Hi all,
Our 13 year-old male cat was just diagnosed with diabetes. I've been reading the boards here and googling other information. I want to make sure that I am doing what is right for my cat, not just what the vet tells me to do. He lost a LOT of weight over the past month or two. I kept trying to bulk him back up with some high protein (Blue brand which the vet said isn't good at all) wet food in addition to free feeding dry food but the weight wouldn't stick. In all honestly he's been slowly losing weight for probably about a year, but I naively assumed that it was just due to his 'senior' age. So right now according to our vet he is 4-5lbs underweight at 5lbs 8oz. Also his liver enzymes were elevated, kidney function decreased and the vet thinks he also has pancreatitis. The vet thinks that these problems will go away once we get the blood glucose levels regulated.
The vet is advising starting on a very low dose of Lantus 2x per day. She want us to bring him in the first day of insulin shots (scheduled to start Monday) to plot a curve of his blood glucose. Then he has to go back in once a day for the next two days to get a blood glucose test. I asked her about home testing because the protocol she first recommended (having a curve plotted for the first 3 days, to a tune of about $900) was cost prohibitive for us. She poopoo'ed the idea of home testing, but I can see from reading here that this is a common position for some vets to take. I think I am going to do home testing anyhow because I want to get my cat healthy and well as soon as possible. I am just having trouble seeing the merits of shelling out $50 odd dollars every two weeks for testing in the vet's office, when we could get a better read on his numbers with regular home testing. He's a really sweet old docile guy and I don't think he will give me trouble about testing or shots. He's really the calmest, friendliest cat I've ever seen.
He free feeds dry food (science diet, recently switched from Blue at the vets insistence) but he will eat wet food very enthusiastically, this cat has NEVER met a meal he would turn down. He is underweight and possibly suffering from pancreatitis so I am thinking that we really shouldn't change his diet too much right now. The vet does want me to put him on a prescription diet. I am debating the merits of that, so I would like some advice on that front. Also, I am wondering how to best get some meat back on his bones. I am having trouble wrapping my brain around how to keep his diet regulated, I don't know if I should switch from free feeding or not. Given that we have three cats I can see a switch to more regulated mealtimes becoming a major issue.
The vet told me that the bottle of Lantus can last up to a year but that contradicts what I am reading here and other place on the internet. If it really only lasts a month, I don't know if I can afford it. I priced it out and the lowest price I found was around $140 per bottle. If you figure $140 per bottle plus a minimum of $100 a month in vet costs (going by her recommendations of in office BG testing) that adds up fast.
Basically, I am curious if it's realistic that he could ever go into remission, the vet told me that about 50% of the diabetic cats she treats will go into remission. I hate feeling like a miser but I have to consider the cost of all this testing, glucose, etc and try to keep the costs as low as possible. I can't help but feel like my vet is in the business of selling her services, secondary to caring for animals of course, but the fact remains that she does want to make money also.
Sorry I've rambled on but this is all very new and stressful to me. Thank you for listening and thank you in advance for your advice and feedback.
Our 13 year-old male cat was just diagnosed with diabetes. I've been reading the boards here and googling other information. I want to make sure that I am doing what is right for my cat, not just what the vet tells me to do. He lost a LOT of weight over the past month or two. I kept trying to bulk him back up with some high protein (Blue brand which the vet said isn't good at all) wet food in addition to free feeding dry food but the weight wouldn't stick. In all honestly he's been slowly losing weight for probably about a year, but I naively assumed that it was just due to his 'senior' age. So right now according to our vet he is 4-5lbs underweight at 5lbs 8oz. Also his liver enzymes were elevated, kidney function decreased and the vet thinks he also has pancreatitis. The vet thinks that these problems will go away once we get the blood glucose levels regulated.
The vet is advising starting on a very low dose of Lantus 2x per day. She want us to bring him in the first day of insulin shots (scheduled to start Monday) to plot a curve of his blood glucose. Then he has to go back in once a day for the next two days to get a blood glucose test. I asked her about home testing because the protocol she first recommended (having a curve plotted for the first 3 days, to a tune of about $900) was cost prohibitive for us. She poopoo'ed the idea of home testing, but I can see from reading here that this is a common position for some vets to take. I think I am going to do home testing anyhow because I want to get my cat healthy and well as soon as possible. I am just having trouble seeing the merits of shelling out $50 odd dollars every two weeks for testing in the vet's office, when we could get a better read on his numbers with regular home testing. He's a really sweet old docile guy and I don't think he will give me trouble about testing or shots. He's really the calmest, friendliest cat I've ever seen.
He free feeds dry food (science diet, recently switched from Blue at the vets insistence) but he will eat wet food very enthusiastically, this cat has NEVER met a meal he would turn down. He is underweight and possibly suffering from pancreatitis so I am thinking that we really shouldn't change his diet too much right now. The vet does want me to put him on a prescription diet. I am debating the merits of that, so I would like some advice on that front. Also, I am wondering how to best get some meat back on his bones. I am having trouble wrapping my brain around how to keep his diet regulated, I don't know if I should switch from free feeding or not. Given that we have three cats I can see a switch to more regulated mealtimes becoming a major issue.
The vet told me that the bottle of Lantus can last up to a year but that contradicts what I am reading here and other place on the internet. If it really only lasts a month, I don't know if I can afford it. I priced it out and the lowest price I found was around $140 per bottle. If you figure $140 per bottle plus a minimum of $100 a month in vet costs (going by her recommendations of in office BG testing) that adds up fast.
Basically, I am curious if it's realistic that he could ever go into remission, the vet told me that about 50% of the diabetic cats she treats will go into remission. I hate feeling like a miser but I have to consider the cost of all this testing, glucose, etc and try to keep the costs as low as possible. I can't help but feel like my vet is in the business of selling her services, secondary to caring for animals of course, but the fact remains that she does want to make money also.
Sorry I've rambled on but this is all very new and stressful to me. Thank you for listening and thank you in advance for your advice and feedback.
I know it's a huge amount of information to learn, it's overwhelming and stressful. The best thing to tell you is to switch to all wet food and hometest. I know that's easier said than done in a multi cat household, but lots of members here do it and can probably give you advice on it. I only have one cat so it's easier in that regard, I use an autofeeder and mini meals of wet food so she can still graze, but I also wanted to let you know remission is possible for some cats. My cat is in remission and diet controlled only now, it's our one month anniversary today off being off insulin! She also has early kidney disease. I don't know much about pancreatitis.
