My 9 year old Pixie Bob was just diagnosed with diabetes. His ideal weight is 14.5lbs and he's currently at 16lbs. He is in otherwise excellent health. My goal is to get to his ideal weight, but I'm having several problems with his diagnoses. He has food allergies, especially to chicken, and it seems most of the ideal diabetic foods contain chicken. Need some suggestions on a good food choice. The vet gave me Glipizide to give to him for the next month. I've heard bad things about this drug, but my cat is extremely difficult to work with. There's no way I'd ever be able to test glucose by pricking his ear, or give me insulin injections. Any suggestions are welcome.
Just Diagnosed Difficult Cat
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jt and trouble (GA)
Very Active Member
Welcome to the best site on the planet! I'm not versed on special diets but there are many here who are.
I also have heard bad things about Glipizide.
My Trouble was difficult to test. It took both of us to get the job done but we got there. I wish you good luck with your kitty. I bet there are folks here who can maybe help you get on a better choice of insulin therapy for your kitty.
Sorry I dont have better advice but wanted to welcome you. You've found the best place to find help.
jeanne
I also have heard bad things about Glipizide.
My Trouble was difficult to test. It took both of us to get the job done but we got there. I wish you good luck with your kitty. I bet there are folks here who can maybe help you get on a better choice of insulin therapy for your kitty.
Sorry I dont have better advice but wanted to welcome you. You've found the best place to find help.
jeanne
Squeaky and KT (GA)
Very Active Member
Samson03 said:
Welcome to you and your extra sweet kitty! Check out Janet and Binky's food list for other low carb foods that he can eat - they definitely aren't all chicken. Here's a link to their canned food list:
http://binkyspage.tripod.com/canfood.html
You'll be surprised what you'll be able to accomplish with your cat - I think that's what many of us thought when we arrived. Within a short time, we're testing, shooting and the cat WILLINGLY comes running! An untreated diabetic cat dies of starvation while stuffing themselves with food - their body can't use it. You MUST figure out a way....
HUGS
TheNewTeddy
Member
Squeaky and KT said:
This.
We've been dealing with this for less than a week, and our cat that would swipe at you if you pet him from the wrong angle does not even stop purring throughout the entire process.
Karen & Smokey(GA)
Very Active Member
Some have success with giving the insulin while the cat is eating.
Grab scruff, jab and inject quickly. Insulin needles are so tiny it's not much
more than a mosquito bite. A cat well-engaged in his meal will likely not notice.
There are urine dip stix (Ketodiastix) and also Purina makes "Glucotest" which is
confetti-like bits of paper you can put into the litter box to see if glucose is spilling into
the urine.
Urine testing is not the preferred way. It only tells you if the BG is HIGH, and not if it's low.
It's much more important to know if the BG is too low, which is learned by blood testing with
a little prick with a lancet to the ear.
Grab scruff, jab and inject quickly. Insulin needles are so tiny it's not much
more than a mosquito bite. A cat well-engaged in his meal will likely not notice.
There are urine dip stix (Ketodiastix) and also Purina makes "Glucotest" which is
confetti-like bits of paper you can put into the litter box to see if glucose is spilling into
the urine.
Urine testing is not the preferred way. It only tells you if the BG is HIGH, and not if it's low.
It's much more important to know if the BG is too low, which is learned by blood testing with
a little prick with a lancet to the ear.
Doug N Libby
Very Active Member
Welcome - you've found a great resource here and lots of very kind and knowledgeable people who will walk with you on this journey!
As far as a food - I would suggest printing out Binky's list and going to a pet store (PetSmart, PetCo or a place like that) and reading the labels of the kinds you chose from the list. Sorry I can't be of more help. But, while you're there you can pick up some freeze-dried treats, too!
I hear you - I never thought I would be able to test or give Hershey shots. At first, my husband did that and I sat quietly (often holding my breath with my eyes closed) and I handled the paperwork - joining the forum, keeping the SS (spread sheet) updated, etc. Then, one night, I was home alone with Hershey and he just wasn't acting right. I felt so helpless not knowing if his numbers were low because I didn't know how to test. I decided I wouldn't be left feeling that helpless again. As soon as my husband got home, I got him to teach me how to test. I have found routine works best with him, just like it did with my kids. We always test sitting in the same rocker/recliner next to the lamp. I kind of cross my leg (man-style, if you will) to help him remember not to get down. And, now I test about half the time and can usually get enough blood first poke. Their ears really do 'learn' to bleed!
We give his shots while he's eating. We rub the area, tent, shoot and rub it, again. He's usually oblivious to us even being in the room!
Now, testing for ketones was a little more difficult since he's a pretty private kitty. But, ever since that first time, it doesn't bother him anymore.
All of that to say - it DOES get easier and you CAN do WHATEVER it takes to take care of your baby.
I would advise you to spend as much time as you can reading through the information and threads here and even looking at people's SS (spread sheets) to kind of get a feel for how different people do things. And, ask lots of questions!!!
Again, WELCOME!!
Libby (and Hershey, too!)
As far as a food - I would suggest printing out Binky's list and going to a pet store (PetSmart, PetCo or a place like that) and reading the labels of the kinds you chose from the list. Sorry I can't be of more help. But, while you're there you can pick up some freeze-dried treats, too!
I hear you - I never thought I would be able to test or give Hershey shots. At first, my husband did that and I sat quietly (often holding my breath with my eyes closed) and I handled the paperwork - joining the forum, keeping the SS (spread sheet) updated, etc. Then, one night, I was home alone with Hershey and he just wasn't acting right. I felt so helpless not knowing if his numbers were low because I didn't know how to test. I decided I wouldn't be left feeling that helpless again. As soon as my husband got home, I got him to teach me how to test. I have found routine works best with him, just like it did with my kids. We always test sitting in the same rocker/recliner next to the lamp. I kind of cross my leg (man-style, if you will) to help him remember not to get down. And, now I test about half the time and can usually get enough blood first poke. Their ears really do 'learn' to bleed!
We give his shots while he's eating. We rub the area, tent, shoot and rub it, again. He's usually oblivious to us even being in the room!
Now, testing for ketones was a little more difficult since he's a pretty private kitty. But, ever since that first time, it doesn't bother him anymore.
All of that to say - it DOES get easier and you CAN do WHATEVER it takes to take care of your baby.
I would advise you to spend as much time as you can reading through the information and threads here and even looking at people's SS (spread sheets) to kind of get a feel for how different people do things. And, ask lots of questions!!!
Again, WELCOME!!
Libby (and Hershey, too!)
Thanks to everyone for the suggestions/support. I think I've found a food that will work. Merrick's Before Grain Turkey formula seems to have all the things I think I'm supposed to be looking for, and he'll eat it. Getting the urine test that goes in his litter tomorrow. With any luck the new diet and extra exercise will help him lose a little weight and his blood sugar will normalize. Or, I'll be needing some more suggestions, just going to wait and see, he's returning to the vet in 3 weeks.
Vyktors Mum
Very Active Member
To get the urine test from his tray you'll want to swap the regular littler for aquarium gravel, lentils, cut up plastic bags or anything like that which is non-absorbent.
I cannot encourage you enough to get on to the home testing even when using glipizide cats can go hypo. I would also really encourage you to use insulin instead, glipizide can actually cause further damage to the pancreas reducing your chances of achieving remission - please do some research on this.
Here's one link to get you started http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_glipizide.html
To prepare Pixie Bob for testing I suggest you start by rubbing his ears (on the outer edge where you would test) to get him used to that - some cats don't like their ears being touched to start off with. When he is comfortable about that (use LC treats to reward him for letting you rub his ears if necessary) you can start incorporating a pen click near his ear at the end of the rubbing experience, some cats don't like the sound of the lancing device so this will get him used to that. The actual testing will then be a comparative breeze. Home testing is the only way you can ensure you keep him safe when taking glipizide or insulin.
I cannot encourage you enough to get on to the home testing even when using glipizide cats can go hypo. I would also really encourage you to use insulin instead, glipizide can actually cause further damage to the pancreas reducing your chances of achieving remission - please do some research on this.
Here's one link to get you started http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_glipizide.html
To prepare Pixie Bob for testing I suggest you start by rubbing his ears (on the outer edge where you would test) to get him used to that - some cats don't like their ears being touched to start off with. When he is comfortable about that (use LC treats to reward him for letting you rub his ears if necessary) you can start incorporating a pen click near his ear at the end of the rubbing experience, some cats don't like the sound of the lancing device so this will get him used to that. The actual testing will then be a comparative breeze. Home testing is the only way you can ensure you keep him safe when taking glipizide or insulin.
Julia & Bandit (GA)
Very Active Member
There a few 5 star entrees for Merrick's that would be good to feed too--Cowboy Cookout and Surf-n-turf--if he doesn't have a reaction to beef or fish.
I'm concerned that you're using glipizide. Glipzide is not recommended for use in cats. It might work for a short period, but it ends up over taxing the pancreas and worsening the diabetes for the long term. See p. 218 (4) of the AAHA diabetes guidelines where it states:
Insulin therapy, on the other hand, allows the pancreas to rest and heal, and with the correct type of insulin (Lantus, Levemir, or Prozinc) and a low carb, canned diet, in the majority of newly diagnosed cases sends the cat into remission (insulin no longer needed). The glipzide only postpones the need for insulin, and once it does destroy the pancreas you will have no chance of it healing and getting your cat into remission. At that point he will likely need insulin for the rest of his life.
This is the article that discusses the damage glipizide can do to the pancreas in cats: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1885761/. Here's another link that discusses its efficacy in cats: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=627.
I'm concerned that you're using glipizide. Glipzide is not recommended for use in cats. It might work for a short period, but it ends up over taxing the pancreas and worsening the diabetes for the long term. See p. 218 (4) of the AAHA diabetes guidelines where it states:
Insulin therapy, on the other hand, allows the pancreas to rest and heal, and with the correct type of insulin (Lantus, Levemir, or Prozinc) and a low carb, canned diet, in the majority of newly diagnosed cases sends the cat into remission (insulin no longer needed). The glipzide only postpones the need for insulin, and once it does destroy the pancreas you will have no chance of it healing and getting your cat into remission. At that point he will likely need insulin for the rest of his life.
This is the article that discusses the damage glipizide can do to the pancreas in cats: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1885761/. Here's another link that discusses its efficacy in cats: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=627.
I don't have a follow up appointment scheduled with the vet until 4/20. After doing some research I agree that Glipizide would be my last choice of options, however the vet never even suggested insulin. Would it be better to just have him on the low carb food and no Glipizide? Or should I keep giving it to him until the follow up when I can ask more questions?
Julia & Bandit (GA)
Very Active Member
It's hard to say without knowing what sort of range his blood sugar is reaching at home. I know you say he's a difficult cat and you don't think you'll be able to test him, but you would be surprised how well cats tolerate it after a week or two. Even fractious cats learn to like testing if you're giving treats with every test. Cats have very few nerve endings in their ears so testing doesn't actually hurt them--they resist the first few weeks because you're restraining them and doing something new to them that's startling--but once they get over the newness and settle into the routine, they not only tolerate it, but expect and want you to test them (for the treats, of course).
If it were me, I would stop the glipizide start testing a couple times a day for a week and see what sort of range his blood sugar is in with the diet change. Some lucky cats end up being diet controlled without insulin therapy, but most need insulin for a bit to give their pancreas a chance to heal. If he's giving you higher numbers, I would move the vet appointment up and start insulin. The sooner you begin insulin therapy, the more likely are your chances of getting him diet controlled and off insulin. Again, it seems scary to give the injections, but if you get the short, very small syringes and do it while the cat is scarfing it's food down, they probably won't even notice what you're doing. Once I got the injection technique down and was able to do it quickly, I don't think Bandit ever once realized he was getting a shot because he was so into eating his food.
Bandit fought me pretty bad the first couple weeks of testing, so I have tons of advice for dealing with a difficult cat. There are a bunch of little details that make a huge difference in being successful testing, and some if it is just trial and error while you learn to do it. A lot of people who show up here think it's impossible to home test their cat, and that they know their cat will never allow them to do it, but are surprised to learn that the cat is usually better with it than they are. I was one of those people--if you'd have told me that one day Bandit would come running when he heard the glucose meter beep on, jump in his "testing" basket, lie down and start purring, I'd of told you that you were nuts. :smile:
If it were me, I would stop the glipizide start testing a couple times a day for a week and see what sort of range his blood sugar is in with the diet change. Some lucky cats end up being diet controlled without insulin therapy, but most need insulin for a bit to give their pancreas a chance to heal. If he's giving you higher numbers, I would move the vet appointment up and start insulin. The sooner you begin insulin therapy, the more likely are your chances of getting him diet controlled and off insulin. Again, it seems scary to give the injections, but if you get the short, very small syringes and do it while the cat is scarfing it's food down, they probably won't even notice what you're doing. Once I got the injection technique down and was able to do it quickly, I don't think Bandit ever once realized he was getting a shot because he was so into eating his food.
Bandit fought me pretty bad the first couple weeks of testing, so I have tons of advice for dealing with a difficult cat. There are a bunch of little details that make a huge difference in being successful testing, and some if it is just trial and error while you learn to do it. A lot of people who show up here think it's impossible to home test their cat, and that they know their cat will never allow them to do it, but are surprised to learn that the cat is usually better with it than they are. I was one of those people--if you'd have told me that one day Bandit would come running when he heard the glucose meter beep on, jump in his "testing" basket, lie down and start purring, I'd of told you that you were nuts. :smile:
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