Moving from Treatment to Burnout

Feline diabetes is scary when you're new to the dance. Very scary. That fear can lead to some awful decisions.

When can we play?

Fluffy has been your beloved kitty for eight years, you may have adorable stories about how you found each other and how cute she is when she's stalking her favorite shoe lace. She may even be the only set of ears for you to tell your inner most secrets to and the only set of eyes that look upon with you with only love. But once she starts getting sick and the diagnosis comes in all of that disappears and you are left with a lump in your throat and butterflies in your stomach.

You listen to the vet explain insulin and blood sugar and hear about all these changes but you can't comprehend it right now, your brain just stopped when you heard shots twice a day and new food. You may go into that fight or flight feeling you sometimes get. You choose to fight and move quickly to the internet, your friends, family, and even coworkers. You're surprised at how many people tell you to put Fluffy down. She's a cat, she doesn't want shots every day, she's replaceable, there will always be another. Wow, did your trusted companions just tell you to put Fluffy down?

Vet Bashing—Not Really Productive

By Venita Wood, Diabetic Cats in Need's Founder and Director

In the online world of feline diabetes care, DCIN Case Managers often, way too often, see experienced caregivers on Facebook and forums bashing a newly diagnosed diabetic cat’s veterinarian for the recommended/prescribed protocol. For example, the cat’s vet:

• Prescribed an inappropriate insulin.
• Wants the cat to come to the office once a week for a month or so for a dose-adjusting blood glucose (BG) curve.
• Did not explain to the caregiver that he could test the cat’s blood glucose levels at home.
• Recommends an inappropriate diet, usually a prescription diabetic diet, and sometime a prescription dry food.

I understand those criticisms. But I also have learned from being a DCIN Team Member and observing interactions on various Internet sites that those kinds of comments, especially when delivered with the gusto that some use to deliver them (“Your vet is an idiot”) don’t necessarily improve the situation for a diabetic cat or its caregiver.

Having an extra sweet kitty changes things... often for the better

After the recent loss of my little man, Fred, I started thinking back to the diabetic kitty who changed my life forever, his name was Tucker. I think it's simple to see the impact he had on me brought me to DCIN and gave me the desire to help more diabetic kitties. Then I got to thinking, I wonder how has Feline Diabetes changed others so I asked that question on DCIN's Facebook page and here, in part, are some of the replies.

Brittany:  I too have a diabetic cat, RJ, who just turned 11 last month. He became DKA 2 summers ago (when he was first diagnosed) and I was told by an after-hours emergency Veterinarian that "I should strongly consider euthanasia because diabetes is a huge commitment"... I refused to accept that answer, and brought him into his regular vet the next morning. The vet sent me home with a bag of fluids in hopes that he would start to feel better and eat again so I could start insulin. Low and behold he started eating, and I began insulin and home testing. It was a challenge at first, but now it's routine for us both and he's doing great 2 years later! He also became DKA again last summer... but pulled through again! Feline diabetes has opened my eyes to a world of cats who are written off just because they develop a treatable condition. I would like to adopt another diabetic one day when I have more space. However in the mean time I would love to take my knowledge and pass it along to others who may be on the fence about having a special needs pet.

The Story of Clide, a very special kitty

I started this post because a dear friend named Rena lost an amazing kitty named Clide on the anniversary of the loss of my own sweet boy Tucker.  I have read and re-read the story of Clide so many times and each time I come away feeling that much more motivated to continue helping specially-abled kitties and their owners and feel that another person's Clide will find them and change them forever too.

I came to DCIN full time because of Tucker; I found my way because a senior kitty who others passed by turned out to be best part of my life.  This story is about another senior kitty, equally as special, who found his way to his person and helped her find her own path.

Below is the Story of Clide, written by his furrever mom who will always miss him and will honor him as she continues the work with Clide by her side, sending her a guiding paw and still talking to her from a distance.

Clide's Story

The Little Vial That Could

This is the story of "the little vial that could," and more.

Not long ago a kitty Mom lost her best friend Peanut. Peanut had been diabetic for nine years and besides his grief-stricken Mom, he left behind a recently opened vial of insulin and some other diabetic supplies. Mom, who lives nearby, arranged to leave those items for me at our common vet. (Small world isn't it?)

When I drove to my vet's office to get those supplies, Big Head Todd and his Mom came along, to have my vet see Big Head. His breathing wasn't quite right. The closer we got, the more strenuous Big Head's breathing became. By the time we got there, Big Head Todd was hyperventilating, and after a bit of quick care, the vet techs pushed us out the door to the nearby emergency hospital ten minutes up the road.

The Twelve Months of DCIN - 2012

This has been a tremendous year for DCIN with so many lows and highs, it's hard to put it all into words. Most importantly, though, let me express how thankful we are for your support and friendship. Here is an abbreviated look back at this past year, month by month.

On first day of... oops, I mean in the first month of 2012, DCIN was proud to become an affiliate in the Amazon.com Associates Program which allows for donations to be sent to DCIN when people shop at Amazon through a link on our website. There were some low points in January, though. Sadly, the husband of a dear DCIN friend became ill and later passed, a loss we all still feel. While we were pleased to be able to take in some foster kitties (some of whom are still in foster care), one unfortunately was dealing with a different kind of ailment. Sam, a beloved foster, passed away. Another adopted DCIN kitty was diagnosed with a cancer called Vaccine Associated Sarcoma (VAS) and though he is still with his family, it is unknown if after the VAS was removed, if it will come back.

During the second month of 2012, things were a little calmer. Chewy found his way to DCIN from a shelter in NC and was eventually adopted into a loving home months later, although he didn't have to go too far to find it, his foster mom fell in love. Even more kitties joined our rehoming program and financial assistance program. We also embarked on preparations to launch DCIN as a stand-alone 501(3)c.

The next few months saw more rehoming and assistance for diabetic cats. We also began some new fundraising ventures, now known as Naffles.

Sadly, though, a DCIN member lost a close friend, Rita. A beautiful memorial page was set up in Rita's honor.

Another very poignant loss was dealt the DCIN community. Our beloved spokescat Ennis left for Rainbow Bridge this past March. He was well known and loved by all of us in DCIN and will always be at the heart of organization. While no cat could fill Ennis' paws, we have proudly anointed a new spokescat. The torch has been passed from Ennis to Mikey. Mikey takes his new responsibilities very seriously and has done a wonderful job in his new capacity.

In June, DCIN truly began feeling the pressure of the recession and was forced to review some policies in order to ensure we could continue to help the many cats that rely on us. After much discussion, we implemented some changes to meet the demands of the financial assistance program and still help others who needed homes. Fortunately, these measures, along with your support, have helped us get back on track.

Over the next few months we had one rogue foster mom return a diabetic cat to the shelter that she told us was going to put him down in the first place. There was already a home and heart waiting for him through DCIN but all we can do is hope that he found a home and is being lovingly cared for. In September another dear kitty had passed, one who profoundly helped DCIN, there is no way to express how much he changed the program but to honor him we started the Kirby Kit program in his honor.

We also found a new old friend named Mark who owns ProJunk Removal in CT and Hairs Hugos Barber Shop. A dear friend to me personally who, when he learned about the diabetic kitties we helped, he did not hesitate to contribute not once, but twice, a large amount of supplies that we are constantly in need of.

A rough estimate of the number of kitties helped in just this one year is about 150 and this does not include many financial assistance kitties that were already in the program before 2012. You read 150 but what you don't see is what's behind that 150. The emails, the calls to clients, vets, other rescue contacts, the research, the sleepless nights, the others who we use as sounding boards and who help us continually grow. The hours spent by our transport team to find routes, drivers, flights and then monitor all of these things and sometimes change everything when weather becomes a factor.

While we have been able to help so many, there have been losses; we lost Charlie, Tigger, Joe, Kip and Simba who were all on our adoptable list. In rescue there are always going to be losses, but knowing that doesn't make it easier to cope with.  As always, it is the love and compassion of our DCIN friends and family that make the work easier and help me to cope with those losses.  I feel continually blessed to be able to help diabetic cats and their people and I know that while I can't help everyone, the ones that I can help, a difference is made and someone's world is a little easier.  But it is not me who is helping those cats and those people, it is you, our DCIN friends and supporters who give us the ability to do this and I hope that in 2013 you continue to support our work and you get to know us and if you ever feel like you'd like to get to know us better, please don't hesitate to reach out to us and simply ask.  We love to hear from our DCIN family and welcome your thoughts, comments and ideas.

Do unto others...

We've all heard the expression - do unto others as you would have done unto you.

Both in rescue and in my day-to-day work life, I try to live by that phrase, as I'm sure many of us aspire to, but sometimes there are those that we come across who don't necessarily share that philosophy.

At my office, one coworker is happily awaiting the birth of his first child, a daughter. He came in today with an adorable jogging outfit he had bought after a client meeting, excitedly showing it off. Meanwhile, another coworker who has been caring for his ailing father is now facing the imminent end, his father's death only days, possibly hours away. One filled with excitement for the future, one preparing to mourn his past.