Jonathon Had Three Molars Removed

Jonathon had dental surgery yesterday and had 3 of his 4 molars (the big teeth used for chewing) removed.  The vet said he will still be able to eat dry food.  His teeth were removed due to recurring infection in these teeth causing him pain.

Jonathon had periodontal disease...hopefully, removing these teeth will help his mouth become healthier.

As periodontal disease progresses, you may observe the following signs:

• Purulent exudate (pus) around the tooth
• Persistent bad breath
• Gums that bleed easily
• Sensitivity around the mouth
• Pawing at the mouth
• Gums that are inflamed (red), hyperplastic, or receding
• Loose or missing teeth
• Loss of appetite
• Stomach or intestinal upsets
• Drooling
• Difficulty chewing or eating
• Irritability or depression

Cats infected with feline leukemia virus, FIV or calicivirus have a much higher incidence of periodontal disease.


For more information, visit peteducation.com.

Jonathon is Back on Insulin

The vet called with the results of Jonathon's Fructosamine Test.  His blood sugar was at the high end of normal.  So, now he is on one unit of insulin once a day.  Last night, his blood sugar was 344!  That is the highest it has been since this all started.  

So, we are back to daily injections and testing.  :(

Back to the vet...

I took Jonathon to the vet today.  He gained a little more than 1/2 a pound.  His blood sugar was 323, which is the highest it has been since last Monday (the 16th), when it started getting higher.

He was eating Science Diet Adult when he got here and I continued that food because the vet did not want to change his diet.  Last week, after his blood sugar rose, I changed him over a few days to a high protein, low carb diet.  This diet, some say, can help control and even "cure" diabetes in cats.

I was really surprised that he gained weight because I thought that a high protein, low carb diet would cause him to lose weight.

He went in for a fructosamine test, we should get the results of that tomorrow.  He will need to be back on insulin but we are waiting for the results of the test. Depending on the results of the test, the dosage of insulin will be different.

The vet also gave me a different food to feed him, Purina DM.  I would rather keep him on the food I have him on now, but I am not a vet.  So, I am following the vet's advice.  She claims that this is a very low carb food, as low or lower than what I am feeding him.

Jonathon is diabetic again?

I just got off the phone with the vet.  She thinks that Jonathon is becoming diabetic again.  *Sigh*  Last night, his blood sugar was 314. That was the highest it has been since last Monday, when his blood sugar unexpectedly shot up.  Tomorrow, I am going to take him to have a Fructosamine test.  This is a blood test that is used to measure the average level of glucose control over the past few weeks.  

"Feline diabetes is not the natural fate of hundreds of thousands of pet cats world-wide. It is, rather, a human-created disease that is reaching epidemic proportions because of the highly artificial foods that we have been feeding our feline companions for the past few decades. Without the constant feeding of highly processed, high carbohydrate dry foods, better suited to cattle than cats, adult-onset feline diabetes would be a rare disease, if it occured at all."

Elizabeth Hodgkins DVM, JD

Jonathon's blood sugar wasn't just a spike!

Jonathon's blood sugar has now been in the 200's for three days.  For the last month, it was between 73-131.  I called the vet Tuesday and she said that we might have to put him back on insulin.  We haven't done it yet, but I see it in our future.  Yesterday morning his blood sugar was 299, last night it was 306!  I feel bad for him because I have to test him frequently and his little ears are sore.

The vet said she is concerned but not overly concerned about his blood sugar because it fluctuates.  I don't understand how it can be so high after it was between 73 and 131 for the last month.  I looked online at a chart showing the blood glucose curves for humans.  It shows definite spikes in blood sugar after meals-but it goes back down.  It is not high for days.  He has been eating some of the other cat's food, which is high protein, low in carbs but the vet said he should not be reacting to it with high blood sugar.  He eats Science Diet, which is high in carbs.  (At night and when we are not home, Jonathon stays in his room, away from the other cats and their food.  When he comes out with the other cats, he sometimes eats their food.)  Hopefully, this is just a phase and it will stop.  I don't know if that is possible but it would be nice.

If he were on insulin still, these blood sugar levels would be good.  We would aim for them but because he is not on insulin, it is a little concerning.  

Jonathon's blood sugar spiked last night

I took Jonathon to the vet because he has a fairly large sore on his side.  For about a month, his blood sugar was between 70 and 131.  The vet told me that she considered him to be transient, meaning his diabetes had gone away.  This can only happen in cats and vets don't totally understand why or how it happens.  

So, for about a month, he was not receiving insulin.  When we were at the vet, the vet told me to stop testing him everyday.  I could now test him 3 times a week.  Last night, I tested him and his blood sugar was 235.  Two minutes later, I tested him again to make sure the machine wasn't malfunctioning and his blood sugar was 266!  I was concerned because it was so much higher than usual and because it went up so much in 2 minutes. 

I called the emergency vet and asked them what to do after the first two times I tested him.  They told me not to give him insulin because it could mess him up since he has been regulated for so long.   I tested him an hour later and it was 257 and I wasn't so worried anymore because it went down.  

He wasn't acting strange so I didn't think that the higher blood sugar was causing him too much trouble.  It was definitely a shock to me though, I have become so used to him having a low blood sugar.  I am going to call the vet today and see what they want me to do.    

Jonathon is officially considered transient! (No more diabetes!)

I called the vet this morning to ask her about Jonathon's blood sugar.  I am starting to understand diabetes and I am learning more and more everyday.

I called the vet to tell her what his blood sugar has been and talk about what it means. Tonight it was 80, this morning it was 74, last night it was 93...you get the idea.  His blood sugar is lower than it used to be.  It was in the mid 200's when he first came here.

I did not give him insulin last night. I called the emergency vet because I was concerned about his blood sugar being so low.  When I called, the vet said that 74 was not so low that I should consider it an emergency.  She told me not to give him insulin and make sure he eats something.

So, apparently, if I gave him insulin, it would make his blood sugar decrease to a dangerous level.  I never do anything if I am uncertain.  I will always call someone if I am in doubt because I know that diabetes can be very dangerous.  

So for right now, I will still be testing him twice a day but I will not be giving him insulin.  The vet said she will always consider him a "pre-diabetic" because his diabetes could come back at any time...or it could never come back.

His diabetes is going away? I hope!

Thank you to anonymous who sent me a link to an educational site about Diabetes that is fun!  It is written by a doctor who also happens to be a cartoonist!


Check it out!


cartoonmd.com



Jonathon, my foster cat who has diabetes is doing much better!  He is now down to 1 unit of insulin and may become transient (which means he may no longer need me to give him insulin).  


The following is an exerpt from bddiabetes.com 

In studies, anywhere from 10% to 40% of diabetic cats were found to have a reversible type of diabetes mellitus called ‘transient diabetes’.

Some of these cats can be brought back to normal insulin function by losing weight, if they are obese. For others, a short period of treatment with insulin can sometimes buy them time to allow reversal of the condition. The insulin keeps the cat alive long enough for its pancreas to regain the ability to produce insulin naturally.

However, there is no way for your veterinarian to know at the start whether your cat's diabetes is reversible.

Crash course in diabetes

Now that I am taking care of Jonathon, I have been reading a lot about diabetes.  This is a very complex disease.  He also has FIV but I don't think that has much to do with the diabetes.  His blood sugar is down in the low 100's so I called the vet and asked what I should do.  I am now giving him 2 units of insulin instead of 3.

I feel anxious treating him sometimes because I realize the seriousness of this disease.  I am trying to find the answer to this question: How and why does the blood glucose change?  Why is it 300 then lowers to 200?  How does it increase or decrease?  What influences it?  Just food?  I have looked online and I cannot find this answer.  I would like to see some kind of animation or picture showing me how it changes.  I feel that if I learn all about this, I can help him better.

If you know of some sites that will help me with this answer specifically or if you take care of a diabetic cat yourself, please let me know.  I would really appreciate it!

Updates on Jackson, Daisy, Isabella and Annie

I went to visit Jackson, Isabella, Daisy and Annie yesterday.  As you may know, I brought all of them but Annie to the shelter last Tuesday so I could have space to bring Jonathon here.  Jonathon is FIV+ and diabetic and needed foster care to stabilize him.  


Jackson was very hissy the first day or two.  Isabella was pretty much fine the day I brought her.  She was curious and wanted to investigate.  She didn't want to hide which I was really happy about.  She seemed to feel fine about the situation.  Daisy hid for a few days.  Yesterday, when I saw her, she was sitting in her litter box.  For some reason, when cats are nervous, they sit in their litter boxes.  She was hiding in a little cubby, laying under the blankets for the first few days.  I was so happy to see that she had progressed to sitting in the litter box.  I also visited Annie who was really happy to see me.  She rolled around and wanted me to scratch her belly and under her chin. 

I feel a lot better about all of them.  It was hard for me to bring them to the shelter.  Now, I am happy I did because they are much more available for adoption.  It is hard to get a cat adopted when they are in a foster home.  The only way the public is aware of them is their picture on petfinder.  Now that they are living at the shelter, I don't have to arrange for a time for the prospective parents to meet them.  They can meet them anytime!

This picture of Jackson is sad.  I was leaving and I decided to take another picture of him.  He meowed and reached out to me.  I felt really sad when I left but I know that he is safe and is getting taken care of.  I would never leave them if I felt they would be neglected.  I am going to visit them on Wednesday.  

Jonathon, my diabetic foster cat

This is Jonathon, my newest foster cat who has diabetes and FIV.  I have had him since Tuesday and it was a rough couple of days.  I am now starting to get the hang of it, though.  He is very patient and doesn't complain when I have to prick his ear or give him an injection.

I test his blood sugar and give him an insulin injection twice a day.  That might change as he gets regulated.  He is a very sweet boy and I am happy to be able to take care of him.