Diabetic cat

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rubberman

Member Since 2020
I have a 15 yr old cat that was diagnosed being diabetic a month or 2 ago. We put him oh diabetic food and was required to give him insulin shots twice a day. I think the vet start off with 2cc but his sugar levels were high , then was suppose to try 3cc and the levels were still high. The he said go back to 2cc but administer a shot every 8 hours. Wife is taking the cat back today for blood work to see what the levels are again.
The cat has issues of walking cause of its back legs. It sounds like the vet mentioned in previous visits if we can’t control this then the cat might need to be put down. I find this hard to believe that a vet would say this. The cat acts and seems normal but has the leg issues. I don’t know. There has to be another option. Thoughts
 
Hiya and Welcome

I assume the vet haven't told you to and taught you to Self-Home Blood glucose tests. Just as all diabetics have to do themselves.

That is Very Important for you to do, and cheaper and safer for Kitty in both the short and long run.

Here you have both 1. A list of available Bg meters, and Home Bg testing tips.



Home Bg Meters http://main.diabetes.org/dforg/pdfs/2018/2018-cg-blood-glucose-meters.pdf


Home Bg Testing Tips https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/hometesting-links-and-tips.287/
 
WELCOME TO FDMB! Oh boy where do I start ..first? FIND A NEW VET. This guy has no idea how to treat feline diabetes and has given dangerous advice ...so far. I know this sounds harsh but...Did they run a fructosamine test? That is the only way to DX diabetes.
What insulin where you prescribed?. The only insulin used every 8 hrs is typically used by an ER vet in extreme circumstances. His walking issues are "probably due to Neuropathy. Just like in humans. With lower numbers and a supplement called Mythelcobolium (Mythel B12) The neuropathy will be resolved.

Food is an extremely important part of this picture, just like humans, CARBS FEED diabetes. So a low carb WET canned food diet is all a diabetic cat should eat. Let me guess your vet sold you a big bag of expensive dry food. right?

ALL THAT SAID...We are a community of caring, cat loving owners, that have this one thing in common, feline diabetes.
We recommend you learn to home test your cats blood sugars. Its the ONLY way to keep your kitty safe WE CAN HELP YOU LEARN THIS!

I'm going to direct you here, to get acquainted with how things work around here:
New? How You Can Help Us Help You!

Theres a ton of information here with good people to help you navigate it all

WELCOME TO OUR FAMILY:bighug:

This is the BEST darn site on this planet to learn everything you need to know about feline diabetes
jeanne

ETA: I rushed through this and SHOULD HAVE SAID . "From your description it sounds like your Vet has no idea how to treat a diabetic cat"
My APOLOGIES.
j
 
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Hello and welcome, and I'm so sorry you are in this situation!

As Jeanne (@jt and trouble (GA) ) says, you haven't been getting great advice on the feline diabetes front. Even if your vet is great on other things, they usually don't get a ton of training on FD. Luckily, there is a large community of caring cat owners here who have tons of real-world experience you can draw upon!

The most helpful thing you can do to help your kitty and manage the diabetes is, as both Ann and Jeanne said, to learn to home test blood glucose. Numbers at the vet can be highly elevated by stress, and just occasional numbers aren't enough to judge how well a dose is working anyway. If you home test, you can keep your kitty safe and figure out the best dose. Plus, it's much cheaper than vet visits!

Are you in the US? If so, many people here use the Walmart Relion Prime (human) BG meter. The strips (biggest ongoing expense) are cheap and, for most people, easily available 24hrs a day. Pretty much any human meter will work-- if you aren't near a Walmart, or not in the US, we may have other suggestions that people like.

What is your kitty eating? Food can also have a big influence on BG-- so much so that some lucky kitties can, after a short course of insulin, become diet-controlled diabetics! That's another thing we can definitely help with, but don't change his food before you start home-testing, as insulin needs can drop very quickly and you risk hypoglycemia.

I know this was asked, but please do let us know what insulin you're using, they can have very different actions. 2 or 3 units is a pretty high dose to be starting out (I assume it's really units and not cc's?), more so with some insulins than others.

Finally... what is your kitty's name?
 
@rubberman

Sometimes one actually don't have to change vet, but instead educate yourself, and educate the vet. Here are the American Guidelines of Diabetes treatment of Cats to read up on and also print out and give the vet. https://www.aaha.org/globalassets/02-guidelines/diabetes/diabetes-guidelines_final.pdf

And that the bg should be kept under the Renal Threshold 230
https://felinediabetes.com/bg-convert.htm

And that a Diet Change to Wet Foods with Under 5 % Carbohydrates, is a major part in the bg regulation.
Vet DVM Lisa Pierson have dilingently gone through all foods on markets and made this Food Guide here
https://catinfo.org/docs/CatFoodProteinFatCarbPhosphorusChart.pdf

And all the Home bg tests, plus blood tests results, and food, remarks, and insulin type, we both write down in an constant home journal, as well as in the Web based Spreadsheet, we both link in here in your signature, and you also can have your vet to read
https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/fdmb-spreadsheet-instructions.130337/

Now You are all set and Armed with Knowledge.
 
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Welcome to the best support site around. The people on here will give you loads of support and the best advice based on years of looking after their own diabetic kitties.
There are plenty of inspiring stories on here of kitties who had really bad back leg problems (neuropathy) but have made a full recovery. The below is a link to a truly amazing video that was shared by @JL and Chip of her own cat's struggle & recovery - it's amazing (hope you don't mind me sharing this onwards JL !)


Don't despair - all the help you could ever want is here for you, never be afraid to ask anything at all.
All the best to you and your kitty.
 
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