How big should snacks be? and other food questions

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Manuel

Manuel

Member Since 2022
Hi! To my delight, my IBD kitty has been able to hold down wet food, at least with the help of half a pill of prednisolone every other day. Right now I have her on 50% calories from a novel protein wet food (Fromm lamb, 4% carbs), and the remainder from her vet-prescribed hydrolyzed protein dry food (HC).

The wet food has been unreal in bringing her BG down; I've needed to decrease insulin dose quite a few times and often in quick succession. The tricky situation is, though, that traditionally I've had to continue to give her prednisolone to stop her from vomiting, and pred raises her blood glucose. It's very noticeable on Emma's spreadsheet: mornings and days after pred was given she starts in the higher yellows, and by the second day when it's wearing off Emma starts in blue or lower yellows.

Currently, Emma 2/3 of her calories at insulin time, and then 1/6 each at +2 and +5 as snacks (both dry).

My questions:
1) should I try to give her a bit more of her calories as wet food on days she's influenced by pred?
2) what percentage of her calories should come at main meals, and what percentage as snacks? Is my food at insulin time too small, and that's why she tends to dip faster than most cats?

Any thoughts are much appreciated.
 
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Manuel said:
Hi! To my delight, my IBD kitty has been able to hold down wet food, at least with the help of half a pill of prednisolone every other day. Right now I have her on 50% calories from a novel protein wet food (Fromm lamb, 4% carbs), and the remainder from her vet-prescribed hydrolyzed protein dry food (HC).

The wet food has been unreal in bringing her BG down; I've needed to decrease insulin dose quite a few times and often in quick succession. The tricky situation is, though, that traditionally I've had to continue to give her prednisolone to stop her from vomiting, and pred raises her blood glucose. It's very noticeable on Emma's spreadsheet: mornings and days after pred was given she starts in the higher yellows, and by the second day when it's wearing off Emma starts in blue or lower yellows.

Currently, Emma 2/3 of her calories at insulin time, and then 1/6 each at +2 and +5 as snacks (both dry).

My questions:
1) should I try to give her a bit more of her calories as wet food on days she's influenced by pred?
2) what percentage of her calories should come at main meals, and what percentage as snacks? Is my food at insulin time too small, and that's why she tends to dip faster than most cats?

Any thoughts are much appreciated.
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@Suzanne & Darcy

@tiffmaxee

@Bron and Sheba (GA)

@Wendy&Neko
 
I’m glad you are giving the whole dose (half pill) of the Prednisolone again. I would be concerned that the pred would not reach therapeutic levels with just the 1/4 pill. I have an IBD kitty too, but he’s not diabetic.

on Prednisolone days, I would try the lower carb food for sure. It’s going to be trial and error for you.
 
Your feeding schedule seems okay as far as the timing goes. Have you noticed how much of a food bump you get from feed the HC dry hydrolyzed food at snack time?
 
Thanks, Diane and Suzanne. I should say there's no rush to answer if there's more pressing issues and threads. This is just for my greater understanding so I can try to get Emma in the greens and blues, even though she's on SLGS.

I have twice now tried giving a bit more wet food on the day Emma is higher from prednisolone, and there haven't been any issues. One of those days she seemed to surf in the blue longer—so that's great! I'd still be curious to hear about % of calories — whether giving 1/3 of her meal as snacks (total) makes sense, or whether snacks need to be lower.

Also, I need more data, but it feels like her nadir is no longer at +2. I wonder whether before she was going down too fast and bouncing, and maybe now she is able to dip more gradually and so doesn't bounce? One can dream!
 
Suzanne & Darcy said:
Your feeding schedule seems okay as far as the timing goes. Have you noticed how much of a food bump you get from feed the HC dry hydrolyzed food at snack time?
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I haven't tested for this, but I can check. Luckily I just now tested her at +4.75 before her +5 snack (dry). When should I test again to confirm? Maybe +6?
 
Suzanne & Darcy said:
Yes. +6 is good
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Sorry for the delayed response. I think FDMB was down, or at least, I couldn't access it on any of my devices.

Today Emma actually continued a descent; she was at 124 at +6, compared to 151 before her snack at +5. Her nadir seems to have shifted a bit since I started giving her 50/50 wet and dry food. I guess 124 isn't quite in the healing zone territory, but I'm glad when she spends some time in the blues!
 
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