Anyone had/have a pet with Diabetes

[Brett_J]

My dog has just had a serious bout of Pancreatitus, now I'm giving her insulin injections to regulate her insulin, as it's been so soon, her levels are all over the show, it's hard trying to keep her levels anywhere near normal.

How did you/your dog/cat go with daily injections?
I have a monitor that I take her levels every few hours, all it does it take me on a roller coatser of emotions from happy its low to scared as its really high !

[TJ]

Brockas cat

[RICEY]

May be of assistance:

http://www.petdiabetesmonth.com/dog_managing.asp

[Brockas]

My dog has just had a serious bout of Pancreatitus, now I'm giving her insulin injections to regulate her insulin, as it's been so soon, her levels are all over the show, it's hard trying to keep her levels anywhere near normal.

How did you/your dog/cat go with daily injections?
I have a monitor that I take her levels every few hours, all it does it take me on a roller coatser of emotions from happy its low to scared as its really high !

Our cat, Phantom, had diabetes from the age of 13 until he died at 17 years old.

He had 2-3 injections every day for 4 years. For the first 6 months his blood sugar levels were all over the place until we finally worked out exactly what he needed. It's NOT CHEAP as you need to test your pet all the time and have his levels monitored overnight until you get it right.

Sometimes he wouldn't eat enough and we didn't notice, and still gave him the same injection. That's why we had to keep a bottle of honey and a straw nearby. If he got visibly lazier right after an injection, we'd have to put honey in his mouth. He'd pick up again straight away.

Eventually his kidneys gave out, but he was 17 years old, so we couldn't complain about his innings!



Word of advice - be prepared to pay if it's permanent. I think we spent ~$15k over 3 years on Phantom because of his diabetes.

[Daisy]

2-3 injections a day? fucking hell. I would have given it one.

[Brett_J]

Our cat, Phantom, had diabetes from the age of 13 until he died at 17 years old.

He had 2-3 injections every day for 4 years. For the first 6 months his blood sugar levels were all over the place until we finally worked out exactly what he needed. It's NOT CHEAP as you need to test your pet all the time and have his levels monitored overnight until you get it right.

Sometimes he wouldn't eat enough and we didn't notice, and still gave him the same injection. That's why we had to keep a bottle of honey and a straw nearby. If he got visibly lazier right after an injection, we'd have to put honey in his mouth. He'd pick up again straight away.

Eventually his kidneys gave out, but he was 17 years old, so we couldn't complain about his innings!



Word of advice - be prepared to pay if it's permanent. I think we spent ~$15k over 3 years on Phantom because of his diabetes.

Ok, so it does take a while to get it on track then.
I'm prepared that she'll be like this for the rest of her life, I've already spent 2.5k in the last week on her, not including today's bill when I pick her up for the latest update.
She's part of the family, so worth it.

[Brockas]

2-3 injections a day? fucking hell. I would have given it one.
LOL so you wouldn't spend 5 minutes a day to keep your pet of 14 years alive?


If that's the case, don't ever get a pet.

[Sensible]

Yep they are family
My German Shepard has a Pancreatic enzyme disorder
It cost over $300 a month in tablets and speical food, She is 7 years old now and has had it for 3 years so I am alreadyover 10k in
The average age for a Shepard is 10 so at least another 10k to go
Would I get rid of her? Not a hope in hell

[ReaperSS]

I have been thinking of getting pet insurance for when i get a dog. Would pet insurance cover stuff like this?

[Sensible]

Yes only if you get it before diagnosis

[Brett_J]

I have been thinking of getting pet insurance for when i get a dog. Would pet insurance cover stuff like this?

Yep, I was looking at insurance only the other week and was too lazy to follow through, now I'm paying !

Pet Plan are one of the better ones and accroding to my vet, they never have a problem with claims like a lot of the popular ones, plus the top cover covers shit loads.

[Buckas]

Yes only if you get it before diagnosis

Thank god for that. I got pet insurance when my dog Rambo was a pup. He vomited up a fully in tact red G-string (noone has owned up to it being theirs yet, I'm looking at my brother). I signed up for it that day. $32 a month is worth it

edit: i forgot about the topic. my great aunt has a schnauzer with diabetes from when it suffered from lack of care and being fat. It has 2 injections a day but that was well over 5 years ago now and still going strong. Although they're loaded and could afford it no worries. The list of cars that don't get driven makes me so sad

[TJ]

I can imagine having a diabetic pet would be much like a young child having it - they are unaware of the effects of over/under dosing and dont recognise the signals that something isnt right.

[Brett_J]

Another $560 today, but at least we are advancing in getting it closer to sorted, so that's over 3k in the last week, just as well I love this dog :)

[S85FI]

She's part of the family, so worth it.



If that's the case, don't ever get a pet.

Totally with you guys here. My Kelpie cross Blue Healer was such a good friend. If they could only talk. Spotty managed 13 years, saves my ass twice, got poisoned twice. He pulled through both times.

Thanks to South St Vet and Murdoch for looking after him over the years. Most impressed with Murdoch and the 24h care was unreal.

Two trips for poisoning and a hernia I became a regular at Murdoch.

The hernia required a special diet (more so food prep with psyllium seed husk, and the various other medication) and I would prepare his food 3 times a day fresh for 3 years.

In the end cancer got the better, the cancer - it was depressing to see his deterioration within six months.
I'd have to give him his medication a couple times a day and watch his teeth slowly fall out as his gums got weaker. His energy was slowly dropping and he would rest his head on my lap... He would look up knowing his time was almost there.

Eventually I had to blend his food (two days worth) and his jaw would just bleed - I'd just mop up after him. The Vet assured me he was not in pain and he would eventually be lethargic due to blood loss. On the evening of day 2 he decided not to eat and just jumped on the couch.

The morning of day 3, was a hard decision. So loyal to the end. "sit" "paw" "lay" and a shot of the blue dream.

Would I do it again, and spend 22K on the pet. Hell yeh.

Do what you can/afford. :) and I hope the dog pulls through.

[Fukushima]

Agree with the sentiments above but I am disgusted at what drugs for pets cost.

$40 for a course of cephalexin that would cost $16.95 retail in a pharmacy and wholesales for about $2
$50 for anti inflammatories that wholesales at $7
$70 for some steroid ointment that retails for $9.95 and wholesale is about $3

My dog got prescribed some steroids they wanted $25 for ten tablets, they cost my missus $2 and wholesale to the pharmacy she works in was 70 cents for a pack of 30

Can only imagine the mark ups on chemo for animals, they say you have to use their special animal tablets and like to use slightly different molecules that arn't registered for human use but its a load of crap. My dog happily takes the tablets we give him and a fussy dog will eat them in a lump of cheese.

So either the vets or the doggie drug companies are making a killing. Or both.

If your dog ends up on long term insulin PM me, I wouldn't be surprised if the human stuff is at least 50% cheaper and if its perfectly safe (it might be different) I'm sure we can find a sympathetic vet to write a script I can use to supply it.

/end rant

[ReaperSS]

Fark only talking about pet insurance , woke up tody to find out cat sleeping on the chair. Gave her a belly rub and felt a deep gash WTF, took her strait to the vet and now she is gettin surgery. $600 later.
Will look into it again now and get it before something more expensive happens

[Brett_J]

If your dog ends up on long term insulin PM me, I wouldn't be surprised if the human stuff is at least 50% cheaper and if its perfectly safe (it might be different) I'm sure we can find a sympathetic vet to write a script I can use to supply it.

/end rant

She may end up on Human Insulin as the caninsulin might not be strong enough.
Will talk when it's a possibility.


Fark only talking about pet insurance , woke up tody to find out cat sleeping on the chair. Gave her a belly rub and felt a deep gash WTF, took her strait to the vet and now she is gettin surgery. $600 later.
Will look into it again now and get it before something more expensive happens

The shit thing is most people realise they need to get it too late, I'm out 3k this week due to laziness :(

[Fukushima]

I worked out the insurance costs 7k over the life of my pet (without adjusting for inflation)

3k seems like a lot to you... But 7k seems like a lot to me!

[Brett_J]

It seems like a lot less if I had insurance and I handed them the bill and they handed my 3k lump sum back :)

[Buckas]

I worked out the insurance costs 7k over the life of my pet (without adjusting for inflation)

3k seems like a lot to you... But 7k seems like a lot to me!

over the life-time of the pet it does ad up. I got pet insurance because I'm still at uni and couldn't afford to pay for a lump sum such as if he got hit by a car and needed surgery. Whereas ~$32 a month is affordable and could save his life

[shifted]

It's nice to see so many people value the life of a pet (essentially a family member) - wish so many others shared the same view instead of dumping them at the pound/putting them down.

On another note - the insurance stuff is good. Mum's dog just went in because she couldn't walk, had x-rays done (through Woolies Pet Insurance, never looked into it before so we may change over to the other one mentioned here!) and turns out dad has been feeding her so much that she put on 1.5kg over 3 months, which her knee can't support (11 years old) and hence couldn't walk. Seems the insurance is covering the medication and x-rays, not bad for the $100 paid for the year!

[Sensible]

I buy my dogs meds from Gregs Chemist
The tablets she is on were $120 for a bottle direct from the vet or $40 from the chemist
After questioning the vet on this he said he would happily write a script that any chemist would fill, He also said that they get charged a lot more for the drugs than what a chemist does because of the volume that they move

[MMM]

Human drugs are fine for dogs. The only difference Is the pet pills might have a meat flavoring. Just go get the drugs from a normal chemist.

[Fukushima]

Human drugs are fine for dogs. The only difference Is the pet pills might have a meat flavoring. Just go get the drugs from a normal chemist.

If the same drug and dose yes. (oddly enough dogs metabolise quicker so for some drugs the dose is the same)

Some drugs like paracetamol are toxic to pets. So you still need a vet to prescribe... Or google if you think you know better.

**edit not directed at mmm you'd just be surprised how many people give their pets 'kids doses' without seeing a vet!

[MMM]

If the same drug and dose yes. (oddly enough dogs metabolise quicker so for some drugs the dose is the same)

Some drugs like paracetamol are toxic to pets. So you still need a vet to prescribe... Or google if you think you know better.
Sorry I didn't mean all drugs. Has to be prescribed by the vet.

[S85FI]

I think a vet is more qualified and if they support chemist prescriptions then go for it.

I wouldn't forgive myself if something went wrong.

[Fukushima]

I buy my dogs meds from Gregs Chemist
The tablets she is on were $120 for a bottle direct from the vet or $40 from the chemist
After questioning the vet on this he said he would happily write a script that any chemist would fill, He also said that they get charged a lot more for the drugs than what a chemist does because of the volume that they move

Yeah not surprised its to do with drug companies and volumes. Still the mark ups are very excessive!

[TJ]

If its the same medicine then they are simply adding to the volume by selling to pets...

[siladee]

im assuming they get a discount for buying in bulk and vets sell less

[Brett_J]

If its the same medicine then they are simply adding to the volume by selling to pets...

My dogs insulin has to be ordered in especially for me, and it's $125 for 10ml, I hope she get's better or switches to Human Insulin.
It only last's 7 days!

[TJ]

Yeah man - if you switch to human I will be able to help out.

Regardless, the needles - fucking hell @ 70 bucks.

[MadDocker]

]
LOL so you wouldn't spend 5 minutes a day to keep your pet of 14 years alive?

A family pet, yes. 5 minutes is nothing. A cat, no. GTFO.

I hope your dog ends up alright. So sad having/seeing a sick dog.

[Brett_J]

Shannon what insulin can you get cheap cheap?
She's just been switched to Protaphane.
I paid $115 for 10ml

She's pretty much going to be a diabetic now after tests on her Pancreatic enzymes were back to normal, so she's not producing her own insulin.
But she is so much better than 2 weeks ago, 3.4k later :)

[S85FI]

Glad to read the pooch is better. :)

[EVLO]

]

A family pet, yes. 5 minutes is nothing. A cat, no. GTFO.


Cats aren't family pets?

[Fukushima]

Cats are domestic pests

[TJ]

Shannon what insulin can you get cheap cheap?
She's just been switched to Protaphane.
I paid $115 for 10ml

She's pretty much going to be a diabetic now after tests on her Pancreatic enzymes were back to normal, so she's not producing her own insulin.
But she is so much better than 2 weeks ago, 3.4k later :)

Fucking hell.

I think I pay 27 dollars for 250ml... Need to confirm that.

[Brett_J]

Fucking hell.

I think I pay 27 dollars for 250ml... Need to confirm that.

Fuck, My vet must be a millionaire.

[Fukushima]

Shannon what insulin can you get cheap cheap?
She's just been switched to Protaphane.
I paid $115 for 10ml

I'm travelling at the moment but as an indication...
http://www.chemistwarehouse.com.au/product.asp?id=61487&pname=Insulin+Protaphane+10mL+Vial+5

50ml for $135 (you need to look at the private price, TJ would get an authority for 250ml for $36.10)

So if we can sort a script that's around $28 for your vets $115 vial at chemist warehouse, and around $30 from the place my missus works at.

[TJ]

If you get me a doc script I can pick it up via my discount.