Help!! my cat is newly diagnosed as diabetic, we had a good schedule going with giving him insulin. Monday he went for a glucose curve and the vet upped his dose to 2 units and he seemed to be doing fine. Wed we came home from work to find that he had eaten two seedlings I was growing on my window sill. One was corn, and one was Romaine lettuce. Ever since he has not been eating or drinking much at all. Wed night he threw up a couple of times, and had some diarrhea and he threw up again last night. The vet said she wasn't aware of anything poisonous in them, but he is not eating and if he is not eating I can't give him his insulin. Tonight we took him back to the vet and they gave us a pill to increase his appetite. If that doesn't work he needs to go back for more bloodwork and possibly a hospital stay. This all happened out of nowhere, could the seedlings have made him sick?!!
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Diabetic cat not eating/Ate some seedlings
- Thread starter gilbert&liam
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I would give the vet a call and let her know that your cat is still sick. Go to the pharmacy and get either KetoStix or KetoDiastix to measure ketones in your cat's urine. A daibetic cat who is not eating and is vomiting can develop a serious condition called diabetic ketoacidosis. Get a fresh urine sample (hold a cup or long handled spoon under the cat's tail if possible) and stick a test strip into the urine. Any amount of ketones present, even a trace, needs an immediate trip to the vet or vet ER. You cannot treat ketoacidosis at home.
Try posting on the FelineDiabetes.com board as well. Your cat's symptoms may be diabetes-related and not from the seedlings. Do you test your cat's blood glucose levels at home? Blindly giivng insulin is dangerous if you don't know what the current level is. 2 units of insulin can pack a huge punch, especially if the blood glucose level is in a normal range. What insulin are you using? Do you have the correct insulin syringes and have been shown how to correctly measure a dose (ie to the 2 line and not the 20 line)?
Do not give any insulin if your cat is not eating and is vomiting.
Try posting on the FelineDiabetes.com board as well. Your cat's symptoms may be diabetes-related and not from the seedlings. Do you test your cat's blood glucose levels at home? Blindly giivng insulin is dangerous if you don't know what the current level is. 2 units of insulin can pack a huge punch, especially if the blood glucose level is in a normal range. What insulin are you using? Do you have the correct insulin syringes and have been shown how to correctly measure a dose (ie to the 2 line and not the 20 line)?
Do not give any insulin if your cat is not eating and is vomiting.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #4
it was not that plant, it was a seedling of the corn you would eat from the grocery store.
we havn't given him insulin since Wed as per the vets instructions. I have been properly trained, yes and we were giving him 2 units. I do not give him any unless he eats. The vet took a glucose sample yesterday and today and yesterday it was 16, today 14. He has only been on insulin for about 2 weeks now so we havn't gotten it 100% under control yet. I will try on the diabetes board, thanks.
we havn't given him insulin since Wed as per the vets instructions. I have been properly trained, yes and we were giving him 2 units. I do not give him any unless he eats. The vet took a glucose sample yesterday and today and yesterday it was 16, today 14. He has only been on insulin for about 2 weeks now so we havn't gotten it 100% under control yet. I will try on the diabetes board, thanks.
Since he is newly diagnosed I think this is probably related to the diabetes and getting the insulin and diet balanced. Usually if it's just a tummy ache from something that didn't agree with kitty it wouldn't last this long especially since the plants aren't poisonous..
I hope you and your vet can figure this out and get kitty on the right routine.
I hope you and your vet can figure this out and get kitty on the right routine.
As insulin production is the pancreas' job, diabetics are prone to pancreatitis, especially once vomiting starts. Checking his blood chemistry, then an abdominal ultrasound, would be ideal if he vomits persistently.
If no appetite for 24 hours, he needs supportive care, in the form of IV fluids and potentially IV dextrose drip, if his blood glucose gets at or below 70mg/dL. He's also at risk for low potassium, bad for muscles, organs, cells in general.
If he will eat something, even a small amount, ie 2T, without vomiting, then pancreatitis is less of a concern, and gastritis may be all he was dealing with, triggered by his dietary indiscretion of the plants he ingested.
Having a glucometer at home to monitor his glucose is a great management tool, so you know where his BG is even if he doesn't eat, or if his diabetes symptoms flare, such as increased thirst and urination. You can perform glucose curves at home solely from ear pinna blood drops, report the curve to your vet, and they can advise insulin dose changes from there. Curves are more accurate at home compared to the hospital, as they're less stressed when not staying in a clinic all day for multiple blood draws.
It's worth investing the initial cost in the glucometer and strips, getting the maximum benefit from his insulin therapy by accurately gauging his glucose and accurately dosing him. Hope his stomach upset has already subsided and he's back to eating and getting his injections like clockwork ;b
If no appetite for 24 hours, he needs supportive care, in the form of IV fluids and potentially IV dextrose drip, if his blood glucose gets at or below 70mg/dL. He's also at risk for low potassium, bad for muscles, organs, cells in general.
If he will eat something, even a small amount, ie 2T, without vomiting, then pancreatitis is less of a concern, and gastritis may be all he was dealing with, triggered by his dietary indiscretion of the plants he ingested.
Having a glucometer at home to monitor his glucose is a great management tool, so you know where his BG is even if he doesn't eat, or if his diabetes symptoms flare, such as increased thirst and urination. You can perform glucose curves at home solely from ear pinna blood drops, report the curve to your vet, and they can advise insulin dose changes from there. Curves are more accurate at home compared to the hospital, as they're less stressed when not staying in a clinic all day for multiple blood draws.
It's worth investing the initial cost in the glucometer and strips, getting the maximum benefit from his insulin therapy by accurately gauging his glucose and accurately dosing him. Hope his stomach upset has already subsided and he's back to eating and getting his injections like clockwork ;b
