Ugh

[Susan Bee]

Hi. My 27.5 pound cat was just diagnosed with diabetes. His BG level was 428. The vet had me put him on a dry food, and everything that I've been reading, is saying to give him canned? He's not picky, he will eat either. The vet wants me to bring him back for more testing and to get insulin and syringes. The only symptoms he has are excessive drinking and urination. I want to try to do my own glucose testing, but I'm super nervous about it.

 

[JanetNJ]

I assume he sold you the prescription food? The prescription dry food, although lower than most grocery store dry foods, is still much too high in carb for a diabetic cat. I went through two bags of it before coming here and learning that. Since your cat isn't picky it's best to just get him on a low carb wet food. Most of us feed fancy feast classic or Friskies pate foods. They are all under 10% carb.


Better yo do the diet change now than before starting the insulin.

When you are ready to learn how
Owen to test his bg at home (a lot easier then you think) we can help you with that. In the meantime, sorry about the diagnosis, but glad you found us!

 

[Yong & Maury GA]

Welcome! Can't wait to see a picture of that big kitty! Definitely agree with Janet, try to get him on the LC (low carb) wet food diet first since he's not picky. Most of us were nervous about starting it but no one has regretted it! Lots of advice and helpful / caring people on the forum. We're a support group for your kitty and YOU

 

[Kris & Teasel]

Welcome! We can help. Please post all your questions/concerns on the main health forum. They'll be seen by more people there.

 

[Susan Bee]

I assume he sold you the prescription food? The prescription dry food, although lower than most grocery store dry foods, is still much too high in carb for a diabetic cat. I went through two bags of it before coming here and learning that. Since your cat isn't picky it's best to just get him on a low carb wet food. Most of us feed fancy feast classic or Friskies pate foods. They are all under 10% carb.


Better yo do the diet change now than before starting the insulin.

When you are ready to learn how
Owen to test his bg at home (a lot easier then you think) we can help you with that. In the meantime, sorry about the diagnosis, but glad you found us!

Thank you so much. Yes. I bought a bag, but after reading on this forum last night, I stopped at Walmart on my way home from work, and bought a ReliOn Confirm, and some Fancy Feast Classic foods. I'm going to gradually wean him from the dry food. My ICU RN friend, is going to come, tomorrow, to help me get a blood sample from him, as she had a diabetic cat for 7 years. I'm an ex- LPN, but I'm still freaking out about having to get his blood. I have another appointment at the Vet, on Thursday, for insulin regulation and testing, insulin, and syringes, to the tune of $314.80. Do you think I should do this, or wait to see if I can get him controlled by changing his food? He seems to be drinking and urinating, a little less today, and those are his only symptoms, thus far. Thanks again.

 

[Susan Bee]

Welcome! Can't wait to see a picture of that big kitty! Definitely agree with Janet, try to get him on the LC (low carb) wet food diet first since he's not picky. Most of us were nervous about starting it but no one has regretted it! Lots of advice and helpful / caring people on the forum. We're a support group for your kitty and YOU

Thanks! I'm feeling guilty, because I had been giving him a lot of treats, recently. He is a little tubby, but he really doesn't over-eat. He's been over-weight, ever since I had him neutered. My RN friend is suggesting that I get a kitten, to get help get him more active, but I'm not sure if I should do that or not?

 

[Susan Bee]

Welcome! We can help. Please post all your questions/concerns on the main health forum. They'll be seen by more people there.

Thanks! I feel somewhat better already.

 

[Yong & Maury GA]

He's like a baby panther!

 

[JanetNJ]

Thank you so much. Yes. I bought a bag, but after reading on this forum last night, I stopped at Walmart on my way home from work, and bought a ReliOn Confirm, and some Fancy Feast Classic foods. I'm going to gradually wean him from the dry food. My ICU RN friend, is going to come, tomorrow, to help me get a blood sample from him, as she had a diabetic cat for 7 years. I'm an ex- LPN, but I'm still freaking out about having to get his blood. I have another appointment at the Vet, on Thursday, for insulin regulation and testing, insulin, and syringes, to the tune of $314.80. Do you think I should do this, or wait to see if I can get him controlled by changing his food? He seems to be drinking and urinating, a little less today, and those are his only symptoms, thus far. Thanks again.

Yes, get the insulin. His levels are really high... If left untreated he could develop dka. Testing the blood is honestly not difficult after the first week or two. The dot of blood is like a period at the end of a sentence. . Tiny. Just poke the sweet spot.

 

[Zipdrive]

That is one BIG boy. I could see my legs going numb if he was a lap cat.

Like you my vet sold me a special "diabetic dry" cat food that was higher in carbs then some wet foods. It was thanks to the members here on the forum that I was able to get my picky kibble muncher onto a wet food only diet which helped greatly in lowering her BG numbers. If you can get your boy on a wet food only diet and limit any treats to a low carb variety it will help.

The blood testing is intimidating at first but once you've done it a few times and get a routine down then it's a no brainer, providing kitty cooperates that is. For the first while use a larger 28 gauge lancet. I switched from the 30 gauge that came with my test kit to a 28 gauge, on a members advise, and it made a world of difference for the first couple weeks of testing. I just used the lancet as a little pricking devise by itself, no plunger. I found when using the plunger it was hard to see where I was actually pricking the ear and the little "click" noise it would make didn't help in keeping Simone's stress level down either.

And since it hasn't been mentioned yet. Warm your boy's ear before you take the blood sample. I use a pill bottle filled with warm tap water and hold it against Simone's inner ear for about 30 seconds while massaging it. Then I fold one of those cotton makeup pads in half and poke through the ear into the pad to get the sample. Once I've gotten the sample I just fold the pad over her ear and apply a little pressure to stop any bleeding. While it sounds like torture I've found it hasn't effected Simone in the least. She still goes into the bathroom/testing room on her own as though nothing happened.

 

[Susan Bee]

That is one BIG boy. I could see my legs going numb if he was a lap cat.

Like you my vet sold me a special "diabetic dry" cat food that was higher in carbs then some wet foods. It was thanks to the members here on the forum that I was able to get my picky kibble muncher onto a wet food only diet which helped greatly in lowering her BG numbers. If you can get your boy on a wet food only diet and limit any treats to a low carb variety it will help.

The blood testing is intimidating at first but once you've done it a few times and get a routine down then it's a no brainer, providing kitty cooperates that is. For the first while use a larger 28 gauge lancet. I switched from the 30 gauge that came with my test kit to a 28 gauge, on a members advise, and it made a world of difference for the first couple weeks of testing. I just used the lancet as a little pricking devise by itself, no plunger. I found when using the plunger it was hard to see where I was actually pricking the ear and the little "click" noise it would make didn't help in keeping Simone's stress level down either.

And since it hasn't been mentioned yet. Warm your boy's ear before you take the blood sample. I use a pill bottle filled with warm tap water and hold it against Simone's inner ear for about 30 seconds while massaging it. Then I fold one of those cotton makeup pads in half and poke through the ear into the pad to get the sample. Once I've gotten the sample I just fold the pad over her ear and apply a little pressure to stop any bleeding. While it sounds like torture I've found it hasn't effected Simone in the least. She still goes into the bathroom/testing room on her own as though nothing happened.

Thanks for the advise. My friend helped me test him yesterday, and his BS was down to 261, from 428 at the vet. Do you give your kitty insulin?

 

[JanetNJ]

Thanks for the advise. My friend helped me test him yesterday, and his BS was down to 261, from 428 at the vet. Do you give your kitty insulin?

Good job getting that test in!! The first one is the hardest. It is almost always higher at the vet... Stress raises bg, plus if you are using a human meter they run lower than pet meters, so a 261 on a human meter could easily be over 300 on a pet meter.

 

[Zipdrive]

Thanks for the advise. My friend helped me test him yesterday, and his BS was down to 261, from 428 at the vet. Do you give your kitty insulin?

Glad you were able to get a BG sample Susan. Regardless of what the vet says, home test your boy. There are people here on the forum with a LOT of knowledge on how to help get your big boy's BG numbers down and hopefully get him into remission (paws crossed).

My little girl has gone into remission. I was giving my little one insulin for 3+ weeks from February 6th to March 1st. Then when I done a test that evening her BG number was below what the vet and I agreed on for giving her the 1 unit dose. The next morning was the same thing, too low of a number to give her the dose. This continued on for 2 weeks. You can click on the link to Simone's spreadsheet in my signature to see. Simone passed her 14 day OTJ trial (no insulin) with most of her BG numbers being a lovely green back on March 15th and is currently at day 21 without a shot. I started weekly testing today and Simone's BG is still in the green all thanks to the people on this forum.

Low carb wet food is the key. Simone likes her Fancy Feast Chopped Grill Feast pate' and sometimes I mix in a little Friskies pate' just to change things up a bit.

 

[Susan Bee]

Glad you were able to get a BG sample Susan. Regardless of what the vet says, home test your boy. There are people here on the forum with a LOT of knowledge on how to help get your big boy's BG numbers down and hopefully get him into remission (paws crossed).

My little girl has gone into remission. I was giving my little one insulin for 3+ weeks from February 6th to March 1st. Then when I done a test that evening her BG number was below what the vet and I agreed on for giving her the 1 unit dose. The next morning was the same thing, too low of a number to give her the dose. This continued on for 2 weeks. You can click on the link to Simone's spreadsheet in my signature to see. Simone passed her 14 day OTJ trial (no insulin) with most of her BG numbers being a lovely green back on March 15th and is currently at day 21 without a shot. I started weekly testing today and Simone's BG is still in the green all thanks to the people on this forum.

Low carb wet food is the key. Simone likes her Fancy Feast Chopped Grill Feast pate' and sometimes I mix in a little Friskies pate' just to change things up a bit.

Ok. Thank-you so much for your support and for sharing your story. That's awesome that your cat is doing so well.

 

[Zipdrive]

Your welcome Susan. Paws crossed that Simone stays in remission for a long time. If not at least I have a place to get help for both her and me.

Once you start your boy on his insulin shots and regular home testing, post your results in the forum that corresponds to the type of insulin your giving him. Also create an account on Google so as to start a spreadsheet. Doing so will help the veteran members here advise you along the way.