Diabetes

[Tammy]

Anybody out there who as a cat with diabetes?

[Garfield]

Oh no, tammy... your cat has diabetes?

[Tammy]

Hello Garfield,

Felt good to hear (feel) your concern. Yes, my 14 year old tomcat Peter has diabetes and he has a tumor in his spine. They said 3 years ago that he would not live much longer, but he has proved them wrong. We have our ups and downs, but so far I managed to make him stay more in the "ups". I give him insulin shots twice a day, and it is working out well.
My question concerned more a problem my sister has with her 16 year old cat. She also has diabetes, and has collapsed now twice in the past half year. She doesn't get too much insulin, and my sister makes sure she eats before she gives her the shot. Since she is later on at work, she can't check if Daisy eats again. It is very dangerous when the sugar level drops to such a level that the cats goes into a coma, and if you don't find her quick and feed her glucose she will die. I was wondering now, if any people had similar problems with their cats getting a low glucose level all of a sudden. Anything you know about diabetes, Garfield? Maybe you have heard or read something.

[Garfield]

SO glad to know that your cat is still around. I think all your pets are really glad and grateful to have you as their owners.

Hope this link helps. http://petshub.com/cats/hd/diabetes.shtml

Extracted a bit from the article :-
" Most pet owners notice that their diabetic dog or cat drinks excessively and has a need to go outside (or to the litter pan) more often. "

Does it happens to your cat and your sister's cat?

Maybe you can also read up about the insulin too. http://petshub.com/cats/hd/insulin.shtml

Tammy, i can a bit confused. If your sis's cat eats, she will be fine, is it?

Also, the insulin shot is given daily. If the normal kind of gulcose water, that humans drinks as well, can that help for diabetes cats?

Just a suggestion. Why don't your sis leave the cat at your place when she is at work?Afterall, it is really risky to leave the cat at home without anyone home.

Take care and give a hug & kiss to your cat for me. Write soon.

[Tammy]

Hi Garfield,

The weather is so ugly and wet here that I feel like hibernating. I think we should be allowed to sleep through some of the dark months, but then again there is so much out there that we would miss. Like your pets: kois and cats.

Thanks a lot Garfield for the petshub links. Why didn't I think of looking there in the first place? The pages on insulin and diabetes ARE very informative. I have known most of it already since my and my sister's cat have had diabetes for a couple of years now, but you always learn. I was amazed that you can get insulin without a prescription over the coutner. No such thing here in Germany. I always have to run to the vet.

You are right Garfield, you would think if the cat eats everything is fine. We also thought so, but why did my sister's cat collapse then twice? The vet is at a loss too. The first time she might have been in the hot sun for too long which obviously is bad for pets with diabetes, the second time there is no explanation really. Makes you wonder when it will happen again. If my sister hadn't found her by accident so she could rush her to the vet right away, then she would not be alive anymore.

Good suggestion to bring the cat to me so she is being watched over. Problem is Garfield, I work too and I am out of the house all day, so she would not be better off staying at my place. Besides, it is difficult to travel around with an old cat. They are very set in their way to put it mildly, and get upset about minor changes.

By the way, you do know a lot Garfield. It is correct that normal glucose water fed to the cat when she is in a half coma brings her back. This is what my sister did. She filled a syringe with glucose water and made her swallow it.

It is really nice of you to think about the problem, I do hope I am spared this experience with my own old tomcat.

You said I should hug and kiss my cats from you. Well, I would like to suggest the same, which is that you hug and kiss your kois from me, but I suppose you would end up a trifle wet and I don't want to do that to you!!

[Garfield]

Hello!

I am shocked to know that your sis's cat goes into a coma even though the cat eats well. This is quite worrying.

I was thinking, can the cat be given *more* glucose water before your sis leave the house for work? Or maybe instead of plain water, why not leave a bowl of glucose water for the cat to drink? And also, i am not sure if your sis is feeding cat pellets, but if she is, she could wet the pellets with a little glucose water.

I do know that diabetes cats need lots of glucose, that is what insulin are for. http://petshub.com/ubb/smile.gif But since your sis cannot be home 24 hours daily, i think if her cat consumes the glucose 'automatically', that shouldn't be that worrying. Just put some glucose in those food that her cat eats, like water, snacks, pellets... Surely her cat will get hungry and she will eat her food with the glucose.

Oh yes, you will surely be spared from this terrible incident from your tomcat. Surely!!!

Though i do not know your sis and her cat, but do send my regards to them. Afterall, i am getting to know them better through you. http://petshub.com/ubb/smile.gif

Oh yes, i didn't hug and kiss my kois for you, but i did stroke and feed them their snacks for you!

Take care!! Hugs and kisses to you and tomcat and your family pets.

[Tammy]

Hi Garfield,

This was a great idea with adding glucose water to the food. I will tell my sister this because this way even if Daisy eats not enough to compensate for the insulin she is injecting, she will still have enough sugar in her blood through the mixed in glucose. Now we can only hope that Daisy will eat her food when something is mixed in. Cats are so awfully suspicious when it comes to food and they sniff it a thousand times and chew it so slowly that you think they will never get done with it. It is definitely worth a try though.

As bad as an illness of an animal is, at least for the bigger ones you can come up with medication that may help and you can bandage wounds etc. but with fish it is a bit different. Have you lost any fish yet? What can you do if you see a fish is ailing? I suppose I should move this question to the fish forum!

Anyway, thanks a lot for your help Garfield. Always glad to hear from you!!

[Garfield]

Hello Tammy,

How are you and your pets getting on?

How is your sister's cat too? I hope her cat is fine too.

Write soon.

[Tammy]

Hi Garfield,

Thanks for asking about my cats and my sister's cat. They are all as well as can expected under the circumstances. We always think they are relatively well until something happens again to prove the opposite. At least my sister's cat hasn't collapsed again. My old tomcat had a bit of a cold, but I injected Bronchi comp. which is a homeopathic solution, and he is a lot better again. I don't know if these natural remedies really help, but at least it gives me the feeling I am doing something. What's your opinion about herbs and other natural medication for cats. I don't believe at all in those Bach solutions that you can buy, but I have for instance had very good success when using Ovarium compositum on guinea pigs with cysts. The cysts vanished as reliably as if the vet had given them the usual hormone injection.

Would love to hear your opinion!

[Garfield]

Hi Tammy,

So sorry for the very late reply.

So sorry to learn that your tomcat has a cold. Is he getting better?

From my views, if frequent visits are made to the vet and the cat doesn't get better, then I feel that taking herbs and other natural medication for cats are much better. Especially, for the natural medications. I know of lots of stray cats around my neighbour are much more healthier than those indoors cats. Perhaps those stray cats are eating more herbs/grass than those indoors cats? I think the wild cats, like lions, do not have vets to visit too, but only consuming herbs/grass to get cured. I think they are born with the senses of knowing which herbs/grass are suitable and effective for them. http://petshub.com/ubb/wink.gif

I didn't know that Ovarium compositum on guinea pigs with cysts, are a good success. Perhaps this information could be shared at the guinea pigs section.

Write soon.

[Garfield]

Hello Tammy,

Hope all goes well for you and your cats.

Merry Christmas!!

[Tammy]

Hi Garfield,

Thanks for asking about the pets. I hope your Koi are doing fine, and you yourself as well. Are you in the Christmas spirit yet? I am looking forward to a two week long vacation over Christmas and into January, and my cats will sure enjoy my being home. They are both OK. Otherwise I seem to be surrounded by people with sick animals. My sister's cat (not the one with diabetes) who has cancer won't have much longer, and the rabbit of a friend of mine was also diagnosed with a tumor in his lung. If you hear and see all this you sometimes wonder if you should take in any more pets. Having said this, I couldn't live without any animals at home. What about you?

Merry Christmas to you!

Tammy

[Mike and Sabre]

WELL,
uhh i dont know where to start with what you both said.first off,its very very important that you have your cat(s) be taken to the vet to get there blood glucose tested.the vet should know what and how to do this.your cat will have to stay at the vets all afternoon to take his blood samples and be given insulin .all this is done so you know at what times of the day is the most critical for your kitty and how much insulin he should be given.i realize that its been a couple months since you have posted your messages ,so all this might be just moot.but in case you havent then this should get you started.i have never heared of giving insulin in your cats food.that sounds strange to me ,but maybe its something thats not being done in the U.S. but is being done wherever you live.

you said garfieled "I am shocked to know that your sis's cat goes into a coma even though
the cat eats well. This is quite worrying."

that sounds so strange to me.eating well is very important,but that alone will not control the cats glucose level.its so more complicated then that.at first when i found out that sabre had diabetes,i wished that type of thing were true.but shots must be given as far as i know.
so please go on the net and search for some info.well here is the best place on the net that i know of to find out what you need to do. http://www.felinediabetes.com/
PLEASE GO THERE .there is a whole lot of super helpful wonderful people there to help you.you will be amazed on what you can learn
by visiting that site.
i wish you all the best Tammy.you sound like a loving mother to your cat.
good luck
http://petshub.com/ubb/smile.gif
Mike and Sabre

[Tammy]

Hello Mike and Sabre,

Thanks a lot for taking the time for such a long reply. I agree with all that you said. My old tomcat Peter has had diabetes now for around 3 years, and after initial trouble with adjusting the amount of insulin to be injected ( yes, it has to be injected; no way it can be given in food ) he is very stable now. He has other health problems as well, but at least he is OK this way.
The problem I wrote about was my sister's cat who also has diabetes, and gets the amount of insulin found out to be good for her from the vet. She also was at several checkups of her glucose level, and it was OK. The problem with her is that despite all this she fell into a coma twice, and was discovered by mere chance by my sister who one time happened to come home earlier from work that day, and the other time she found her lying in her litter box. The vet himself doesn't know what can cause this breakdown since my sister always makes sure she eats before she gets the insulin shots.
Do you have any idea what else could cause such a collapse? I will definitely have a look at the site you recommended!

Wish you and your cat a lovely weekend! I hope she doesn't have diabetes ! !

[valdek]

Tammy,

This was a great idea to give him homepoathic
remedies.
I do some ideas regarding your cat state
and some remedies witch will be in help.

And yes, his pancreas does not work correctly
just as kidneys because of high level of toxins in his body due to the cancer poisonus activity.

Please let me know if you are interested in.

Sincerely
Vladimir

[Tammy]

Hi Vladimir,

Of course I am interested in your ideas and suggestions concerning sick cat. Even if you hear and read a lot, there is always something one might miss, and then a person comes along and has some really good tips. I would appreciate it very much if you shared your thoughts and ideas with me. Do you have a cat yourself?

Look forward to hearing from you.

Tammy

[valdek]

Hi Tammy,

Yes, I do some cats ( 15 about ), dogs, birds and other small animals in my family.
But much important in your case will be, probably my 40 years old exprience with a cats.
From about ten years I am using only homeopathic remedies in order to heal with
their disease ( if any ) just as mine and my wife.

Regarding your cat state I think that there will be some others homeopathic remdies which will be in help.

I am thinking about following :

1. Echinacea Angustifolia 4 C 2/3 times daily ( very good immune system builder )
2. Nux Vomica 4 C ( in order to eliminate the toxins from his body )
3. Apis Mellifica 4 C ( kidneys stimulation )

And, for sure, some vitamins like :

A, B-Complex, C, E, B12 and D ( in liquid form is better )
Say 2 times weekly 3/4 drops from each.

Some oligo-elements will be applied in that
case too, p.e. Cu-Au-Ar mixed toghether.
Say 1 dose daily for a month.

Completed by composition of 12 minerals which is called "Schoussler solution" - 1 dose per day on the top of his head in order to prevent violate reaction which may occur from
his stomach. This is a complement of minerals
he need.

There is about three thousends of different
homeopathic remedies, so we have a choice.

Please let me know if you need some explanations or guidances.

Good luck for your cat.

Sincerely,

Vladimir

[Tammy]

Hi,

Thanks a lot Vladimir for your suggestions. I will definitely look into it, and give it a try.
Since you are so knowledgeable in this field, I wonder if you know Bronchi comp. and Membrana nasalium, and if you think they work or if it is just my imagination. I mean sometimes you do something just to calm yourself, and to know you have DONE something, and things look better all of a sudden.
The only homeopathic remedy I really have seen work wonders so far was Ovarium compositum for cysts in guinea pigs. Works wonders, really does. Other things I have tried out like Hepar Sulfuris and some other things - will have to look at the stuff I have at home - never bring this drastic healing about like the disappearance of the cysts.

Would really appreciate your comments on the Bronchi and the Membrana if you know them. I inject them.

Hope all your cats are OK and you too.

Tammy