Hi Everybody,
I just had my sweet kitty Henri diagnosed with diabetes... again. He had diabetes when I got him several years ago from the Humane Society. Of course, when I got him no one told me he had diabetes and he went into a crash to the point where I almost lost him a few weeks after I brought him home. Anyway, after a week-long hospital stay we pulled him through the crash and then started the insulin injections and special diet regime. Remarkably, he responded so well that he was eventually taken off the insulin and special diet and has not had either for years.
After that episode the vet did tell me that Henri would be susceptible to getting diabetes again since he had it already, so of course I have been keeping an especially close watch on his health in that respect. Recently I began noticing some troubling signs, and took him in to the vet a few days ago. Unfortunately the diabetes has returned, so I am gearing up to start the whole injection/diet routine again.
The vet told me that there is a new, cheaper (like $20/vial; about half the cost) OTC insulin called "ReliOn" now available, but it is only distributed by Walmart. I have tried to research this product online, but there is not a lot of information out there yet because it is so new. Well, except that some of the company's syringes got recalled because they were improperly marked and were giving people too high of a dose. Not comforting, especially when getting the exact dose for a small kitty body is so important.
So do any of you have any experience with this brand/product? I am trying to find out everything I can about it because honestly the idea of using non-Rx insulin bought from a department store (much less Walmart) is kind of freaking me out. On the other hand, I don't want to spend twice the money on an established brand if there really is no difference in quality (with several older kitties I am committed to keeping as much money as I possibly can in their health care fund).
I guess my biggest fear at this point is the quality of the medicine itself: I know that Walmart cuts corners on quality in everything they produce to make the greatest possible profit, and while that might be okay for things like paper towels or whatever... I don't know that I feel okay with it when the product is a life-saving medication.
Anyway, thoughts and comments appreciated. Thanks for helping me to think this through.
:hi:
Henri: