New and need some advice.

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Taintedhalo

Taintedhalo

Member Since 2013
Hello everyone my 9 yr old cat Patches was diagnosed last week following a keadosis crisis. We lost her older brother Pugbug and I feel horrible cause we had no idea what was going on till it was too late. At the same time I am grateful we were able to save her. I am a bit confused about food though. We have them eating 9 lives and friskies. Yep I used the tables to buy the food but now I am wondering if I should have been concerned with the phosphorus too? Patches had surgery 5 years ago because of stones and Gizmo had issues with crystals about 6 years ago. We are on a tight budget so high priced foods are out. I am open to making my own food for them but am nervous about it. (especially the bones in the meat) Would love suggestions on canned food and making my own.
I am home testing but my vet didn't tell me to do a curve so when I check its very high. I check at meal times so every 12 hours. I think I will do a curve tommorow so my son can help me. Anything else I should be thinking about?
 
Patches has a uti but the vet didn't say anything about any kidney problems. She did put her on royal canin recovery r/s but the cats won't touch it with a 10ft poll. Had to syringe feed for a few days but she is eating well now even begging again. They took the switch to wet food well and only complain a bit now.
 
Friskies Special Diet seems to be a good, inexpensive low carb and low phosphorous food. You might try a can or two to see if they go for it.

The only thing misssing is ketone testing. Since he had DKA, you definitely want to do that. You use the human ketone strips from the drug store and stick them in his urine stream. If this sounds impossible, and it was for me, we have alternative ways. :mrgreen:

What kind of insulin? What dose? Beside your preshot number which is vital, it is a good idea to get midcycle numbers (between 5-7 hours after the shot) to see how the insulin is working. Sometimes preshots are high because they are dropping low at midcycle and bouncing back up. Your curve will be a test every 2-3 hours during the 12 hour cycle and it will give you great info.
 
Welcome! It is great that you are willing to home test Patches. There is a lot of help on these boards. Once we know what insulin, we can point you in the direction of the right boards for your specific insulin type. There is always someone to help out. As for food, I am not an expert but I do know that you don't have to feed an expensive food to get great results. Not sure about the crystals and what food would be best though so maybe someone else can help out with the food?

Again, welcome!
 
Hello and welcome to Patches and his momma bean. What is your name?

Here is a link to a great article by vet Dr. Lisa Pierson on Urinary Tract Health. Water is the key to keep the urinary system functioning well. Try adding enough water to the canned food to make it more like the consistency of applesauce or even a bit soupy. Lots of people here add 1/2 a can of water, up to a full can of water to each serving of food they feed.

Dr. Pierson also has information on her website, catinfo.org, about making your own raw diet.
 
Sue she is on 1 unit of Prozinc twice a day. I thought about special diet and am looking into ordering some since our local store doesn't have it but I read that they are discontinuing it and it isn't listed on the companies website so that's probably true. I wasn't sure if it was even a concern since kidney problems weren't mentioned by the vet. Or even what is too high in phosphorus. Ok so do the curve tomorrow and then a test every six hours after that? For life or just till its regulated? Will get some ketone strips when I take her to the vet Tuesday. I think I will need those alternative since she is a fussy don't even look at me while I pee cat. :roll:

Joyce thanks for the welcome. I am a bit overwhelmed at the moment and loving that people are willing to help with info. My vet basically said here's the insulin see you back in 2 weeks. Oh and don't forget to plunk down more than half your months income at the desk on your way out. @-)

Deb oops sorry my name is Melissa. Thanks to the board here I have read up on that site but she grinds up the bones too and I know there isn't any in the budget for a $150 grinder. I did read about bonemeal and things to add but not sure where to get it food grade that is. Any suggestions? I tried adding water to a bit of food after reading your suggestion to see if they would tolerate it. I was so happy seems they love it even better that way. Lapped at the liquid like it was already Christmas. ;-) Thanks for the tip! :mrgreen:
 
Friskies Special Diest still exists. It's a little hard to find on their website, but it's there. ;-) I feed both of my boys the SD Turkey and Giblets version, so I don't know what I'd do if they discontinued it...probably start a letter-writing campaign. :lol:
 
Oliver would not pee while we were watching either. I got some aquarium gravel (other people use beans) and put it in a clean litter box and left him alone with it. He couldn't stand not to 'christen" the box, so he would leave a sample for me and it wouldn't be absorbed.

With ProZinc, we suggest preshots always and midcycle when you are just starting or wondering how the dose is working. Once you have some data, you can often just give the same amount based on previous preshot numbers. If something changes, then that midcycle number really helps.


Keep reading and asking questions. Everyone who replies on your thread is paying it forward for help they received when they were new and overwhelmed. :-D
 
Kpassa I may have been mistaken. I read it in a passing type comment on a message board while looking for phosphorous info.

Misty Thanks for the welcome and the links! I will be reading the first one after I type this. I am working on a spreadsheet for her right now.

Sue Oh great idea!! I will get some aquarium gravel the same time I get the ketone strips.


I was able to go ahead with a curve today and its discouraging to say the least. I have been doing before shot tests since the 3rd day and none were lower than the 500's. I thought maybe she was sneaking food. Feeding her Friskies classic pates ( Ocean whitefish, turkey giblet and mixed grill) and 9 lives (mixed grill). She eats a can to a can and half a day of the 5.5 oz cans. She tucks in like she is starving at each feeding. She isn't very active and still seems a bit wobbly but walks fine. She weights a little over 5lbs. Any more info you guys need? Here is the SS https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...ljcnhrX2tLbGt4a0VtYlRsdUE&usp=drive_web#gid=0
 
Those are very high numbers. She did drop 50% but pretty early in the cycle. The dose didn't last long enough. If she were mine, I'd increase the dose by .5. With ProZinc, you can raise the dose every third cycle. Just be sure you can keep an eye on her, as that was a big drop, so the insulin is working.

The other things that cause high numbers are infections. How are her teeth? No chance of a UTI
 
They did say she had dental problems but acted like it was no big deal at the moment. The paperwork says Dental Calculus. She had a uti but has been on antibiotics since the 4th and never missed a dose.
Oh and seafood flavors are a no no right? Cause she loves those the most and there are a few that are really low carbs.
 
Both of those could raise the numbers. If she were mine, I'd raise the dose and watch her carefully. Especially with the infection, once the infection clears, her numbers can decrease. But now, she is too high.
 
Is it ok to wait till morning dose to try that since I don't have a car and if it goes to low and she needs her vet calling someone out of bed to take me might be a problem.
 
Of course, wait until you can monitor.

For future reference: If she ever drops into the 40-50 range, you can guide the numbers with food. At first, you'd give her some regular low carb food and retest in 30 minutes. If she is still dropping, then give some of the gravy off higher carb food and retest. Most often this steps will raise the numbers into safe territory. If not, you break out of the honey. As long as you are testing, you can manage low numbers,
 
Sue you are such a lifesaver. I feel so lost in all this but its a bit better knowing there are people who will help. I don't have honey but I have white corn syrup and was thinking of getting liquid glucose if I can find it. Another thing to add to the list a few cans of high carb in case it goes low.
 
A friend came over tonight and was nice enough to take me to the store. I got a bunch of special diet wet food that the manager had in the back waiting to be shelved!!! I bought a new meter, glucose gel, ketone testing strips, aquarium gravel, a new litter box that would be a bit too small for her brothers to want to use and some comfort food for me. Hey I deserve a treat every now and then too. :lol:
 
I agree with Deb and Wink that the more you hydrate the canned food, the better the food will be digested properly and this will definitely help with the UTI issues. My cats do not drink from the water bowl anymore. I have to empty it because it gets dusty. I am fostering three kittens on hydrated food - they don't even know what a water bowl is.

If you want to look at raw and don't have the funds to buy the grinder, catnutrition.org which tweaks Dr. Pierson's recipe a bit and provides more details on how to make it, offers a bone-meal powder that you can get at Amazon. Here is the link the site uses to the bone-meal powder

bonemeal

Please note that the raw diet is NOT recommended for cats with CRF and you really should not serve a raw diet without a proper bone-to-meat ratio.

Stay with us - we will help you through it. There is a lot of experience here.
 
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