4 days on wet food only-400 to 114?

[Karen2]

I rescued a cat I am fostering last week and took him to the vet. BG was 400. I noticed he was drinking a lot of water and peeing large. Ran around crazy ordering Lantus, etc. coming from Canada this week I guess. Got a free meter (thank you) today and tested him for the first time. He is at 114! All I did was switch him to wet food. Does this mean he is a diabetic controlled on food? He will need insulin one day but not now?
He was only on dry food at animal control and heaven knows before that. He is 8 and otherwise looks and seems very healthy. All other tests were fine from the blood test.

Thank you! Karen and Pepe

 

[granadilla]

I'm glad you got the meter and so glad his BG was only 114! Hopefully someone more experienced will pop in soon with advice but I would think you should keep testing him, twice a day for 14 days, and if he stays under 120 then yes, he's considered a diet-controlled diabetic. Behold the power of wet food!

When you have a minute, please put some info in your signature. Click on your profile name at the top right of the page, then click on Signature. You can put in the kind of food that you're feeding and that he's not on any insulin yet. That way when people need some quick info, they can just read your signature instead of asking you the same questions again.

 

[Olive & Paula]

Whole heartily agree. . Power to the wet food!!!

 

[Kiara]

Yay for Pepe!!! And yay to you for fostering/rescuing

 

[granadilla]

Also, if he was 400 at the vet, it could have been from stress. Stress raises their BG by a lot. And then when you switched him to wet food, it could have been all he needed to get back down to healthy numbers. You're feeding him low carb wet food right? The ones with gravy are higher carb. Most people here feed the Fancy Feast originals or Friskies pates since those are affordable and low carb.

 

[Karen2]

Yes, I switched him to Fancy Feast classic. My vet said this is highly unusual to drop from 400 to 114. He said stress at the vet could add 100 points or so, but to drop almost 300 points? Odd I guess. I'll just keep testing him. He doesn't like it, but oh well, right?

 

[granadilla]

He doesn't like it, but oh well, right?

Give him a low-carb treat every time you test him, even if the test is unsuccessful, and he'll start liking it. Their ears also grow more capillaries the more they get tested so he should start "bleeding better." Welcome to the vampire club!!

 

[Bobbie And Bubba]

Wow, that is awesome!!! And it is very possible that he will be one of the lucky ones to be able to be controlled by food. It is amazing what a low carb diet can do. Thank God you were testing as I hate to think if you were shooting that low number. Keep doing what you are doing and do not shoot unless he is 200 or over. That is the number for a newly diabetic cat. Fingers and Paws crossed that you will never need to use that insulin and then maybe you'll be selling it in the supply closet Keep up the good work testing .

 

[Bobbie And Bubba]

Yes, I switched him to Fancy Feast classic. My vet said this is highly unusual to drop from 400 to 114. He said stress at the vet could add 100 points or so, but to drop almost 300 points? Odd I guess. I'll just keep testing him. He doesn't like it, but oh well, right?

It was probably a combination of stress at the vets and the food change. The stress at the vets can cause 100-150 points higher and then the food can have a drop of over 100 points just overnight. I am very excited for you and Pepe!!

 

[Mogmom and Goofus]

Yes, I switched him to Fancy Feast classic. My vet said this is highly unusual to drop from 400 to 114. He said stress at the vet could add 100 points or so, but to drop almost 300 points? Odd I guess. I'll just keep testing him. He doesn't like it, but oh well, right?

One thing you're going to find in caring for a diabetic kitty is, that very seldom will anything make perfect sense! Lol. They bounce, they vomit, you end up with suspected fur shots, they won't eat, they're want to eat all the time, etc. Welcome to the roller coaster that is Feline Diabetes. I sincerely hope your sweetie stays diet controlled, that would be awesome!

 

[Julia & Bandit (GA)]

Bandit's BG has shot up into the 300s before from stress alone, so add the high-carb dry food to that mix and I can certainly believe it! Congrats on probably having one of the lucky cats that go into remission from diet alone.

Insulin lasts a long time in the fridge if it's unopened, so having some on hand is never a bad idea.

I'd keep testing him daily for a month or so, and if he stays in the normal range then you can can reduce the frequency of testing. Don't be afraid to start him on a low dose of insulin if he trends higher than the normal range--the quicker you get a cat on insulin in those situations, the quicker you can then get them off it.

 

[Bobbie And Bubba]

Bandit's BG has shot up into the 300s before from stress alone, so add the high-carb dry food to that mix and I can certainly believe it! Congrats on probably having one of the lucky cats that go into remission from diet alone.

Insulin lasts a long time in the fridge if it's unopened, so having some on hand is never a bad idea.

I'd keep testing him daily for a month or so, and if he stays in the normal range then you can can reduce the frequency of testing. Don't be afraid to start him on a low dose of insulin if he trends higher than the normal range--the quicker you get a cat on insulin in those situations, the quicker you can then get them off it.

Good advice !