Just diagnosed this morning, few questions

[Stanley's Mom]

Stanley was just diagnosed this morning, am picking him up shortly. I'm sure I'll get a lot of information at that time,. but havc been reading up some and diet is obviously a big part of our future. What I've read so far states that dry food is not so good, makes sense, but I have 5 total furbabies and although we have wet food morning and dinner time, we do have a dry food grazing bowl how can we manage that with the other babies

 

[JanetNJ]

Wet food is the way to go. Feed a low carb wet food such as fancy feast classic or Friskies pate. Don't let the vet try to sell you the prescription dm food.... It's no better for them.

The ONLY two acceptable dry foods are Evo cat and kitten in the purple bag and my favorite, Young Again Zero carb food. Youngagainpetfood.com is the site to order that... It's less than 1% carb!!!! I actually credit it with helping my cat into remission. They will send you a free sample of the Young Again Zero carb food if you call or email them.

Do you know the type of insulin?

You found the right spot... Lots of experienced people on here to help you.

 

[Stanley's Mom]

Wet food is the way to go. Feed a low carb wet food such as fancy feast classic or Friskies pate. Don't let the vet try to sell you the prescription dm food.... It's no better for them.

The ONLY two acceptable dry foods are Evo cat and kitten in the purple bag and my favorite, Young Again Zero carb food. Youngagainpetfood.com is the site to order that... It's less than 1% carb!!!! I actually credit it with helping my cat into remission. They will send you a free sample of the Young Again Zero carb food if you call or email them.

Do you know the type of insulin?

You found the right spot... Lots of experienced people on here to help you.

Wow thanks for the information, is it safe to assume the foods you mentioned are fine for the other 4 kitty's?
As for the wet food, we already do the Friskies but a variety, from now on will do the pate only, they'll get over it, lol. And for the next few days I'm giving him baby food chicken to get solids in him he hasn't eaten anything since Monday
We had no clue about the diabetes, although I suspected it considering how much he drank and that he went from 18lbs a year ago to 9-10 lbs now. He initially went in last week for allergies/sinus issues and they gave him a depro-madrol shot (steroid) which sent him into a rapid downward spiral. Had we known of the diabetes he wouldn't of given him the shot, now we have to deal with the side effects, technically steroid poisoning , and the it takes 4 weeks to wear off, poor baby, at least we're a week down now only 3 to go.
As for what type of insulin, he prescribed Vetsulin @ $49.30 for 10 ml. Are there other sources to get this at a lesser cost that you know of?

 

[JanetNJ]

Wow thanks for the information, is it safe to assume the foods you mentioned are fine for the other 4 kitty's?
As for the wet food, we already do the Friskies but a variety, from now on will do the pate only, they'll get over it, lol. And for the next few days I'm giving him baby food chicken to get solids in him he hasn't eaten anything since Monday
We had no clue about the diabetes, although I suspected it considering how much he drank and that he went from 18lbs a year ago to 9-10 lbs now. He initially went in last week for allergies/sinus issues and they gave him a depro-madrol shot (steroid) which sent him into a rapid downward spiral. Had we known of the diabetes he wouldn't of given him the shot, now we have to deal with the side effects, technically steroid poisoning , and the it takes 4 weeks to wear off, poor baby, at least we're a week down now only 3 to go.
As for what type of insulin, he prescribed Vetsulin @ $49.30 for 10 ml. Are there other sources to get this at a lesser cost that you know of?

that's not a bad price from a vet. i think I get it for $48 at my vet. 1800 pet meds has it for 44.99 You can shop around. http://www.1800petmeds.com/Vetsulin+Insulin-prod10764.html

yes those dry foods are good for any cat. Actually all of my cats that eat it have had noticeable improvements in their coats since starting on it.

Friskies pate is a good choice. they will learn to adjust. you could always make some extra "gravy" with a bit of water added.

I'm sorry to hear you are having trouble getting your cat to eat... are they sure he doesn't have pancreatitis? If they don't eat enough they will start to develop fatty liver quite soon. If he doesn't eat on his own, you may have to force feed with a syringe.

 

[Olive & Paula]

The food is safe for all your kitties, and it makes it easier at feeding time.

Make sure you are shown how to read the syringe and draw up the proper dose of insulin.

You think thieves caused by the steroid shot? Think about getting a human meter Wal-Mart brand Relion Micro or Confirm is very popular and affordable. Once the steroid clears the body, the blood glucose could drop, so you want to monitor closely as the insulin dose might need to change.

 

[JanetNJ]

The food is safe for all your kitties, and it makes it easier at feeding time.

Make sure you are shown how to read the syringe and draw up the proper dose of insulin.

You think thieves caused by the steroid shot? Think about getting a human meter Wal-Mart brand Relion Micro or Confirm is very popular and affordable. Once the steroid clears the body, the blood glucose could drop, so you want to monitor closely as the insulin dose might need to change.

Those darn thieves on steroids! Lol. Just teasing.

 

[StephG]

My boy was steroid (depo medrol shot) induced but it was a slower decline in health that I didn't catch on to soon enough.
When getting the baby food check the label to see if it has cornstarch added. I know the beechnut that I get from my local walmart does not but it's best to check the label on your jar.

 

[Olive & Paula]

Those darn thieves on steroids! Lol. Just teasing.

Auto word.........

 

[Critter Mom]

Word!

 

[Stanley's Mom]

My boy was steroid (depo medrol shot) induced but it was a slower decline in health that I didn't catch on to soon enough.
When getting the baby food check the label to see if it has cornstarch added. I know the beechnut that I get from my local walmart does not but it's best to check the label on your jar.

Steph, what were the symptoms/side effects of the depo shot for your baby? And how long did they last? Stanley had mild allergies w/post nasal drip otherwise Dr, said he was perfect and since benadryl wasn't to Stanley's liking he recommended the shot. He was fine the next day, nasal "snorting" seemed to lessen and by the second day almost gone third day he developed green snotty nose although he had never had a runny nose before. About 12 hours later he stopped eating became extremely lethargic and although aware and tuned into what was going on around him (eyes bright and clear) was totally unresponsive to us or his 4 other house kittys by this I mean he didn't respond to petting and loving although he would look when we called his name. Called Dr and they put him on antibiotics, the following day (yesterday) no change except that he also stopped going to his litter box and would just lay there, wet on himself by this time his only moving around was to go to the water dish about every 20-30 minutes and to move to a dry spot after urninating, so Dr had us bring him in yesterday morning to monitor his behavior and do some blood work, he called me an hour later and told me he had diabetes kept him for about 5 more hours and pumped fluid into him at which time he schooled us on how to manage and do the shots twice a day. We are seeing very slight improvement, a bet more responsive to talking. I have gotten him to use the litter box 3 times now but had to take him and set him in it. And he still won't eat on his own, having to squirt food through a large syringe giving him beachnut meats thinned out and he's taking about 2.5 ounces at a time any more than that and he gets very agitated.
I am pretty sure his issues were brought on by the depo shot, Dr thinks it sent him over the top as well I think what were experiencing now is more due to the shot. From all I've learned researching the shot effects last about 4 weeks, we're now at 1 1/2 weeks since the shot. But nothing I've found has given me any insight into the shot plus diabetes.
Any information you have would be greatly appreciated.

 

[StephG]

Chuck has had the shot 2 or 3 times before the one in May 2016. He use to get them for his chronic ear infections and itchiness. He responded well to them every time. His itchiness would decrease dramatically. In May he had a double ear infection and he had been puking a lot before that. He also had a "bad leg" that he favored and I wanted checked out. I refused bloodwork because he had it done less than a year before that so we agreed that he would be ok without it. (little did we know...) He's an unoffically diagnosed "IBD" kitty. I switched his food to friskies pate twice a day and he had dry food to pick at during the day. There was no grazing going on though. He would inhale it. I figured he was finally feeling better and so he was hungry. I noticed he was sleeping a lot more and would stretch out on his side and laid in front of the AC all the time. These things never made sense until after his diagnosis. I finally took him in once I noticed muscle mass loss. He had lost weight but once I started to feel his bones I got worried. 13 pounds down to 10. This was from May to August so a total of 3 months. His first vet told me that he was "pretty far into the disease" and actually suggested putting him down. His blood glucose came back at 560+... I had a meltdown and left with "prescription" food and told to come back in 4-6 weeks. I was back in 3 because he was still losing weight and his BG wasn't regulated on just diet alone, still running in 350s.
I'm wondering if your vet tested for Ketones and if he's in DKA? Chuck never got incapacitated or incontinent. His breath smells awful and so does his litter box.
Chuck has been on prozinc insulin for 4 months and a week. He is very bouncy so he isn't close to any type of remission or regulated. We are getting closer day by day. I wish I had more info to offer on the shot and diabetes. Once the shot wears off you might see a drop in his BG readings. I would make sure you can get as many tests as possible toward the end of the shot's effectiveness. There might be others that know more about remission after depo induced diabetes. You could try looking through or searching the remission forum section here.

 

[Kris & Teasel]

I agree with Steph that Stanley needs to have urine ketones checked. Do you have test strips for that? Any reading higher than "trace" is a sign that Stanley could be developing diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). High BGs, lack of sufficient food intake, dehydration etc. are all factors that can create the conditions for DKA. My cat went through a bout last March and he was extremely lethargic (think limp dish rag), wouldn't eat, was incontinent, etc. It developed very fast.

If Stanley was my cat, I'd take him to the vet ASAP to be evaluated for DKA as well as hepatic lipidosis, another complication of not eating well.

 

[Stanley's Mom]

I agree with Steph that Stanley needs to have urine ketones checked. Do you have test strips for that? Any reading higher than "trace" is a sign that Stanley could be developing diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). High BGs, lack of sufficient food intake, dehydration etc. are all factors that can create the conditions for DKA. My cat went through a bout last March and he was extremely lethargic (think limp dish rag), wouldn't eat, was incontinent, etc. It developed very fast.

If Stanley was my cat, I'd take him to the vet ASAP to be evaluated for DKA as well as hepatic lipidosis, another complication of not eating well.

We were just at the Vets 2 days ago, he was monitored and given saline IV for the dehydration. Thats when we learned of the diabetes. I don't think the shot brought it on just sent him over the top. Pretty sure this had been developing for some time now after learning about it and looking back at his behaviors prior to the shot (drinking and peeing a lot, constant washing particularly his feet, weight loss 16lbs down to 10lbs in a year now 9) we attributed the weight loss to two new kittens in the house giving him a run for his money and he did play with them just as vigorously. Vet said to bring him back in a month for more testing, I think because we have to wait for the roids to get out of his system, and if no improvement bring him back this Monday. But, good news is he's using his litter box on his own since last night, we have "candy time" at night, mostly to keep them quiet while I'm in the shower since hubby has to get up at 3am for work, when the kitty candy jar rattled he also came, only ate 2 but I'm hopeful and this morning he came and got in bed with me and the others no snuggling but it's the first time in nearly 2 weeks. I think we're on the right track now, little improvements but at least he's moving in the right direction. He still won't eat much on his own and I'm feeding him with a syringe
Boy there sure is a lot to learn here, I'm glad I found this place.

 

[StephG]

Glad to hear he's eating his candy on his own and using the box.
I think it's still a good idea to home test for ketones since he is not eating normally. The strips pretty cheap at Walmart. You just pass it under his stream or put some plastic wrap on top of the litter where he usually pees and dip it. Some use a long handle spoon to catch some urine then dip the strip.
Chuck has an appetite that would make an elephant sick but I still test him for ketones especially after a few high readings. He shows no symptoms of DKA but I test to ease my own mind.
I'm sorry you have to syringe feed him and he's lucky to have you.
Are you giving him insulin yet? How much and when? When syringe feeding it is very important to test at home. It's important to test at home in general but if giving a full dose of insulin then he eats only a little bit he could drop too low. There are others with WAY MORE experience that can help you with this part.
Once you get testing supplies the best way to keep track is setting up the spreadsheet here. It's a way to see how the insulin is working and if any changes need to be made. My vet was very impressed by it.

 

[Lisa and Smoky]

My boy was steroid (depo medrol shot) induced but it was a slower decline in health that I didn't catch on to soon enough.
When getting the baby food check the label to see if it has cornstarch added. I know the beechnut that I get from my local walmart does not but it's best to check the label on your jar.

Note that it's also important that the baby food doesn't have onions or garlic in it. They are toxic to cats, wish I had known about this site when Smoky lost all his weight. I wld have tried to syringe feed him but I didn't know I cld do that. Now, the damage has already been done.

 

[Stanley's Mom]

Glad to hear he's eating his candy on his own and using the box.
I think it's still a good idea to home test for ketones since he is not eating normally. The strips pretty cheap at Walmart. You just pass it under his stream or put some plastic wrap on top of the litter where he usually pees and dip it. Some use a long handle spoon to catch some urine then dip the strip.
Chuck has an appetite that would make an elephant sick but I still test him for ketones especially after a few high readings. He shows no symptoms of DKA but I test to ease my own mind.
I'm sorry you have to syringe feed him and he's lucky to have you.
Are you giving him insulin yet? How much and when? When syringe feeding it is very important to test at home. It's important to test at home in general but if giving a full dose of insulin then he eats only a little bit he could drop too low. There are others with WAY MORE experience that can help you with this part.
Once you get testing supplies the best way to keep track is setting up the spreadsheet here. It's a way to see how the insulin is working and if any changes need to be made. My vet was very impressed by it.

Yes he started the insulin two days ago 1unit every twelve hours. And I'm making sure he eats right before he's so far getting either on his own or by syringe at least 2 oz ( 1/4 cup) in total about 5 feedings per day. Totally encouraged by today's progress I know the roids are a huge factor in his rapid decline and we still have a couple weeks before they're out of his system

 

[StephG]

Note that it's also important that the baby food doesn't have onions or garlic in it. They are toxic to cats, wish I had known about this site when Smoky lost all his weight. I wld have tried to syringe feed him but I didn't know I cld do that. Now, the damage has already been done.

Very good point! I only buy the "chicken and broth" and "beef and broth". I don't buy any dinner mix or anything else.

 

[Teresa & KitKat]

Wow thanks for the information, is it safe to assume the foods you mentioned are fine for the other 4 kitty's?
As for the wet food, we already do the Friskies but a variety, from now on will do the pate only, they'll get over it, lol. And for the next few days I'm giving him baby food chicken to get solids in him he hasn't eaten anything since Monday
We had no clue about the diabetes, although I suspected it considering how much he drank and that he went from 18lbs a year ago to 9-10 lbs now. He initially went in last week for allergies/sinus issues and they gave him a depro-madrol shot (steroid) which sent him into a rapid downward spiral. Had we known of the diabetes he wouldn't of given him the shot, now we have to deal with the side effects, technically steroid poisoning , and the it takes 4 weeks to wear off, poor baby, at least we're a week down now only 3 to go.
As for what type of insulin, he prescribed Vetsulin @ $49.30 for 10 ml. Are there other sources to get this at a lesser cost that you know of?[/QUOTE Hello, My cat Buddy had been on 10 mg of Prednisolone for 4 1/2 days and this was the week before Christmas, when he started having problems every place was closed. I don't know who was in worst shape me or him. I got him in on 12/26, he was hospitalized on 12/26, 12/27/, 12/28 & released on 12/29. He was really sick. I have been trying to find out how long before steroids would be out of his system and no one seems to know. At this time his numbers are bouncing around. Hope your baby is feeling better.