Steroid induced diabeties please help

Hi,
I am new here and wonder if someone can help. My 19 year old cat paige has been on steroid injections for over a year now every 4 weeks. Had her urine tested as she was eating and drinking more it showed glucose 4+ and ketones 2+ we then tested taking blood from her ear and it showed 15.9. We can't stop the steroids because she will start vomiting losing her hair and develop lots of scabs. I've been told by the vets that if we started insulin it wouldnt work as the steroids probably caused it and unless we stopped them the unsulin would be useless. I've been told to come to terms with having her put to sleep. Is that really the only option? thank you. KATY.

I would definitely get a second opinion. I take it she is on the steroids for allergies? At 19 this is going to be very difficult to get through. Are they sure it is diabetes or is it the kidneys that are having the problem and glucose is building up in the blood? If it was me I think I would go off of the steroids(Stepping down the doses as required, you can't just stop) and see if that helps to resolve any of the symptoms, diabetes that can't be controlled would be much harder on her than vomiting and scabs. Maybe another vet can suggest a different way to go then the steroids.  Geriatric cats are a whole different ballgame in vet care, I have a 16 year old so I know how terrifying and frustrating this all can be. I would call around and see if there are any other vets that are a little more familiar with the problems of an older cat. You would never want your sweet baby to suffer, but since you have time now, I would at want to know if there were no other alternatives.

Please just love her as much as you can right now, you have had nineteen wonderful years together and the bond you have formed is very strong. You will know in your heart when to let go, the quality of her life at this stage is more important than the quantity if her time left is full of pain. My heart goes out to you, I'll keep you both in my thoughts and prayers. 

Thank you so much for your reply. She actually stays in the sittingroom all day and just gets off the sofa to get to her food and litter tray. It's not much of a life I guess but she still gets up when we walk in the room to be cuddled and when you stop she taps you to keep stroking her. She is my late sons cat ( who died at 18 in a car accident) I think that's why I may be holding on longer that maybe I should do. I got the impression that because she has ketones she's already on her way to getting worse and her last steroid injection was 10 days ago. I'm wondering if by stopping that she would suffer itching and vomiting that her life would be more miserable.

You can ask for additional help on the FelineDiabetes.com message board. I know from past experience on being on that board that there are members there who have first hand expereince with dealing with steroid-induced diabetes. They can provide better advice on what to do and you can then discuss with your vet. I think generally if you stop the steroid, the blood gluocse levels will return to normal but if your cat needs the steroid for a medical condition and there is no other option, then you keep using it and deal with the diabetes in non-insulin ways.

Thank you for the link x