Any trusted vets in the Miami, FL area?

Hi everyone!

Does anyone know of any trusted vets in the Miami, FL area? Preferably one who is well-informed in and can meet the needs of a diabetic cat?

I'm not happy with the approach of my most recent vet. And, I've been searching around, making calls, and asking questions (all through the receptionists who can't answer some of them).

For some background on my most recent visit:
The vet gave me very little hope about my boy going into remission and said that none of the cats that have come to her practice have ever reached that point. She wants me to dose him with 3U of Novolin twice a day, despite the fact that I later called with interest in a low-carb diet for him, she said I could do that if I wanted (and didn't inform me that he could have a hypoglycemic episode if I did that, nor did she change the dosage). Said that the carbs wouldn't really have an effect on him and that Fancy Feast (which I asked about) was junk, only Hill's MD or Royal Canin Glycobalance "high-quality foods" were the ones she found acceptable (probably not affordable in the long term for me though). When I brought up the possibility of an episode, just told me to rub honey on his gums and take him to an emergency vet. When I showed interest in home testing she said that none of her patients do so and that it was not necessary, that I could do it if I liked but only with a cat/dog-specific glucose meter, no human ones.

So if anyone knows (or knows anyone that knows) of any great vets that specialize in cats and have a good understanding of a diabetic cats needs, please let me know! I'm trying to make an appointment as soon as possible.

 

Bump

 

Bump

 

This is an amazing woman, writes for a lot of publications and sends all her diabetic cat patients here.
Dr. Patty Khuly, Sunset Animal Clinic
http://www.drpattykhuly.com/

 

I’ll be sure to look into them and give them a call tomorrow with questions!

 

I just read the rest of your post. You really need a new vet, that is just disgraceful.
If you don't know don't just guess.

 

I know! It was very distressing which is why I'm so desperate to find a new vet that's well-informed. If I had blindly trusted her and hadn't bothered to research, I fear the state my baby would have been in.

 

The usual reply here is that diabetes isn't taught well in veterinary colleges but what she told you is almost the opposite of basic common sense. I'm surprised your cat hasn't started smoking and drinking bourbon.
I know Miami covers a huge area so if she's too far away she should be able to recommend someone. Best of luck.

 

We have a Facebook group , I think you have to join. You can ask on there also about a vet in Miami
Have you tried posting on our FB group

https://www.facebook.com/groups/felinediabetes/

 

I had given him one insulin shot yesterday (the 3U that the vet recommended), but I'm now holding off until I can seek a second opinion. Which is why it's imperative that I find a new good one soon.

We normally feed him a mix of wet and dry or only dry moistened by water. I'm currently trying to feed him only or mostly wet, but I want to make sure I'm doing all the right things and discussing with a vet before I fully transition to wet only since I'm not very knowledgeable about nutrition. We still have Meow Mix (that we use for strays) and the Hill's dry food (that another vet had convinced me to start buying) in case he needs carbs? This is all very new to me.

I'm not home testing just yet.

I no longer have an FB account, but I'll be sure to take a look!


Thank you so much for all the resources!

 

This is a boost.

I am becoming increasingly frustrated.

I messaged my old vet with some questions as well as with the results from the place I went to (not because my old place was terrible, it was more about convenience). They have told me to just keep my cat on the treatment from the new vet and essentially told me, "wait and see." Although I have explained the situation to them and parts of the treatment that concerned me and that I disagreed with, that I wanted a second opinion, they did not answer my questions and simply told me that all organisms are different and I should just keep to what I was prescribed to see if it works.

I don't know if they're uninformed on feline diabetes (they said they've had diabetic feline patients before) or if they're bothered by the fact that I went to a different vet this time around, but it's so upsetting. They have his records, he went as recently as last year, and yet they want me to stay on a treatment that I've expressed I'm not comfortable with.

I've been asking around, but again, if anyone knows any good places in the area for cats, please let me know.

 

@Steven Oreos Dad is nearby, I think.

Sadly, a lot of vets do not have much experience with felines diabetes. We have a lot of resources and experience. This board has been around for over 25 years. Let us know how we can help you.

 

I’m in Fort Lauderdale. I read thru the post and I’ve experienced everything mentioned. Our vet it’s great but not great with diabetes. The page has been a godsend. The carbs are a big deal. Oreo has only gotten Fancy Feast pate chicken since we started to and thru is remission. He’s not in remission now (my fault) but we are on a very tiny maintenance dose which I’m happy with. My aunt has a Vet in Deerfield or Coral Springs who helped her get her cat in remission. I can get the info for you if you like.

 

Didn't Dr. Khuly's clinic work out for you?
Don't let vets intimidate you. I know what people think about Dr. Google but that's not us. We're not a whack-job cult of 50 people, what you get here is 20 years of practical experience from thousands of people. Would you just "wait and see" if this was your own child? Your vet owes you more than this.
It's not just you getting a second opinion if this helps. We use two clinics and our first vet saved our diabetic cats and my sanity so I owe her a lot. She knows we use a second clinic for the dog but does not know that last year the second clinic undid the damage her clinic did and put three of our cats on a far better treatment. How am I ever going to tell her that?
When you know in your heart something isn't right you do what you have to do.

 

Hi! We were actually able to go see a vet today (close enough that it's not as stressful for my boy) and he was recommended through a family friend. It seems like a pretty good place, but if anything changes I'll be sure to ask you for that info. Thank you so much for taking the time to reply!

A family friend was able to get a different vet to squeeze me in at last minute so I decided to check the place out. It's pretty close by and has good reviews. He was also understanding of the expenses and (unlike the previous vet visit) let me keep the less expensive wet food Mus was currently eating. I'll definitely keep Dr. Khuly in mind if things with this new vet don't work out, but so far he seems pretty promising.
It was really disheartening and irritating that his previous vet would do this, but I guess that tells me everything I need to know. They replied to my last message with something like "we recommend you look for a feline specialist" and when I asked if they knew one they said, "no, honey". They normally try to rush me to get him in so this "wait and see" approach was a surprise.

 

Honey? That would get me a slap in the world I live in. Good luck
make me a sandwich while you're at it honey

 

LOL We're Hispanic so really what she called me was "treasure", but "dear" or "honey" are probably the closest to what she meant.

 

It doesn't bother me but in a review of family restaurants I read that some women think the waitress is trying too hard to endear herself to the man at the table. If I thought a waitress 40 years younger than me was trying to hit on me I'd need my head examined. If my wife thought that she'd burst out laughing.
I've been wearing the same pair of sweat pants since day 1 of Covid, not exactly every women's dream date.