? Progression of feline diabetes?

[Judy and Freckles]

Just trying to figure out how long Freckles may have had diabetes prior to getting the actual diagnosis. What is the timeline and progression of FD?

 

[Wendy&Neko]

That’s the six million dollar question for many of us. Unless you had bloodwork not too long before diagnosis, it is really hard to tell. What symptoms led you to taking Freckles to the vet? How long had you seen the symptoms?

Also, this is a bit ECID. Neko had some new eye tearing six months before diagnosis. Vet thought it was nothing, later I found out it was soft tissue growth blocking her tear ducts. Of course, Neko had acromegaly, which causes soft tissue growth, but the diabetes can come later. There have been non diabetic acros.

 

[Ann & Scatcats]

Just trying to figure out how long Freckles may have had diabetes prior to getting the actual diagnosis. What is the timeline and progression of FD?

If the vet had done a Fructosamin test the day you were there and got the diabetes diagnose, it would have given an insight of the overall blood glucose levels the past 3 prior weeks.

That's sort of the only thing we have, for us who missed our kitties first signals at home that they had gotten diabetes. One thing is they start to drink more water.

I know I missed Simba's signals even if they were loud and clear. Both on the onset in 2006 and then after a short remission the re-onset in 2007.

Of course I was thrown off in 2006 when the vet said Simba had diabetes, because that vet was brutal with me and Simba, she threatened to kill him if I didn't treat him! That was never the question with me, it was that He was my Simba and noone threatens to kill my boy, not even a vet!

And the overall information I got from the vet about the cats diabetes was very scarce, and I didn't find it satisfactory, so I looked up a diabetes researcher at our National Animal University in Sweden, Tove Fall, and contacted her by email with questions. Because I just had one prime question and that was How long can they live. Since I wanted my Simba to live as long as possible.

 

[Judy and Freckles]

What symptoms led you to taking Freckles to the vet? How long had you seen the symptoms?

Thanks Wendy. I took Freckles to the vet when I noticed she continued to lose weight despite increasing her food intake (with dry food of course )

The symptoms were evident to me about 1 month prior to taking her in. Symptoms could have been there longer as at that time I was dealing with an ailing mother and a sick horse - so Freckles was ignored unfortunately.

 

[Judy and Freckles]

One thing is they start to drink more water.

Thanks Ann. The day I took Freckles to the vet, is when I noticed how much water she was actually drinking as I had to leave her at another house while I was at work, in order to make it in time for the vet appointment. With 4 cats and 2 dogs in the house it's hard to measure water intake for everyone. Plus, I had changed kitty litter from clumping to wood pellets, so I there were several variables that had changed.