroids and doxycycline for about a month now. He just got off the steroids. But now he is having some issues with his back legs and has been losing weight. He had a recheck appointment last Tues and Dr said that he is pre diabetic but since seeing the Dr his back legs have gotten even weaker. He has to be carried to his litter box. He is eating a little every day and drinks a lot and pees a lot which the dr said to look out for. He has a recheck appt tomorrow but I'm very worried and wanted to see if anyone here has any experience with FIV positive cats? I fear that his pre diabetic state is worse for him since he is FIV positive. Thanks a lot!

 

@Mariette has sweet Buddy, a formal feral, FIV+, recently went OTJ. She just had a bit of a scare with him (unrelated to diabetes) but perhaps she can stop by when she can.

Do you have any glucose values or fructosamine numbers?

The hind-leg weakness sounds like diabetic neuropathy. Jax had it mildly and we treated with Zobaline (along with using insulin to get him to better glucose numbers). I used the brand name - https://www.amazon.com/ZobalineTM-Diabetic-Cats-60-tabs/dp/B008G3LI2M/ - but you can also buy Methyl-B12 from vita cost (link) and then add in folic acid (helps with absorption of the methyl-b12) - if you go this route, just make sure the supplements don't have any sugar in them. @Diane Tyler's Mom used the vita cost version with her Tyler.

Michi is so lucky to have you

 

Hi Adriana,

Sorry I'm a bit late responding. My boy was just in the hospital with some liver toxicity. He's also FIV positive and I've been told they're just more susceptible to ailments in general.

Buddy was diagnosed in November and he was already full stage diabetic when diagnosed. His glucose was over 500 at the vet. Buddy never showed the neuropathy that Michi has but I've been giving the Zobaline to Buddy as well as a preventative thing. If you read up about it a lot of people have very good results with it. It does take a couple of weeks to show the effects though. The neuropathy thing is not uncommon in diabetic kitties but I haven't heard about it in pre diabetic ones. I wonder if you shouldn't try testing Michi's blood sugar yourself at home just to keep tabs on it. That way you don't have to constantly run to the vet to test. You can just get a human glucometer. A lot of us on here us Relion from Walmart. And then get the strips and lancets as well. I use 26 Gauge lancets. Those are a bit bigger than the standard 30 Gauge and makes it easier for me to get blood on Buddy's scarred ears.

Also important for Michi is that you start feeding all wet and low carb food right away. We try to stay under 10% carb for the diabetics. Buddy is now diet controlled but I will always need to keep his food low carb.
Here's a link to a food chart listing foods and carb percentages:
https://catinfo.org/docs/CatFoodProteinFatCarbPhosphorusChart.pdf

 

I'm sorry you are having trouble with your FIV kitty. I have two of them (not my diabetic though). You are in the right place for help with managing Michi's diabetes (if he really has diabetes? What was his glucose or fructosamine number at the vet?) If you want to join a group that I have found very helpful. It is on groups.io and it is called FIV-Healthscience. It is a very good group and they can give you lots of advice on therapies and treatments. The website associated with the group is fivtherapy.com Best wishes.