12/22/23 New Member Bexacat

[Cindy S.]

I feel blessed to have discovered this forum. I sure could have benefited from it two years ago when we experienced our first diabetic diagnosis and all the fear and questions we had. Unfortunately, after six months of being very diligent and totally compliant it was discovered that all of our efforts failed as Traveler was insulin-resistant and we lost him.

Now I have another, Charlie, who is semi-feral and impossible to consistently handle for insulin, sugar checks and won't eat when needed. So...we started him on Bexacat early December. At time of diagnosis his sugar was over 500 and within 6 days of taking the Bexacat it was 150 at the vet's office. He returns next week for f/u tests, but our struggle is to get him to take the chewable tablet. What works one day won't work the next and we have wasted a few pills trying different things from day to day. Since this is a new drug there is very little information regarding the effectiveness of an incomplete dose or a skipped dose. Its very stressful worrying about getting him to take his pill each day.

I am not thrilled of the newness of this drug or possible complications but it is our only option to give this boy a chance.

 

[Christie & Maverick]

Hello and welcome to the forum. The moderators recently prepared the attached info on new treatments for feline diabetes, which includes some info on Bexacat.

 

[Sienne and Gabby (GA)]

For a cat that won't allow shots, Bexacat may be a reasonable alternative. I would encourage you to read the information in the post that Christie linked about the kind of monitoring for health issues that's necessary. The good news is that Charlie's blood glucose is now below renal threshold.

 

[Staci & Ivy]

Hi Cindy, best of luck with Charlie.
I’m so sorry about Traveler

 

[Cindy S.]

Hi, just thought I would give you an update on Charlie. He had a vet visit yesterday and his ketones were low and his BG was 171. For the past several days he has taken his Bexacat easily in wet food and I am hoping that continues.

 

[Christie & Maverick]

Hi Cindy, thank you for posting an update, seems so far things are going well, especially since in your original post there were some issues with being able to pill daily. I do wonder about the ketones being low, ideally you want none. Was that from a urinalysis?

 

[Cindy S.]

Hi Cindy, thank you for posting an update, seems so far things are going well, especially since in your original post there were some issues with being able to pill daily. I do wonder about the ketones being low, ideally you want none. Was that from a urinalysis?

No, it was from blood. There is a monitor that works from a drop of blood just like glucose testing.

 

[Sienne and Gabby (GA)]

Cindy --

From everything I've read, Bexacat is not recommended if a cat has ketones. Please be very careful and get a ketone reading twice a day. I may be overly cautious but ketones are no joke.

 

[Cindy S.]

Update on Charlie - he is doing good. He had a vet check recently and his glucose was 130. Thus far he is active and feeling good, eating his restricted diet well and taking all of his Bexacat in his food.