My cat has DKA. What can I do at home if I can't afford a vet?

I am sorry to hear Khouie is an severe and concerning clinical situation. This is a very difficult time I understand. I would suggest to avoid giving insulin as that should be given only after measuring blood glucose (giving insulin could cause otherwise hypoglycemia). Ketoacidosis is usually diagnosed when ketones are inside urine (so urine analysis would be ideally needed). Discomfort and lack of appetite would require an immediate check up to evaluate his quality of life and eventually discuss euthanasia with your local veterinarian. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

I'm so sorry to hear that Dominic isn't doing well. Unfortunately, complications from uncontrolled diabetes can be very severe, and it sounds like Dominic is extremely sick. Sometimes cats in ketoacidosis can be stabilized and saved, but it requires intense hospitalization and care, and even then many cats cannot be saved. If Dominic is showing evidence of kidney failure, and your vet is recommending putting him to sleep, it sounds like his chances of improving to a good quality of life are not good. I have to defer to your vet's recommendations since they are familiar with the specifics of Dominic's case - but euthanasia is definitely something that I recommend in cases where the chances of improving are very small and the cat is suffering. It would not be wrong for you to choose this course of action given Dominic's poor prognosis. I'm so very sorry you are going through this. I hope this helps. All the best to you and Dominic.

Princess has probably been diabetic for a while (possibly many months). When the diabetes continues on untreated, the dogs can become ketotic. If she still has a good appetite, the she may be able to start insulin shots, anti-nausea medications, pain medications, etc. at home without needing specialized hospitalization. If she is very ill, her best chances are in the hospital. You always have the option of declining in-hospital treatment and trying to treat at home, but you may not always be successful. You should discuss all available options with your vet, even if the outcome is not ideal or leads to a poor prognosis. Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a very serious problem in pets and causes life-threatening abnormalities. They need aggressive IV fluid therapy and a special type of insulin to slowly decrease their blood glucose and manage them through the many ups and downs. The monitoring and hands-on-vet care required means high bills. Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas - the organ that regulates insulin) is very common in diabetic dogs, and can make things harder to treat since it causes intense pain and nausea. Your vet probably also warned you that having a diabetic dog is expensive since she will need regular vet visits, blood glucose monitoring, insulin and the syringes to administer it, a change in diet, etc.

Hi, I think you should check his blood glucose, which I think it’s going to be high. If you can’t because your vet is closed and you don’t have an emergency clinic nearby, I would give him half dose of insulin. Please get in touch if there is anything else we can do for you. Hope this helps.

Mittens is a lovely looking girl! Unfortunately there isn't anything you can do at home for her, she has to see a vet as soon as possible because she sounds quite sick. It's serious that she's had diarrhea with blood in it, she's not eating much, she's quite thirsty, and is lethargic. I would see if you can borrow money from family or friends, if your vet will accept payment plans, or you can apply for VetCare Finance to afford a vet for her. I would take her into a vet first thing in the morning, and I hope one of my resources helps you afford a vet! http://www.vetcarefinance.co.nz/

I'm sorry to hear that Sabbath is so sick. Pale gums, lethargy, and a fast heart rate may be signs of anemia, or a low red blood cell count. This could be due to a flea infestation, infectious diseases, or cancer. Sabbath really must be seen by a vet. Aside from treating a flea infestation at home (if one exists), there really isn't anything you can do at home to manage clinical signs this severe. Try to ask your vet if they accept payment plans or have other financing options available.

Squiggles need to see a vet. If he has lost that much weight my guess is he either has diabetes or kidney disease. He could also have a serious mouth/dental infection or even hepatic lipidosis. I'm sorry you think vets are expensive but there is a lot of overhead involved with running a vet clinic. The staff has to be paid, the utilities, all the medications, supplies and equipment. It is your responsibility to get him care when he is sick. Letting him suffer because of financial constraints is really not a good option. Not everything can be fixed at home. So, please get him evaluated by a vet and then you can go from there. If he has a severe disease and you cannot afford treatment then it would be best to humanely euthanize him.