Cat diabetes

[2012meme]

What is the largest safe dose of insulin for a 12 pound cat with diabetes and cushing's disease?

[aligator79]

Have you thought about contacting a vet school?  They are usually more up to date with new research or could possibly give you contact information of someone who might be able to help more.  I have noticed the one I work with is not as up to date with food information, or the students I have spoken to aren't but they have so much other stuff going that it's probably at the bottom of the totem pole.  :)

[TuxiesMom]

Thank you so much for seeing my comment and connecting me with 2012meme. I am so glad to be able to communicate me with someone who has dealt with Cushing's, since it is so uncommon and there is so little information out there for cats. Hopefully I will be able to do the best for my Tuxie and give him as much quality time as possible. Tuxie and his sister Maxie have been my babies for 14 years and have never needed much other than food and love. So now it is my turn to repay Tuxie for all the love and joy he has given me.

[opus88]

So glad Tuxiesmom and 2012meme were able to reach one another...that's part of what makes this site so awesome

I hope with some exchange of info you'll also be able to give Tuxie many more years with you:) .....poor baby, I so understand her fear of the Vet visits, my Opus was the same after enduring years of poking and prodding wth his heart disease, we feel so bad but do it in their best interest, if only they could know that

[opus88]

Just want to make a short comment that it's so good to read you two ladies also make your own cat food!! I too have been for nearly 4 years now, for 2 of my 3 cats(3rd one refuses)
Homemade diets besides being so much more economical are also so much healthier. That way we control what goes into the food and the quality of the protien
Yes Nancy, I too am a follower of cat info.org, marvellous site with solid information on many issues:)

[TuxiesMom]

Thank you so much for your reply. I am so sorry that Tink finally lost her fight, but she obviously had a number of happy years because of your love and care.

My Tuxie was diagnosed only a few months ago and right from the start I knew something was wrong since he was resistant to the insulin. I have been doing homemade food for almost 8 years..grassfed beef and almost no carbs. I had it analyzed and it is better than anything I could buy, even the prescription stuff.

After 3 weeks I changed vets, since the first one only brushed off my concerns. I have done a lot of research on insulin resistance and it was at my urging that the second vet did the Cushing's testings and ultrasound, which confirmed pituitary induced Cushing's. There are so little studies with Cushing's in cats, but I have read a couple where Trilostane (Vetoryl) has been used to help control the cortisol production. This certainly isn't a cure and has some risks, but there is no way I could have the radiation therapy or adrenal gland removals done. Tuxie has always been a very skitterish cat and just freaks out when I have to take him for a vet visit. So I want to do as much home monitoring as I can to avoid stressing him any further.

I am so worried about his skin as it is already showing the thinning signs and when I do his shots he is starting to meow when I pull the skin up.

I will be asking the vet about B12 injections for him and I will ask what other supplements might be of help.

I am so grateful to have found this posting. Cushing's is so rare in cats that there is very little information. The fact that you were able to give Tink those extra years gives me hope for some extra quality time for my Tuxie. He is only 14 and I had really hoped that I would have many more years with him...but only if he has quality time.

Again I am so sorry to hear that Tink has passed, but you did a small miracle by giving her all that extra time.

[nancyjac]

One of my cats is diabetic.  I started making my own cat food when he was diagnosed because it was too expensive to feed all of my cats a prescription diet.  However, most vets will recommend a canned food that is 10% or less carbs and several of the Friskies varieties meet that criteria including most of their pates, flaked tuna and Special Diet varieties.  Dr. Lisa Pierson, DVM, is a leading authority on feline nutrition, especially for those with diabetes.

http://www.catinfo.org/?link=felinediabetes