Diabetes in Cats

[Hazel at the Hill]

It might be that Domino has diabetes - although he's not been diagnosed yet, it's just been raised as a possibility.

Has anyone had any experience of this and can pass on their experiences & tips - I've done a google search and frightened myself silly!

[piskieinboots]

oooh my darling girl - I am so sorry, I really hope it isn't the case for you

Two different stories:
1) My deloved Charlie (he of the darling ginger tom fame) developed this, he needed twice-daily injections - he hated it, I hated it, he knew I hated it so would feel my tension.

He wasn't really improving - the decision was made between me, Snowdrop and vet to end it.

My world ended, I felt I would never recover - you will remember my tears.

2) My pal's cat developed the same at same time, she is still with her lovely cat, has no problems with injections etc and even manages to go away and get people to do this for her.

It will come down to whether it can be managed with drugs, if not - whether you (and Domino) can cope with twice daily injections.

Fingers crossed it doesn't come to this!!

(((hugs)))
xx

[Hazel at the Hill]

I thought of you when the vet nurse said it might be diabetes. I appreciate that you posted, Pisk - I know how loved Charlie was.

Well, lets see what today brings.

[Flummery]

Best of luck lass. It's not a nice thing to deal with an on-going illness in pets.

[SueA]

I've no experience of diabetes in cats but our neighbours had a golden lab who developed it & they had to give him injections & managed O.K. I seem to remember, hope everything goes well for you both & it doesn't come to that though.

[Hazel at the Hill]

Domino upate

The reason that the vet thinks that Dom might be diabetic as he has a raised level of glucose in his pee. The only reason that he had a urine sample taken in the first place is that I thought he had cystitis (pink pee!) which turned out to be a complete case of mistaken identity - it's the other cat, Oli, with the pink pee and the crystals in the wee and he is now on struvite-busting diet to sort this out.

The next step for Dom was to measure how much he drinks in a 24hr period (I don't think he has increased his water intake), so I've reported this back to the vet nurse and I need to call back later to see if this is 'normal' (I'm no expert, but once I had measured how much he drank I had a google and it seems to fall into the 'normal' category).

So it might just be an elevated level of glucose in his urine which needs monitoring given that he hasn't got obvious symptoms of diabetes eg dehydration, dramatic weight loss (HA HA HA! - sorry - he remains a complete butterball) and I am hoping that this is a false alarm.

[TEB]

I wasn't going to say anything even though my dog has diabetes because its like comparing apples and oranges, this is for the care off a diabetic animal. As I believe a canine diabetic would be far easier than a feline diabetic to care for.

My dog was diagnosed after he started drinking to excess, coulndn't control his bladder and was very lethargic, the diagnosis was done quite quickly with a blood test (about 4 hours) and he was on insulin the same day.

With dog's at least and I would imagine its the same for cats then the quicker you can control it the more chance you have off stopping things like blindness (cataracts) etc.

Typically there is no need for special diets, even though the vets may want to sell you one at exborbitant cost, but you may need to have regular blood/fructose/glucose curves carried out especially in the first 6 months. You can even buy blood testing kits which are cheaper than having them done at the vets and may offer more piece of mind.

I would say the main thing is to get into a routine and try not to worry to much (impossible I know) but lets hope he hasn't got it n the first place.

[Alison]

I remember taking our cats to the cattery once and there was a beautiful cat there by the door. Commented to the cattery owner about said lovely cat and she said that he was diabetic and she (being an ex vet's nurse) was one of the few in the area who who would take him. From what she said it was injections which weren't much of a problem but the bigger problem was checking his blood sugars when at home as you needed to check his urine which can be rather difficult if you have more than one cat - although presumably a doddle at the cattery where he was on his own.

[TEB]

I remember taking our cats to the cattery once and there was a beautiful cat there by the door. Commented to the cattery owner about said lovely cat and she said that he was diabetic and she (being an ex vet's nurse) was one of the few in the area who who would take him. From what she said it was injections which weren't much of a problem but the bigger problem was checking his blood sugars when at home as you needed to check his urine which can be rather difficult if you have more than one cat - although presumably a doddle at the cattery where he was on his own.

A urine test is just a very very rough guide but it is something that can easily done by a home owner, easy that is if you get the stuff in the first place. Running round the garden witha small container trying to get it between my dogs legs at 05.30 in the morning while he is doing his best to dive into every bush/tree/under the table trying to have a pee on the QT is another thing and I cannot count the number of times he has peed on my hand where I have missed the stream and off course it needs to be the first pee of the day that you need to check. Bladdy hilarious for anyone watching though.

[Alison]

A urine test is just a very very rough guide but it is something that can easily done by a home owner, easy that is if you get the stuff in the first place.

Yeah that's what I meant - although if you only have one cat it can be easier if they use the litter tray.

[scarey55]

Oh Hazel, just seen this and I am hoping that by now you will have had good news.
I can't add anything useful because I don't have any experience of it but, just wanted to let you know that we are thinking of you, and we have everything crossed for you both xx

[Pumpkin Becki]

Hazel, my BiL's cat Sid was found to be diabetic. He didn't increase his water intake, but he was a podgy cat. Once he was dignosed and on treatment, he would actually hop up onto a stool and wait to be given his injections, he must have known they were making him feel better.

Hoping for good news for Domino.
PB xx

[Hazel at the Hill]

Domino update!

Vet agrees that water intake is normal, and with no other symptoms of diabetes, he is happy for me to take in another urine sample in 10 days for another test (Domino's, not mine, obviously )

Many thanks for your good wishes and it's good to hear that if it did come to it, many cats find it a manageable condition (although Dom is a grumpy bugger at the best of times).

Actually, with regard to Dom being a bit - er - big boned, what does everyone elses cats weigh? Doms was 13 1/2 lbs on the scales yesterday, which as a big cat, I thought was not too bad...

[piskieinboots]

Charlie was a 14lb bundle of cuddliness - my two girls I have now are both around 7lb and seem unlikely to get much bigger.

[Flummery]

Sounds like the news is good then. Let's hope it continues to be so.