14 yr old Jesse

[lllevelee]

thank you for the welcome. Jess is a 14 yr old male. He was just diagnosed on Friday. I have been feeding him the low carb food all weekend and maybe a few little morsels of dry because he hates the can (I won't give up). However, I haven't learned how to test yet because I hAvent even started insulin, but he is already peeing less and drinking less. I am trying to get the money to buy his Lantus. If I can't get it she might use another insulin that is cheaper. I'll learn more tmrw when I see vet again. Like I said, I am so overwhelmed with all this. I lost my female kitty last year when she had a freak stroke, she was 15, it was awful for us both. Jesse misses her terribly as well. I'll let you know more when I figure out what kind of insulin and learn dosage
....I applied for the insulin help on this site as well.
Thank you for the support

 

[Veronica & Babu-chiri]

Hi and welcome!

What was his Glucose level ?

It's ok that you transition him to wet food before giving him insulin, since the change in his diet will lower his numbers a little bit, how much is hard to tell you will need to start testing him at home to be able to monitor his progress, even now before he starts his insulin, so that you can figure out how he's doing and the proper doses, also is not only more convenient (most kitties get stressed at the vet so the number you get is usually not very precise and higher) but also much much cheaper to test him yourself at home that at the vet

 

[MrWorfMen's Mom]

Lantus is an excellent insulin for cats but others work well too. I'm betting you have been quoted costs of $400+ for a 10 ml. vial however those using Lantus here usually purchase the pens (pen refills) that contain only 3ml of insulin. You can order Lantus from Marks Marine Pharmacy in Canada with the script from your vet for about 50% of the cost and the package of five small vials will last you a year or more. You can use up every drop of the small vials whereas the 10ml vial will result in some waste due to the small doses most cats require....not good at such prices. Check out the Supply Closet HERE as there is often Lantus available there for reduced cost.

Assuming you are in the US, many folks here use the Relion Micro or Confirm meters to home test their cats. The strips are the biggest continual cost and the strips for these meters are very reasonably priced. If you are located elsewhere, let us know and we can offer you some suggestions. Testing at home will cut costs because it will no longer be necessary to take Jesse into the vet for testing. Not only is that better for your budget, but it also will give you much more accurate information about how Jesse is doing.

If the low carb food you are now feeding Jesse was purchased through the vet, this is another place where you are spending money you don't need to. Many folks here are feeding their cats Fancy Feast Classic (Pates) and Friskies which are just as good and in some case better than the so called prescription diets the vets promote. Here is a link to the latest FOOD LISTS. Anything under 10% carbs is fine for a diabetic cat but most of us are feeding around 3-5% carbs. Definitely ditch the dry food as soon as you can because it can make a dramatic change in BG levels. My girl was a total kibble addict and wouldn't eat wet food at all until very recently so I completely understand the frustration of trying to get them to change their diet.

My heart goes out to you losing your other kitty to a stroke. I lost a very special little girl several years ago due to either a stroke or saddle thrombosis and it is indeed an awful experience to go through.

I'll leave it there for now as I don't want to overwhelm you even more. This is doable and we are here to help you in any way we can.