How much does a diabetes test for my cat typically cost at the vet?

The cost depends on your area and if your vet wants to run a full panel to check all the chemistries and organ functions or if they want to just check the thyroid levels. Call you vet and ask what the cost would be. If it is the first time, the vet will probably want a complete panel and these generally run $100-150. These are helpful because it gives a good baseline to compare future blood results against and can give indications of early kidney or liver disease, diabetes, and is a good indicator of overall health.

Increased thirst and urination can be commom symptoms of many disease processes and you are right that the first things we check for are metabolic (kidney disease, diabetes, etc.). The answer to your question is both. A urinalysis should always be performed as part of a blood panel, otherwise you are missing crucial information. Your vet will likely order a senior kitty wellness panel from an outside lab which will include cbc, chemistry panel, thyroid testing, and urinalysis. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Unfortunately no, there is no way to test this at home, Zoey has to see a vet. If paying for a vet is an issue, you can see if your vet accepts payment plans, if there is a low cost clinic in your area, or you can apply for Care Credit online. There is also an organization called Red Rover that give grants for treatment of sick animals, and you can see if you qualify for one of their grants. Best Friends also has a list of resources that offer financial assistance on their website. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_pet.html?credit=web_id91754962 https://www.redrover.org https://www.carecredit.com http://bestfriends.org/resources/financial-aid-pets http://lessonsfromaparalyzeddog.com/when-pet-owners-cant-afford-veterinary-bills/ http://www.dogheirs.com/resources-affordable-veterinary-care/ Check these resources to see if one can help you, and please call a vet in the morning to make her an appointment. Best of luck.

I'm sorry that Pepper isn't doing well! Yes, I do recommend having the fructosemine test done. Cats can have glucose in their urine due to stress, and this test will tell the vet if the glucose in her urine is due to stress or if she truly has diabetes. I hope this helps!

Normally, a diabetic cat should come back to the vet for a blood test (either a serum fructosamine level, or a blood glucose curve) 7-14 days after first starting insulin. Your vet should give you specific instructions for what he/she recommends in Fonzie's case.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! There is not a set number of times per day or anything like that. That is something that is determined based on the current control of the diabetes and is adjusted accordingly. That should be recommended by the veterinarian who is prescribing the insulin and keeping tract of the case closely. There is no way to accurately measure glucose in the urine for these cases. How long it takes to achieve steady levels also varies widely per case but possibly within a week or so. Best of luck!

Glucose levels in cats should not change based on size. However, levels can increase with stress but anything over 300 is very concerning for diabetes. Several tests can be done to diagnose diabetes. A fasting blood glucose level in addition to a urinanalysis will diagnose most cats, but occasionally a test called fructosamine may be needed. Overweight mid aged male cats are more predisposed to diabetes than others. It sounds like you may need to visit with your veterinarian to make a plan for BB.