Newly diagnosed, so overwhelmed... please help :(

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PumpkinBuggy

PumpkinBuggy

Member Since 2016
Hi everybody.
My kitty, Pumpkin, is a 13 year old, overall healthy boy (except for diabetes)

Just diagnosed with diabetes yesterday, and I'm so overwhelmed...
Symptoms: Two or less months of constant drinking and urinating, collapsing legs when jumping from the couch to the floor. Otherwise very loving, very large appetite. Some peeing outside of the box (has never been a problem)

I am a college student and will do all that I can to take care of him and keep him healthy. I love him with my whole heart! I just really, really need help. I'm so sad and overwhelmed, and would love advice or encouragement, especially from people who can't afford to spend a ton of money, despite really caring for their kitties.

FOOD:
My vet recommended a VERY expensive Purina DM diet. I just cannot swing that, but have heard that Fancy Feast Classics are commonly used. That I can afford. I am currently feeding him half a can of Purina DM in the morning, half at night, supplemented with one can of FF morning, one can FF night. Is this too much for the time being? Pumpkin is 14 pounds and the vets recommended 2-3 cans of Purina DM a day(!!!).

Will it ever be okay to phase out the Purina DM and switch to just Fancy Feast?

MEDICATION:
Right now, my vet only has Pumpkin on a twice daily tablet of 5mg glipizide. I have been searching the internet, and I'm so worried that this isn't the right thing for Pumpkin. She wants him to come back in one month to have his levels checked again. I'm so worried that this medication may not work, and he is only getting worse in the meantime. :( Anybody who has used Glipizide out there?

I will absolutely give my cat insulin injections, but cost is also a huge, huge worry for me. I am 22 and the financial burden of caring for my cat will be largely my own.
I would sooner eat Ramen 24/7 than euthanize my Pumpkin when he is treatable and not suffering.


Anyone? Please help!!! :)
 
Ramen noodles are great. I still eat them.

Welcome.
Good insulins are the human Lantus and Levemir and the pet insulins ProZinc and BCP PZI. For those two human insulin it is best to get the 5 pack of 3 ml disposable pens via a 10 ml vial. Although per ml the vial is less expensive most cats will not use up a 10 ml vial before the insulin goes bad/becomes ineffective. The human insulin N/NPH is sometimes prescribed but only lasts 8-10 hours. Same for the pet insulin Vetsulin/Caninisulin.
Oral meds like Glipizide seldom work in cats.

Most of us here test our cat's blood glucose at home using a human meter. We test before each shot and periodically between shots. We record our reading and other info in a spreadsheet. See:
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/fdmb-spreadsheet-instructions.130337/

As you said, there is no reason for a prescription food. Here is a list of commercial low-carb canned


http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/shortcut-shopping-list-all-8-or-less-updated.117688/


Here is a link to home testing blood sugar http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/hometesting-links-and-tips.287/
 
Welcome!
Please take a deep breath.....and another one.....and another one! ;)
You are going to be just fine, there are a lot of people on here and they are also on a budget, there are various ways to treat a diabetic kitty without spending a lot of money, and expensive trips to the vet.

You will indeed need low carb food like fancy feast, a good insulin and a home testingkit, that would be your starter pack to treat your diabetic cat. :bighug:

I'm 27 and I was also on a budget with my kitty Baco. She made it through with the lovely help from all these people on here!
 
Hi and Welcome to the Board!
Take a deep breath, things a very likely not as grim as you think. This board has TONS of information and people are very supportive.
I am a strong proponent in feeding your cat more or less what he/she will eat. Look on this board for info on low carbs canned food and don't worry too much about going against your vet's suggestions in that regard. Most important to get your cat eat the right type of food and not necessarily a prescription food.
Next: it will be better for your cat and for your piece of mind to get a home testing kit. It should not be expensive (here in US, where I am, Walmart sells ReliOn glucometer for about $30 and supplies cost me about $20 a month). If you do testing twice a day and do not see a noticeable improvement in two weeks you can pester your vet for a prescription change - you will have facts on hand. Also you can get Ketone testing strips - just in case the blood glucose is not going down much you will need to be on the watch for ketones in urine (that will make it an emergency).
Some people here are selling insulin that they have extra of - much cheaper that you would get in a pharmacy (check Supply Closet).

Good luck!
 
Also, forgot to mention: my cat eats A LOT (especially when his sugar is high). He is about 11 pound and he eats five-ounce can through the night (I wake up twice to feed him) and two-three 3-oz cans during the day. If blood glucose is in more or less normal (for diabetic) range then it means that the cat's body / muscles /brain gets the glucose it needs. If you see that BG is high then all the glucose from the meal stays in the blood and is not absorbed as it should be, which sends a "hunger" signal and cat will ask for more food.

For the "weak legs syndrome" please check for Zobaline - it is a vitamin B12 supplement that many people really like.
 
Breathe and relax. Fancy feast pate is fine.. Return the DM for credit and buy a home testing kit. Wal-Mart brand is perfectly fine, despite what vet will say.

Once the glucose numbers are better, the leg weakness will improve. In the meantime Zobaline mentioned above will help tremendously.

When the glucose is high and or unregulated, the kitties will be ravenous, could possibly have inappropriate litter box use.

If your classes keep you out for long periods, an automatic feeder can be invaluable to you. There are tips we can a share with you. Including the most affordable place to get insulin should you need it.

Just ask, you will get plenty of answers.
 
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Welcome to you and Pumpkin! You're in the right place to get good advice. You can do this without paying for expensive prescription food and there are ways to economize on supplies (meter, test strips, etc.).

As for how much to feed: one of my boys (non-diabetic) is almost 17 lb and gets only ONE 6 oz. can of wet food (the size of a DM can) per day. I can't believe your vet recommended 2-3 cans of DM a day!
 
Thanks, all. You are all so sweet and understanding... I'm so glad I found this place, I can already tell it will be so helpful for me and Pumpkin.

I was weary about the glipizide.. I've done some of my own research as well and have come to realize that Pumpkin will most likely need insulin. I'd rather start that sooner than later. I understand that pills works for some pets, but it makes me nervous how few cats it actually does work for. Pumpkin is in good spirits and doesn't outwardly appear sick, but kitties are good at hiding their feelings (unlike his emotional mommy right now.) Will lean on this site to help me find the best insulin on a budget.

I stopped by Walmart tonight and got a home testing kit. Going to watch some videos and then try it out. Thankfully Pumpkin and I are both very patient.
 
Woodsywife said:
Do you have a low carb treat such as Pure Bits freeze dried chicken to give?
Click to expand...

No treats yet unfortunately.. :(
I have always been nervous feeding Pumpkin treats because when he was younger he went through two major surgeries for crystal blockages.
His diet is something that I have always stressed about. I have recently started believing that these blockages were likely caused by the low-quality dry food he was eating. After all of the surgeries, we switched him over to a mid-grade Purina Urinary Tract formula (also dry food :/ )

Once he started drinking a lot (~2-3 months ago), I switched him over to wet stuff to help him compensate.
I know Fancy Feast isn't exactly the best food out there, but at least its wet, low carb, and college-budget-friendly. I have been mixing extra water into all of his wet food for a few months now to help mitigate his tract issues.. Thankfully those issues have been at bay for the past 9 or 10 years.

Pumpkin is NOT picky about what he eats. He has yet to meet a food he won't conquer.

Maybe I should talk to the vet about throwing some treats into the mix? Poor Pumpkin is such a good boy, he's so deprived from the good stuff! :)
 
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If you get Lantus or Levemir, you can do what most of us are doing and order it from Canada...it's about 1/3rd the cost it is here in the states!

A 5 pack will last most people a year or more.....so it breaks down to about $15/month or less for insulin

Here's all the information on where we're buying from in Canada

We're all watching the strike news for Canada Post closely....that could make it more difficult to get insulin shipped in a timely manner, but I know Marks has been thinking about what to do if they do strike for a few months now so hopefully they have something figured out if it ends up happening
 
Chris & China said:
If you get Lantus or Levemir, you can do what most of us are doing and order it from Canada...it's about 1/3rd the cost it is here in the states!

A 5 pack will last most people a year or more.....so it breaks down to about $15/month or less for insulin

Here's all the information on where we're buying from in Canada

We're all watching the strike news for Canada Post closely....that could make it more difficult to get insulin shipped in a timely manner, but I know Marks has been thinking about what to do if they do strike for a few months now so hopefully they have something figured out if it ends up happening
Click to expand...

That's really not so bad.. I guess there is hope for a broke college kid like me (and her cat)!
Thanks so much for the info. Will definitely look into it.
 
Trust me...I know all about living on a budget!! I'm on SSI disability of only a little over $700/month

When I found Marks, we were within weeks of having to take China off Lantus because the cost had gone so crazy....nobody within 150 miles of me would sell me just one pen and there was no way I could come up with almost $500 for 5 of them, so finding Marks was a gift from God
 
Hi PumpkinBuggy (& others here). I too was at the vets yesterday with my cat lucky. He's 12 years old, and 14 lbs. He'd been acting fine up until yesterday a.m. Brought him to the vet his glucose was quite high so now we are doing the insulin twice a day.

Much luck with your Pumpkin!! I can see that I'll be following your post as well

To the others who replied above… I wanted to say thank you SO much for the information you gave to Pumpkins mom. I can see that it will be helpful for Lucky as well so thank you for your posts!! . I have Four cats and right now I'm totally overwhelmed. I'm going to put a post up in the next day or so - so please feel free to respond to my questions as well… Thanks in advance!
 
Welcome, PumpkinBuggy! My cat, Bunny, was diagnosed about two weeks ago. It is definitely overwhelming at first, but I can tell you it gets better--thanks, in large part, to this group. So, you are in the right place! Good for you for getting a testing kit, low carb food (I use FF, too), and doing your research. Pumpkin sounds like he is in very good hands!
 
PumpkinBuggy said:
No treats yet unfortunately.. :(
I have always been nervous feeding Pumpkin treats because when he was younger he went through two major surgeries for crystal blockages.
His diet is something that I have always stressed about. I have recently started believing that these blockages were likely caused by the low-quality dry food he was eating. After all of the surgeries, we switched him over to a mid-grade Purina Urinary Tract formula (also dry food :/ )

Once he started drinking a lot (~2-3 months ago), I switched him over to wet stuff to help him compensate.
I know Fancy Feast isn't exactly the best food out there, but at least its wet, low carb, and college-budget-friendly. I have been mixing extra water into all of his wet food for a few months now to help mitigate his tract issues.. Thankfully those issues have been at bay for the past 9 or 10 years.

Pumpkin is NOT picky about what he eats. He has yet to meet a food he won't conquer.

Maybe I should talk to the vet about throwing some treats into the mix? Poor Pumpkin is such a good boy, he's so deprived from the good stuff! :)
Click to expand...

Absolutely nothing wrong with feeding him Fancy Feast or the Friskies low carb pate varieties :).
 
Hi and welcome
I wish I had started insulin earlier.
Your doing great and this group will be s tremendous help got you. So glad your going to hone test.
:bighug::bighug:
 
Hi again everyone,
Tried last night and this morning to get a good prick for Pumpkin's ReliOn meter, but I can't seem to draw enough blood. :(

I have watched videos and looked up pictures of the "sweet spot" for testing.. His vein is very obvious through his thin ear, and the other day the vet told me he had a great veins and drawing blood from him was cake.

I'm using a lancet pen and a very small lancet (I think thats the terminology), but I've seen that a lot of people just use a plain old needle prick.

I feel so bad for Pumpkin. :( He puts up a fuss and tries to wiggle away, but at the same time buries his head in me and looks for affection. I have pricked him at least a dozen times in the past day, and have only drawn a sort of reasonable amount of blood once, and unfortunately that ended up on my finger. :/ I'm just looking at my sweet kitty now, and his poor little ears are beat red and I feel awful.

Is this technique something your vet went over with you guys?
 
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I was where you were not too long ago! I'm sure someone else can help with your questions. I can only share a couple things that have helped me get blood. Here's what I do...

First, I rub a tiny bit of neosporin cream with pain relief onto both ears (just in case). I massage this in. This step may be more for me than him--I don't know if it really makes a difference--I don't think the pricks are really painful to him, just annoying.

Next, I heat up a little sock ball in the microwave for 25 sec. What is a sock ball, you ask? I use a very small, think sport sock which I form into a ball (filled the sock, tied, folded the ends over the toe where the rice is). Forming it into a small ball seemed to help me a lot. It fits perfectly in his ear. I use it to warm the ear and also for support when I do the prick.

While warming his ear, I rub a tiny bit of neosporin salve (not the cream) on the top of the ear. This helps the blood pool and not spread into his fur (so frustrating!). Then I push the strip into the meter. I use the ReliOn micro. I tried one from CVS (it broke), the Contour Next (required 0.5--too much for me to reliably get a sample), and finally got the Micro--I love it because it only requires 0.3. I'm not sure if that is the same as the ReliOn you have.

I use a lancet and a 26 gauge needle. I found the "4" setting works best for me. I hope to go to a thinner lancet and/or lower depth at some point, but for now, this works well. Always use a new lancet--they dull quickly.

Still with the sock ball under his ear, I apply a little bit of pressure below where I intend to prick his ear. This helps the blood pool a bit in the capillaries. I found this has helped a lot, too.

Finally, I prick the ear and wait a second or two--usually now the blood comes right away. Sometimes another prick is necessary. After holding the strip to the blood, I try to lift any extra blood off with a fingernail just in case the meter reads an error (also VERY frustrating). Then, I apply a little pressure to where I pricked, give him a treat and lots of affection. He comes to me for the pricks now. Kind of amazing, really.

I wouldn't say I'm a pro at this yet, but I will say I've gotten a lot better. It helped me a lot to read how others do it, so I hope you find this helpful.

The most important thing is that you are trying and care so much about Pumpkin.
 
It does take a little time to get the ear to bleed consistently.

I would not poke more than twice at each test time. Give plenty of hugs kisses ans scritches even if it's a failed test. I would wait a few hours in between tests.

Stick to the times you will be giving insulin if you start with it. Then maybe @ 6 hrs after that to try again. 12 times isn't necessary and will stress both of you. Not sure how the pill works or it's onset. But find a few times and stay with those. This way you both get use to a routine.

Some kitties are afraid of the click of the pen or the beep of the meter. The meter beep usually can be turned off or lowered. Smokey hears the beep on low and will lay right down. (I use throw rug on table) I free hand the Lancet, and poke at a slight angle. I also use a cotton square (make up squares) for after poke. He doesn't like the crinkle sound of tissue or paper napkin. And of course a treat. Then I put him on the floor and he will wait by his bowl for a meal.
 
I am actually pricking my Bailey not on the ear but on the pad of his back leg. I would just flop him on his side, give him lots of pets and rub between his toes. He loves it. I set my lancet to give me a bit of deeper prick and it goes very smoothly. Bailey also tolerates me squeezing a bit his foot more than his ear :-)
 
Welcome! I'm in the same boat as you! I'm a broke, recently graduated college student, and all of my friends are shocked at how much time/effort/money I put into Diggy! But it's all worth it though. Diggy actually had some run-ins with crystals and blockages, and I had him on the Purina urinary track formula. I wonder if that's what gave them the diabetes..

As for the ear pricking, it definitely gets easier over time as you both get used to it, and the ear will produce blood more easily. When I first started I was trying to use the lancet and the lancet device, but I was probably loading it wrong and it seemed like it wasn't even poking him. So I took the lancet out and just freehand it with a cotton ball or makeup sponge on the other side. There are plenty of ways of doing it, and it's really just whatever works best for you two.
 
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