Ollie was recently diagnosed

[billm0066]

Hey everyone. I have two cats Cody and Ollie. Both cats are going on 12 years old and Ollie was just diagnosed with diabetes about two weeks ago. I brought him in because I noticed he was drinking a lot more water and urinating more too. The vet told us a few days before we had to go out of town for Christmas. Thanks to this forum I found we needed to change his diet which we did as soon as we got back. Both cats are now only eating fancy feast original flavors. My other cat Cody had crystals in his urine a couple years ago so she had me put them on prescription bagged food Urinary SO by Royal Canin. Both cats have been eating that for 2-3 years.

I'm a little upset with the vet because it took 6 days to get his blood work back and I had to call to get the results (they said 1-2 days). She told me he had diabetes and I needed to give him insulin. She did not mention his diet or anything. She didn't tell me about testing and was really vague about everything. She didn't seem sympathetic at all either. I know she sees it a lot but it still made me mad. I also asked to get a price to have a few teeth extracted and haven't heard back from them.

As of right now both cats are only eating fancy feast original and I've noticed a huge change. He is now back to drinking what he used to (actually a bit less maybe) and they are using the litter box a lot less too. Their fur is a lot softer as well. It seems crazy this can happen in such a short amount of time.

I'm still doing research but here is my plan and I would love feedback. I would like to bring Ollie back to the vet next week so they can recheck his blood to see how the diet change has affected him. I also want my other cat Cody done as well because he hasn't had a checkup since the crystals. The vet mentioned Ollie needs a few teeth removed because it looks like a couple might be broken so that needs to be taken care of too. Does this sound okay? I was considering just getting a glucometer but since he needs some teeth pulled I figured they could check him then.

I'm stressed about everything because I don't feel the vet did a great job explaining things to me. I kind of want to find a new vet now because of it. If anyone lives in Raleigh and has a good vet I would love to hear about it. I haven't researched checking his blood or giving insulin a whole lot yet but plan to do so before the next vet trip. I keep telling myself maybe the change in diet will be enough so he wont require insulin but I know that's probably a stretch. I'm just very concerned for him and want what's best.

 

[Kris & Teasel]

Welcome! I suggest you repost on the main health forum to more people will see this. I'll get started though:

Cody had crystals in his urine a couple years ago so she had me put them on prescription bagged food Urinary SO

My diabetic cat ate canned Urinary S/O for a long time. I took him off that when his diabetes was diagnosed almost a year ago. He now eats a mix of prescription DM low carb wet food and Friskies or Fancy Feast. I always add warm water to his wet food and I haven't had any urinary issues in a year.

I was considering just getting a glucometer

Very good idea. Even though you're waiting on the teeth issue you can learn how to test blood glucose at home to see how the levels are now that you're feeding low carb wet food exclusively.

maybe the change in diet will be enough so he wont require insulin but I know that's probably a stretch.

The first step is learning to test blood glucose at home.

Once you know more, please post an update on the main health forum.

 

[Callie & Patches]

It is better to test his blood at home. You will save the money the vet would charge you to run the test at his office and just taking him in to the vets office can rise his BG numbers over 100 points due to stress.

 

[billm0066]

I watched some videos and it doesn't look hard, but I am extremely nervous to get a blood sample. When you first started out, did you have the vet show you or did you do it yourself? I would love to save money and do it myself, but I don't mind spending extra money to be taught. However I have to imagine the vet would rather me spend money with them to do it at home. I was also considering getting a mobile vet to do it at home.

 

[Critter Mom]

My other cat Cody had crystals in his urine a couple years ago so she had me put them on prescription bagged food Urinary SO by Royal Canin.

Hi Bill, and welcome to yourself, Ollie and Cody.

You're the latest in a line of members who've arrived here after feeding that stuff (myself included).

I'm really glad to hear that both Ollie and Cody are doing much better on their new diet. Isn't it extraordinary the difference it makes to their coats!

In case you've not come across it yet, here's a link to a highly respected, vet-authored site about proper cat nutrition:

http://catinfo.org/

For Cody, have a look at the page on the site covering urinary tract diseases. My Saoirse had to have oxalate uroliths removed (hence the Rx for RC Urinary s/0 diet). I followed Dr Pierson's recommendations for measures to protect a cat's urinary tract and Saoirse had no further problems with uroliths (neither struvite nor oxalate).


Mogs
.

 

[Critter Mom]

The vet mentioned Ollie needs a few teeth removed because it looks like a couple might be broken so that needs to be taken care of too. Does this sound okay? I was considering just getting a glucometer but since he needs some teeth pulled I figured they could check him then.

As Donna and Kris advise above, the readings you'll get when you start home testing give a more true-to-life measure of Ollie's day-to-day blood glucose levels.

With the improvements you're already seeing in clinical signs since the diet switch it sounds like Ollie's BG levels have already improved. It is by far the best data upon which to base dosing decisions should Ollie need to start on insulin. Testing BG at home will help you to keep an eye on his status until his dental is done. The dental may improve his BG levels even further. 'Before and after' BG data will enable you to judge the success of the procedure.

Like you, I was nervous at first about doing BG tests at home but trust me when I say that I was even more nervous of having to dose Saoirse 'blind' for the first few weeks. I had no way of knowing whether or not she was safe on her insulin. The peace of mind that home testing gives is beyond price.

At the practice where Saoirse was diagnosed they really made a meal of BG testing - took two vet nurses! We moved to another practice shortly after Dx and our new vet showed me how to test. It gave me a bit of confidence to have the hand-holding but the ear-warming technique they used was a bit 'clunky'. I got great tips here from other members and testing quickly became quick and easy for Saoirse and myself. Here are some educational links to get you started:

Home testing tips and links (with video tutorial)

Testing and injecting tips (has very helpful diagram of the testing 'sweet spot' on the ear)

Walmart's Relion Micro and Confirm glucometers are very popular with members here: the test strips are affordable and they only require a very small blood sample. (Note: they need to be used with a cat-specific reference range - normal cat BG on a human meter is in the range 50-120mg/dL .)

Also it is advisable to monitor urine for ketones - especially as Ollie is not yet receiving insulin. Here are another couple of links to help you with this:

Are you testing kitty for ketones? If not, do it!

Tips for catching and testing urine

Be sure to give a shout out on the main Feline Health forum with all your questions and when you need help with anything. We'll do all we can to help.


Mogs
.

 

[Sandi and Toby]

Hi, and welcome!

Raleigh is a big place, but we started going to Six Forks Animal Hospital first in 1986. It is on Six Forks between Lynn Rd and Newton Rd in N. Raleigh. We usually see Dr. Rivas more often now because she works when we are available but we also know Dr. Price (the owner) extremely well. We love them both! But do know that we are in a slightly different situation than you. We are in our sixth year of feline diabetes with our second diabetic cat, having adopted the second one as diabetic, so we are like a lot of folks here on the board where we don't really use the vet much for diabetic-issues for Whisper. HOWEVER, Dr Rivas is willing to give advice for his diabetes any time we ask for her opinion, and we never have to fight any battles with them about it like some new FD parents report here with their vets, like having to threaten or trick them to get the "right" prescriptions for insulin, or for nausea, appetite stimulant, pain, etc. If they don't know something, they say so and they find out. They don't hesitate to call the NCSU consult service, or to give a referral there as necessary.

They traditionally use Levemir as their default feline insulin, but we adopted Whisper and he was already on Lantus, so they were cool with that. But when I felt like we weren't getting a good response from Lantus, a phone call was all it took to get an Rx for Levemir instead (side note, we are back to Lantus...we believe the problem was complicated more by IBD than the insulin choice). Also, I "taught" Dr Rivas about the benefits of prescribing the pens instead, and they will write you a paper prescription whenever you want (if you want to order from Canada). They are onboard with home testing -- Dr. Sullivan, now retired, is the one that got us started home testing in 2009 with our first diabetic. No pressure to buy prescription food. I don't know how they do with educating newly diagnosed diabetics, but they are so kind and compassionate with everything they do, and Dr Rivas (Whisper's primary doctor) knows that I'll yell at her if she doesn't do a good job with other diabetics (just kidding, sort of !) She does also know that she can call me, and A while back I told her that she could pass my contact info along to a new diabetic mom that was skeptical and fearful of home testing and doing curves at home.

If you go there, please drop my name. They'll know me just by mine and Whisper's first names, or tell them that their cat boarding room is named after our first diabetic boy (Brady )...FYI -- because of a donation that we made to them to get new cat condos, not because we have a vested interest in the business. Just happy customers!

The building and the interior aren't one of those fancy new nulti-million dollar practices, but when we've moved around Wake County a few times and we tried those because they were closer, all they seemed to care about was our credit card. It is the people inside the building that matter the most, so we have been back at Six Forks since moving back to N. Raleigh in 2000 and we will keep going here as long as we live within driving distance.

Hope that helps!
Sandi&Whisper.