|
|
 Balance Beam and more...
Posts: 11511
  
Location: 31 lengths farms | Interested in if you do blood sugar tests or monitor sugar levels on dogs and cats like you do humans?
|
|
| |
|
"Heck's Coming With Me"
Posts: 10797
 
Location: Kansas | SNH - 2016-02-25 2:25 PM Whenever I diagnose an animal with diabetes (I am a veterinarian) I always have a heart to heart with the owner about the commitment this disease requires from the owner. Without having examined the cat it is impossible to say for sure but the back leg issue could be diabetic neuropathy that may improve with treatment. Cats can actually go into remission and I frequently have patients that do and no longer require insulin injections and can be managed on diet. This is most likely achieved with a diet of Purina DM and lantus insulin. Of course the lantus is probably the most expensive insulin. That being said some don't go into remission despite that combo and require injections for the rest of their life. If you can not commit to the rigors of treatment I do think humane euthanasia should be considered. Most cats that will go into remission do so within 6 months of treatment. Good luck in whatever you decide!
Thank you for your input. I spoke with my vet's technician and decided to give insulin shots a try. Have to admit I'm reluctant to make the commitment and if he were acting like a sick cat it would be easier to euthanize him; however, he plays with his toys, struggles but makes it on the couch to cuddle, and he eats like a normal cat. The litter box, however, is soggy mess and I have to change it often. |
|
| |
|
 Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | run n rate - 2016-02-26 2:06 PM
Interested in if you do blood sugar tests or monitor sugar levels on dogs and cats like you do humans?
I never did...just have to monitor them for any changes...m |
|
| |
|
Balance Beam and more...
Posts: 11511
Location: 31 lengths farms | Just find it interesting as with humans you monitor quite a bit so how do you know if they , the animal, is high or low? Or you just give the insulin and hope for the best?
|
|
| |
|
 My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
Location: Arkansas | Frodo - 2016-02-25 10:01 AM
mruggles - 2016-02-25 9:46 AM That seems a bit cruel..if you dont want to give him the shots. .then put him down..dont let him suffer....the longer you wait the worse he is gonna get.....m
That's the gray area. Â He's very happy, eats well, is not sickly at all. Â It's the weakness in his legs causing the alarm. Â I have spent so much on this animal, probably $1000, as he was shot in the mouth on one occasion and in the chest on another. Â I'm going to talk to the vet and give it a try. Â I wonder what to do though when I can't be home to administer his shot. Â My husband is not behind me on this at all.Â
I just had to put my 12 year old dog to sleep because of his kidneys failing. We tried all we could before he took a turn for the worst; it broke my heart because it happened on the day I was suposed to bring him home. I hope things work and the shots work for him AND you. Many hugs for trying to make his life better and give him more time. |
|
| |
|
Member
Posts: 8
| The only way to tell, if you dont take them to the vet and have them tested, is monitor their drinking. The vet will tell you how much to give them depending on the animal. I almost all the time give what he recommended unless my dog doesn't eat. Or if I just opened a new bottle of insulin. |
|
| |
|
"Heck's Coming With Me"
Posts: 10797
Location: Kansas | Chandler's Mom - 2016-02-25 11:24 PM Frodo - 2016-02-25 10:01 AM mruggles - 2016-02-25 9:46 AM That seems a bit cruel..if you dont want to give him the shots. .then put him down..dont let him suffer....the longer you wait the worse he is gonna get.....m That's the gray area. He's very happy, eats well, is not sickly at all. It's the weakness in his legs causing the alarm. I have spent so much on this animal, probably $1000, as he was shot in the mouth on one occasion and in the chest on another. I'm going to talk to the vet and give it a try. I wonder what to do though when I can't be home to administer his shot. My husband is not behind me on this at all. I just had to put my 12 year old dog to sleep because of his kidneys failing. We tried all we could before he took a turn for the worst; it broke my heart because it happened on the day I was suposed to bring him home. I hope things work and the shots work for him AND you. Many hugs for trying to make his life better and give him more time.
Thanks and thanks to everybody for the help.
|
|
| |
|
Member
Posts: 29
| If you decide to treat, consistency/routine is the key. The shots are super easy--I have never had a client think they were difficult (I am also a DVM). It's getting them regulated and stable that can be hard. Some cats are easy and some are really hard to regulate. It sounds like he's fairly healthy (other than the hind leg issue--which is often due to the diabetes). And no, animals are not as strictly regulated as humans. Good luck! |
|
| |
|
 Scorpions R Us
Posts: 9586
Location: So. Cali. | run n rate - 2016-02-25 1:40 PM Just find it interesting as with humans you monitor quite a bit so how do you know if they , the animal, is high or low? Or you just give the insulin and hope for the best?
We have an at home tester just like the human kind with strips. We try to test the levels the first week or so when we first start insulin. Once you get it pretty controled checking it is only needed, I would think, when there has been a change. Food (amount or calorie intake) exercise, etc. When we first found out our second dog was diabetic, my chi, we changed his feeding to two small meals a day and started him on insulin, he was doing very good but after the first couple days passed due to the decrease in food he had a mild 'episode' where the insulin amount became too much. Started panting and was very restless. Tested him and sure enough he was super low, rubbed some syrup on his gums and he was almost immediately better. I personally think the beginning is the most critical time, once you find the balance it becomes pretty easy
|
|
| |
|
Balance Beam and more...
Posts: 11511
Location: 31 lengths farms | Three*C*Champs - 2016-02-27 11:19 AM
run n rate - 2016-02-25 1:40 PM Just find it interesting as with humans you monitor quite a bit so how do you know if they , the animal, is high or low? Or you just give the insulin and hope for the best?
We have an at home tester just like the human kind with strips. We try to test the levels the first week or so when we first start insulin. Once you get it pretty controled checking it is only needed, I would think, when there has been a change. Food (amount or calorie intake) exercise, etc. When we first found out our second dog was diabetic, my chi, we changed his feeding to two small meals a day and started him on insulin, he was doing very good but after the first couple days passed due to the decrease in food he had a mild 'episode' where the insulin amount became too much. Started panting and was very restless. Tested him and sure enough he was super low, rubbed some syrup on his gums and he was almost immediately better. I personally think the beginning is the most critical time, once you find the balance it becomes pretty easy
Â
that makes a lot of sense.
|
|
| |
|
Miss Southern Sunshine
Posts: 7427
Location: South Central Florida | I don't do a cat, but we did have a dog that we treated for about 4 years. It was not that big a deal once we had a pretty regular schedule.
With a dog, it was not that hard to run the little stick under her urine to check her levels and we did not do blood tests very often...
That might be difficult with a cat. However I don't even remember having to do that once her schedule was in place after maybe the first 6 months.
Once or twice she got "woozy" and we gave her sugar that the vet gave us for that situation. She saw the vet once a year after the first year, or if we had a question. She never ever seemed to mind the shot and I would do it again with out a question.
|
|
| |
|
 Elite Veteran
Posts: 889
Location: Kansas | My best friends cat was diabetic and she did give shots. I was amazed that the cat actually liked them. If she was more than 30 minutes late the cat would go sit in the kitchen and basically ask for her medicine / shot by meowing loudly. |
|
| |
|
"Heck's Coming With Me"
Posts: 10797
Location: Kansas | runnin hard - 2016-02-26 7:40 PM My best friends cat was diabetic and she did give shots. I was amazed that the cat actually liked them. If she was more than 30 minutes late the cat would go sit in the kitchen and basically ask for her medicine / shot by meowing loudly.
Well, that's encouraging. |
|
| |
Folks on-line