Cat with diabetes

IMPORTANT: If your cat is in any distress or discomfort, please consult your own vet as your first priority.
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Bails559
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Cat with diabetes

Post by Bails559 »

I cat has just been diagnosed with diabetes and I have started him on insulin injections, this is the fourth day of his injections and his glucose levels have not changed but he seems to be a bit better. How long does it take until the glucose levels start to drop or is it due to the fact that the dosage is not right. Unfortunately the vets are closed today due to a local holiday.

Thanks
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Janey
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Re: Cat with diabetes

Post by Janey »

Hi and welcome. I’m not sure how long it should take, but even if the vets are closed there is usually someone on call for emergencies so there should be someone who can advise if you give them a ring. Are you from the UK?
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Ruth B
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Re: Cat with diabetes

Post by Ruth B »

My parents had a diabetic cat for several years, she was finally put to sleep earlier this year as old age was starting to take its toll on her other organs and controlling the glucose levels was getting far harder, particularly as it was just my Mother doing it after my Father died last year. She was 17 and had been diabetic for at least 5 or more years.

For her the reaction time was very fast as she had gone into a diabetic coma when it was diagnosed and the vets had to keep her in and on a drip so could monitor the dose and the blood sugar levels. It does however take a while to stabilise and to be able to maintain a steady dose. Most of the time there is far more danger in giving too much insulin than too little, if the blood glucose goes too low it will cause him major harm and possibly kill him far faster than a high glucose level. It is possible that the vets have put him on a low dose to see how he reacts to start with and will slowly up it to bring the glucose levels down to where they should be.

I don't know if it applies to cats but I know that human diabetics can suffer from false hypos when they first start to control their sugar levels. I'm a tablet controlled diabetic myself and I have gone through this when I first decided that I was going to try and control my sugar levels as long as I could without having to go onto insulin. Your body gets used to having high glucose levels and when it drops to normal levels your body sends out signs that it is too low and you need to eat something to lift it again. Only by actually taking a reading can you see that it is actually at a healthy level and then it is a case of just trying to last through it, or just have a little something to lift it a fraction but not back into the high levels. If cats are susceptible to this type of false hypo it could be another reason to slowly bring the sugar levels down rather than giving them a high dose of insulin and making the cat feel ill and very hungry and doing more harm than good.

I don't know how much research you have done into diabetes in cats, but one of the most important things to remember is that cats don't really digest carbohydrates (such as starches and sugars) well, they gain most of their nutrients from animal proteins. Try and make sure your cat's diet is as high in high quality animal proteins as possible. If he will eat the special food then fine, but so many cats won't eat these special diets for long and then it is a case of trying to find good alternatives. The last thing you want is to be giving him his insulin and then him refusing to eat the food available. Cats are notoriously fussy eaters and will virtually starve themselves if they decided they don't like what is on offer. For a diabetic cat that can prove dangerous and you don't want to end up having to force glucose into him because his sugars have gone too low any more than absolutely necessary, and yes, even though they don't absorb carbohydrates well a tube of special liquid glucose is what my parents had to use on the occasions their cat went hypo, if you do have to give him any make sure you wash any that has got onto his fur off quickly it dries rock hard if left.

I don't want to scare you but looking after a diabetic cat is a steep learning curve but once it is all in place the cat can have live for many more happy years.
Bails559
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Re: Cat with diabetes

Post by Bails559 »

Thanks for your replies, I started the insulin on Friday and so far so good. He has started eating again and is looking more healthy. There has been no change to his glucose levels but after speaking to the vet this will be a slow process.

I am now realising how much of a commitment this is and at the moment it is fine as I am not working it will be an issue when I start. I had hoped to put him onto tablets but they need to be taken in the same way as the insulin.

As long as he is happy I am too
Marybell
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Re: Cat with diabetes

Post by Marybell »

Bails559 wrote:Thanks for your replies, I started the insulin on Friday and so far so good. He has started eating again and is looking more healthy. There has been no change to his glucose levels but after speaking to the vet this will be a slow process.

I am now realising how much of a commitment this is and at the moment it is fine as I am not working it will be an issue when I start. I had hoped to put him onto tablets but they need to be taken in the same way as the insulin.

As long as he is happy I am too
Wow, I know how this must be for you looking after a diabetic cat. Even for humans too it is not easy. I had to learn about the blood sugar chart and everything I need to know about blood sugar. I hope your pretty cat gets well soon.
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