Vet visit today didnt go too well

[Louise and Tabby]

Hi
Visited the vet today for Tabby's check up, I told her I had increased his insulin to 3iu, showed her the s/s and explained to her that his numbers were now improving. She wasn't impressed that I had increased his dose and told me not to do it again.
She wants me to have another fructosamine test done, he had one done at the beginning of his diagnosis and then again just before we changed his insulin a month ago.
I just wondered if other people had experienced difficulties with their vets and also the value of a fructosamine test?

 

[Tuxedo Mom]

Hi
Visited the vet today for Tabby's check up, I told her I had increased his insulin to 3iu, showed her the s/s and explained to her that his numbers were now improving. She wasn't impressed that I had increased his dose and told me not to do it again.
She wants me to have another fructosamine test done, he had one done at the beginning of his diagnosis and then again just before we changed his insulin a month ago.
I just wondered if other people had experienced difficulties with their vets and also the value of a fructosamine test?

If you are home testing then the fructosamine test is of no real use. It only shows the average glucose number over a period of..I believe..2 weeks. It does not show what happens each day...the ups and the downs...the highs and the lows. My first vet was upset that I wanted to home-test, told me Lantus was the ONLY insulin available for cats, told me I HAD to have a curve done at the vets every 10 days...etc etc etc. I found a different vet who was open to home testing and open to discussing the whole treatment plan. You are doing lots of testing and the data you have is worth 1000 times more than a fructosamine test. IMHO I would be looking for another vet with a more up to date approach. If you are seeing improvement then something is working right! With the data you have YOU know your kitty better than she does and if she is ignoring your data then something is not right!

 

[Louise and Tabby]

If you are home testing then the fructosamine test is of no real use. It only shows the average glucose number over a period of..I believe..2 weeks. It does not show what happens each day...the ups and the downs...the highs and the lows. My first vet was upset that I wanted to home-test, told me Lantus was the ONLY insulin available for cats, told me I HAD to have a curve done at the vets every 10 days...etc etc etc. I found a different vet who was open to home testing and open to discussing the whole treatment plan. You are doing lots of testing and the data you have is worth 1000 times more than a fructosamine test. IMHO I would be looking for another vet with a more up to date approach. If you are seeing improvement then something is working right! With the data you have YOU know your kitty better than she does and if she is ignoring your data then something is not right!

Thanks, yes I was really happy with Tabby's s/s finally showing some other colours apart from reds and pinks, definitely noticed a change in him but she just kept mentioning about this fructosamine test and was quite annoyed I had changed his dose despite me showing her his better numbers

 

[BJM]

If you decide to go vet hunting, see my signature link Vet Interview Topics.
To ID vets in your area, do a Google search on "veterinarian near [your address here]". There will likely be some online reviews; look for recent ones, plus check the Better Business Bureau.

 

[Mogmom and Goofus]

If you are home testing then the fructosamine test is of no real use. It only shows the average glucose number over a period of..I believe..2 weeks. It does not show what happens each day...the ups and the downs...the highs and the lows. My first vet was upset that I wanted to home-test, told me Lantus was the ONLY insulin available for cats, told me I HAD to have a curve done at the vets every 10 days...etc etc etc. I found a different vet who was open to home testing and open to discussing the whole treatment plan. You are doing lots of testing and the data you have is worth 1000 times more than a fructosamine test. IMHO I would be looking for another vet with a more up to date approach. If you are seeing improvement then something is working right! With the data you have YOU know your kitty better than she does and if she is ignoring your data then something is not right!

Sounds to me like it's time to go vet shopping......

 

[Tuxedo Mom]

Sounds to me like it's time to go vet shopping......

A fructosamine test is only useful if there is any question that a one-time reading may be wrong. Many cats will test higher on a regular glucose test at the vet's office because of stress, (although I have seen people post that their cat is the opposite...the old "every cat is different" rule). If the fructosamine test is high then it basically tells that the kitty has been running a high overall average and the diagnosis of diabetes is warranted.

As far as seeing how a kitty is responding to insulin and how high or low they go during each cycle (time between each shot) home testing gives a much clearer picture. It is sort of like knowing you have a fever, but not taking your temperature...you don't know how high or low a fever you have. Also by doing preshot testing you can see if your kitty is running a lower number than usual. This will allow you to get advice on dosing and be prepared to monitor more closely to prevent a hypo episode. When I look back to the first 10-12 days I was giving insulin without any home testing, I just cringe at what could have happened. Some vets just do not want people to home test. A good vet will encourage home testing and be open to questions and different approaches, as long as it is helping the kitty, which is all we really want to do.

If your vet is going to be close-minded then IMO it is time to look elsewhere. BJM posted a link just above your last posting about tips for vet shopping.