Draco the Diabetic Cat

More than a year later

2008-07-02T20:08:00.002-07:00

So to update you all, Draco is doing great! He is still on a wet food diet and will stay that way. He even looks like he may be a little chubby! (not really but he was sooo skinny at one point)

He looked so bad I thought I was going to lose him. I'm happy to report he is healthy and happy.

I hope you are all doing well with your kitties!

Kim

Remission?

2007-07-16T20:29:00.000-07:00

I tested Draco today and he was at 44! Now that's kinda low, but that's all on his own. I asked mushymom if that was okay and she said that maybe he just runs lower than average??? I gave him a few kernels of dry food just to calm my nerves.

Here is his sister cat Reign:

So it's 5 days and no insulin!!!

Draco is doing great!

2007-07-13T22:44:00.000-07:00

I tested Draco a little while ago: 145. He's doing great! I'm so excited for him. He seems happy and content. I hope this stays for awhile!

The FDMB has been sooo busy lately. Quite a few of us are worried about wordywanda and we all pray her cat is okay. I hope we didn't freak her out with all our posts. We all just wanted to help her cat. It's so hard to sit around waiting to hear on his progress.

I'm tired so it's time to leave a little food out for Draco overnight and go to bed.

Talk to you soon.

Pancreas Action...????

2007-07-12T19:46:00.000-07:00

It's Thursday night and Draco hasn't had a shot since Wednesday morning! He's been on Lantus for 9 days and he may be in remission! He is doing fantastic! He is feisty as heck (I feel bad for my other cat-he's back to his usual self-chasing her around the house).

Here are some numbers:

7/11/2007 ---Wednesday
AMPS 308 -gave .4u
PMPS 240 (+12)
+14.25 201 (he went down from 240 to 201 all on his own)

7/12/2007---Thursday
+23.5 112
+27.5 152
+35.5 152

I will report on tomorrows numbers. I'm very excited about this!

Poor kitty cat!

2007-07-12T19:35:00.001-07:00

Draco and I had two really bad days. I swear I thought I killed my cat!

His numbers went really really low last Saturday and this past Monday. I was so freaked out. I was feeding him dry food, milk, honey, karo syrup, anything to bring his numbers up. I was on the felinediabetes.com health board getting advice the whole time. Those people on that board are wonderful and kind. I appreciate everything they have done for me and my cat.

Once a cat has had one of these episodes, apparently they are more sensitive to insulin. I didn't know this! So on Monday I gave him .75u, and that was just too much for him. His blood sugar went down to 45, three hours after the shot! Draco usually dips until 6 hours after his shot. I was freaking out. I was also incredibly upset with myself for being so stupid.

Well, we got through it and he's okay (I had a few stressful nightmares because of it, but nonetheless).

So, here's to Draco's health!!

4th of July

2007-07-04T06:56:00.000-07:00

Happy Independence Day!

On July 4th, 1776, America declared independence from Great Britain. These brave men worked late into the night writing the Declaration of Independence.

I thank God every day for being born in the USA. This is the greatest country to live in and I am so lucky to be here.

Now, on to my Dracmeister! He got 1 unit of Lantus at +13 this morning (yes I slept in a bit). He was at 327! He hasn't been above 400 since he started Lantus yesterday morning! I swear he's not bugging me as much to eat! Woohoo!!

First day on Lantus

2007-07-03T21:04:00.000-07:00

So, today was our first day with Lantus. Okay okay, it's one day, but here are some of his numbers:

AMPS 437
+2 305
+4 267
+6 224
+11.5 (PMPS) 397

So that's it for now. The exciting thing is he didn't get back over 400 at 11.5 hours! That is amazing! I've been working with Lisa, she is a feline diabetic expert. She has been fantastic at answering my gazillion questions. She suggested I stick it out at 1 unit 2 times per day for 4 or 5 days. I plan to take another curve in a few days to see how his body is responding.

On Novolin he peaked at +3, then his numbers started going back up rather quickly. I'm so excited to see that Draco actually stayed in the 200s for a few hours!

This is silly I'm sure, but I think that accidently getting the Lantus bottle at the pet resort on Sunday, was a sign! It was a sign to put Draco on Lantus. (of course I returned that bottle!!)

Draco has been getting better at letting me poke his ears. I massage his ears at various times so he doesn't associate ear touching w/a poke! He starts to purr now when I rub his ears to get ready to poke him! I sure am sneaky!

New Insulin!!!

2007-07-02T18:27:00.000-07:00

I called my vet this morning and left a very direct (but nice) message stating I needed a prescription for Lantus. I just picked it up from Walgreens! Yes, tis true, I'm holding a vial of Lantus in my hot little hands!

Draco will start tomorrow! I'm so excited because according to the information and research I've looked into, many cats go into remission on Lantus. Here's hoping!

I'm Baaaack!

2007-07-01T14:35:00.000-07:00

My husband and I got back late last night (Sat night). We had a blast on our cruise, but we are sooo happy to be home. We traveled for 14 hours yesterday-that sucked.

So I picked up Draco from the pet resort as soon as they opened. He's been meowing something fierce all day. I'm thinking it's the stress from being away from home for a week.

I tested his BG levels at +6, he was at 151! I don't know how that happened. He's been running around the house all crazy. I think they may have given Draco the wrong insulin. When I left w/his insulin bottle, I double checked to make sure it was the right one. It wasn't! It belonged to the other diabetic cat there. It was Lantus!! That's what I'm hoping to switch Draco to this week. I'm calling my vet at 8 am on Monday to request that he order it. If he doesn't agree, I'm switching vets. Simple as that.

I gave back the Lantus and took my Novolin home. I'm gonna test Draco in a couple of hours before his next shot.

I'll post on what the vet says manana!

Laters.

Leavin

2007-06-24T17:24:00.001-07:00

I'm leaving on a vacation tonight on a red eye. I just dropped Draco off at a kennel for the week. I'm completely sick to my stomach worried about him. I just hope and pray that he will be okay till I get back. I hope he eats and takes his insulin like he's supposed to.

I will report to you in a week.

My Vacation

2007-06-20T17:10:00.000-07:00

So my husband and I are leaving this weekend to go on a cruise! I can't wait! Draco is staying at a pet resort in Rio Rancho. They know how to administer insulin. I will worry about him while I'm gone.

I talked to my vet and told him (demanded really) that I am changing Draco to a longer actin insulin as soon as I get back. The one he's on (Novolin) is just not working for him. He's still always hungry and drinking lots of water. I'm pushing for Lantus. I can't wait to get him regulated, poor baby.

Frustration!

2007-06-20T17:08:00.000-07:00

So I feel terrible because I just lost it with Draco the other morning. He had food in his bowl overnight, but he wanted different food! I was half asleep and he wouldn't stop meowing!! I got so angry with him. I feel terrible now.

Lazy sunday

2007-06-17T17:02:00.000-07:00

Draco is getting soooo finicky on what he eats! I now have to mix the Friskies w/the Fancy Feast or he looks up at me and says "what is this crap?"

Gonna call the vet tomorrow and ask for a longer acting insulin, N is just not working.

The one thing I really hate about him eating all the time>>>> the litter! I have to clean it every single day! It's always smelly and gross. He's a messy cat.

Going for a curve

2007-06-16T20:38:00.000-07:00

I'm working on getting a curve tonight. I changed him to 1.5 units 2 times per day. I want to see how this works for him.

He has good energy, but still urinating a lot. I will post on how he does for hours 1 through 5.

Good night all!

Fickle Feline

2007-06-12T17:42:00.001-07:00

I bought Draco some Fancy Feast today. He loves it! I think he was getting sick of Friskies every day. I'm gonna have to mix it up because I have so many cans of Friskies, but I really want him to eat too.

I tested his BG before his meal: 387. I'm gonna give him his shot now. More on his BG numbers later.

New Day

2007-06-12T08:34:00.001-07:00

So I've been giving Draco about 1.5 units of insulin 2 times per day. I'm bothered by the fact that N only lasts about 8 hours for Draco. I just called the vet to ask for a longer lasting insulin. He's gonna think I'm a freak, but oh well.

I'm also going to buy more wet food. I think he needs more variety-he's getting bored!

He has a bit more energy

2007-06-07T13:19:00.000-07:00

I'm still a little uncertain on whether Draco is getting enough insulin. His numbers are barely creeping down. But I'm happy to report that his BG is down to 258 five hours after his shot.

Now he's getting harder to test because he has a bit more energy. Little rascal.

2nd Shot

2007-06-05T20:57:00.000-07:00

So I gave Draco his second shot. He does not like it when I do it while he's eating!

It's all a learning experience!

He's been mostly sleeping in his cat tent today. His energy levels are still very low.

I'll post Thursday on how he does over the next couple of days.

Vet Visit

2007-06-05T07:59:00.000-07:00

I went to the vet with Draco yesterday to learn how to give Draco his insulin shot.

He weighed 7 pounds 14 ounces. Draco used to weigh over 12 pounds! He is so skinny, I can feel his spine.

I woke up this morning, tested his blood glucose (406) and then fed him. I then gave him his first insulin shot. I'm not too sure I did it right??? I will do it tonight after dinner time so hopefully I do it better then.

My vet says normal glucose is 70-120.

Giving the shot was easy (if I did it right). Testing his blood glucose is harder because I have to get blood from his ear!

Here is a video of how to test blood sugar in a cat:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zE12-4fVn8

Draco's History

2007-06-02T20:46:00.000-07:00

Draco is a 12 year old domestic short hair cat. He had a serious eye infection, which required a vet visit to the eye specialist here in town. The vet put him on Megestrol, which can cause feline diabetes.

I was concerned he was developing diabetes, I brought this concern to my doctor. He eventually took him off the Megestrol, but by then it was too late.

Draco was a 12 pound cat that is now 8.5 pounds.

Draco was diagnosed with diabetes in March of 2007.

Vet visit 3/12/2007: BG level at 402.

Vet visit 4/13/2007: BG level at 275. Vet wants to wait another week to take another test. He started at 400 about 2 months ago. He gained 6 ounces.

Vet visit 4/20/2007: BG level at 222. Vet wants him to stay on high protein food, no insulin is prescribed.

Home testing (first time!!) at 11:30 pm: BG level at 391.

Vet phone call 6/2/2007: I told vet Draco needs insulin. I bought the medication today. My vet visit is Monday for education and to start the insulin. Hooray! I am holding Novolin in my hot little hands.

Home testing (2nd time)at 9:00 pm: BG level at 395

So, that's a brief history. He should start insulin on Monday, June 4th.