How to switch to wet food while on insulin-stop insulin?

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BustersMaDukes

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My cat was put on 1unit of insulin and has been eating dry hills DM. I want to switch him to canned low carb food but don't want to cause hypoglycemia. Do I take him off the insulin and retest his bg? My vet just backed out on treating my cat because I asked questions about her treatment method and I am currently between vets, I am really lost. Do I continue the treatment the previous vet started or switch to the wet food diet I have read is so much better.
 
If you can test at home, you could switch the food. You just need to be careful and monitor during the switch so you can lower the insulin as needed.

If you need help learning to test, we would be glad to help.

What kind of insulin?

Where are you located? Maybe we have a member nearby who knows a good FD vet.
 
He is on Novilin N, 1 unit twice daily after eating. I am getting supplies to test him tomorrow but the vet never taught me how as the dr. Insisted that I would cause hypoglycemia by testing his bg and regulating insulin. I'm so lost! I just want to do the right thing for him. It's really frustrating that my vet shut me out for asking valid questions about his treatment. I am in Rochester, NY. Thanks for the info. I'd love a recommendation for a vet who will work with us and allow me to question things I don't understand. :)
 
Sorry. I didn't realize you had another thread. You got a vet recommendation on it:

lynnlee and Mousie said-

ok, i got hold of Julie and she told me to tell you:

"I can't go on right now but tell her Caring for Cats 585-865-5220 on Island Cottage Rd. She must see Dr. Betsy Arnold, she is my vet and very willing to work with. I give her diabetic packets to hand out to new clients :)"

Julie has been a member here i think longer than I have and also does rescue work so you can have faith in her recommending someone.

Maybe Julie could help with the testing too.
 
Thanks so much, I just noticed the replies to my other thread. Sorry if I over did it, I'm getting used to the format in this group:) thanks so much for your support!!!
 
Since you're currently not testing yet and you're using Novolin (a very harsh and fast-acting insulin for cats that increases the likelihood of a hypo), my suggestion would be to invest in some ketostix, stop giving the insulin (just until you can see the new vet), change the food to wet low carb, and go see the new vet ASAP (hopefully tomorrow?) to get an insulin better suited for cats like Levemir, Lantus, or ProZinc/PZI. It's very important you monitor for ketones since you're not testing yet.
 
A recently published joint study by University of Queensland and Texas A&M by Rand and Zoran recommends cutting the dose by 30-50% when switching to a low carb food if the cat is already receiving insulin. (I just found this journal this evening)

From Veterinary Clinics of North America Small Animal Practice special edition on Feline Diabetes published March 2013
For cats already on insulin therapy, when changing from a high-carbohydrate to a low-carbohydrate diet the insulin dose initially should be reduced by 30% to 50% to avoid hypoglycemia.
Click to expand...
 
BustersMaDukes said:
the vet never taught me how as the dr. Insisted that I would cause hypoglycemia by testing his bg and regulating insulin.
Click to expand...

:!: :!: :evil: :!: :!:

This is the most absurdly illogical thing I have ever read on this board coming from a vet who's prescribing Novolin for cats! Was it Opposite Day when she told you this? No wonder she didn't want to treat you any more if you weren't willing to let her kill your cat! :evil: Good riddance!

Oooo! This makes me so mad! I wonder if you can report her for criminal negligence or something.
 
Welcome to LL and please don't beat yourself up about disagreeing with your vet. Good riddance to that one. We try not to be vet-bashers, but there are some out there that deserve it. I really hope you can get a vet who will prescribe one of the better insulins.

Hi Deb - do you have a copy of the article you could share? I'm really interested in that.
 
Lisa, I do not have a complete link to the entire vet journal, but here is a link to the google doc preview which lets you read the entire first article and the beginning of the second article. It is in the second article that I pulled the quote from.

http://books.google.com/books?id=nL...a=X&ei=QwiDUZ-TEZKL0QGP-4GQDQ&ved=0CFkQ6AEwBw

I'm still looking for this in a more complete computerized format. No ebook is available, found places that would sell a hard copy of the journal for around $89 on Amazon, Amazon kindle edition available on May 9, 2013. Elsevier is the publisher. Released on April 18, 2013 so very recent publication date.

Amazon has this description of the journal:
Guest editor Jacquie Rand highlights important areas in feline diabetes for all small animal practitioners. Topics include pathogenesis and risk factors for diabetes, diet for prevention and management of diabetes, management of diabetic cats with long-acting insulin, management of cats on lente insulin, pancreatitis and diabetes, home glucose monitoring, acromegaly and hyperadrencorticism and feline diabetes, renal disease and diabetes, diabetic ketoacidosis and hyperosmolar syndrome, continuous glucose monitoring, oral hypoglycemic agents, new therapies in humans relevant to cats and much more!
Click to expand...

A lot of the articles seem to be University of Queensland research or coauthored with other universities around the world such as Texas A&M, University of London, UC-Davis, etc.

I found this by doing some research for other feline diabetes current scholarly articles and stumbled upon this by accident. I like to be able to back up what I am saying with vet research studies where I can find it.

Another member may have library access through their university of job. You might want to post and ask.
 
Hi! I am also a newbie as my cat was recently dx also. There are lots of good videos on youtube about how to test your cat's bg at home. I watched them over and over at first lol. It took me about 2 weeks to become comfortable with pricking him but now we have it down pat.:) You will too! We are also switching over to canned food.

So sorry to hear about your vet. That is really awful. The recommended vet sounds really good though.:) Just wanted to offer some encouragement and let you know you aren't the only one.

Melody
 
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