Hi, I’m Melanie and stressed out with my boy Motor.

[Mel & Mo]

This diagnosis came out of the blue about six months ago. I got one of those Himalayan Salt lamps and for about three days Mo slept by it continuously. Never had one sign and then the fourth day he was so lethargic he couldn’t even move hardly then threw up this horrible bright yellow liquid. I looked up online and found that these lamps were toxic to cats. I immediately took him to the vet, my vet I loved and had many years moved away so she was referred. He was on deaths door. And to not have one problem whatsoever before I brought the lamp in I had no doubt that was it. Well to my suprise she says no it’s not the lamp he has diabetes and after that she said things like if we can get his numbers down, idk just was shocking , she said you might have to put him down!!??? I don’t even remember what she said. I couldn’t believe it. He was not showing any signs of sickness until I brought this lamp in, idk I just can’t stop thinking about it because I read horror stories and it was textbook to how he was acting. Even the throw up was the color of the lamp. So I went home with prozinc and was started on 1u then went back a few more times for curves and each time went up, first 2 then 4 then all the way up to 7! First of all I work constantly and have no one to help and try to get as close to 12 hrs as I can. All the while he has not been acting or looking good. His back legs are horrible,, sunk in with no muscle. He was 20lbs starting and now about 15. He wasn’t eating and little did I know because no one told me not to give insulin and I did 7 u!!! At night and in the morning!! He made a horrible howling noise and went into a seizure and I rushed him in . He made it by seconds! Took him to an emergency where he spent 2 days. Since then he has not been doing good. It’s up and down constantly and I feel like I should put him down. He sleeps in my arm every night and he has been under the bed now about 80% of the time. She didn’t even tell me to switch his food till the emergency vet did , then I got Purina dm. Wet and dry. He drinks so much water I have to empty the litter box everyday!! It’s really bad, you can here him gushing peeing. It’s extremely hard to afford and wonder if he will ever come back from this. I have friends that tell me I’m being selfish and should put him down. I don’t know what to do. It’s very rare he has a whole good day. But he’s a lover and he tries to sleep with me and thought there’d be hope. This vet kills me and I’ve been back atleast 10 times in 6 months and I was just going to make an appointment to access his quality of life. I’m sobbing so bad I love him but I don’t think I can make him better. Ive been trying for 6 months and spent thousands. I’m sorry the post is so long. I’ve switched to good food, he’s back down to 3 u and he’s still losing weight. Every time I decide maybe I should put him down he has a good day. Not really good but makes it hard. Ughhhhh I need help. I let my yellow lab , the other love of my life go on for longer than I should have and felt guilty about it. Is there any hope? Sorry I’m rambling.

 

[FurBabiesMama]

Oh, Melanie, I feel so bad for you. First, you need a hug Diabetes is not a death sentence. It can be managed, and cats can live many happy years with it. Motor needs to be eating a very low carb wet food, preferably all wet. The 'prescription' food is not needed and is not even the best option. This cat food database will help you select some foods to try, be sure to keep the carbs low, definitely under 10% but even lower if you can. You can find some that are more inexpensive. Many people here use Fancy Feast or even Friskies. When a cat is changed to low-carb wet food, their glucose levels can drop, sometime quite a bit. So, you do not want to make the switch until you start home glucose testing. In order to keep Motor safe and get this under control, you will need to do home testing. A test before each shot lets you know if it is safe to give the shot and at the planned dose amount, and tests taken between shots, when possible, let you see the impact the insulin dose is having. These are probably the two most important things you can do for Motor - start testing and get him on low-carb wet food. Your schedule sounds challenging. Shots do need to be given every 12 hours. What insulin are you using? With Prozinc, you have about an hour of 'wiggle room', but that is all. If you cannot work your schedule out so that you can be there to give him the shot within the window of time it is needed, is there anyone at all that could be your backup to come over and do it?

If you want to try this, we can help you figure it all out. Please post all the questions you have on the Main Health Forum, and you will see that people will jump in to offer you advice and support. It would be helpful if you could set up a signature (like you see under my post) with some basic info about Motor so that you do not have to repeat it all every time you post.

 

[JeffJ]

Hi Melanie. I'm sorry to hear the problems that Motor is having.

Many cats have come here, and become healthier after their owners learn the intricacies of dealing with diabetes. At one point my Leo had lost several pounds, and his back legs also had neuropathy. I regulated him on insulin - that resolved his blood sugar and weight issues. I also supplemented with Zobaline (B12) for his neuropathy, and his back legs are now almost normal.

The key to diabetes treatment is regulation. Getting enough insulin into Motor to make him healthy, without overdosing him. We can help. Like FurBabies said - post questions on the Main Health Forum.

 

[Noah & me (GA)]

Hi Melanie and Motor. We will do our very best to help you both. It is true, diabetes is not the end of the world. I've been where you are now and know that feeling. I've also had a cat that swallowed a staple and another that I let go way too long. I can't make you feel better about that but you're not the only one. That's one great thing about being here, no one will judge you for either making a mistake or letting your emotions get the better of you. Did I miss you saying how old Mo is? You can fill up your profile page with info about his past medical history, sometimes the smallest things make a big difference. Please keep posting, switch to main Feline Health forum, and we'll see where we go from here.
Remember also no two vets will ever give you the same advice or even textbook instructions. It's a long story.

 

[Dyana]

Hi Melanie. I have been on this board a long time. I have seen many "miracles" and read about many people struggling getting support and answers and help and many cats in all conditions as many are older when diagnosed with diabetes, some have had near death situations, and they have been helped and led or are leading good lives.
My kitty J.D. was 11 when he was diagnosed. I struggled to find a vet that I felt "knew" much about diabetes in cats. J.D. had a episode of DKA, and was in critical condition when he had to be hospitalized for a long time. He had just turned 12 then and it was Christmas time. He survived the DKA and went on to live with his diabetes for 9 more years. He was happy and lived a good long life. I wish you the same with Motor. I live alone and am gone pretty much 12 hours a day for work. I may have raced home some days, but I made it work. I had neighbors that would check on him, sometimes, if I felt worried. Mainly, I credit this board, and helping me to learn how to test, and then adjust doses, and support me when I needed it most. Living with a diabetic cat does require work and life adjustments, but the bond you grow with your cat is incredible.

 

[Noah & me (GA)]

Melanie, forgot one thing. You'll get a lot of honest emotions here, I really did let BJ go way too long and last year our dog died. The thing with BJ was a lesson in life you only need once. What your friend said about being selfish... Sometimes that's what friends do even when it's unpleasant but you've already learned that lesson, this is between you and Mo. Sometimes things can look a lot worse than they are, we all project this onto our kitties. I think Dyana made a valid and hopeful point. Being here doesn't just get you advice, we take you into our hearts.

 

[Kris & Teasel]

We truly understand your worry and stress. Please try to calm yourself. We can help. Go to the main heath forum and post some info about Motor:

• his age
• date of diabetes diagnosis
• what he eats
• what insulin you use and what dose he's on
• whether you test his blood glucose at home and, if you do, what meter you use
• other health issues/meds he has.

This sort of summary will help us jump in and get you moving forward.

 

[Sandi and Toby]

Hi Mel and sweet Mo,

Most vets don't give enough guidance, but you will get that here in spades. You may feel overwhelmed by it all, but that is a far better feeling than feeling hopeless. We can't promise miracles, but we can offer both help and hope.

You have a beautiful big boy. Welcome!

Best,
Sandi&Whisper.

 

[Mel & Mo]

Oh, Melanie, I feel so bad for you. First, you need a hug Diabetes is not a death sentence. It can be managed, and cats can live many happy years with it. Motor needs to be eating a very low carb wet food, preferably all wet. The 'prescription' food is not needed and is not even the best option. This cat food database will help you select some foods to try, be sure to keep the carbs low, definitely under 10% but even lower if you can. You can find some that are more inexpensive. Many people here use Fancy Feast or even Friskies. When a cat is changed to low-carb wet food, their glucose levels can drop, sometime quite a bit. So, you do not want to make the switch until you start home glucose testing. In order to keep Motor safe and get this under control, you will need to do home testing. A test before each shot lets you know if it is safe to give the shot and at the planned dose amount, and tests taken between shots, when possible, let you see the impact the insulin dose is having. These are probably the two most important things you can do for Motor - start testing and get him on low-carb wet food. Your schedule sounds challenging. Shots do need to be given every 12 hours. What insulin are you using? With Prozinc, you have about an hour of 'wiggle room', but that is all. If you cannot work your schedule out so that you can be there to give him the shot within the window of time it is needed, is there anyone at all that could be your backup to come over and do it?

If you want to try this, we can help you figure it all out. Please post all the questions you have on the Main Health Forum, and you will see that people will jump in to offer you advice and support. It would be helpful if you could set up a signature (like you see under my post) with some basic info about Motor so that you do not have to repeat it all every time you post.

Thank you so much. It sounds very intimidating s d I hope I can do it. The spreadsheet omgosh that a while different story . I don’t understand half but I’m I’m willing to give this a huge try. So the main forum I wil start to post and seee if I can set up his info/ signature.. not sure about how to yet either. Gonna start reading it all ty again it’s sooo nice to hear maybe there’s hope?!

 

[Tanya and Ducia]

it’s sooo nice to hear maybe there’s hope?!

definitely, there is hope.

It's odd to read what you posted about the salt lamp - my experience exactly just before my cat was diagnosed...
There are so much conflicting info as to whether it's toxic for the cats or not. I found site that said it is toxic if a cat leaks the salt crystals - and mine never did. Now I know that it wasn't the lamp that caused her diabetes - the dry high carbs food I was giving her for years did . However, I packed the lamp and took it away.

There is some one on the Forum who can help you with setting the spreadsheet - you'll need to open a Google account for that. Let me know if you want help with it.

Home testing and injecting insulin is difficult only in the begging and then it just becomes your routine...I promise. I never held a needle in my hand before the Dx and now I am almost a pro . Believe me - if I could it- so can you!

See you on the Health Forum!

 

[JanetNJ]

Omg so scary. Going to be honest, while your vet prescribed a good insulin, she /he sucks at dosing. ProZinc is supposed to be raised in small 0.25-0.5 increments! 7 units is 3x what most cats get.

Food...most of us feed fancy feast classic or Friskies pate foods. Get rid of the dm dry. It's too high in carbs. The wet is ok, but nothing in it is better then grocery store fancy feast classic. Feed as much as he wants.

The most important thing is to start home testing. It's not as hard as it sounds. I have a video in my signature showing how I test my cat CC.

 

[PussCatPrince - GA]

Thank you so much. It sounds very intimidating s d I hope I can do it. The spreadsheet omgosh that a while different story . I don’t understand half but I’m I’m willing to give this a huge try. So the main forum I wil start to post and seee if I can set up his info/ signature.. not sure about how to yet either. Gonna start reading it all ty again it’s sooo nice to hear maybe there’s hope?!

Hey there. I'm a newbie too. My avatar shows how I have felt and been feeling. We can have a good old wail together.
Won't help you but I went from living with a healthy active loving elderly pusscat , to a lethargic , wobbly legged , podgy pusscat in the space of under two months. Perhaps even just 4 weeks. It is distressing and scary all in one go. Yup. I had a couple of suggestions too that maybe at his age his time had come.

It was because I felt my vet wasn't hearing all there was to hear or seeing all there was to see that I started mooching around on google and found this amazing place.

First thing I did was get my puss Tyler off the dry kibble. Now trying to find the right balance of diet whilst doing the home testing.

Let these people guide and make suggestions to you. It will seem daunting and a huge amount to take in but they are all very caring.

Take small steps and hold all the hands offered.

 

[Mel & Mo]

Thank you so much. It sounds very intimidating s d I hope I can do it. The spreadsheet omgosh that a while different story . I don’t understand half but I’m I’m willing to give this a huge try. So the main forum I wil start to post and seee if I can set up his info/ signature.. not sure about how to yet either. Gonna start reading it all ty again it’s sooo nice to hear maybe there’s hope?!

Hi Again thanks for the hug, back at you and I sure need it. I will post on the main thread when I’m not so overwhelmed and get my bearings. A few things , I did stop that dm that just cost me $40 a small bag but cold turkey is hard and should I? the other cats are pia’s , of course I love them to death but meowing their heads off They love the dry. I bought friskies and some fancy feast, . Of course a couple days ago seemed great with wet and gave him 3u and then next two days wouldn’t eat hardly at all so I didn’t give him any insulin. He looks pretty depressed and lethargic again. I’m also out of syringes. Ive had U40 and didn’t know there was a difference til I read all these posts! Wow! They actually gave me U100 before. The other cats I’m feeding in the porch, so I should just stick with wet and gotta start testing blood.., oh boy. Idk where to start I have a long day tomorrow.

 

[Mel & Mo]

Hey there. I'm a newbie too. My avatar shows how I have felt and been feeling. We can have a good old wail together.
Won't help you but I went from living with a healthy active loving elderly pusscat , to a lethargic , wobbly legged , podgy pusscat in the space of under two months. Perhaps even just 4 weeks. It is distressing and scary all in one go. Yup. I had a couple of suggestions too that maybe at his age his time had come.

It was because I felt my vet wasn't hearing all there was to hear or seeing all there was to see that I started mooching around on google and found this amazing place.

First thing I did was get my puss Tyler off the dry kibble. Now trying to find the right balance of diet whilst doing the home testing.

Let these people guide and make suggestions to you. It will seem daunting and a huge amount to take in but they are all very caring.

Take small steps and hold all the hands offered.

definitely, there is hope.

It's odd to read what you posted about the salt lamp - my experience exactly just before my cat was diagnosed...
There are so much conflicting info as to whether it's toxic for the cats or not. I found site that said it is toxic if a cat leaks the salt crystals - and mine never did. Now I know that it wasn't the lamp that caused her diabetes - the dry high carbs food I was giving her for years did . However, I packed the lamp and took it away.

There is some one on the Forum who can help you with setting the spreadsheet - you'll need to open a Google account for that. Let me know if you want help with it.

Home testing and injecting insulin is difficult only in the begging and then it just becomes your routine...I promise. I never held a needle in my hand before the Dx and now I am almost a pro . Believe me - if I could it- so can you!

See you on the Health Forum!

Hi Melanie. I'm sorry to hear the problems that Motor is having.

Many cats have come here, and become healthier after their owners learn the intricacies of dealing with diabetes. At one point my Leo had lost several pounds, and his back legs also had neuropathy. I regulated him on insulin - that resolved his blood sugar and weight issues. I also supplemented with Zobaline (B12) for his neuropathy, and his back legs are now almost normal.

The key to diabetes treatment is regulation. Getting enough insulin into Motor to make him healthy, without overdosing him. We can help. Like FurBabies said - post questions on the Main Health Forum.

 

[Sharon14]

If you haven’t started testing, I would not stop the dry. Since it’s higher in carbs, stopping it could lower Mo’s blood glucose by too much. So what syringes are you using u100 or u40? For prozinc it should be u40, but you can use the u100 IF you use a conversion chart.

 

[Critter Mom]

Hi Mel,

How are yourself and Mo doing? What a mare you two have been through!!! I'm very glad you've found FDMB; we'll do all we can to help you both.




Mogs
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