11/2 Loose Lips

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Linda for Weezer

Linda for Weezer

Member Since 2011
There was an interesting discussion on Morgaine’s condo yesterday about the state of veterinary medicine. I know most of us have had less that positive experiences and we have all seen newbies coming on board who have received absolutely horrifying instructions from their vets. I know many of us have given our vets information we found here and sometimes have had success converting them to prescribing Lantus and understanding the effect of diet on our sugar kitties. I am wondering if, as a group, we could be proactive in getting this message out to the veterinary profession. Maybe something as straightforward as letters to the editors of major journals, such as the Journal of the AVMA. What do you think?
 
At my last vet's visit 2 weeks ago, I found out that the Relion/Walmart area rep is visiting the locals vets and giving them this neat 'poster' to put up in their treatment rooms all about their Humulin N product. They're pushing it really hard since the animal insulin is no longer made. I truly don't think the other insulin's have reps that do that - maybe this explains the push for many vets to use Humulin...my vet learns all the 'new' stuff from this rep....
 
Just to correct a few points in Morgaine's condo.

Pet insurance is available. It's debatable whether it's a good investment but more at issue is that if you try to insure you cat and if FD is a pre-existing illness, you can't get your cat insured. If the FD develops after the cat is insured, you're covered.

There are specialty vets. Take a look at the faculty at any vet school. Likewise, many of the emergency facilities have specialists on staff. The majority of vets in the community are generalists. This is not unlike in human medicine -- there are a lot more internal medicine and family medicine docs (i.e., primary care physicians) than there are specialists.

I agree with Celi's point that vets are in the position of having to treat the spectrum of illnesses across a broad range of species. I'm fortunate to live in a city where there are at least two feline only practices. Vets do need to complete continuing education requirements. The question, though, is what are the courses to maintain their licenses and what are the qualifications of the people who are teaching those courses? In other fields, you have to declare a conflict of interest if you are getting financial support for your research from a drug company, for example. I would hope that this is the same with vets who get supported by the pet food industry. A close friend who's an MD/PhD made the observation that anyone can have more expertise about one or two single conditions than their physician or vet. To the degree that we are invested in the health and well being of our cats, we develop our expertise and pass that information forward. Those members here who have cats with multiple illnesses are incredible resources as many of them are hugely knowledgeable about different conditions and the interaction of those conditions with FD.

My vet also said the same thing -- they don't push home testing because most people won't do it. I think this is a poor excuse albeit, an understandable one. How many people who are new here have that concern? We just provide our individual experience and don't let that fear get in the way.

One thing we can do is find websites that endorse current thinking. The more you use those sites, the higher their rank when people do a search. Dr. Lisa's site or feline-nutrition.org advocate for species appropriate diet.

If there were a means for making an FDMB poster or brochure that each of us could give to our vets for their offices, it might be a means of getting the word out at a grassroots level.
 
I had taken Muffin in to the vet for an infected wound on her face, which they treated. When we got home, she sat at the water dish drinking water for 25 straight minutes. I called the vet, and they seemed totally unconcerned. I don't know how many calls I placed over the next 3 days and they kept insisting she would be ok until the 10 day follow-up appt. Mind you, they have a diabetes poster in the exam room. Back then, I was much less proactive, much less insistent, assuming that they knew what they were talking about, so I waited the 10 days. Then I insisted on bloodwork, and she was dx FD. She was immediately prescribed Lantus, I was told I had to get the AT meter, but only had to test once a week. I was also told to roll the vial before using it. So I think I got some more current advice, but some very outdated info as well.

When I began bringing in Muffin's SS, they looked at me like I was crazy, and still insisted I only had to test once a week...but I provided them the protocol, and other relevant paperwork, and they saw how well she was doing. So I was able to educate them, which they do pass on to their other FD patients. I am fortunate that they were willing to learn from me, and now they recommend this site as well.

One of my other main complaints, other than the vets, are the pet food stores, namely PetCo, PetSmart, and even the feed store here. They all recommend dry food, for both dogs and cats. I've been told canned food does nothing but rot their teeth out, give them bad breath, has little to no nutritional value, etc etc. One employee at the feed store asked me questions when I disagreed with her, so I was able to educate her, at least. I hope she listened. But those places are another instance of assuming the employees should know what they're talking about, but they don't.

I'll be ordering 2 fdmb calendars this year, one for the vet's office!
 
Sienne and Gabby said:
If the FD develops after the cat is insured, you're covered.
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What exactly is covered? Just the vet visits and tests? Insulin and insulin syringes? Are Human insulins covered? Bg testing supplies? I'll ask the MetLife rep downstairs at today's benefit fair but probably won't get an answer other than to call them or visit their web site :roll:


There are specialty vets. Take a look at the faculty at any vet school. Likewise, many of the emergency facilities have specialists on staff. The majority of vets in the community are generalists. This is not unlike in human medicine -- there are a lot more internal medicine and family medicine docs (i.e., primary care physicians) than there are specialists.
Click to expand...

I'm fortunate to live near a big name vet hospital that's kind of like a Human hospital. There are vets of almost every specialty there: cardiology, internal medicine, surgery, dermatology, nutrition, avian/exotics, etc even a whole group just for hyper-t treatment. And it's also a 24/7 ER. One stop vet treatment :lol: Practically all the general vet practices in the area refer clients to this vet hospital for specialty treatments and for ER care.

Vets do need to complete continuing education requirements. The question, though, is what are the courses to maintain their licenses and what are the qualifications of the people who are teaching those courses?
Click to expand...

At the vet hospital I go to, there are weekly seminars for the vets and vet techs that count as continuing education credits. Industry symposiums and meetings may also count as continuing education credits. The people who teach the courses or whatever are considered experts in their particular field.
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My vet also said the same thing -- they don't push home testing because most people won't do it. I think this is a poor excuse albeit, an understandable one. How many people who are new here have that concern? We just provide our individual experience and don't let that fear get in the way.
Click to expand...

Many pet owners are completely unaware that they can test blood glucose levels at home. A vet should at least bring up the topic and discuss it with the pet owner, offer to show the owner how to test or provide resources for online demos, and let their owner make a decision.

If there were a means for making an FDMB poster or brochure that each of us could give to our vets for their offices, it might be a means of getting the word out at a grassroots level.
Click to expand...


There are FDMB posters and cards here: http://www.felinediabetes.com/word.htm They're kind of basic and general.

Leroy's off to see Dr. B tomorrow. No strange noises from him since Sunday. He and Emma have been squabbling over the top prech of the cat tree lately @-) It was Leroy's spot but Emma now claims it as her own. Leroy doesn't want to share that perch so he's been trying to annoy Emma enough to leave the perch :? He just paws and paws at her and she'll whack back and it goes on until Emma's had enough and gets off the tree. Yesterday he was on the top and Emma wanted the spot. Emma got on the perch just under it and stood on the very edge on her hind legs so she could paw at Leroy. Leroy actually tried to push Emma backwards and off the perch :shock: Emma teetered for a scary moment before dropping down onto all fours and jumping off the tree. Then she slinked off to the bedroom for a nap. I need a tree with two top perches @-)
 
Anne,

I like your idea of putting a FDMB calendar in the vet's office. Is the website featured on the calendar, or just our sugar kitties?
 
Thanks for the link to the poster, Squeem! I've printed it out and will take it to my vet the next time I take my car to the shop (the vet is conveniently right next door!!)


Ella
 
i got 2 of the acro/iaa/cushings calendars for exactly that purpose. i don't really need the picture of punkin on it, but it has good information about those conditions and i plan to give on to the old vet and one to the new vet. hopefully it will be posted somewhere that will help spread information.

as many FDMB members as there are, seeing as many different vets as we do, you'd think we could make a dent in the education about FD.

oddly enough, however, the new vet that we're seeing who has 2 diabetic cats herself, doesn't home test and doesn't follow the Rand/Roomp protocol. at some point i will ask her why not, but i didn't want to rock the boat too much on the first visit.
 
This is an awesome condo.

My vet (and there are 6 others at her practice) was very straightforward in telling me that she found access to more information through the FDMB
than she did ANYWHERE...except Angell and one other national specialty feline veterinary hospital that i was dumb enough NOT to get the name of..

celi

HI, MUFFINS!!!
BINKS
 
Thanks for the link to the posters. I didn't realize there was a poster and wish I had it yesterday when I brought Simon to the vet. I'm going to bring it the next time I go.

when I started searching for articles about feline diabetes when Simon was first diagnosed, the FDMB kept popping up so I naturally went to this site. What a relief it was to find y'all and I know it definitely helps that FDMB is one of the more prominent websites listed when anyone searches for feline diabetes. Together, we can maybe change the thinking about hometesting and the protocol and spread the word to all our vets. FDMB Power!!!
 
high carb?
 

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Haha MJ good ice breaker LOL.

I don't know about you guys, but seeing how incompetent vets are makes me really scared that doctors are the same. A lot of vets are not approachable though. Some of you know my thoughts on why this might be the case :mrgreen: Another member just joined the FAF board with acute renal failure from metacam. Kidney numbers were fine the week before the metacam. The vet won't admit it and won't report it. It has a black box warning yet they ignore it. Makes me wonder if there is back door lobbying by the company or just plain incompetence. It makes me so discouraged and I feel its hopeless. But then I read posts here about you guys that do have wonderful vets and it gives me hope. You guys have made a difference in some cases also turning vets around and are an inspiration for many of us. I have to find courage just to talk with vets now, I have some scars from my first vet experience that will stay with me.
 
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