I am at a loss

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Ashly

Member Since 2018
hi! My name is Ashly! Let me start off by telling you I am a full time college student as well as having a full time job. I live with my parents whom are divorced because of my moms drinking problem. My dad and I are trying to help her. Earlier this year I had to put my 18 yo cat Kia down. We still never really found out what it was. Some sort of organ failure. Anyhow I spent well over 4,000 dollars trying to save her life. I grew up with Kia. I told everyone I wouldn’t be able to handle her passing and I didn’t. However about 9 years ago, I found a little kitty in a storm drain with a broken leg and dislocated shoulder. Her name is Mao mi. I saved her life and brought her in with me. Mao mi got a extremely over weight so I put her on a diet and got her weight down only to find it in May she has diabetes.

I cannot afford insulin. My mom helped me out by buying me a bottle to get her started because I just want bear the thought of losing my cat. I have contacted DCIN. I have switched over her food to friskies. I have bought a home resting kit. I have given her insulin (vetsulin). But she just keeps getting worse and worse. I came home yesterday and my whole bedroom was covered in vomit so I test her 466. I have thought about upping her insulin does but that’s just as scary as having high glucose. I got home today and Mao mi had pooped on the floor about 4 or 5 times. She has been receiving her insulin. She went to the litter box and only had to pee a tiny bit so I’m sure she has a UTI.

I am just lost for words. After everything that has happened this year I don’t want to put my cat down. I have yet to find anywhere I can take her regarding a shelter or a foster family. I just can’t afford to keep this up. Not to mention the strict schedule on insulin simply not being feasible for me to maintain between college and work. I am losing my mind. I can’t decide how to move forward. I really don’t want to have to put her down, but part of me thinks that maybe my only option.


I don’t know if anyone can help me. I read this forum all the time but I honestly feel out of answers.
 
I don't know of a single person who wasn't completely overwhelmed with their first diagnosis of feline diabetes, myself included. So we all know how you feel

I don't know where you live but here in Missouri a bottle of Novolin (same kind of insulin as Vetsulin) is only about $25-30 at Walmart or Walgreens. 300 units can last upwards of 3 months depending on your dosage. Most members here also get the more expensive insulins like Lantus and Levemir from online Canadian pharmacies which are WAY cheaper than American pharmacies.

Vomiting and pooping outside the litterbox aren't really symptoms of either hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia. So this behavior could be something unrelated to diabetes. Perhaps a case of DKA. Do you have any pee strips to test her for ketones? These you can also pickup from Walmart or Walgreens cheaply

How many units of Vetsulin do you currently give her?
 
She is currently receiving one unit every 12 hours. I have ketone strips I had been testing her with but it didn’t seem to even get a reading last time I used them. My vetsulin was shipped in causing it to be 50 for 10ml. DKA is something I was afraid of happening. I cannot afford to keep running back and forth to the vet. Don’t get me wrong I love my cat. I just didn’t even think one would get so sick right after the other.
 
DKA is something you can test for at home. Just keep trying to get a reading on them. In the mean time keep giving her the insulin. This is the most important thing at the moment

You mentioned you tested her at 466, so are you comfortable with the testing? This is a vital step in getting her back on track and I'm glad you were able to do it even if it was that one time. Vetsulin is a fast acting insulin and cats who take it generally reach their lowest BG level 4 hours after the shot. So if you could get some more tests 3-4 hours after her next shot that will help in determining if her current dose is fine. Ideally you want to get a good curve (testing every two hours throughout the day) but one step at a time
 
Are you testing regularly? If you could share your numbers we can help. She probably needs a dose increase.
 
JanetNJ said:
Are you testing regularly? If you could share your numbers we can help. She probably needs a dose increase.
Click to expand...


I can get them to you. I have been testing her. Problem is that I have to travel for work this month and next and I can’t take her with an nobody knows how to give her her shots. No matter how many times I explain it they always have something messed up. So when I leave she’ll get all messed up again. I feel like I am fighting a losing battle. But perhaps that is because of my last cat.
 
Ashly said:
I can get them to you. I have been testing her. Problem is that I have to travel for work this month and next and I can’t take her with an nobody knows how to give her her shots. No matter how many times I explain it they always have something messed up. So when I leave she’ll get all messed up again. I feel like I am fighting a losing battle. But perhaps that is because of my last cat.
Click to expand...
Have them practice with water in an old syringe... Through a sheet so it feels like going through skin. Make a video explaining EVERYTHING about injection. How to roll it in the vial to mix, draw it up, how to tent the skin, how to hold the barrel of it until it's through the skin, and how to push the plunger. Write out the steps with pictures. Leave an example of how much to give by drawing up that much of colored water so they can see it easily and match it to the syringes of they don't see the little lines well. Make it so easy a 10 year old could do it.
Here is a link to the template we use for tracking numbers like the ones you see in our signatures. If you need help setting it up let me know.
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/fdmb-spreadsheet-instructions.130337/


You aren't alone....we are going to help you help your cat.
 
For the uti you're going to have to get antibiotics. No way around that. Cats with high sugars are more prone to them because the sugars are in their urine.

Chewy.com sells vetsulin for $40. I got my insulin from them and it arrived quickly, and in a cooler with still frozen ice packs even though it was 90 degrees.


Oh! If you could set up a signature with basic info it will prevent us from asking the same questions repeatedly. Click on your name at the top right corner and choose signature. Add info such as your pets name, date diagnosed, insulin type, food you're feeding, meter you use, and any other health concerns.
 
I am really thankful for all the help. It’s so stressful with work and school and I love her. Thank you all for everything. Stick around because I am sure I will have something more. Tomorrow I am off and will take Mao mi into the vet for the possible UTI and I’ll let my vet know I want to reevaluate her numbers. Her numbers are pretty steadily in the 300’s. I have Friday off so I’m going to do a stable glucose curve. Does anyone have any recommendations on food? She is eating Friskies, typically chicken. However she really likes the fishy ones so I spoil her sometimes I also have some meds I got off Amazon that are supposed to help kitty diabetes... anybody have any good experiences with something for support.
 
Ashly said:
I am really thankful for all the help. It’s so stressful with work and school and I love her. Thank you all for everything. Stick around because I am sure I will have something more. Tomorrow I am off and will take Mao mi into the vet for the possible UTI and I’ll let my vet know I want to reevaluate her numbers. Her numbers are pretty steadily in the 300’s. I have Friday off so I’m going to do a stable glucose curve. Does anyone have any recommendations on food? She is eating Friskies, typically chicken. However she really likes the fishy ones so I spoil her sometimes I also have some meds I got off Amazon that are supposed to help kitty diabetes... anybody have any good experiences with something for support.
Click to expand...
Here's a food list with the carbs listed. Choose foods under 10 percent carb (under 7 is even better). What are the supplements you're giving? Zobaline? Add that to the signature tOo.
https://catinfo.org/docs/CatFoodProteinFatCarbPhosphorusChart.pdf
 
Butterball said:
I don't know of a single person who wasn't completely overwhelmed with their first diagnosis of feline diabetes, myself included. So we all know how you feel

I don't know where you live but here in Missouri a bottle of Novolin (same kind of insulin as Vetsulin) is only about $25-30 at Walmart or Walgreens. 300 units can last upwards of 3 months depending on your dosage. Most members here also get the more expensive insulins like Lantus and Levemir from online Canadian pharmacies which are WAY cheaper than American pharmacies.

Vomiting and pooping outside the litterbox aren't really symptoms of either hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia. So this behavior could be something unrelated to diabetes. Perhaps a case of DKA. Do you have any pee strips to test her for ketones? These you can also pickup from Walmart or Walgreens cheaply

How many units of Vetsulin do you currently give her?
Click to expand...
Is Vetsulin the same as Novolin N? Humulin N is the same as Novolin N but I thought Vetsulin was something else. You are right about the price, though. I get Novolin N from Walmart for about $25 per vial which lasts 3 to 4 months. Syringes are cheaper there, too. $13 or so for a box of 100.
 
Hang in there I know is hard at the beginning, none of us really understood what it meant and it can be overwhelming especially when you have a tight schedule ( I work full time, and where I live full time means 24/7, in the city with probably the worst traffic in the world) but honestly after the first few days you get into a routine and it starts getting easier, also after awhile you will probably eventually find someone, a friend a family member or a vet tech that can help you at least in case of emergencies if not on the daily basis.

Also after a while when they become regulated a lot of the issues you are having right now will get back to normal and he will start acting as his normal self and things get easier, diabetic cats can have a normal life.

Right now you have to address the UTI and after that take a big breath and start asking here, there are lots of people that can help and with baby steps you can start dealing with the diabetes you are alredy off to a very good start since you are planing on testing or maybe even started testing (share your results with us to take a look at them and see how she's doing), you have already started changing her food (make sure is one of the 10% or less carbs ) and be patient

Let us know where you are located too maybe there's someone near you
 
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