Newly Diagnosed "Echo" with Diabetes and Hypertyrodism

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kholland

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Hi Everyone,

What a whirlwind 2 weeks! My 9 year old "Echo" started walking all weird and unstable and after xrays and blood work she now is diagnosed with both Diabetes and Hyperthyroidism. The peripheral neuropathy is already starting to ease up.

I started her insulin injections on Saturday. Lantus, 1 unit twice a day. Echo is a real champ for the injections.. she just purrs and doesn't even react when I poke her. I'm going back to the vet today to have her glucose level checked again... it was 21 2 weeks ago, then 19 a week later and 15 on Saturday. I have already changed all the food in the house to be low carb and she mostly eats wet food anyways and loves evo and merrick food.

I do want to order a glucometer to have at home so I can stop all the money being spent at the vets. They quoted me 227 for the meter, lances and strips. I found the Diabetic Promotions website but I'm wondering if anyone knows of Canadian sites that offer reasonable prices? Any particular brand most recommended?

After today, my vet wants me to immediately start hyperthyroid treatment. They got me these treats with the tapazole inside (here's hoping she'll eat them!). Does anyone have any thoughts on both disease being treated immediately? My gut wants to just get the diabetes manageable and then start dealing with the thyroid afterwards but maybe treating both is right?

Thanks for any info you all might have!
Kim
 
Hi and welcome.

Well, I'm glad your vet prescribed lantus and you're off to a good start with changing the food. Canned only would be even better. Great that the neuropathy is already improving.

I would start treating the HyperT now. HyperT revs up the metabolism so right now your kitty could be burning the insulin faster than my cat, but don't let that frighten you from treating the Hypert. Lantus is a nice gentle insulin and at this point I would start the Tapazole and keep the dose steady on the Lantus.

Get a regular human glucometer from the pharmacy, any one with sipping action. I don't know what's up in Canada, but if you see Accu Check Aviva, Bayer Contour, One Touch Ultra, Freestyle, any of those brands are fine. With a human glucometer readings will be almost the exact same and if you run out of test strips on the weekend, you can get them anywhere.

I haven't tried the compounded tapazole treats, I used to give the pills to my cat crushed in his Fancy Feast.
 
Thanks Jennifer. I appreciate your encouragement. Here's hoping she doesn't get all treat finicky on me!

Interestingly, her glucose reading today was 11.3. My vet was a bit surprised that it came down so much already. So, she wants to test it again tomorrow to make sure the Lantus dose isn't too high. She also said that the Hyperthyroid and the diabetes can play off each other, so we'll have to see how this all goes.

I can certainly see that getting that glucometer is a must have real soon or I'm gonna be broke with having the vet doing it!!
 
Hi Kim,
I live in Saskatchewan and got an Aviva Accuchek at Walmart. It was $4.97, but it was the strips that were $83.00 (i got 100) so far i like my Aviva, i've heard that it doesn't require as much blood to sample as the other meters do.

Leo and i were supposed to go in tomorrow for a blood glucose curve and i just told the vet that i would prefer to do it at home, at least at home he's in his own little comfort zone and isn't all stressed out about the being at the vet. Plus its easier on the pocketbook! ;-)

Good Luck!
 
The Aviva Accuchek is a great meter, it's what I have, too. As long as you plan ahead and double check the expiration dates, you can get strips on ebay for about half the store price. That's what I do when I'm short on funds.
 
I am in BC. I got my OneTouch Ultra metre from Shoppers Drup Mart free with the purchase of 100 strips ($84). Now I buy the strips at Costco for $73. Others buy the strips at Shoppers and with the optimum points card get a box of strips heavily discounted every few months. I also buy syringes at Costco as well as Levemir. All considerably cheaper than elsewhere. I figure that I have saved a lot more than the cost of the membership, and its only a few months into the year. Walmart doesn't carry these items at the store near me - not sure if they do at any of the Canadian stores.
 
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