Conference misery::feline_v1

    Not sure why this vet is refering you to tufts for this work?
    Are you going to be giving the injections yourself once the 
    requirements are known?

    I have had vet bills reach $1000 (never had a cat at Tufts) over the
    course of a week, but only when extensive surgery was involved.
    I would keep the appointment with Tufts and ask about the fees in
    detail.  I may be wrong, but i think letting diabetes go untreated
    for very long can be quite dangerous.
    
    Alternatively, you might rediscus this with your vet to get
    things cleared up.
    

        TUFTS is a teaching/research/university hospital and appointments can
     only be gotten by referal from your vet.  They ARE very expensive.  I 
    don't know if you could call another vet and he could do it.  I guess they
    are so expensive because they have the top of the line equipment and know 
    the latest technology.  Usually when you go for an appointment there are
    many "vets" looking at your animal.  (vets-in-training).  Don't get my
    wrong, they are not excessively expensive.  You're just getting, and
    paying for, the BEST.

    re .1: Yes.  We (read "I", probably) will giving the shots.  (My wife
           is the one who calls them.  :-))
           
    re .2: My wife did call the vet.  She said "no-one does it anymore"
           due to the expense of 24-hr coverage and the various tests
           required.
    
           As I mentioned in the base note, the cat will be treated for
           the problem.  In fact, he & I are scheduled for lunchtime today.
    
    re .3: The trick here was to get a better feel for Tufts, were there
           alternatives, and did I have to try for a second mortgage.  As
           you can see, we'll be keeping the appointment.
    
    I know I'll find out from Tufts how the insulin is purchased; I've
    heard by the bottle and by individual one-shot syringes.  Hopefully
    I'll have other questions...
    
    							Don

    
    	What about Angel? Can you go there instead? Does anybody
    	(here) think it would make a difference?
    

      I have had experiences with Tufts with three different cats over a
    period of a few years.  Although I would say that yes, they are a bit
    expensive because they are a research/teaching hospital, the care and
    attention that my cats received was (in my opinion) outstanding.
    
      I won't go into all of the details for all three instances but the
    most traumatic (for the cat as well as my husband and I) was when
    we lost our calico Pookey for a week.  Come to find out she had been
    hit by a car and a student coming home from Tufts happened to see
    her and bring her back to the hospital.  They kept her alive in
    intensive care and placed an ad in the paper to try to find the
    owners (she had lost her collar the week before the accident).
    
      We showed up there early Sunday morning and identified her as
    well as authorize the surgery.  The surgery was extensive as they
    literally had to put her back together.  They kept her for another
    10 days after that.  The total bill was over 1,000 dollars but that
    was with extensive surgery and a total stay of almost three weeks.
    We now have a miracle "bionic" kitty.  
    
      The only thing I did not like was that they estimate the total
    cost of care and we had to pay 1/2 up front and the last half
    when we picked her up.  That can get tough.....thank goodness for
    credit cards.
    
      Didn't mean to ramble on.....I was just very happy with the care
    she received.
    
    
    Sandie
    
    

    Hi,
    
         I've had good luck with Tufts too, although they can be very
    expensive.  A good estimate for me is that whatever things cost at a
    regular vet, double it and that will be the cost at Tufts.  Probably
    because of the state-of-the-art equipment, etc.
    
         I'm surprised, though, that your vet wants to hospitalize your cat
    because my cat was just diagnosed with diabetes over the weekend.  We
    brought Loki to the vet (Shrewsbury Animal Hospital) on Friday because
    he was listless and had been drinking and urinating quite a bit in the
    last couple of weeks.  They diagnosed diabetes, started him on insulin
    and then let us take him home on Monday.  Dr. Mosley showed us how to
    inject him and how to use the urine test strips to check his glucose. 
    Every morning I check his urine, then give him the appropriate amount
    of insulin, then feed him.  Later that morning I call Dr. Mosley to
    tell her how Loki's doing, what I gave him, what his reading was, etc. 
    Her theory is that cats are less stressed at home than at the vets and
    can stabilize a lot quicker at home.  His case isn't too severe,
    however; he's getting 2-3 units of insulin a day.
    
         Dr. Mosley gave me a prescription for syringes and insulin.  I
    went to CVS and got those.  The syringes were around $17 for 100, the
    insulin was about $12 for 1000 units (quite a bit).  The urine strips
    were kind of expensive, about $10 for 50, but I think that once the cat
    is stabilized I won't have to test his urine quite so often.
    
         Dr. Mosley also told me about some new surgery - see my note for
    details.
    
         Hope that helps!
    
    					- Andrea
    

    I question the need for Tufts for a diabetic cat as well.  I know my
    regular vet is qualified in that area so there would be no need for
    Tufts.
    
    However, I have used Tufts services twice, on cats with heart disease. 
    The first time, I didn't know what was wrong with my cat, so I just let
    them take him and do whatever was necessary.  The bill came to almost
    $800, and he ended up dying a few days after admission.  Still, it was
    worth it to know exactly what was wrong.
    
    The second time, my regular vet diagnosed the heart disease and we
    mutually agreed on the tests to be performed.  Knowing what was wrong
    with him beforehand, I was able to admit him and call the shots on what
    tests I wanted them to do.  In other words, my vet and I took control
    and worked within my budget constraints, still giving him the best
    possible care.  He too, didn't live, and the final bill was only $115.
    
    So, I think that Tufts is expensive when the cause of the illness is
    unknown (cause they'll do a lot of diagnostic tests and if the illness
    is critical, admit the animal to ICU which costs twice as much), or if
    the animal requires surgery.
    
    When one of my cats required an opthomolgist and surgery to unblock a
    tear duct, I used Tufts.  The dollar amount quoted me was the exact
    amount I paid when all was said and done.
     

    re: .8 - I agree with Roberta.  Tufts is where my friend took Torry.
    (There was a note in here about Torry entitled "very sick kitten")
    The final diagnosis was "dry" FIP.  Tufts had Torry for a week and the
    cost was over $1200.  They didn't know what was wrong with him so ran
    every test they could think of that might shed some light.\
    
    In defense of your vet, I would say that diabetes is NOT a simple
    disease.  It varies greatly in terms of severity and unpredictability.
    Adequate control of bloodsugar level is critical to prevent the
    occurance of other serious problems that accompany diabetes - like
    blindness and kidney problems. Some cases are easy to regulate, some
    are almost impossible to regulate.
    
    You'll have to talk to your vet and decide what is best.
    
    Good luck.
       Nancy 

    Another option is to have your vet confer with Tufts.  Your vet can
    administer the necessary treatments under Tuft's guidance.  This can
    also save you money in the long run.
    

     Well, sorry for the delay in reporting on our trip to Tufts, but
     time moved quicker than I realized.
     
     Tufts dropped their program whereby they keep the cat until he's
     regulated to the insulin; now they send you home and let you give
     insulin shots (slowly increased) until it looks like its close, 
     then the cat goes in for 24 hrs for regulation.  Much more cost-
     effective.
     
     Mimie began eating better, urinating less, and gained weight.
     He was back to his old self (at least before the diabetes took
     hold).  He did well, but we could see he was slowing down.  At 16+, 
     which is equivalent to ~90 in humans, we had to allow as how it 
     made sense.
     
     But on Monday, Nov. 18th, we came home to a sick kitty.  On Tuesday
     he looked and acted better, so I thought it was the bowl of milk he'd
     consumed during the day Monday.  Wednesday night we knew he wasn't 
     doing well, and on Thursday morning I took him to the vet.  
     
     Initial tests showed his system was "'way out of wack" (the doctor's
     technical term).  His temp was down to 96' (which they got back up
     during the day).  The blood tests didn't come back until late, and
     the vet had left by the time we arrived to visit him.  He was very
     weak, but he knew us and we both held him, but he wanted to get down,
     so we put him back on the heating pad, stayed awhile longer, told him
     he was a good boy and went home.
     
     After an awful night, I took my wife to work and went to the hospital
     to speak to the doc.  I repeated last night's routine, and so did he.
     I could see he was much worse, and when the vet arrived she suggested
     I bring my wife back, figuring he wouldn't last long.  He didn't; he
     died a little after 9:00 of kidney & liver failure (and goodness knows
     what else), complications of the diabetes.
     
     Neither of us were prepared for this, even 'tho we knew he was an old
     dude and was a diabetic.  The doctor said in a way it was best he went 
     quickly; minimum suffering and not putting the burden of the Quality of 
     Life issue on us.  She told us of our options, and my wife felt the 
     need for keeping him with us, so he will be cremated and his ashes
     returned to us.
     
     It was a rough day.
     
     I do take some comfort that we were able to keep him with us for an
     extra 5-plus months, and that we'd decorated for Christmas early.
     Yes, he knew about Christmas, since we go all out for it, and he gets
     extra-spoiled.  He didn't like all the boxes, 'tho, and would have
     nightmares until they got put away.  Every year.  Everyone says *their*
     cat is the smartest, but I can tell you I don't expect to have another
     cat as intelligent as Mim.  My wife would read to him out of "his"
     Christmas book, and Mim would paw the page if she didn't go fast 
     enough.  At least once a season he'd pick ornaments off a tree and line 
     them up in an even row, and when discovered he'd sit there with his  
     "Hey, lookit me!" face.  Mim was a part Maine Coon, with a very 
     expressive face, and so in tune with my wife that he'd respond to a 
     sentence rather than a command.  I could go on, but suffice to say it 
     feels like a human died, not a pet.
     
     On Saturday, my wife was picking up in the dining room, as the table
     seems to be the catch-all of things coming into the house.  The
     table has a Christmas tablecloth on it, plus some decorations, so
     we try to keep up with it a little better this time of year.  The only
     thing usually out of place is a tray of ornaments waiting for the 
     dining room tree, packed in with the room decorations (to save space).  
     There, on the floor on the other side of the table, were some red 
     metal Christmas tree ornaments, lined up in a neat little row.
     
     						Don
              

     On the advice of friends (and an empty house), we went out
     searching for another cat.  My wife wanted a female (Mim was
     supposed to be a female, but fooled everyone but the vet),
     and not a kitten, and that's about all we decided on.  The
     vet suggested Baypath Humane (over Worcester Humane), so
     Hopkinton was our first stop.

     Nice little place; about 8 cat cages; 2 nice women (wearing
     "We-had-to-get-rid-of-the-kids-because-the-cat-was-allergic" 
     T-shirts); very clean.

     The only cat which seemed to take to us was a ten-plus pound 
     grey & brown female.  (And looks and acts like a female)
     Spayed.  De-clawed (front).  Part Maine Coon.  Turned in by
     a woman who couldn't keep her.  ("Do you believe in Divine 
     Omnipresence?" :-))  Need I say more?

     It isn't the same (which we knew it wouldn't), but we're
     getting to know one another, and last night she spent an
     hour sleeping in my wife's lap.  (It always amazes me how
     quickly animals & children take to my wife.)  Bertina & I
     will take a little longer, but I like her and she let's me
     carry her around.  Plus I'm the one who feeds her, so she
     has some incentive to be friendly.  :-)  She spent the 
     night sleeping on our bed, and patiently waited for us to
     go downstairs to the kitchen (at which time she let us 
     know it was breakfast time).  So I think she'll work out,
     and help us through two very tough holidays.

     So thank you all for your concern, inputs, and sympathy when
     we thought we might lose Mim.  I thought of you folks Friday,
     and it helped then, too.
    
     		           			  Don
     

    Each time I lose one of my kids I am reminded again of the actual
    physical pain that comes with that kind of loss. Most of us in this
    file understand the kind of loss you are feeling and hope the awful
    hurt will pass quickly. It is difficult to endure the empty spaces left
    in our lives at a time like this ...but the memories will keep Mimie
    with you.
    
    Our thoughts are with you....
    
    Linda
    

    Don,
    
    What a touching story to end the saga of Mimie.  I am SO sorry about
    your loss, and know EXACTLY how you feel.  When your pet dies it is
    even more tragic, I think, than when a human dies.  Your pet is so
    loving and loyal and vulnerable and sweet.  They touch your heart in
    a way that no human can.  So when they go, there is always such a deep
    sense of loss.  
    
    When I read your story, it was with tears in my eyes.  And when I read
    the final paragraph and visualized the little red ornaments all in a
    row.....  well, that was when the tears fell.  That final little
    tribute of Mimie's to the holidays.  What a dear spirit she was.
    
    My heart goes out to you and your wife.  God bless and my condolences.
    
    Nancy (Zuzu, Bear, Suki, and Cyrano)

    My thoughts are with you.
    
    Karen
    

         I'm so sorry to hear of your loss.  May Bertina help ease the pain
    for you and your wife.
    
    					- Andrea

    My thoughts are with you and your wife.  Minie gave you many
    wonderful joyful years...so keep all those beautiful memories
    close to your hearts.
    
    Your new Kitty will not replace Minie....but obviously your hearts
    are big enough to provide a wonderful home to a shelter cat...who 
    needs you as much as you need her.
    
    Sincere thoughts...Sandy          

WWWAAAHHH!!  What a nice story about Mim!!  He could never have had a better
life on this planet than to have had you two for parents.  I know Bertina isn't
the same, but some day, she's gonna fill that emptiness in her own special
way.  She'll have some funny little thing that she does that will make you
remember Mim and that will stay will you always.

Happy holidays to you and your wife and to Bertina, too!

Mary

    
    	Don,
    
    	Sniff sniff.  Our Sasha is part Maine Coon also so I
    	know what you mean by the 'expressive face'.  The last
    	part of your goodbye note to Mim really got to me....
    	I guess the Christmas ornaments were his last hurrah and
    	his last goodbye to his humans who were so wonderful to
    	him.
    
    	I hope your new kitty will bring you new joy.
    
    	JJ
    

	I'm very sorry to hear of your loss.. I've never lost one of my own.
	When I read your story it made me realize how precious our two are
	to us and how hard it would be to say goodbye..  I'm sorry... 

	I hope your new addition will be as happy in her new home as Mim was.

	-Rob