My 15 year old cat was just diagnosed with diabetes. He had previously received 3 Depo shots for a skin condition. Not sure if that triggered it or not. UGA is doing a study with Prozinc...it is 90 mins. away and would require leaving him for 3 days. My cat is so shy and being older I'm not sure this is the right thing to do. I will be going to the vet today to learn about giving him shots and testing his blood. I am really concerned about managing this and not having him suffer. Any suggestions? Should I drive him 90 mins. away, leave him for 3 days, for them to evaluate him, monitor his glucose, etc. I would get insulin, syringes for free. I believe it would just be a bottle of the Prozinc. Again, my concern is his shyness and age. What would you do? Please advise...Thanks. I am a sad Mama...
Send Cat Away For Study?
- Thread starter mrginger
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Jo and Miga
Member
A year ago, I learned how to test my cat and administer insulin 2x day. Leaving her at a Vet office all day, only increased her BG test numbers when they did a BG curve. I was able to do the BG curve at home without increasing the stress level of my cat. I believe there are wonderful testimonies of others online here, that show you can care for your diabetic cat at home without having to spend lots of money on Vet office bills. Let us all help you be successful. My cat Miga (meega) is doing well, with me caring for her and contacting the Vet with only basic questions. Don't send your cat away... Jo
BJM
Very Active Member
Welxome to FDMB.
You know your cat. If you believe this would be extremely stressful for him, don't do it. Stress at the vet can raise the glucose from 100 to 180 mg/dL, which will require higher insulin doses until he gets home.
Since he's not on insulin now, we would suggest getting him on a low carb, over the counter diet such as Friskies pates before doing that. Many cats get bored with the prescription diet's lack of variety and most of them are rather high in carbohydrate, the last thing a diabetic cat needs. If you've already been sold some prescription food, take it back and say your cat won't eat it. Make any food changes gradually to reduce the chances of vomiting, diarrhea, or not eating.
Also, to monitor his health, we advocate home glucose monitoring with a human glucometer, using reference values for cats (I'll post those later). Many of us like the Arkray USA Glucocard 01 or 01 mini, available from American Diabetes Wholesale. Others get the exact same thing, just branded as the ReliOn Confirm or Confirm Micro from WalMart.
You know your cat. If you believe this would be extremely stressful for him, don't do it. Stress at the vet can raise the glucose from 100 to 180 mg/dL, which will require higher insulin doses until he gets home.
Since he's not on insulin now, we would suggest getting him on a low carb, over the counter diet such as Friskies pates before doing that. Many cats get bored with the prescription diet's lack of variety and most of them are rather high in carbohydrate, the last thing a diabetic cat needs. If you've already been sold some prescription food, take it back and say your cat won't eat it. Make any food changes gradually to reduce the chances of vomiting, diarrhea, or not eating.
Also, to monitor his health, we advocate home glucose monitoring with a human glucometer, using reference values for cats (I'll post those later). Many of us like the Arkray USA Glucocard 01 or 01 mini, available from American Diabetes Wholesale. Others get the exact same thing, just branded as the ReliOn Confirm or Confirm Micro from WalMart.
Ella & Rusty & Stu(GA)
Very Active Member
Hi "Mama" and welcome to the Feline Diabetes Message Board,
I think everyone on the message board will have gotten your Private Message, so don't be surprised if you get a lot of answers (or no answers at all!). In general we post in the forums--not in Private Messages-- so that all will see and benefit from whatever advice is being given.
I am not a ProZinc user, but I have had diabetic cats for many years (using both Lantus and Levemir insulins) and feel strongly that you should first post in the "Feline Health" forum, where you will get many eyes on your question. If MrGinger (is that his name?) were my cat, I would be very hesitant about submitting him--a very newly diagnosed diabetic and 15 years old--to a study where I would have to send him off for 3 days. I think it would be much more beneficial for you to consult with your vet, and most important, to put your initial post on the Health Forum here. You need to learn about Feline Diabetes and the Feline Diabetes Message Board is the place to do it. Your vet may or may not be up to date on the current protocols for treating diabetes, but whatever your situation, you will learn many practical tips here for dealing with this condition. I'm going to link your post in ProZinc to the Feline Health forum to get more eyes on it.
Best of luck to you and your kitty. I know you are scared (we were all scared when we learned that our kitties were diabetic), but this is a manageable condition and the people here deal with it 24 hours a day. We can help you a lot.
Ella & Rusty
I think everyone on the message board will have gotten your Private Message, so don't be surprised if you get a lot of answers (or no answers at all!). In general we post in the forums--not in Private Messages-- so that all will see and benefit from whatever advice is being given.
I am not a ProZinc user, but I have had diabetic cats for many years (using both Lantus and Levemir insulins) and feel strongly that you should first post in the "Feline Health" forum, where you will get many eyes on your question. If MrGinger (is that his name?) were my cat, I would be very hesitant about submitting him--a very newly diagnosed diabetic and 15 years old--to a study where I would have to send him off for 3 days. I think it would be much more beneficial for you to consult with your vet, and most important, to put your initial post on the Health Forum here. You need to learn about Feline Diabetes and the Feline Diabetes Message Board is the place to do it. Your vet may or may not be up to date on the current protocols for treating diabetes, but whatever your situation, you will learn many practical tips here for dealing with this condition. I'm going to link your post in ProZinc to the Feline Health forum to get more eyes on it.
Best of luck to you and your kitty. I know you are scared (we were all scared when we learned that our kitties were diabetic), but this is a manageable condition and the people here deal with it 24 hours a day. We can help you a lot.
Ella & Rusty
Sue and Oliver (GA)
Very Active Member
I also wanted to add that if you are considering the study because of the free insulin, you might be able to get BCP PZI through your vet via a compounded pharmacy for about $50 a vial. Then you can do this with a ReliOn meter for pretty cheap.
I would, however, do the testing and change the food first as BJ suggested :mrgreen: . Maybe he won't need the insulin.
I would, however, do the testing and change the food first as BJ suggested :mrgreen: . Maybe he won't need the insulin.
nckitties3
Very Active Member
Just my opinion, but if it was my cat, I wouldn't do it.
If financial reasons are why you are considering it, you could apply with DCIN - Diabetic Cats In Need- and they may be able to help you. I needed their help at the beginning and don't know what I would have done without them.
If you are concerned with testing, shooting, etc, scared to do it, everyone here will help you in any way possible. At the beginning it can be scary, but in a matter of a couple weeks, it becomes 'old hat'. We can help you with that stuff.
Welcome to FDMB, big hugz! :YMHUG:
If financial reasons are why you are considering it, you could apply with DCIN - Diabetic Cats In Need- and they may be able to help you. I needed their help at the beginning and don't know what I would have done without them.
If you are concerned with testing, shooting, etc, scared to do it, everyone here will help you in any way possible. At the beginning it can be scary, but in a matter of a couple weeks, it becomes 'old hat'. We can help you with that stuff.
Welcome to FDMB, big hugz! :YMHUG:
TheBowHuntress
Very Active Member
I agree! Same thing happened to Gobbles. I "fired" the vet who gave him the Depo; my new vet basically said he should of known better and there was a very good chance that is what caused Gobbles' feilne diabetes.terri1962 said:
TheBowHuntress
Very Active Member
Great advice; I wish there was a "like" button!!!BJM said:
TheBowHuntress
Very Active Member
Mr. Ginger's Mom---how did you vet diagnosis his diabetes? Was he getting routine bloodwork or did you bring him in for other symptoms? Did your vet do a fructosamine test or ordinary blood glucose test? What was your boy's reading (the number)?
C
Carl & Polly & Bob (GA)
Guest
I don't think I'd do it either. But I'm curious. What does the study involve? Did they give you any details? My concern is that a 3 day study, no matter what they are attempting, is not really going to do much for Mr. Ginger, and three days worth of data is not all that valuable in the "big picture".
I had to leave Bob at the ER for three days the first week he was diagnosed, and it was really hard to do. But in his case, it was a life or death situation, so that made the decision easier.
I had to leave Bob at the ER for three days the first week he was diagnosed, and it was really hard to do. But in his case, it was a life or death situation, so that made the decision easier.
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