Quote:
Originally Posted by Springheadpen
was given a calorie control food (Medi-Cal by Royal Canin)
|
So NOT what a diabetic cat should be eating. When will vets ever learn???!!!! A high carb, plant-based diet such as this one is the main cause of diabetes in the first place.
What was your cat eating before?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Springheadpen
they then wanted to try a different food, one with higher protein, but now they say its a bad choice
|
Why? What was the higher protein food, do you know?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Springheadpen
t just seems that they are pushing for insulin rather then a natural way (food diet).
|
With blood glucose levels as high as hers, she will likely need at least a short course on insulin. Many cats, once switched to a LOW-carb, higher protein WET diet, and a low dose (1 or 2 units 2x/day) of insulin, can achieve diabetic remission. But in the meantime, your kitty is at risk of developing diabetic ketoacidosis if those glucose levels don't start coming down ASAP, and insulin shots are the best way to do that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Springheadpen
I'm in Toronto, Canada and are unable to find online how much insulin costs, I know that it will vary depending on brand, but if anyone has an estimate about how much it may cost and I can compare it to what the vet may tell me.
|
Depends quite a bit on what insulin you end up using. I've been using Levemir for my cat for the past 6+ yrs so I can't comment on exact pricing for other insulins, but the Lev costs me somewhere around $124 for 5 3ml cartridges, and that lasts me more than a year at 1u bid (2x/day). There is also Lantus, which I think is similarly priced but may not last as long, Caninsulin (I don't recommend it for cats as it's too roller-coasty), ProZinc, and Humulin N (also not recommended as its duration tends to be too short). Of those, Humulin N is probably the cheapest. No idea what ProZinc costs these days, but it's specifically made for cats and you can only get it at the vets (same with Caninsulin, which was first developed for dogs). Lantus, Levemir, and Humulin insulins can be purchased from any pharmacy without a prescription.
I urge you to check out these links for more info on feline diabetes, especially the symptoms to look for in ketoacidosis, and also the sections on home-testing blood glucose levels:
http://petdiabetes.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page
http://www.felinediabetes.com/