Diabetes without Insulin Treatment

My family has a 15 year old female who was diagnosed with diabetes many
years ago, but the owners do not want to give her insulin shots. She has
done generally well over the years, but eats and drinks quite a bit. But
now it seems she is getting worse, she has become increasingly lethargic,
has hearing loss, and her vision is poor (although it never was very good).
The owners feel that taking her to the vet would be too much of a strain for
her, so we have to make decisions on our own. I've convinced them to begin
using cat food labeled "Senior" or "Weight Control." Is there anything else
we can do? We also suspect that she has arthritis as she has lost a good
deal of flexibility in her back. We are considering glucosomine but have
heard that that could contribute to diabetes. What can we do to help make
her comfortable?

I've made a video to show how to test a cat's blood glucose
and you can find it at:

http://amerasiadevelopmentcorp.com/bgtest.rm
http://amerasiadevelopmentcorp.com/bgtest%5B1%5D.mpg

You can see that it takes less than 1 minute to do this and
the cat is still sleeping after I'm done.

Giving a cat an insulin shot is even quicker and easier to do.
So there's no excuse for a diabetic cat owner for not doing this.

However, I don't know how you can get insulin without taking
the cat to the vet. You may be able to get some good advice by
posting to the message board at http://www.felinediabetes.com.


"JK" wrote:
My family has a 15 year old female who was diagnosed with diabetes many
years ago, but the owners do not want to give her insulin shots. She has
done generally well over the years, but eats and drinks quite a bit. But
now it seems she is getting worse, she has become increasingly lethargic,
has hearing loss, and her vision is poor (although it never was very good).
The owners feel that taking her to the vet would be too much of a strain for
her, so we have to make decisions on our own. I've convinced them to begin
using cat food labeled "Senior" or "Weight Control." Is there anything else
we can do? We also suspect that she has arthritis as she has lost a good
deal of flexibility in her back. We are considering glucosomine but have
heard that that could contribute to diabetes. What can we do to help make
her comfortable?

I've made a video to show how to test a cat's blood glucose
and you can find it at:

http://amerasiadevelopmentcorp.com/bgtest.rm
http://amerasiadevelopmentcorp.com/bgtest%5B1%5D.mpg

You can see that it takes less than 1 minute to do this and
the cat is still sleeping after I'm done.

Giving a cat an insulin shot is even quicker and easier to do.
So there's no excuse for a diabetic cat owner for not doing this.

However, I don't know how you can get insulin without taking
the cat to the vet. You may be able to get some good advice by
posting to the message board at http://www.felinediabetes.com.


"JK" wrote:
My family has a 15 year old female who was diagnosed with diabetes many
years ago, but the owners do not want to give her insulin shots. She has
done generally well over the years, but eats and drinks quite a bit. But
now it seems she is getting worse, she has become increasingly lethargic,
has hearing loss, and her vision is poor (although it never was very good).
The owners feel that taking her to the vet would be too much of a strain for
her, so we have to make decisions on our own. I've convinced them to begin
using cat food labeled "Senior" or "Weight Control." Is there anything else
we can do? We also suspect that she has arthritis as she has lost a good
deal of flexibility in her back. We are considering glucosomine but have
heard that that could contribute to diabetes. What can we do to help make
her comfortable?

in article et,
at wrote on 10/15/03 3:25 AM:


I've made a video to show how to test a cat's blood glucose
and you can find it at:

http://amerasiadevelopmentcorp.com/bgtest.rm
http://amerasiadevelopmentcorp.com/bgtest%5B1%5D.mpg

You can see that it takes less than 1 minute to do this and
the cat is still sleeping after I'm done.

Giving a cat an insulin shot is even quicker and easier to do.
So there's no excuse for a diabetic cat owner for not doing this.

However, I don't know how you can get insulin without taking
the cat to the vet. You may be able to get some good advice by
posting to the message board at http://www.felinediabetes.com.


What a good kitty.

Karen

in article et,
at wrote on 10/15/03 3:25 AM:


I've made a video to show how to test a cat's blood glucose
and you can find it at:

http://amerasiadevelopmentcorp.com/bgtest.rm
http://amerasiadevelopmentcorp.com/bgtest%5B1%5D.mpg

You can see that it takes less than 1 minute to do this and
the cat is still sleeping after I'm done.

Giving a cat an insulin shot is even quicker and easier to do.
So there's no excuse for a diabetic cat owner for not doing this.

However, I don't know how you can get insulin without taking
the cat to the vet. You may be able to get some good advice by
posting to the message board at http://www.felinediabetes.com.


What a good kitty.

Karen

"JK" wrote in message
...
My family has a 15 year old female who was diagnosed with diabetes many
years ago, but the owners do not want to give her insulin shots.

Why not???


She has
done generally well over the years, but eats and drinks quite a bit. But
now it seems she is getting worse, she has become increasingly lethargic,


and her vision is poor (although it never was very good).

Quite possibly Diabetic Retinopathy and/or cataracts caused by prolonged
untreated diabetes.


The owners feel that taking her to the vet would be too much of a strain
for
her,

Untreated diabetes is more stressful for her than a trip to the vet for
treatment.


so we have to make decisions on our own. I've convinced them to begin
using cat food labeled "Senior" or "Weight Control." Is there anything
else
we can do?

Yes -- get her to a vet and begin insulin therapy


We also suspect that she has arthritis as she has lost a good
deal of flexibility in her back.

More likely Diabetic Neuropathy from prolonged untreated diabetes.


We are considering glucosomine but have
heard that that could contribute to diabetes. What can we do to help make
her comfortable?

Get her to the vet for treatment. There are no alternatives.

"JK" wrote in message
...
My family has a 15 year old female who was diagnosed with diabetes many
years ago, but the owners do not want to give her insulin shots.

Why not???


She has
done generally well over the years, but eats and drinks quite a bit. But
now it seems she is getting worse, she has become increasingly lethargic,


and her vision is poor (although it never was very good).

Quite possibly Diabetic Retinopathy and/or cataracts caused by prolonged
untreated diabetes.


The owners feel that taking her to the vet would be too much of a strain
for
her,

Untreated diabetes is more stressful for her than a trip to the vet for
treatment.


so we have to make decisions on our own. I've convinced them to begin
using cat food labeled "Senior" or "Weight Control." Is there anything
else
we can do?

Yes -- get her to a vet and begin insulin therapy


We also suspect that she has arthritis as she has lost a good
deal of flexibility in her back.

More likely Diabetic Neuropathy from prolonged untreated diabetes.


We are considering glucosomine but have
heard that that could contribute to diabetes. What can we do to help make
her comfortable?

Get her to the vet for treatment. There are no alternatives.