Chris and BamBam newly diagnosed in Ontario Canada

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ChrismazB

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Hi everyone. Our boy BamBam was just diagnosed last week. I have been reading a lot of info on this forum, it's really great!! The family is a little overwhelmed trying to figure all this out, but we have changed food, started insulin shots and are managing at home testing. Whew. We adopted BamBam and is sister, Pebbles, when they were kittens. They are 11 years old and very loved. He has been drinking a lot and peeing a lot for a while now, maybe over a year; and started losing weight from about 2 months ago. At his annual checkup our vet decided to do a blood test and here we are. My biggest question right now is trying to figure out the food to use. I have been all over the cat food chart but I think we may have different names for foods in Canada. I can't find most of the brands, and when I find them I can't find the flavour names. And there are lots of flavours here not on the chart. I am getting very frustrated as I now know the food composition is sooo important. I am wondering if anyone else from Canada has noticed that and if there is any information about that on this site. Maybe there is a thread somewhere? The information here is so helpful!!
 
Love the Flintstones names! Waving at you from BC.

A lot of the foods are the same in Canada. Which ones were you particularly looking for? Fancy Feast Classic in the US are called "Pate" in Canada. Most of the rest of the brands don't relabel. I've seen a lot of them in pet speciality stores such as Bosley's/Pet Valu. Here is a bit older list with some of their Canadian only foods in it:
 
Thanks Wendy, this chart is helpful. We are trying Weruva and TikiCat, seems very expensive. And I got really confused checking out Fancy Feast, the pate vs classic name helps. What is the limit for phosphorous? I haven't read about that yet. Chris
 
Phosphorus is more an issue for cats with chronic kidney disease as well. I actually fed Neko mostly raw food, some premanufactured locally, some I made. And turned out to be cheaper than those expensive cans. I did try to avoid the higher phosphorus canned foods as she had a condition that made CKD more likely, and which she did eventually get.
 
@ChrismazB
Welcome Chris and Bam Bam love the names of your kitties
Can you add note information to your signature please
  • Add info we need to help you:
    • Caregiver & kitty's name
    • DX: Date
    • Name of Insulin (do not include dose or frequency)
    • Name of your meter
    • Diet: "LC wet" or "dry food" or "combo"
    • Dosing: TR or SLGS or Custom (if applicable)
    • DKA or other recent health issue (if applicable)
    • Bexacat or Senvelgo (if applicable) and dates
    • Acro, IAA, or Cushings (if applicable)
    • Spreadsheet link. Please put the signature link on the bottom line of your signature information, on its own, so it is easy to find.
    • Please do not put any information about your location in the signature for security reasons. If you wish to add your country location, please add it to your profile.
Be sure to click the 'Save Changes' button at the bottom. If you need help urgently it is important we know these things at a glance. We don’t want to waste valuable time finding out information.

Take a look at mine :cat:

Just happened to look at your spreadsheet you have a BG of 90 for the date 8-3-2024? AMPS ?
Did you mean to put that for today's date 8-31-2024?

I see Bam Bam is on Lantus
Have you read all the yellow sticky's yet about Lantus
There is 2 dosing methods to chose from , TR or SLGS, they will tell you when an increase or decrease is needed
Please try and always get an AMPS and PMPS test and at least a mid cycle test for each cycle. If not you will never know how low Bam Bam is dropping. The more tests the better.
We adjust the dose by how low a cat is dropping ,called the nadir, we don't adjust the doses by the pre shots.
When you decide on which dosing method you want to follow please add it to your signature and spreadsheet up top.
Please read all the yellow sticky's here
https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/forums/lantus-levemir-biosimilars.9/

Oh do you have the U-100 syringes with the half unit markings?
We adjust the doses by 0.25 units at a time and these syringes make it easier to do


Learn how YOUR kitty is responding to insulin:
  • Onset - the length of time before insulin reaches the bloodstream & begins lowering blood glucose
  • Peak/Nadir - the lowest point in the cycle
  • Duration - the length of time insulin continues to lower blood glucose
  • How to do a Curve - a simple explanation
Be sure you have a hypo kit
Have a hypo kit ready if needed
Med and High Carb food and have honey in your house



Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers Gourmet Beef Feast in Gravy 20% High Carbs

Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers Gourmet Chicken Feast in Gravy 15% Med Carbs

Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers Turkey Feast in Gravy 15% Med Carbs

Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers Chicken and Beef in Gravy 15% Med Carbs

Good idea to mark the cans with magic marker how many carbs

Or any on the food chart. Doesn't have to be Fancy Feast just an example about the med and high carb foods



https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/dr-pierson-new-food-

10% and under is low carb
11% -15 is medium carbs.

16- 24 is high carb.
 
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Hi Reina. I just looked at your ss. Boy I'm so overwhelmed by all the monitoring. All these members are so dedicated. We are just starting this. Our boy seems to be adjusting.
 
You got this! Take it one day at a time. Also, this forum is incredibly helpful anytime we need help, so you are in good hands :bighug:
 
Chris -

We suggest that the minimum number of tests is 4. You always want to get a test before giving your kitty insulin so you know that it's safe to give a shot. Lantus/glargine dosing is based on how low the dose takes your cat's blood glucose (BG) numbers. You want to get an additional test during both the AM and PM cycle. Since you're following SLGS, you also want to get a curve (i.e., testing every 2 hours over a 12-hour cycle) once a week.
 
Phosphorus is more an issue for cats with chronic kidney disease as well. I actually fed Neko mostly raw food, some premanufactured locally, some I made. And turned out to be cheaper than those expensive cans. I did try to avoid the higher phosphorus canned foods as she had a condition that made CKD more likely, and which she did eventually get.
Hi Wendy.
Now I'm wondering about CKD. BamBam is meowing alot sometimes and peeing outside litter box. Just had urinalysis done. No infection, no crystals and no sugar. But low specific gravity and low PH. Going to do bloodwork today.

Is this where the low phosphorous comes in?
 
Diabetic cats drink and pee more, so can also have more dilute urine as a result. Urine from the morning pee is usually more concentrated, so it also depends what time of day the urine was drawn. Bloodwork (hopefully including SDMA) will also tell you what you are looking at. And yes, high phosphorus is a common concern for kidney cats, so getting them used to eating lower P foods can be helpful should CKD be an issue now or in the future.
 
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