New to group/ need advice

[Naya1]

My cat is 15 years old and was diagnosed with diabetes a couple months ago it’s been hard regulating his glucose levels because we do not own a glucose monitor so we have to go to the vet for checkup’s every two weeks which is becoming expensive and recently my mother, who has been taking him to the vet has stoped going cause of the price. Last vet visit his blood sugar was at 200 sum and the vet upped him to 5 units of insulin but I wanna start taking his glucose levels just to be safe at my house if anyone has any brands that you’d recommend that’ll be nice. Another problem I’m having is his neuropathy it’s getting really bad on his hind legs, currently on gabapentin but that just helps with pain if he’s in it. It’s getting so bad to the point that he can barely walk to even use the cat box ( and also having problems with cement paws), he has to stop and lay down before continuing. I’d love some advice on how to help regain strength in his hind legs I hate to see my childhood buddy suffer like this.

 

[Bron and Sheba (GA)]

Hi and welcome to you and your kitty to the forum.
I am glad you are going to hometest the BGs. It is the only way to keep your kitty safe and is a LOT cheaper than going to the vet all the time.
5 units is a lot of insulin for only being a diabetic a couple of months.
Can you tell us what type of insulin you are giving please?
Also what type of food are you feeding?
If you live in the US you can get a human glucose meter called the ReliOn Premier for $9 from Walmart and 100 test strips for $17.88. You will also need a box of 100 lancets….get size 26or 28. And some cotton rounds to hold behind the ear when you test and to hold the prick after testing for a minute.
Here is a link on HOMETESTING HINTS AND LINKS

I will also give you a link to HELP US HELP YOU which has links to the spreadsheet to put your data into so we can help you with dosing, the hypo kit which I would get set up asap in case it is needed, the signature where you tell us all about your kitty so we don’t have to ask you every time we help you….it will appear at the bottom of all your posts. And other useful information.

The neuropathy will improve once you can get the blood glucose into better numbers. Diabetes is a very treatable disease and your kitty once he is on the correct dose of insulin should return to his former self.
Here is a link to Neuropathy information and the medication which will help it. My cat Sheba had neuropathy really badly and had to keep stopping every few steps, slipped and slid on the wooden floor ….this is common. Sheba returned to being completely normal once her BGs were more u der control, plus I gave her Zobaline.
Once you have replied and told me what insulin you are using and the food you are feeding, I can help you more.
Bron

 

[Diane Tyler's Mom GA]

Welcome
Can you tell us about Pandora here
To set up your signature which you will see is at the end of everyone's post in gray, click on your name up top and then tap on the word signature and add this information

• Add info we need to help you:
  • Caregiver & kitty's name
  • DX: Date
  • Name of Insulin (do not include dose or frequency)
  • Name of your meter
  • Diet: "LC wet" or "dry food" or "combo"
  • Dosing: TR or SLGS or Custom (if applicable)
  • DKA or other recent health issue (if applicable)
  • Acro, IAA, or Cushings (if applicable)
  • Spreadsheet link. Please put the signature link on the bottom line of your signature information, on its own, so it is easy to find.
  • Please do not put any information about your location in the signature for security reasons. If you wish to add your country location, please add it to your profile.

Be sure to click the 'Save Changes' button at the bottom. If you need help urgently it is important we know these things at a glance. We don’t want to waste valuable time finding out information.

Take a look at mine


My cat also had bad neuropathy ,like Bron said once you get the BG in better numbers and using the Methyl B-12 (Zobaline is Methyl B-12) it will help.
Tyler improved 100% . I'd say it took about maybe a month and a half but every couple of weeks he started to improve

The Zobaline is 34.00 for 60 pills
It started to get to expensive for me so a member here turned me in to the Vitacost Brand and a lot of members now use that
It's 14.49 for 100 capsules, you open the capsule up and sprinkle it on the wet food and always add some water and just mix it up. It's tasteless. Give 1 a day
Here is the link for the Vitacost brand

Vitacost. 14.49 for 100 capsules
Just sprinkle it on the wet food always add water to the wet food
One per day

https://www.vitacost.com/vitacost-vitamin-b-12-methylcobalamin-5000-mcg-100-capsules-6

 

[Naya1]

Hi and welcome to you and your kitty to the forum.
I am glad you are going to hometest the BGs. It is the only way to keep your kitty safe and is a LOT cheaper than going to the vet all the time.
5 units is a lot of insulin for only being a diabetic a couple of months.
Can you tell us what type of insulin you are giving please?
Also what type of food are you feeding?
If you live in the US you can get a human glucose meter called the ReliOn Premier for $9 from Walmart and 100 test strips for $17.88. You will also need a box of 100 lancets….get size 26or 28. And some cotton rounds to hold behind the ear when you test and to hold the prick after testing for a minute.
Here is a link on HOMETESTING HINTS AND LINKS

I will also give you a link to HELP US HELP YOU which has links to the spreadsheet to put your data into so we can help you with dosing, the hypo kit which I would get set up asap in case it is needed, the signature where you tell us all about your kitty so we don’t have to ask you every time we help you….it will appear at the bottom of all your posts. And other useful information.

The neuropathy will improve once you can get the blood glucose into better numbers. Diabetes is a very treatable disease and your kitty once he is on the correct dose of insulin should return to his former self.
Here is a link to Neuropathy information and the medication which will help it. My cat Sheba had neuropathy really badly and had to keep stopping every few steps, slipped and slid on the wooden floor ….this is common. Sheba returned to being completely normal once her BGs were more u der control, plus I gave her Zobaline.
Once you have replied and told me what insulin you are using and the food you are feeding, I can help you more.
Bron

This is the food and insulin that was recommended by the vet He’s been on this food and Insulin ever sense he was Diagnosed, he gets one cup a day on the dry food

 

[Naya1]

This is the food and insulin that was recommended by the vet He’s been on this food and Insulin ever sense he was Diagnosed View attachment 64972View attachment 64973

Thank you for all the support so far I really appreciate it ! I’ll get to with the more information I am supposed to provide on my account

 

[Diane Tyler's Mom GA]

This food is obscenely high in carbohydrates. According to Hill's website, the dry matter carbs are 36.9%.
Bron no wonder why this poor kitty's BG can't get regulated plus giving 5 units of vetsulin
@Bron and Sheba (GA)

 

[Diane Tyler's Mom GA]

Do you live in the US! If so get the human meter from Walmart Bron suggested . Most of us use it ,so do I

Testing
Always aim for the sweet spot warm the ears up first, you can put rice in a sock and put it in the microwave, test it on the inside of your wrist to be sure it's not to hot, like you would test a babies bottle. You can fill a pill bottle with warm water and roll it on the ears also.Just keep rubbing the ears with your fingers to warm them up

6. As the ears get used to bleeding and grow more capilares, it gets easier to get the amount of blood you need on the first try. If he won’t stand still, you can get the blood onto a clean finger nail and test from there.
When you do get some blood you can try milking the ear.
Get you finger and gently push up toward the blood , more will appear
You will put the cotton round behind his ear in case you poke your finger, after you are done testing you will fold the cotton round over his ear to stop the bleeding , press gently for about 20 seconds until it stops
Get 26 or 28 gauge lancets
Take a look at the lancets ,you will see one side points up, that's the side you want to poke with
A lot of us use the lancets to test freehand
I find it better to see where I'm aiming
You can also put a thin layer of vaseline on the ear ,to help the blood bead up
A video one of our members posted
VIDEO: How to test your cat's blood sugar

She's using a pet meter ,too expensive, you won't have to put any code in with the human meter

 

[Naya1]

This food is obscenely high in carbohydrates. According to Hill's website, the dry matter carbs are 36.9%.

Oh Wow that's probably why my kitty's glucose levels have been so high

Do you live in the US! If so get the human meter from Walmart Bron suggested . Most of us use it ,so do I

YES I do, I live in Olympia! I thought you couldnt use human meters cause it's different from animals glucose levels but if it's at Walmart I can definitely check that out. And for the dry cat food I totally forgot to look at the carbohydrates percentage oml it’s so high no wonder why my poor kitties blood sugar never stay down. It’s quite sad that the vet would recommend it when he already has high levels. My mom just bought that bag not to long ago to I guess we’ll definitely have to look into other options and remember to check the carb percentage if you have any recommendations for dry food I’d love that my cat sadly won’t eat wet food so dry is all we can get.

 

[Bron and Sheba (GA)]

As Diane said that dry food is very high in carbs and is totally unsuitable for diabetic cats………well unsuitable for all cats really. This would be why your kitty is on such a high dose of insulin.
HOWEVER I would not change the food at all until you are home testing and monitoring the blood glucose levels.
When you remove the high carb food the BG levels will drop a lot and your kitty could drop too low. So we need to do this slowly once you are testing the BGs.

For the food you need foods that are 10% or under carbs. There are a couple of dry foods you can get in the US that are suitable for diabetics but remember not to start the change over the food until you are testing the BGs yourself. Diane will tell you the dry suitable foods….I don’t live in the US.

The human meters are totally suitable for cats.

I would also speak to the vet about swapping to a better insulin for cats. Vetsulin is a dog insulin and is unsuitable for cats as they have a faster metabolism than dogs. I would ask you vet for a script for Lantus insulin. It is a much better insulin for cats, it is longer lasting and more gentle.
Please keep posting as I am concerned about the dose and the insulin dose as well as the type of insulin you were given.

 

[Naya1]

As Diane said that dry food is very high in carbs and is totally unsuitable for diabetic cats………well unsuitable for all cats really. This would be why your kitty is on such a high dose of insulin.
HOWEVER I would not change the food at all until you are home testing and monitoring the blood glucose levels.
When you remove the high carb food the BG levels will drop a lot and your kitty could drop too low. So we need to do this slowly once you are testing the BGs.

For the food you need foods that are 10% or under carbs. There are a couple of dry foods you can get in the US that are suitable for diabetics but remember not to start the change over the food until you are testing the BGs yourself. Diane will tell you the dry suitable foods….I don’t live in the US.

The human meters are totally suitable for cats.

I would also speak to the vet about swapping to a better insulin for cats. Vetsulin is a dog insulin and is unsuitable for cats as they have a faster metabolism than dogs. I would ask you vet for a script for Lantus insulin. It is a much better insulin for cats, it is longer lasting and more gentle.
Please keep posting as I am concerned about the dose and the insulin dose as well as the type of insulin you were given.

Thanks again and for everyone else for all this information I’m quite sad and concerned on why my vet would recommend such bad stuff for my poor kitty I’ll try to get a appointment for switching insulin and definitely start doing home readings at home. I’ll definitely keep posted about his progress hopefully I can get my kitty back to his old self.

 

[Bron and Sheba (GA)]

Thanks again and for everyone else for all this information I’m quite sad and concerned on why my vet would recommend such bad stuff for my poor kitty I’ll try to get a appointment for switching insulin and definitely start doing home readings at home. I’ll definitely keep posted about his progress hopefully I can get my kitty back to his old self.

Unfortunately a lot of vets are not up to date with feline diabetes.
A lot treat them like small dogs and that doesn’t work either.
Once your kitty is on a good insulin, are home testing, feeding a good food and the BGs start to come down, he will start to feel much better.

 

[Diane Tyler's Mom GA]

@Naya1
Here are some low carb dry foods ,they are about 5 or 6% carbs
None of them are cheap
You need to order them online
Dr Elseys you can buy on chewey site
https://www.chewy.com/dr-elseys-cleanprotein-chicken/dp/146269?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=12791446238&utm_content=Dr. Elsey's&utm_term=&show-search=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI0PvU2Zj79wIVRIdbCh3JawEkEAQYASABEgIInfD_BwE

Young again on their web site
https://www.youngagainpetfood.com
Take a look at the young again zero or the zero mature

Dr Elsey's also at Walmart
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Dr-Elsey...ViI3ICh0suwO_EAQYAiABEgJrOPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Dr Elsey's Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FCJHDPR/ref=twister_B09GHFJY65?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

the Dr Elsey's comes in different size bags
None of these can be bought in stores

Also
Wysong Epigen 90

https://www.chewy.com/wysong-epigen-90-starch-free-formula/dp/103307

 

[Diane Tyler's Mom GA]

If your vet does agree to write you a script for lantus and check substitute ok I suggest you get the generic
because Lantus is very expensive in the US. The generic is much more affordable
You would want her to write a script for 5 pens
Either one is fine
Glargine is the name of the generic for Lantus. The name of the actual generics is Basaglar

You can call some of your pharmacy's and ask

I also found this posted by one of our members
.


We use the pens just like a vial , just stick the syringe in the gray rubber stopper and draw out your insulin
Just take the cap off the pen and use a U100 syringes and pull the insulin out of the pen!

Generic is fine you are better off getting the pens and not the vials
Basaglar

Check this out also
https://www.goodrx.com/insulin-glargine?dosage=five-3ml-prefilled-pens-of-100-units-ml&form=carton&label_override=insulin glargine&quantity=1
The 5 pens will last about a year

Basaglar is also Insulin Glargine, it acts the same way.

Here is a saving card for basaglar for 5 pens
Check it out just put in where it says set your location
https://www.goodrx.com/basaglar

I see some members will call CVS, Rite Aid, Costco to get the price for 5 pens

You will need U-100 syringes with half unit markings for lantus , just insert the syringe into the pen and draw out the insulin.

https://www.adwdiabetes.com/product/1316/surecomfort-u100-syringes-half-unit-31g-3-10cc-5-16in-100ct