? Questions about food + shot & binder

bambinaki

bambinaki

Member Since 2010
Hello-

Is it ok to give my cat his insulin shot while he's eating? Like this:
9:00 morning pre-shot blood test
9:05 breakfast
9:07 insulin shot while eating

I ask because I've seen recommendations to test, feed, then shoot. I'm not sure if he's supposed to have a full belly before he gets the shot.

Is it ok to give him his shot without feeding him immediately prior? I'd like to give him some food sometimes in addition to his 2 daily meals that are 12 hours apart? Would that be ok? Or do I have to strictly stick with a perfectly regular feeding schedule and feed him only twice a day? There are many days when I am able to feed him only twice a day because of my work schedule. But there are also days when I could feed him more than that.

RE. binder: Is it ok to give him a phosphate binder even if he doesn't really need one? Some well-informed people on this message board have looked at his labs, and, knowing what he eats, said he doesn't need a binder, but his vet instructed me to give him a binder. So, I thought I'd go ahead and give him the binder to be on the safe side. Or is giving him a binder if he doesn't really need one hurting him?

Thank you
 
I shoot when Blaze is eating, but you can shoot after kitty eats too, as long as it’s within about 15 minutes or so after eating, should be fine. You just want food on board once the insulin starts kicking in.

and as for feeding more than two meals a day, diabetic kitties do better with several small meals throughout the day. I feed Blaze his breakfast and then I put small snacks in the auto feeder to be available 3-4 times during the day, then he gets his dinner and I put small snacks into the auto feeder again to be available 3-4 times during the night. I use the Petsafe 5 auto feeder, I got it on amazon and it’s a life saver!

as for the binder, I don’t have experience with that so will let someone else help you with that! I hope that was helpful! :)
 
Thank you, Sarah. Does that feeder work with wet food? Anyway, I don't think I can use it with my 2 other cats competing for the food unless I isolate Maxi (don't want to).
You were helpful letting me know it's ok to shoot him while he eats. Thanks!
 
Most folks test/feed/shoot all within about 15 mins. The only way I could shoot BK was while he had his face in the food bowl.

Regarding feeding after shooting you do have some wiggle room since Lantus is slow acting. However it’s critical that a meal is onboard before onset which is one reason it’s important to determine onset for your kitty. Easier and safest to feed with the shot.
 
bambinaki said:
Thank you, Sarah. Does that feeder work with wet food? Anyway, I don't think I can use it with my 2 other cats competing for the food unless I isolate Maxi (don't want to).
You were helpful letting me know it's ok to shoot him while he eats. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Yes I use wet food in the auto feeder, all of my kitties only get wet food now that Blaze is diabetic. I also have 2 non-diabetic kitties! I don’t isolate Blaze though, if he wants the food in the auto feeder, he will get to it first when it rotates and the food is available, or he will push his siblings out of the way and eat it. You could get a few auto feeders if you’re afraid they will compete for the one. Or get one and practice using it while you’re home to see it Maxi makes sure he gets those snacks, or if they’re all fighting for it, then you could probably get a few of them.
 
Thank you for your replies!

Wendy, I've been using Epkatin but will stop. How often do you think I need to have Maxi's phos checked?
Thanks for the link.

Sarah, could you please tell me the brand name of your feeder?
 
I used the Petsafe 5 feeder. Got it at Petsmart, but you can also buy it online.

Epatakin is a calcium based binder. Neko was originally on a food premix with calcium carbonate, which is also a calcium based binder. Her calcium numbers got to high at one point, and I switched to a different premix. Eventually we started using aluminum hydroxide as a binder.
 
bambinaki said:
Doh! Sorry, Sarah, you had already given me the name of your feeder when I asked for it.

Thanks, Wendy and Sarah and Sandy.
Click to expand...
No worries! I just saw this post, I’m sorry I didn’t respond sooner! I got my Petsafe 5 on amazon, it has a small compartment that you can put an ice pack that sits under the food compartments too. I’ve never used an ice pack before though, they’re wet food has been fine and in the warmer months, I put an ice cube with the wet food and it keeps it fresh.
 
I liked the Petsafe 5 because it has battery timed feeding, vs, the Petsafe 2 compartment style which was iffy with the timer..think old school twist style, not very reliable timing. For later feedings, I use some food I had cooled in the fridge, that works too, since by the time it turns, it's generally room temp.
 
Wendy&Neko said:
The others are right, it’s a little early to add binder. What type of binder are you using! There are some downsides to using binders before you need them. Tanya’s CRF page on binders
Click to expand...

Am I understanding this? Doesn't IRIS http://www.iris-kidney.com/pdf/IRIS_CAT_Treatment_Recommendations_2019.pdf recommend that a cat with phos of 4.6 or over get a binder when diet isn't working? Do we trust IRIS? Maxi's phos was 5.3. So doesn't this mean he *should* be getting a binder? Or do you mean I should wait and see how his phos does with the new* Weruva diet and not give him binder until I see how it does? (* It was his diet until last October when he was switched to kidney food).
And how soon should I have his phos checked again?

Thank you
 

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Someone who seems knowledgeable recommended Weruva Checkmate and Topsy Turvey because of their low phosphorus (to help Maxi's phos level go down without binder), but I'm worried about it also being high enough in protein. (It is low carb enough, right?)

Could you have a look here https://weruva.com/nutrition-landing/bff-play-ni/ at the nutritional contents of these 2 foods and let me know what you think?

Thank you.
 
Wendy&Neko said:
The others are right, it’s a little early to add binder. What type of binder are you using! There are some downsides to using binders before you need them. Tanya’s CRF page on binders
Click to expand...

Wendy and all, when I asked elsewhere if I should go ahead and give a binder without seeing if his phos goes down on his new/current Weruva diet, she said:

"I actually would. And I can explain why. You've had him on renal food, which is lower in phosphorus than the commercial foods that are suitable for both diabetes and CKD. And yet, his phosphorus is still above the ideal range. Now you've switched to a commercial food, he's taking in more phosphorus in his diet so that level is going to rise. Because it's already borderline for needing a binder, the sooner you can get it down, the easier it will be to both get it under control and keep it there. So I would follow your vet's recommendations for binder dosage and re-check his levels in a month or so."

When I think about it this way, it makes sense to me to give the binder. Your thoughts?
 
Sorry, I was reading the Tanya's page that said to treat over 6. I would follow your vet's recommendation.
 
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