Help on Dosing/Food

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geekgirldany

geekgirldany

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I talked to vet about Catee Wednesday. He just wasn't eating what he should, 2 to 3 ozs of dry food a day. Either Purina DM Or Orijen. I was having to put it in front of him all the time to eat. Vet told me to increase insulin to 2.0 and consider 2.25 and it might be that his BG is high the reason he is not eating. Getting is lowered would improve his appetite. I asked him about Hills M/d dry food and he told me I could try it. The good news is that Catee is eating it. 3 ozs Wednesday and 4 ozs yesterday. With that said his BG has gone up and I assume it is because he is eating what he should. Plus free feeder.

Now, I know he should not be eating dry. I've tried every low carb dry food to get him to eat it. My thoughts are that if I could get him to eating Hills M/D that I could transition him to a lower carb dry food. He just needs to be eating something. I still work with him every day with the canned food and it isn't going good.

So if anyone has time please look at his spreadsheet. His AMPS was in the lower 400s this morning, again assume because he is eating more.

When should I consider going up to 2.25? Has the insulin just not kicked in yet?
 
It looks like you have tried Young Again? I agree he needs to eat. Hills MD isn't as awful as Science Diet, for example. It's 13% carbs as opposed to 35%. it would still, of course, be better if he would eat a wet low carb and I would continue to work on that. But for now, I think you have to work with what you have. One food you might consider is Stella and Chewy's. It's a dried raw I can get at my specialty pet store. It gives them some of the crunchy feel while being low carb. You might supplement with that so he'd get some low carb with the higher low carb?

He does drop into blues midcycle but has more room to drop. Dropping lower does open up the possibility of bouncing, but that is something you just have to work with.

Generally we say, if there is a complicating factor (like having to take a steroid) that you tailor the insulin to fit the numbers regardless. I guess I would say do the same with the food. (It's a little like a human diabetic eating donuts and taking more insulin to compensate.)

On the higher preshots, I think increasing by .25 isn't a bad idea - as long as you can monitor and see how it works at least the first cycle or two.
 
I think Sue is right. Increasing when you can monitor might be a good idea. If he can get into lower numbers, it can help his pancreas heal.

In the end, he has to eat. Keep trying with wet...there are several people who had to try for months but they got there...and you will too!
 
Thank you both for responding. I was hesitant to put him on Hill's M/D. He got sick on Science Diet back in 2011. Tonight PMPS was 286... that is the first time in awhile it has been that low. I went ahead and did 2.00 dose and see how he does tonight. Hopefully it continues to get better.

The local feed store has the Stella and Chewy's... I looked at their website. It seems that their food is around 17% in carbs... is that right? Maybe I looked at the wrong thing.
 
You can try baking a canned, low carb food down to a pilaf or crunchy consistency. Use a jelly roll or other lipped pan, spread the food thinly, and bake at a cracker or cookie level temperature. Stir/turn over periodically. And enjoy the smell of baking cat food through the house!
 
I agree that wet food is best. Keep trying.

It took me 2 months to convert Hank over to wet food. Now he loves it! :-D

I tried most all of the tricks but this is what finally worked for me...the "kitty candy" (aka high carb treats). The treats are Purina Whisker Lickin's soft treats. Hank goes nuts over them!

I squished the treats (about 2-4) and sprinkled on top of the wet food. I pushed some of the pieces down into the wet food so that he had to taste the wet to get to the yummy treat piece. I kept cutting back on the treats until...TaDa! It took about a week.

Hank's BG numbers really started getting lower after he was totally eating the wet food. Remember to transition slowly so sugar kitty doesn't get diarrhea or tummy problems. :smile:

Catee can do it!

Kimmie
 
Okay, I am stumped. Last night PMPS 286, +6 nadir 126. Then this morning AMPS 426. I fully expected around high 200s. What is going on? Is this a rebound?

Kimmie, I"ve been following Hank's SS, it is great his numbers have come down so well. It has taken awhile to get him there. Gives me hope :)
 
When the glucose drops quickly and/or drops to an unfamiliar level, it triggers compensatory hormones to release stored glucose (glycogen). This raises the glucose back up, for as long as 3 days. You just need to wait it out and be patient.
 
Thanks BJM, I was just reading about rebounds.

So wait it out with the same dosage... no increase or decrease?

Thanks again.
 
Yup. Just got to wait it out. Note that bouncing is NOT Somgyi, a form of chronic rebound which has been theorized, but not proven by research in cats.
 
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