Our 10 year old cat Rocky was just diagnosed with Diabetes mellitus yesterday. The vet said he was in the advanced state, but we could try insulin shots. Glargine injects twice a day and diet food ( I've researched no need for expensive diet food Wet food only low carb high protein). He said to buy it from them the first time it was $300.00 a vial. He did say he would write a prescription so i could purchase it online . I havent really found a cheaper place to purchase it . Only a few dollars . How long does a vial usually last if he requires it twice a day? He said i could monitor him at home I would need to take him in quarterly for tests . He said there is debate rather a human meter is as effective as a pet one but i could use a human one. I found one at Walmart for around $10 and strips are about $20 for 100. How is it getting started? Do i check him every hour? Every day? What if its high or low? Anyones kitty ever go into remission ? He said he has seen 2 cats his whole career who where able to come off insulin. Also how are you kittys ? Do they take well to test and shots? Are they relatively happy healthy?
Sorry to hear about your diagnosis, but you've come to the right place. Lots of very experienced and knowledgeable people on here ready to help.
Glargine is a good insuline, and many people on here use it (also known as Lantus in the US). Where are you from?
You are correct, no need for prescription food... just look for wet foods under 10% carb.
If you tell us where you are, there may be someone that can point you in the right direction to find it at a better price. If you can get it in 3 ml pen form you will be able to use the whole pen before it expires and it will be a better use of money as compared to the 10 ml vial that will most likely expire before you use it all.
You definitely can monitor from home.... most here use a human meter. The important thing is to find a meter that takes a very tiny (.3) sample size and get lancets that are 26 or 28 guage so that they are big enough to get a sample from the ear. The smaller 31 gauge lancets are harder to get a sample with.
You don't have to take a reading every hour. You want to get a sample before each preshot (test, then feed, then shoot)... and when you can get a few mid cycle readings. Every so often (maybe once a week or so?) do a curve, that's a reading every 2 hours for 12 hours so that you get a good picture on how the insulin is working.
My cat was a bit squirmy about it all at first, but soon come to associate testing and shots with food, so it doesn't bother her at all. She's quite happy, and was able to go off insulin after 4 months. She is now almost 10 months into remission (knock on wood). we have many MANY cats on here that are either regulated, or in remission. It's VERY possible and not all that uncommon at all with proper treatment and careful monitoring. The fact that your vet has only seen 2 in remission tells me either he hasn't treated many diabetic cats, or he sucks at dosage suggestions... or a majority of his clients don't home test.
. The 
