He's All Right
Back in September, Ferdinand was diagnosed as having diabetes. Since that time, we have been giving him insulin shots twice a day, and going in periodically to have his blood glucose levels checked.
The vet started him on 1/2 of a unit of insulin. Apparently, they always start with that level in cats, and then see how the cat responds. You'd rather underdose than overdose on insulin. Bad things can happen if you have too much insulin.
After Ferdie had been on 1/2 of a unit for probably a week, we had his blood checked. No change was detected in the glucose levels, so the vet ordered us to go up to 1 unit twice a day, and then come back for a blood check. Well, we went from 1 unit, to 1.5 units, to 2 units, to 2.5 units, to 3, then 3.5, and we are now at 4 units. I love the vet's office, but I am truly tired of seeing the lovely ladies that work the reception desk! In fact yesterday, when I took Ferdinand in, he whined (loudly) the entire car ride. He whined (loudly) in the waiting area, AND he whined (loudly) throughout the blood draw (I could hear him from the waiting area). It is obvious to me that he is a bit tired of seeing the vet's office as well.
At one point in this whole ordeal, and because Ferdinand's glucose levels weren't dropping sufficiently, the vet opted to do periodic blood draws throughout the day. This was in an effort to more accurately get a count of his blood glucose. When I went to pick Ferdinand up that day, the vet simply said, "Cats are special. Your cat in particular is very special." Well yeah, to us, he is! That isn't what she meant. Usually, in healthy animals, blood glucose levels increase slightly after eating, but for the most part, the level should stay pretty level. In diabetic animals, there isn't as much stability in the levels, so the vet should see some crests and troughs in the curve. Not in Ferdinand. His level was stable, but unhealthily stable. A level of 381 mg/dL isn't what they wanted to see at all!
In the end, it seems that the 4 units of insulin twice a day is (finally) working pretty well. He and Lucy are playing more, we see Ferdinand snuggling with the kids, and I actually SEE him more during the day. Ferdinand doesn't seem to be drinking as much, nor is he urinating as frequently or as copiously. I hope we are on the other side of this. I guess we'll see.
I should mention that cats really are special when it comes to diabetes. The vet also told me that in cats, sometimes diabetes just goes away after a couple of years!! Doesn't that just make you wonder? Is anyone doing research on that component of the cat? They very well should be!
The vet started him on 1/2 of a unit of insulin. Apparently, they always start with that level in cats, and then see how the cat responds. You'd rather underdose than overdose on insulin. Bad things can happen if you have too much insulin.
After Ferdie had been on 1/2 of a unit for probably a week, we had his blood checked. No change was detected in the glucose levels, so the vet ordered us to go up to 1 unit twice a day, and then come back for a blood check. Well, we went from 1 unit, to 1.5 units, to 2 units, to 2.5 units, to 3, then 3.5, and we are now at 4 units. I love the vet's office, but I am truly tired of seeing the lovely ladies that work the reception desk! In fact yesterday, when I took Ferdinand in, he whined (loudly) the entire car ride. He whined (loudly) in the waiting area, AND he whined (loudly) throughout the blood draw (I could hear him from the waiting area). It is obvious to me that he is a bit tired of seeing the vet's office as well.
At one point in this whole ordeal, and because Ferdinand's glucose levels weren't dropping sufficiently, the vet opted to do periodic blood draws throughout the day. This was in an effort to more accurately get a count of his blood glucose. When I went to pick Ferdinand up that day, the vet simply said, "Cats are special. Your cat in particular is very special." Well yeah, to us, he is! That isn't what she meant. Usually, in healthy animals, blood glucose levels increase slightly after eating, but for the most part, the level should stay pretty level. In diabetic animals, there isn't as much stability in the levels, so the vet should see some crests and troughs in the curve. Not in Ferdinand. His level was stable, but unhealthily stable. A level of 381 mg/dL isn't what they wanted to see at all!
In the end, it seems that the 4 units of insulin twice a day is (finally) working pretty well. He and Lucy are playing more, we see Ferdinand snuggling with the kids, and I actually SEE him more during the day. Ferdinand doesn't seem to be drinking as much, nor is he urinating as frequently or as copiously. I hope we are on the other side of this. I guess we'll see.
I should mention that cats really are special when it comes to diabetes. The vet also told me that in cats, sometimes diabetes just goes away after a couple of years!! Doesn't that just make you wonder? Is anyone doing research on that component of the cat? They very well should be!
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