Hi and welcome to FDMB.
I don't know anything much about juvenile diabetes in cats but maybe
@Marje and Gracie does. I think she is still on holidays though so may not answer quickly. As far as I am aware it is treated in much the same way as older cats who get FD......others may chime in with other information here.
Feline Diabetes is a very treatable disease so read up all you can on it. Knowledge is power.
Read all the yellow stickies at the top of the pages for lots of information.
The FAQ page also has great info. Here is the link.
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/forums/health-links-faqs-about-feline-diabetes.14/
What type of insulin has Finnegan been put on?
Lantus and levemir would be the best options for him I would think.....it looks like you are in the US. They are both gentle longer acting insulin.
You don't need your vets permission to home test the blood glucose.
We highly recommend you do test. It is the only way to keep Finnegan safe.
Getting a curve done every so often at the vet will not keep him safe and most cats are stressed at the vet and their numbers are higher than at home. A lot of vets don't like home testing so don't be put off by them.
Here is a link to home testing. Itis really not hard and just a matter of practice. It does not hurt your kitty to do this and he will not hate you for it! If you give a treat each time you test, he will come willingly to be tested.
Look for food 10% and under carbohydrates.. canned or wet food. Dry is too high in carbs. But if you are feeding dry food now, don't swap over to low carb until you are testing the blood glucose levels because feeding a lower carb diet can drop the BG levels and reduce the need for as much insulin, so you need to be monitoring the blood Glucose before swapping over.
You will find food charts in the FAQ link.
How is Finnegan now? Is he eating? It is really I important cats eat so don't leave it more than 24 hours before seeking help with this.
Did the vet mention ketones at all on diagnosis?
If I were you I would go out to Walmart and buy a bottle of Ketostix ( only about $10) and test Finnegans urine for ketones. You just need to collect a specimen if urine and test it with a test strip the. Compare it after 15 seconds exactly, against the colours on the bottle. Anything above a trace needs vet attention. This is really important as ketones can lead onto the serious DKA ( diabetic ketoacidosis) if the ketones are not treated.
We can help you. It is a big learning curve in the beginning....but we have all been there and understand.
If you would like help with anything just ask.....we all love to help new members.
Ask lots of questions!
