This week I received an email from a customer and diabetic pet owner asking if veterinarians are in collusion on making insulin so pricey. I promise you, we are not! Shoot, most of the insulins I prescribe these days (Glargine, NPH, Levemir) I have owners get at their own pharmacy. We veterinarians don't have a whole lot of say in the price of insulin.
For the vast majority of diabetic pets we give insulin at the time of feeding. Usually once a pet starts to "dig in" at the food bowl we have the pet owner give the injection of insulin. I think the best reason for this is that the pet is too busy eating a delicious meal to pay much attention to the itty bitty prick of an insulin needle.
I had out of town visitors last week. That's what happens when you live in sunny south Florida in the winter. It was a long week. I did have ONE good house guest last week, however. It was Max, the newly diagnosed diabetic cat.
The other day I was told of a clinic that is offering free vaccines for life for pets who go in for their yearly exams and wellness care. I think this “free vaccines for life” is a neat idea, and one I may institute in my own veterinary clinic.
I made a new friend this week. Maximus is a 14 year-old charming orange tabby cat. His human noticed Maximus losing weight over the last month. Max apparently was never one to miss a meal before recent weeks.
Two weeks ago I got a new patient. He came to my clinic for a second opinion, as well as a quote for a dental cleaning and extractions of some abscessed teeth. And, by the way, he is an 18-year old uncontrolled diabetic cat. I thought this patient would be a good example for our readers […]
Years ago, before I had honed my charming bedside manner, I entered a well pet exam and teased the client that she had a "max pin" instead of a "min pin". That's short for miniature pinscher for those not used to vet speak. I don't think the client heard a word I said after that.
Last week I met a new patient. A family brought me their chubby, handsome, middle-aged pug. He had been to his regular veterinarian several times over the prior month because he had unrelenting soft stool. Their usual veterinarian was out of town, so the owners came to my hospital.
This week I had a client ask how to change her pet from one type of insulin to another, and if she could do it during her upcoming vacation.
You've studied the disease. You've purchased a glucose meter. You altered your schedule to ensure someone is home every 12 hours to give your diabetic pet insulin. And you run periodic glucose curves. A surprising perception of some diabetic pet owners is that the pet's blood glucose is the same day to day.