Life is my litterbox ... Grab the SCOOP!

Friday, April 16, 2010

Okay ... Now what?


Grandma kept today's appointment at the v-e-t for Puffy and Pumpkin. Both boys had a special "sugar" test for their diabetes to re-evaluate how much insulin they should be taking. Mom was gonna buy more insulin and needles this weekend 'cuz they were running kinda low ... she was prepared for that.

But what happened today? Mom doesn't really understand an' Grandma wasn't too good at explainin' what Dr. Hannigan had said. Needless to say, both boys came home today totally freaked out (ask Mom 'bout the rivulet of pee that led from the livin' room clear down the hallway an' under her bed that Pumpkin made when he was released from the PTU).

Apparently, Puffy's sugar was at 67 an' Pumpkin's was at 43 when they were tested in the early afternoon today. They both got their insulin shots at 8 o'clock this morning as they're supposed to have ... Mom's careful 'bout insulin AND only feeds us the diabetic diet from Prescription Science Diet (although she'd rather we eat the prebiotic diet from Eukanuba). We're all losin' a little bit of weight from the "fat cat" food ... but now NEITHER Pumpkin nor Puffy needs insulin. The v-e-t thinks that their diabetes can be controlled with diet exclusively.

Mom's happy for the boys (an' her pocketbook 'cuz insulin an' needles are pricey), but she's confused, too. Pumpkin had been nearly dead back in early November and became Lazarus-like after the miracle of insulin. What happens now that he's no longer gettin' two shots a day? How's she supposed to watch him drink water an' pee in the litterbox when she's at work?

I've promised to do my best to snoopervise the boys an' report back to Mom with what I see. At least Charmee's still on the Buspirone twice a day. Can you believe that he sits on the floor under where Mom keeps the pills to alert her when it's 8 o'clock an' he is due for another dose? I guess he likes the flavor of the Pill Pockets, right? Or ... It's like I've been singin' all along: Charmee is WEEEIIIRRRRRRDDDDD!

12 comments:

Angel, Kirby and Max said...

That is really strange. We hope it can be controlled by diet alone

Gemini and Ichiro said...

Well many people can control their diabetes with diet alone. They may not have been able to tolerate the food or digest it well so the new food is allowing them to regulate their blood sugar more naturally. Diet is HUGE.

Kate (Pablo's mum) said...

Great news, but confusing, yes. Hope it keeps up (the diet-controlled sugar levels, not the confusion).

Jacqueline said...

We hope the vet is right and their diet will control the diabetes; good luck, it will be wonderful if it works!...Have a fun weekend...xo...Calle, Halle, Sukki

The Whiskeratti said...

It does seem odd, but hopefully the v-e-t is a good one and knows his business.

Jans Funny Farm said...

Well, this is good news if it works! But what happened to those poor guys to send them peeing down the hall?

Toffee K. Ripple Fuzzypants & Feline American Angels said...

Puffy an' Pumpkin don't EVER leave the house 'cept in the PTUs to go to the v-e-t, so they get kinda traumatized. Grandma doesn't think that either of 'em used the litterboxes at the v-e-t an' that they'd been "holdin' it" all day. When they were released from the PTUs, the scrambled down the hallway, lost their balances on the wood laminate floor, an' squirted a pee trail down the hallway. Boys ...

Oh, an' Dr. Hannigan is a lady v-e-t ... she cleaned my teefs!
DMM

Daisy said...

One of the Cats-Who-Came-Before at our house named Slinky was diabetic. After she lost some weight, she did not have to take insulin for a little while. There were enough of the pancreas cells making insulin to support the lower body weight. Eventually, those "burned out" and she had to go back on insulin.

Toffee K. Ripple Fuzzypants & Feline American Angels said...

Thanks for the info, Miss Daisy. That is very good to know. Mom's just playin'-it-by-ear, 'cuz we're always seemin' to have one thing an' then the other.

DMM

Mark's Mews (Marley, Lori, Loki, and Binq) said...

We feel sorry for the boys about the pee trail. It seems they were TRYIN ta get ta the litterbox, though. Or mebbe it was the ecitement about hearing they dont need the needles...

Just Ducky said...

Some kitties once they get stablized can do ok with diet only. Paws crossed that that is true here.

Lynx217 said...

Please beware. Diabetic cats are prone to infections, especially urinary tract and upper respiratory, both of which can throw your whole regulation out the door, possibly permanently. I would advise you still test at least twice a week. Keep a very close eye on them. Diabetes is a fickle monster that demands a lot and confuses constantly. I sure do hope that you can manage though with just a diet change, as unlike humans, it is possible for feline diabetes to go into remission.