Hi Patricia,
I'm really sorry that yourself and Maki Kitty have had such a scary start to her treatment.
Is there a Big sister, Little sister diabetic cat program.
You've just found yourself an entire worldwide family of diabetic cat caregivers!
As you've already discovered, there is an extraordinary wealth of information here at FDMB. It can all be quite overwhelming in the early days but it does get better and easier - and sooner than you might think right now.
You can post any time with specific questions you have or requests for help on any aspect of managing a diabetic cat: feeding, insulin response, testing, peeing, pooping, the works!
It's helpful to start a new thread each time you have a new question or request.
There are many very experienced Prozinc and Lantus users here who can help you learn the ropes and also give input specific to your situation and your kitty's needs. To help us do this, we ask you to set up a spreadsheet for your kitty to record BG readings and insulin dosing details so that experienced members responding to your posts will have the information they need in order to make safe and effective suggestions tailored to your circumstances and your kitty's response to treatment. Here's a guide to getting started:
How you can help us to help you
Now, on to some of your specific areas of enquiry on this thread.
we are reeling trying to figure out how to get lantus for less than $300.
Many members here get a prescription from their vets and order Lantus from Marks Marine Pharmacy in Canada for a lot less. Here's a link to the latest info on pricing and how to order:
Buying insulin from Canada
Most members buy the box of 5 Lantus pens at a cost of $159.99 plus $25 for shipping (prices correct as at June 2020). Members use 0.3ml U100 syringes with half-unit markings to draw up the insulin doses from the cartridge inside the pen. The box of 5 is enough to last most kitties 12 months (some for even longer if they need very small doses).
There are lots of very helpful 'sticky' info posts at the top of the
Lantus/Basaglar and Levemir support group's board which will help you learn more about how Lantus works and how to use it. The post you specifically need here is the following:
Insulin care and proper handling, syringe info, drawing up doses, etc.
The recommended diet for a diabetic cat is a wet food that has less than 10% of its calories coming from carbs. Here is a link to a list of commercial cat foods:
Dr. Lisa Pierson's Cat Food List
Low carb food is used for general feeding. Many members here feed Fancy Feast classic patés but anything on the food list under 10% kcals from carbs is suitable.
We also recommend that you create a 'hypo toolkit' with some cans of higher carb foods around the 15% mark and also in the 20-30% range (e.g. Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers, Temptations treats) and honey/karo. These are used to raise BG levels in cats that are running low. More info here:
Hypo toolkit
How to treat hypos (recommended to print out a copy of this and store it with your hypo kit supplies).
how to not feed her when she seems to be starving all day
When a cat is not yet regulated, its body doesn't utilise nutrients properly and that drives the incessant hunger, and they may need extra food until their BG moves into a better range (especially if they need to regain weight).
I'm assuming that you've already started Lantus here. Many members give a main feed just before administering the Lantus dose and then give some smaller meals between shot time and about +6 hours after the dose was administered. Timed feeders like the
Petsafe 5 are very helpful and can be used to dispense wet food meals during the night, when the caregiver is at work, etc. The only time food should be withheld is in the two hours prior to the preshot blood test so it won't be food-influenced (unless in the situation where a cat is running low and needs food to raise it's BG level).
VERY IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTE:
If Maki Kitty is currently on a higher carb diet it is vital for safety that you are home testing before you make any change to a lower carb food. The reason for this is that the reduction in carb load may result in a big drop in overall BG range and the insulin dose may need to be reduced. I very much recommend reading the following page which covers how to safely transition a cat on insulin to a lower carb diet:
catinfo.org - Feline Diabetes page
As I said above, ask away with any questions you have. We recommend initially posting on the main Feline Health board till you get the basics down. Thereafter you could post on the support group board for Lantus users.
Mogs
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