Older cat with diabetes

[imstartingtogetangrynow]

Hi you guys really helped last week when I posted about my older cat losing weight. I got her to the vet and she is diabetic.

I spoke to one vet at the end of last week who suggested a change in diet. But when I had a follow up phone call this week to discuss again I have been told her reading is too high and she'll need to have insulin injections (twice a day). But the underlying theme was her age and whether or not PTS is better.

I am in bits. I thought she just had something manageable and old age related that we could deal with. I would work very hard to keep her going but at the same time I am worried about her suffering.

Does anyone know anything about this? Of course I can ask when I go in but it is so emotive I would like to be prepared, my brain will go to mush..

We are wondering, well first of all cost is a big thing. She would only be covered for a year on the insurance. How much are these injections? How much follow up is needed at the vets? I have time and energy to do this.

She seems well in herself. She comes to meet me in the garden and walk around with me, she sleeps a lot. She purrs. Is she suffering now?

Thanks in advance, I don't want to shortchange her.

How old is she? Really sorry you're going through this.

So it would be two small injections per day?

Hi, she's just turned 13.

I think I internalised all those stories of cats living to 18 or 20 as the norm

Yes two injections a day. Can't see me being popular but more than happy to do it.

Oh god I did too, I was horrified when my little one went at 14 recently.

So tricky to tell when cats are in pain, what did vet reckon? I'd go ahead if they think she's ok in herself and injections would sort it out

Our old girl was diabetic. Yes it was tying having to make sure she'd eaten and do the injections but actually it just became part of our daily routine.
There were trips to the vet for fructosamine tests but we reduced those over time. They showed me how to do glucose readings at home so I could do glucose curves which I would email to the vet. I bought a glucometer for about £20/£30 and you can buy the strips from a pharmacy.
The vet gave us a prescription (they will charge) to buy insulin online and it worked out much cheaper. I bought syringes online too-you need to make sure it's the correct size to get the dosage correct.
It's worth having some cheap honey in case of typos. We had a small box we kept her stuff in (except insulin which lived in the fridge) and any notes.
What I found helped was having a good relationship with our vet so we worked together.

I certainly wouldn't PTS because of it and the injections are easier than tablets!

He he yes I was thinking about how difficult tablets are, and how much they all hate me after spot ons!!

Ok so it seems doable at home. It's just knowing what you can do cheaper, we've already spent £100, then it'll be another £100 for assessment.

Thanks that's really useful, I feel a bit better about this. @vinorosso74** do you remember roughly how much the insulin was online?

She seems to have perked up in the last month after a very quiet winter, she just slept a lot which makes much sense now. She is slower and quieter but is interested in the world and still steps in front of the car (and sits in the middle of the drive stopping us parking) EVERY TIME we get home from school

They bring so much joy and love, I'd try to keep her as long as you can.

You obviously love her.

I can't remember exactly but including the vet prescription (£12) and we got 3 bottles which in total cost the same as one bottle from the vets. One of the nurses said they couldn't buy the insulin in as cheap as it was online.

Thank you both of you I am very grateful

Any questions ask away. I did learn a lot from all her health problems!

My 14 year old boy was diagnosed in March. He is on twice daily injections, which are going fine. Much easier than I thought. Now he is more stable and his levels are good, the vet has suggested transferring him to diabetic food and seeing if we can reduce his insulin. Apparently sometimes the sugar levels can be controlled by diet alone. It is a case of monitoring but worth it to have the cat still with us.