We have a diabetic cat . . .

[ex-khobar Andy]

I'd noticed that Darcy was peeing a lot: it's pretty obvious when you find that the litter box nightly cleanout went from maybe a couple of fist sized lumps (we have two cats - twins) to loaf sized agglomerations. So we took them to the vet and Darcy's sugar was high.

Now he's on two 5 unit (= 50 microliters) doses of insulin per day. The syringes have a 8mm needle and it's subcutaneous and he does not seem to mind. Vet said go to Walmart.

Well I really do not like Walmart and I try to avoid it. That's partly snobbishness I am sure; and while I object to their predatory practices which have damaged so many town centers, it seems illogical because HD and Lowes and Target and Kroger all do the same thing - pile it high and sell it cheap - and Walmart just does it better. Nevertheless I'd rather buy it somewhere else.

Insulin at Walmart was $20 OTC give or take, for an approximately one month supply. So we got the first month there but I resolved to get future vials elsewhere. I went to CVS and Walgreens and Kroger with the note the vet gave me. Prices were $150, $180 and $160 respectively. "And you'll need a prescription." Walmart it is.

There's some explanation of all this here. But it seems really odd that I can get insulin for my cat for around $20 per month and people all over the country are paying much much more. And the rest of the world pays far less for insulin.

[datsunaholic]

People use that same cheap Walmart insulin. It's the only non prescription insulin and the only "generic" but doctors won't recommend it because it's an older (1970s?) formula. I know several people that use it.

[TPFKA@W]

One of my patients, a non-compliant retired nurse, takes 75u of Lantus every night, you know, to compensate for drinking full sugar Dr. Pepper and to wash down her licorice whips. Lantus is about $300 a bottle.

FYI for anyone diabetic or who becomes diabetic in the future. I advise to stay away from insulin pens. They look all convenient but I refuse to use them. If you don't do it exactly just so the insulin will leak out of the injection site. I have also felt a "striping of the gears" sensation upon injection and wondered whether a proper dose was delivered or not, impossible to say after the fact. I draw it up out of the pens with a regular insulin syringe to be certain of proper delivery.

[TPFKA@W]

People use that same cheap Walmart insulin. It's the only non prescription insulin and the only "generic" but doctors won't recommend it because it's an older (1970s?) formula. I know several people that use it.

I wonder if it pork vs humulin?

[Scooter]

Treatment access activists I know who are also diabetics have said that the so-called advantages of more expensive insulin analogs are largely bullshit, but they have supplanted the older insulin in the marketplace to the extent that no one is interested in manufacturing it in Canada anymore.

[BoSoxGal]

When my Little Bear became diabetic Walmart was our savior, as I’d have had no ability to pay $200-$300/mo. for Vetsulin in addition to all the equipment costs and the regular vet visits and all that. I found loads of forums online, including several written by DVMs, explaining how to treat a pet with Novolin from Walmart and how to do insulin curves at home - they cost around $1500 at vet hospitals around here, because it requires your pet to board there for a few days which of course throws off all the numbers in 80-90% of pets because stress messes up blood sugar (stress hyperglycemia) and most pets are highly stressed in the veterinary hospital kennel setting.

Most dogs and cats and people do very well with the old type insulin sold under brand Novolin currently at Walmart. Carrying this insulin and having a whole expansive line of store brand low cost insulin supplies was ostensibly an act of charity toward the community, but it also was a brilliant marketing strategy the Waltons cooked up. There are millions of loyal customers who visit regularly to stock up on affordable diabetic supplies and do all their other shopping there, too.

Anyway, I still have numerous pages bookmarked let me know if you want anything shared - I can PM you with links. Much of it is canine specific, but some of it is universal.

[ex-khobar Andy]

Anyway, I still have numerous pages bookmarked let me know if you want anything shared - I can PM you with links. Much of it is canine specific, but some of it is universal.

Thanks BSG - so far (5 days in) Darcy seems to be OK and the peeing has reduced if not yet back to normal. We'll see how it goes. What I don't know is if he is in distress. He acts normally but you never know with cats. His brother Bennet (you may notice a theme here) is OK but seems to be a little worried about him.

[Long Run]

Sounds like your vet gave you good advice. That’s a nice thing to know.

[BoSoxGal]

The one word of advice I’ll share - as you know dogs and cats are good at hiding when they don’t feel well. It’s very important with a diabetic dog or cat to keep a close eye for signs of infection, especially UTI. Testing the urine at least weekly with a glucose strip is a good habit to keep. A low grade UTI can suddenly worsen and cause a crash into DKA, which can be deadly.

[rubato]

I can't believe the amounts people spend, and sacrifice, to keep geriatric animals alive. But for CATS! CATS! the world has gone mad. Dogs, sure, dogs are beings with souls not black satanic hearts like CATS!

yrs,
rubato

[Big RR]

From what I have read, the biggest problem with the porcine insulin is that people tend to develop a resistance to it more quickly than with insulin. Since many on insulin are Type 2 diabetics (most of whom who are already pretty resistant), this results in larger and larger doses of insulin as resistance increases; indeed, even with the human analogues, resistance progresses and at least one company is making an insulin at twoce the stregth of ordinary insulin (to reduce the volume of injections (sure some of this is due to people not making diet changes, losing weight, etc., but diabetes is an insidious progressive chronic disease that does not give up and claims many victims; it can be controlled for a period of time (hopefully for a normal lifetime), but often claims victims over time. The advances, at best, extend this time; but insulin is no cure.

Not sure about animal diabetes and veterinary care, but it may be different.

[ex-khobar Andy]

I can't believe the amounts people spend, and sacrifice, to keep geriatric animals alive. But for CATS! CATS! the world has gone mad. Dogs, sure, dogs are beings with souls not black satanic hearts like CATS!

yrs,
rubato

Our cats are elderly but still, apart from the diabetes, in good condition. Plumper than they should be but so are many of us. They've given us companionship and pleasure for many years and we owe them. As long as the vet tells us that they are not suffering, we have their backs.

On your second point, Rube: sometimes a human is described as 'dog-like' and sometimes you hear someone called 'cat-like.' I know which one is usually an insult and which one is usually a compliment.

[BoSoxGal]

There isn’t a cat alive whose heart could match the coldness and blackness of rubato’s.

[TPFKA@W]

Rube was probably a rodent in a previous life.

[Crackpot]

What do you mean “previous”

[TPFKA@W]

I was giving him the benefit of the doubt.

[Joe Guy]

Rubato?

[TPFKA@W]

Not that sweet little face!

More like this:

[Joe Guy]

How about this?

[rubato]

Rube was probably a rodent in a previous life.

Or a bird.

yrs,
rubato