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We had a cat with diabetes and gave him insulin shots twice a day for a year. The bargain was I would buy the stuff if my daughter would do the injections. Well eventually I was doing it and you learn how to do it without the cat even noticing it. It takes a little time and a petting session but not too much.
Be prepared for some funny looks when you pick the stuff up at Walgreens and the perscription on file is for a cat.
We had a cat with diabetes and gave him insulin shots twice a day for a year. The bargain was I would buy the stuff if my daughter would do the injections. Well eventually I was doing it and you learn how to do it without the cat even noticing it. It takes a little time and a petting session but not too much.
Be prepared for some funny looks when you pick the stuff up at Walgreens and the perscription on file is for a cat.
Funny looks? I get all my cats' prescriptions at my local human Hannaford Pharmacy. I even have my cats enrolled in their "Healthy Saver" program for discounts on their generic meds.
Funny looks? I get all my cats' prescriptions at my local human Hannaford Pharmacy. I even have my cats enrolled in their "Healthy Saver" program for discounts on their generic meds.
Healthy Savers program? Wow. I'll have to look into that for my cats and dogs!
An update:
We lost the kitty I posted about but the other one, a litter mate to the first, is also diabetic and is being treated. He is responding very well. He is on special diet (Hills prescription m/d), but we also have the new Purina special diet (both are canned foods) to try if he tires of the Hills. He is eating well and gets his insulin every 12 hours. His blood was just rechecked today and his glucose level is down to 97. It was at 360, then went down to 175 after a week on insulin, and now after another week, it's down to 97. The doctor decreased the dose by a little bit because he's doing so well.
If anyone out there feels skittish about the injections, don't. As others have said, the cat doesn't even feel it. The needle is so very tiny and so fine that it's a breeze.
Thanks to all who responded to my original questions, and a big thanks to the person who provided the list of Fancy Feast canned flavors that are better for diabetic cats.
I understand that sometimes a kitty can start producing its own insulin again after treatment for a while. I hope that happens in this case. In the meantime, we're doing fine and he's even starting to gain a teeny bit. By his actions, he's showing that he feels much better.
I bought insulin at a pharmacy too after I was told they had undercharged me at the vet's office. Instead of $40 it should have been $78 a bottle. OUCH.
I also bought the needles at the pharmacy too.
My kitty passed away at 12 yo. I never could get her regulated. She went from real high to extreme low once at 37 plus the seizures. I gave her the shots every day too.
Rikki did gain weight after some time too. Glad he is feeling better
I bought insulin at a pharmacy too after I was told they had undercharged me at the vet's office. Instead of $40 it should have been $78 a bottle. OUCH.
I also bought the needles at the pharmacy too.
My kitty passed away at 12 yo. I never could get her regulated. She went from real high to extreme low once at 37 plus the seizures. I gave her the shots every day too.
Rikki did gain weight after some time too. Glad he is feeling better
So sorry that after all your effort you still lost your kitty! We're trying to get ours regulated now. About the insulin - I paid $102 at W-M (it's human insulin), and I also got the needles at a pharmacy. They are not expensive, but it all adds up and you CANNOT reuse them. A note to everyone out there: Always use a fresh needle.
Back to insulin - I see that I can get the same brand name of insulin from Drs Foster & Smith for about $60. I think it's the same size, but not sure. What we have on hand will last us a couple months, so no need to hurry with that but when the time comes, I'll ask the vet for a new prescrpition. (The vet does not sell this insulin.)
Sorry to hear about the loss of your kitty. I'm glad to hear the other kitty is doing well on the treatment. I don't find diabetic supplies for my cat to be that expensive. I get all mine though the vet and I buy a box of syringes at each time I need a new pack. Jensen's insulin runs about 80 dollars a bottle and when i get half way down, I call up and order a new bottle in.
What I found to be the worst was all the trips in and out of the vet to get regulated. It only took Jensen four tries then we had a break for a few months, went back in had to re-adjust the dosage, found out that wasn't working and had to go back in once again. It took six months to get him right dose of insulin. And now that we have it- all he has to do is go back in for curves every three months. And every six months or so we have a blood test run to see how his organs are functioning.
They have had a lot of success using a different kind of insulin (pig IIRC) but I couldn't get it. It is amazing isn't it the difference in the cost for human insulin. My vet charged me $5 for a pkg of needles but I got a box which cost $2.50 a pkg from a pharmacy. I found Mom and Pop pharmacies were cheaper than WM
They have had a lot of success using a different kind of insulin (pig IIRC) but I couldn't get it. It is amazing isn't it the difference in the cost for human insulin. My vet charged me $5 for a pkg of needles but I got a box which cost $2.50 a pkg from a pharmacy. I found Mom and Pop pharmacies were cheaper than WM
Thank you for that link! I'll also look into the insulin you mention.
You're right about the mom-n-pop pharmacies. I found a local independent pharmacy that compounds, if necessary, so I like to patronize them just to help make sure they stay around. They're a bit cheaper on the human insulin ("Lantus") than WM.
The pharmacy also flavors pet medicines according to what your pet likes best! Makes it much easier to administer their oral meds.
One of our rescues, age 10, has been drinking more (and of course peeing more) always hungry, losing weight.
Did the doctor diagnose diabetes? I ask because my almost 16 year old cat had the same symptoms, virtually starving but losing weight rapidly, which came on in a matter of weeks. My vet diagnosed a thyroid out of whack. We have been fighting this for a year and a half. He has the kitty on methamazole and we've had to increase the dosage quite a few times to maintain the weight. Just did a complete panel on him, including the thyroid - no signs of diabetes, although he drinks a LOT of water. The thyroid levels are up again.
Did the doctor diagnose diabetes? I ask because my almost 16 year old cat had the same symptoms, virtually starving but losing weight rapidly, which came on in a matter of weeks. My vet diagnosed a thyroid out of whack. We have been fighting this for a year and a half. He has the kitty on methamazole and we've had to increase the dosage quite a few times to maintain the weight. Just did a complete panel on him, including the thyroid - no signs of diabetes, although he drinks a LOT of water. The thyroid levels are up again.
Good questions but, yes, the vet diagnosed it. Glucose levels were way up. First round of insulin (small trial dose for a week) brought those numbers down.
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