Tami & Bear
Member Since 2022
Hi all! Forgive me if my introduction here is a bit much, but I’m not sure what to do.
My 13-year-old guy Bear got dx’ed on 5/19. BG was 512, showing “mild” pancreatitis. We did a fructosamine test to confirm. He was put on 1mu Lantus 2x daily and Purina DM. I went back today and his BG was 391 and he was upped to 1.5mu Lantus. So we’re very much still getting “dialed in.” I'm going to get a test kit at the pharmacy tomorrow so we can start charting.
At first Bear was all about the Purina, but over the last few days he only wants a bite or two and then walks away (which is super unlike him), so I keep bringing him back to the bowl to get him to eat enough to get the insulin injection. He will then pick at the remaining food as he sees fit over the next few hours. I’ve been digging around on here and realize that I need to move him over to wet food and that more feedings throughout the day might be optimal depending on his chart. I think he’ll be amenable – he’s been on dry food for years but used to eat fancy feast at one point.
My looming issue at the moment is I need to leave him June 10-12 for my brother’s wedding. His usual sitter is coming, but she’s only here for a half hour twice a day (she’s part of a service and doesn’t do longer visits, but has been with Bear for years and would know if he was off). So I need him to want to eat so she can give him his insulin. I’m worried about switching his food again in this adjustment phase, especially since the fancy feast naturals are lower in fat and carbs than the Purina. I’m also worried about indigestion – the reason we brought him to the vet was because he was vomiting, and he’s had two more episodes since then, including one many hours after eating. Plus he gets a bit stressed out when we leave him.
We have an auto feeder that can offer small meals up to 4 times a day at whatever time I set. Here are some options I’m toying with:
My 13-year-old guy Bear got dx’ed on 5/19. BG was 512, showing “mild” pancreatitis. We did a fructosamine test to confirm. He was put on 1mu Lantus 2x daily and Purina DM. I went back today and his BG was 391 and he was upped to 1.5mu Lantus. So we’re very much still getting “dialed in.” I'm going to get a test kit at the pharmacy tomorrow so we can start charting.
At first Bear was all about the Purina, but over the last few days he only wants a bite or two and then walks away (which is super unlike him), so I keep bringing him back to the bowl to get him to eat enough to get the insulin injection. He will then pick at the remaining food as he sees fit over the next few hours. I’ve been digging around on here and realize that I need to move him over to wet food and that more feedings throughout the day might be optimal depending on his chart. I think he’ll be amenable – he’s been on dry food for years but used to eat fancy feast at one point.
My looming issue at the moment is I need to leave him June 10-12 for my brother’s wedding. His usual sitter is coming, but she’s only here for a half hour twice a day (she’s part of a service and doesn’t do longer visits, but has been with Bear for years and would know if he was off). So I need him to want to eat so she can give him his insulin. I’m worried about switching his food again in this adjustment phase, especially since the fancy feast naturals are lower in fat and carbs than the Purina. I’m also worried about indigestion – the reason we brought him to the vet was because he was vomiting, and he’s had two more episodes since then, including one many hours after eating. Plus he gets a bit stressed out when we leave him.
We have an auto feeder that can offer small meals up to 4 times a day at whatever time I set. Here are some options I’m toying with:
- Set the auto feeder to give him dry food before the sitter arrives, then more after she leaves. If she comes and finds he hasn’t eaten the first half, mix in a little wet food gravy as enticement.
- Move him to half wet half dry slowly over the next 2 weeks. Have the sitter give him the wet and set the dry to go off after she leaves so he can pick at it / it’s backup in case he vomits.
- Move him totally over to wet over the next 2 weeks (of course monitoring to see if insulin needs change with nutrition profile). Have the sitter feed him half as soon as she comes in, wait, administer injection, and then leave the rest for him. Hope that he does not scarf it all and vomit.
