Al & Jaime; Introduce, and advice?

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Theri

Theri

Member Since 2020
Hi!
I've been lurking here on for forums for a bit now, but I think it's finally time to introduce myself.

I'm Al, caretaker to a big orange kitty named Jaime

Jaime 13 years old, recently diagnosed diabetic in April this year, and boy have I been struggling.
He's currently on ProZinc, and has been having a lot of issues with mobility due to neuropathy, which strangely didn't start until after his DX.

I don't have much data on his spreadsheet yet, but I've been documenting for a while before I started using a human meter and got his spreadsheet set up.

Jaime's BG seems like it's all over the place...and he usually runs very high. The vet had me continuing to increase his dosage, but as of few days ago, I decided to start him fresh on the SLGS.

He's been on dry food his entire life (I know, I know - I've only recently learned the error of my ways), and while I'm trying to switch him to canned, he looks at it like he wants to speak to a manager. He won't touch it! I have tried putting bits of wet food in with his dry and he meticulously eats around it.

I'm home testing, and I'm quite concerned about his numbers being frequently in the black, while occasionally bouncing down to blues or greens. It's very frustrating, especially when I see his poor hind legs slipping all around!

Any advice any of you can offer on switching his diet, and why his numbers are a rollercoaster would be immensely appreciated, as I'm feeling pretty lost.

Thank you all for sharing your knowledge!
 
WELCOME TO FDMB (closet lurker) Al and Jaime! I am SO glad you came out to meet us! You are already WAY ahead of the game with all you are doing for Jamie! We congratulate you for that! It just looks like you need a little guidance and maybe dome food tips.

Neuropathy is a side affect of Diabetes. It happens with unregulated sugars. Thats when I knew something was wrong with my Trouble. So you see he went unregulated for quite awhile before I woke up to see all the water he was drinking and HUGE clumps of litter left in his box. So there again you are ahead of this dance. And it IS a dance thats what we cll you are doing now with these numbers Jamie is giving you.

Trouble like Jamie only knew dry food and most of the time that dry food was DOG KIBBLE thats how little his former owners thought of his existence:(. I got kinda lucky because he looked at can food as a treat. Yet he was SO hooked on the dry it was pathetic. I did the slow transition first I whetted his dry with a teaspoon of can. Did that for a few days then added another spoon of can. He eventually started to eat more of the mixed than was in his dry food bowl. I FINALLY got him to eat a full can of Fancy Feast without any dry.
Then, there was that bowl of dry. I couldnt get him off it until I went drastic and just took it away. He still had his canned but would sit and stare at the blank space that dry food bowl use to occupy .:rolleyes: I felt like a monster but it HAD to be done. Once all that dry was out of Troubles system his bg numbers dropped by at least 100 points. He was that carb sensitive. I'm wondering if, maybe trying different brands of can food, Jamie will find one he likes better. Even if the can has a little higher carb count it better than that dry.
(I understand thats a controversial topic here but if it gets Jamie to accept can food, you can work on the lower carb'd ones later?)

Again welcome to the best darn site on this planet to help you help Jamie. Your first post makes you part of this dedicated family.
We all look forward to helping and guiding you to get Jamie in the best health and you in a more sane place. ;):coffee:
jeanne
 
Aww, thank you! He's a big sweetie (except when he's not lol)
He's really been giving me the run-around with his numbers. I think he just likes being difficult.
Thank you so much for the warm welcome and encouragement!
As to the tips on canned food...do you or anyone else here have any suggestions on other types of canned food I can try offering? I've only tried FF classic chicken so far, and I can't even show it to him without him going off to pout. I think he's addicted to the crunch.
 
Theri said:
Aww, thank you! He's a big sweetie (except when he's not lol)
He's really been giving me the run-around with his numbers. I think he just likes being difficult.
Thank you so much for the warm welcome and encouragement!
As to the tips on canned food...do you or anyone else here have any suggestions on other types of canned food I can try offering? I've only tried FF classic chicken so far, and I can't even show it to him without him going off to pout. I think he's addicted to the crunch.
Click to expand...
Ugh My ZOE wont touch FF chicken only if its a combo like, Chicken and Liver pate She will eat FF BEEF Pate, Beef and Liver pate, Beef and Chicken pate,Turkey and Giblets pate. She will also eat Merrick Rabbit, Duck, and one called Cowboy Cookout. To say the least she is picky. NOT diabetic. ALSO some Wureva varieties. Cost us a small fortune to find this out.:rolleyes:

HANG ON for more replies I'm SURE there will be some:p
jeanne
 
Hi Al

Welcome to FDMB!

Here are tips from Dr. Lisa Pierson's website for transitioning a cat from dry to wet food. It looks like you are already trying some of it!
https://catinfo.org/#Transitioning_Dry_Food_Addicts_to_Canned_Food_

My cat, Bandit, is a kibble addict and I have given up on transitioning her to wet food. I have switched her to low carb kibble - Young Again Zero Mature and Dr. Elsey's Clean Protein (Chicken variant. The salmon variant is higher in carbs). You could also try feeding a raw diet?

Here's some useful information on hind leg neuropathy - https://www.felinediabetes.com/weak-back-rear-legs.htm
You could get Jaime started on methyl B12 for his neuropathy.

Lastly, this is our Prozinc forum. https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/forums/prozinc-pzi.24/
You could post there for any questions related to dosing etc.

It is indeed overwhelming at the beginning and heart-breaking to see our fur babies struggle with neuropathy but hang in there! With time and patience you should be able to get him to better numbers!

Bhooma
 
Thanks for the replies!
I'll try some different wet food flavors and see if he'll try them.
The transitioning to wet food article is very helpful! I've been trying some of the tricks already, but his stubbornness knows no bounds.
I have gotten some Zobaline, but I'm not sure how to administer. Until I get him transitioned to wet food, I can't crumble and mix the tablets. Can I crumble it over his kibble in the meantime? Not sure if that will work...but I'm really loathe to force a pill down his throat. He's honestly better about his ear pokes and shots than he is about pills, and I'm already having to put him through so many changes to his routine and lifestyle, I'd hate to add one more thing...
 
Yeah, crumbling pills into wet food is definitely easier. I am in India and use locally available methylcobalamin that comes in a capsule. I used to empty the contents on her kibble but I thought a lot of it got left in the bowl. Now I mix it with a little water and shoot in into her mouth with a syringe. She hates it, but what to do?! She needs it.

I don't suppose there are any low carb pill pockets available?
 
You can buy empty gel caps crumble the Methyl B12 and put it in one of those. Its more work for you and that means pilling...OR?
Buy some baby food (without garlic or anything onion) and mix a teaspoon with the mb12 and spoon feed? He might like baby food.

GOOD LUCK!
 
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