What is wrong with Butch?

     Meet Butch.  He is one on my diabetes mellitus patients .  He is a gentle friendly fellow who is a delight to work with.  Sadly, last week Butch suddenly stopped eating, stopped playing, and  did not want to move around at home.  Appetite is often the first sign that a cat is sick, and this is especially true with a diabetic cat as they usually have a ravenous appetite. 
     Upon examination, Butch's leg muscles were too weak to support his body, and although he was purring and kneading, he was not himself.  To identify exactly what we were dealing with, I ran a complete blood workup on Butch.  While waiting for the test results, Butch accepted an IV catheter and fluids  to help with his hydration, and was willing to eat small amounts of soft food with some persuasion.  The lab tests showed a dramatically low potassium level in his blood.  Potassium is an essential electrolyte in blood that is in part responsible for muscle strength.
    Cats with hypokalemia (low potassium in the blood), are at risk for severe muscle weakness.  Certain medical conditions such as kidney disease or diabetes may lead to low potassium because of potassium loss in the urine.  A chemistry panel evaluates the potassium level as well as kidney function, liver function and blood sugar.   Without a chemistry panel many diseases, like hypokalemia for example, can go undiagnosed.
     Butch received IV potassium during his  hospital stay at the Fox Valley Cat Clinic and oral potassium supplement at home over the last  week.  I just recheck Butch yesterday, and he looked like he was feeling much better -playing with his cat friends at home and eating up a storm, and even putting some needed weight back on.  Kudos to Butch's owners for being great cat owners and quickly recognizing that Butch was in need of medical care.  We at the Fox Valley Cat Clinic love you Butch!  Great to see that your spunky attitude is back and that Life is Good!
Dr. Maureen Flatley