WOAH! $$

All the feeds I keep linking to are too dated to help, so I apologize if this is already somewhere else.

I'm fine with the initial vet visits and the home testing and the diet tweaking and other initial costs. It's the ongoing costs that frighten me.

Had to take a moment to breathe after realizing the cost of my vet's recommendation, Lantus. $265 was the best I could find in my area (western WA), at Costco. And that's for about 1 month (still fuzzy on this part)? I'm not sure why I bothered calling around because I simply can't afford that.

I talked to my mother back east, who's worked at a vet hospital my whole life. I'm from a very small town in NH and she admitted that they don't even bother recommending anything but Vetsulin, based on cost alone. I saw it was $50 on Drs Foster and Smith. That's more along the lines of what I was expecting (shows how much I know). Prozinc looks to be the in-between, but still too much for my household.

Does Vetsulin really deserve the bad rap it seems to get on here? I just can't wrap my head (or my budget) around the cost of the others. Am I missing something?

Any advice?

 

Yes, Lantus is very expensive in the US. Many people order it online from Marks Marine Pharmacy in Vancouver BC. All you need is a prescription from your vet to send them. I think a pack of 5 cartridges (3 mL each) with shipping is about $150. That's enough insulin to last up to a year depending on the dose your kitty needs. You don't want to buy Lantus as a 10 mL vial because it'll lose its potency long before you use it ip. That's why the 3 mL cartridges are so popular. They last up to 2 years unopened in your fridge and you'll be able to use up each completely while it's fresh. The cartridges are meant to go into the injector pen but we use them as a mini vial and draw the insulin out into a syringe.

Vetsulin is much more economical but is harder to use successfully in cats.

 

I've used the same vial of lantus for 6 months without noticing any change in effectiveness. The 1 month thing is just because that's what the drug companies put in their FDA application and that's what was approved by the FDA. Insulin lasts a lot longer than that, but it's not worth the $ for the drug companies to perform the studies that say it lasts longer than 1 month as this would cost them money.

 

Thank you thank you!!!! I feel so much better already!!

 

That's why most of us are buying from Marks Marine Pharmacy in Canada!! I would have had to take my own cat off Lantus several years ago if I hadn't found Marks!!

Here's the info on Ordering from Marks

For $175 (which includes shipping) you can get 5 Lantus pens (1500 units) which is enough to last most cats 1-2 years (depending on dose).....a cat on 2 units twice a day would get a year out of 5 pens so it breaks down to about $15/month....which is cheaper than using Vetsulin I think

 

My cat has been on Vetsulin for just over a year and he's doing great. If cost is an issue, it's worth talking to your vet to see if Vetsulin might work for your cat.

I know it's not for all kitties, but wanted to let you know that mine is doing great on it.

 

My kitty is on Caninsulin - vetsulin related- and it is working well for her. She gets 1 u twice a day.
It is $34 a vial from www.petpharmacy.com in Ontario. They only sell animal based medications. Maybe try to see if you can order from there? Prescription is not needed for diabetic supplies in Ontario.
I don't recommend the Caninsulin brand syringes though. Large needle and pricey.

Good luck!

 

Check out the Supply closet on this website, members selling insulin and supplies for cheaper (I got a whole unopened vial of Lantus for $50). If not, Mark's Pharmacy is good economic choice and if you qualify, Diabetic Cats in Need can help with getting started on Lantus as well as testing supplies. Lantus is very stable and the vial can last months

 

I see you are in western WA. Depending on how far north, you might want to take a little drive across the border. Insulin is OTC and the five pack of Lantus pens will set you back around $85 US once you do the conversion. I used to drive across the border in the other direction for cheaper test strips.

 

Slightly off topic as OP is from US but in Canada @CassWTribby , you might want to check out THIS pharmacy for the best price for Caninsulin. Appears to be about $3 cheaper than the pharmacy you are currently using. They are in Ontario and if you happen to be within travelling distance, there is a physical location so you could save on shipping costs.

 

I just wanted to say your adoption story really made my day. TK looks like an Angel, why anyone would not want him is beyond me and probably everyone here. First the internet made him unwanted and now the internet is going to make both of you happy again. You'll never be sorry for coming here, it's like a big warm digital blanket! Get ready to have your life take a big step forward. I'm a teensy bit emotional today but that's okay here.

 

I know a lot of folks order Lantus from the Canadian pharmacy recommended above. I have not gotten to that point yet and have purchased the Lantus solostar pens here locally in California at my local pharmacy. I buy 1 pen at a time and it costs around $80. I had to call about 5-7 pharmacies though to find one that would sell an individual pen. For me (on recommendation from another member close by) it was my rite aid pharmacy that was able to sell the single Lantus solostar pens. Most pharmacies will only see them in a box of 4-5 pens. Depending on your kitty's insulin needs, one pen can last 3-6 months which makes it tremendously affordable (much more so than a 28-day vial of vestulin). My first pen we overdrew a lot and wasted a lot with the learning curve so it did not last long, but this second pen is doing much better and we have better control on the overdraw.

I really like Lantus. My kitty has been doing well on it. We switched from vestulin because it was really harsh on our kitty and he dropped fast and could not take the proper dose and stay in good numbers due to the more volatile nature of vestulin. This is how MY kitty reacted to vestulin. Others have had different and better experiences and some kitties have even gone into remission on vestulin. You will have to monitor and test your kitty and see if it seems to be working for you or not. I am just providing guidance on purchasing Lantus locally via the solostar pen so you can see that it can be more affordable than you think if you decide to switch.

Please note that vestulin is an in-out type insulin and Lantus is a depot insulin. They act differently and personally we had to make a MUCH bigger commitment to using Lantus than vestulin but I think the benefits of Lantus were worth the added commitment. If you don't understand the difference between an in-out insulin vs. a depot insulin (I sure didn't), please ask a lot of questions if you consider switching. Again, Lantus requires a much bigger and less flexible commitment due to the depot nature of this insulin.

I wish you the best of luck with kitty, your insulin choices, and dancing in your new FD dance shoes!

Good Luck!!!

 

I used to use them but they are having problems with shipping. Cannot guarantee delivery and will only refund your shipping fee if the insulin is wrecked.

 

@CassWTribby Good to know! I live close enough to go pick up orders so wasn't aware of shipping issues.

 

I'm east of Toronto so it's too far for me to Pick up unfortunately. I placed an order and a day later received an email saying they could ship with Canada Post but were having problem with delivery time. That caninsulin couldn't be frozen and if it was delayed and ruined they would refund only the shipping fee.
I went to another pet pharmacy online and received my order in perfect condition the next day.
www.petsdrugmart.com
Also affordable and quick! Thank goodness because 2 days were wasted with petpharmacy.ca. I get my horses NSAIDS there but shipping has never been an issue before. Too bad.