Brutus numbers back to 225 after 2yrs off insulin

[steve and brutus]

Brutus has been off insulin for 2yrs now and we noticed he was losing weight the last month to 6 weeks so tested him and his numbers are 225. About a month ago or more he got into some organic dry food we have for our younger cat and he proceeded to help himself.We think this might have triggered the problem as he never gets dry food anymore, just recommended canned with low carbs.Could there be a chance he could correct his numbers on diet alone at this point?

We have been callling different vets in town to see if they will prescribe the Lantis, appears there have been some changes in what they are letting vets prescribe now for animals. Have you had any problems?

Has anyone had any success with the homepathic formulas for diabetic cats?

Appreciate any assistance.


Steve and Brutus

 

[Maggies Mom Debby]

Diet alone can cause a significant change in BG values, but a month ago? That doesn't seem likely. But anything that stresses Brutus can raise BG levels, too. Changes in the house like a new animal or baby. Other health issues, like UTI or bad teeth. I think a vet visit is in order, especially with the weight loss.

I haven't heard of any rx problems. Are you in the US?

 

[Steve & Jock]

Answers to your Rx questions will depend what country you're in, so please mention that.

Diabetes is a disease of positive feedback and vicious circles. High BG numbers suppress the pancreas, leading to more high BG numbers and it gets worse. No homeopathy or other voodoo will fix that, but replacing the body's natural insulin works very well until it can make its own.

Similarly, if you can get his pancreas working again well enough to keep those numbers down, they'll stay down.

So what he needs is a gentle long-lasting insulin, maybe for a short time, to get his pancreas back on track. Plus it would really help if you took all the dry food out of the house to avoid this happening again. (Because one day of really high blood sugar can make a susceptible cat stay diabetic, I think the dry-food episode likely was the problem.)

Second remissions are not as common as first, and third chances are rare. Wet food will work for all your cats.

Best of luck!

Steve

 

[Sheila & Beau GA & Jeddie GA]

Well, my experience with Beau was that he was on vetsulin for two years, supposedly not a candidate for remission due to length of time on vetsulin, history of pancreatitis and steroid use. But I switched him to levemir and he was diet controlled in three months. I was amazed. So were a lot of folks, including my vet.

Then I caught him with his face buried in a package of dinner rolls (gotten down by one of my youngest cats) and his BG was something like 350. He struggled to bring his BG down. Managed to get to low 100s but then started to climb again. I ended up starting him back on levemir - afraid he had lost his chance at remission. It took nine days, but he regained his control. I think giving insulin was key to getting him back off insulin - if that makes any sense. It has been three months and he is still off insulin. (antijinx)

On the other hand, I adopted Jeddie one month after diagnosis and he was off insulin the day after I got him and changed his diet. But after 4 months his BG started to climb with no foray into dry food or bread and he has been on insulin for two months now. I am still holding out hope that I can get him back off insulin, but for now he needs it so he is getting it. Not my choice for him, but who chooses insulin dependent diabetes?