My companion just got the diagnosis, don't know what to do

[Cilla]

Last night our vet called and told us that the results from a blood sample was in and our 18-year old cat Cilla has diabetes. The vet told us that if she was younger there wouldn't be any question about starting treatment, but since she's so old we have to make a decision. She knows Cilla gets really stressed from going to the vet and when we check her ears (she's had some problems with them before), clip her claws or check her teath. So we have to decide if we want to put her through bloodsugar testing and insulin injections and frequent visits at the vet.

I've looked for as much info as I can but all older cats I've read about has still been several years younger than Cilla. I'd love to hear if anyone alse has had a cat this old. I know you shouldn't just look at the age, but the last year-year and half her hearing and sight have declined, she hardly plays anymore and sleeps a lot, so she really feels elderly. But for her age she's still pretty healthy, prior to this all she had problems with was very mild kidney failure which has been stable for years (she got that diagnosis when she was 15). She urinates and drink more than before and has started to lose weight the last couple of weeks because of the diabetes, before that she was a pretty healthy little lady.

We just don't know what to do. If we start treatment she might live a couple of more years, or she could just live a few months anyway. But if we don't start treatment the only option is to euthanize her soon or she'll start to suffer.

I was with her when she was born, she's been with me for two thirds of my life. I can't stand to say goodbye but I also don't want to make a decision based on that, if it isn't what's best for her. I would really like to hear from others in this situation.

 

[Dyana]

Re: My companion just got the diagnosis, don't know what to

My kitty J.D. is older, and is a diabetic. The insulin will help your cat to feel better and to gain some of that lost weight back. The home testing is frustrating at first, but you and your kitty will get the hang of it. Is she on an all wet low carb diet?

 

[Cilla]

Re: My companion just got the diagnosis, don't know what to

My kitty J.D. is older, and is a diabetic. The insulin will help your cat to feel better and to gain some of that lost weight back. The home testing is frustrating at first, but you and your kitty will get the hang of it. Is she on an all wet low carb diet?

How old is J.D? Do you mean he's older than Cilla? When did he get his diagnosis?

Yes, she already eats low carb wet food, her teeth aren't so good anymore so she can't eat dry food anyway.

I'm not so worried about taking the tests, I'm a nurse so I've done it many times on humans, but I'm afraid she won't get tha hang of it since she's been so stressed out by ear drops before and still don't tolerate getting her claws clipped without a fight. Since she hasen't learned to accept those things after all these years I'm afraid it'll be even worse when it's something that actually hurts, even if it's not much and over in less than a second. Had she been younger I wouldn't hesitate but now I'm afraid if she only lives a few more months anyway and I'll just make the stressful for her. But on the other hand, she might be one of those cats who live until she's 25. I just wish I knew.

 

[h3ll000kitt3h]

Re: My companion just got the diagnosis, don't know what to

Believe it or not cats don't have many nerve endings in their ears (you test a the very outside of the ear near the top) and while its probably uncomfortable my Butter never bats an eyelash. Once in awhile he fusses but its more because he wants to get up and play.

 

[Larry and Kitties]

Re: My companion just got the diagnosis, don't know what to

I would treat. A while ago I adopted an untreated diabetic kitty. Mario, who was 15. He was in poor condition and treatment restored his health but then he was diagnosed with intestinal lymphoma and lived two year with that.
Also my Lightning was diagnosed with diabetes when he was about 15 years old. I just had to say good to him last December because of oral cancer when he was about 19 1/2 years old.
If you can catch Cilla's urine you can test that for glucose and do an OK job monitoring and dose the Cilla with insulin. Not as good testing blood but OK. I would at least do that and give Cilla a change for some more good years.

 

[Cilla]

Re: My companion just got the diagnosis, don't know what to

Believe it or not cats don't have many nerve endings in their ears (you test a the very outside of the ear near the top) and while its probably uncomfortable my Butter never bats an eyelash. Once in awhile he fusses but its more because he wants to get up and play.

That's reassuring, at least it wouldn't hurt then. But she still struggles when we handle her ears at it is. I was also told that it's also possible to check blood glucose in her lip or paw, but since she struggles when we check her teeth and clip her claws as well I'm not sure if any of them is the better option.

 

[Cilla]

Re: My companion just got the diagnosis, don't know what to

I would treat. A while ago I adopted an untreated diabetic kitty. Mario, who was 15. He was in poor condition and treatment restored his health but then he was diagnosed with intestinal lymphoma and lived two year with that.
Also my Lightning was diagnosed with diabetes when he was about 15 years old. I just had to say good to him last December because of oral cancer when he was about 19 1/2 years old.
If you can catch Cilla's urine you can test that for glucose and do an OK job monitoring and dose the Cilla with insulin. Not as good testing blood but OK. I would at least do that and give Cilla a change for some more good years.

Oh, our vet didn't really say that a urine test could replace a blood sugar, it sounded more like you have to do both. We were just talking about how two insulin shots a day would probably be fine since it's in the back of her neck, but that the blood glucose was the real problem. Also, I might have gotten this wrong, but I thought it'd be four blood sugars every day, before and after each insulin injection and then extra if it's too low or two high.

 

[Dyana]

Re: My companion just got the diagnosis, don't know what to

J.D. is older, born in 1994 and diagnosed in 2005.
If you give a no carb or low carb treat after (or during) every test, she will learn to associate the test as a good thing.

I hope you decide to treat her.

 

[Rachel]

Re: My companion just got the diagnosis, don't know what to

I'd try and treat. I thought my Gypsy would never get the hang of testing but freeze dried chicken treats showed me otherwise! For all you know, Cilla might be a champ with this! With Gypsy, I had a special testing spot (towel on kitchen floor). She always got a treat (sometimes I did too!) and in the end she'd come running when she heard the glucometer!

If you don't treat, you know she will pass away. If you do, she could have lots of years left. Diabetes is treatable and remission is possible. Just see what happens. We are all here to help!

 

[Cilla]

Re: My companion just got the diagnosis, don't know what to

J.D. is older, born in 1994 and diagnosed in 2005.
If you give a no carb or low carb treat after (or during) every test, she will learn to associate the test as a good thing.

I hope you decide to treat her.

Cilla is born in 1995 so he's a bit older then

Is she'd been 11 or 15 or even 16 when she got diagnosed we wouldn't have hesitated. But now she's about as old as we could expect her to get, if she lives 1, 2 or 3 years more we'd be extremely lucky. That's the dilemma, if these are her final months (with treatment) alive I don't want them to be stressful for her, in that case I'd rather let her have a peacful death even if it has to come sooner. But if we are lucky and she lives a few more years I don't want to give up on her because then she'd have time to adjust and to still live comfortably.

Like I said, I don't feel ready to say goodbye, so for that reason I'm ready to do it, but I just don't want to base my decision on selfish reasons.

When I was a child I used to think she and I could talk to each other, I wish that was true now so I could discuss this with her. It feels just absurd to try and make decision if she lives or not while she's sleeping peacfully next to me.

 

[Cilla]

Re: My companion just got the diagnosis, don't know what to

I'd try and treat. I thought my Gypsy would never get the hang of testing but freeze dried chicken treats showed me otherwise! For all you know, Cilla might be a champ with this! With Gypsy, I had a special testing spot (towel on kitchen floor). She always got a treat (sometimes I did too!) and in the end she'd come running when she heard the glucometer!

If you don't treat, you know she will pass away. If you do, she could have lots of years left. Diabetes is treatable and remission is possible. Just see what happens. We are all here to help!

Thank you!

I'm just scared she doesn't have lots of years left since she's already so old, and I just make her last months miserable by treating her when she can't understand why I'm doing it. I wish it was possible to know for sure how long she could live with treatment.

 

[BJM]

Re: My companion just got the diagnosis, don't know what to

Positive reinforcement can make a big difference in behavior. Start now with peting the head and treat. Move further, in small steps. Several days or so at each step - ex pet head and briefly massage ear and treat. Then pet head massage and hold ear aand treat. Extend the time. And so on.

For a low carb treat, you might try Stella and Chewey's freze dried - no crunch, so it wouldn't bother her teeth.

And speaking of teeth - does she have any signs of redness, gum disease, or tartar? Ant infection can raise the glucose level and treating that first may help considerably.

If you manage testing at home, vet visits are reduced considerably, as are costs.
Seee my signature link Secondary Monitoring Tools for additional assessments which may be made. There is an older protocol using urine testing and thirst, plus other indicators, to manage diabetes.

 

[Becky and Toby]

Re: My companion just got the diagnosis, don't know what to

I'm just scared she doesn't have lots of years left since she's already so old, and I just make her last months miserable by treating her when she can't understand why I'm doing it. I wish it was possible to know for sure how long she could live with treatment.

You could always see how well she tolerates the testing and if you think she can get used to it proceed, and if not stop, let it leave her memory and spend the rest of the time you have together without needles and everything else.

My Toby is younger than your kitty (16 soon), but as laid back as he is, the one thing he hates is having his ears even touched, so admittedly he isn't fond of testing. But, as soon as it's over he shrugs it off, has his treats, loves us all the same. He has hyperthyroidism now, too, and he doesn't like being pilled, but he's accepting that, too.

Best of luck with Cilla, it's clear whatever you decide will be out of love :smile:

 

[Cilla]

Re: My companion just got the diagnosis, don't know what to

Positive reinforcement can make a big difference in behavior. Start now with peting the head and treat. Move further, in small steps. Several days or so at each step - ex pet head and briefly massage ear and treat. Then pet head massage and hold ear aand treat. Extend the time. And so on.

For a low carb treat, you might try Stella and Chewey's freze dried - no crunch, so it wouldn't bother her teeth.

And speaking of teeth - does she have any signs of redness, gum disease, or tartar? Ant infection can raise the glucose level and treating that first may help considerably.

If you manage testing at home, vet visits are reduced considerably, as are costs.
Seee my signature link Secondary Monitoring Tools for additional assessments which may be made. There is an older protocol using urine testing and thirst, plus other indicators, to manage diabetes.

The vet checked her teeth but they were fine, a little tartar but not enough to treat. The main reason she has trouble with dry food is because she had to have a couple of teeth removed a few years back.

Thank you for the tips and the info!

 

[Cilla]

Re: My companion just got the diagnosis, don't know what to

I'm just scared she doesn't have lots of years left since she's already so old, and I just make her last months miserable by treating her when she can't understand why I'm doing it. I wish it was possible to know for sure how long she could live with treatment.

You could always see how well she tolerates the testing and if you think she can get used to it proceed, and if not stop, let it leave her memory and spend the rest of the time you have together without needles and everything else.

My Toby is younger than your kitty (16 soon), but as laid back as he is, the one thing he hates is having his ears even touched, so admittedly he isn't fond of testing. But, as soon as it's over he shrugs it off, has his treats, loves us all the same. He has hyperthyroidism now, too, and he doesn't like being pilled, but he's accepting that, too.

Best of luck with Cilla, it's clear whatever you decide will be out of love :smile:

That's what I'd really want to do, just try it and stop if it's too much stress for her. But everywhere I read it says that unless the owner is fully commited to treatment and might not follow through you shouldn't even start, so I'm not sure if the vet will let us do that. Typically, when I tried to call back today they had closed early today (she didn't tell us they'd do that yesterday) and they're closed tomorrow and she had friday off. So now we have to wait until monday to talk to her, or talk to a completely new vet on friday.

 

[KPassa]

Re: My companion just got the diagnosis, don't know what to

That's what I'd really want to do, just try it and stop if it's too much stress for her. But everywhere I read it says that unless the owner is fully commited to treatment and might not follow through you shouldn't even start, so I'm not sure if the vet will let us do that.

Since she has high BGs, you don't want to not give insulin as that leads to a painful death (they will usually die of DKA if starvation doesn't kill them first). At the very least, start the insulin at a nice low dose and see about testing while you use BJ's secondary monitoring tools in the meantime. The first couple of weeks might be a bit of a trial (depending on the cat), but you just have to push through it and then one day, everything falls into place as both you and the cat get used to it and she won't hate you forever. In fact, it usually creates a special bond between us and our sugar babies. My non-diabetic, Henry, even wants in on the testing action and comes running and jumps on my lap whenever he hears me pop open the bottle of test strips. :lol: