My cat Peep (8) Recently Diagnosed-Need Help

Hi, I am Kelly Mazzone. My cat Peep was just diagnosed late September with diabetes. Needless to say I was so sad to find this our, and upon finding out that the cost of the meds would be $300 at our local walmart, I was really worried.

I want the best for Peep, and have been reading some of the posts on here with such great advice. I am so glad to have stjmbled upon this page and so thankful it is here!

Peep was prescribed glargine (2units per day). I have also seen that I can pick up an at home testing kit from walmart which I will be looking for there tomorrow. Can I buy the same that I would buy for a human? I will be switching her to the pate version of friskies because I read that the carb content needs to be below 10%.

Is there any program that can help with the cost of the insulin? I am the only worker right now in our home. I am a school teacher. My husband has taken a leave of absence from his work for now to help our kids with remote learning as our district is fully remote until atleast January. Assuming I will need to pay the $300 each month to get Peep her insulin won't be feasible for us right now. Any advice at all is so greatly appreciated. I just want to see my cat act herself again .

She is like the dog of the house, always has been. She lays on the kitchen floor and puts her belly up to be rubbed and is an all around sweetheart. We got her as a rescue because she has a full coat of the brownest cat fur and I had never seen another cat like that before. I don't want to lose her just because I can't afford a medication right now. If my husband was at work the $300 would have been doable.

Thanks to anyone who reads this post and can offer any guidance. Thanks again to the creators of this organization. Just knowing there is a group out there that I can talk to is going to be huge for me!

Kelly

 

Hi, welcome to a great place to find information. Sorry to hear about your cat, Peep. I understand the concern and fear from when my cat was diagnosed in August. I'm a new member and I know some of the more experienced members will help you, but I just wanted to share that with proper handling the insulin will last longer than a month. My cat's vial is going on two months. Most of the cat parents here do use human home testers, so that should be fine. Switching food can really make a difference too - my cat's numbers dropped close to 100 points when I got her off dry food.

Some great information is available at this link: https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB...info-proper-handling-drawing-fine-dosing.151/

Per the information at the link above:

• The manufacturer of Lantus recommends discarding the insulin after 28 days of use. However, with proper handling and refrigeration, many Lantus users have been able to use a vial/cartridge/pen for six months and longer. Some use pens and vials to the last drop.

Also, I've seen a lot of people talk about buying insulin from a reputable pharmacy in Canada (probably won't help for initial vial, but could help longer term): https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/buying-insulin-from-canada.203498/

Good luck with your journey. I know the beginning can be overwhelming, but it does get easier and there are some wonderful people and volunteers on this site that will help you.

 

A lot of us in the US get our Lantus (glargine) at Mark's Marine Pharmacy out of Canada.

From there website:

5 pen 164.99 and the pens if stored in refrigerator should last over a year depending on dose. Hope this helps. My Vet faxed the script to them I got in contact with them to set up payment. So easy and they are very helpful.

 

Hi Kelly and Peep and welcome
When you say 2 units a day, do you mean 1 unit in the morning and 1 unit at night?
Lantus insulin lasts up to 6 months once opened.
Has the vet recommended you use syringes to give the insulin, not the pen that only allows you to give 1 unit, 2 units etc? We recommend going up in 1/4 unit doses not 1 unit doses.
I would also recommend you think about home testing the blood glucose levels. This will save you having to go to the vets for curves and will save money. You can buy a ReliOn human meter from Walmart and the test strips that go with the meter for a very reasonable cost.
If you set up our spreadsheet and enter all the BGs ( blood glucose levels) you take we can help you with dosing that will also save vet visits.

Here is a link to useful information. Have a look at the spreadsheet link and the signature link in particular. Also print off the info on hypos and put it on your fridge... you may need it and you don’t want to have to go looking for it.
https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/new-how-you-can-help-us-help-you.216696/

 

You absolutely don't have to. If buying from Canada is still too much for you, Diabetic Cats In Need is a charity that helps low income caregivers with the costs of treating their diabetic cats so they don't have to be euthanized or rehomed.

For a total of $190 including shipping, you can get 5 pens of Lantus from Canada. That's 1500 units which is enough to last most cats at least 1 year and some cats up to 2 years. (Mark's also will sell an individual pen for $50 plus shipping)---Basaglar, which is also Glargine, is even a little cheaper!

Also, although every pharmacist will tell you that you have to buy new every 28 days, that's nonsense. If kept in the fridge, it will last a good 4-6 months. The only reason they have that 28 days is because when they submitted it for testing, the manufacturer only asked the FDA to test it for 28 days! So officially, that's what they have to say!

 

Hi Kelly,

So glad you found us. Welcome to you and Peep. She sounds like an absolute dote.

Walmart's the place for testing supplies. The Relion Prime meter is very popular with US members, and it has the cheapest test strips. They also do lancets (26-28 gauge initially) and urine ketone test strips. I'm also tagging @JanetNJ to ask her to let you know which lancets she gets online (at a great price!).

I think they also do syringes. @Chris & China (GA), can you help Kelly on this point?

Here's a recent thread with additional helpful information about minimising treatment costs:

https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/our-cat-jackie-just-diagnosed-with-diabetes.236848/


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Thank you so much! I am going to be getting in contact with Mark's pharmacy today. That is doable for me for sure! I found the Diabetic Cats in Need last night and applied for the one time starter kit.

 

Thank you so much for the help! This forum is a Godsend!

 

Also make sure your vet writes the prescription for the pens and not the vial. The reason we recommend the pens is that you will use them as minature vials. Once you start using a vial the insulin begins to lose its effectiveness. It will still be good for several months, but you will never use a full vial before it becomes completely ineffective. Because the pens have a smaller quantity in each pen, you should be able to use almost every drop of insulin before it becomes ineffective. You will still use syringes with them instead of the pen needles.

 

Thanks for all of this! The vet did say we will be using syringes, and just has said 2 units a day. I am not 100% sure if it will be day and night, but will be checking today with the vet. So you're saying I should do 1/4 of a unit twice a day to start? Just want to be sure I am doing the right thing! I will be printing the chart to keep track of Peep's glucose levels and also will be testing at home. Thank you so kuch for helping me!!

 

Thanks!! Calling today to put the vet in contact with tge Mark's pharmacy in Canada. They preacribed Peep to Glargine.. should I switch to lantus or does Mark's carry glargine I didn't see it on the list. Thanks so much for your help!

 

Glad to see things going well on the insulin front, Kelly.

FYI, Lantus (brand name) = glargine (drug name).


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Lantus and Basaglar are both brand names of Glargine insulin.

No....We usually recommend cats start at a dose of .5 to 1 unit twice a day. When (if) you need to increase the dose, we do it in .25 unit increments (so like if you start at 1U and it's not enough, you'd go to 1.25, then 1.5, then 1.75, etc)

If you're ordering from Marks, it doesn't matter if the vet writes for the 10ml vial or the pens. If you want the pens and he writes for the vial, all you have to do is call Marks and let them know you'd rather have the pens

 

Just an FYI...DCIN is providing clients with the Relion Prime meter, strips and lancets in their "starter kit". The Relion Prime is available at WalMart for $9, a box of 100 strips is $17.88 and you can get lancets for anywhere between about $2-$10 depending on brand.

If that's something you can afford, it's a lot faster than getting them from DCIN (although we are happy to provide them to you)

 

Chris is there a physical address we can send a donation to?

 

To DCIN? Yes

Diabetic Cats in Need
P.O. Box 21
Minot, ME 04258-0021

 

Yes, WalMart carries syringes that can be used with Lantus/Basaglar

You'd want 3/10ml, 30 or 31 gauge insulin syringes with either 6mm or 8mm needle length. They are $12.58 for a box of 100 syringes.
They also have half unit marks (but lots of their employee's don't know that so just trust me...if they're the 3/10ml insulin syringe, they DO have half unit markings)
(click to expand pictures)

 

These are the lancets I use and like https://www.amazon.com/TruePlus-Ste...9&sr=1-1-25b07e09-600a-4f0d-816e-b06387f8bcf1

 

@Chris & China (GA) - Thank you for the syringe info. I'll know for next time.


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Thanks, Janet!


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Thank you so much for this info!

 

Thank you! I went to Walmart Friday and grabbed all of these things. I have started charting her levels as of yesterday. I did apply for the starter kit but will no longer need it because I was able to afford to get it myself. I am hoping to be able to get the cost for the insulin under control. I was so excited when i heard about the 5pk from Mark's as $160 for several months is doable, whereas the initial cost from what the vet prescribed to the pharmacy here in NH was $300, not in my budget. I asked the vet to switch the script to the 5 pk and they gave me a hard time because he said he didnt want to prescribe a 5pk until the levels were under control. So I was able to have him send the prescription for one pen for now for the $50 from Mark's and moving forward assume they will allow for the 5pk. I'd rather have it on hand than have to go through ordering 1pen each time which wojld cost extra $ compared to just having the 5pk for 160. Im a little frustrated at that whole situation but just paid the 50 to get what she needs to start!

 

Once the border is open again, you can drive up to Quebec and buy the Lantus yourself.
In Canada, cats do not need a prescription for Lantus. Only humans do. Just tell the pharmacist that the Lantus is for your cat.

 

I wonder if I told them what's going on if they will just ship it? When I talked to them they asked for my vet to send the script.

 

If you're ordering from the US, you have to have a script. If you actually go into Canada (or already live there), insulin is OTC

If he was willing to write it for a vial, all you would have had to do was call Marks and ask for the pens instead. Since it is OTC in Canada, the pharmacist there is happy to send you what you want once he has the script.

Another nice thing about Marks....once they have a script, you won't have to get another one. When you want refills, you just have to call and ask or order online. In the US you have to have a new script at least once a year

 

Thank you so much for this super helpful info!

 

How's Peep doing today? Please give her a tummy rub from me.


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Thanks so much for asking! She is doing good today! I took her level after breakfast and she was at 276.. Last night she was at 456 . We started just the wet food diet today and I picked up the dry food and put it away. (I usually leave it out, but now have put it in a tucked away place and will only leave it out for my other two cats around noon for an hour while she hopefully sleeps lol). I gave her a tummy rub and tried to get a photo but it's a bit blurry lol. Not sure how to upload it here from my phone i'll try to figure it out!

 

I'm glad Peep's doing well. Thanks for passing on the tummy rub. I hope she enjoyed it!


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