Diabetic cat being put to sleep

[iholdgrudges]

Is it usual for a diabetic cat to need to be put to sleep after not responding to treatment a month or so after being diagnosed? Are there any other avenues that could be explored?

 

[susanm9006]

It can often take many weeks and multiple visits before the correct insulin dose is established for a cat. So yes, putting the cat down instead of trying to solve the problem seems unusual to me. Of course every cat is different and an owner knows what is best for their cat.

 

[Meowmee]

The treatments are usually Insulin, diet etc. some cats unlike people can go into a remission if you put them on a no carb diet such as a raw or home cooked diet. He may need insulin at the beginning anyway to stabilize bg. By the way, cats can have type 1 diabetes as well. There was a Burmese kitten on a forum who went into dka. He was in hospital in dka, stabilized on insulin and the owner planned to start him on a raw diet. He was on a dexcom for a while as well.

Imo a month is not nearly long enough to see if kitty will respond.

Feline Diabetes: Symptoms, Treatments, Prevention, and Diet Tips

Diabetes may affect more than 2% of all cats, and the causes are not fully known. Thomas Graves and WebMD team up to provide feline diabetes information and tips for treatment or prevention.

pets.webmd.com

 

[LTS3]

Is it usual for a diabetic cat to need to be put to sleep after not responding to treatment a month or so after being diagnosed? Are there any other avenues that could be explored?

A big NO. Diabetes can be managed very well. It may take awhile to find the right insulin and dose and diet that works. Every diabetic cat is different. I had a diabetic cat years ago. He never was well regulated despite trying 3 different insulins over 3 years and being on a low carb canned food only diet. But he was otherwise healthy and happy and just a "lemon".

If your vet is recommending euthanasia, run from that vet and find a new one.

While TCS is a great cat forum, diabetes isn't really discussed in detail here. I recommend you visit the FelineDiabetes.com message board and ask away there for more in depth detailed help. There is an organization that helps find diabetic cat new homes which is a kinder option than euthanasia. It's called Diabetic Cats In Need.

 

[silent meowlook]

Diabetes in cats is different than in other species. Cats when treated with the correct insulin and monitoring at home can go into full remission. You must have a vet experienced in managing feline diabetes. I prefer cat only feline specialist.
There is no reason to put to sleep.

Can you give context to your question?

 

[iholdgrudges]

Thanks for the replies, very helpful. The context is the owner has said there is not much more the vet can do so the cat will need to be put to sleep. We disagree and are trying to persuade the owner to rehome the cat to someone who will explore other treatment options rather than euthanise if they don’t feel able to take care of the cat themselves.

 

[Meowmee]

Ty for helping him. There is no way he should be euthanized based on a diabetes diagnosis. A lot of people don’t want to take it on though, insulin is a big deal to manage and it is expensive. Speaking as a type 1 d here. But it can be done and he may even go into remission on the right diet.

 

[LTS3]

Cats when treated with the correct insulin and monitoring at home can go into full remission. You must have a vet experienced in managing feline diabetes.

But it can be done and he may even go into remission on the right diet.

Some diabetic cats never go into remission and that's ok My diabetic cat never did even on the right low carb canned food only diet. We tried Lantus insulin for a year or so without much luck and then tried Levimir insulin which worked somewhat better but blood glucose levels never stayed in a good range for long despite frequent home blood glucose testing and insulin dose increases. I guess some cats have pancreases that just won't respond well to treatment and diet. Remission is a great goal but some cats just don't go there and that's perfectly ok as long as treatment is given and the cat is healthy otherwise My two cents on that.

Thanks for the replies, very helpful. The context is the owner has said there is not much more the vet can do so the cat will need to be put to sleep. We disagree and are trying to persuade the owner to rehome the cat to someone who will explore other treatment options rather than euthanise if they don’t feel able to take care of the cat themselves.

That pet owner needs a new vet. Diabetes CAN be treated and managed well. If costs are a concern, there are ways to afford supplies and low carb food such as Fancy Feast Classic / Gourmet doesn't have to break the bank. The Diabetic Cats In Need organization can help rehome the cat if the pet owner does not want to treat the diabetes.

 

[Meowmee]

Some diabetic cats never go into remission and that's ok My diabetic cat never did even on the right low carb canned food only diet. We tried Lantus insulin for a year or so without much luck and then tried Levimir insulin which worked somewhat better but blood glucose levels never stayed in a good range for long despite frequent home blood glucose testing and insulin dose increases. I guess some cats have pancreases that just won't respond well to treatment and diet. Remission is a great goal but some cats just don't go there and that's perfectly ok as long as treatment is given and the cat is healthy otherwise My two cents on that.



That pet owner needs a new vet. Diabetes CAN be treated and managed well. If costs are a concern, there are ways to afford supplies and low carb food such as Fancy Feast Classic / Gourmet doesn't have to break the bank. The Diabetic Cats In Need organization can help rehome the cat if the pet owner does not want to treat the diabetes.

I think the pet owner doesn't want to deal with the kitty being in insulin and everything it entails. It is hard to imagine a dvm would immediately suggest to euthanize. You prolly need a no carb diet not low carb for any hope of remission.

 

[iholdgrudges]

I think the pet owner doesn't want to deal with the kitty being in insulin and everything it entails. It is hard to imagine a dvm would immediately suggest to euthanize. You prolly need a no carb diet not low carb for any hope of remission.

This is our feeling too. It seems like the owner is either misleading the vet or reporting back false information from the vet, as the vet seems to have a good reputation from other people that we know have used them.

 

[BlackCatOp]

While diabetes is a manageable disease, it is not without a time and financial commitment. Owners may elect euthanasia as the best decision for them and their cat. Cats with untreated or poorly regulated diabetes have poor quality of life so euthanasia can be a kinder decision. And while the idea of re-homing sounds wonderful, in reality who is going to adopt an adult/senior kitty with known medical issues (I know we all probably would but…) The owner could spend an unreasonable amount of time trying to find a new home as kitty’s diabetes may not be well controlled.

Im not saying I am a fan of euthanizing for treatable conditions but I definitely think diabetes borders that line and owner commitment places a huge role.

 

[iholdgrudges]

While diabetes is a manageable disease, it is not without a time and financial commitment. Owners may elect euthanasia as the best decision for them and their cat. Cats with untreated or poorly regulated diabetes have poor quality of life so euthanasia can be a kinder decision. And while the idea of re-homing sounds wonderful, in reality who is going to adopt an adult/senior kitty with known medical issues (I know we all probably would but…) The owner could spend an unreasonable amount of time trying to find a new home as kitty’s diabetes may not be well controlled.

Im not saying I am a fan of euthanizing for treatable conditions but I definitely think diabetes borders that line and owner commitment places a huge role.

We have new home options already, so that’s not the issue in this case luckily. The cat is in good spirits other than peeing a lot and constantly hungry, so quality of life for this particular cat is still pretty good.

 

[lisahe]

This is our feeling too. It seems like the owner is either misleading the vet or reporting back false information from the vet, as the vet seems to have a good reputation from other people that we know have used them.

Even if the vet has a good reputation, it would be well worth getting a second opinion, particularly if the first vet isn't a cat specialist and/or hasn't made some serious dietary recommendations. I say this as someone who took a previous cat to an all-animal vet clinic with a good reputation... they were fine on basic care (annual exams were thorough, they handled a really serious early health crisis well, etc.) but they weren't very knowledgeable about feline nutrition, which is really important for certain conditions, like diabetes or IBD, which our cat most likely had. I'm not saying that this is necessarily the case with the OP's friend's cat's vet, I'm just saying that these things do happen. And they make a huge difference with diagnoses like diabetes, IBD, or even something seemingly simple like a weight issue (which our cat also had). Our current cats go to a cats-only vet and it's a totally different world.

As LTS3 notes, there are lots of places for the OP's friend to get information about feline diabetes. This forum plus catinfo.org and forums about IBD helped me a lot when our cat was in her last months. The more the friend reads, the more informed they'll be when they consider whether to accept or reject options that this vet or another offers.

Good luck! As I was getting ready to post, I saw that new home options are available, so that's great to know!

 

[fionasmom]

I am only going to add that I have had two diabetic cats, one years ago used Humulin and the most recent used ProZinc insulin. Neither ever went into remission but lived very happily for several years. So, a big NO as well to the question of putting the cat to sleep.

Tell your friends to join the message boards as indicated; they are extremely committed and helpful. Giving insulin is absolutely not a big deal unless you decide that it is. While diabetes is a serious condition and I am not downplaying it, I would much rather give a shot of insulin to a cat than pill them or syringe liquid meds in their mouth. My first diabetic cat was semi feral and even with that background did not react at all to the insulin.

 

[Meowmee]

While diabetes is a manageable disease, it is not without a time and financial commitment. Owners may elect euthanasia as the best decision for them and their cat. Cats with untreated or poorly regulated diabetes have poor quality of life so euthanasia can be a kinder decision. And while the idea of re-homing sounds wonderful, in reality who is going to adopt an adult/senior kitty with known medical issues (I know we all probably would but…) The owner could spend an unreasonable amount of time trying to find a new home as kitty’s diabetes may not be well controlled.

Im not saying I am a fan of euthanizing for treatable conditions but I definitely think diabetes borders that line and owner commitment places a huge role.

It is a difficult situation for sure. In an older cat with other health issues it can add to the situation. If the owner, cannot manage it and they want to re home their kitty that is best for kitty, but kitty will prolly feel sad and miss their home etc. While many would not take on a cat with diabetes, I think there are those who will as well. Some people who are angels only adopt senior kitties with health issues.

 

[aleeming]

We have new home options already, so that’s not the issue in this case luckily. The cat is in good spirits other than peeing a lot and constantly hungry, so quality of life for this particular cat is still pretty good.

If you have another home then tell the owner that you'd like to re-home the cat for them with someone who will do their best to treat the diabetes. Let them know the cat will not be allowed to suffer. It sounds like that is the only option because they have decided not to deal with it after realizing in a month the time and effort it takes and if you just try to persuade them they will likely just tell you soon that the cat has been euthanized and you can stop talking about it.

 

[iholdgrudges]

If you have another home then tell the owner that you'd like to re-home the cat for them with someone who will do their best to treat the diabetes. Let them know the cat will not be allowed to suffer. It sounds like that is the only option because they have decided not to deal with it after realizing in a month the time and effort it takes and if you just try to persuade them they will likely just tell you soon that the cat has been euthanized and you can stop talking about it.

We’ve tried this. The owner is adamant they won’t rehome the cat as in her words ‘it’s her cat, she is suffering and she knows what’s best for it’.
We’re working on other solutions to save the cat. Thank you all for the replies, I’ll keep you posted. Please send good vibes our way that we manage to find a solution to save the cat.

 

[iholdgrudges]

Sorry I didn’t update this - I’m looking after foster kittens and they’re very distracting!
We decided the best solution was to phone the vet in advance and advise them of the full situation, and they advised sending a family member along to the appointment which we managed to do in the end. The cat is fine at the moment, still on medication and fingers crossed now the vet will be aware should the issue arise again.

 

[fionasmom]

Thank you for letting us know. Very glad that some sort of resolution was possible.