New vet need help,I posted here before

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Benny

Benny

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Hi,I have posted here before and I am looking for more advice, because I'm becoming overwhelmed and confused with all of this new treatment information.I have taken My cat Benny(benicio) to another new vet this past thursday.He was diagnosed with diabetes on12/4/10.I was not happy with Bennys prior vets treatment plans so I decided to start from scratch.
The new vet. gave Benny a fructosamine level test.The test result levels were in the 700's.Benny is also scheduled to have a 2 day glucose curve done this week, 1/25/12.Benny is currently on 1 unit of lantus for now as suggested by the vet until his glucose curve is done.His urine has been checked and they told me the results were OK.The new vet insists that I feed Benny prescription diet dry m/d and canned w/d which goes against all the information I have learned from this site.She also told me that my testing meter(reli-on brand,walmart) will not be accurate when used on pets.
I have Tried to home test Benny ,but he will have no part of it ...he just freaks out and becomes nasty.Treats ,burrito method... nothing as of yet will work.
If possible are there any members that I can keep in contact with for advice until Benny becomes regulated and is in better health.I have been offered some great and helpful advice here and appreciate that very much.But as you probably already know some of these vets are recommending treatment that may not be good for our cats.

Thanks, Chuck and Benny(Benicio)
 
Hi Chuck, and Benny baby :-D

I understand your frustration about some vet advice. I was pretty upset about my old vet and the "bad" advice I was getting. When it's our baby we're dealing with, we expect great advice from our vets. Sometimes it's easy to forget diabetes is just one out of how many hundreds of issues a vet has to know about and know how to treat. And sometimes the vet's advice just isn't enough, is only partially right, or down right all wrong.

Since it's our kitties, and we're the ones dealing with the diabetes every single day, it's up to us to become the most knowledgeable we can to help our babies the best we can.

As far as the recommened food, just tell the vet Benny won't eat it (even if that means you're not offering it to Benny! :-D ). Go with the foods that have been proven to work with our kitties (like from Janet and Binky's list). Low carb wet. :smile:

Home testing. I do indeed feel your pain. Poopy has always been very loving towards me. Regardless of where I am, when he determines it's his time for lovings, he doesn't hesitate to demand his due! Starting to home test really bothered me, as Poopy started to avoid "the evil woman who pokes". It was breaking my heart. Being his "mom", I knew I had to risk him always hating me to be able to help him the best I could. I went ahead with the testing anyway, even with failure after failure, and at times having to pull him out from under the bed. Eventually my failures started to produce results. And much to my amazement, "the evil woman who pokes" attitude did not last.

Don't give up. :-D I know it's tough...but Benny is worth it. :mrgreen:
 
Chuck,
on the food thing.
Your vet is apparently "misinformed" about what a diabetic should be fed, and about the dangers of dry food for ANY cat.
The m/d is 13% carbs, which yiu could live with if you had no choice, but you do. And it is DRY!
The w/d I just don't understand....
It is 26% carbs!!!! He might as well just tell you to feed Benny Cap'n Crunch and Twinkees, with some Coke to wash it down.
Can you print out Binky's charts and show them to him?

Carl
 
Hi again Chuck,

No need to waste your money on the food the vet recommended. Feed wet food from Janet & Binkys list - something under 10% carbs.

I'm not a fan of fructosamine tests and personally think they also are a waste of you vet budget dollars. Same with curves at the vet.

What exactly did they test Benicios urine for? Also. I strongly disagree with her comment about your testing with the human glucometer, it is simply not true.

Check out the sticky (stickies are at the top of this forum) called "Convert a Vet". There you will find some valuable tips on dealing with vets.

Please keep trying to hometest - it will make all the difference in SAFE successful managment of Benicios FD. you can do it. Persistence will prevail (along with reinforcement with appropriate treats ;-) )

If I was able to accomplish home testing with my (at the time) 5 year old, intact male, stray tomcat off the street, you can too.

I'll keep an eye out for your posts.
 
Thanks for your reply Sandy.Should I cancel the glucose curve the whole 2 day event will cost $750.00
 
That is a fortune you do not need to waste, but you have to be able to get the home testing thing down... you have to know what the numbers are.
Carl
 
mmjr33 said:
Thanks for your reply Sandy.Should I cancel the glucose curve the whole 2 day event will cost $750.00
Click to expand...

Good Grief! that is some price tag.

I too agree you need to know the "live in real time" numbers, which a curve will provide. Keep the appointment for now and focus on testing.
If you can get some successful tests in, you may re- think the vet appt., giving notice at the last acceptable moment if you decide to cancel.

When I started on this path with BK, it took 2 of us to test ( BK was a 5yr old intact male off the streets). Is there anyone you can enlist to help you out?
$750.00 buys a lot of supplies and treats (low carb of course)

How is Benicio? Is he eating well and behaving normally?
 
Hi, not having very good luck with home testing Benny yet.I know I sound like a broken record in repeating my troubles, but its just not working out yet.I live by myself and I really dont have anyone close to me that I can ask to help out.
I dont think this prescription food is helping Bennys situation any... in fact thursday night and friday I fed him the prescription diet and it appeared to make him worse.This morning and tonight I fed him his usual classic fancyfeast and he seems slightly better.I really can't afford to spend any more money on these vet visits, but I figured a least Benny would be tested and I could work from there.
 
I had real trouble with getting blood out of my cat for testing, for aaaages, but eventually my luck changed. I kept trying, I rested, I took the cap off the lancet and used the needle alone, I warmed the ear with a sock, I studied his ear and found the veins. Everynow and then I watched clips on youtube in which people effortlessly got blood out of the ears of docile cats. And I studied diagrams and descriptions e.g. here, sugarpet, etc.
http://www.sugarpet.net/bloodtst.html
Keep posting in, even if you say "this isn't working". Broken record is not a problem.
 
Thanks for your reply Sandy.Should I cancel the glucose curve the whole 2 day event will cost $750.00
Click to expand...
ohmygod_smile ohmygod_smile ohmygod_smile ohmygod_smile :?: :?: :?: :?: :!: :!: :!: :!: :-x :-x


Ahem... Yeah. I feel you should be able to do your own glucose curve at home for probably under $50. (That includes glucose-meter, a good supply of strips, replacement lancets, cotton balls, anti-septic wipes, low-carbohydrate treats for kitty, new toy for kitty, treats for Dad (wine and chocolate are always good, but a nice steak, if that's your thing) works too.


I understand vets have to make a living too, but that seems SOOOO outrageous. I have been spoiled by my vet for sure, but that price seems SO unreasonable. Even if you wanted the glucometer specifically for cats, you're still looking at MUCH less than 700 hundred and fifty fleabitin' dollars.


This first part of the whole process can be rough, but it does get better and it is possible to get it good control and be well managed, remission is even possible.
I know how daunting it is to think that you might know something your vet does not, but you also have to take into consideration that they are trained moderately to very well in 100's of different things. Nutrition is almost never one of them. Vets can perform bone settings, spay/neuter, emergency dental and heart surgery, c-sections, etc, etc. But the class they take on feline and canine nutrition, is often taught by Science Diet and is often not even a class by itself.

try to be patient with Benny and with yourself and we'll help you out as much as possible.
:smile:
 
I'm not sure if anyone has shown you this video by one of our LL members. You have to watch the entire thing because you might think that Junior is very cooperative. Wait for it towards the end.

[youtube]kXyrKSJTlYA[/youtube]
 
Marjorie& gracie I just finished watching the video... thank you.Benny reacts much worse if you can believe it, and thats why I haven't been able to get a good blood sample yet.I will keep trying though.Thanks again everyone for your support and great advice,article links and video's.I will post again tomorrow (Sunday 1/22/12).
 
HI Chuck, I agree with everyone that home testing is the key. On this new vet charging $750 for a 2 day curve all I can say is "ripoff". I see an internal medicine vet who specializes in diabetes treatment and only charges $120 for a curve. When I mentioned that my hubby is unemployed and money is tight she said "do you know how to home test - you can do your own curve then just give me the results". I don't know what your availability is for vet care but I think finding a new vet who treats a lot of diabetic patients would be better then this vet who seems to primarily care about his pocket book. I've seen people who posted their location on this board to get recommendations. Jan
 
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