My newly diagnosed diabetic cat

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Shanon Scalia

Member Since 2021
My dog and cat were diagnosed by vet as diabetic 2months apart. My cat beazers glucose was at 343 when I took her to vet due to her loosing 6 lbs in 2 months after a grooming appointment where she was shaved. She hadalways been an overweight cat that loved to eat. I knewsomething was wrong when she ate less, consumed anextreme amount of water daily and became a very skinnycat quickly. My vet immediately changed her diet to Hills multi benefit dry food and had me start giving her 1/2 unitof vetsulin. At the 1 week check up her glucose reading were in the high 400’s, so vet said to give her 1.5 units. I noticed she began to drink even more water in that nextweek and seemed very uncomfortable never really stayingin one spot more than 5 minutes. That next week herglucose levels were in high 600’s. Vet tested blood levelsto rule out hyperthyroidism. All her lab work seemedgood. They suggested me bring her in to curve test. Vetchanged her insulin to prozinc. The 1st glucose read that morning was 420 which was before Insulin injection. Post injection her glucose shot up to 720 and the lowestreading while on insulin at Veterinary clinic was 640 and that was 8 hrs. After she was given prozinc. They had me pick her up at 5pm and instructed me to increase her doseto 2 units twice daily! Why do her levels increasedramatically with Insulin?? Something just isn’t right and when she receives Insulin within 45 min. She criesconstantly and drinks far more than she does withoutinsulin! I feel like giving her insulin will ultimately killher? I can’t even bring myself to give her insulin this morning and she actually is acting normal without. Why doesn’t my vet seem concerned with her levels spiking after insulin and why prescribe a higher dose when that’s happening? I’m at a loss and feel helpless

Shanon
 
Welcome to the best place you never thought you would be. There are years and years of experience here from people who live or have lived feline diabetes 24/7.

Beazers' levels are likely spiking because the Hills multi benefit dry food is too high in carbs. According to their website, it is 37% carbs. Low carb is considered to be under 10%.

However, do not reduce the carb content of her food until you are home testing her numbers. Her insulin dose might be too high once the carbs are lowered. It is best to gradually reduce the carbs and test at home. If you tell us what country you are in, we can help with meter recommendations.

There are very few dry food low carb options. Will she eat wet food?

Prozinc is a good insulin for cats. You can read more about it in the yellow stickies at the top of this page: https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/forums/prozinc-pzi.24/

Do not increase the insulin dose until you have transitioned Beazers to a low carb diet which will give you a better picture of the situation.

Because her numbers have been so high, it would be a good idea to test her urine for ketones. You can buy ketostix at any pharmacy. You can try sticking a ladle or spoon underneath her while she is peeing, or crumple up some saran wrap in her favourite corner of the litter box to catch a sample.
Breathe. We've got your back.
 
Red & Rover (GA) said:
Welcome to the best place you never thought you would be. There are years and years of experience here from people who live or have lived feline diabetes 24/7.

Beazers' levels are likely spiking because the Hills multi benefit dry food is too high in carbs. According to their website, it is 37% carbs. Low carb is considered to be under 10%.

However, do not reduce the carb content of her food until you are home testing her numbers. Her insulin dose might be too high once the carbs are lowered. It is best to gradually reduce the carbs and test at home. If you tell us what country you are in, we can help with meter recommendations.

There are very few dry food low carb options. Will she eat wet food?

Prozinc is a good insulin for cats. You can read more about it in the yellow stickies at the top of this page: https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/forums/prozinc-pzi.24/

Do not increase the insulin dose until you have transitioned Beazers to a low carb diet which will give you a better picture of the situation.

Because her numbers have been so high, it would be a good idea to test her urine for ketones. You can buy ketostix at any pharmacy. You can try sticking a ladle or spoon underneath her while she is peeing, or crumple up some saran wrap in her favourite corner of the litter box to catch a sample.
Breathe. We've got your back.
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Thank you for response. I couldn’t locate original post, so I reposted and now there are 2 posts in forum it seems. I am in California. I am confused on why vet would have me switch from Hills urinary tract food to multi benefit with carbs being that high. I have 4 cats and one was completely blocked 5 years ago, so I had all cats on the c/d urinary food. Beazer will not eat wet food. I have tried so many times and am only successful with canned chicken. I’m just so confused on why in the morning after I had fed her yesterday during her vet stay she was in the 400’s yet after insulin she shot up to 700’s and lowest number after insulin 8 hours later was high 600’s? That has now happened daily with Vetsulin and now pro zinc. What food should I be feeding her and what products can I buy over the counter to test her levels today. I am going to try hard to watch her today and catch when she pees so I can get urine read.
 
Waving from Canada.

One of our most experienced members recently put together this shopping list for the US (I'll cover food in the next post):

GETTING STARTED SHOPPING LIST

1. Blood glucose meter. A lot of us use the Relion Prime (available at WalMart) . It takes a reasonable sample size and the strips are affordable at $9/50 or $17.88/100

2. Matching strips (Prime strips are $9/50 or $17.88/100).

3. Lancets - little sticks to poke the ear to get blood. New members usually start with a larger gauge lancet such as 25g to 28g until the ear learns to bleed. (Usually marked “For alternate site testing) These 26 gauge lancets are perfect for “new ears” but might not be available in the store. Any lancet that’s 25-28 gauge will work. If the linked ones above aren’t available, you should be able to find these in the store https://www.walmart.com/ip/ReliOn-25-Gauge-Needle-2-In-1-Lancing-Device-For-Normal-Skin-50-Ct/146921861?fbclid=IwAR2a1NWMM_PVcOf_WWkv54jkWxcrnVvvAoI6iarsPWP-9iIxDZt4b9E-i4c

3a. Optional - lancing device. (about $8 for lancets, $5 for lancing device ...not required if you can freehand poke)

4. Cotton balls/cosmetic pads to stem the blood. I particularly like the cotton cosmetic pads like these at WalMart

5. Ketone urine test strips..ketostix (urine only) or ketodiastix (test urine for both ketones and glucose but more expensive and unnecessary if you're already testing BG) - Important to check ketones when blood glucose is high, kitty isn’t eating or just acts like they’re not feeling well. Urine Ketone test strips Available at WalMart for $5

6. Treats for the cat - like freeze dried chicken...check in the dog food treats....they’re usually cheaper. Any treat that’s freeze dried and the only ingredient is a protein source is fine.

7. Karo syrup/corn syrup or honey if you don’t have it at home - for hypo emergencies to bring blood sugar up fast. Pancake syrup also works.

8. A couple of cans of Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers (beef is the highest carb) or other high carb gravy food- for hypo emergencies to bring blood sugar up fast

9. If the pharmacy is open, ask for a 1ml syringe used to give children liquid meds. A lot of times if you tell them you need a syringe without a needle to give your diabetic cat syrup in an emergency, they will give them to you for free.

There are a lot of video's on YouTube on "how to test a cat's blood glucose" that you can watch but here are some helpful hints

It can be really helpful to establish a routine with testing. Pick one spot that you want your "testing spot" to be (I like the kitchen counter because it's got good light and it's at a good height....it also already blocked 2 escape routes due to the wall and the backsplash) It can be anywhere though...a rug on the floor, a table, a particular spot on the couch...wherever is good for you.

Take him there as many times a day as you can and just give his ears a quick rub and then he gets a yummy (low carb) treat. Most cats aren't objecting so much with the poking..it's the fooling with their ears they don't like, but once they're desensitized to it and learn to associate a certain place with the treats, they usually start to come when they're called! Or even when they hear us opening the test kit!

You also have to remember...you're not poking him to hurt him...you're testing him to keep him safe and understand what's going on inside his body. There's just nothing better than truly understanding what's going on inside your kitty's body and with this disease, the more knowledge you have, the more power you have against it. The edges of the ears have very few pain receptors, so it really doesn't hurt them. Also, if you're nervous and tense, it's going to make your kitty nervous and tense too. As silly as it might seem, try singing! It forces you to use a different part of your brain!

It's also important to make sure his ear is warm. A small sock filled with a little rice and microwaved or a small pill bottle filled with warm water (check temp against your wrist like you would a baby bottle) works well

For new kitties, using a heavier gauge lancet is also really helpful. A 25-28 gauge lancet pokes a bigger "hole" than a 31-33 gauge lancet does, so look for "Alternate Site testing" lancets that are usually a lower number

Finding the right "treat" will be a great help too! Freeze dried chicken, bonito flakes, little pieces of baked chicken...whatever low carb treat you can find that he really enjoys will help him to associate the testing with the treat! China's Achilles heel was baked chicken, so I'd bake a piece, chop it into bite sized pieces, put some in the refrigerator and freeze the rest to use as needed. It didn't take long for her to come any time I picked up the meter!

There are more testing tips here:

http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/hometesting-links-and-tips.287/

Here's one video on home testing (but there are LOTS of them on YouTube...once you're there, look on the right and you'll see them...find what works for you!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViSENIU_LDY
 
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There are only two dry foods low enough in carbs. One is Young Again (I believe you have to order it online). The other is Dr. Elsey's Clean Protein.

The change must be gradual. Start by adding a bit of the low carb dry food to her food bowl. Increase a bit each day. And you must be hometesting to make sure she doesn't go too low. (Switching to a low carb food can drop overall number by up to 100.)

Here are some tips about how to transition from dry food to wet food:
http://felinediabetes.com/TipsforTransitioningPDF12-18-09.pdf

I've asked the mods to delete your other post. No worries. It takes a while to get used to posting on a forum.
 
This is so much great info! Thank you! We are not convinced beazer is diabetic either and are looking for new vets currently. I have not given her insulin this morning as it has been proven in the past 2 weeks with the real proof yesterday during curve testing her glucose reading spikes up dangerously high after being given insulin. I am going to buy all you have suggested today to test myself. The only thing that I fear is are there insulin withdrawals? By me not giving her Insulin this morning she has not drank as much as she does with Insulin and she has not been restless nor crying constantly. Am I making the wrong decision by not giving her any this morning?
 
Once you start hometesting and make the complete switch to a low carb food, you will get the data you need to correctly treat your cat. With number so high, it is likely that she is a diabetic.

Shanon Scalia said:
The 1st glucose read that morning was 420 which was before Insulin injection. Post injection her glucose shot up to 720 and the lowestreading while on insulin at Veterinary clinic was 640 and that was 8 hrs.
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Was Beazers fed just before or after the insulin shot? It could be that the spikes are directly connected to the eating of the Hill's multi benefit. And then you have to account for white coat syndrome. Also, some cats run high during a vet visit. Hometesting means you can test each day and do your own periodic curves.

When you get back from shopping, we'll help you set up a spreadsheet so that you can keep track of Beazers' numbers and we will be able to see it as well.
 
Red & Rover (GA) said:
Once you start hometesting and make the complete switch to a low carb food, you will get the data you need to correctly treat your cat. With number so high, it is likely that she is a diabetic.


Was Beazers fed just before or after the insulin shot? It could be that the spikes are directly connected to the eating of the Hill's multi benefit. And then you have to account for white coat syndrome. Also, some cats run high during a vet visit. Hometesting means you can test each day and do your own periodic curves.

When you get back from shopping, we'll help you set up a spreadsheet so that you can keep track of Beazers' numbers and we will be able to see it as well.
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I fed Beazer at 7:30 in morning and she ate 1/4 of a cup. Her appetite has not been strong lately. I had her at vet by 8:06am. We were in the waiting area until 8:25 in which the front desk then took her back. Notes said first testing was 5 minutes to 9am and that was low 400’s. Insulin was given at 9am and test was done again 1pm which was in high 700’s. Last test was at 4:30 and was high 600’s. I guess the reason I question diabetes is because her levels were mid 300’s when diagnosed and I’ve read they can be that number just by visiting vet as it does cause stress. Once we were told to switch her food she then had readings in the 400’s. Everytime I am told to up her Insulin her levels have jumped to the high 6 and 700’s. In the mornings before Insulin and after eating she is in the 400’s...Thank you for your responses..
 
What you could be seeing with the higher numbers is something called "bouncing."

Definition of a bounce: Bouncing is simply a natural reaction to what the cat's system perceives as a BG value that is "too low". "Too low" is relative. If a cat is used to BGs in the 200's, 300's, or higher for a long time, then even a BG that drops to 150 can trigger a "bounce". Bouncing can also be triggered if the blood glucose drops too low and/or too fast.The pancreas, then the liver, release glucogon, glycogen and counter-regulatory hormones. The end result is a dumping of "sugar" into the bloodstream to save the cat from going hypoglycemic from a perceived low. The action is often referred to as "liver panic" or "panicky liver". *Usually*, a bounce will clear kitty's system within 3 days (6 cycles).​

Basically,
1. The body thinks the numbers are too low or
2. The numbers dropped too fast or
3. A bit of both.

It can take a couple of days to clear a bounce. It could be that your cat was having a bounce on curve days. Again, hometesting will tell you more.
 
Shanon Scalia said:
I guess the reason I question diabetes
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Hi Shanon! @Red & Rover (GA) copied that post with the list of supplies and testing hints from a post I had made on another person's thread. In that case, I did doubt if that cat was diabetic at all because the symptoms they were describing weren't classic diabetes symptoms. I guess Red didn't notice that last part but it should have been deleted.

The numbers at first can really be all over the place, and yes, when the testing is done at the vet's office, it can be up to 200 points higher due to stress which makes the testing unreliable. You'll get much more accurate numbers by home testing.

Shanon Scalia said:
I am confused on why vet would have me switch from Hills urinary tract food to multi benefit with carbs being that high.
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Vets get little education on nutrition in school and what they do get is paid for by the "prescription" food industry. The only ongoing "education" they get is from the salesmen that come to their offices promising the newest and greatest foods for various diseases. The truth is that there's absolutely nothing in "prescription" foods that treats disease of any kind. The Multi-benefit kibble is 37% carbs! That's 4 times as high as we recommend (need under 10% carbs) It can be a challenge to get a cat to eat canned when they're used to kibble but it can be done. Believe it or not, it can be because they don't understand that canned food is even edible! Texture has a lot to do with what a cat will eat and while we recommend the pate foods most, there are other foods that are shreds, bits and chunks that you can try. Here's a food chart that lists a lot of commonly available foods. You might want to try some of the Weruva foods. They have a variety of flavors and textures. Fancy Feast also has a Chunky chicken and Chunky turkey that seem to go over well with a lot of our picky cats.

You might also want to try getting some Forti Flora. It's a powder made out of the same stuff they spray on kibble to make it taste so good. It's available on Amazon, Chewy and other veterinary supply places as well as some vets sell it at their offices. It's advertised as a probiotic but it's best use is as a "topper" to get kitties to eat better. I think my China would have eaten sawdust if I sprinkled Forti Flora on it!

This website, written by a vet with a special interest in feline nutrition, is well worth the time to read but here's a specific page on "Transitioning the hard core kibble addict" that may be helpful as well as this page on "Prescription foods". My favorite part of the Prescription Food information is this quote:

To quote the FDA/CVM Communications Staff Deputy Director:

“‘Prescription diet’ is an industry-coined term and holds no legal meaning.”

In other words, these diets contain no ingredient that actually requires a prescription. The trademarked term “prescription diet” is simply a clever marketing tool between Hill’s and veterinarians. The sale of these diets is restricted (by Hill’s, not by law) to veterinarians only. In return, Hill’s enjoys a boost in perception of quality brought about by this profession’s endorsement of their products. However, this perception of quality is undeserved and this incestuous relationship jeopardizes the integrity of our profession.
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Keep asking questions! We are here to help!
 
Red & Rover (GA) said:
I'm not 100% convinced your cat is diabetic but whatever is happening, you have all our prayers. Diabetes is not a death sentence so if you get a positive diagnosis, don't worry. A properly treated cat can live a long and healthy life!
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I'm so sorry, Shanon. This part of what I copied from another member's post does not apply to Beazer. It was meant for the caregiver the other member was conversing with. I've edited it out of my post above.
 
Oh I understand now..I was actually told by a couple of vet techs they did not believe Beazer was diabetic, so when I saw comment it seemed fitting. I poked her poor paw twice and was unable to get a blood drop to test. I actually just stressed her out more. I am hoping I can get the nerve up to try the ear tomorrow. I did give her 1/2 unit of insulin tonight as I do not want to hurt her by not giving her any today. She tonight just keeps going to water tans drinking a ton as she does everytime she is given insulin. Her readings have climbed everytime I am told to increase her insulin and in a 3 week time frame she has gone from mid 300’s read with 1/2 dose of insulin to now a mid 700’s reading from a 2 unit dose twice daily. Her insulin has been changed as vet felt it didn’t seem right her levels were climbing as opposed to becoming lower with higher insulin doses. The new insulin causes the same high glucose readings. So basically she is in mid 300’s when taken to vet to test before insulin. Once insulin is given she spikes to 700’s. It’s been 3 weeks now and the increases cause more harm than good. I feel something is wrong and I’m afraid she will die of I continue to give her insulin. 700’s seem far to high..i will try to get blood tomorrow to test. I ordered the dry Dr. Else’s clean protein off of Amazon today and also bought her freeze dried treats from feed store today however she refuses to eat the treats..urine test is going to be hard being I have multiple cats but I’m going to put her in my room tomorrow with litter box and hopefully I can test that as well..Thank you for caring and helping through this. It has seemed like a very sad 3 weeks
 
Shanon Scalia said:
I poked her poor paw twice and was unable to get a blood drop to test. I actually just stressed her out more. I am hoping I can get the nerve up to try the ear tomorrow.
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Testing becomes easier with time and practice. There are a couple of things you can do to make it easier - (a) Massaging/warming the ear to increase blood flow and (b) apply a thin layer of Vaseline so that the blood beads into a drop rather than spreading. The link shared earlier has tips and videos that are helpful.

Shanon Scalia said:
I ordered the dry Dr. Else’s clean protein off of Amazon today and also bought her freeze dried treats from feed store today however she refuses to eat the treats..
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Changing her diet can make a big difference to her numbers. Please make the transition gradually and with home testing so that you know how low she is going with the new food and can adjust her dose accordingly.

Lastly, if you set-up your spreadsheet and signature, it makes it easier for us to help you since it contains all the information we need about your kitty. I can help you with setting this up. One less thing for you to worry about! :-)
 
Bandit's Mom said:
Testing becomes easier with time and practice. There are a couple of things you can do to make it easier - (a) Massaging/warming the ear to increase blood flow and (b) apply a thin layer of Vaseline so that the blood beads into a drop rather than spreading. The link shared earlier has tips and videos that are helpful.


Changing her diet can make a big difference to her numbers. Please make the transition gradually and with home testing so that you know how low she is going with the new food and can adjust her dose accordingly.

Lastly, if you set-up your spreadsheet and signature, it makes it easier for us to help you since it contains all the information we need about your kitty. I can help you with setting this up. One less thing for you to worry about! :)
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Thank you so much I would very much appreciate the help..2 wins this morning! I was able to get blood easily from ear after the advice on warm rice sock and Vaseline. Her number was 373. She only had 1/2 unit of Insulin all day yesterday and she had not eaten when I tested her this morning. The 2nd win is she ate wet food for the very first time immediately after I tested her. Bad thing is her new Dr. Elsy’s food will not be here until Tuesday, so carb content may be high in wet food. However from reading the info I was given yesterday any wet food is better than dry. I feel like I accomplished so much this morning and am feeling hopeful. I’m so Thankful I found this forum. I did by the suggested relion glucose meter. I have read one specifically for animals may be better, but not sure if that’s just for advertisement.
 
Red & Rover (GA) said:
Once you start hometesting and make the complete switch to a low carb food, you will get the data you need to correctly treat your cat. With number so high, it is likely that she is a diabetic.


Was Beazers fed just before or after the insulin shot? It could be that the spikes are directly connected to the eating of the Hill's multi benefit. And then you have to account for white coat syndrome. Also, some cats run high during a vet visit. Hometesting means you can test each day and do your own periodic curves.

When you get back from shopping, we'll help you set up a spreadsheet so that you can keep track of Beazers' numbers and we will be able to see it as well.
Click to expand...
Her number was 373 this morning which is high. After her eating wet food for 1st time ever (very happy) I gave her the 1 unit of Insulin. I will test again in 4 hours and I will also try hard to get the read from urine..Thank you so much for all the help
 
Shanon Scalia said:
Thank you so much I would very much appreciate the help..2 wins this morning! I was able to get blood easily from ear after the advice on warm rice sock and Vaseline. Her number was 373. She only had 1/2 unit of Insulin all day yesterday and she had not eaten when I tested her this morning. The 2nd win is she ate wet food for the very first time immediately after I tested her. Bad thing is her new Dr. Elsy’s food will not be here until Tuesday, so carb content may be high in wet food. However from reading the info I was given yesterday any wet food is better than dry. I feel like I accomplished so much this morning and am feeling hopeful. I’m so Thankful I found this forum. I did by the suggested relion glucose meter. I have read one specifically for animals may be better, but not sure if that’s just for advertisement.
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Congratulations on your first successful test. :bighug: It does get easier, hang in there! Giving her a (low carb) treat after the test will make it something for her to look forward to :-)

Getting her to eat wet food is also a big win! Some kitties never make the transition and others take months to transition. And yes, high carb wet food is better than high carb dry!
You could also order some low carb wet food and see if she'd eat that.

Would you like me to help you with setting up your Signature and Spreadsheet?
 
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