Gandalf 1/28 AMPS 143 1.2U

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Vicky & Gandalf (GA) & Murrlin

Vicky & Gandalf (GA) & Murrlin

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Hope this doesn't seem indecisive.

I cancelled Gandalf's appt. today and scheduled a dental for Feb 9th, the soonest I could have that done.

He was 143 this AM on Aviva/129 on True Track. After 4 doses (1.5ml SID) of Clindamycin he gives me a 143....

So, most likely it's his teeth and that's what vet would tell me today - why spend $200 today and $250-$300 in 2 weeks for a dental when I can give him the Clinda for another 5 days and 5 days before dental to help him out and save that $200 for ultrasound probably in March?

My other reason is that if we went today, I'd get no worthwhile data on that 143 anyway and I need to do that. I almost messed up though - coffee hadn't kicked in yet so I fed his raw mix and started to let him out of bathroom....Oh, wait! I didn't get your shot!!! So it was almost 1/2 hour late.

Will test every 3 hours and see what we get. Have to do splits tomorrow AM, so this is uber important.
 
hmmm...well, makes sense to me and if you are pretty sure a dentla is needed then the apt. money could be put to better use as you said.

Have you even seen a coorelation between lower numbers and subQ's? I have mentioned this to you before but I don't remember a response ( old board, maybe?)

Anyway, when PK was doing subQ when he had ketones and everyone was sick a few months ago ( THAT was such a nightmare!) His BG's dropped quick after subQ's.

Same with IV fluids at vet- I expected sky high with vet stress and instead got 100's! AT VET and SICK!

I asked around and some peeps here said there was a connection- vet agreed. But I can't remember why the fluids lowered BG's...

Anyway, do you see any of that with G?

Happy REAL day off btw!
 
Yes, I've seen a correlation between lowered BGs and fluids, but not usually unless it's more than 100ml. He's been drinking more water too with the higher BGs.

I've also seen his numbers come down previously after a few days course of Clindamycin. I read that discussion about dentals which someone linked to on Health and I think for him ABs are a good call before and after a dental and the monthly pulse therapy. Interestingly, I did not give him the Clindamycin while he had pancreatitis, so he missed about 2 months worth of treatments. I figured he was getting enough ABs at the time. But it's probably contributed to more bacteria now. His mouth had an odor, which I first noticed in December, so I got the Clinda then and the smell disappeared, then his breath started to smell again last week, about a month after last course. That's my indicator there's a problem as since using the better canned foods, his mouth rarely smells. He used to have very bad breath which I now attribute to the horrible Hill's dry hairball control food he used to eat. The smell probably came from his gut rather than his mouth!

At least I can justify my decision to not take him in today from actual symptoms, otherwise I'd feel like I was being too much of a cheapskate, but I would hate like heck to go in today, get expensive bloodwork which didn't show much and her tell me to schedule a dental. At which another round of bloodwork which is included in cost of dental and required no matter how recent your previous bloodwork. They are protecting your pet, so it's all good. But I can't afford to do separate bloodworks, I'm just this week finally paying off the last I owe on his pancreatitis episode & ultrasound.
 
+3 123 on True Track meter

which was 129 at AMPS, so good to go, but crumba-wumba, now he's lying around acting ill - not purring, kind of hunched up, doesn't want food.

So there could be source of lower BGs this morning.

It has become considerably colder again, but it's fine in the house and sun is out. He was lying in the window earlier, but is now in big papasan chair and won't purr for me. He could be just scared because I'm home and he expects me to grab him and go at any second I'm sure, but this not eating business is worrisome.

Bugger. Not him, just bugger in general.
 
Vicky, your decision is sound - none of us have money to throw around and it does factor in...

Now, Gandalf, please eat for mama-Vicky....

Hope it's just his anticipation of going to vet and he will relax when it gets dark and the "witching" (vet) hours are over. I do find that my older cat is hunching up in this cold weather. The heaters just can't seem to keep up when it's below 15 or so.
 
+6 160 but a problem

He puked about 10 minutes after I gave him 1/2 oz of syringed raw mix which looked like it was all of what I'd given him less than an hour before also, so a whole ounce. He's clearly not feeling well, but I cannot discern why. With BG of 160 I'm not worried, so will let him tough it out I guess.

Not sure that going to vet this morning would have prevented the puking. He's not acting like it's a p-titis flare as the first sign of illness then was his third eyelid. Sometimes once kitty's puke and get whatever upset their tummy out of the way, they feel better. He's lying against the wall now and not hunched up anymore at least.

My bad for forcing him to eat, but I was concerned his BG's would dive bomb on me.

Question now is what do I do tonight with dose and feeding? Cut dose figuring he won't eat? If I thought he'd let me take his temp, I'd do that. I can always take him in to vet tomorrow if he's not better, but he'll have to see a different vet than usual. It sucks the lady we like is only there twice a week. She knows his issues and has worked hard to help him, for which I'm very grateful.

I don't know why I let one number dissuade me from doing what I'd already concluded needed to be done. That and my checkbook numbers.
 
Leaving for vet

I can't stand to see him like this and sure he won't be better by AM, so taking him in now. He's laid in basket all afternoon, no purring, no eating, no drinking, though no more puking. Even when he had p-titis, except for when he was on Bup, he purred.
 
Brief update

Looks like his pancreatitis is back. Amylase was a bit higher than his first episode at 1986 (normal is 500-1500) but otherwise his bloodwork was pretty amazing for a 16 1/2 year old who's been diabetic for 5 years. Even his creatinine was at high end of normal!

It caused him to have a cystitis issue though - vet palped his bladder and he let loose all over the table. It was a river, let me tell you! Apparently he hadn't peed in some time - I had not seen him pee at all today.

Dummy me did not ask for any pain meds though since I still had some Bup, but I looked at it and it's contaminated with something. Not sure what matrix it's mixed in but I think it developed mold or something. Will get some new in the morning.

Went with .75U insulin tonight on preshot of 253 at +13, vet's bloodwork showed him at 251 2 hours ago. So much for meter variance. Also gave 50ml fluids. I will fix up a small litter box to put in the cat room so hopefully he will get up to use it.

They did a urinalysis on the free catch (they were fast at getting a tube for it, but he did go for a while!) and his USG was 1.015, but his kidney values were good. Vet said that's very close to where they get real concerned (1.012 to 1.010) but he's been about that for quite a while. Vet was very surprised how good his urine was otherwise.

Conclusion is that he's flared, probably because I've insisted on feeding him higher fat food. I wish, wish, wish he'd eat the Merrick, but he won't. I mixed a couple tablespoons of Merrick with a half cup of raw tonight to syringe to him. I hope it does the trick for him like before. Vet said the fat or an ingredient in the food could set the pancreas south fairly quickly, it was probably 2 days ago I left Wellness Core canned out for him - it's the highest fat of all at 7% minimum guaranteed analysis.

He does not have an infection, so I cannot pinpoint why his BGs are running high, unless it's because the p-titis may be causing him more insulin sensitivity like before and he's gone low. So .75U seems safe enough. I wish I'd asked for the Bup - he's been from his basket to the bed to the couch to his basket again. He's obviously uncomfortable.

Not sure how long this has been brewing - his third eyelids aren't like before, vet said maybe we caught it earlier, but he's sicker than he was early on last time.

I need to get him to eat on his own though. It's not a good time for me to need to drive back and forth to syringe feed him and I hate taking him in to the clinic to do it.
 
Aw, Vicky, I am sorry to hear his p-titis has flared. Don't forget to try baby food. It is lower fat isn't it? And could you cook the raw? Like simmer it or something and let it cool off? Maybe that would get him to eat it for the time being. Beau's thing was ham baby food and boiled chicken breast when he was in a flare. And plain yogurt. All gently warmed.

Glad you took him in and got some answers.

Feel better, Gandalf. I am sending you healing thoughts.....
 
After second syringe feeding of raw/Merrick mix he made his "mrrr, mrrr" noise at me as he stood in the bedroom doorway when I came toward the room. That's a good sign although he still doesn't want to take food on his own. He did it again when I went over to him in his basket. Seriously, he has not purred or made the noise all day. I know something's wrong when he does not "talk" to me.

Off to bed for a couple hours.
 
He's still not taking the raw mix on his own form syringe and I don't think he ate out of the bowl. I forgot to give his Amoxy pill last night that vet gave me, darn it. BUT, he peed finally a while ago and has come to the bed each time after feeding to lay by me for a while and PURR!! So he's feeling better or just being thankful I took him in last night. Bill wasn't too bad and at least diagnosis was more or less conclusive. Still have to figure out what's making his BGs so high. I haven't tested overnight, but he's obviously higher judging by how much water he's drinking. Considering giving 1U this morning later. Any thoughts, please share.
 
Hoping today shines brighter for you and Gandalf, Vicky.

Good job w/ the "mother's intuition"! Thank goodness you were in tune and alert to him to catch the flare so early! I am impressed with you! :thumbup

Wondering- if he likes the wellness, is there any way to get some of the fat out? I remember when I fed Wellness, the fat congeled and looked easy to remove from the can.

Also- would you consider NutriCal? It is HIGH in sugars as the Wellness is HIGH in fat, but it will get the nutrients in. I don't know what choice I would make if it were my sugarPaul...high BG's or no eating? ergh...crappy choice!

Do you still have the mirtz I sent? Do you need more sent?

Best to you- keep us posted...WV kitteh krew is sending HUGE amounts of white healing light and good vibes (((hugs)))
 
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