How to deal/cope

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Sher bear

Sher bear

Member Since 2017
Hello! My 12 year old “baby” boy was just diagnosed yesterday.. I’m kinda scared.. the vet said he will go blind eventually and that my entire lifestyle will change and if I’m not willing to do this, the other option is not good at all.. how does everybody deal with this??
I’m going to the vet later today for his treatments.. I just can’t bear to put him down... I’m not sure how I’m going to handle the shot every 12 hours given my lifestyle....... any help would be very greatly appriciated !!!!!!
Thanks so much.. from a very scared fur mom
 
My 12 year old cat was just diagnosed 2 weeks ago and he's doing good I felt the same way you did but calm down take a deep breath it's not as bad as it sounds trust me I've been through what you've been through
 
Sher bear said:
Hello! My 12 year old “baby” boy was just diagnosed yesterday.. I’m kinda scared.. the vet said he will go blind eventually and that my entire lifestyle will change and if I’m not willing to do this, the other option is not good at all.. how does everybody deal with this??
I’m going to the vet later today for his treatments.. I just can’t bear to put him down... I’m not sure how I’m going to handle the shot every 12 hours given my lifestyle....... any help would be very greatly appriciated !!!!!!
Thanks so much.. from a very scared fur mom
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Firstly, I am so sorry your vet is such a negative nelly. It is definitely a scary diagnosis, but a manageable one. My husband and I cried after our buddy Lou was diagnosed, but we found this site and we've never looked back. There are ways to make this work around your schedule. This is hard, don't get me wrong, but it's much easier than you'd think. Poke around the website and read what you can. I always say knowledge is power. And breathe! This is the best place you never wanted to be. When you're ready, ask away and we'll be here to help you both through this!!! :bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug:
 
Hi Sher Bear - welcome to the forum! I'm sure some more experienced members will chime in but I just wanted to say that, yes, in the beginning it is incredibly overwhelming, but it gets very manageable very quickly. The absolute best thing you can do is learn as much as you can. The stickies listed at the top of these forums are a great place to start.
Also, it is very rare for a cat to go blind from diabetes. It is much more common in dogs. Also, unlike dogs, cats can sometimes go into remission after becoming regulated with a low carb diet and insulin therapy. There is a lot to be hopeful for!
 
We're all going to help you so for now we'll just go one day at a time. We have all been where you are now wondering how this happened to us. Even though it seems so this is not the end of the world for you or your kitty. The answers won't come all at once but you're in the best place you could be right now. There is no such thing as a stupid question and no one will ever be nasty to you.
 
I don't think it's that common for a diabetic cat under treatment to go blind-- I've heard of a couple cases on this board, but I think they've all been special cases (untreated for a long period of time, overdose of insulin given). I think it's more common in dogs. Another difference between diabetes in cats and dogs is that cats actually have the capacity to heal themselves and go into a diet-controled remission for sometimes extended periods of time.

If you are going to the vet today, they may give you a choice of insulins. Good insulins for cats are: Lantus, Levemir, ProZinc. There are other insulins used in cats (Vetsulin/Caninsulin, NPH), and some have had success with them, but they are a bit harder to work with in cats (very fast metabolism). Lantus and Levemir are human insulins and are pretty expensive in the US, but if you get a prescription from your vet we can often find ways to lower the cost for you.

Hang in there. This is a scary diagnosis, and there's a lot to learn, but it is a manageable disease!
 
Sher bear said:
I’m kinda scared.. the vet said he will go blind eventually and that my entire lifestyle will change and if I’m not willing to do this, the other option is not good at all.. how does everybody deal with this??
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The IM specialist we went to see said that DOGs can go blind with diabetes, not cats.

If FD is the only health concern than it is rather a condition, a manageable one, not a disease, really.

Sorry to say this but I think your vet is cruel coldblooded ignoramus and you may want to find another one.

Until my cat was Dx I never knew that cats can have diabetes, nor did I ever held a needle in my hands - nor do I let doctors approach me with one!
 
You may or may not have to take a huge leap of faith here. Some vets don't know a lot about diabetes believing it to be uncommon which I cannot wrap my head around. I don't know why your vet needed to put the fear of God into you, that was not necessary. It is a serious issue but so is crossing the street. Let's get through Christmas and go from there.
 
Blindness is a complication of diabetes in dogs....it's very rare in cats

Your vet sounds like a lot of other vets we run into here....He knows nothing about treating a diabetic cat.

The good news is, the people here have lots of experience and we can help you!....and the price is right too!!

Don't let your vet sell you any fancy "prescription" foods.....they are worse than a lot of foods you can get at your local grocery store
 
Chris & China said:
Don't let your vet sell you any fancy "prescription" foods.....they are worse than a lot of foods you can get at your local grocery store
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This. So much this. Even our new vet, who is fantastic and knows way more about diabetes than our old vet, admitted to me that she doesn't know all that much about pet food nutrition, and it certainly doesn't help that pet food companies don't list carbohydrate content on their labels. But you can get the same or better from the grocery store for much cheaper.
 
Sher Bear's momma, we don't want to push you over the edge right now but a shopping trip may be in order. Can you tell us what your vet sent you home with? Other members will help with this; you'll need a meter, test strips for that particular meter, lancets and/or a lancet device, syringes. Once that list is in order it's just 30 minutes in almost any pharmacy. Better than Toys R Us right now. Please tell us you feel just a little bit better.
 
You don't have to buy the expensive meter that the vet will try to sell you. Most people here use an inexpensive meter for humans. They work fine. Start on a low carb food before you start any insulin. We have seen many cats that can be controlled with food alone. You might want to ask around for a vet that has lots of diabetic cat parents. If he does give you insulin, check with us before starting. Many vets will start a kitty on too large a dose.

There are lots of people here that know more about diabetic cats than the vets do.
 
Welcome to you both.

I'm very glad you've found FDMB; it's a terrific place to help you learn how to safely and successfully manage your kitty's diabetes. In addition to the education available at the site, be sure to ask for moral support as and when you need it, especially in the early days because the learning curve is steep and it can be a bit of a roller coaster.

In addition to learning a great deal about feline diabetes (plus other cat health matters) I can't adequately express my gratitude for all the emotional support I've received from the members here; don't know what I'd have done without them. There's an endless supply of hugs here (thank goodness!).

:bighug::bighug::bighug:


Mogs
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Diabetes is not a death sentence and cats can live long healthy lives with it. Cats don't get vision problems from diabetes.... Dogs can. Sounds like your vet isn't so experienced with cat diabetes. Lucky for you we are. ;)

OK the 12/12 shot schedule can be a pain in the ass sometimes but otherwise it's really not a big deal. Shots are easy to give, testing at home is easy after the first week, and dosing we can help you with. This is an active, helpful community.

Get your cat eating fancy feast classic or Friskies pate foods.
 
Does this look like a cat who isn't happy? Lol
53BA09DE-9135-4511-BDD4-62C276309EE9.jpeg
 
We were all there when our sugarcats were first diagnosed. The best thing you can do for yourself and any anxiety you may have is the take it slow. Learn the basics first for those first couple of days - once you get used to the routine, you’ll be more confident and ready to learn the finer points of diabetes management. You’ll become so used to giving insulin shots you’ll wonder why all cat meds couldn’t be given this way. :) Our sugarcat, Joshi, was diagnosed 2 years ago and is still chugging along. When she hears me getting testing supplies out, she actually comes willing and even purrs while I’m poking her ears.
 
I keep the freeze dried chicken in a mason jar. I shake the jar and Callie comes running, jumps up on the card table that I use for testing. She knows she is getting a treat and some loves. No problem at all.
 
Sher bear said:
Hello! My 12 year old “baby” boy was just diagnosed yesterday.. I’m kinda scared.. the vet said he will go blind eventually and that my entire lifestyle will change and if I’m not willing to do this, the other option is not good at all.. how does everybody deal with this??
I’m going to the vet later today for his treatments.. I just can’t bear to put him down... I’m not sure how I’m going to handle the shot every 12 hours given my lifestyle....... any help would be very greatly appriciated !!!!!!
Thanks so much.. from a very scared fur mom
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Hi there! I am so sorry, I know how hard it is when your baby is first diagnosed with diabetes. My husband and I were devestated when our baby, Rama, was first diagnosed but please know that you are not alone. The best thing you can do is to research online and get advise from people that have been through it. Please don’t get discouraged because of what your vet said, you can do this. I advise not putting your cat on a prescription diet. I feel like diet change is one of the key factors to helping with diabetes. I recommend a raw diet, I put my baby on Vital Essentials freeze dried chicken patties. He loves them and with tight monitoring of his blood sugar, his diabetes got better. We also give our boy dehydrated chicken treats instead of dry kibble treats, that way his diet is mostly all protein. One of the problems we first had was taking his blood. I recommend using a blood sugar tester that’s meant for animals. I linked the one we use down below because getting it was a total game changer for us, it makes it so easy. I also linked the food I recommend which you can buy on amazon or Chewys.com. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have, everyone’s here to help! I’m sending you and your little guy positive thoughts!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B074JGXJNK/?tag=felinediabetesfdmb-20

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B007Z0XULY/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1514228822&sr=8-1&keywords=alphatrak 2&dpPl=1&dpID=518OcQaDrYL&ref=plSrch
 
Many here feed Fancy Feast classic or Friskies pate. The money we save on food goes for testing strips. There is no reason to spend a lot on something that is poorer quality. Sometimes we have to butt heads with our vets. I keep a link on my phone to Dr Lesa's food list so I can show her the difference in carbs. My vet tech says I know more about diabetic cats than the vet. I learned it all here.
 
I was told so many things at the beginning that did not come to pass. Every sugar baby is different and what works for one does not apply to all. Its really a learn as you go thing. When I was first told, I collapsed in the floor of the vets office and said that I could never do this! Fast forward to 6 years later and now Im lost not doing it!! The vet tech always reminded me on each visit that I said I could never do it! She said that she used me as an example to all new diagnosed sugars! My kitty was a feral kitty until we started the sugar dance! It actually brought us together as nothing ever had before!! You will find that you are much stronger than you think you are and there is nothing in this world that love cant overcome!!
 
Sher bear said:
Hello! My 12 year old “baby” boy was just diagnosed yesterday.. I’m kinda scared.. the vet said he will go blind eventually and that my entire lifestyle will change and if I’m not willing to do this, the other option is not good at all.. how does everybody deal with this??
I’m going to the vet later today for his treatments.. I just can’t bear to put him down... I’m not sure how I’m going to handle the shot every 12 hours given my lifestyle....... any help would be very greatly appriciated !!!!!!
Thanks so much.. from a very scared fur mom
Click to expand...
Hello all.. just an update, gave Mew his first shot today.. not sure if I actually got it into him and not all over his fur instead.. he is on 2 units of Prozinc... for two weeks, the off to the vet for a curves exam.. my vet said to keep him on the same food as he is one now.. which is friskies .. so I’m hoping he’ll start to feel better soon!t
 
Congrats on your first shot! when some (or sometimes all! :oops:) of the insulin doesn't go into the cat, we call it a "fur shot" (FS) -- it happens to all of us! Your technique will get better in time.

If you feel upto it, it might be worth getting a glucose meter (you don't need a pet-specific one, strips are cheaper with a human one) and we can teach you how to measure his BG. It's a good way of getting feedback on how the insulin is working.

Curves are a super important tool and with time you can learn to do them at home. This means they cost less than at the vet's, it's less stressful for the cat, and if you want, you can do them more often.

A few questions, if you have answers:

- Do you know what Mew's diagnostic BG value was?
- Did the vet keep him at the clinic for a day to set up the initial dosage of insulin?
- What insulin he is getting?
 
Stephanie & Quintus said:
Congrats on your first shot! when some (or sometimes all! :oops:) of the insulin doesn't go into the cat, we call it a "fur shot" (FS) -- it happens to all of us! Your technique will get better in time.

If you feel upto it, it might be worth getting a glucose meter (you don't need a pet-specific one, strips are cheaper with a human one) and we can teach you how to measure his BG. It's a good way of getting feedback on how the insulin is working.

Curves are a super important tool and with time you can learn to do them at home. This means they cost less than at the vet's, it's less stressful for the cat, and if you want, you can do them more often.

A few questions, if you have answers:

- Do you know what Mew's diagnostic BG value was?
- Did the vet keep him at the clinic for a day to set up the initial dosage of insulin?
- What insulin he is getting?
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I think it was 39... not sure what that means.. she said it was high.. but not super high.. he is on prozinc.. I’m a bit worried.. I just got back from Christmas.. my vet said I could start giving him shots when I got back.. and he can’t make it up the stairs like he used too.. should I heading hack to the vet???
 
Two things:

- I can't really comment on the starting dose of 2ui as I use another insulin, but it would be good to hear from the ProZinc specialists on what a usual starting dose is
- if at any point you are tempted to change his food, do not do it without home testing now that he is getting insulin. food change can make a cat's BG drop dramatically and you could end up with a hypo on your hands
 
Stephanie & Quintus said:
Two things:

- I can't really comment on the starting dose of 2ui as I use another insulin, but it would be good to hear from the ProZinc specialists on what a usual starting dose is
- if at any point you are tempted to change his food, do not do it without home testing now that he is getting insulin. food change can make a cat's BG drop dramatically and you could end up with a hypo on your hands
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I’m in Canada.. he’s making it up the stairs.. just not good.. I think I’m calling the vet first thing tomorrow and see what they say...
 
Sher bear said:
he can’t make it up the stairs like he used too..
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That may be due to diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage caused by high blood sugar levels).

If it is neuropathy then the insulin treatment will help with that. Also, with a diabetic-friendly B12 methylcobalamin supplement (no sugar in the preparation) will help to reverse the leg weakness. Zobaline is a suitable supplement (available online).


Mogs
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Well, Mew went to the vet today... his blood sugar level was 9.8 mmol/litre... which the vet said normal range is 4-8... so she’s not too worried... plus with stress being at the vet.. said he is responding to the insulin... and his legs are just weak because he’s new to insulin and it hasn’t really started to work yet.. so he is home!!!!!! Yay!!!
 
Sher bear said:
Well, Mew went to the vet today... his blood sugar level was 9.8 mmol/litre... which the vet said normal range is 4-8... so she’s not too worried... plus with stress being at the vet.. said he is responding to the insulin... and his legs are just weak because he’s new to insulin and it hasn’t really started to work yet.. so he is home!!!!!! Yay!!!
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Awesomeness! Start giving vitamin b 12 methylcobalamin supplements to help with the leg weakness.
 
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