What's Wrong with my Cat, Snoopy?

[ancientgirl]

I'm so sorry for what happened to your son. And I'm incredibly sorry for poor Macky and the abuse he had to live through.

I commend you for having a cat even though you're allergic. I'm incredibly allergic too. People like us and many on this forum are a testament to the words "It can be done." of course, if you are willing to work at it and suffer a bit. LOL. I also live on medication. My allergies recently caused me to develop asthma as well. But my kitties are my babies and I would not trade them for anything in the world, not even a day with no medication LOL.

Good luck with your vet visit. I hope they can finally get Snoopy on the track to getting healthy.

[Shabby]

Originally Posted by growler

:sad: sorry to hear about your son & the issues with Macky :sad:

I hope you have friends w/dogs that Mike can play with & that you take Mike to the park so he can interact with happy friendly dogs & not develop a complete fear of all dogs

Oh, first...Mike is now 17 years old, our other son Rob is 15. Second, we have two female German Shepherds who are "biological" sisters. There were 10 in the litter and we took 2 of them. Their names are Nellie and Shadow and they were born on April 15, 2002 so they'll be turning 6 in April and Snoppy will be 11 in May.

We adopted Snoopy in February 1998 when he was 9 months old. So he was "king of the house" until we brought "my girls" home at the age of 8 weeks at the end of June 2002. My girls are extremely spoiled and are the biggest babies you'll ever meet. Their temperments are very, very docile and they are very loving. Nellie firmly believes that ANYONE who visits our house is here for the sole purpose to visit HER and to spend their entire time patting HER, period, end of story! lol Shadow is a little more the type who'll hang back for a few minutes, check you out, ALLOW YOU to pat her, then goes and lays down. Nellie on the other hand, sits beside you constantly unless I make her leave the person alone.

Both girls have their "own couches" in our living room for daytime hours. Nellie sleeps with Mike at night and Shadow sleeps with my husband and I and old Snoopy sleeps with Rob.

My girls are with me inside the house 24/7. Wherever I am, you'll find my girls. Being housebound now for the past 4 years, I don't know what I'd do without them. I absolutely LOVE MY GIRLS!!!!

Nellie was diagnosed with Grade 4 hip dysplasia Jan. 10, 2006. She had also suffered from panosteitis or long bone when she was young. Shadow has no problems.

I'm sorry if you misunderstood what I said earlier. I was just letting people know how we came to get Snoopy in the first place since I'm so deathly allergic to cats.

[growler~GateKeeper]

sorry my mistake, I wasn't thinking when I posted that...of course that was several years ago glad Mike had no retained fear of dogs

[Shabby]

Originally Posted by growler

sorry my mistake, I wasn't thinking when I posted that...of course that was several years ago glad Mike had no retained fear of dogs

No problem...we all make mistakes. I do that sometimes too, just don't think!

[Shabby]

Originally Posted by ancientgirl

I'm so sorry for what happened to your son. And I'm incredibly sorry for poor Macky and the abuse he had to live through.

I commend you for having a cat even though you're allergic. I'm incredibly allergic too. People like us and many on this forum are a testament to the words "It can be done." of course, if you are willing to work at it and suffer a bit. LOL. I also live on medication. My allergies recently caused me to develop asthma as well. But my kitties are my babies and I would not trade them for anything in the world, not even a day with no medication LOL.

Good luck with your vet visit. I hope they can finally get Snoopy on the track to getting healthy.

Yes we too were very sorry for what poor Macky had been through.

I have severe asthma too and use ventolin and atrovent as well as Symbicort to fight Snoops dander! But he is worth it. What can I say. If you love animals enough, you'll do anything.

I'll let everyone know tomorrow night how Snoopy makes out.

Cheers!

[Shabby]

The new vet has said that Snoopy has diabetes and will require insulin injections twice daily. They are keeping him in the hospital until Wednesday to keep an eye on him and to get him started on the correct doses of insulin. Hubby and I are to be there at 4:45 on Wednesday to learn how to give Snoopy his injections.

The vet said there is no reason that Snoopy shouldn't keep on living a full life as long as we are diligent. On Wednesday he will explain to us what we need to watch for etc., and how to give the injections and then we can bring him home with us then.

I'm SOOOOOO happy that he is going to be okay. However, I've missed him so much today that I don't know how I'll get through Tuesday and most of Wednesday without him.

[phoozles]

Yay! I'm glad you finally got a diagnosis for poor Snoopy!

Diabetes in cats is very manageable, and there are a lot of members on this forum who have diabetic cats to help you along the way!

Can't wait to see pictures of your little guy when he gets back from the vet!

[Shabby]

Originally Posted by phoozles

Yay! I'm glad you finally got a diagnosis for poor Snoopy!

Diabetes in cats is very manageable, and there are a lot of members on this forum who have diabetic cats to help you along the way!

Can't wait to see pictures of your little guy when he gets back from the vet!

Thanks phoozles!!!! I'm also pleased to hear there are alot of other members with diabetic cats who can give me advice! I hope they see this message.

[ancientgirl]

I'm so glad you got a diagnosis for Snoopy. That was the most important thing, to find out what was wrong with him. And even though he is diabetic, it's something that is treatable.

[sugarcatmom]

Originally Posted by Shabby

Thanks phoozles!!!! I'm also pleased to hear there are alot of other members with diabetic cats who can give me advice! I hope they see this message.

Hi Shabby, glad that Snoopy 'only' has diabetes (since weight loss can also be a sign of much worse conditions like cancer). Diabetes is absolutely manageable, although you may find a bit of a steep learning curve at first. My 15yr old cat, Aztec, has been diabetic for the last 5 years, and he's doing awesome. A really great site for info and support is this one: http://felinediabetes.com/. There's a ton to read so you may want to bookmark it and visit it frequently so that your brain doesn't go into overload.

What food are you currently feeding Snoopy? High carbohydrate dry food can play a large role in causing cats to develop diabetes, so you might want to seriously consider a diet change to low-carb, high-protein canned food. There's more info here about an appropriate feline diet: http://www.catinfo.org/felinediabetes.htm The vet may try to push a prescription diet on you but these are unnecessary. They have poor ingredients and are stupidly expensive.

Now, I realize Snoopy is at the vets supposedly to get "regulated" but this is another unnecessary expense. Cats cannot be regulated in a couple days under such stressful conditions, and unless there is something else wrong with him (ketoacidosis, for example) there is no reason that he can't come home today. In fact, the dose they come up with at the clinic could end up being too high once Snoopy is home since stress can artificially raise blood glucose levels. It's better just to start with a low dose (1 unit twice a day) at home, and go from there.

You can learn how to test Snoopy's blood glucose yourself (using a human glucometer from any pharmacy), taking blood from the edge of his ear. Most cats are very tolerant of this after a bit of practice (especially if treats are involved). There are links on the Feline Diabetes website above about how to do this.

One thing I must add, please do not make any diet changes unless you are home testing Snoopy's BG! Going from high carb dry food to low carb wet food can cause insulin needs to drop dramatically and Snoopy may end up with hypoglycemia. Many cats go off of exogenous insulin all together with an improved diet, so you need to be very careful.

Let me know what type and amount of insulin Snoopy has been prescribed when you find out.

[sugarcatmom]

Just wanted to add: shame on your previous vet for not catching this sooner! He absolutely should have screened for diabetes at some point in Snoopy's 3 previous visits. Any time an older cat loses weight like that and has a ravenous appetite, diabetes should be one of the top 3 things checked for. Grrrrr.

[Shabby]

Hi SugarcatMom:

Thank you so very much for the wealth of information you've provided me with. I have just bookmarked both the sites you've given me and as soon as I'm finished with this reply, I'm heading to both sites to read thru them.

Snoopy has always eaten dry food. So, when he comes home should I slowly switch him over to canned wet food? If I switch, how many days should I continue with the dry and wet food until I give him only the wet? What brand and how much would you recommend I give him? Snoopy is the first cat we've owned and I don't know alot about cats but have a wealth of information about dogs, so I sincerely appreciate all the advice I can get about Snoopy.

I'm not quite sure I completely understand what you mean about not making any diet changes unless I'm home checking Snoopy's BG? Are you saying I should not change his food for awhile? What is a normal BG for cats?

I'm very happy to hear that Aztec has done so well!!! That makes me feel a whole lot better, considering he too must have been 10 years old when he was diagnosed?

Snoopy is also staying at the vets because we called back later today and asked them to please check his teeth because his breath has also been foul, foul, foul?

I will most definitely let you know the type and amount of insulin when I find out Wednesday.

Thank you again for providing me with so much information! Like I've said before, the nicest, most caring and compassionate people on earth are pet lovers!!

[loopoo]

this is also a good site which lists cat food carbs, fat, and protein

http://www.geocities.com/jmpeerson/canfood.html

a lot of good info on this site, which also states maximum carb counts and a bunch of other info for cats with diabetes. Talks alot about how a higher protein low carb diet benefits among other things.

As far as switching many say over a ten day period, start with 3/4 old food and 1/4 new food for 3 days, then go to 1/2 new 1/2 old food for 3-4 days, then 3/4 new 1/4 old food for the last 3-4 days. Watch your cats tummy, poop habits of course all the while, if anything seems to change, diarrhea, vomiting, may want to elongate the procedure even more. If there is anything severe, could be an intolerance to that specific food, and best to go back to the old instead of moving forward with the new, and trying a different brand. best wishes for snoopy

[loopoo]

I read posts too fast.. definitely want to monitor the bg as sugar mentioned as well, i was just trying to give an idea of switching foods as a general, moving more slowly is definitely best for most kitties digestives as well. But what sugarcat said about waiting until he is home and regulating that first is important. When youre ready though that site has really good carb/protein info for many brands.

[growler~GateKeeper]

Shabby Glad you got a treatable diagnoses
I have no knowledge about diabetes just want to send you but Sugarcatmom is an & a very valuable wealth of knowledge we're lucky to have her

[sugarcatmom]

Originally Posted by Shabby

So, when he comes home should I slowly switch him over to canned wet food?

Only if you are able to home-test Snoopy's blood as you go so that you'll know if it's safe to give him insulin. Going from high carb dry food (which can cause high blood glucose and therefore require more insulin) to a low carb canned food without making a corresponding adjustment to the insulin dose has the potential to cause hypoglycemia, something you absolutely want to avoid. Here is some very important info on treating hypos: http://felinediabetes.com/hypogly.htm And here is a page about home testing: http://felinediabetes.com/bg-test.htm

I would say that until you're comfortable testing Snoopy before every shot, it would be a good idea to keep his food the same.

Originally Posted by Shabby

If I switch, how many days should I continue with the dry and wet food until I give him only the wet?

Try going at whatever pace Snoopy seems able to handle. Has he ever had canned food? Some cats don't even recognize canned as edible right away and may need some convincing. Here are tips for transitioning: http://www.catinfo.org/#Transitionin...o_Canned_Food_

Originally Posted by Shabby

What brand and how much would you recommend I give him?

That depends on a combination of what your budget can handle and what Snoopy is willing to chow down on. Some of the higher quality, grain-free (or almost) varieties that I like are Wellness, By Nature Organics, Nature's Variety Instinct, Innova Evo 95% Meat, Precise, etc. If money is an issue, the gluten-free Fancy Feast varieties are acceptable (and many cats like them first before warming up to the "healthier" choices above). Try to limit fish-flavours to only a couple times per week as fish tends to be high in phosphorus and contaminants and can be addicting for cats.

As for the amount, for now I would suggest as much as Snoopy wants to eat. Unregulated diabetes means he isn't properly able to use food for energy, causing him to eat more to try to make up the difference. Start with a couple of 5.5oz cans a day and if he wants more, that's okay. Make sure he does eat though! Insulin shots shouldn't typically be given if he's not eating, and if he goes more than a day without food he's at risk of developing ketones. Here is some ketone info for you:
http://www.felinediabetes.com/fdmb-faq.htm#ketones
http://www.gorbzilla.com/hows_and_whys_of_ketones.htm)

Originally Posted by Shabby

I'm not quite sure I completely understand what you mean about not making any diet changes unless I'm home checking Snoopy's BG? Are you saying I should not change his food for awhile?

Yup. The risk of hypoglycemia is too great. It's better not to change too many things at once, so since Snoopy is already starting insulin injections, wait on the food for now, until you have bg testing mastered. If insulin hadn't been started yet, I'd have said go straight to the diet change. Here's (yet another) link for you with more details: http://www.gorbzilla.com/diet_tips.htm

Originally Posted by Shabby

What is a normal BG for cats?

Normal is anywhere between 2.7 and 7.5 mmol/L (or 50-130 in mg/dL, which is the American value). But you're aim for now is to keep Snoopy's bg somewhere between 5.5-16.6 mmol/L. Later on, as you get more familiar with all things diabetes, you can try for tighter regulation.

Originally Posted by Shabby

Snoopy is also staying at the vets because we called back later today and asked them to please check his teeth because his breath has also been foul, foul, foul?

Something else that can cause hyperglycemia (high BG) is infection, another good reason to learn home-testing. If Snoopy has infected gums and/or teeth, when these get resolved, his insulin needs could likewise be lowered. You'll want to be aware of that when it happens.

Originally Posted by Shabby

Thank you again for providing me with so much information! Like I've said before, the nicest, most caring and compassionate people on earth are pet lovers!!

You're most welcome! I remember how scary it was when Aztec was first diagnosed and I'm more than happy to be able to help out if I can.

[Shabby]

Originally Posted by ancientgirl

I'm so glad you got a diagnosis for Snoopy. That was the most important thing, to find out what was wrong with him. And even though he is diabetic, it's something that is treatable.

Ancientgirl:

Thanks! We're very happy and relieved too. I'm amazed at the wealth of information and the willingness of folks to share on this forum!

[Shabby]

Originally Posted by loopoo

this is also a good site which lists cat food carbs, fat, and protein

http://www.geocities.com/jmpeerson/canfood.html

a lot of good info on this site, which also states maximum carb counts and a bunch of other info for cats with diabetes. Talks alot about how a higher protein low carb diet benefits among other things.

As far as switching many say over a ten day period, start with 3/4 old food and 1/4 new food for 3 days, then go to 1/2 new 1/2 old food for 3-4 days, then 3/4 new 1/4 old food for the last 3-4 days. Watch your cats tummy, poop habits of course all the while, if anything seems to change, diarrhea, vomiting, may want to elongate the procedure even more. If there is anything severe, could be an intolerance to that specific food, and best to go back to the old instead of moving forward with the new, and trying a different brand. best wishes for snoopy

loopoo

THANK YOU very much for the weblink. I've bookmarked it and will read it tomorrow considering it's now 1:30a.m!! The info you've given me on the switchover of food is great! THANKS!!

[Shabby]

Originally Posted by growler

Shabby Glad you got a treatable diagnoses
I have no knowledge about diabetes just want to send you but Sugarcatmom is an & a very valuable wealth of knowledge we're lucky to have her

growler:

THANKS!! I completely agree that sugarcatmom is an excellent and valuable member of this forum. Her knowledge of feline diabetes is amazing! I'm truly very grateful.

Cheers!

[Shabby]

Originally Posted by sugarcatmom

Only if you are able to home-test Snoopy's blood as you go so that you'll know if it's safe to give him insulin. Going from high carb dry food (which can cause high blood glucose and therefore require more insulin) to a low carb canned food without making a corresponding adjustment to the insulin dose has the potential to cause hypoglycemia, something you absolutely want to avoid. Here is some very important info on treating hypos: http://felinediabetes.com/hypogly.htm And here is a page about home testing: http://felinediabetes.com/bg-test.htm

I would say that until you're comfortable testing Snoopy before every shot, it would be a good idea to keep his food the same.

Try going at whatever pace Snoopy seems able to handle. Has he ever had canned food? Some cats don't even recognize canned as edible right away and may need some convincing. Here are tips for transitioning: http://www.catinfo.org/#Transitionin...o_Canned_Food_

That depends on a combination of what your budget can handle and what Snoopy is willing to chow down on. Some of the higher quality, grain-free (or almost) varieties that I like are Wellness, By Nature Organics, Nature's Variety Instinct, Innova Evo 95% Meat, Precise, etc. If money is an issue, the gluten-free Fancy Feast varieties are acceptable (and many cats like them first before warming up to the "healthier" choices above). Try to limit fish-flavours to only a couple times per week as fish tends to be high in phosphorus and contaminants and can be addicting for cats.

As for the amount, for now I would suggest as much as Snoopy wants to eat. Unregulated diabetes means he isn't properly able to use food for energy, causing him to eat more to try to make up the difference. Start with a couple of 5.5oz cans a day and if he wants more, that's okay. Make sure he does eat though! Insulin shots shouldn't typically be given if he's not eating, and if he goes more than a day without food he's at risk of developing ketones. Here is some ketone info for you:
http://www.felinediabetes.com/fdmb-faq.htm#ketones
http://www.gorbzilla.com/hows_and_whys_of_ketones.htm)

Yup. The risk of hypoglycemia is too great. It's better not to change too many things at once, so since Snoopy is already starting insulin injections, wait on the food for now, until you have bg testing mastered. If insulin hadn't been started yet, I'd have said go straight to the diet change. Here's (yet another) link for you with more details: http://www.gorbzilla.com/diet_tips.htm

Normal is anywhere between 2.7 and 7.5 mmol/L (or 50-130 in mg/dL, which is the American value). But you're aim for now is to keep Snoopy's bg somewhere between 5.5-16.6 mmol/L. Later on, as you get more familiar with all things diabetes, you can try for tighter regulation.

Something else that can cause hyperglycemia (high BG) is infection, another good reason to learn home-testing. If Snoopy has infected gums and/or teeth, when these get resolved, his insulin needs could likewise be lowered. You'll want to be aware of that when it happens.

You're most welcome! I remember how scary it was when Aztec was first diagnosed and I'm more than happy to be able to help out if I can.

OH MY GOODNESS!!! Thank you! You are an absolutely amazing wealth of information and I sincerely appreciate your sharing this information with me.

Funny you should mention "Wellness" brand...that's what I feed our 2 German Shepherds. I wasn't aware they also made cat food!

I've bookmarked these sites as well and I'm printing all this info. out to keep in a binder so I'll always have it handy.

Thank you again and I'm sure Snoopy will be very thankful for you making his life a little easier in educating me! You are an angel, truly!

[Shabby]

Originally Posted by sugarcatmom

Just wanted to add: shame on your previous vet for not catching this sooner! He absolutely should have screened for diabetes at some point in Snoopy's 3 previous visits. Any time an older cat loses weight like that and has a ravenous appetite, diabetes should be one of the top 3 things checked for. Grrrrr.

Yes, I totally agree. I called him today but he was unfortunately not there today. I WILL be calling him tomorrow and he won't be feeling too well once I've had a few words with him!!

[krdahmer]

Aw Shabby thats great, at least you now know what it is and how to manage it. Best of luck with learning the needles and all. (Cats are way more tolerable about that sort of stuff than us... I still can't get used to pricking my fingers, I hate it!)

I bet Snoopy is gonna be so happy to be home... and hey are there pics of Snoopy and the girls on here yet? I don't recall seeing them...

[Love4himies]

I am so glad you finally got a diagnosis and can't believe your last vet didn't do the basic blood work to find out what was wrong.

I can't offer any advice but Sugarcatmom and Growler are a wealth of info and I would be listening to their advice in a second!

[chico2]

Shabby,I am so pleased Snoop did not have any kind of cancer
I would not even begin to give you advice on a diabetic cat,even though I had one about 12 yrs ago,not when we have Sugarcat and others,who are very,very knowledgable.
It was a great thing that you joined our Forum,your old vet in his ignorance,could have caused Snoop a lot of trouble.
I remember from my Peppi,that infected teeth can also worsen the diabeties,my Peppi had a couple of bad teeth extracted.

[ancientgirl]

Originally Posted by Shabby

Ancientgirl:

Thanks! We're very happy and relieved too. I'm amazed at the wealth of information and the willingness of folks to share on this forum!

I can tell you this with the most extreme confidence, everyone on this board is fantastic.

If one person can't answer a question, there is always someone else who might have experience in what you are asking, and will gladly help you. And if no one can give you their benefit of experience, there are always several who will look for the answer for you.

You can rest assured everyone on this board loves animals, and anything said or any advice given is always in the best interest of your pet.

In a couple of months I will have been a member of this board for a year, and when I first came here I knew very little about taking care of my new kitty. I got him as a kitten, and I've suffered with allergies and now asthma, and the advice I have been given here to me has been invaluable to me in every aspect of caring for my pets and for my allergies.

You will be VERY happy here and always find a caring bunch to help you no matter what your need is.

[Stacer]

I just read through the entire thread, and boy am I glad you found a diagnosis for Snoopy!

Sugarcatmom's advice is just out of this world! It's great to be able to glean first hand knowledge from someone with experience.

Welcome back to the forum Shabby! Keep us posted on Snoopy.

[Shabby]

Originally Posted by krdahmer

Aw Shabby thats great, at least you now know what it is and how to manage it. Best of luck with learning the needles and all. (Cats are way more tolerable about that sort of stuff than us... I still can't get used to pricking my fingers, I hate it!)

I bet Snoopy is gonna be so happy to be home... and hey are there pics of Snoopy and the girls on here yet? I don't recall seeing them...

I'm used to giving "humans" needles but NOT cats!!! I'm so afraid I'm going to hurt him, he's so painfully thin right now.

I didn't sleep last night as I was worried about him all by himself in the Animal Hospital. He has never been away from us before and I'm sure he's pining. Even our youngest asked: "Mom, will they give Snoopy a blanket? He's used to sleeping with me every night?"

[Shabby]

Originally Posted by Love4himies

I am so glad you finally got a diagnosis and can't believe your last vet didn't do the basic blood work to find out what was wrong.

I can't offer any advice but Sugarcatmom and Growler are a wealth of info and I would be listening to their advice in a second!

Thanks! Yes, we are VERY upset that the old vet didn't find this out during one of Snoop's THREE visits!!! I've already called there this morning but he won't be free to talk to until 1:00 this afternoon. I gave no indication to the receptionist what I wanted to talk to him about as I didn't want him to be pre-warned.

Don't worry, I am definitely listening to Sugarcatmom and Growler and anyone else who is or will provide me with information. I'm so grateful.

[Shabby]

Originally Posted by chico2

Shabby,I am so pleased Snoop did not have any kind of cancer
I would not even begin to give you advice on a diabetic cat,even though I had one about 12 yrs ago,not when we have Sugarcat and others,who are very,very knowledgable.
It was a great thing that you joined our Forum,your old vet in his ignorance,could have caused Snoop a lot of trouble.
I remember from my Peppi,that infected teeth can also worsen the diabeties,my Peppi had a couple of bad teeth extracted.

Thank you! I haven't heard from them today about Snoop's teeth, but I hope that area will check out okay.

[Shabby]

Originally Posted by ancientgirl

I can tell you this with the most extreme confidence, everyone on this board is fantastic.

If one person can't answer a question, there is always someone else who might have experience in what you are asking, and will gladly help you. And if no one can give you their benefit of experience, there are always several who will look for the answer for you.

You can rest assured everyone on this board loves animals, and anything said or any advice given is always in the best interest of your pet.

In a couple of months I will have been a member of this board for a year, and when I first came here I knew very little about taking care of my new kitty. I got him as a kitten, and I've suffered with allergies and now asthma, and the advice I have been given here to me has been invaluable to me in every aspect of caring for my pets and for my allergies.

You will be VERY happy here and always find a caring bunch to help you no matter what your need is.

I am so impressed, awed, touched, and absolutely bolled over by the interest, compassion and caring of everyone on this forum. It's just too bad that we all didn't live close to be able to meet once a month, together, in one place to share our pets and ourselves with each other.

Since Snoop is my first cat, I'm feeling terrible that I didn't switch vets sooner. When I was told there was nothing wrong with him other than "old age", I took it at face value. However, now knowing what I know, the guilt and sadness is killing me.

And yes, I AM VERY HAPPY HERE!!!