14yr old cat diagonised with Feline Diabetis-SCARED
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free skin care · Mon Apr 09, 2007 7:59 am

All I did was cry on Sat-Took precious cat to vet for exam and they said that he has developed diabetis and I have to give him a insulin shot 1 x day 3 units. I can't even fill up the needle without crying. DH is going to help me-I love my guy so much he looks fine glad I took him. Anyone else have this w/their animals Sad

free skin care · Mon Apr 09, 2007 8:07 am

No, sweetie but my heart goes out to you. I have two that I love dearly so just wanted you to know you're not alone in loving some furball.

free skin care · Mon Apr 09, 2007 8:08 am

red head, I'm so sorry to hear about your baby. It IS hard. My 9 year-old miniature poodle has diabetes (was born with it) and I have to give her a 5-unit insulin shot twice a day. She's so used to getting them after meals that, when she's finished eating, she comes and waits for them. It's actually harder on me than it is on her.

All the best to you and your kitty.

Ari

free skin care · Mon Apr 09, 2007 9:01 am

I have been giving Frodo insulin twice a day for about 4 years. He is a very big boy, has been since he was born. He is about 22 lbs. Absolutely impossible to get him to loose weight as I have 2 other cats as thin as rails. It will become easier to give him shots as time goes by. I didn't think I could ever do it but now I could do it in my sleep. I would not wish this on anyone as it gets spendy. But the worse part for me personally is changing my life style in regards to going on vacations. It can get difficult at times finding someone to give the shots while away. I love my Frodo and will do anything to keep him alive as long as possible. My vet told me the average time for a diabetic cat to live is between 4 and 7 years. So far he is doing great. I watch him like a hawk, at the first sign of not doing good he is off to the vet to check his insulin level. I have had to up it since starting from 2 units to 6 right now. With Frodo his legs are what I watch. If he has to sit down after taking about 6 steps then I know something is wrong. It was a real trial and error when the manufacturer stopped making Humalin U altogether. They didn't care that it was working on cats/dogs. The new insulin is working now but it took months to figure how much he needed. Plus the new stuff costs 3 times more. The manufacturer says it's only good for 1 month but my vet said that's a bunch of baloney. Use it till it gone.

free skin care · Mon Apr 09, 2007 9:06 am

Frodo wrote:

I have been giving Frodo insulin twice a day for about 4 years. He is a very big boy, has been since he was born. He is about 22 lbs. Absolutely impossible to get him to loose weight as I have 2 other cats as thin as rails. It will become easier to give him shots as time goes by. I didn't think I could ever do it but now I could do it in my sleep. I would not wish this on anyone as it gets spendy. But the worse part for me personally is changing my life style in regards to going on vacations. It can get difficult at times finding someone to give the shots while away. I love my Frodo and will do anything to keep him alive as long as possible. My vet told me the average time for a diabetic cat to live is between 4 and 7 years. So far he is doing great. I watch him like a hawk, at the first sign of not doing good he is off to the vet to check his insulin level. I have had to up it since starting from 2 units to 6 right now. With Frodo his legs are what I watch. If he has to sit down after taking about 6 steps then I know something is wrong. It was a real trial and error when the manufacturer stopped making Humalin U altogether. They didn't care that it was working on cats/dogs. The new insulin is working now but it took months to figure how much he needed. Plus the new stuff costs 3 times more. The manufacturer says it's only good for 1 month but my vet said that's a bunch of baloney. Use it till it gone.

Same here, Frodo! Heidi was on Humalin and now she's on Vetsulin. It was trial and error getting the dosage right since she has seizures when she has low blood sugar and that stuff is expensive.

Ari

free skin care · Mon Apr 09, 2007 9:37 am

I'm feeling lucky right now. Frodo has been doing great for 4 months, longest stretch thus far. Everytime I have to take him in it's $125.

free skin care · Mon Apr 09, 2007 10:00 am

Red head, so sorry for your cat, but at least there is hope that with the right treatment he will have good quality life, and hopefully a long one as well.

Many years ago, in Europe, our boxer was diagnosed with some horrible disease (do not remember the name), so we got him the medicine (which was about 2-month salary for the entire family at the time), and he got better. We were also told that he will live max to be 7 years old, and he was 3 at the time.

He had a great life, and died when he as 13 (more then normal for a healthy boxer).

All the best to you and your cat,
Lucy.

P.S. My hat off to you ladies - Arielle and Frodo!

free skin care · Mon Apr 09, 2007 10:05 am

My baby doesn't have diabetic but she was diagnosed with a heart murmur (her heart is making a sound that indicated some sort of fluid leakage). When I first got the news, I couldn't stop crying at the vet's office. I cannot imagine her leaving me before its her time Sad

My heart goes out to you and you will be in my prayers Pray

free skin care · Mon Apr 09, 2007 10:12 am

so far he is doing ok we go on Thursday for his 1st check since using the insulin 3 units. What type of food are you guys feeding your babies? I tend toward Holistic rather than what the VET recc but will do whatever. Thanks

Mon Apr 09, 2007 10:50 am

so sorry to hear this red head. it's devastating when our babies get sick... Crying or Very sad

my heart goes out to you!

free skin care · Mon Apr 09, 2007 11:12 am

Ack! I can't stand it when a pet is sick...poor baby! I'm sure with someone as loving & caring as you he'll be fine. As long as he gets his medicine & diet is watched. Reminds me..I have to give my dog Meeko a leg massage. Poor thing's got hip dysplasia (both hips) & the cost of the operation is prohibitive (about $10,000) & not guaranteed. We do what we can..I don't know if the massages help, but it makes me feel like I doing something (other than glucosamine etc.)..he loves it...lifts the leg up when he sees me coming...I love spoiling him though.

free skin care · Mon Apr 09, 2007 11:16 am

We cook for pur dog, I do not belive in commercial dog's food. We did the vet food with our previous one, and it permanently turned me off the ready made ones.

I do not know anyhting about cat's food. If to buy I would try for more holistic one, if it is possible.

May be some other cat owners can help here.
I know some people like Wellness from Whole Foods for dogs. They also make cat food.

Sorry could not be of more help,
Lucy.

free skin care · Mon Apr 09, 2007 11:22 am

red head - I'm so sorry to hear about your baby! I wish you and your sweet kitty all the best. If you don't mind me asking, did your cat show any signs/symptoms which prompted you to take him in or did they just diagnose through a routine blood test? I ask b/c my baby is 9 years old and very much overweight. I've tried everything to slim her down, but she has to eat a prescribed food for her urinary tract condition. As much as I limit her food, if I cut her back anymore she's just SO miserable and cries all day and night for more. So I'm wondering if there is anything I should be looking out for in the way of signs/symptoms of diabetes.

sigma - just out of curiousity, what do you cook your dog?

free skin care · Mon Apr 09, 2007 11:34 am

Every hear of mothers intuition-something just did not seem right to me he actually had a slight cough (nothing) and looked a little thin in the face. As it turns out he weighs 12 lbs which is what he usually weighs. So they ran the blood work and then took urine and told me that he had F/D. I feed them Hills Prescription Diet WD which they say is for diabetic cats actually my other cat had kidney stones and for the past year thats what they both eat. I don't like the ingredients and may explore the natural brands. No other symptoms no excessive eating or drinking cats sleep alot so that was a hard one. Something just told me to bring him in. I feed my 3 dogs Eagle Pack Holistic Food Fish. From what I have read a diet high in Protein and low in carbs if whats best for the cat. Thank you all for your concern. I still am teary eyed.

free skin care · Mon Apr 09, 2007 11:42 am

red head wrote:

so far he is doing ok we go on Thursday for his 1st check since using the insulin 3 units. What type of food are you guys feeding your babies? I tend toward Holistic rather than what the VET recc but will do whatever. Thanks

I had Heidi on the Hill's Prescription weight-management formula that the vet recommended for awhile but I changed to Old Mother Hubbard's Wellness pet foods. Sometimes I make them all (I have 3) a treat with boiled chicken breast, rice, mashed boiled sweet potatoes and mixed veggies. But that's something they get 3-4 times a month for variety. They adore the Wellness foods.

Ari

free skin care · Mon Apr 09, 2007 12:06 pm

We do oatmeal in the morning (with a little bit of butter for his skin), and chicken with vegetables in the evening.

Sometimes we add rice or potatoes to his chicken. We also give him whatever we are eating (if it is OK for dogs - like no onions, no garlic, no spices, etc.) - a bit of fruits (no grapes), a bit of vegetables (he likes romaine lettuce with some cheese or yougurt), a bit of fish or meat, some whole wheat bread, etc.

We also give him vitamins.

HTH,
Lucy.

free skin care · Mon Apr 09, 2007 12:25 pm

Dear red head - I'm so sorry to hear about your kitty. I hope both of you can adapt to the necessary injections and have many more happy years together! I understand your fear and sorrow, but it sounds like this is at least a condition that can be effectively treated. Good luck, and hang in there! BTW, I've never been able to get any of my kitties to eat foods sold by a vet. But maybe I waited too long to inure them to it. I suppose if they're feeling sick, they could associate the taste of those prescription foods with their malaise. And once they get accustomed to tastier foods, it's hard to change. Next time around, I may just start off from the very beginning with prescription foods. Cats are such creatures of habit!

I lost one of our boys a little over a year ago. About 18 months before that, I took him to the vet because he was drinking more and was increasingly "vocal" -- and since he was overweight, I feared he'd become diabetic. But he had hyperthyroidism! I wish I would've taken him in sooner, when the increased vocalization began -- he was trying to tell me something and I didn't heed the sign.

After his thyroid condition was treated, he was okay for a while. But I let the vet remove a growth from his cheek and I believe the anaesthesia pushed his kidneys over the edge and he developed CRF (chronic renal failure). Sub-cutaneous fluids helped for a while but he eventually succumbed.

Anyway, I'm sharing this story in the hope that other cat lovers won't make the same mistakes I did. If your kitty starts talking more, or drinking more fluids -- or behavior changes in other ways -- something is wrong. Also, think long and hard before allowing a vet to anaesthetize a pet, especially if they're older or their health is otherwised compromised. I'll always wonder if Bustopher would still be with us if I hadn't let them cut off that growth. It was biopsied and found to contain some questionable cells. But what finally did him in was a mass on his liver. And I wonder if cutting him caused metastasis.

free skin care · Mon Apr 09, 2007 12:34 pm

My vet is very understanding and has called me 2 times today to see how I was doing-I made DH stay home to watch Louie. I plan on treating him until his time is over which I hope won't be for a very long time.

free skin care · Mon Apr 09, 2007 12:59 pm

Red head, best of luck to all of you and many many years together!

free skin care · Mon Apr 09, 2007 1:31 pm

Dear Red Head,

I'm so sorry you are having to go through this. I know you are feeling so upset and overwhelmed right now, but I can tell you this: you will come through this experience a stronger and better person. Maybe my story will help you: about a year and half ago, my husband and I adopted a very sick bunny named Forest. We didn't really realize the extent of his health problems til after we adopted him, but we had already fallen so much in love with him that we decided to fight with every penny and every ounce of strength that we had. However, Forest's health continued to decline, and one day the vet told me and my husband that we were going to have to start giving Forest injections several times a day. Needles have always been my biggest phobia--- even being in the same room with them always made me cry and shake hysterically, and having to get any kind of shot would have me worked up for days. So, when the vet announced that we would be having to give Forest so many injections I cried for days. I was just so strung out over worrying about Forest and then adding the stress of having to face one of my biggest fears. However, once I calmed down and accepted things, everything got much better. My husband always gave Forest his injections while I held him in my lap, and I became more and more used to the routine. Even better, thanks to the injections Forest's health improved. We had to continue the injections for many months, but by the end I was so comfortable with it that sometimes I would even do it by myself. Today Forest is very happy and healthy, and I feel better about myself knowing that I'm strong enough to do what has to be done. So, keep your head up--- things will get better!

Love, Liz (and Forest!)

free skin care · Mon Apr 09, 2007 1:45 pm

Liz is right red head -- it's amazing how phobias can be overcome when needed. I'd read about sub-cutaneous fluids before and had always hoped I'd never have to do it. Well, like with your kitty, it was something I had to do for Bustopher or else...

The first couple of times you use a needle may be kind of scary, but practice makes perfect. Louie may be a bit hard to handle at first, but I bet like others have said, he'll get used to it and so will you! I hope he feels better really soon. It's great that your vet is so caring too!

BTW Liz, I'm so glad Forest is better!!! AND, your lashes look great in that photo! Are you using Two Faced mascara by any chance???

free skin care · Mon Apr 09, 2007 2:52 pm

m.april wrote:

Liz is right red head -- it's amazing how phobias can be overcome when needed. I'd read about sub-cutaneous fluids before and had always hoped I'd never have to do it. Well, like with your kitty, it was something I had to do for Bustopher or else...

The first couple of times you use a needle may be kind of scary, but practice makes perfect. Louie may be a bit hard to handle at first, but I bet like others have said, he'll get used to it and so will you! I hope he feels better really soon. It's great that your vet is so caring too!

BTW Liz, I'm so glad Forest is better!!! AND, your lashes look great in that photo! Are you using Two Faced mascara by any chance???

Thank you so much, April! Actually, it's Physician's Formula Mineral Wear. So as to not hijack Red Head's thread, here's a link to my review on it in case you want more info:
http://www.essentialdayspa.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=19921&highlight=mascara

free skin care · Mon Apr 09, 2007 3:05 pm

your lashes do look great-I filled up 3 syringes w/DH and practiced on a orange. Louie is fine its me that has the panic attack, cries then calms down.

free skin care · Tue Apr 10, 2007 12:59 am

red head wrote:

All I did was cry on Sat-Took precious cat to vet for exam and they said that he has developed diabetis and I have to give him a insulin shot 1 x day 3 units. I can't even fill up the needle without crying. DH is going to help me-I love my guy so much he looks fine glad I took him. Anyone else have this w/their animals Sad

The medicine will make your kitty feel a lot better so the feelings you have to sort out are your own fears about loss and the dislike of needles. Don't think about the needles as a negative thing but a love thing.

remember needles = much

free skin care · Tue Apr 10, 2007 12:11 pm

Ah red head I know exactly what you're going through, but your sweet kitty will be fine!

I worked as a lifeguard when a student, and I have all kinds of first aid training. I've had to apply that training many, many times - sometimes in life threatening situations. I'm always calm, efficient, and reassuring to the person I'm adminstering aid to.

But, when one of my dogs is sick or injured, I'm COMPLETELY useless. I cry and carry on and tremble. I just can't help it. I even cried when I had to give my parakeet liquid antibiotics when he was sick!!!

My sister's dog is diabetic and she, too, had a serious needle phobia. But, when she and her husband divorced, she had no choice. She got over her phobia and her pooch is doing great! He's grown into old age gracefully and is one happy guy. Just hang in there, hon...

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