If my cat needs insulin. I can't see blood results until Thursday.

[michele spontak]

My cat had his blood work done on Saturday. The office was closed on Monday due to the holiday. They are regularly closed on Tues and Wed. Therefore, I can't get results and any plan of action until Thursday. I do suspect that there may be some Diabetes. Weight loss, drinking large quantities of water, less of an appetite. The vet is also suspicious of possible Diabetes. If treatment and insulin are what he requires, what am I supposed to do today and tomorrow? Is it possible that something could go wrong and because I don't have results or any medicine until the results are viewed that this situation may be too serious to wait? He is being force fed because he has a mouth ulcer and is not eating well on his own, so being fed is not an issue right now despite his lack of appetite.

 

[LTS3]

Don't worry Your cat will be ok until the vet gets back to you later this week. What you can do now is feed your cat low carb canned food. Here's a list of suitable Fancy Feast: Wheat gluten free, low carbohydrate Wet Food You can puree the food into soup and syringe feed it since your cat has a mouth ulcer. What brand of food are you feeding? If it's under 10% carbs (check the chart at https://catinfo.org/docs/CatFoodProteinFatCarbPhosphorusChart.pdf), you can continue to feed it. It's the carbs are high, you should change it to a lower carb food assuming your cat isn't too finicky about food. It's a lot easier to change diet now while the cat is not on insulin than to change it later when insulin is started.

From an older post you made, your cat got a Depo Medrol injection a few weeks ago for stomatits. Steroids can cause diabetes-like symptoms. I'm not sure how long Depo Medrol lasts in a cat's body after one injection. You can ask the vet.

Also ask the vet if a fructosamine test was included with the blood work. The regular blood glucose test included with routine blood work only tells what the cat's blood glucose level was at the time of blood draw, which in most cats is super high because of stress. A fructosamine gives an average of blood glucose levels over the past few weeks and is a better indicator of diabetes although since your cat was given a steroid that needs to be taken into consideration by the vet when making a diagnosis.

You can also test your cat's glucose at home now, too. Blood glucose is best with a Human blood glucose meter. Urine glucosecan also be tested with urine strips such as Ketodiatix but because excess sugar builds up in the urine until the cat pees, it's not a great indicator of how well the cat is doing. There's info on all things cat diabetes here as well as a message board: Feline Diabetes —Diabetes in Cats — Treatment and Diabetic Cat Info — FDMB

 

[michele spontak]

Don't worry Your cat will be ok until the vet gets back to you later this week. What you can do now is feed your cat low carb canned food. Here's a list of suitable Fancy Feast: Wheat gluten free, low carbohydrate Wet Food You can puree the food into soup and syringe feed it since your cat has a mouth ulcer. What brand of food are you feeding? If it's under 10% carbs (check the chart at https://catinfo.org/docs/CatFoodProteinFatCarbPhosphorusChart.pdf), you can continue to feed it. It's the carbs are high, you should change it to a lower carb food assuming your cat isn't too finicky about food. It's a lot easier to change diet now while the cat is not on insulin than to change it later when insulin is started.

From an older post you made, your cat got a Depo Medrol injection a few weeks ago for stomatits. Steroids can cause diabetes-like symptoms. I'm not sure how long Depo Medrol lasts in a cat's body after one injection. You can ask the vet.

Also ask the vet if a fructosamine test was included with the blood work. The regular blood glucose test included with routine blood work only tells what the cat's blood glucose level was at the time of blood draw, which in most cats is super high because of stress. A fructosamine gives an average of blood glucose levels over the past few weeks and is a better indicator of diabetes although since your cat was given a steroid that needs to be taken into consideration by the vet when making a diagnosis.

You can also test your cat's glucose at home now, too. Blood glucose is best with a Human blood glucose meter. Urine glucosecan also be tested with urine strips such as Ketodiatix but because excess sugar builds up in the urine until the cat pees, it's not a great indicator of how well the cat is doing. There's info on all things cat diabetes here as well as a message board: Feline Diabetes —Diabetes in Cats — Treatment and Diabetic Cat Info — FDMB

Very good. He is getting the Fancy Feast right now. Yes, perhaps the Depo caused these symptoms. He has always handled Depo well, but I noticed the excessive drinking and urination after his last shot.

I have Ketone test strips. Is there an easier way to use the test strip though? I am not sure how I can collect his urine.

I'm going to look at the other link too about Diabetes. Thank you!!

 

[cat princesses]

Please join the feline diabetic support group. they are amazing and can help you on the journey!
Feline Diabetes Message Board - FDMB

 

[LTS3]

Ketone strips only test for ketones, which if your cat has requires an immediate trip to the vet for treatment of diabetic ketoacidosis.

There are strips that test for both ketones and urine glucose. Keto Diastix is one brand. There are also strips that test for just urine glucose.

Some people can just stick a strip right under the cat as the cat pees. Others stick a long handled ladel under the cat to collect the per and then stick the test strip in that. Another way is to get a brand new litter box and fill it with some clean fish tank pebbles (the ones that look like rocks rather than typical gravel) or decorative pebbles from a craft store. After the cat pees, tip the box to pool up the urine in a corner and stick the test strip in. It has to be a new box because litter residue and dust can affect the test strip.

One of my cats occasionally takes pred for his IBD. He did ok the first few times but then would have diabetic-like symptoms. I just keep an eye on him. Once the course of pred is done, the symptoms go away.

 

[fionasmom]

Definitely join the feline diabetes group. I was in it for Stella, my second diabetic cat. Your cat will be fine for the few days that the vet is not in the office. I am not saying to take this lightly, but this will not result in a crisis.

 

[hexiesfriend]

You will be fine just make sure your cat has free access to food at all times to keep the blood sugar stable.