BigHeadTodd
Member Since 2013
Hello and thank you for such an informative group of caring pet owners!
My recent rescue BIG HEAD TODD is not only FIV+ but was just diagnosed FD. I couldn't be more frustrated from the stress and ignorance and lack of current information and compassion my vet had for helping us begin the treatment. I have 6 other fosters and every dime counts in the health and wellbeing of everyone in my home including the humans!
Below is a letter that I just wrote to ---... I'm sure it will not effect his ego in the least bit... but I just felt it necessary and would like to share to see how everyone feels about helping to develop a "general" FD program plan for introducing/education newly diagnosed FD pet owners... this program can be shared on the site but I can also use my professional expertise to print and distribute to any/all vets who should be much more current on treatment and supportive with home care and share some of the economical responsibility through offering a total picture in order to ensure the efficacy of our pets. Not to mention our sanity as a pet owner: who for me, was first scared for my pet and then even more scared for myself in fears of not being able to afford the treatment/give the time/or the devotion necessary for BIG HEAD's recovery and long-term care.
Please let me know, maybe there is already something out there that exists... can't say havent found it in my travels thus far... can say that none of the vets I called had any knowledge of the Roomp/Rand study dated back in 2009 and still use Humulin N as the choice of insulin prescribed in particular for newly diagnosed pets... or the nutritional chart to offer alternative food choices that are from what I can tell not much different from the DM and one third the costs.
I will keep trying to get educated and share what I have learned to help prevent my horrible experience from happening to any other pet and their pet owner... my cat is just as frustrated... we weren't properly sticking him, didn't give him the best insulin, switched his diet to food that has been called "crap" by the majority of you on this board... we are all exhausted and feel defeated in this house currently... BiGs is still 508 and we are a week into this...
Dr ---,
We have had a very long weekend trying to get a true understanding of what type of commitment and lifestyle changes are required to care for our pet with newly diagnosed diabetes.
I have found a free monitor after rebate at Walgreens. The kit is $9.99 (rebate free) and 100 test strips for only $42!!! and it only requires 0.5 microliters of blood (http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/walgre ... 59-product).
I called and spoke with Courtney to make sure I was able to return the AlphaTrak costing $199 +tax. The cost of the test strips for the alphaTrak is $60-80 range for only 50 test strip. It is Sunday and the only day I have to take to drive to your practice to return. So I will leave with Courtney and wait for the refund once your office manager is in on Monday.
This cost makes a huge impact on the longterm care for a pet with FD. Now I don't have to consider re-mortgaging my home!
I am frustrated because we were so overwhelmed on Friday after hearing the news. And more frustrated when there is so much conflicting information between what we learned from your practice and what we were researching and learning from other pet owners and vets who are treating FD. We didn't have the time to research and make educated decisions in treating our sick pet at the eleventh hour on a Friday night… but have found an economical way of being able to maintain the health of our pet. With the right equipment and insulin this process could have been much less frightening for us all here at home especially with the unnecessary added economic stress.
Humulin N is $90-$120 and only has a refrigerated shelf life of only 30 days once opened… Lantus is $120-140 but lasts for up to six months… AND IS PROVEN to be a more successful insulin for cats over the choice of Humulin N. YET AGAIN ANOTHER HUGE SAVINGS… (Lantus also offers free samples and a savings program).
I can not expect you to refund me the $90 of the humulin N (although it would be very kind of you, especially since we did not receive the proper instructions on how to use the vial i.e. injection of air into the vial and releasing air bubbles in the needle, not shaking the vial and how to prevent contamination buy not drawing the insulin in and out to get the proper dosage, everything that we have been doing wrong). It wasn't until I connected with FelineDiabetes.com and was educated by forums and shared videos from pet owners with the right instructions and advise did I learn how to properly treat.
I am requesting that you allow for the full refund of the AlphaTrak that is now only missing a few test strips and a few lancing devices. We just can not afford to maintain this monitor long term and it is such a huge price impact. If it wasn't so significant I wouldn't bother to take my time on a Sunday to drive over the bridge to return.
Hopefully you will share with your patients in the future especially due to the fact that this is a huge economical burden for any pet owner to take on and can be much different and much more manageable if the process/plan for treating FD was put together more like a program to ultimately support the efficacy for both owner and pet. I understand you need to run a business and make money but there is a fine line of how you can help or hinder the economic support needed in order to ensure the efficacy that is so much required for treating a condition such as FD. EXPENSES FOR FD: FOOD/INSULIN/NEEDLES/MONITOR/TEST STRIPS/LANCERS/URIN STRIPS/REGULAR VET VISITS/REGULAR LAB TESTING. This requires an entirely new economic plan for a family on a budget!!! Not to mention the preparation of the TIME/DEVOTION/DEDICATION/and above all PATIENCE required… An introductory program that I have suggested to help develop with the help of FelineDiabetes and hopefully fellow vets that are interested.
If you have anything to add please feel free to share your advise and professional experience is welcomed. At this point it is about sharing, education and informing… knowledge is the key!!!
Warm regards,
Jennifer [redacted personal information]
My recent rescue BIG HEAD TODD is not only FIV+ but was just diagnosed FD. I couldn't be more frustrated from the stress and ignorance and lack of current information and compassion my vet had for helping us begin the treatment. I have 6 other fosters and every dime counts in the health and wellbeing of everyone in my home including the humans!
Below is a letter that I just wrote to ---... I'm sure it will not effect his ego in the least bit... but I just felt it necessary and would like to share to see how everyone feels about helping to develop a "general" FD program plan for introducing/education newly diagnosed FD pet owners... this program can be shared on the site but I can also use my professional expertise to print and distribute to any/all vets who should be much more current on treatment and supportive with home care and share some of the economical responsibility through offering a total picture in order to ensure the efficacy of our pets. Not to mention our sanity as a pet owner: who for me, was first scared for my pet and then even more scared for myself in fears of not being able to afford the treatment/give the time/or the devotion necessary for BIG HEAD's recovery and long-term care.
Please let me know, maybe there is already something out there that exists... can't say havent found it in my travels thus far... can say that none of the vets I called had any knowledge of the Roomp/Rand study dated back in 2009 and still use Humulin N as the choice of insulin prescribed in particular for newly diagnosed pets... or the nutritional chart to offer alternative food choices that are from what I can tell not much different from the DM and one third the costs.
I will keep trying to get educated and share what I have learned to help prevent my horrible experience from happening to any other pet and their pet owner... my cat is just as frustrated... we weren't properly sticking him, didn't give him the best insulin, switched his diet to food that has been called "crap" by the majority of you on this board... we are all exhausted and feel defeated in this house currently... BiGs is still 508 and we are a week into this...
Dr ---,
We have had a very long weekend trying to get a true understanding of what type of commitment and lifestyle changes are required to care for our pet with newly diagnosed diabetes.
I have found a free monitor after rebate at Walgreens. The kit is $9.99 (rebate free) and 100 test strips for only $42!!! and it only requires 0.5 microliters of blood (http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/walgre ... 59-product).
I called and spoke with Courtney to make sure I was able to return the AlphaTrak costing $199 +tax. The cost of the test strips for the alphaTrak is $60-80 range for only 50 test strip. It is Sunday and the only day I have to take to drive to your practice to return. So I will leave with Courtney and wait for the refund once your office manager is in on Monday.
This cost makes a huge impact on the longterm care for a pet with FD. Now I don't have to consider re-mortgaging my home!
I am frustrated because we were so overwhelmed on Friday after hearing the news. And more frustrated when there is so much conflicting information between what we learned from your practice and what we were researching and learning from other pet owners and vets who are treating FD. We didn't have the time to research and make educated decisions in treating our sick pet at the eleventh hour on a Friday night… but have found an economical way of being able to maintain the health of our pet. With the right equipment and insulin this process could have been much less frightening for us all here at home especially with the unnecessary added economic stress.
Humulin N is $90-$120 and only has a refrigerated shelf life of only 30 days once opened… Lantus is $120-140 but lasts for up to six months… AND IS PROVEN to be a more successful insulin for cats over the choice of Humulin N. YET AGAIN ANOTHER HUGE SAVINGS… (Lantus also offers free samples and a savings program).
I can not expect you to refund me the $90 of the humulin N (although it would be very kind of you, especially since we did not receive the proper instructions on how to use the vial i.e. injection of air into the vial and releasing air bubbles in the needle, not shaking the vial and how to prevent contamination buy not drawing the insulin in and out to get the proper dosage, everything that we have been doing wrong). It wasn't until I connected with FelineDiabetes.com and was educated by forums and shared videos from pet owners with the right instructions and advise did I learn how to properly treat.
I am requesting that you allow for the full refund of the AlphaTrak that is now only missing a few test strips and a few lancing devices. We just can not afford to maintain this monitor long term and it is such a huge price impact. If it wasn't so significant I wouldn't bother to take my time on a Sunday to drive over the bridge to return.
Hopefully you will share with your patients in the future especially due to the fact that this is a huge economical burden for any pet owner to take on and can be much different and much more manageable if the process/plan for treating FD was put together more like a program to ultimately support the efficacy for both owner and pet. I understand you need to run a business and make money but there is a fine line of how you can help or hinder the economic support needed in order to ensure the efficacy that is so much required for treating a condition such as FD. EXPENSES FOR FD: FOOD/INSULIN/NEEDLES/MONITOR/TEST STRIPS/LANCERS/URIN STRIPS/REGULAR VET VISITS/REGULAR LAB TESTING. This requires an entirely new economic plan for a family on a budget!!! Not to mention the preparation of the TIME/DEVOTION/DEDICATION/and above all PATIENCE required… An introductory program that I have suggested to help develop with the help of FelineDiabetes and hopefully fellow vets that are interested.
If you have anything to add please feel free to share your advise and professional experience is welcomed. At this point it is about sharing, education and informing… knowledge is the key!!!
Warm regards,
Jennifer [redacted personal information]
