Speaking of feline diabetes...

[grace0418]

Okay, well I was actually the one that brought it up on the cat food thread. But I want to share a new treatment that not a lot of vets know about yet.

Apparently, many of the insulin options formerly available for cats have been getting discontinued in recent years for whatever reason. So vets have started experimenting with tiny doses of insulin formerly used only for humans. What they've discovered is that one particular insulin called Glargine (or Lantis) can actually revert cats back to being non-diabetic! That is absolutely amazing!

It's very powerful stuff so it has to be strictly monitored by the vet to keep the cat from becoming hypoglycemic. You have to bring your cat into the vet for an all-day set of glucose curve readings every ten days or so, which naturally can be expensive. However, within 4-6 weeks the cats are no longer needing insulin. The Glargine seems to be kick-starting the pancreas. My cat Frankie was diagnosed in October and by early December his readings were back to normal!! Now I just have to monitor his diet (low-carb, high protein, wet food only) but no more insulin 2x a day! YAY! If any of you have (or had) diabetic cats requiring twice daily injections, you understand how wonderful this is. He has sooooo much energy and his coat looks fantastic. He's like a kitten again and he's nearly 14!

This treatment seems to work best on cats that are newly diagnosed and/or have never been given insulin before. That's why I wanted to get the word out. Once your cat is on another insulin treatment the results aren't as astonishing (although they do seem to be able to decrease the dose, which saves a bit of money anyway). So if your cat gets diagnosed with diabetes in the near future (the disease is reaching epidemic proportions actually), ask the vet if they know about this treatment. My vet says it's very new.

I just wanted to share that bit of info because I love my Frankie soooooooo much and I am so happy to see him well again.

[ceile]

1. Good news about your baby!

I've been hunting all over town for the regular insulin my kitty needs (discontinued) and found one bottle. I'm dreading taking him in to get his curve done but if the new stuff is better and we can cut down on his intake, I'm all for it.

[grace0418]

2. Thanks! Isn't it weird that they would be making it more difficult to find the

insulin you need when more and more cats are being diagnosed all the time? When Frankie's brother had diabetes a few years back, I had to order the insulin from a pharmacy 30 miles away and have it overnighted to me. And I live in the third largest city in America!

Good luck with your kitty. I hope this info helps you.

[ceile]

3. Very helpful.

Now if only my vet will cooperate.

[Dangerously Amused]

4. I've had two kitties with diabetes. This is great news!

Thanks for getting the word out.



:hi:

[grace0418]

5. You're most welcome.

Diabetes sucks.

[grace0418]

6. I'm going to kick this because I don't think a lot of people saw it.

THanks.