Opinions needed please. My cat is sick.

[borlis]

We came back from vacation on Monday and I noticed that my 16 pound cat was much thinner than when we went away 11 days ago. I took him to the vet and he lost almost 4 pounds since he was there the beginning of May for his checkup. Blood tests and a urine test show he has Diabetes. He is only 7 years old. I am so torn right now on what to do. I basically have to choose putting him to sleep or giving him insulin shots daily for the rest of his life. I work part time, hubby travels a lot and have 3 kids who keep me really busy. A dog and another cat round out our family. If I choose to treat him, it will be totally on my shoulders since my hubby is allergic to the cats and doesn't bother with them. Plus I know this is going to cost a fortune. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. :cry:

[pitohui]

1. only you can decide what is best for you

cats and even birds as small as cockatiels can live for many years and have a good quality of life w. insulin injections but you need to ask yourself what happens when you go on vacation? do you have a trusted pet sitter who can handle this job? can it become a part of your routine and then a part of your pet sitter's routine? or will every vacation and unexpected trip out of town for family emergency be extra stressful because of this worry?

reality intrudes and there will be times when both you and husband are out of town on your travels, do you have a trusted back up plan?

i don't think anyone is going to blame you whatever you decide

i am going to be honest, i feel that since your husband is allergic to cats then it may be for the greater good of your family to let this cat go peacefully and not get any other cats when your last one passes, i know this is a VERY difficult choice but allergy can lead to asthma (it has with my brother) and ultimately asthma is a risk factor for heart disease

so it may be that allowing the cat to pass peacefully after 7 years is nature's way and also fate's way of relieving the allergic load on your husband

this is such a difficult issue really and i am such a person with no grasp of tact, so let me say that whatever you decide, YOU are the one w. intimate knowledge of your situation and don't you DARE blame yourself for whatever decision you make

:hug:

[borlis]

3. thanks....sigh

All your points are valid ones and ones I am going over and over them in my mind. My hubby is already borderline Asthmatic but usually does ok because he doesn't touch them. We agreed already that these animals are our last ones. But, yes any travels would become a problem. My vet would board him. Which would be more $$. The other thing is the shot has to be given at almost the same time every day. I also know that my kids are going to be really sad if I don't even try the shots and put him down.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. I think that pitohui has nailed it.....

Some very good advice there....:hug:

[politicat]

4. Can you afford $50 to $100 a month?

Most cats take a .3-.5 ml dose, and insulin comes in 10 ml bottles (the usual scrip is $100 for 40 ml, so anywhere from 80 to 120 doses, and most of the cats I know that are diabetic handle 1 dose a day just fine.) Can you start a schedule and deal with it? Breakfast for you, shot for the cat?

If he was mine, I'd do it in an instant, but I know our schedules and cats very well, and we don't have kids. (My husband is allergic, too, but they're his cats and he takes drugs specifically so he can be around the cats.)

Good luck. This is a hard decision.

[borlis]

7. I can handle the price of insulin but I also have to buy the

needles and it's all the upcoming visits to the vet that have me worried the most. Yesterday's visit was $175. The vet also said I could learn to check his levels at home which would mean learning how to prick his ear for a blood sample, which would make vet visits less frequent. I also have this fear that I am going to become "The lady with the needle" to him and he is going to start running from me.

[Madrone]

25. Testing blood at home is easier than you think!

It's not hard at all - and you don't have to do it that often. The biggest expense comes in from home blood testing - the strips are SPENDY. Luckily I have a diabetic co-worker w/ the same device I use for the kitty. He doesn't use all his strips so I buy his extra vials on the cheap.

[China_cat]

33. Home testing is good.

And no, he won't run from you after the first 3 days. Every 'sugarcat' I've ever known will even come and remind you that it's time for their shot if you overlook it.


Syringes at WM are $12.58/100

[meti57b]

44. Those should be very fine needles, both for the shot and the blood test.

The cat probably won't even feel the needles.

I have been giving my cat a chemotherapy medicine by mouth each day for the last two years, for his cancer. I think a cat would notice that a lot more than a very fine needle, but he forgets all about the medicine mere minutes after I give it to him.

My cat's diagnosis was lymphosarcoma ... a fairly aggressive systemic cancer. They said there was no way he would survive more than nine months. Not only did he survive nine months but his sonograms now show the remnants of his cancer, that could not be removed by surgery ... are now gone. (He also was getting an intravenous chemotherapy from the vet, once a month).

[Dangerously Amused]

50. What is the chemotherapy medicine, and where did you learn of it?

Always interested in new & alternative treatments.


Thanks!

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

20. $50-$100/month?? No way! You must have a very expensive drugstore.

My cat's insulin cost $30/bottle, and it lasted for weeks. Nowhere near $100/month. And I wouldn't have put him to sleep just for diabetes, any more than I'd do that to a diabetic person! It's a manageable condition.

[borlis]

37. My vet already told me the insulin would cost me $90/bottle

and the bottle would last between 6 weeks and 2 months.

[leftyladyfrommo]

47. Way too high. You can use people insulin if you have to

It's about $25 a bottle here.

[China_cat]

48. Most of the Humulins have been discontinued

Only ones left are N, 70/30 and R...all of which are used for quick reduction of blood sugar, needing a more long-lasting one for full coverage. N is especially harsh for cats.

It seems like the pharmaceutical companies have decided that they aren't making enough money from the insulins (Humulins and generic). The replacements, which will require...even for people...new testing regimes in order to regulate glucose levels, will cost 3 to 5 times as much as the others.

[borlis]

49. exactly what my vet told me today n/t

[Blue_In_AK]

5. That's a tough one.

I have two cats with hip dysplasia so bad they can barely walk, and now one of them is having trouble getting into the cat box, which is definitely causing some issues around here. I know I should put them down, but I just don't have the heart. It's hard.

[borlis]

10. How sad for you too!!

As much as I love my animals I don't think I will ever get any more. The pain is way too great when it's time to say goodbye. The last two cats I had before these two I have now both wound up with kidney disease. I had to put them both down about 5 months apart and it was one of the hardest things I ever had to do. Dusty was my first ever pet and I had him for almost 15 years. The day he was unable to stand up on his own was the deciding day for me. I remember putting him on my kitchen table and his legs just spread eagled in all four directions. I held him in my arms as his misery ended. A few weeks after that I adopted Midnight (the current sick one) and Rosie from our local humane society. Rosie was just never right and after she had kittens in my basement (they told me she was fixed!) we found homes for her kittens and she was still just listless. So she was diagnosed with kidney disease at the ripe old age of approx. 4. So I had to put her down too. She was such a sweet cat and had such a hard life until we adopted her. At least her final days were happy ones. Good luck to you!! :hug:

[Dangerously Amused]

14. Aww.

:hug:

[Flaxbee]

6. this is a tough call.

If you aren't 100% sure you can manage the insulin routine, euthanize your cat b/c it would be cruel to start a regime and not be able to follow it... if you go on vacation or away in the future, I'm sure your vet would board the cat and administer the shots, so that isn't too much of an issue, it's just your daily needs. If you can set aside a few minutes every morning or afternoon when the kids are at school or whatever, then it might be fine. And I don't think it's hugely expensive...though I can't say for sure and certainly wouldn't presume anything about family finances.

You will still have one cat, so the allergy issue is kind of moot at this point (esp. if this second cat is relatively young, as well).


But you do know your family's needs and your needs best, so only you can really decide. I'm sorry you're in this sad position.

[Heidi]

8. I'm so sorry you're faced with this dilemma, borlis.

:hug:
Call Me Wesley and I have a beautiful, five-year-old boy cat who is like a child to us, and he has had a lot of health problems. Unlike you, though, we have a very good support system of family members who also love Ginger very much.

You'll get no judgment from me, whatever your decision, but if I thought I might be faced with the decision of euthanizing our boy because of a treatable medical problem, I'd try talk with his doctor and try to find another home for him. I realize that's a long shot, but there are people out there who take in animals with medical problems. I'll send good vibes for you, your kitty and your family. :hug:

[borlis]

11. Thanks

[Whoa_Nelly]

9. All good advice/input here. If you don't think you can keep up a schedule

for your kitty, do you know someone who could help you out with this, or someone that can keep the schedule and who would adopt your pet?

[borlis]

12. never thought of it until now

I'll tuck it waway with all the other thoughts I have. My head is just spinning.

[Dangerously Amused]

13. Some good news!

I've had two kitties with diabetes.


I gave the girl kitty daily insulin shots and she lived several good long years after. The shots were not at all difficult to give, they went into the skin on the scruff of her neck where the mama cat would carry her kittens, and she acted as though she didn't even feel a thing. Not terribly inconvenient either, the entire process took only a few seconds and I would often do it while she was otherwise distracted by eating.

My Henri boy is better news yet. He had diabetes so advanced when I adopted him from the Humane Society (they never told me he had it) that he nearly lapsed into a coma shortly after I got him home and I had to take him straightaway to the vet, who kept him for a week advising that Henri's chances of survival were not very good. Sweet Henri pulled through, and we again began the routine of daily insulin shots. But my SO at the time was a massage therapist and was studying animal massage as well. He would give Henri a five minute daily massage all along both sides of Henri's spine from neck to tail and back again, with very firm pressure but of course not enough to hurt Henri. To the contrary, Henri loved it. The massage was intended to activate a kitty's defense mechanism againt diabetes, something having to do with the spinal fluid I think... but anyway, what can I say? Apparently it worked!!! The vet kept lowering and lowering Henri's insulin over a course of several months until he finally eliminated it completely. Henri has been diabetes and insulin free for nearly three years now and he is as healthy and strong as a little horse. The vet said it is rare for a kitty to overcome diabetes, but he has seen it a few times in his career.

So my advice is to not despair, feline diabetes is not automatically a death sentence.


Best of luck from Henri and me!

[borlis]

15. What a great story!! Thanks for sharing it!

He is a beautiful cat! I have heard one other story of a cat overcoming Diabetes. This is very interesting.

[Dangerously Amused]

29. P.S.

I thought I should add that one of the likely reasons Henri has stayed non-diabetic is that I have been keeping his weight down with a high-quality (Nutro) weight management food. The vet said that keeping one's weight down is absolutely the biggest factor for success in any diabetes program, whether pets or people. I figured you probably already knew that or your vet would tell you pretty soon, but didn't want to be remiss in omitting that info. just in case.

And thanks for the compliment on Henri. He is a cute little tiger boy and OMG, such an affectionate sweetie. I'm lucky to have him. :)

[applegrove]

16. Really easy to give cats a shot. Really easy. Takes a second.

You just grap loose skin and shoot into the skin. Cat will not care after a time. If you can afford it.. it will help your kids to understand about health and keeping the weight off.

[Robeson]

17. bingo, applegrove...

...I have a friend who has a furkid with diabetes, and has been keeping her alive for years.

[Grateful for Hope]

18. Putting a 7-year-old cat to sleep -- OMG

I am sorry, but you took this little guy on as a promise to him that you would take care of him as long as he is alive.

At this point, he may need insulin (and, as far asI am concerned you owe him this much), but, I want to suggest Innova Evo dry food for cats - it is a cat food that is low in carbs - and, I think you might be able to control your sweet boy's insulin response with this cat food.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

19. I gave my cat insulin injections twice a day for about 5 years.

It wasn't a big deal at all -- he barely noticed it, and it wasn't difficult for me at all. It won't cost "a fortune." A little bottle of insulin cost me about $30, but it took many weeks to use it up, since the dosage for a cat is very small. The thought of putting him to sleep when he was diagnosed with diabetes never even crossed my mind -- I gave him the insulin; he got along fine and lived to be 15, and died recently of unrelated causes.

He was a wonderful little friend. No way in hell would I have taken those last five good years from him just because I had to give him injections. I still miss him.

[Eurobabe]

21. Try to find someone to take him if you can't keep him

it's a tough decision, and some people are very judgmental about this (esp. in the pet group); but perhaps your vet might know someone who would take the cat, even though he has diabetes. My friend had a diabetic cat, and with daily injections, he lived a normal life, I think he was 14 when he crossed the bridge.

It's not a death sentence as some would think. Sorry that this has befallen the kitty, you and your family. Good luck, let us know what happens.

[philosophie_en_rose]

22. Don't lose your cat out of fear.

You're in such a heartbreaking position, but perhaps trying the regimen would assist you to understand what it will take to assist your cat. Also, please try to find a rescue to take the cat, if you're unable to do so. Diabetes does not necessariliy mean a death sentence.

[El Fuego]

23. I give my cat insulin shots!!!! Please read

Giving her a shot twice a day is NOTHING. I suspected she was diabetic before she was diagnosed because she peed alot. I put off taking her to the vet for it because I was afraid of the possibility of having to give her shots. I pictured huge horrible needles and a screaming cat. But when she got sick, it was easy to make the decision to do the insulin.

Now she is healthy. I have since realized the shots are no big deal. The needles are very short, and don't penetrate far. She usually doesn't even notice or flinch when I give her the shot. It is extremely easy to give shots, and just our daily routine now.

IT IS NOTHING, you'll get use to it as being just a normal part of your day.

[Madrone]

24. ME TOO.

And it's not that expensive!

My vet recommended a variety of insulin that is mail ordered to me from AZ. It has excellent results w/ only one shot per day. The total cost of 1 vial of insulin and 1 box of 100 needles shipped to WA was $60. The insulin should last anywhere from 200-240 injections, and was only 30 or 32 dollars. I'm sure I can find needles cheaper online now that I know which ones to buy.

I've only been giving my kitty shots for a week and he is excellent. In fact, he comes *running* when I call him for shot time. I researched and read that the best place to give the shots is on the tummy or the chest - not the scruff as is most commonly done. So - since my kitty is long haired I took the clippers and buzzed 2 bald spots on his tummy - one on each side. I switch injection sites back and forth each day.

My kitty never flinches either. Purrs and gets all mushy/lovey - that's it.

[IndyOp]

26. Shots are easier and cheaper than pills -

My cats both were on pills - Eli for heart problems. Then Eli developed diabetes and we did injections -- he HATED the pills, but did not mind the shots at all - at all, at all. I did do shots in the scruff of the neck. The big expense was just getting his insulin levels evened out at the beginning and after that it was smooth sailing. Once everything is evened out you can judge if anything is changing just by looking at the size of the urine clod in the litter box.

[ceile]

27. I have a diabetic cat, too.

Don't even consider putting him down. My cat got diabetes when he was 2 1/2. He's now 8 and is just fine. I know it sounds like a lot bear, but it really is no big deal. My Fatty gets his shot every 12 hours-give or take an hour. I go out of town a lot, but I have friends who give him his shot or I kennel him. I suppose I am used to it because I don't consider giving him his shots any inconvenience at all. It's part of my daily routine. You can PM me if you want to chat about this. I know it sounds like a lot to handle, but you can do it!

on edit: cost: Fatty eats Science Diet WD, it is pretty expensive compared to store brands (it's only available at the vet) about $25 for an 8lb bag. Insulin I buy maybe 3x a year at $25 a bottle (it goes a long way) needles are $25 for a box of 100. Sometimes I get in a pinch with the cost of the food, but my baby's worth it.

[Kajsa]

28. I am so sorry that you are going through this.

It is a very tough decision.

You are getting some great advice and
support here. Like pitohui stated, don't you dare
blame yourself for making the tough decision.

I faced a tough situation with two of my cats.
They both had feline leukemia, in the days
before there was a vaccine for it. One kitty was
extremely ill and the other was fast approaching
that stage. There really was no choice.
It was tough- I cried for a long time.


I will send good vibes and prayers your way!

:hug:

[LNM]

30. Our kitty is diabetic also

We found out about it last fall. She was 13 then. My husband was afraid of needles so we decided to try the "Catkins" diet first. No carbs. That didn't work so we had to go to the shots. We had several trips to the vets at first to get her on the right dose, but since then it has been very easy. My husband got used to the shots. He does the morning and I get her in the evening. Most of the time she doesn't even flinch. It's been a lot easier than we thought. You don't say how old your children are. I would think that if they're maybe 10 they could help out. It's really not that hard once you get used to it. Our vet also told us that it won't kill her if we go out of town for a weekend once in a while and skip the shots. Of course you should talk to your vet about this.

Hope this helps. The decision is yours. My sister-in-law made the other choice. She couldn't handle it.

Oh, and we're still on our first bottle of insulin. It cost $30.00.

[Mother Jones]

31. I'm so sorry to hear this!

Sounds heartbreaking!

Any chance you can find a holistic vet? Even one who will provide consultations over the phone? (that's what I do)

If you've come to the point where conventional meds either aren't working or are too expensive, this is something you might want to try.

There are enough remarkable stories out there on how it's possible to 'turn it around' regardless of the diagnosis to this point. I wish you the very best of luck!

[China_cat]

32. I've had 2 diabetic cats.

The one developed pancreatic cancer (at age 15) and had to be put down last year. He'd been diabetic for almost 5 years. His brother is now 16 and diabetic for over 5 years.

The first week with insulin is the hardest...for you to get used to giving the shots and him to get used to starting to feel better. After that, it adds about 2 minutes a day to your routine. Feed the cat and while his face is in his food, you shoot him.

It also doesn't have to cost a mint. Yes, your startup costs are going to be a bit high depending on which insulin. But most cats are very low dose and the insulin lasts a LONG time. (Moe has been doing now for 6 months on the same vial) You can get cheaper syringes at WalMart...yes, I know I shouldn't buy there but when I was getting syringes for 2 cats on different insulins, I couldn't afford the ones at the pharmacy. If you're really short on money, you can even use a syringe twice. Not the best way to go, but not a deal breaker, either.

Diet helps. We call it 'catkins'. High protein (as long as there are no contraindications like liver or kidney problems), low carb. Don't bother with the the stuff the vet sells. You can get better foods at the pet food store for less money. I've got a chart I can send you if you want it with the carbs and protein calculated.

Diabetes is NOT a death sentence for your pet.

[CC]

34. My 10 year old cat was

diagnosed with diabetes in Nov. He gets insulin twice a day (every 12 hours). It isn't that hard to do and the responsibility is pretty much on my shoulders since my SO is gone 5 days a week. It take all of 2 minutes to give him his shot, including getting it in the syringe. He is also on special food though I have gone to Innova Evo for all the cats so that it doesn't hurt if he eats it. The most expensive part was getting the diagnoses and his insulin adjusted. Insulin cost us about $100,00 every 7 weeks and the syringes run about $55.00 per 100 days. Original testing cost about @00.00 and now he get tested about once every 6 months and has been running about $85.00 total.Once Ayja's was on insulin he went back to being his old self. No one would know he had any problems at all unless we told him. I was told we were lucky as he ended up pretty easy to get his diabetes under control. The other thing the vet told us was that with proper food and good care (insulin on time etc.) there is a chance that he may be able to go off insulin one day. A big maybe but he treats quite a few cats that had to be on insulin for a year or two then no longer needed it. He also treats one cat that seems to only need insulin for 3 months out of 12 months. We are keeping pout fingers crossed though since he responded so well to treatment it is no biggy if he has to stay on it. If we need to go out of town or vacation I get a friend that is a vet tech to pet sit. I could also show other friends/family how to give him his shots so they could pet sit if need be. Truthfully it is harder to get someone that can handle both the dogs and the ferrets than someone to give the cat a shot.In the end only you are able figure out what you are up to doing and what lessons you want to teach. I found this site very helpful. http://www.felinediabetes.com/ Good luck and best wishes for you and your kitty.

On edit I need to know what kind of insulin and/or where you can get insulin for $30.00 from the others on this thread.

[Madrone]

39. $30 insulin

My vet called in an order to a place called Diamondback Drugs in Scottsdale AZ. It's a PZI insulin compound that's supposed to be the best for cats, and Diamondback shipped it to me packed in a styrofoam container between 2 gel ice packs.

I only have to give my cat insulin 1x /day with this PZI insulin - so not only is it cheaper than what you're talking about, but it lasts twice as long and would give you a lot more freedom to not have to do it every 12 hours. You can get the phone numbers etc. from the website below. Give this information to your vet!

http://www.diamondbackdrugs.com/





About PZI Insulin:

http://www.bcpvetpharm.com/Insulin.htm

[CC]

41. Thank you very much, I

will be calling the vet Monday. Ayja is already on PZI so it wouldn't be a change. The one time I did look online for it the places that came up were about the same price as the vets. To get it cheaper would help a lot since I have two ferret on different (more costly) meds.

[China_cat]

40. The Humulins were about $30-$35/vial

However, all the Humulins and Novolins with the exception of N have been discontinued. It's going to play hell here after our next 2 vials of L are gone because we'll have to start over with either Lantus or PZI. Moe's done so well on L and I hate the thought of having to go to something else but N is out of the question. While it worked well for his brother, it put Moe into chronic rebound.

[bluethruandthru]

35. The story of Donald

Several years ago we got Donald from the Humane Society. A sweet cat about 4 years old who had been bounced around to 3 homes in his short life. After about a year he got really sick. At first I thought he had just eaten something that disagreed with him..but after the second day I took him to the vet. He couldn't seem to find anything with tests and X Rays so he said he'd keep him overnight on fluids and if he wasn't improving in the morning would do exploratory surgery. Poor Donald died while being prepped. Dr. was upset and asked to autopsy him. He found Donald's pancreas was a mess. Said he had probably been diabetic (probably mildly) but hadn't been treated. Dr. speculated that his other owners found out about his condition and gave him up without telling the shelter. Anyway, I couldn't believe I had missed the signs of his condition...thirst, excessive urination, low energy etc. and kept thinking about it.

I realized then that my 10 year old daughter had the same symptoms! Took her to the doctor and sure enough...she was a type 1 diabetic!

I always say that Donald was our little angel cat. ..sent to help us recognize my daughter's condition.

I wish I had known to help Donald. I hope you decide to help your cat.

[Eurobabe]

45. Oh very sad story, but glad your daughter is OK

Poor Donald, RIP angel.

My best friend's daughter was dx'd with JD at age 6, she had a tough row to hoe for about 4 years until the insulin pump came along. Now she is almost 16 and with the pump living a normal life, TG. These diseases are truly life altering, whether it strikes a pet or a person. :hug:

[Karenca]

36. I would get the baby the shots he needs

or if you feel like you can't deal with it, then give him
to someone else who will love him.

My pets are my children (I have human kids too). Cats never develop
emotionally past the point of adolescence, and will always think that you are their mommy.

Please try to save your furbaby.
I think you might end up feeling really bad in the end if you put
him to sleep.

[RevCheesehead]

38. I have no advice to offer.

I just wish you the best, in whatever decision you make. :hug:

[Rhiannon12866]

42. Try this site.

And I am not saying this casually, since this is my vet and he's brilliant with cats. Whenever someone posts a pet problem on DU, I always wish that they could just take them to my vet, since I know that he'd have a solution. I adopt older animals from rescue, so I've had pets with some real health problems over the years and this vet has never given up on any one of them, of the two cats and four dogs of mine that he's treated. He seems to have an endless bag of tricks and consults with whomever he needs to, to get to the solution of a problem. And this site, which he just started, makes it sounds as if he's only into alternative medicine, but he has used both traditional and alternative treatments with my pets, starting out with the traditional. The alternative treatments have complimented the traditional meds, like adding herbs to the regimen. And he's one of us, a liberal, and has given me cat advice when I've asked him about a problem that I've seen posted on DU, which I've posted, since he really does care that much. So give this a try. Maybe he can make this simpler for you. He hasn't steered me wrong yet... Good luck with this and I sure do sympathize.:-(

Rhiannon:hug:

http://pets.spanda.com/

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

43. There are some good suggestions here

Getting the insulin and needles from a lower-cost source is an excellent one. I order stuff from KV Vet Supply for my dogs and noticed insulin in their catalog. Shopping around for a good price makes sense. I'm sure yuor vet would not object esp. if it means keeping the cat alive.

If you decide that you can't keep the cat, please try to find him another home. You could put a free ad on www.petfinder.com. Also check their list of shelters/rescue groups in your area to see if you can find one that will help you place him in a good home. Diabetes is manageable and does not need to be a death sentence.

[leftyladyfrommo]

46. DON'T PANIC - I HAVE A DIABETIC CAT-NOTHING TO IT.

Cats can't even tell you are giving them a shot. It is the easiest way to get medicine down a cat there is.

I just totally freaked out when I heard about my first diabetic cat. But it is so easy. I don't even think anything about it now.

And cats can live for years and years. Its not like dogs who don't live very long.