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Diabetic cat with sudden severe hypo
susie-4964
Posts: 23,143
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You guys have been really helpful in the past, so I wondered if anyone had any experience of this situation. My cat's been diabetic for 11 years, and has generally done well. He's sometimes had hypos, rarely severe, and I treat them myself with maple syrup, then get his blood glucose checked. He's been at the cattery for the past couple of weeks while we were on holiday, and was fine until yesterday. They gave him his insulin injection as usual last night, came in this morning, and he was in a coma, with very low blood glucose. Went to see him when I picked up the other cat, and he's in a pretty bad way, just eating up all the glucose they can give him. Hopefully he'll pull through, he's a pretty tough cat (although he's 18 years old), but obviously it's worrying.
I've no complaints about the cattery, they look after the cats well, and they've got a vet's surgery attached, so treatment was as fast as it could be. What I can't figure out is why his blood glucose should have fallen so low, so fast, and my mind's running to the suspicion that somehow, by accident I assume, he's had a mega-dose of insulin. I've observed this cat for 11 years, and hypos just don't develop that suddenly in my experience, especially with food available, which there was. There are always some signs that the glucose level is getting low before he gets anywhere near a coma. If he's had a mega-dose, I guess it will take some time for his glucose levels to stabilise, especially as he's on long-acting insulin.
Anyone else had this experience? If he recovers, and I am hopeful even although he was very ill, should I ask the vet about whether it could have been an accidental overdose? Thanks for your help, and I'll keep you posted.
I've no complaints about the cattery, they look after the cats well, and they've got a vet's surgery attached, so treatment was as fast as it could be. What I can't figure out is why his blood glucose should have fallen so low, so fast, and my mind's running to the suspicion that somehow, by accident I assume, he's had a mega-dose of insulin. I've observed this cat for 11 years, and hypos just don't develop that suddenly in my experience, especially with food available, which there was. There are always some signs that the glucose level is getting low before he gets anywhere near a coma. If he's had a mega-dose, I guess it will take some time for his glucose levels to stabilise, especially as he's on long-acting insulin.
Anyone else had this experience? If he recovers, and I am hopeful even although he was very ill, should I ask the vet about whether it could have been an accidental overdose? Thanks for your help, and I'll keep you posted.
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My Maine **** is sleeping happily on his chair, and at some point, we'll probably get a new Maine **** kitten for him to mentor! Not a replacement, obviously, but our cats give us so much enjoyment that there's always a space for them.