6/22 Trixie PMPS 135 +2 113...and a rant

Yesterday

Another nice, easy day for Trix...she's settled in here quite nicely.

I have to do a quick gripe about what I think is veterinary irresponsibility with regards to treating FD. I know most vets think/know that most people won't manage FD the way we do here, and therefore don't even mention the possibility of grabbing at least a few home tests. Yesterday, a poor cat caretaker posted in the Feline Diabetes Group on Facebook that her sweet kitty went into very serious hypo, and quite honestly, I don't think it looks good. From what I can tell, it sounds like her vet told her all the usual stuff that makes our skin crawl...roll the insulin, inject back into the vial, no mention of home testing. Even worse, based on one test performed in the office (I'm not sure if it was a fructosamine or a regular old meter test), this vet told her to increase from 2U to 3U. The end result...this poor cat is now fighting for his life. It just makes me so mad. This could have been avoided if the vet gave the owner instruction and information. I can tell this woman is heart broken, and she would have done testing, etc, if she had been told about it by her vet. Why can't they at least tell people to get a pre-shot test, to make sure it's safe to even shoot? It's not the greatest, but it's better than nothing. It's just so upsetting to me to see other people and cats go through what this woman is going through. Vets need to become better informed, and they need to do better by their diabetic patients. Insulin is far too dangerous for them to say "Inject, then don't worry about it!"

I'm at work...I'd better get back to it. Have a great day, LL!

Amy

Re: 6/22 Trixie AMPS 115 +2.5 97 +4 108...and a rant

She is looking great!!

Amy...I am so on board with you!! I just read an U/S report for a cat written by a board certified IM specialist. IN THE REPORT, he told the caregiver to quit hometesting. Just do urine testing. If the urine test showed no glucose, then it was time to lower the dose because the cats could hypo. What they are missing is that it takes TIME to clear the glucose from the urine. So if a cat is at 300 at AMPS and spills glucose, but drops to 50 mid cycle, the urine strip will still show GLUCOSE!! Hair pulling. I don't understand why they don't get this. I cannot figure out why so many vets have an issue with hometesting. They also think you should put the cat on a dose and leave it there until you get no glucose on a urine strip. It seems like such a simple concept. And you would think they would see it. Our vet that dx Gracie wanted me to do urine testing only but Gracie's bloodwork said her glucose was 109 (NORMAL in the vet's office!) but her urine glucose was 3+! I couldn't believe she couldn't put 2+2 together to see that you could have normal or low BG and high urine glucose!

I hope and pray this woman's cat is ok. It makes me sick to think about it. I know of at least three people whose cats have died from hypos (including my neighbor) because they followed their vet's advice.

Re: 6/22 Trixie AMPS 115 +2.5 97 +4 108...and a rant

My own vet, who I do like alot, also told us to maybe test once every week or so - and the only reason she told us that was because I asked about it, not because it was her idea. And, for the first couple weeks, I foolilshly followed her advice. On the third week, Trix tossed me a 55, and that was my huge wake up call. We were very, very lucky. At that point, our vet wanted us to do wacky things with her dose (less at night, etc). Fortunately, I found FDMB. Now, my vet says she'll leave all the dosing decisions to me. She was shocked when she heard how much we test Trix, she was amazed at how perfect Trix's ears look despite the testing, and she said Trix is looking fabulous. I just hope she takes our experience and shares it with some of her clients....

Three hypo deaths is just way too many. I know not many people can follow TR like we do, but I think a whole lot of people would be willing to at least get preshot tests, and some other random tests - if only they knew about it. So upsetting....it doesn't have to happen.

Re: 6/22 Trixie AMPS 115 +2.5 97 +4 108...and a rant

I am with you!

I wish my future SIL was still going to vet school ( and maybe he'll change again) because it seems to me, we need to help educate the future vets.
I'm surrounded by vets who once they get their degree aren't really going back and updating their education.
It's so frustrating.

Re: 6/22 Trixie AMPS 115 +2.5 97 +4 108...and a rant

Hi Amy!
Trixie's looking good!

I'm so sad for the cat you mentioned. I really hope he'll be OK....
And I'm so sorry for the kitty's owner. It must be so upsetting.

Re: 6/22 Trixie AMPS 115 +2.5 97 +4 108...and a rant

Hi Amy,
I sure hope that the kitty on FaceBook will recover and that her bean will find her way to FDMB.

Trixie is looking fabulous. Rusty is so jealous.

Hugs, scritches, and a good weekend to you and the crew,

Ella & Rusty

Re: 6/22 Trixie AMPS 115 +2.5 97 +4 108...and a rant

I finally found the other women that had FD kitty my vet said there was another at same time as Lucky was diagnosed. she runs a gift store here, I had talked to her and found out they gave her the same advise but I didn't follow it my gut instincts were better.She was told no testing just give shot she was giving 2u 2 x a day of Prozinc she said vet told her just bring kitty inn every week for testing,this makes me so mad,I gave her this site to reach out for help,told her go buy a meter,then she had told me she had to be out of town for a few days and her husband wont do shots so kitty had nothing.I told her if this happens again I will come over and give shot. People do what these vets say, wish they would start goggling info. Wish we could put up signs at vets telling the FD patients to come to our site for help. :evil: at our vets...
Linda

Re: 6/22 Trixie AMPS 115 +2.5 97 +4 108...and a rant

Given the recommendations by the AAHA, I really wish that people would file malpractice suits against vets that don't encourage home testing or who treat all insulin the same. When their professional organizations are publishing position papers that they ignore, there's no excuse. FWIW, vets are required to complete continuing education credits in order to maintain their license to practice. However, there are lots of areas where you can get those credits -- it doesn't have to be in diabetes management.

Re: 6/22 Trixie AMPS 115 +2.5 97 +4 108...and a rant

My vets say we don't see but 1 or 2 FD in years, so guess that's there excuse for not learning more here on this coast.

Re: 6/22 Trixie AMPS 115 +2.5 97 +4 108...and a rant

Morning Amy, what a nice cycle this morning for Trixie! That is so sad about the FB kitty. I hope her cat will be okay. Sadly that is how way too many Vets tell their pet caregivers to handle diabetes. Fortunately I found this group within a couple weeks.

Re: 6/22 Trixie AMPS 115 +2.5 97 +4 108...and a rant

Trixie is looking good this morning.

I agree with you wholeheartedly. The vet I was seeing when Furball was diagnosed had her mind made up on how to manage diabetes. I even gave her the tr protocol papers I was shown when I first joined this board. She didn't care. She knew everything. She had me dosing Furball on the preshots only. At least she didn't have a problem with hometesting, but she didn't encourage it. Luckily when Furball was diagnosed with FD, I did research online and found FDMB. My vet wanted me to bring Furball in for regular curves, but I refused and said I'd hometest. I wish vets had a more open mind and would consider information you give them.

Re: 6/22 Trixie AMPS 115 +2.5 97 +4 108...and a rant

My apologies for the super long message!

Awe I am so sorry to read this. I am sending lots of prayers and healing vines for that poor kitty, and prayers for the caregiver.

When Jupiter was first diagnosed (he was diagnosed Thursday March 14) - the vet prescribed lantus. Told me not to shake it - but to roll it. The vet mentioned that they normally like to do a curve at the vet - but he said he knows how bad Jupiters anxiety is- so that he did not want to do the curve there because he knows Jupe would not eat there and then they wouldnt get accurate results and plus he said they would want him to eat if they were injecting him with insulin.
He told me to bring Jupiter back in on Saturday morning so they could test his levels - so that they could determine if the 1u twice a day was a good dose for him.
I found this board the same night Jupiter was diagnosed. And the members here recommended hometesting. I was scared to do the testing and said I would prefer if the vet showed me how to first. So the members recommended picking up a meter and taking it to the vet with me to see if they would show me how to use it. I even called them the day before and asked them "if I bring a meter with me, will there be someone there that can show me how to test Jupiter - and will there be a vet available that I can ask my questions and concerns to" and they said yes.

After taking Jupiter and the meter to the vet saturday they first took him in the back and tested him - and I asked them if I could talk to the vet about my concerns and if the vet could please show me how to test. The assistants said "what questions do you have for the vet we can answer them". And when I asked about them teaching me to hometest they said "the vet said to bring him back in a few days to be tested and we can teach you next time you bring him" I was so frustrated because they said on the phone they would teach me. I said "well why do I have to wait until next time, I would really like to be taught today because I am not comfortable giving Jupiter the shots without testing first" They said "the vet just thinks its better to wait - and your cat is on a safe dose - so you can give the shots".... I was so upset and I told them I was very upset and really tried to get them to teach me and asked "can testing hurt anything - is it bad to do for any reason" and they said "no but its better if the vet does the tests" so after them telling me several times "No" I said fine "is it okay for someone else to teach me how to test - I know someone with a diabetic cat and they offered to show me - is it going to hurt anything" they said"no" so I said I would just do that and I left.... and then 2 FDMB members came here the next day to teach me.

I contacted the vet later in the week and told him I had been hometesting and told him I wanted to raise his dose. I told him I joined this site and would like to follow the tight regulation protocol. I tried explaining it to him, but he just acted as if I had no idea what I was talking about. he said something like "I treat diabetic cats everyday and I never have any problems"... he told me to give Jupiter 1u in the morning and 2u at night - and also told me to stop testing because its unnecessary and said it was bad for me to test. I asked him why and he said its unnecessary because since he is only raising the dose by 1u that Jupiter would not hypo because he has treated many pets and he has never had any problems when he only raised the dose by 1u. I asked him if I could give 1.5u twice a day instead. And he said "No I dont recommend that because its too hard to get an accurate dose like that" I was mad... I said "trust me it will be an accurate dose - I will use a magnifying glass if I need to - these syringes have half unit markings....etc" and he just said "I am sure you could give an accurate dose but what if someone else gives him the shot for you" and I said "well since nobody else will be giving the shots, I will just go with 1.5u twice a day instead" and then I got off the phone.

Instead of following his advice though - I did what seemed much safer. I followed the advice I was given here, I raised only by .25u and I still kept testing even against the vets advice. I have not contacted the vet regarding Jupiters diabetes at all since then. I feel like they will not listen to what I have to say - and I feel like they think they know it all - so they think they cannot be wrong... When in reality - it cant hurt to listen - and to do the research.

While I realize some vets are very supportive and do an amazing job at treating feline diabetes, I also realize that some do not have the time to do the research it takes to properly treat feline diabetes. I do not mean to talk bad about my vet - as I honestly love the vets I take my cats to - I just do not want them to treat Jupe's diabetes because I feel like they should better inform themselves, and they will not listen to my concerns.

I also think the vets should do research on any insulin/medications they give before they prescribe it, because when they are uninformed about something they give - there can be very serious consequences - and I just think they should do everything to make sure our pets are safe.

We beans are happy to have an easy-going night so far. If Trix sticks to her usual routine, we should be able to turn in at a reasonable hour.

Thank you, everyone, for your posts, stories, and support. I'm still just so bothered by the situation with this one cat...and I know he's not the only victim of what I really consider veterinary negligence. I am so thankful to have found FDMB for Trix and I, but am so upset about the many kitties out there who have beans that understandably trust their vets advice and end up in this completely unavoidable situation. While many owners may not be willing to take on the work of hometesting, they should at least be informed by medical professionals, so they can make an educated decision about how they want to proceed.

I don't know how many FD cats my vet deals with, but I do know one of my customers has an FD cat, and she does go to the same vet I do. When I mentioned I had Trix, and that I home test, she said, "Really? We don't have to do that."...as if she was instructed differently than I was. And, in fact, she was. I gather my vet never even mentions the idea of home testing to clients. And how are clients supposed to know about it? I know I NEED to know stuff, so I research, but I also know I'm in the minority. I can't even say it makes me sad. It makes me mad...insulin is just too powerful to play with like that.

Oh, I could just go on and on....I feel myself developing a new mission here....