8/2 Newly diagnosed

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Erin & Beauty

Erin & Beauty

Member Since 2020
Hi! My name is Erin and my 18-year-old girl Beauty was just diagnosed on Friday 7/31. Her BG was 534. I took her to the vet due to excessive drinking and urinating (which over the past week has progressed to urinating outside the litter box). She is going to start on Prozinc, but the vet didn't have it in stock, so we're waiting on that to come in. The vet recommended Purina DM food which I also have on order (wet and dry, but I am going to see if I can wean her off of the dry). Meanwhile I am trying to educate myself as much as possible, and I can see FDMB is a great resource!

Beauty is also hyperthyroid which has been well-controlled with Felimazole for the past year and half. Her recent blood work also showed some evidence of stage 2 kidney disease and mild pancreatitis, but obviously the main concern at this point is getting the diabetes under control. I feel bad because I have noticed over the past few months she has had some rear leg weakness, which I attributed to old age. I wish I had known that was a symptom of diabetes and had taken her in sooner.

The vet did not mention anything about at-home monitoring, and I didn't know enough at the time to ask about it, but I am definitely going to pick up a glucometer and monitor her. I'm not too worried about giving her injections. I have had to give myself injections for a few weeks and it was no big deal. I am just trying to make it until the Prozinc comes in, as I am anxious to help my baby start feeling better!

I'm trying not to worry about a few days of delay in starting treatment causing her harm - if it was an urgent situation the vet would have treated it as such, right? I just hate seeing her feeling bad!
 
Thank you for the welcome! I'm in the US (Pennsylvania) so hopefully not a shortage-related issue. This vet seems to be very busy so I'm thinking they just ran out of what they normally stock. I'm definitely going to be sure to stay on top of reordering when that becomes necessary.
 
Hi and welcome you are at the tight place you could ever find
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For the neuropathy in the legs this will help more so when you get the diabetes under control


Hi my cat had neuropathy, this is what I used and many others members because it's cheaper than Zobaline

Hi Here is the link https://www.vitacost.com/vitacost-vitamin-b-12-methylcobalamin-5000-mcg-100-capsules-6

Alot of members use this , I use it myself you can buy it on line from Vitacost
Vitamin B-12 Methylcobalamin -- 5000 mcg - 100 Capsules
It's 17.99 just be sure this is the one you buy
The only difference is the Zobaline has 200 mcgs of folic acid
So I buy the folic acid at the supermarket and crush it up and add it to the B-12
If you can't find the 200 mcg get the 400 mcg and cut it in half
The Vitacost brand is a capsule so just open it and pour the powder on the wet food
Has no taste, no need to crush it up
The Zobaline is 33.99 for 60 pills, too expensive
I saw a big improvement I'd say 3 months, could be sooner. One capsule a day


Vitamin B-12 Methylcobalamin -- 5000 mcg - 100 Capsules

  • SKU #: 835003001804
  • Shipping Weight: 0.23 lb
  • Servings: 100
 
zurda said:
Thank you for the welcome! I'm in the US (Pennsylvania) so hopefully not a shortage-related issue. This vet seems to be very busy so I'm thinking they just ran out of what they normally stock. I'm definitely going to be sure to stay on top of reordering when that becomes necessary.
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Welcome Erin and Beauty! :bighug::bighug::bighug:

prozync is a very good insulin for cats so I’m happy to hear that’s what you’re getting her and that you’ll be home testing. It’s the only way to make sure your cat is safe and to regulate the diabetes. Make sure to start at a low dose. We recommend 1 unit and moving up at .25 increments so you don’t skip right through the ideal dose as you may if you increase by full units :cat:

As for food, you really don’t need Purina for the diabetes unless it’s necessary for her other conditions? Most of us here feed our cats fancy feast pate and you want to feed food that has less than 10% carbs. Purina DM is higher that that so I’d suggest not wasting your money on it. There’s nothing special about the vet prescribed “special” foods other than the price and clever marketing. The ingredients are not even high quality like human grade so you’re better off with FF.

I second what Diane said about b12 methyl. Minnie had severe neuropathy and she recovered completely once the diabetes was regulated. Just know it’s a slow process and it does take a few months. In the meantime I suggest getting pee pads because she may continue to have a hard time going in and out of the litter box.

also as far as meters, no need to get an expensive pet meter which most vets suggest. The majority of folks here use human meters and I’m a big fan of Walmart’s ReliOn. What gets expensive is the cost of the strips and Relion’s are the most affordable by far. You can get 100 for about $17.

welcome again and ask as many questions as you need!
 
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Thank you for the welcomes and all of the suggestions, especially the B12 methyl which I had not come across yet! My vet had mentioned starting her at 0.5 units per kg which is going to put her at 2.5 or 3 (I'm not sure of her exact weight right now), and bringing her back in after 5-6 days for bloodwork. I think I'll have a conversation with him to see if we can start more slowly while monitoring at home.
 
Here is a food chart that we use, you'd be wanting to find something that is less than 10% in carbs I second what Ale says about the Purina DM food

You should always have on hand medium and hi carbs just in case Beauty drops too low

Just in case you ever need higher carbs to bring his BG up

Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers Gourmet Beef Feast in Gravy 20% High Carbs

Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers Gourmet Chicken Feast in Gravy. 15% Med Carbs

Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers Turkey Feast in Gravy. 15% Med Carbs

Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers Chicken and Beef Feast in Gravy 15% Med Carbs

Also some honey or Karo syrup
 
Your vet is suggesting a whoppingly large initial dose of insulin. Most of the kitties here start on either 0.5u or 1.0u of Prozinc. Since you've not yet started insulin, this is the link to the Prozinc forum. The sticky note on the basics will walk you through much of what people here have mentioned -- and it's all in one place. The sticky on dosing will review the two methods that we use. The initial dose of Prozinc is not a weight based calculation.

You will also need to purchase U40 syringes. They are cheapest if you purchase online and they may be easier to find online. (Most human insulin is U100 and the syringe calibration needs to match the insulin concentration. Prozinc is a U40 insulin so you need U40 syringes.) You also want syringes that are marked in half unit increments.
 
zurda said:
Now I'm kind of glad my vet didn't have Prozinc in stock - otherwise I would have just started at his recommended dose!
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Also the syringes Sienne mentioned are very important because you’d easily get the wrong dose with an U100 syringe as opposed to the U40. Where you going to get them from your vet? I’d look online a good website is ADW Diabetics
 
Goose said:
Hi.

Can this: https://www.vitacost.com/vitacost-folic-acid-800-mcg-250-tablets

be added to the Vitacost brand Vitamin B-12 Methylcobalamin -- 5000 mcg - 100 Capsules? Or is there something on the same site better or stronger? How much gets crushed per treatment/day?

I just ordered some Zobaline but want to have this all set as a backup as this is quite a bit cheaper.
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Yes that folic acid is fine, but you should only put in 200 mcg's crushed up in the Vitacost methyl
So you would have to cut them in fours
When you use the Vitacost capsules just give one a day with 200 mcg's of the folic acid.
If you can find 400 mcg's just cut them in half to get the 200mcg's less cutting you will have to do. You can get them in any supermarket
 
jt and trouble (GA) said:
How is Beauty doing this morning? (well its morning here):p
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Beauty earned herself a dose reduction to 0.75 units last night - got down to 81 at +4.5 and thankfully no lower. AMPS was higher this morning than PMPS last night so I felt OK leaving her at home while I’m at work especially given the lowered dose. I am so glad I did not start with the 2.5 units the vet had recommended (without testing!). I hate to think what would have happened.
 
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