PamJV
Member Since 2017
Hello, My name is Pam.
My 12 year old brown tabby, (Maine Coone Mix) Ricky was just diagnosed with diabetes. He's gone from 19 pounds to 15 pounds in 5 months. Five months ago he was diagnosed with HCM when he still weighed 19 pounds. He was started on Atenelol. (He did not have high blood pressure, the BP med was to make his heart beat less just to try to lesson the progression of HCM). He began losing weight and seemed less energetic as soon as the BP med was started. The vet agreed to let me cut the med down to 1/4 pill, and I thought he was doing OK, more or less. Then in October he really began to look thin and it was discovered that he had a lession tooth that needed to be removed. I thought that was the reason he was losing weight. It was very hard for him to get over the effect of the procedure and he lost more weight. After the antibiotics and pain meds were over he seemed cheerful again and I assumed he'd start gaining weight back.....but he didn't. Now today diabetes was discovered. I can't help but wonder if putting him on Atenelol some how affected his circulation to his pancreas which would have resulted in the diabetes? They told me 5 months ago it's a balancing act and that the Atenelol could hurt his kidneys over time so we had to be careful not to give too much. So I do wonder if likewise the pancreas can be affected.
I just picked up (Lantus) insulin today and the ProPlan DM dry food the vet wants me to give him. Ricky has refused canned food his entire life. He went from milk to kibble at the age of 6 weeks. He will not eat canned food at all ever. I am not going to stress myself even trying that. Ricky thinks canned food stinks. Ricky weighs 15 pounds now, and I am told to give him 1 unit of insulin twice a day.
His favorite kibble is Evo Turkey and Chicken grain free. I am questioning how the vet prescribed Purina ProPlan DM is at all better than EVO. It has more carbs than the Evo and the protein is about the same. Looking for answers. Would there be other reasons by the ProPlan DM is better?
As a side note, 20 years ago I had a diabetic cat that recovered and did very well once diagnosed. Then I was giving her Humulin L twice a day. I used to cook chicken for her and she never ate dry food. She lived 8 more years after diagnosis and died from cancer at age 16. That Humulin L worked very well. I wonder what others think of Lantus ?
My 12 year old brown tabby, (Maine Coone Mix) Ricky was just diagnosed with diabetes. He's gone from 19 pounds to 15 pounds in 5 months. Five months ago he was diagnosed with HCM when he still weighed 19 pounds. He was started on Atenelol. (He did not have high blood pressure, the BP med was to make his heart beat less just to try to lesson the progression of HCM). He began losing weight and seemed less energetic as soon as the BP med was started. The vet agreed to let me cut the med down to 1/4 pill, and I thought he was doing OK, more or less. Then in October he really began to look thin and it was discovered that he had a lession tooth that needed to be removed. I thought that was the reason he was losing weight. It was very hard for him to get over the effect of the procedure and he lost more weight. After the antibiotics and pain meds were over he seemed cheerful again and I assumed he'd start gaining weight back.....but he didn't. Now today diabetes was discovered. I can't help but wonder if putting him on Atenelol some how affected his circulation to his pancreas which would have resulted in the diabetes? They told me 5 months ago it's a balancing act and that the Atenelol could hurt his kidneys over time so we had to be careful not to give too much. So I do wonder if likewise the pancreas can be affected.
I just picked up (Lantus) insulin today and the ProPlan DM dry food the vet wants me to give him. Ricky has refused canned food his entire life. He went from milk to kibble at the age of 6 weeks. He will not eat canned food at all ever. I am not going to stress myself even trying that. Ricky thinks canned food stinks. Ricky weighs 15 pounds now, and I am told to give him 1 unit of insulin twice a day.
His favorite kibble is Evo Turkey and Chicken grain free. I am questioning how the vet prescribed Purina ProPlan DM is at all better than EVO. It has more carbs than the Evo and the protein is about the same. Looking for answers. Would there be other reasons by the ProPlan DM is better?
As a side note, 20 years ago I had a diabetic cat that recovered and did very well once diagnosed. Then I was giving her Humulin L twice a day. I used to cook chicken for her and she never ate dry food. She lived 8 more years after diagnosis and died from cancer at age 16. That Humulin L worked very well. I wonder what others think of Lantus ?
