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bugs1966

Member Since 2013
Hello group, I am new to you. I have a 12 year old best friend with type 2 diabetes, he was diagnosed 5 months ago.. I would really like to introduce ourselves :-D My name is Jennifer, My best friends name is 'Bugs' I found him as a 2 week old in a trash bin at my old apt... I heard a faint meow when I threw my trash in...I got my daughter who was then 12 to help me find the 'meow' we did. In a plastic bag was a VERY tiny tabby kitten, so weak he could barely move.. we took him home and nursed him round the clock. We than found his sister in the same way.... Finally we decided to call animal control, for the fact some sick sob was throwing away kittens like trash, they did nothing told me we could keep the kittens or they would pts...We kept them...over the next few years they grew into sweet gorgous adults..'Bugs' was of course scared of his own shadow, not to mention strangers or plastic bags..aka kringer came about.. I had him for 4 years as well as Weeza his sister, when one day I came home from work to find them gone, My husband at the time called the pound to take them away...they did!... I had lost my trash can babies. I called the acc in cedar rapids iowa told them what had happened, that it was a mistake. They told me they could adopt out 'Wezza' but not 'Bugs', he was to timed, he would be pts in 2 days. since I had told them they were my cats I needed $500.00 to bail them both out plus costs to them...I did not have that kinda money, so I begged my boss at the time to plz help me, he gave in and my babies came home.... Husband did NOT... I spent the next 5 years with Bugs and Weeza loving me and me them...Weeza has passed away in 2011 :( 'Bugs' has been diagnosed with diabetes it has been a huge struggle for him and me...He is now on shots 2x a day and a vet approved diet, he has his good days and bad....It is not easy but I will NEVER give up on him.... I guess the moral of this story is to NEVER give up!! It all works out in the end! 'Bugs has just turned 13 and doing well......Thank you for the time.. :RAHCAT
 
Hello, and 'welcome' to you and to Bugs!

Gosh, that's quite a story...and I'm so glad to hear that Bugs is doing well.

We'd love to know more about you and Bugs. What insulin is he on? And what food does he eat?

Eliz in UK
 
Thank you hon, Bugs is on a human insulin called Lantus..My new vet at the time did not have cat insulin, so he perscribed us that.. he is also on a vet diet called DM for diabetic cats, it is awesome...he is still drinking and peeing a lot but, I take his blood level 1nce a week and it is always below 300 which is great.. if u want to get ur kitty the DM it is only available thru ur vets office, It is like I said awesome, I do also give him can foods from the vet or sometimes Friskies just watch out for poops..
 
Hi Jennifer and Bugs, welcome to the best place for Diabetic kitties and their beans (people.) That is quite a story! I can't believe the pound held him hostage and you had to bail him out! What an awful experience, but one with a happy ending. :)

There are insulin support groups on this site where you will meet some very knowledgeable and helpful people who can help you get Bugs regulated, and will offer you the best advice and support you can get!

On fdmb, we all have spread sheets that we use to keep track of daily BG levels and as a way for other members to gain quick access to your kitty's particular situation.

If you haven't already, check out the lantus support group (affectionately called lantus land) and learn more about creating a profile and spreadsheet. There are stickies at the top of the forums with a lot of information about feline diabetes and how to use this website. It can be overwhelming, so take your time and feel free to ask questions.

Courtney and Kismet
 
Hi, me again! My last post was from my phone, and now that I am at my computer, I wanted to add a few more things to get you started here at FDMB. :D

Here's the link to the Lantus forum: viewforum.php?f=9 that I mentioned in the previous post.

They follow a tight protocol there, so you will want to make sure you read the stickies and understand how Lantus works and the process we use at FDMB to regulate our kitties. It involves quite a bit of investment in learning and reading, so take your time and don't get overwhelmed. The learning curve is steep, but once you got it, it will become second nature. (viewtopic.php?f=9&t=150) Lantus is an excellent long lasting insulin and many of our cats have had success with it, including my Kismet who is OTJ (off the juice/in diabetic remission.) There's no guarantee that Bugs will go into remission, but his chances are much higher now that you're here, and more importantly, the odds of getting him regulated are better, too!

Most of us have blood glucometers and do home testing. This is the best way to monitor your cat's blood glucose and response to insulin, and arguably, critical in preventing life threatening drops and spikes in blood glucose levels. A human would never shoot insulin without knowing their blood glucose numbers, and we feel the same way about our cats. Not all vets champion home testing (my original vet advised strongly against it!) so you will have to use your discretion and judgment, though after some time here, you will likely see the importance and necessity in doing home tests. It is the surest way to help regulate your cat and keep him safe from insulin overdose and underdose.

While there are specially made animal glucometers (such as AlphaTrak) many of us use human glucometers. ReliOn is an excellent and affordable brand that you can find at Walmart.

Additionally, diet is another very important component in treating your diabetic kitty. You say you're feeding Bugs DM which is what many vets prescribe, but there are other cheaper options available. Kismet started out on canned DM, but we switched him over to Fancy Feast, Evo, and Merrick Before Grain for financial concerns and because, frankly, they are better foods! It is highly advisable that you ONLY feed wet food without grains. As obligate carnivores, cats need a lot of protein and high water content as they are very prone to dehydration because of a low thirst drive. In the wild, they receive most of their fluids from their prey. Many diabetic cats have gone into remission simply by switching their diet. Now, this is EXTREMELY important... DO NOT make any changes to Bugs's diet if you are not doing regular blood tests. If you change the diet without adjusting his insulin, his bg could plummet to dangerous hypoglycemic levels.

I know this is a lot to digest, and there is more still to learn. Take the time to educate yourself about Feline Diabetes, about how Lantus works, about appropriate diets for cats, and about doing home blood tests. Bugs will thank you for it, and you've taken the first step in registering here!

To learn more about regulating on Lantus, check this thread which explains the protocol we use on FDMB: viewtopic.php?f=9&t=1581
 
Hi Jennifer and Bugs,

What a great story! You two are meant to be together.

It's great that the DM is working for you. It's a lower carb food but generally not popular here. One, it doesn't have great ingredients and is liver based. Lots of cats get tired of the taste. And we feel cheaper non prescription foods work as well or better, have better ingredients and more varied flavors.

And I would really encourage you to test before each shot. There are many stories here of kitties who stayed in safe numbers until one day when they suddenly were much lower. If you don't know that, you run the risk of giving too much insulin. And having a hypo. If you want to try the Lantus protocol that has proved so successful for cats, it does require 3 tests a day - before each shot and midcycle to see how low the insulin is taking the kitty.

We have a protocol that has worked wonders for hundreds of cats: hometesting daily, wet low carb food and a good insulin.
 
Well everybody, Bugs is NO longer on DM to costly and did not work after 3 months. He is now on FF and friskies wet, much better. He is still on Lantus 3 units 2x day and also he is now on Zolbline for his neropithy. I will be checking out eveything you great people have told me. I thank you so much, as I love this cat more than I can say and only want the best. Thank you..

Jenn and Bugs...
 
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