Local vet to treat my kitty - near Albany, NY

[Prfectkitty]

Hi, I am new to the board,

I am unsure of my vet and their knowledge of feline diabetes.

Have not had success in treating my kitty. My kitty is prescribed GLIPIZIDE 5mg 2x daily for a little over a month. Should I have seen better results with his drinking habit(he continues to drink a lot of water) and continues to use his litter quite often. His right leg shakes but now his front right leg shakes and I've recently noticed he is sleepy more than before.

I am concerned but my husband does not seemed to be concerned. I give my kitty fancy feast canned food and monitor his food intake of dry food.

The current vet prescribed Purina DM dry food for my kitty. I very concerned after I read an article stating to obtain from this type of food. Any truth to this??

Could you help with info to give my kitty the best care and perhaps help him live longer?

He is a very special kitty to me which I took after my husband's sister didn't want him anymore(she just married and her husband didn't have a like to this white extra toe beauty).

I live 45 minutes from the Albany,NY area.

Anyone have any suggestions or know of a vet that specializes in feline diabetes?

Thank You so much.
Prfect kitty.

 

[Carl & Polly & Bob (GA)]

Re: Local vet to treat my kitty

OMG, you have an extra toe kitty too? I just adopted Polly, who has six extra toes.

Yes, you need a new vet ASAP.

Glipizide rarely, if ever, works for cats. You need a vet who is current on diabetes who will prescribe insulin. Lantus, Levemir or Prozinc.

And one who understands that prescription food is not needed, and dry food is not the right food for cats, especially diabetic cats. Low-carb canned food is best. If the fancy feast you have is the "classic" style, that's perfect for diabetics.

I am going to edit your subject line to include "Near Albany NY" so that anyone who may be nearby will see it.

More people will respond in the morning, so check back

 

[KPassa]

Glipizide has been shown to actually damage a cat's pancreas further and shows your vet is very out-of-date. If your vet is not willing to switch to one of the three insulins recommended for daily use in cats (Lantus (glargine), Levemir (detemir), or PZI/ProZinc), then I would find a new vet ASAP!

And no, dry food is not good for any cat, much less a diabetic.

For the leg shaking, this could be caused by diabetic neuropathy. In that case, methyl-b12 (zobaline is the cat version) might be of some help. You can mix it into their wet food and anything they don't need, they pee out the excess so it's safe to give to all your cats (if you have more than one).

 

[BJM]

See my signature link Vet Interview Topics for questions to ask prospective vets.

Note: A good vet can be one who is unfamiliar with contemporary feline diabetes care, but is willing to learn! If your current vet is willing to get updated, we have some reading material to help.

You might print out this to share with your current vet:
The American Animal Hospital Association 2010 Feline Diabetes Treatment Guidelines.

 

[Deb & Wink]

Hello and welcome to the message board. Would you please share your first name and your kitties name with us?

3 basics to help your diabetic kitty
1. a good insulin like Lantus, Levimir or Prozinc
2. a low carb canned food like Fancy Feast Classic pate style or Friskies pate style or Wellness grain free
3. home monitoring of your cats BG (blood glucose) levels. We can give you information on how to do this home testing and a list of supplies. Many people have learned via the internet, and it really does help you to help your kitty feel better.

How are the 5 P's? peeing, pooping, purring, preening, and playing and the appetite of your kitty?

Do you have any BG test results to share with us? Maybe from your vet?