Look Out, She's Got a Needle

bluess · 3rd January 2007, 09:09 AM

And she's VERY afraid to use it.

We have just found out that our 10-year old cat is diabetic. He came back with blood glucose levels of 460. The vet is fairly calm, but Blue here now gets to shoot up the cat every evening. The vet showed us how last night, and it doesn't appear that the cat felt a darn thing - the needle is very thin. But, oh my.

I did ask him what would happen if an excessively klutzy person (yeah, that would be me) managed to shoot themselves with 2 units of kitty insulin. He said, well, you could eat a donut. Nice guy

.

The good news is that two hours after receipt of his first shot, Yukon the cat looked significantly better. He'd been looking scruffy and sort of under-the-weather, but he got all bright-eyed and full of mischief. I guess $75+ a month to get him the Diabetes management food, insulin and needles is worth it for the bugger.

tkingdoll · 3rd January 2007, 09:14 AM

Aw, I'm glad the treatment is working already. But don't bugger your cat, it's not nice.

bluess · 3rd January 2007, 09:17 AM

Originally Posted by tkingdoll

Aw, I'm glad the treatment is working already. But don't bugger your cat, it's not nice.

I don't have the appropriate equipment.

fuelair · 3rd January 2007, 09:38 AM

And I would expect the scratches would be totally awesome!!!!

bluess · 3rd January 2007, 09:45 AM

[old joke]
Moosehead's fine, as long as you don't mind antler marks on your thighs
[/old joke]

(Moosehead is a not-very-good beer.)

luchog · 3rd January 2007, 03:04 PM

Quote:

(Moosehead is a not-very-good beer.)

In much the same way that Ted Bundy was a not-very-good date.

Sorry to hear about the kitty. Have a friend who deals with a couple of diabetic kitties, and both of them are doing great on the diet and insulin regime (iirc, only one of them currently needs insulin).

I haven't had a cat in quite some time, 'cause of my small apartment. Both of my rats recently died, from what appeared to be some form of cancer (fairly common in domesticated rats, and this bloodline in particular). So the only pet I have left is a small, brain-damaged snake who is doing quite well so far.

casebro · 3rd January 2007, 04:57 PM

How can you tell that your snake is brain damaged? Does he slurr his S's?

luchog · 4th January 2007, 12:00 PM

double post

luchog · 4th January 2007, 12:51 PM

Originally Posted by casebro

How can you tell that your snake is brain damaged? Does he slurr his S's?

A couple months after he was born, the breeder (a friend of mine) noticed that he was acting strangely and suspected Inclusion Body Disease (IBD) because of the symptoms -- partial paralysis, "star gazing", and inability to eat. He didn't manifest any other typical symptoms of IBD however. She gave him to me, since I didn't have any other reptiles at the time, and she didn't want to take chances with her collection. IBD is an increasingly common disease of boids, and is particularly fatal to boas.

He did eventually improve, and after some months of force-feeding, he finally started eating on his own. He still has some minor coordination and movement problems, and will sometimes stop eating for extended periods for no apparent reason (not in shed, no changes to environment, no other health issues), and is a bit small for his age; but is otherwise healthy and growing.

The breeder consulted with a vet, who said that it was most likely something like a stroke, not that uncommon among reptiles, particularly those from highly inbred bloodlines.

Here's a picture of him from about a year and half ago, when he was about a year old.. It really doesn't do justice to his colouring. He's a Crawl Cay Island Boa, the smallest of the Boa constrictor imperator, aka "dwarf" boas; and IMO the best looking.

bluess · 9th January 2007, 07:24 AM

Aw, luchog, your snake is a cutie.

Kitty update - after a week of insulin and change in diet, Yukon is much perkier. His fur has regained some of its sheen, and he is acting more like his old annoying self. We have a shelf that is up rather high that has a box on it. Its been about a month since he's jumped up there and slept - yesterday morning was his first time. He is also chasing the other cat, and biting my toes again, so I guess he'll by just fine.

3rd January 2007, 09:09 AM	#1
bluess Illuminator Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Dithering between book choices in a shop somewhere. Posts: 3,431	Look Out, She's Got a Needle And she's VERY afraid to use it. We have just found out that our 10-year old cat is diabetic. He came back with blood glucose levels of 460. The vet is fairly calm, but Blue here now gets to shoot up the cat every evening. The vet showed us how last night, and it doesn't appear that the cat felt a darn thing - the needle is very thin. But, oh my. I did ask him what would happen if an excessively klutzy person (yeah, that would be me) managed to shoot themselves with 2 units of kitty insulin. He said, well, you could eat a donut. Nice guy . The good news is that two hours after receipt of his first shot, Yukon the cat looked significantly better. He'd been looking scruffy and sort of under-the-weather, but he got all bright-eyed and full of mischief. I guess $75+ a month to get him the Diabetes management food, insulin and needles is worth it for the bugger.
	__________________ 'Lord Emsworth, that amiable but bone-headed peer, stood at the window drooping like a wet sock.' -PG Wodehouse, The Crime Wave at Blandings

3rd January 2007, 09:14 AM	#2
tkingdoll AKA TEEK Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Up Myself Posts: 12,471	Aw, I'm glad the treatment is working already. But don't bugger your cat, it's not nice.
	__________________ www.stormmovie.net Official website of Tim Minchin's Storm Movie

3rd January 2007, 09:17 AM	#3
bluess Illuminator Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Dithering between book choices in a shop somewhere. Posts: 3,431	Originally Posted by tkingdoll Aw, I'm glad the treatment is working already. But don't bugger your cat, it's not nice. I don't have the appropriate equipment.
	__________________ 'Lord Emsworth, that amiable but bone-headed peer, stood at the window drooping like a wet sock.' -PG Wodehouse, The Crime Wave at Blandings

3rd January 2007, 09:38 AM	#4
fuelair Cythraul Enfys Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 28,881	And I would expect the scratches would be totally awesome!!!!
fuelair Cythraul Enfys Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 28,881

3rd January 2007, 09:45 AM	#5
bluess Illuminator Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Dithering between book choices in a shop somewhere. Posts: 3,431	[old joke] Moosehead's fine, as long as you don't mind antler marks on your thighs [/old joke] (Moosehead is a not-very-good beer.)
	__________________ 'Lord Emsworth, that amiable but bone-headed peer, stood at the window drooping like a wet sock.' -PG Wodehouse, The Crime Wave at Blandings

3rd January 2007, 03:04 PM	#6
luchog Neo-Post-Retro-Revivalist Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: The Emerald City Posts: 7,957	Quote: (Moosehead is a not-very-good beer.) In much the same way that Ted Bundy was a not-very-good date. Sorry to hear about the kitty. Have a friend who deals with a couple of diabetic kitties, and both of them are doing great on the diet and insulin regime (iirc, only one of them currently needs insulin). I haven't had a cat in quite some time, 'cause of my small apartment. Both of my rats recently died, from what appeared to be some form of cancer (fairly common in domesticated rats, and this bloodline in particular). So the only pet I have left is a small, brain-damaged snake who is doing quite well so far.
	__________________ "All opinions are not equal. Some are a very great deal more robust, sophisticated and well supported in logic and argument than others." -- Douglas Adams "The absence of evidence might indeed not be evidence of absence, but it's a pretty good start." -- PhantomWolf "Let's see the buggers figure that one out." - John Lennon

3rd January 2007, 04:57 PM	#7
casebro Philosopher Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 6,787	How can you tell that your snake is brain damaged? Does he slurr his S's?
casebro Philosopher Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 6,787	__________________ Please pardon me for having ideas, not facts. Some have called me cynical, but I don't believe them. It's not how many breaths you take. It's how many times you have been breathless that counts.

4th January 2007, 12:00 PM	#8
luchog Neo-Post-Retro-Revivalist Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: The Emerald City Posts: 7,957	double post
	__________________ "All opinions are not equal. Some are a very great deal more robust, sophisticated and well supported in logic and argument than others." -- Douglas Adams "The absence of evidence might indeed not be evidence of absence, but it's a pretty good start." -- PhantomWolf "Let's see the buggers figure that one out." - John Lennon Last edited by luchog; 4th January 2007 at 12:52 PM.

4th January 2007, 12:51 PM	#9
luchog Neo-Post-Retro-Revivalist Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: The Emerald City Posts: 7,957	Originally Posted by casebro How can you tell that your snake is brain damaged? Does he slurr his S's? A couple months after he was born, the breeder (a friend of mine) noticed that he was acting strangely and suspected Inclusion Body Disease (IBD) because of the symptoms -- partial paralysis, "star gazing", and inability to eat. He didn't manifest any other typical symptoms of IBD however. She gave him to me, since I didn't have any other reptiles at the time, and she didn't want to take chances with her collection. IBD is an increasingly common disease of boids, and is particularly fatal to boas. He did eventually improve, and after some months of force-feeding, he finally started eating on his own. He still has some minor coordination and movement problems, and will sometimes stop eating for extended periods for no apparent reason (not in shed, no changes to environment, no other health issues), and is a bit small for his age; but is otherwise healthy and growing. The breeder consulted with a vet, who said that it was most likely something like a stroke, not that uncommon among reptiles, particularly those from highly inbred bloodlines. Here's a picture of him from about a year and half ago, when he was about a year old.. It really doesn't do justice to his colouring. He's a Crawl Cay Island Boa, the smallest of the Boa constrictor imperator, aka "dwarf" boas; and IMO the best looking.
	__________________ "All opinions are not equal. Some are a very great deal more robust, sophisticated and well supported in logic and argument than others." -- Douglas Adams "The absence of evidence might indeed not be evidence of absence, but it's a pretty good start." -- PhantomWolf "Let's see the buggers figure that one out." - John Lennon

9th January 2007, 07:24 AM	#10
bluess Illuminator Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Dithering between book choices in a shop somewhere. Posts: 3,431	Aw, luchog, your snake is a cutie. Kitty update - after a week of insulin and change in diet, Yukon is much perkier. His fur has regained some of its sheen, and he is acting more like his old annoying self. We have a shelf that is up rather high that has a box on it. Its been about a month since he's jumped up there and slept - yesterday morning was his first time. He is also chasing the other cat, and biting my toes again, so I guess he'll by just fine.
	__________________ 'Lord Emsworth, that amiable but bone-headed peer, stood at the window drooping like a wet sock.' -PG Wodehouse, The Crime Wave at Blandings