What BG is too low?

Discussion in 'Honeymooners / OTJ' started by Jayne & Sweety, Mar 18, 2011.

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  1. Jayne & Sweety

    Jayne & Sweety Member

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    Jan 16, 2010
    Sweety is diet controlled, always has been, for 3 years now. She usaully eats two FF cans/day (and more if I gave it to her) but the last few days I've have to throw out the last half of a can and she doesn't finish what is in her bowl. Last night, she didn't want to eat her dinner - and she has to! - She gets her hyperT meds in it. She wouldn't even eat it with a treat on top - FF appetizer, which I ususally use, to make sure she gets her meds. This was very unusual for her. I got worried that she hadn't eaten since afternoon and tested her. It was 31. So I came to the board and read about hypos and people having to give Karo at 40. Of course, I freaked and got out some high carb treats. She gobbled those down and wanted more so I mixed some in with her food and made sure she got her medicine, which I think she did.
    She wasn't acting hypo. Are hypo's just for insulin givers or can "regular" cats get it too? I had also connected her recent non-eating days with the days I have been putting Methyl B12 in her food. She never didn't eat her food with it in it before though. So I am not going to add any today and see if that makes a difference.
    I also have concerns about her kidneys: her last check up showed signs of renal failure, a year ago. The vet said to call him if she starts to get fininky about eating, or stops eating, losing weight - which she is not. She's due for her check up soon.
    But what low reading do you guys get and what is too low?
     
  2. Ronnie & Luna

    Ronnie & Luna Well-Known Member

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    Dec 28, 2009
    hi Jayne,

    that is low, without insulin, but I have heard of some kitties hanging around as low as the 40's on a regular basis...

    have you tried a curve to see how long or how often she dips there?
    maybe add a cross post to the health forum too, it has a lot more traffic.

    congrats on 3 years! :thumbup
     
  3. Jayne & Sweety

    Jayne & Sweety Member

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    Jan 16, 2010
    Thanks for a reply, Ronnie.
    I think I will try a curve, thanks. This thing has only been going on a few days. Yesterday was the same. I think I will aslo take her to the vet next week. I think it may be her teeth. She doesn't exactly eat - she licks her food. I know her teeth need attention but I'm so worried about that. She won't let me get near them to take a look. Also, having been out of work I am worried about the cost. But I start a new job monday and it's time, no matter what the cost. I can see she doesn't feel well. nailbite_smile Also worried about the CRF symptom of not eating too.. nailbite_smile
    I thought I would crosspost on health today if no one replied here. I just wanted to get an idea of what the Honeymooner cats have as low readings - no one replied with numbers... :(
    Can her BG go so low, that it's dangerous? I've read about the signs, am watching but she has none.
     
  4. Ronnie & Luna

    Ronnie & Luna Well-Known Member

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    Dec 28, 2009
    can she see the vet any sooner than next week?
    maybe a phone consult?
    do cross post in health either way ok?
    I hope it works out.
     
  5. Jayne & Sweety

    Jayne & Sweety Member

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    Jan 16, 2010
    Unfortunately, this doesn't come at a good time - when does it ever, right? But after being out of work for a year and a half I start a new one tomorrow. Can't exactly start out with asking for time off. As soon as I get my 3 week schedule, I am going to schedule a vet appointment. She's due for her T4 check anyway.
    It seems to be a food issue now. Last night, when she again refused the FF, I got out the 9-lives tuna and mixed in some chicken - she ate the whole bowl, and then some. Of course, I had just bought a case of the FF....

    Thanks for replying.
     
  6. Melanie and Smokey

    Melanie and Smokey Well-Known Member

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    Feb 24, 2010
    Sorry the honeymooners section is pretty quiet these days. From what I have read around the boards, a cat not on insulin should not be able to have a hypo incident. Their body doesn't naturally produce too much insulin and take itself too low.

    What meter do you use? I ask because I have noticed that some of the meters tend to just run at a lower trend than others- the Walmart ReliOn being one of them. I have no science to back that, just my observation from kitties around me here. We use the AccuCheck and it seems to be one that hangs higher, our trends are in the 70s and 80s.

    My girls are finicky and go through periods where they will only eat FF, won't eat FF, want Friskies, love Wellness, hate Wellness... I just buy a mixture and rotate.

    How long have you given the B-12? When we tried Dasquin with Taz, she did fine for about 2 weeks and then decided she'd rather starve that touch another bowl of food with that stuff on it. Didn't matter what food it was either, she'd sniff it and walk away.

    Sounds like there is enough going on that the vet trip is order. Hopefully just some small tweeking to diet and meds will clear things up.
     
  7. Jayne & Sweety

    Jayne & Sweety Member

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    Jan 16, 2010
    Thanks Melanie,
    I do use Walmart's ReliOn. Thanks for letting me know that the meter could be reading low. I wondered if a cat, not on isulin, can go into hypo, but other threads I read today say no, so that's good. I stopped adding the B12 and she is back to eating normal. I previously, only added it once in a while, she doesn't really NEED it, no neuropathy. She has this twitching thing in her front paws and I saw a post recently saying it was, or could be, a form of neuropathy so I started to put it in her food. She never did that before (refused food w/B12) but I never added it 2 days in a row. Guess she knew the food was good for her! Brat! Had me worried sick.
    And yes, I am sheduling her vet trip soon. Just got my work schedule..Sat, or Monday, for sure. I am dreading the dental. I have read that a cat OTJ can go back on insulin after it? I am so worried, but I know what it is like to have dental pain and I wouldn't want my Sweety to be going thru that.
    Thanks again, for replying.
     
  8. Kathy and Kitty

    Kathy and Kitty Well-Known Member

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    Dec 29, 2009
    Hi, Jayne,

    That's my understanding -- cats not getting insulin won't hypo. And Melanie makes a great point about the meters.

    I have tried to add things to Kitty's food that would be good for him, and he rejects it (like Dasuquin for arthritis). The vet and I decided that there are additives in the Dasuquin NOT in the Cosequin that just turn some kitties' stomachs. Who knows what was in the B12?

    I've also read in LL that kitties without neuropathy don't need the B12.

    I'd love to know how the shaking-paw thing goes.

    Thanks for posting here. I think we need an active Honeymooners location. We may be OTJ, but we still need our community! :D
     
  9. Melanie and Smokey

    Melanie and Smokey Well-Known Member

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    Feb 24, 2010
    We came out of a dental without any problems. Smokey had her's this last Nov or Dec and her BG didn't seem affected by it.
     
  10. Kathy and Kitty

    Kathy and Kitty Well-Known Member

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    Dec 29, 2009
    What I understand is that it is a greater risk NOT to do dentals. Pain or an infection can drive up BGs, and I suppose it can take time to regain equalibrium.

    We also came through a dental just fine! And it's much easier to get a dental done on an OTJ cat than one on the juice. It can be hard to adjust doses through the anesthesia.

    So go for it! :mrgreen:
     
  11. Jayne & Sweety

    Jayne & Sweety Member

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    Jan 16, 2010
    Thanks guys.
    We have an appointment Monday for her check up. I am bringing the list of dental questions then, and will see about scheduling it.
     
  12. Kathy and Kitty

    Kathy and Kitty Well-Known Member

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    Dec 29, 2009
    Here are a few questions/points about anethesia that were passed along to me. You might add them to your list, if they're not already on it:

    1. DO NOT USE METACAM. Ask if the vet uses Metacam. He/she should not.
    2. No Convenia.
    3. what drug do you use to induce anesthesia? What drug do you use to maintain anesthia.
    4. Do you use a licensed vet tech?
    5. Do you give IV fluids?
    6. Do you monitor blood pressure? Use a pulse oximeter? Monitor Oxygen? What do you do if blodd pressure drops (Should increase fluids or decrease anesthesia rate.)

    I was also advised to state that I didn't want Kitty to be under anesthesia for more than 60 minutes.

    Let us know how it goes!
     
  13. Jayne & Sweety

    Jayne & Sweety Member

    Joined:
    Jan 16, 2010
    Just got back from the vet a little while ago - I told hom about her continued "paw shaking thing" and as we talked I told him about her BG being 31. He did say that it is rare but the twitch can be from low blood sugar and some cats get (and I forget the exact term) pancreatic adomoma - where the pancreaus produce too much insulin. He wants me to test her more and see how often it goes there, (Just like Melanie did in the first post - you're so smart!)and to take note when it happens. He scared me when he said it could progress into seizures.
    Also - her kidneys are fine. I am so relieved. And he passed all the questions about the dental, although he kept trying to push Coviena before the dental. I insisted no, he asked why - I couldn't think of all the things I read here, or Dr. Lisa's paper but he said that was ok, there were other antibiotics. I told him, in leaving, that I would bring in the information written by a vet about it. He was interested.
    So we'll see about scheduling the dental when I get my work schedule. I would need to be home that day as he calls (he said) about 4 times that day to let us know how it's going, and if there will be extractions.
    Thanks for listening, you guys... :smile:
    :smile: :smile: :smile:
     
  14. Kathy and Kitty

    Kathy and Kitty Well-Known Member

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    Dec 29, 2009
    Sounds like you have found a vet who listens! Yay for the positive report.

    I haven't heard of the 'pancreatic overdrive' concept, but I suppose it makes sense -- kind of like hyperthyroid. Whenever you have a chance, you might post that in the Health Forum. Maybe someone there knows more.
     
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