MIA For A Few Days
 

Been going through a lot the past few days. My cat Bill has just been diagnosed as diabetic. Made the decision to treat him. My husband is having fits over the cost. Bill hasn't even had his first insulin injection yet and we are already nearly $700 poorer. What with the tests, office visits, and first prescription... Just picked THAT up and along with the needles just dropped $178.

Bill wil be dropped off at the vet in the morning. They're keeping him for the day to monitor him and I'll pick him up in the evening.

I need a job.

Bill is a lucky kitty to have you for a mama. So sorry you're having to go through this - good of you to be willing to spend the money. How old is Bill? (I'd be doing the same thing.)

Aww, poor kitty, and poor Mommy's wallet :( I hate when you think you're about to save some money and something like that comes up. When I quit drinking I was all excited about the money I wasn't spening on booze, and then we found ourselves with a 1k transmission bill two weeks later.

FYI, I know several diabetic cats, and they have all gone on to live purr-ductive happy lives.

Bill is 12.

I feel so bad for him.

It's all pretty overwhelming right now to be honest.

flamingredhair,
i had a diabetic kitty. home testing, feeding good protein based foods, and testing before insulin can make things so much easier and safer.
there is a site, felinediabetes******.com, you will find great support.
i hope your doctor supports home testing. it isnt safe to give insulin without knowing kitties sugar reading. our first vet said, no, kitty would be scared, sore ears, etc. but i bought an inexpensive kit, home tested, and she would purr right through it. warm the edge of the ear, makes it so easy. safer too.
your bill can have a long sucessful life, and many times they can go into remission, it happens a lot,with good control of their sugar.

if you have any questions, you can pm me. you can also get needles and insulins through walgreen walmart, etc. cheaper.
best to you and Bill.
hugs
chicory

I'm sorry, I shouldn't have made that stupid joke about it. Hmm... Can you sell some books, or plasma? Do you have time to deliver some pizzas for a couple of weeks? I would have done the same thing as far as treating your kitty. Your husband will accept it eventually... he's probably overwhelmed same as you. Hugs.

prayers for Bill and for you FRH :)

D

Double post

Thank you!!!!

I'll figure out something, I suppose.

Thank you, Dee!

How do you know a cat is diabetic?

Chicory?
 

Chicory, my computer is telling me your link might be unsafe.

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FlamingRed, I am so sorry about Bill's diagnosis. Diabetes is controllable though. So sorry your husband is throwing a fit. Anyhow, I use various prescription medications for my rescue pets and I use insulin for one. I use a pharmacy out of Arizona and they have very good prescription prices on pet meds. Please let me know if you would like their phone #. You can call them and they will contact your vet and then they will mail you your prescriptions at a better cost than most local pharms or vet clinics.

One of the first signs is drinking LOTS of water. And peeing too. The vet ran blood work to confirm it.

Thanks, why don't you give me the number? Can't hurt to look into it.

Diamondback Pharmacy. 866.646.2223. Also if you happen to have a good relationship with a local animal shelter sometimes they will offer assistance on prescription pet medications. At least they do here in Washington.

I so glad that you're taking care of your beloved pet as well as you can. Good for you!

I have had two hefty vet bills in the last 6 weeks too.

Never knew that, thanks. I have lots of cats. Here's my old cat thread : http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ers-group.html

I'm going to look into pet insurance.

I love my pets more than anything. You must be a wonderful person to shoulder the responsibility of a diabetic cat. You are an angel (I would too, though - in fact, my washer just broke and three days after my cat got sick - the cost of treating him was more than a washer, and I have no money left until the end of the month) I liked my washer, but I love my cats! You are a good person. Prayers and positive energy is on the way to you. Much love and admiration.

Feline Diabetes —Diabetes in Cats — Treatment and Diabetic Cat Info — FDMB

sorry flaming. this is the one . it has been a while since i was there. i just went there and had no trouble. hope this works ok for you!

That really sucks. My pup has diabetes, has had diabetes for several years now. I don't know much about cat diabetes (apparently they're very different..), I heard there's an oral pill for some types? I found out (after like 2 years) that Kyla (our dog) could do just fine on human insulin, sold at walmart over the counter of all places. Same with her syringes, you can buy them there too. Again, I don't know about kitty diabetes, but for dogs there are some weird little things like that that you can find out about. Join a forum for diabetic cats, it's extremely helpful.. I've been a member of a canine diabetes forum for years. We've had our ups and downs. I hate giving those shots every morning and night.. honestly it's changed our lives (because her feedings/shots have to be given exactly 12 hours apart.. 7:30a, 7:30p.. no dinner and a movie.. etc..). Hugs to you!!!

oh, and they will send you a monitor if you need one, for free! many donate their test monitors and such. or they send a new one.
it takes a little bit to get used to getting around on the site, but it is worth the trouble. there are however, some hardliner people, who insist on keeping a chart, graph of test results, and so on. you dont have to do that, to take good care of him, but just learning how to do all this stuff is so helpful.
i gave my girl her shots, tested her, on her ear edge, and all that stuff, and it was not hard to do. she was such a doll baby. and she went into remission for a while, tho she took prednisone for a tumor, and that makes the sugar higher, so , it came back. treating several diseases together, that can be tricky. you will do fine. you love him, that is plain to see. i am rather limited on funds, and i was able to get her insulin, and needles and such. i used kroger test kit, and strips.
you can do this!

hugs, head bonks to Bill,
chicory

Home testing cat's blood sugar levels - YouTube

here is a you tube video of doing an ear test for sugar on a cute kitty named Dreamsickle! you can see how it can get very easy, and it did for me and my kitty.
hugs

How To Test Your Diabetic Cat's Blood Sugar At Home - YouTube

this is a good one too:)

I'm really overwhelmed right now.

Thanks so much for everything, chicory!

Well you have the insulin and syringes for now.

Before you need more, please check with Walgreens, as they have a pretty good plan for 'animal' prescriptions. Check them out and see what their prices are compared to other pharmacies in your area.

I was really upset when my Pacho (75# husky/shepherd cross) was put on Tramadol 2x a day. The vet put 'canine' on the script and I swear that was a 'sign' to the Pharmicist to RAISE THE PRICES, sheesh. Well I went to the Walgreens near me and checked out what they were going to charge me, and the 3 month price was cheaper than what I had paid for 1 month at the 'other' pharmacy. You can bet I switched that script right away.

I would also suggest, if your kitty gets 'spooked' while taking a blood sample or giving kitty it's shot of insulin, wrap KITTY IN A BATH TOWEL. I suggest a BATH TOWEL as that is big enough to wrap kitty several times with towel starting at kitty's neck wrap until you run out of towel. Keeps legs and claws demobilized and it does have a calming affect on kitty.

Don't fret, you will be an 'old pro' in a short time. Kitty can live a long life taking insulin as needed.

If you need to or want to PM me.

Love and hugs,