Calloway's eating!! update 12/2

[jennielynn1970]

He's been at the vet all day getting the baseline established. He refused to eat for me this AM, but when I called and checked on him this afternoon, they said he's doing great, loving on the techs (not surprised, lol), and had eaten for them.

I get to pick him up and get training on administering the insulin at 7:30pm tonight.


Oh, I was picking up food for the rest of my cats today (Royal Canin Special 33), and the place had Fromm's canned food on sale 50% off. It was only .87 for a large cat food can! I almost fell over!! I bought a bunch of them, thinking they'll be nice as a treat for them (I bought all the cans of the "pate" that they had sitting out). I'm wondering if they are low on the glycemic index since they are mostly meat, high protein.

I know Lara said Merrick is low in the glycemic index, and I have to find a shop that carries that brand around here to try that for Calloway. He LOVES canned food, although they only ever get it about 2-3xs a week. Any more than that and I have kitties with runny poop. Not fun!

[jennielynn1970]

Geez, i'm telling you, when it rains, it pours!!

I go back to pick up Calloway, and am told that his blood work came in that they drew yesterday. Sigh.

There's an infection somewhere, so Calloway is on amoxicillan and Cipro. He's got something going on with his liver enzymes (they are over 700, and should be under 100). He's not jaundiced, but he could go into liver failure if he doesn't eat.

Doesn't eat. This is the cat that was told to lose weight.

So, I have to make sure he eats, and eats anything (he got a can of Fromm's pate tonight, and was eating away when I last checked). The vet said it doesn't matter what he eats, as long as he eats. She wants to make sure he makes it through whatever he's going through so that he can handle the insulin. She's not sure if it's from him being diabetic or if it's isolated from that.

His thyroid is also low.

So, for now we're doing the amoxicillan and cipro, he is getting 2 units of insulin in the AM and 1unit in the PM. He goes back on Monday for a glucose check and we'll check to see that what his other levels are in about 10 to 15 days. If he's not eating, she wants him on a liver medicine and an appetite stimulant.

I also have to call every day and let them know if he's eating or not.

I did a get a copy of his bloodwork so that I can look at it, and also see what else is going on (love the bold to tell you what's high/low), and so that I can tell the shelter what is going on.

Keep Calloway in your prayers please. He's going to need them!

[jenluckenbach]

Dear Calloway, I am so sorry this is happening to you.

While I can't even speculate what the infection might be, let's hope the liver enzymes are bad because of his NOT eating.

Oh, and actually, the cipro IS an appetite stimulant.

Prayers for you, dear boy.

[Emeraldgreen]

Wow, Calloway has ALOT going on! I hope that he continues to eat the way he has been today. The Merrick food comes in regular and in low glycemic and the cans look identical except for a small yellow star on the bottom right that says 'low glycemic'. I accidentally bought a couple last time that were regular and had to return them. It comes in at least a half dozen flavours and Barney goes mental for them. His absolute favourite is Cowboy Cookout. Yesterday I was dishing some up and my husband said "are you giving him some Blazing Saddles?" LOL Anyway, I hope that Calloway will like the flavours if you can find some. I did show a can to the vet yesterday and she looked at all the ingredients. She said it was pretty good but she wished there weren't pototaoes included because I guess starches aren't good. But she said all in all it was fairly good. And, it's alot cheaper than the Purina DM canned.


I wonder if his previous weight gain was due to the Hypo thyroidism. I'm pretty sure that is one of the symptoms.

Lots of prayers being sent for tuxie Calloway.

[Medusa]

Oh goodness, Jenn, what next? Calloway, you're scaring everybody. Well, we'll just pump up the volume on the prayers and move you to the top of the list since everyone else seems to be holding their own. You and Barney and Gary, the 3 amigos are all sharing top billing. C'mon now, no more surprises unless they're good ones!

[Taz_Zoee]

OH Calloway, I am hoping you get better soon.

Jennie, how are you doing with giving him his shots?

Hugs to you and Calloway!!

[jennielynn1970]

Well, he seemed good all night. slept with me and was a cuddle bug as usual.

This morning... he's not wanting to eat too much. He seems to prefer the juice from the canned food, although he at a bit of the Fromm's canned. I opened a can of tuna and put the juice and some of the mushy tuna in a bowl for him. He was sipping on that a little bit. No dry food this AM though. I'll have to go out a little later on after the kids in the area are all in school and the rush hour traffic dies down. Will see what kind of canned food i can find to tempt him. Dr. Hess mentioned boiled chicken as well. I'll see if I can find any cold cuts for him too, cause he always like smoked turkey from my hoagies.

Wish me luck, I gotta get him to eat this weekend. I've never done forced feedings, and I am so freaked out I'm going to upset him and then he'll just hate me and not eat anything at all. He's getting pissy with me because I have to give him so many meds. Between the asthma/wheezing med, the cipro, and amoxi, then the injections... poor boy must think I'm just here to torture him.

[Medusa]

I remember how Puddy was when it was med time. She'd let out this cry that sounded like "Nooooo!" I felt awful but she always forgave me in short order. Let's hope that Calloway is just as forgiving. You'll get over this hump soon, Jen, once he gets used to med time plus he won't need to be on all of them forever, maybe not even the insulin at some point. How's he doing today? And how are you?

[jennielynn1970]

He's being Mr. Fussy Pants. Never ever was he a fussy eater, but NOW he decides that he wants to be fussy. Does he want to eat the $$$ canned Fromms? No, just the juice please, says Calloway. I put the cipro in the juice, mixed in a little of the pate, what does he do??? Walks the other way! Ok. Let's try some more tuna. Ummmm... no thanks says Calloway.

What does he end up munching on? Friskies/Purina Favorites (it's in that purple bag... I have it for the stray outside ). Well, the vet did say as long as he eats, she doesn't care what. Okie dokie! He went to town on that stuff.

I'm still going to go grab some more canned food. Will try the market selects, since those seem to be popular with sick kitties. I'll wait till the shopping rush is over (I hate shopping when it's crowded), and go later in the afternoon when it's died own. Gotta get the coupons in order too.

I just want him to eat. He ate treats too. Not many, just like 4-5 of the Pounce chicken drumsticks. The insulin went ok this AM. He didn't make a peep. I rubbed him, and have him the treats afterward, so I'm hoping he felt better with that, lol.

Honey is now eating the Fromm''s left overs. He loves his canned food. I doubt the Cipro will harm him, he can eat all he needs to as well. He gets fussy at times and only wants canned. My old guy. Gotta make sure he's well too. He loves the market selects, lol.

[Moesha]

The insulin will help no matter what Calloway is eating. I cat sit for a diabetic kitty. His "mom", who is in her 80s and is like talking to a brick wall sometimes, won't regulate his food or change it from Nine Lives so something higher in protein. He's doing well on his 4 units twice a day. Even though it makes me so mad, I am happy that she will at least buy him the insulin. Also, with the shots, the more nervous you are, the more Calloway will be nervous. So I like what you said you did about just rubbing him when giving him the insulin. Just make it an enjoyable experience and he won't notice. After a few more days, you won't notice either! Glad that there is something Calloway will eat!

[Emeraldgreen]

Yay, he's eating! It might not be the ideal diet but at least he's finally getting something in him and hopefully it will help get him back on track. And maybe like Moesha wrote, it might not be as important (what kind of food) once they are on the insulin? That would be great.
Sounds like you've got the shots down pretty good. I'm still working on my technique. lol Yesterday was a disaster but today went much better.
I hope that the insulin starts to kick in and that Calloway shows improvement soon. Please give him a squeeze for me.

[jennielynn1970]

What a trooper this boy is! He's been eating really well, and is SOOOOO good about letting me give him his insulin. He's gotten the routine down and knows that after he gets an injection, if he jumps up onto the window seat in the kitchen, he gets some Temptations, lol. Not a ton, just a few. I just think it makes him think of the injections as he's getting something good out of them. I've had to stop him from rolling over on to his back for belly rubs during the injections, lol. He's such a goofball!

He's had much more energy as well, and has been running around the house again, and being so much more alert and happy looking. I'm hoping that this keeps up.

I do have to get him back for a glucose check. Hopefully the dose he is at will be good.

[Medusa]

Now that's the kind of update that I like to read! Atta boy, Calloway! And you seem much calmer now, Jenn. Getting used to the regimen, eh? I knew you would.

[Emeraldgreen]

What an awesome update! You sound like a pro with those injections! And I'm so glad to hear that he is being such a good patient. It must be so rewarding to see him running around and having more energy. Please let us know how his glucose tests go when you bring him in.
Do you use the 30 unit BD syringes? I just discovered them at the pharmacy and the needle is alot shorter than the ones the vet gave me.

[jennielynn1970]

I think they're 40 unit syringes, Lara. We can't buy syringes at the pharmacy here unless we have a script. The 40 unit one is small though, so I'm happy about that. I still don't think I'd want to inject myself though, lol. I'm such a wuss.