My cat was just diagnosed.

Our cat Kazi has been losing weight so we brought her in and came back with a diagnosis of diabetes. To say I am completely overwhelmed and scared is an understatement! I just found this out an hour ago so I am sure I just need some time to take it all in. But please tell me this isn't as scary as I think...

 

Hi Amanda, and welcome.
Sorry you have to be here but it is the best place! First, breathe - We all understand your fear, yes it IS scary at first.
You should start by reading EVERYTHING on this site and learning about feline diabetes. On the main page:
index.php
The health links. And the FAQ - to start:
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=2501
There are lots of caring smart people to help - you are NOT alone.

 

Amanda, diabetes in cats is really pretty straightforward, and there is alot you can do on your own, at home, to help. Everyone on this site either has or has had a diabetic cat and almost all are regulated or off insulin. But we all started out just like you - scared and overwhelmed.

There are 3 basics:

Insulin. Start low (.5 to 1 unit 2X day) and go slow with dose increases. The most popular insulins here are Lantus, Levemir and PZI. There are separate support forums for all three (viewforum.php?f=5) so when you go there, read the stickies on the top of the page, and read through some of the posts on the page. That will give you an idea of how the insulins work and what kind of success/challenges they present. All three are good insulins, long duration and slow acting, so they are easy on the cat.

Food. Start with this website: http://www.catinfo.org. The vet who put that site together does a great job of explaining why all cats, but especially diabetics, should eat a wet lo carb diet. Another member here put together a food chart: http://www.felinediabetes.com/diabetic-cat-diets.htm PIck a food between 8-10% carbs that you can afford and that your cat will eat. Limit seafood to once a week or so. Caution: Don't change the diet until you are hometesting. Wet lo carb can dramatically bring down blood glucose levels.

Hometesting. This is probably the best thing you can do. We figure we wouldn't just shoot our children blindly with insulin, so we won't treat our cats that way either. We poke our kitty's ear to get a drop of blood and use a human glucometer. Here's a video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zE12-4fVn

The truth is you have a lot of reading to do. The FAQs are an excellent beginning place. Come back often with questions and concerns. Everyone posting to you is paying it forward because someone helped them when they were new. This is very doable. We will help - not only is this site a great education, it's a great support system too.

 

I am so glad to see posts so soon. My Mom has no idea why I would spend the $325 at the vet getting her diagnosed- and is saying we should put her to sleep. I am a recent college graduate working 2 part time jobs trying to find a fulltime. I work crazy hours. I just don't have a lot of money to spare and her attitude has left me to deal with this on my own with no support. :YMSIGH:

 

Hi there

In November 2002, my 6 year old cat Squeak was diagnosed. Even though I was used to researching and had pets all my life, I was a mess.

Fast forward to March 2003 (yes, just a few months), and Squeak was off of insulin.

Fast forward to March 2010 and Squeak is still off insulin. He's slightly fat, totally sassy and still my Squeak

To best help your cat, you need to slow your brain down a bit, read the faq linked higher up on this list of messages, ask a lot of questions, and develop a stronger 2-way relationship with your vet.

Your cat can do just fine, like Squeak, if you can get a handle on things and sort out what will work best for you. Best news is, we've been down this path before and can help!

Jen

 

Amanda

Your mom isn't unique. It is sad but true. But you don't have to follow her advice!

Now, we have people all over the USA and Canada, and other parts of the world as well. One of the nice things about this is that there may be local help for you, if you'd like.

Jen

 

Another piece of good news is that it doesn't have to be horribly expensive. Order a few newbie kit from Cindy and Mousie. (Look above your post on the Feline Diabetes Health page) She'll send you a meter and lancets and the stuff you need to hometest. There is no need to take your cat back to the vet for blood tests; you can just give your numbers from home.

I feed Fancy Feast. It and Friskies are just fine - the lo carb varieties. Don't buy any prescription food.

The insulin is probably the most expensive part. But they are only getting a little bit every day so it lasts quite a while. And if you are lucky, your cat won't be on it long!

So give us the rest: Cat's name, breed, your story with him/her. Has the vet suggested an insulin yet?

 

I know, some people just don't understand how these little creatures become part of our family...
You do have support here! No question too dumb to ask. Everyone here really, really does care.
Did you get a blood glucose reading number at the vet? Do you know if a fructosamine test was done? What is your vet suggesting?
And I have a tip for absorbing all this information here:
I copied the info and pasted it into word documents, so I could read it all later - there was no way I was going to just remember it all.
Keep looking around - and like I said = read absolutely everything on this site and the links.

 

WELCOME, this forum is a great place to gain knowledge and really learn how to manage feline diabetes. By doing just a few things each day (that really won't take up much of your time at all), you won't need to worry about losing your precious cat, not where feline diabetes is concerned.

There are three key factors to managing diabetes: food/nutrition, home testing and insulin

1) Feline Nutrition: Now, as far as diet - definitely dump the dry food (if you are feeding any) and if the vet recommends purchasing prescription food like DM just say "no thank you". ALL cats, and especially those with diabetes, do best on a species appropriate diet that is high in protein and low in carbs. Dry food DOES NOT fit that bill and DM food, even canned, just really isn't that great as far as quality. Most here on FDMB feed low carb/high protein canned, raw bought from a pet store or they make there own.

Here great links, one is to a food chart put together by one of our board members that breaks down the carb % and protein % of most of the commercial brand foods. You want to keep the carb % below 10% and around 7% is great. The other link is to a site by a vet "Dr. Lisa DVM" ... who also posts on this board from time to time ... there is in-depth info. there about many things, including nutrition and how to make raw food.
Nutrition/food info

The good thing with feeding your diabetic cat this way, is that it is ALSO good for any non-diabetic cat too. All your cats can safely eat the same food without worry and it may save you some costs and headaches of having to do separate feedings and keeping track of what they are eating.


2. Home testing: It is impossible to convey the value of testing your cat's BG (blood glucose) level at home. Some vets will "suggest" this, but most won't even mention it. They will send you home with insulin and an amount to shoot and maybe some instructions about hypoglycemia (blood sugar dropping to a dangerously low level).

Well, the thing is, human diabetics don't EVER give themselves insulin without checking there BG to make sure it is safe to do so, so why shouldn't it be the same for our kitties. Here on FDMB it is. You will notice that the vast majority of people here test their cat's BG at least 2x/day (before giving each shot to make sure the level is safe enough) and periodically at other times to see how the cat is responding to the current dose. We use a human glucometer, test strips and lancets - which are all very readily available and easy to use.

Our kitties get lots of love and treats for "putting up" with this and most of them actually come out to be tested on their own 'cause they want those treats . Here is a collection of great links that "Carolyn and Spot" pulled together about hometesting. See what you think ... it truly is the best way to not only keep Your cat safe but also really get a handle on this disease and help him to live a healthy life with FD (feline diabetes).

Home testing Links

3. Insulin: There are several types of insulin available. Many people, myself included use Lantus or Levimer both of which are great insulins. They are gentle insulin and given twice (BID) per day in 12 hour increments. Or you could also choose PZI or the new version called Prozinc.

Please read up on the insulins available, here is a link to the Insulin Support Groups:

Insulin Support Groups

However, one caveat and again this shows how these three things are inter-related:

If you are feeding dry food or even a high carb food, BEFORE removing these foods, please make sure of your insulin dose as it will most likely need to be reduced, so as to avoid a possible hypoglycemic situation due to the removal of the dry/high carb foods that will lower the BG’s and reduce the amount of insulin required. Again, another reason why home testing is important.

I know this all seems like a lot, and that's because it is ... there is a learning curve here. But as long as you are determined and keep at it, you will have it down before you know it and you'll be seeing the results in Your cat' overall health and happiness. Ask all the questions you can think of - that's why we are here!

Also, if you haven't done it yet, take the time and fill out your profile. It will help when others come on and read this. Also, let us know where you live - city/state as there are probably people in your area who can provide on the ground support and help you to learn home testing, etc.

 

Our vet sold me a big bag of dry prescription food for $30. :? They wanted me to come back in a week for more testing- does the home kit mean I wouldn't need to do that? The bloodwork they did cost me $100...if I can avoid that it would be very helpful for me financially. I would like to use the food (obviously) but if it makes that big if a difference I will go out and get some canned.

I am still not sure what to do long term- my Mom said she would give her special food but she hates needles and refused to help with that. I am 24 and 'regular' schedule just doesn't apply. The vet said that I shouldn't let it keep me from going to dinner for example, but that as close to 12 hours is best. Will she be okay if its 14 hours between doses?

Are the chances of her going into remission good- I believe I read somewhere it is around 85%?

Kazi is a DSH- will be turning 10 here in the next few months. She had one bout of weightloss last year I believe but not to this extent, and she gained weight back after a couple of months. The vet thought that could of been a diabetic episode that she went into remission from. She has some cataracts starting to form from the diabetis...but otherwise is a healthy active cat.

The vet gave us Vetsulin. 1 unit twice a day.

I have worked myself up to the point that I threw up all last night/this morning. Just trying to relax a bit and see how things go but it terrifies me to know if I forget or oversleep that I could kill her.

 

Just take the prescription dry food back and say your cat won't eat it. Purina and all the big manufacturers guarantee you can return their food. No, if you hometest, you can just call in a week and fax the vet your current numbers - preshots and nadirs. No expensive vet visit.

The one caution I have is the Vetsulin. I do not understand why vets are still prescribing it. Here is some info for you and your vet: http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/new ... 188752.htm Vetsulin has been very unpredictable and vets have been asked not to prescribe it. Check the insulin support groups and read the stickies for PZI Lantus and Levemir. viewforum.php?f=5 If you read the posts, you will get an idea of how much monitoring each takes. They are longer lasting, slower onset insulins.

The biggest danger is giving too much insulin. If you hometest before each shot and have mid cycle data, that is very unlikely. You are doing the things that will make Kazi healthy and happy; you are being a proactive sugar mom and that's all anyone can ask for. Remember to breathe!

 

Starting at 1 unit twice daily is good. However, the insulin is not the best. Vetsulin has been recalled it is recommended that other insulins be used. Going as long as 14 hours between injections is acceptable although not desired. I have done longer time periods 14 hours. One of the "good attributes of Vetsuln in that regard is that typically does not last 12 hours in cats so it is less disruptive to go as long as 14 hours (short as 10 hours) with Vetsulin.

Home testing vastly reduces the need and expense of vet visits.

There is really no need for prescription foods. A low-carb (<10%) commercial cat food such as many varieties of Fancy Feast is just as good and may be better.

Many cats do go into remission when on low-carb canned food.

 

The bag of prescription dry food can be returned to the vet for a refund, even if it has been opened. You're not out that money.

If the "further testing" the vet is talking about is getting glucose levels, then yes, you can do this at home. That is what the home testing kit is about.

1 unit twice a day is a good starting point. Vetsulin is not a good choice of insulin, though. Right now even the manufacturer is saying cats shouldn't be started on it, because there is a problem with the makeup of the insulin. The FDA has issued a warning about this. See viewtopic.php?f=19&t=311 .

Maybe your vet isn't aware of this FDA warning? Call and ask. There are other insulins that are better choices, specifically the human insulins Lantus and Levemir and the new veterinary insulin ProZinc.

 

She's had 2 doses to my knowledge so far. If I switch to another insulin can I do that right away or..? She's always been on dry food- this early in the process can I switch to the wet straight away?

I've requested the home testing kit although I am already somewhat dreading that after reading about bruised ears. Kazi seems to not mind the injection at all though which makes me feel a whole lot better. She didn't seem to notice- although when I did the injection I felt a small bit of wet on her back so I think I screwed up.

What do I do about injections if she for whatever reason decides not to eat? She doesn't seem to care for canned food.

 

It is recommended that you slowly transition to a new food to avoid gastric problems such as vomiting. Yes you can switch insulin right away. It is important to home test when caning to a low carb food since the cat's need for insulin may decrease and you may end up giving too much insulin.

 

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought cats do not get cataracts from insulin?

 

Years ago I posted a like to a study that showed that diabetes (not insulin) causes cataracts in cats. However, they progress very slowly compared to in dogs. Both my old diabetic cats, Bailey and MItten, have some degree of cataracts.

 

Typo, sorry , meant from cataracts

 

Welcome to the forum and I am also still new of sorts and struggling with regulation and I work for a vet of all things confused_cat go slow with food switch my boy is still on dry and canned FF as well since so far I have not been able to get him to eat enough canned and we are still trying so I am just going really slow if your cat has always been a dry food eater and does not like canned then I do not recommend you go fast with the switch since this can cause problems as well. Just go to the food charts here on the forum and buy your baby some flavors you think she will eat and start slow and still let them have some of their dry or use the prescription dry unless you can get some wellness core or another low carb dry to try. There are so many food options out there. Just take this one step at a time and there are so many experienced people on this forum to help you. Good luck with your baby

 

Cataracts are common in unregulated diabetics -- not caused by insulin.

Tiggy had mild cataracts when we adopted him last year. He had been diabetic for more than 5 years. Fortunately they are not getting any worse since he is now well regulated on Levemir.