Newly diagnosed 21 year old cat

Hello everybody,

My 21 year old CRF cat, Asia, was diagnosed on 9.20. We just moved to a new city after having a "come to your house" vet for 15 years that knows my cat very well.

Asia was exhibiting signs of a UTI and I took her to a vet close by that my cat accupunturist recommended. Because of her kidney failure, I asked for a complete blood test to compare her numbers to the last one in January. She's been on a frozen raw diet for 10 years and I think it's done really well for her. This was the first and only time this vet has seen my cat. Ever been to a vet that seems all about the dogs and treats cats on the side? That was my impression here. I got a call the next day with a diabetes diagnosis and instructions (by phone) to start giving my cat Lantus insulin twice a day. Her blood sugar was over 500 and in her urine as well, but no keytones. Thankfully, her kidney values are stable since the last workup in January.

To say I was overwhelmed is an understatement, there was lots of crying and then I snapped out of it and got down to research. I feel like this vet was very lackadaisical about the diagnosis, like "you just give them shots twice a day and that's all there is to it". I don't know if they wrote her off due to her age or that's just how they are with everybody, but I don't feel supported. I've had a hard time getting questions answered (I asked if I should monitor at home and they said I could if I want to and I could do a curve and send it to them). This was assuming I even knew what a curve was, at the time I didn't (thanks internet).

I asked about follow up care and they said I didn't need to bring her back in unless she was in distress. I'm terrified of making her hypoglycemic, they said the one unit dose is so small, that likely wouldn't happen. I got a monitor, the alpha trak, and started to monitor her. She's had mostly stable, but a few all over the place reads, twice low at 103 and 64 (skipped the insulin on my call based on the little research I have done) and once so high it wouldn't register as anything but HI. I did a control test with the fluid it came with, seems monitor is functioning normally. Despite all this wackiness, Asia is her pretty typical self, eating and drinking and eliminating as usual, purring up a storm and happy and eager for pets and cuddles. She has been asymptomatic at both high and low numbers, other than drinking a lot which she already was doing for over a year because of her renal insufficiency.

I know my dear Asia is a dinosaur and I am a believer in euthanasia and against needless suffering, but as long as her quality of life is good and she's happy, I'm going to keep "putting on the bandaids". She's just not at the end yet, so I will be a diabetes mom for the foreseeable future. Currently looking for a new vet and trying to navigate this diagnosis in the meantime. So confused and overwhelmed. Thankful for this forum.

 

Welcome. And congratulations to you and Asia for getting to 21!
Like CRF, feline diabetes is a steep learning curve. You are doing well. Vets get little training (hours) in diabetes care.

Good that you didn't shoot the 64. On the AlphaTrak, the take action number is 68. The HI is a bounce from going too low.

Please post in the Health Forum. There are a number of us who have managed kidneys and diabetes. We can help.

 

Welcome! You are so fortunate to have your baby make it to 21. No reason to give up on her just because she's that age though. I agree with you - as long as quality of life is good, keep managing what you can to keep her happy and healthy.

Please post your specific questions on the Health Forum so you can get input. There is a great group of 'diabetes moms' and dads here.

 

Welcome Asia and her Mum! So amazing she is 21 years . The community here will love to help you and her see more years as best we can

 

Thanks for the welcome ☺️ And I am very happy and lucky to have 21 years and going with Asia, she's older than my human children!

 

21! Holy cow welcome and you will get so much good advice here!

 

You may not have been supported by your vet, but believe me you will be supported here!!! If you are hitting lows like that you may need to lower the dose. If you write on the lantus boards they will help with dosing and set you up with one of our awesome spreadsheet templates like you see in our signatures.