How best to handle Diabetic cat while away?

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monty_dweezil (GA)

monty_dweezil (GA)

Member Since 2014
My partner and I are going away on our first ever overseas trip in May / June this year for five weeks. I was already feeling nervous about leaving our boys at the cattery for so long, and now with Dweezil...I'm REALLY worried.

Our cattery has had our cats since they were kittens and at least 2-3 times per year over the last six years, and they are experienced with Diabetic cats, and have several long term guests there too, staying for months at a time...

But I'm worried. How would you handle the following hypothetical scenarios?

1. Dweezil remains as he is now. Not regulated and on either 1 or 2 units of Lantus twice a day. Numbers around 200 - 300. Most likely no real risk of a hypo event, but is it safe to just continue like this for the time we're away? Is it too damaging to his body?

2. Dweezil is regulated at say 2 units of Lantus twice a day and his numbers are say, 100. I would fear a hypo event. I would ensure some dry food is left out at all times in case, as obviously they cannot be around at midnight or 3am or something to watch him. But in that case, would eating this extra dry food cause his numbers to go up to the extent that he'd end up the same as the above first scenario? Is that still preferable to risking a hypo?

Either way, both cats will have to eat the same foods. Monty will not touch Ziwipeak. He has been eating Fancy Feast low carb foods, which Dweezil seems to react with (Diabetic symptoms returned in a week and stopped after another week off that food) so we just have to make sure Monty finishes his food first so Dweezil doesn't eat it. If Monty walks off before finishing (which he often does), we have to remove it right away. This will be too awkward at the cattery so they'll just have to eat the same thing.

3. Dweezil is in remission. YAY! And in this case, we'd just have to hope he didn't regress back into being Diabetic again too early on in our trip. We would ask the cattery to weigh him weekly. It will be hard for them to gauge how much water only HE is drinking and how much pee only HE is producing, as he and Monty share their "suite" there, but they will know to notice any sweet or cider type pee smell in their cat trays.

For all of the above scenarios, I do not expect them to be able to test Dweezy for blood glucose. If they are used to doing this (which they may well be, as I have talked to them about the diet and they are in full agreement with it being ideal to feed no dry food for Diabetic, or any, cats), then they could have a try, but...Dweezil is sensitive. lol.

In terms of a pee test, this is much easier but only if he pees while they're there, which may not actually happen. He does tend to pee very early in the morning and late at night and one other time during the day.

If they did not, or could not, test him...what to do? Would any of the above scenarios justify having him attend the vet once a week for a one-off test? Just to get A number to give us any idea of how he's doing? I'd be more concerned in terms of his stress level in doing this.

Apologies for this long post! I just want to get some kind of fine balance between risking a hypo and risking a return / worsening of the Diabetes.
 
I have no good answers, but I'm interested in hearing if anyone else does, since I'm in the same boat with Tonka and Teeger when I have to work out of town (frequently in the summer and fall). Diabetic pet-experienced pet sitter, but she's only there a couple times a day and doesn't do the glucose testing since he is less than cooperative with anyone but me, so we rely on all the secondary signs and hope for the best. Up to this time, he's still unregulated, so I haven't worried too much about him dropping too low (especially since he rebounds as soon as he approaches a normal level), but eventually, this will become a concern.
 
Oh, mine pretend to be tough old street cats, but I think they secretly lavish in all the attention they get :)
 
HEHEHEH!

On a more serious note, I get so worried reading about some other people's kitties who have died after only a short time of being diagnosed as Diabetic, and also some have been the same or similar age to Dweezil (6 years old). I'm so scared for him. I don't know why some babies' lives are cut so short even when they seemed to be doing well, while others can continue on regulated or even unregulated for a long time.
 
I know. The more I read on this site, the more I worry. But really, there are no guarantees of low long anyone will live, with or without diabetes. All we can do is do the best that we can for them and share out time with them with all the love and affection that they could ask for, and enjoy each day that we've got with them. I lost one cat when he was only 7 years old, to a very aggressive cancer, but he had a very good - if too short - life, and I cherish the years that I did have with him in mine, big goof ball that he was. Hopefully someone will have some good suggestions for ways to keep them safe when we can't be with them for extended periods.
 
Yes...this trip has been a labour of love and effort. We first booked it all in January 2014 for October 2014, but then had issues with visas and passports and it was a major saga that went on for eight months. Then we finally re-booked it all for May / June 2015, but am now terrified to actually go, in case something happens to Dweezil.
 
Hi, in the past I have asked some of the young veterinary assistants at the surgery if they wanted to earn a bit of extra cash. They normally charge me $15 a day to come to the house morning and night, feed and administer insulin. One girl from the surgery who i became quite familiar with was happy to stay over for a few nights. It was peace of mind for us as they aready know Boo, are familiar with his treatment and are confident in handling him.
Also leaving my Boo at a chattery or even boarding him at the surgery is not an option as he acts up something terrible.
Main thing is you are comfortable with the care provided in your absence so you can enjoy your holiday without worrying!
 
Hmmm. We also have a cat sitter who would come to the house twice a day for feeding and such if we're just away overnight, but for now, this is out. We just cannot leave them on their own for that long.

I don't think it's an option to have anyone from a vet basically live at our place for five weeks. I wish it was though!
 
Yes it's hard, we basically hardly ever go away for extended periods for that reason. As I say my Boo is difficult to manage outside of his environment and refuses to eat amongst other antics! So boarding is not an option. What about family members or friends who might be willing to stay.
 
We don't actually have any family in our state, and our friends need to be at their own homes with their own families and pets. Lol

I think for us, having the boys at their regular cattery who has known them for years, knows our vet and who is experienced with Diabetic cats, may be the safest option...
 
Yes, the tried and true method. Sounds like it is your best bet. We have no family in this state either and all our friends wouldn't be comfortable with insulin injections understandably.
It seems like you can put a lot of confidence in your cattery, so enjoy your trip.
 
Yes...

I think it's more the fear of not knowing his numbers, potentially for a long time, and any unexpected things like if he doesn't eat a meal once or goes into spontaneous remission.
 
What about scheduling a vet visit 3 weeks in to do a fructosamine curve. He/she can then advise the carers on best treatment plan for the last two weeks you're away.
 
That's a great idea. Is a fructosamine curve any different to a blood glucose curve? He cannot do a proper curve at the vet. They tried that a week after his was diagnosed and he had a "major psychotic episode" after the first test of the day.
 
My understanding is a bg curve is when they take about 4 samples about 3 hrs apart in one day to see where the peaks and troughs are. The fructosamine curve is just the one drawing of blood from the jugular and the analysis tells them what the bg levels have been doing over previous 3 weeks or so.
i believe it's less stressful for my cat cos it's done and dusted in a few seconds but does cost around $120. My cat won't tolerate bg curves at the surgery either, also their blood sugar rises when they're stressed.
 
Seconding the vet visit. Alternatively, having a vet tech visit the cattery to get a BG sample or two might be possible. If you could find a vet tech ahead of time and have him/her practice the BG test?

My partner and my mom can both give injections but I'm not quite ready to trust anyone else with Nip yet as she's unregulated and having accidents constantly. I have to bite the bullet soon though.

Lori
 
The fructosamine is not a curve. It is a 1 time blood draw. The numbers estimate the average glucose concentration over time.
 
Excellent. I am definitely going to do the fructo curve. We have pet insurance. Everything but food is covered.

A vet tech...i don't even know if we have any of those!
 
First question is since the cattery has experience with Diabetic cats...do they also test before injecting? If yes, problem solved, just take his meter with him and request they test before giving shots. And then either call them or have them call you with the readings every day. Give them a no shoot number that is higher than what you would normally shoot and lower his dose slightly. Say if he is well regulated before your trip on 2u twice a day, give them the dose of 1.5u and give them a sample syringe filled with colored water to compare their syringe when it is filled to. Yeah he'll run a little higher while your gone but safer too high for days than too low for a minute. Then you can get him back on track when you're home again.

If they don't test, ask if they want to learn how. Explain to them that this is a new skill set that they can use to set them a step ahead of the competition when someone like yourself is looking for the best boarding facility to board a special needs animal as well as a good insurance policy should something happen to such an animal in their care. Make it a plus for them to learn how to test, maybe even donate a meter and the first vial of strips to their cattery. And if they are interested in learning take the time to go teach them.

Give them a list of all your contact information, your vet's information as well as the number, location and if necessary a map to the closest ER vet. And most importantly if it isn't part of their normal boarding contract a letter stating that as your cats owner they have your permission to act on your behalf when getting veterinary care and to what extent you are willing to allow treatment if that is up to a certain dollar amount or if its no holds barred and take every heroic means possible to save that animals life, be specific if there are certain drugs or procedures you don't want used. I worked at a vet's office for awhile and nothing is worse than trying to track down the owner to get consent to treat an animal in an emergency.

There are never any guarantees in life that something bad isn't going to happen to our furkids even if we are watching them like a hawk. I just lost a perfectly healthy little girl because she missed a jump from the fridge to the top of the cupboard ( a jump she had done a thousand times before) and fell, hit the sink and died from internal injuries. And we were home, we rushed her to the ER it was just one of those things we had no control over. So as much as we try hard to protect them, sometimes you just have to take a leap of faith and trust that all will be well.

When it comes to why some die early on and others live and thrive for years without treatment or unregulated...because Every Cat Is Different. Sometimes its really good genetics, sometimes it is because the diabetes was just the tip of the iceberg of what all is going on inside them and just the first thing found. Kind of like why one human at 35 drops dead from a heart attack that is in great shape, never smoked or drank in their lives and yet another one lives to be 100 smoking like a steam engine, swilling alcohol like a fish and sitting on a couch eating fatty fried foods. Just the luck of the draw.

Mel and The Fur Gang
 
I am wondering the same thing...i really wanna take a trip for my bday with no one to help in my area..i very much hope I can find a reliable cat sitter willing to do shots!!
 
Oh, i'm so sorry to hear about your little girl!! That is a freak accident. :(

In terms of the cattery, i will ask if they do test. I have assumed they don't, but maybe they do. I am also wary, even if they do test, of them trying to do it on dweezil. It would be a nightmare if he freaks out there and we can't take him there anymore.

If they test before they shoot, and they can test dweezy ok, that will put my mind so much more at ease. I will give them a brief table / list of numbers of when to shoot, etc.

I fully agree with having his dose a bit lower than usual as it is better to be too high for five weeks than to risk, twice a day, a hypo. A lot can change in five weeks. I want him to go into remission, but not during those five weeks!

As this is our long term cattery, we long ago specified that should anything vet-related ever be required, they and our vet are permitted to do absolutely anything to help or save our cats...money is no issue at all. They know our vet and also know the 24 hour emergency animal hospital. Both are approx a 20 minute drive away from the cattery.
 
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