Hi there! I am new to the board so pardon me if my post is too lengthy or in the wrong place. My 11-yr old cat was just diagnosed with FD, Type II. Had symptoms of frequent thirst and urination, weight loss. Otherwise he seems to be himself. I am a bit in shock, but learning about treatments. Question comes to mind - should I start insulin right away, or give the diet change a chance? I'll be traveling frequently in the next few weeks (will be gone 2 nights/days on 3 different occasions) - don't want to board as that would really stress out my cat - he doesn't do well among strangers and new places, and I don't know of anyone that house sits diabetic pets, no one I would trust anyway. I am at a loss as to what direction to take next - shots (my vet wants to start Monday) or wait to see if diet change helps...start shots late April. :?
Cat just diagnosed...
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Sue and Oliver (GA)
Very Active Member
Welcome! You posted in exactly the right place.
It may depend on how high your cat's blood glucose levels are and whether there are any other health problems. If you would get a meter and test at home now, you could see whether he is in the low to mid range (200-300) or very high (400-500) If he is in the mid range, you might be able to try the diet route first. With testing, you can also see if you are getting any improvement before you have to leave town, and decide then whether you have to use insulin.
Here is the information on changing from dry: www.catinfo.org. Here is a food chart. We try to stay under 8-10% carbs: Janet and Binky’s chart
Here is a list of things needed for home testing:
A human glucometer. Any one that sips and takes a tiny sample is fine. The meters are often free at drug stores; it’s the strips that are expensive. You can, however, buy them on ebay at less than half the price of stores. Lots of people here also like the ReliOn from Walmart. It is an inexpensive meter and its strips are the cheapest around. Try the meter out on yourself or someone else before you try it on your cat. You want to be familiar with it before you poke the cat.
Lancets and a lancet device. Usually, until the ears “learn” to bleed, a 25-26 gauge is good. Any brand will work.
Ketone strips. (Ketostix) Just like human diabetics use. You will sometimes need to test urine if the numbers are high.
Rice sack. Make this out of thinnish sock, filled with raw rice or oatmeal and then knotted. You heat this in the microwave until very warm but not hot. Then heat the ears before poking.
Also nice to have. Flashlight: so you can look at the ears and find the little capillaries that come off the vein running down the ear. Vaseline: Put a tiny smear where you want to poke. It will help the blood bead up.
And some lo carb treats to give your kitty, successful test or not Lo carb treats
Here is a good beginning site for hometesting: Newbie hometesting site and a video: Video for hometesting We have taught hundreds of people how to test over the internet. We would be glad to help you.
It may depend on how high your cat's blood glucose levels are and whether there are any other health problems. If you would get a meter and test at home now, you could see whether he is in the low to mid range (200-300) or very high (400-500) If he is in the mid range, you might be able to try the diet route first. With testing, you can also see if you are getting any improvement before you have to leave town, and decide then whether you have to use insulin.
Here is the information on changing from dry: www.catinfo.org. Here is a food chart. We try to stay under 8-10% carbs: Janet and Binky’s chart
Here is a list of things needed for home testing:
A human glucometer. Any one that sips and takes a tiny sample is fine. The meters are often free at drug stores; it’s the strips that are expensive. You can, however, buy them on ebay at less than half the price of stores. Lots of people here also like the ReliOn from Walmart. It is an inexpensive meter and its strips are the cheapest around. Try the meter out on yourself or someone else before you try it on your cat. You want to be familiar with it before you poke the cat.
Lancets and a lancet device. Usually, until the ears “learn” to bleed, a 25-26 gauge is good. Any brand will work.
Ketone strips. (Ketostix) Just like human diabetics use. You will sometimes need to test urine if the numbers are high.
Rice sack. Make this out of thinnish sock, filled with raw rice or oatmeal and then knotted. You heat this in the microwave until very warm but not hot. Then heat the ears before poking.
Also nice to have. Flashlight: so you can look at the ears and find the little capillaries that come off the vein running down the ear. Vaseline: Put a tiny smear where you want to poke. It will help the blood bead up.
And some lo carb treats to give your kitty, successful test or not Lo carb treats
Here is a good beginning site for hometesting: Newbie hometesting site and a video: Video for hometesting We have taught hundreds of people how to test over the internet. We would be glad to help you.
Karen & Smokey(GA)
Very Active Member
Where do you live ? (city/state).....maybe someone nearby who can cat-sit,
or recommend someone for you..
or recommend someone for you..
Jayne & Sweety
Active Member
Hi, and Welcome - you are in the right place. You can learn so much here about feline diabetes and get help from lots of caring, experienced people.
I understand your vet is willing to try the diet change first? That's a good sign. Do you know what your cat's blood glucose number was? The number can be raised at the vet's office from stress so another test, a fructosamine test, can give a better idea of what your cat's BG's average has been in the last two weeks or so. It could make a big difference in treatment. My cat was diagnosed diabetic by the office BG alone, and the vet wanted to start insulin, but I asked for the fructosamine test (learned about it here) and that came back "borderline" 487, with 500 being diabetic. I decided to try the diet change first, along with hometesting her, urine testing her and urine testing for ketones.
She was previously only fed dry food and the diet chenge alone, worked for us in two weeks. Do you feed dry food? - get rid of it - it's all carbs. Diabetics need low carb, high protein food, as you'll learn in the health links...
I'd say if your vet is onboard with the diet change - go for it. You don't have to buy the food the vet prescribes. Get the low ones on Janet & Binky's chart.
Yes, there is a lot of info on this board. Look in the health links on the board index and READ EVERYTHING. I copied everything into word docs so I could read and absorb it later.
First, breathe - We all have been overwhelmed at first, but feline diabetes is very managable. You are not alone.
And don't be afraid to ask questions - there are so many caring people here, willing to help.
I understand your vet is willing to try the diet change first? That's a good sign. Do you know what your cat's blood glucose number was? The number can be raised at the vet's office from stress so another test, a fructosamine test, can give a better idea of what your cat's BG's average has been in the last two weeks or so. It could make a big difference in treatment. My cat was diagnosed diabetic by the office BG alone, and the vet wanted to start insulin, but I asked for the fructosamine test (learned about it here) and that came back "borderline" 487, with 500 being diabetic. I decided to try the diet change first, along with hometesting her, urine testing her and urine testing for ketones.
She was previously only fed dry food and the diet chenge alone, worked for us in two weeks. Do you feed dry food? - get rid of it - it's all carbs. Diabetics need low carb, high protein food, as you'll learn in the health links...
I'd say if your vet is onboard with the diet change - go for it. You don't have to buy the food the vet prescribes. Get the low ones on Janet & Binky's chart.
Yes, there is a lot of info on this board. Look in the health links on the board index and READ EVERYTHING. I copied everything into word docs so I could read and absorb it later.
First, breathe - We all have been overwhelmed at first, but feline diabetes is very managable. You are not alone.
And don't be afraid to ask questions - there are so many caring people here, willing to help.
I appreciate your insight on this. My cat was eating dry food for indoor cats at will, plus a teaspoon of Newman's Own wet food in the morning and then again at supper. But since we've switched to the food the vet gave us a few days ago, he really likes the wet food, more so than the dry. He has already stopped drinking as much and the flooding of the litter box has decreased. Or is it my imagination? I'm going to get the BG number today. My gut tells me to just go with the diet change for now, and test the BG along the way. I'll look into your suggestion of a fructosamine test too.
Bless you!!
Teresa
Bless you!!
Teresa
Deb & Spot
Very Active Member
Can you tell us where you live at? If the diet change does not help and you need to start insulin, there may be someone in your area who may be able to help w/ your kitty while you are away or at least could give you some info in regards to a pet sitter.
Thank you...we live in sunny Valdosta, Georgia, about 14 miles from the Florida border. As it happens I have a former nurse that lives next door - she may be able to assist should we go out of town. My cat, Millibar, (or sometimes lovingly referred to as Mr Barr) knows her but still tends to hide when there's a knock on the door. He is very shy!
I just received his BG number - it was 481 when tested at the vet last Tuesday.
I just received his BG number - it was 481 when tested at the vet last Tuesday.
Sue and Oliver (GA)
Very Active Member
481 is high. But get a number at home to compare. Stress raises bg levels and most cats are stressed at the vet. If Mr. Barr is shy, he may be very stressed with all the strange noises, smells and people at the vet.
Jayne & Sweety
Active Member
While you're getting the meter, also get urine test strips for ketones. You want to make sure there is none in her urine. It is dangerous. They are right in the same section. And good luck with hometesting. For some of us it takes a while. If you don't succed at first, just keep trying. There are lots of posts about how to do it.
What food did the vet give you? There are many good ones on J & B's list that many of of use.
Keeping an eye on her water is a good thing. I noticed a difference after the diet change too. What I did was to take a styrofoam bowl, fill it with water and remove an ounce at a time with a turkey baster, and mark the side with a pen in intervals of 5, like a ruler, so I could keep track just by looking at it. I started a notebook with columns of things: water intake, urine tests, ketone tests, BG results, how much she ate and how many times I had to clean the litter box every day, and if she pooped. I liked keeping track - but that's just me.
Good luck, and paws crossed that she is one of the lucky ones!
What food did the vet give you? There are many good ones on J & B's list that many of of use.
Keeping an eye on her water is a good thing. I noticed a difference after the diet change too. What I did was to take a styrofoam bowl, fill it with water and remove an ounce at a time with a turkey baster, and mark the side with a pen in intervals of 5, like a ruler, so I could keep track just by looking at it. I started a notebook with columns of things: water intake, urine tests, ketone tests, BG results, how much she ate and how many times I had to clean the litter box every day, and if she pooped. I liked keeping track - but that's just me.
Good luck, and paws crossed that she is one of the lucky ones!
Many thanks! A notebook is a good idea. I'll start one. My hubby is on board with this so he can help monitor and such. I'll check with my pharmacist about the ketone strips. The literature and helpful hints and charts I've read thus far has been very helpful. The vet gave us Purina D/M. Mr. Barr loves the wet food; not so much the dry. I'll review J & B's list again.
Jayne & Sweety
Active Member
Purina DM wet looks like a good one. On the old list, it's a a 7. You want to try and stay under 10. But I understand it's expensive? I don't know, I haven't used it. Here's the link to J & B's chart in case you want to try some commercial brands: http://binkyspage.tripod.com/CanFoodNew.html
I would try and wean your baby off the dry completely. ( but that's just me) The Purina DM dry is a 13. There are good dry foods for diabetic cats. You'll have to search the forum, or ask. I don't use it at all.
It's great that Mr. Barr doesn't have a problem with the wet food! Some cats do. Sweety used to get it once in a while as a treat and at first, when I switched - she thought it was Christmas, every day!
Oh, and put a column in the notebook for his weight too. You'll want to keep an eye on that too.
Unfortunate thing about that is - you have to weigh yourself everyday too... :lol:
I would try and wean your baby off the dry completely. ( but that's just me) The Purina DM dry is a 13. There are good dry foods for diabetic cats. You'll have to search the forum, or ask. I don't use it at all.
It's great that Mr. Barr doesn't have a problem with the wet food! Some cats do. Sweety used to get it once in a while as a treat and at first, when I switched - she thought it was Christmas, every day!
Oh, and put a column in the notebook for his weight too. You'll want to keep an eye on that too.
Unfortunate thing about that is - you have to weigh yourself everyday too... :lol:
Jen & Squeak
Very Active Member
The ingredients in DM canned aren't super, and many cats get tired of it pretty quick. DM dry ingredients are terrible, while Hills MD dry is a little bit better. If you have to feed dry, you are better off feeding Innova EVO or Wellness Core.
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