10 month old diabetic kitten

[Laurie Comstock]

I'm currently trying to educate myself on feline diabetes for my kitten.Two vets in the same office have given completely opposite information and treatment plans in the first few weeks. A trip to the vet requires an hour plus boat ride in triple digit weather plus a car ride. I'm very interested in home testing as the trip is stressful on my baby. We didn't know he was diabetic prior to moving to the middle of nowhere. His next vet appt is on Friday and I intend to show up with a glocometer for analysis and comparison. They have not suggested at home monitoring despite knowing what my baby goes through to get there. I'm really needing guidance. It is a small town and the vet admitted that my baby is the first diabetic kitten he has met. Help!

 

[JanetNJ]

I'm currently trying to educate myself on feline diabetes for my kitten.Two vets in the same office have given completely opposite information and treatment plans in the first few weeks. A trip to the vet requires an hour plus boat ride in triple digit weather plus a car ride. I'm very interested in home testing as the trip is stressful on my baby. We didn't know he was diabetic prior to moving to the middle of nowhere. His next vet appt is on Friday and I intend to show up with a glocometer for analysis and comparison. They have not suggested at home monitoring despite knowing what my baby goes through to get there. I'm really needing guidance. It is a small town and the vet admitted that my baby is the first diabetic kitten he has met. Help!

Definitely home test. I didn't go back to the vet for a year once I started. I have a video in my signature showing how I test my cat CC at home

 

[Idjit's mom]

Welcome Laurie. Where are you? Many vets don't suggest or support home monitoring, simply because they aren't very educated or knowledgeable about feline diabetes. How was the diabetes diagnosed? Blood testing at the office? Did you notice increased drinking, peeing, and decreased weight? What are the treatment plans? Is insulin prescribed? in what dosage if so.
You have Janet's recommendation to home test, it's critical to make sure your kitten is safe before shooting insulin and to prevent any hypoglycemic events. Hypos are dangerous and can be life threatening. Changing to a low carb wet diet is also recommended, and will affect the BG (blood glucose) levels.
There is lots to read here on the board about diets, what brands and kinds of food, what glucose meter, information on hypos, and what to do IF it happens, as well as forums specifically dedicated to the different kinds of insulin. You will have all the help you need here to take care of that little fur baby.

 

[JeanW]

Yes, definitely home test. Many vets don't know about home testing.

There are lots of good resources here to learn more about diabetes and how to care for your kitty.

Feed the best low carb wet food that you can - Dr. Lisa's chart will help - http://catinfo.org/docs/CatFoodProteinFatCarbPhosphorusChart.pdf

Read the info in the stickys at the top of the Health Links / FAQs part of the forum. I found the AAHA guidelines helpful - click here and follow the link near the top of the post - http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/...nagement-guidelines-for-dogs-and-cats.195960/

Let us know how we can help.

 

[Laurie Comstock]

Definitely home test. I didn't go back to the vet for a year once I started. I have a video in my signature showing how I test my cat CC at home

Thank you! I've very nervous about testing, but I was nervous about the injections and now I'm fine. My vet instructed me to inject between the shoulder blade area, but the tech told me to switch up location. Any advice?

 

[Laurie Comstock]

Definitely home test. I didn't go back to the vet for a year once I started. I have a video in my signature showing how I test my cat CC at home

Thank you! I'm very nervous about testing, but I was nervous about the injections and now I'm fine. My vet instructed me to inject between the shoulder blade area, but the tech told me to switch up location. Any advice?

 

[Idjit's mom]

Ok, so you are already giving injections. What insulin, what dosage? Why don't you create a signature that will contain the pertinent information that others will also ask, and that way you won't have to repeat. Here's a link on how to do that:
Signature
Our vet only recommended home testing in the middle of the day, a couple of times a week, but to give injections of insulin just once a day, and change the diet. We were shooting blind, we changed the diet and Idjit's BG went down, without us knowing that we were putting him in danger. We thought we were just helping him. Not enough correct information, he had a mild hypo and we really evaluated our thinking and treatment.
There are different sites that can be used for injections. The index in the FAQs forum contains important information you will want to familiarize yourself with. Here's a link: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/forums/health-links-faqs-about-feline-diabetes.14/

 

[Idjit's mom]

 

[Laurie Comstock]

Welcome Laurie. Where are you? Many vets don't suggest or support home monitoring, simply because they aren't very educated or knowledgeable about feline diabetes. How was the diabetes diagnosed? Blood testing at the office? Did you notice increased drinking, peeing, and decreased weight? What are the treatment plans? Is insulin prescribed? in what dosage if so.
You have Janet's recommendation to home test, it's critical to make sure your kitten is safe before shooting insulin and to prevent any hypoglycemic events. Hypos are dangerous and can be life threatening. Changing to a low carb wet diet is also recommended, and will affect the BG (blood glucose) levels.
There is lots to read here on the board about diets, what brands and kinds of food, what glucose meter, information on hypos, and what to do IF it happens, as well as forums specifically dedicated to the different kinds of insulin. You will have all the help you need here to take care of that little fur baby.

As far as where we live think Grand Canyon. In the middle of Lake Powell, only accessible by boat. We brought him in after noticing an outrageous increase in appetite and apparent weight loss. His meow also seemed raspy like he was dehydrated but had been drinking and urinating more than usual. They did a blood test and his level was 469. They confirmed that he had in fact lost 2lbs in a few months bringing him down to just at 5lbs. After our vet consulted with another vet in a large town he called us with the diabetes diagnosis and had us bring him back in to start insulin injections. Less than one unit two times per day. The first vet sent me home with a bag of Royal Canine Glocobalance for grazing between low carb wet food. The second visit the other vet said absolutely no dry food and no grazing and a slight increase towards one unit insulin two times a day as his glucose levels were still in the upper 300's. We have an appointment Friday for them to check his glucosamine level and make any adjustments to his insulin if necessary. He is still extremely demanding for feedings in between times though we have held strong. He starts screaming for food at about 2:45 am and doesn't stop until his injection and feeding at 4:30 am. I'm exhausted and hoping that once we are at the correct dosage I may be able to sleep through the night again.

 

[JeanW]

As far as where we live think Grand Canyon. In the middle of Lake Powell, only accessible by boat. We brought him in after noticing an outrageous increase in appetite and apparent weight loss. His meow also seemed raspy like he was dehydrated but had been drinking and urinating more than usual. They did a blood test and his level was 469. They confirmed that he had in fact lost 2lbs in a few months bringing him down to just at 5lbs. After our vet consulted with another vet in a large town he called us with the diabetes diagnosis and had us bring him back in to start insulin injections. Less than one unit two times per day. The first vet sent me home with a bag of Royal Canine Glocobalance for grazing between low carb wet food. The second visit the other vet said absolutely no dry food and no grazing and a slight increase towards one unit insulin two times a day as his glucose levels were still in the upper 300's. We have an appointment Friday for them to check his glucosamine level and make any adjustments to his insulin if necessary. He is still extremely demanding for feedings in between times though we have held strong. He starts screaming for food at about 2:45 am and doesn't stop until his injection and feeding at 4:30 am. I'm exhausted and hoping that once we are at the correct dosage I may be able to sleep through the night again.

Many of us free feed our cats with main meals 4 times a day and leftover wet food left out to graze on. Pick it all up two hours before AM testing and two hours before PM testing to get a more true result from the test.

My kitty has done SOOOO much better since going to free feeding.

 

[JanetNJ]

Thank you! I've very nervous about testing, but I was nervous about the injections and now I'm fine. My vet instructed me to inject between the shoulder blade area, but the tech told me to switch up location. Any advice?

You want to move it around so scar tissue doesn't develop. Some do the flank but my cat hates that so we just move around the shoulder blade area.

 

[Laurie Comstock]

Ok, so you are already giving injections. What insulin, what dosage? Why don't you create a signature that will contain the pertinent information that others will also ask, and that way you won't have to repeat. Here's a link on how to do that:
Signature
Our vet only recommended home testing in the middle of the day, a couple of times a week, but to give injections of insulin just once a day, and change the diet. We were shooting blind, we changed the diet and Idjit's BG went down, without us knowing that we were putting him in danger. We thought we were just helping him. Not enough correct information, he had a mild hypo and we really evaluated our thinking and treatment.
There are different sites that can be used for injections. The index in the FAQs forum contains important information you will want to familiarize yourself with. Here's a link: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/forums/health-links-faqs-about-feline-diabetes.14/

I'll work on that signature thing lol. This is the first time I've ever been on a message board in my life and I still have some things to learn. He is on ProZinc slightly less than one unit two times per day. I have been giving him about 4.5 oz of low carb wet food two times a day and he still acts like he's starving. He eats it in entirely within about 10 minutes.

 

[JeanW]

I'll work on that signature thing lol. This is the first time I've ever been on a message board in my life and I still have some things to learn. He is on ProZinc slightly less than one unit two times per day. I have been giving him about 4.5 oz of low carb wet food two times a day and he still acts like he's starving. He eats it in entirely within about 10 minutes.

I would give him more food.

 

[Idjit's mom]

Thanks Laurie, for the info. It will take you little time to get comfortable on the board. It's just a matter of pointing, clicking, scrolling and typing.
Re: food. He is starving, poor little guy. Until he is regulated his body isn't processing and using the food properly. It's not going to hurt to give him more low carb wet food, perhaps more and smaller meals. Fancy Feast Classics and Friskies pates are a good starting point. No gravies or sauces for the LC foods. It's good to have medium carb and high carb canned foods to put in your Hypo Tool Box, just in case. (That information is in the FAQs link I gave you) I don't know how difficult it is or how often you get to the nearest town where you can shop.
Dry food is too high in carbs, and the food you get at the vet isn't really prescription. Even the "Rx" wet food is too high in carbs. Try some baked or poached chicken breast so he feels like his belly is a bit more full, and you can use that as a treat for testing also. It might be a good idea to start getting kitty conditioned to testing now. Choose a "station" where you have good light, where you can hold kitty with one hand, stroke his ears like you are warming them in preparation for the "poke" with the lancet. Always give a treat, sometimes a treat is good before also. I looked up Lake Powell, and I'm not sure what city, town or communities are closest to you. I can recommend that if you have a Walmart, that the Relion glucose meter and strips are available there. Many of us use the human meters, because the strips for the pet meters are more expensive.
I'm suggesting that you start posting questions in the Main Forum. this forum Welcome to the Group, is essentially the Welcome mat on the front porch and not all members get the chance to check in here often. This is a link to the Main Forum, just place your mouse icon on the link and click. Start a thread just like you did here.
Laurie, it is all new and strange right now, you don't know us yet. But you will never meet a better bunch of people. Many members are long time diabetic parents, and know their stuff.

 

[JanetNJ]

I'll work on that signature thing lol. This is the first time I've ever been on a message board in my life and I still have some things to learn. He is on ProZinc slightly less than one unit two times per day. I have been giving him about 4.5 oz of low carb wet food two times a day and he still acts like he's starving. He eats it in entirely within about 10 minutes.

How many pounds is he? The rule of thumb is about 20 calories per pound of ideal weight. Plus kittens always easy more.

 

[Laurie Comstock]

Thanks Laurie, for the info. It will take you little time to get comfortable on the board. It's just a matter of pointing, clicking, scrolling and typing.
Re: food. He is starving, poor little guy. Until he is regulated his body isn't processing and using the food properly. It's not going to hurt to give him more low carb wet food, perhaps more and smaller meals. Fancy Feast Classics and Friskies pates are a good starting point. No gravies or sauces for the LC foods. It's good to have medium carb and high carb canned foods to put in your Hypo Tool Box, just in case. (That information is in the FAQs link I gave you) I don't know how difficult it is or how often you get to the nearest town where you can shop.
Dry food is too high in carbs, and the food you get at the vet isn't really prescription. Even the "Rx" wet food is too high in carbs. Try some baked or poached chicken breast so he feels like his belly is a bit more full, and you can use that as a treat for testing also. It might be a good idea to start getting kitty conditioned to testing now. Choose a "station" where you have good light, where you can hold kitty with one hand, stroke his ears like you are warming them in preparation for the "poke" with the lancet. Always give a treat, sometimes a treat is good before also. I looked up Lake Powell, and I'm not sure what city, town or communities are closest to you. I can recommend that if you have a Walmart, that the Relion glucose meter and strips are available there. Many of us use the human meters, because the strips for the pet meters are more expensive.
I'm suggesting that you start posting questions in the Main Forum. this forum Welcome to the Group, is essentially the Welcome mat on the front porch and not all members get the chance to check in here often. This is a link to the Main Forum, just place your mouse icon on the link and click. Start a thread just like you did here.
Laurie, it is all new and strange right now, you don't know us yet. But you will never meet a better bunch of people. Many members are long time diabetic parents, and know their stuff.

 

[Laurie Comstock]

I'm ready to cry. As I mentioned somewhere along the way I have to subject my baby to an hour plus boat ride to get him to the vet plus a 20 minute car ride. He doesn't travel well. I did the boat ride today, the day before his appt to keep his stress level down as he is having his fructosomine ? level checked for the first time tomorrow.... Since I arrived on the mainland 4 hrs ago he has exhibited behavior I've never seen before. He has been howling non stop and has been biting me repeatedly. I'm by myself in the middle of nowhere with no help. I gave him a sedative to calm him down a few minutes ago so I won't be kicked out of my housing for the night. Is this an insulin thing, a stress thing, an I'm not at home and ticked off thing? Don't know, but I'm worrying for him. I don't know what to do.

 

[JanetNJ]

I'm ready to cry. As I mentioned somewhere along the way I have to subject my baby to an hour plus boat ride to get him to the vet plus a 20 minute car ride. He doesn't travel well. I did the boat ride today, the day before his appt to keep his stress level down as he is having his fructosomine ? level checked for the first time tomorrow.... Since I arrived on the mainland 4 hrs ago he has exhibited behavior I've never seen before. He has been howling non stop and has been biting me repeatedly. I'm by myself in the middle of nowhere with no help. I gave him a sedative to calm him down a few minutes ago so I won't be kicked out of my housing for the night. Is this an insulin thing, a stress thing, an I'm not at home and ticked off thing? Don't know, but I'm worrying for him. I don't know what to do.

Did you try giving him food? I'm surprised they didn't do the fructosamine test from the original blood draw. The only thing the fructosamine test will tell you is what the average bg had been for the past 2-3 weeks. It's useful to diagnose but not much use after that.

You are going to HAVE to learn to test at home. You can't keep making this journey. Once I started testing at home my cat didnt go back to the vet for a year. I just occasionally emailed the vet a link to my spreadsheet.

 

[Idjit's mom]

Laurie, it's probably all three. Look, he doesn't feel a bit good with the diabetes and the sooner you start testing at home and treatment, the better he's going to feel. I don't even want to think about how Idjit would act if he had to be on a boat, he's bad enough in a car! Scared doesn't describe it. So, keep that poor baby mildly sedated, get all your supplies while you can and take him home and take care of him. Make sure the vet gives you some gabapentin or something for sedation if you don't have anything. Please post if you aren't sure about what kind of food, what testing supplies, syringes etc. And, please post again and let us know what the outcome of the vet visit is. Do you have good internet connection on your island? What is the nearest town or city where you can get your diabetes supplies, hypo tool box supplies and cat food? Is online ordering and delivery to you possible? Let us help you figure this out.

 

[Laurie Comstock]

Did you try giving him food? I'm surprised they didn't do the fructosamine test from the original blood draw. The only thing the fructosamine test will tell you is what the average bg had been for the past 2-3 weeks. It's useful to diagnose but not much use after that.

You are going to HAVE to learn to test at home. You can't keep making this journey. Once I started testing at home my cat didnt go back to the vet for a year. I just occasionally emailed the vet a link to my spreadsheet.

Thank you. I am bringing in a glocometer today for his appt.

 

[Idjit's mom]

Super, I am so glad you replied. What meter are you going to use? Laurie, where are you right now? I tried to find a larger community around your area, gosh, the Lake Powell area looks huge but beautiful! All I could determine was somewhere on the border of Utah and Arizona, and I know it's very hot there right now, according to the national news. How is your kitty this morning? How are you this morning? I hope both of you got to settle and rest. We hate to take Idjit to the vet and it's only about 2 1/2 miles. It's a huge struggle just to get his very large body into a carrier.

 

[Tracey&Jones (GA)]

Your kitty sounds very stressed. I am not sure how the vets expect to get a reasonable result with him this stressed.

Your kitty is literally starving because he isn't regulated yet. All that food he is eating...his body can't use that energy - he needs the insulin (the key) to unlock the energy for the cells to use for function and reproduction. That is why he is losing weight. Feed him! I free feed Jones and there are lot of pet parents that due. Some do the timed meals with feeders. I would not be buying the RC Glycobalance. It is high carb (you can keep it around in case of a low number situation) but there is better lower carb options (which are cheaper) in the list that Jean gave you the link to. Plus wet food is important to feed because diabetic kitties tend to pee more which means they can dehydrate - the wet food helps compensate for that.

I am glad you are going to home test. For location - I shoot the morning shot on the right shoulder of Jones and afternoon on the left. The middle is for his B12 injections. I move it around a bit within those areas.

Sounds like you live in a lovely spot! So I would pick up a lot of supplies - the meter, the lancets, the insulin, some neosporin (the gel not the cream with the pain relief to help out the ears), some LC treats and dig in!

Like Lou indicated - you can post on the main forum with any questions.

I think I missed your reply...what insulin are you using?

 

[Idjit's mom]

Your kitty sounds very stressed. I am not sure how the vets expect to get a reasonable result with him this stressed.

Your kitty is literally starving because he isn't regulated yet. All that food he is eating...his body can't use that energy - he needs the insulin (the key) to unlock the energy for the cells to use for function and reproduction. That is why he is losing weight. Feed him! I free feed Jones and there are lot of pet parents that due. Some do the timed meals with feeders. I would not be buying the RC Glycobalance. It is high carb (you can keep it around in case of a low number situation) but there is better lower carb options (which are cheaper) in the list that Jean gave you the link to. Plus wet food is important to feed because diabetic kitties tend to pee more which means they can dehydrate - the wet food helps compensate for that.

I am glad you are going to home test. For location - I shoot the morning shot on the right shoulder of Jones and afternoon on the left. The middle is for his B12 injections. I move it around a bit within those areas.

Sounds like you live in a lovely spot! So I would pick up a lot of supplies - the meter, the lancets, the insulin, some neosporin (the gel not the cream with the pain relief to help out the ears), some LC treats and dig in!

Like Lou indicated - you can post on the main forum with any questions.

I think I missed your reply...what insulin are you using?

Tracey, Laurie said in an earlier post that she was using Prozinc, this from her post on Saturday: "They did a blood test and his level was 469. They confirmed that he had in fact lost 2lbs in a few months bringing him down to just at 5lbs. After our vet consulted with another vet in a large town he called us with the diabetes diagnosis and had us bring him back in to start insulin injections. Less than one unit two times per day. The first vet sent me home with a bag of Royal Canine Glocobalance for grazing between low carb wet food. The second visit the other vet said absolutely no dry food and no grazing and a slight increase towards one unit insulin two times a day as his glucose levels were still in the upper 300's." That was post # 9

 

[Tracey&Jones (GA)]

The first vet sent me home with a bag of Royal Canine Glocobalance for grazing between low carb wet food. The second visit the other vet said absolutely no dry food and no grazing and a slight increase towards one unit insulin two times a day as his glucose levels were still in the upper 300's." That was post # 9

I was trying to address those two points, if I wasn't clear I apologize.

1. The RC Glocobalance is not a good option regardless - it is dry and it is high carb.
2. No grazing- until regulated, kitty is starving so she shouldn't feel bad about feeding him. Whether that is free feeding wet food for now or doing timed snacks. He will normalize as his numbers normalize. As well this is growing kitten, not a full grown cat.

Just MHO.

 

[Idjit's mom]

I was trying to address those two points, if I wasn't clear I apologize.

1. The RC Glocobalance is not a good option regardless - it is dry and it is high carb.
2. No grazing- until regulated, kitty is starving so she shouldn't feel bad about feeding him. Whether that is free feeding wet food for now or doing timed snacks. He will normalize as his numbers normalize. As well this is growing kitten, not a full grown cat.

Just MHO.

Completely agree.