New Diabetic Cat

[ktark95]

Very new to this as of today! For about 2 weeks now I noticed my senior kitty drinking a lot more than usual and urinating as well, of course. Took him to the vet today and his kidneys looked great but he was on the low end diabetic. They suggested starting 1 unit twice a day of Vetsulin, as well as the Hills prescription diet.

Tried the food and he absolutely will not touch it and I am supposed to take him back and 2 weeks to have levels rechecked.
I have noticed since getting him home he took a bite of the dry and spit it up. They drew blood from under his neck and he seems to be having a little trouble swallowing right.

Has anyone tried simply changing their diet to canned wet high protein/low carb first without insulin and had luck with levels dropping that way? I do not want to try swapping diets and insulin at the same time and it being too much for him.

I have tried 3 different dry foods and prescriptions wet and he will not touch it. I am on day 3 after the vet and he barely wants to eat and hardly drinking now but he will lick a little bit of canned friskies. Just trying to see possible options without having to go insulin dependent since I cant at the moment. Thanks!

 

[CORKY]

Welcome to FDMB
It is overwhelming when you hear Feline diabetes, the good new is that is manageable, with the right insulin, home testing and low carb food
The best insulins for cats are ProZinc and Lantus, Vetsulin also called Caninsulin, is a dog insulin hits hard and fast, where you instructed by your vet to home test? is important to test before each shot to avoid hypoglycemia, and testing 3-4 times as well during the day, most members use the human meter ReliOn Premier and strips, no need for pet meter, the strips are very expensive, or you can buy any brand of meter, also all the foods you mentioned in your post are very high in carbs, and the Hills "prescribed" diet food, is nothing but high carbs over 20%, you are spending a lot of money for a food that will not benefit a diabetic cat, Diabetic cats need to have a diet of wet can or raw food between 0-10% carbs, most members feed Fancy Feast Pates between 0-10%, most feed up to 5%, and feeding several snacks or small meals during day ,below is a food chart with many brand options, the third column contains the carb%, also you should know that the glucose level taken at the vets office is always altered by the stress that cats go through, cats are very sensitive to stress, there are appetite stimulants such as MIRATZ, you can get at the vets office is a small tube that goes a long way, just a tip of a pin drop in the inside fold of the ear exchanging ears every day for about 5 days, your cat will devour anything in front of him. And yes, sometimes with the low carb food you can regulate, but if your vet prescribed insulin it means his glucose level are very high, what was his BG reading at the vets' office? It is best to start insulin right away to begin to heal the pancreas if it was prescribed, feeding a low carb diet, all cats are different, some go into remission right away with diet change, some need just a little amount of insulin, some cats are lifetime diabetic, like my Corky, he is tightly regulated, but will always need insulin, Speak to vet ask questions, a lot, ask him to switch you to either Lantus or ProZinc, starting at a low dose, and it is highly adviced e to home test, on our main Forum there a sticky notes with much valuable information.
You should prepare what is called a HYPO KIT, this contains some medium carb foods, between11-15% carbs some high carbs between 16-24% some Karo syrup or honey, this is in case his BG levels need to be raised, keep in mind that Vetsulin/Caninsulin hits hard and fast, I will tag a couple of members that can give you more input , and please keep posting we are here for you
@Wendy&Neko
@Sienne and Gabby (GA)

 

[ktark95]

His glucose there was 460 but the next day when we went it was 270 without having anything so Im thinking he was more stressed? As old as he is Im wishing I would have just left it alone and tried swapping foods first. A lot of people are still telling me to try that because they had good feedback with it as well.

 

[CORKY]

With 460 and 270 your cat IS diabetic, a non diabetic cats’ glucose level is between 50-120 so both elements are needed insulin an low carb diet, along with home testing, when the insulin begins to work on your cats system along with the low carb food,, the doses can be reduced, as he regulates, otherwise your cats pancreas will continue to damage along with weight loss, and risks of other organ damage

 

[ktark95]

Ok. How am I supposed to start doing insulin on him if he wont eat though? Its just so frustrating. And his skin and paw pads are so thick that i cant get any blood to check it. Vet bills are already stacking and I cant keep bringing him in every couple of days for them to not tell be anything either...

 

[CORKY]

Ok. How am I supposed to start doing insulin on him if he wont eat though? Its just so frustrating. And his skin and paw pads are so thick that i cant get any blood to check it. Vet bills are already stacking and I cant keep bringing him in every couple of days for them to not tell be for the

You can get at the vets office A good appetite stimulant like MIRATZ it is a small tube that goes a long way, a pin tip amount on the inner fold of the ear, you rub it and give for 4-5 days switching ears every day, it works almost right away, the link below is step by step on how to test
Diabetes In Cats. How to test blood sugar levels at home.

 

[Wendy&Neko]

What did he eat before the diabetes diagnosis? Hardly any of us feed "prescription" foods, but rather low carb commercially available foods, preferably wet or raw. That's because most dry food is too high in carbs for a diabetic. Will he eat wet food?

Most of us test our kitties blood sugar at the ear tips. Lots of tips and videos here: Hometesting Links and Tips

If he needs insulin, you really need to try to get him to eat. Some more tips here: Suggestions on How to Stimulate Kitty's Appetite. Did the vet do a urinalysis? Were there any signs of ketones? I would give try an anti nausea drug like Cerenia or ondansetron before trying an appetite stimulant. Best to find out why he's not eating.

 

[ktark95]

What did he eat before the diabetes diagnosis? Hardly any of us feed "prescription" foods, but rather low carb commercially available foods, preferably wet or raw. That's because most dry food is too high in carbs for a diabetic. Will he eat wet food?

Most of us test our kitties blood sugar at the ear tips. Lots of tips and videos here: Hometesting Links and Tips

If he needs insulin, you really need to try to get him to eat. Some more tips here: Suggestions on How to Stimulate Kitty's Appetite. Did the vet do a urinalysis? Were there any signs of ketones? I would give try an anti nausea drug like Cerenia or ondansetron before trying an appetite stimulant. Best to find out why he's not eating.

This afternoon he seems a little more like himself. Ate about a 1/4 pouch of plain salmon and drank a good bit of water. Im just scared of doing insulin for a couple of days and then he not want to eat and i hVe to skip doses. Infeel like that would do more harm than not doing it atll

 

[ktark95]

What did he eat before the diabetes diagnosis? Hardly any of us feed "prescription" foods, but rather low carb commercially available foods, preferably wet or raw. That's because most dry food is too high in carbs for a diabetic. Will he eat wet food?

Most of us test our kitties blood sugar at the ear tips. Lots of tips and videos here: Hometesting Links and Tips

If he needs insulin, you really need to try to get him to eat. Some more tips here: Suggestions on How to Stimulate Kitty's Appetite. Did the vet do a urinalysis? Were there any signs of ketones? I would give try an anti nausea drug like Cerenia or ondansetron before trying an appetite stimulant. Best to find out why he's not eating.

Before diagnosis he was on friskies pate and surfin turf dry food on and off. He wants just the softer food now. A "trace" of keytones

 

[ktark95]

He has such thick skin they could hardly get blood at the vet so a home test is out as well. Tried the ears and pawpads and get nothing.

 

[ktark95]

Before diagnosis he was on friskies pate and surfin turf dry food on and off. He wants just the softer food now. A "trace" of keytones

He has been on this same food for almost 10 years but has not been as active the last 3-4 years after I moved to a smaller home.

 

[CORKY]

If you feel you cannot prick his skin there’s another option, the CGM the LIBRE monitoring but it is so dangerous to give insulin without testing, you will be putting your cat at a risk of hypoglycemia and that’s not a pretty site

 

[ktark95]

If you feel you cannot prick his skin there’s another option, the CGM the LIBRE monitoring but it is so dangerous to give insulin without testing, you will be putting your cat at a risk of hypoglycemia and that’s not a pretty site

Thats why I am holding off as of now until he starts trying to eat a little more normal again.

 

[Wendy&Neko]

Before diagnosis he was on friskies pate and surfin turf dry food on and off. He wants just the softer food now.

Perfect, Friskies pate (except turkey) with no dry food are all low carb foods. This food chart lists some of the common foods available, you want 10% carbs and under for a diabetic.

Keep your eye on those ketones, anything above trace is a concern and should be discussed with the vet. You might be able to try a smaller insulin dose. Insulin does more in the body than combat carbs in food.

Cat ears need to learn to bleed, the first few times trying to test can be quite difficult.

 

[ktark95]

Ok. He has only had the one dose of insulin at the vet wednesday. Has not emate or drank hardly any since. Its like he is scared to eat so I havent given him a dose. Took him back to the vet yesterday and they dis fluids again and thatcwas all. Sent him home with no other instructions