Here We Go!

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scissorchik

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good afternoon everyone!

I went to my vet's today, on my way to work, to drop off the canned food the vet sold me. The tech at the desk asked if I wanted the refund put on my 'account' for my appointment Friday. I told her that I am doing Basil's curves at home from now on, and that I am regularly doing blood/glucose tests on a daily basis. I told her he is much more calm and happy at home than to be caged up for the day, and that he'd pooped in the carrier after we left the vet last time.

She gave me this blank stare and said 'I don't know if we can even do that. I'll have to ask Dr. So-and-So." I looked at her, to see if she was serious, and she started the refund paperwork. I gave her the results of Basil's Monday curve and told her to show them to the vet and she'll see how well he's doing. I told her that I would like to know what his numbers were when he was there for his initial diagnosis, since his numbers now are exceptionally well. She, again with the blank stare, said '" have no idea. That would be something you have to talk to Dr So-and-So about". I asked 'do you have access to his record?' and she said 'its not available-and I wasn't here when you brought him in Friday'. All the vets are on lunch so I can't ask."

I took my refund, walked out the door and pretty much decided that I am done with this vet. I haven't heard a peep from them, but I assume they will be calling Thursday to remind me to drop Basil off Friday morning. If they do I am going to tell them that I want to know what his record says, and that he will not be coming in for any curves and that I am perfectly capable of doing them myself, and saving the $100 a week.

Grrr.

Basil was low this morning. At + 3 he was at 47 and at +5 he was at 50. I gave him a small snack and left for work. I'm going to test him again before he eats, and hopefully he's in the normal range.
 
Too bad. Your vet could really benefit from your experience and use it to help other cats.

I would ask for all his records. You are entitled to them and the info may help sometime in the future.
 
I am really, really curious because after looking at his numbers on 0.25u, I am wondering if he was diabetic in the first place....

Why did you bring him in? Weight loss? PU/PD (excessive peeing and drinking )?
 
In actuality, you are only entitled to a copy of the records, and the vet can charge you a reasonable fee for copying. State regulations require that the vet retain the original records for specific amount of time.

Sue and Oliver said:
Too bad. Your vet could really benefit from your experience and use it to help other cats.

I would ask for all his records. You are entitled to them and the info may help sometime in the future.
 
Absolutely get your records. You are entitled to copies of them when you switch vets! They can't withhold them from you. If they tried to it would be very unprofessional!

Was Basil eating dry food when he was diagnosed? It's possible that a diet change was all he needed.
 
He was eating dry only. He is doing well on the wet food, and I didn't even 'phase' him off of it-he and his brother quit dry cold turkey and never looked back.

I am feeling much better about his health thanks to all of your support and guidance.

:)
 
The reason I took him to the vet was that I had noticed him trying to jump up on the bathroom counter and not making it. I thought-hmmm...perhaps because he's nine and has a bit of a belly he just isn't as spry as he once was. He has always been fond of water-usually sleeps in the bathroom sink in fact. If you so much as look at the bathroom he would race in there, thinking you'd turn the tap on. It was in the past few weeks he'd begun to get very vocal about it-he's not a talker.

Then one day, he was on the counter as I was getting ready for work, and I noticed his back legs kept slipping. I thought maybe the counter was slippery. Later that day I noticed him walking on his hocks, and he would take 10 steps and lay down. This immediately concerned me and I looked it up online and read it was an early sign of feline diabetes.

I made a vet appt and as soon as she saw him walk around the examining room said' he's got the diabetes walk'. They tested him and found he did have diabetes, and I trusted their diagnosis. From the day they started him on Lantus and I switched him to wet food, he has not once so much as looked toward the bathroom. I refresh the water bowl throughout the day, but haven't really seen him drink. His personality has changed too-he is much more affectionate and cuddly, and although he still is weak in the back paws, I am hoping that I can get that reversed too.

He is down to .25u lantus twice a day, and I am hoping that the lantus group can help me determine when he should either drop the dose down or come off it entirely. I don't want to get ahead of myself-he is doing so well, and I just hope that this is going to turn around for him.
 
Sounds like Basil is doing really well. Yay! I was lucky too. My cat Max really turned around after the diet change and within about a week and half went into remission. Had terrible numbers before the diet change. Sounds like Basil is close to remission (anti-jinx). I was feeding Max dry food too, turns out a brand super high in carbs...so wish I had known that.
 
Wonderful update on Basil! Have you looked into methyl-B12 supplements? Sounds like Basil has what is called diabetic neuropathy, and methylcobalamin (B12) supplements can also help tremendously in reversing the condition. There is one made for cats called Zobaline that contains no sugar. Xobaline is the human version, but they had so many people using it for sugarkitties, they made a sugar-free version for cats too!
 
Thanks for the background. It certainly does sound like diabetes, so I am relieved there. It also sounds like it was caught so early that he has a great chance of going OTJ ... which is fabulous!

If you click on the neuropathy link in my signature, you'll see my Rambo (GA) and how bad he was. Regulated BGs and Methyl B12 worked wonders. If you are not yet using the Methyl B12, I do strongly suggest you give it a shot. (And no worries about overdosing - he just pees out what he doesn't need. ;-) )
 
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