Diabetic cats?

Hello everyone. My name is Danie and I'm mom to a precious guy named Chopper. I adopted him from a shelter over a year ago and he was diagnosed with diabetes at his yearly a couple of weeks ago. He is an amazing 7 year old cat (although I'm sure he thinks he's a dog). I'm shocked that cats can be diabetic much less MY CAT! I have been browsing this forum since his diagnosis and I'm so thankful it exists. Everyone I know thinks I'm crazy for even acknowledging the diagnosis and wanting so badly to help him.

I recently changed him from meow mix dry food to fancy feast classics after reading about it on this forum and other sites. The vet advised me to put him on insulin, Purina DM and bring him in for some more tests. I don't know what to do at this point.

I have read here that simply changing foods can help in management of feline diabetes and I'm wondering if anyone here has knowledge of this or if I'm going to be forced to pay hundreds more or let my baby suffer.

I look forward to any information you all have to offer. I am so lost and in complete shock. We really don't want Chopper to suffer.

Thanks!

 

Welcome Danie and Chopper, sorry for the diagnosis, but you've come to the right place! Changing Choppers food is a great first step. Please get a glucometer and begin testing Choppers glucose levels. That way you can see how he's responding to the diet change and if he will need insulin. If he does, we can help with lots of money saving tips. Post on the health forum with any questions you have on testing, diet, insulin or any other concerns you have. It may seem overwhelming at first, but I promise it will get easier.

 

Hi Danie,
I am a new member here also. My cat Gizmo is 15 years old and was diagnosed with diabetes two weeks ago. I was in the exact same spot as you! Very lost and confused. I know your scared and overwhelmed but please try not to be it will all work out. I thought for sure I would be able to give the injections or be able to prick the ear for testing but it is all really easy with a little practice. I had the vet techs show me how to do the ear and use the my meter i bought.
I found this forum and they have helped me so much!!You will be able to help your cat! One of the first things is the vet. My vet started with Vetinsulin. After all the help I got here and showed it to my vet we are now looking into getting Lantus and started home monitoring with a glucose meter and supplies. I won't have to keep going back to the vet to have the glucose tested since we are using the meter. My vet is an older vet and when this all started he told me no to home metering and that vetinsulin was what i should use which would be $50.00 every six weeks and another $40.00 for syringes and to buy expensive prescription diet and to come back for more testing which is like 22.00 each time. I was looking at a couple thousand dollars just for the year.
After gathering all this information and taking the meter supplies with me to the vet yesterday things have turned around and now I should be saving a lot of money. If your vet is not willing to work with you it is time to find a new vet that has more experience in feline diabetes. My vet is willing to now work with me.I hope this information helps you and please keep asking everyone here is really nice and will help you.

Also the sheba perfect portions are not on the food list but they are ok to feed as well.
All the info below is from my original post over on the health forum and replies from everyone on this forum. http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/recently-diagnosed-w-diabetes.154857/

You do not have to use the expensive foods they try to sell you. there is a lot more on on www.catinfo.org regarding the prescription foods
http://www.catinfo.org/#Prescription/Therapeutic_Diets_

Food- http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/shortcut-shopping-list-all-8-or-less-updated.117688/

Insulin- http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/...canadian-pharmacies.49608/page-2#post-1344374

Syringes- www.adwdiabetes.com/ type of syringes goes by which insulin you are using

Glucose Meter & supplies- This is what i bought and use it works great my vet approved it too.The cost for everything was about $25.00 total http://www.walmart.com/ip/ReliOn-Prime-Blood-Glucose-Monitoring-System-Blue/20752266
strips- http://www.walmart.com/ip/ReliOn-Prime-Blood-Glucose-Test-Strips-50ct/20752265
Lancet Device- http://www.walmart.com/ip/ReliOn-Lancing-Device/34129433
Lancets-http://www.walmart.com/ip/ReliOn-30G-Ultra-Thin-Lancets-100ct/15084053
How to test on ear-
How to give injections-

Spreadsheet- http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/fdmb-spreadsheet-instructions.130337/