We have a much loved 18 year old cat named James. He was just diagnosed with diabetes. It is in an early stage, and veterinarian is urging us to start insulin as soon as possible because there is a good chance that he could go into remission. The treatment is expensive, and committing to purchasing a glucose meter, syringes, and expensive insulin is a big deal, not to mention the difficulty in treating diabetes effectively. We are torn on whether or not to treat James. He is nearing the end of his life, and we are wondering how long he would be comfortable if we did not treat him. And if we do treat him, what is the possibility that he will go into remission within 4 months as the doctor says. Anyone who could offer any insight would be much appreciated!
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Elderly cat w/diabetes - need advice
- Thread starter dtmfa
- Start Date
Hello , Welcome to TCS ..
I am sorry you are going through this .. I am sure there are people here that can advise you ..
Also I hope you can join the FDMB ( Feline Diabetes Message Board ) . The people there are awesome and super helpful especially for Diabetes issues . Here is the link . http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/
I have am new there and they have been very helpful to me . I have an overweight cat and I am hoping to prevent diabetes .
I know Feline Diabetes seems overwhelming when you first get the diagnosis, been there! It is very managable, you can do this. I highly 2nd the recommendation to join Feline Diabetes Membership Board, there is a wealth of good information, the people there are wonderful and helped me so much with my precious girl Tiger, who passed at age 17. but to panceratic cancer, not FD!
What insulin is your vet re commending? Depending on your location, a vial of Lantus was $380.00 (U.S. dollars) for me. I was able to get it from a Canadian Pharmacy for much less. On that forum, there is a section called the Pantry, oftentimes, people who no longer have diabetic cats have donated their unused insulin and other supplies, and will ship if you pay the cost to mail, please check this out. Also, is your vet suggesting you purchase an Alpha Trak glucometer? Through FDMB, I was able to learn that wasn't necessary, I could safely learn to test my Tiger using a human glucomenter, for a fraction of the cost. These are just a couple of things, there is also a website, http://www.adwdiabetes.com/ I can recommend for diabetic supplies- great customer service. Do you live anywhere near a Walmart? You can purchase syringes and lancets there. i can assure you, I was terrified of testing my Tiger, but it was made so much easier once I joined FDMB and received help from experienced people.
What insulin is your vet re commending? Depending on your location, a vial of Lantus was $380.00 (U.S. dollars) for me. I was able to get it from a Canadian Pharmacy for much less. On that forum, there is a section called the Pantry, oftentimes, people who no longer have diabetic cats have donated their unused insulin and other supplies, and will ship if you pay the cost to mail, please check this out. Also, is your vet suggesting you purchase an Alpha Trak glucometer? Through FDMB, I was able to learn that wasn't necessary, I could safely learn to test my Tiger using a human glucomenter, for a fraction of the cost. These are just a couple of things, there is also a website, http://www.adwdiabetes.com/ I can recommend for diabetic supplies- great customer service. Do you live anywhere near a Walmart? You can purchase syringes and lancets there. i can assure you, I was terrified of testing my Tiger, but it was made so much easier once I joined FDMB and received help from experienced people.
Definitely check out FelineDiabetes.com and the message board there to get more in depth hep and tips on managing your diabetic cat
The initial costs are high since you have to buy everything needed but costs do go down. There are many ways to save money, such as buying most of your supplies online rather than at the pharmacy, testing your cat's blood glucose levels at home instead of paying the vet monthy for an inaccurate curve, feeding low carb commerical canned food instead of the expensive prescription stuff, etc. Insulin canbe pricey but well worth the cost if your cat goes into remission shortly afer startingit along with a low carb diet. There are ways to sve money on insulin as well, such as buyin the insulin pens instead of the 10 ml botle (for Lantus and Levimir). The FDMB can go into more details.
Diabetes is not a death sentence. Elderly cats can live happily and comfortably if their diabetes is managed well.
The initial costs are high since you have to buy everything needed but costs do go down. There are many ways to save money, such as buying most of your supplies online rather than at the pharmacy, testing your cat's blood glucose levels at home instead of paying the vet monthy for an inaccurate curve, feeding low carb commerical canned food instead of the expensive prescription stuff, etc. Insulin canbe pricey but well worth the cost if your cat goes into remission shortly afer startingit along with a low carb diet. There are ways to sve money on insulin as well, such as buyin the insulin pens instead of the 10 ml botle (for Lantus and Levimir). The FDMB can go into more details.
Diabetes is not a death sentence. Elderly cats can live happily and comfortably if their diabetes is managed well.
