New member - Stuggling cat mum

Discussion in 'Feline Health - (Welcome & Main Forum)' started by Linda74, Feb 5, 2021.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. Linda74

    Linda74 New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 17, 2021
    Hi folks, sorry this is our first post so I hope I'm doing it right, and may be a long one.

    Jax was diagnosed in Oct 20 with F. D. He had had several bouts of sickness (foamy stomach acid) for which he was prescribed liquid zantac. But after a particularly bad bout, went in for a full round of tests and ultrasounds and was eventually diagnosed with diabetes (fructo count 535, b.g between 20-30). Prescribed caninsulin 1u x 2 per day. Things were fine, for some time and was reduced by vet to 0.5u x 2 per day when nadir tests were below 6 (on alphatrak meter), he's always eaten wet foods (with gusto), and only biscuits on occasion (not given at all now). We have been trialling alternative low carb foods (he usually has felix agail). Recently however, his stomach acid has started up again and as liquid zantac is no longer available, been prescribed fatodine, which doesn't seem to be doing much at the moment so the vet increased the dose.

    Diabetes wise he's doing OK, am preshots average 11-13, higher if he's been sick, pm preshots 8-14, so not always needing insulin. Nadir between 7-10 at 6+, again dependant on if he's been sick.

    He went for a range of blood tests 3 weeks ago following a vomiting episode (food not acid) and results were good, liver and pancreas fine, kidney slightly elevated but though this would have been caused by dehydration due to the sickness, fructo now in the 250's. So things were looking good.

    Our major problem at the minute is eating and food.... I'm struggling sometimes to get enough food in him after preshots and throughout the day. Sometimes trying several different brands and flavours for at least an hour before injection. I'm constantly following him around the house and pushing the bowl under his nose, only for him to have a few nibbles and then try to Bury the food, again more of an issue if he's been sick. I've tried warming, sprinkling a variety of toppings, fortiflaura, the lot.

    Last night he ate that little we skipped the shot (as he's on Caninsulin 0.5u and his pmps was 11.4) knowing he nowhere near enough food in his stomach, around 45g, to cope with the steep hit. He ate very little else last night. - probably around 125-150g in total. This morning his amps were 18.4, and after an hour of following around the house eventually ate 75g of food in varying flavours and brands including a selection of the above sprinkles.

    I'm really at a loss as what to do, the vet doesnt seem overly conserned and hopes increasing the antacids will help. It's breaking my heart and emotionally and physically draining me. Any advice welcome xx much love Linda, jax's Human slave.
     
  2. Bron and Sheba (GA)

    Bron and Sheba (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2015
    Hi Linda and welcome! I am just getting the family dinner but when I finish I will answer your post:)
     
  3. Bron and Sheba (GA)

    Bron and Sheba (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2015
    Hi Linda and Jax,
    Has the vet tried giving him some cerenia for nausea as he could be experiencing nausea and cats who are feeling nauseated won’t want to eat. Another antinausea medication is ondansetron which is also very good. It does sound to me as if he might be nauseated and an antinausea medication would be worth trying.

    Also are you giving him lots of small snacks during the day and evening or just the two meals a day? Frequent small snacks often helps acid tummies, especially giving some snacks during the night. And they help stop the BG dropping too fast.
    Do you have an auto feeder? They are wonderful to give food when you are out and during the night.

    It would be very helpful if you could set up Jax a spreadsheet and put in the last few weeks data so we could see it.
    Here is a link which has the spreadsheet link I it and also other very useful information
    Click on this link https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/new-how-you-can-help-us-help-you.216696/
    I will tag @Bandit's Mom. If you have any trouble setting up the SS she can help you. She is very good at it!

    If you are skipping any shot at all, I would test the urine for ketones which can form in diabetic cats if they are not getting enough food and are skipping doses. You can get a Ketostix bottle from a pharmacy. You need to collect a urine sample from Jax, dip the test strip into the urine and read the results against the colours on the side of the bottle exactly 15 seconds later. Anything above a trace needs vet attention.

    I hope I have managed to answer your questions. If not ask again. We are very happy to help
    Bron
     
    Bandit's Mom and Critter Mom like this.
  4. Bandit's Mom

    Bandit's Mom Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 18, 2019
    Hi Linda, if you need any help setting up the spreadsheet, please let me know. Won't take me a minute to do it for you.

    Welcome to FDMB! :)
     
  5. Critter Mom

    Critter Mom Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 16, 2014
    Hi Linda,

    Welcome to yourself and Jax.

    I can relate to how you're feeling so well. It's incredibly distressing when it's a struggle to get our little ones to eat enough. :bighug:

    Like Bron, I am also wondering whether Jax might be having issues with nausea. Here is a very helpful resource on how nausea manifests in cats, and also how to treat it:

    Nausea, vomiting and inappetence - symptoms and treatments

    It might help you to identify behaviours to report to your vet. If nausea is the issue, ondansetron and Cerenia are typically much, much more effective treatments than famotidine.

    Is Jax pooping OK?


    Mogs
    .
     
    Bron and Sheba (GA) likes this.
  6. Linda74

    Linda74 New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 17, 2021
  7. Linda74

    Linda74 New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 17, 2021
    Checked ketones (using blood monitor) 0.3

    Yes he's having lots of small meals throughout the day. I've asked the vet for some anti nausia meds before but I'll ask again. Is cerenia evailable in the UK?
     
  8. Bron and Sheba (GA)

    Bron and Sheba (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2015
    Blood ketones are fine...that is good.
    great you are feeding lots of snacks during the day. Do you also feed them during the lm cycle?
    I don’t live in the UK so can’t tell you about cerenia over there @Critter Mom will be able to tell you.

    I don’t recognise the spreadsheet you are using. I don’t think it’s one of ours. @Bandit's Mom would you mind having a look at the SS please?

    I also notice you have not been taking any tests during the PM cycle. The pm cycle is just as important as the am cycle. Cats often drop lower at night. Try and get a before bed test in at least to see if he is going to drop lower.
     
  9. Linda74

    Linda74 New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 17, 2021
    Yes he's having food through the night too, make sure he's got something before I go to bed, I'm getting up at 1am to make sure he's eaten something else and Usually wake around 3.00am, when he get up to go out or be sick, Then up again at 5 to give his meds and preshot tests, chase him around the house for an hour with food and his insulin is at 6.30, leave for work at 7.30., I feel like a zombie and going to bed every night earlier and earlier. It's the same at the other end of the day but I have to squeeze food for myself in there somewhere too husband does help, but he works nights.
     
  10. Bron and Sheba (GA)

    Bron and Sheba (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2015
    I think you need to try and see if you can get some cerenia or ondansetron from the vet for the possible nausea. If that issue was solved, the rest may be a bit easier.
     
  11. Critter Mom

    Critter Mom Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 16, 2014
    Hi again, Linda.

    Great that you've also got a blood beta ketone meter, not least of all for the peace of mind it gives to know that Jax is OK ketone-wise.

    The Cerenia injectable is licensed for use in cats in the UK, but not the tablets. One injection gives about 24 hours of cover.

    Ondansetron is a human medication and can be obtained at a human pharmacy with a written veterinary prescription if your vet doesn't stock it. Zofran is the branded version of the drug and it was crazily expensive (c. £100 for 30 tablets) and I don't know whether it's got any less pricey. The generic version is much cheaper (less than £10 for 30 tablets from a human pharmacy). I was given a tip by another forum member a few years ago about trying to get the Bristol Laboratories generic ondansetron because it worked better for cats. I've found this to bear out in practice for both of my cats. I actually order mine from a pharmacy a long way away from me because I can't get the BL generic version locally (Grewal Pharmacy in Nottinghamshire).

    It can help to kick off treatment for nausea with a dose of Cerenia. It takes about 24-48 hours of treatment with ondansetron for it to build up to full effectiveness. Depending on the dose, ondansetron can be given every 8-12 hours.


    Mogs
    .
     
  12. Linda74

    Linda74 New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 17, 2021
    Thanks folks I have emailed the vet to ask about anti nausia meds xx he's eaten a little better now and it's 2 hrs before his Preshot, let's hope he's not sick in between now and then ❤️
     
    JanetNJ and Critter Mom like this.
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page