New Diagnosis

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inoke

Member Since 2014
Hello, my kitty Pala a tiny 6 1/2 year old was just diagnosed with diabetes. She had Pancreatitis almost two years ago now. I'm adjusting her diet again, starting with what the vet gave me but I'm going to research on the links I've seen here for some cheaper options.

I currently work from home in a schedule that is supposed to be within the hours of 7-5:30 five days a week. I do call center work, though, so I can't always guarantee I'll be done with a customer at exactly 5:30 and I've run up to 6:00 or so before on a call. I was planning on doing a 6/6 split ... do you think if I'm 15-30 mins late it would be bad? I plan to ask the vet but with everything we went over today i don't know where my brain was.
 
It helps if you can be consistent with Lantus. That said, some folks have successfully done uneven time splits. Since many cats go lower at night, making that the longer interval would make sense.

When possible, getting tests in the +5 to +7 hours post shot will show you how low the insulin is taking him. Tests in that time period are used to adjust the dose. Can you schedule your lunch to get any of these?
 
Welcome to FDMB Elizabeth and Pala,

As I've heard before on here, you do the best you can do.

As far as food to feed, most of the prescription food at the vet's is high in carbs. What food did your vet recommend?
There is a food chart on the website catinfo.org that we follow here. The 3rd column is the carb count. For diabetic cats, the food should be 10% or less for carbs.

So we recommend Fancy Feast Classic pate flavors or Friskies classic pate flavors (except for Mixed Grill. It is 11% carbs). I went with feeding Hank 9 Lives dinners (pate's) flavors because Hank was carb sensitive. The Friskies was too high of carbs for him and the Fancy Feast was too expensive for what tiny cans you get. Just follow the chart when choosing flavors. I printed off certain pages of food chart (FF pates, Friskies and 9 Lives) and took it to the grocery store with me. I highlighted the flavors ahead of time that I was interested in finding. It helped me.

There are some great articles to read on catinfo.org. I have even printed some of those off for quick reference.

Hope this helps you.

If you have anymore questions, just ask away.

Kimmie
 
When I had diabetic cats, my schedule was often erratic. If you are not already planning to do so, I would recommend that you learn to hometest. By testing before every shot, you will learn if it is safe to give the dose, especially if you cannot give shots on a 12/12 schedule.
 
Thank you all, right now the vet has her on the science diet md wet with a bit of her science diet adult dry mixed in to adjust over. I did see the fancy feast on the list and I plan to purchase that and check the others on the list (she was eating Friskies as a treat before her Pancreatitis) when I get paid on Friday as the insulin cost was an unexpected expenditure ($300.00).

I have a one touch ultra mini that belonged to a relative I've been given to test with. After some failed attempts I've worked out how to prick the edge of her ear and we got her first reading this afternoon. I fed her and gave her the shot just about exactly 6 this morning and got the reading at 2:45 pm. I was trying for +5 and +7 but didn't get it on my lunch done right and my break was an hour late today. She's a patient kitty though and I got a number eventually. It was 332. I've started a notebook to keep track of readings.

The vet actually had told me not to home test (I planned to anyway, I have diabetic family members and I know its important. I occasionally check my own as I'm at risk to develop diabetes). Now that I've figured out how I'll be charting it.

Some info about Pala, she's 6 1/2, about 7 lbs (she's tiny but also a bit too skinny, part of what initiated the vet trip as she lost weight and was drinking/peeing a lot). The vet did say she has ketones. I have another vet visit this week where they are going to test her levels throughout the day.
 
Ketones are by-products of fat breakdown. Too may ketones may indicate diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), a potentially fatal complication of diabetes. Not enough insulin + not enough food + infection can set the stage for DKA.

Please pick up some urine testing KetoDiaStix (or generic) from a pharmacy, along with a good meter asap. also snag an oral syringe. you may need it in the future to give meds, or syringe feed if she stops eating (which can happen in DKA.

Add 1-2 tablespoons of water to the canned food; the water will help flush the ketones. Ditch all dry if she'll eat Friskies or Fancy Feast pates.

Also, see my signature link Vet Interview Topics to help you find a more up to date vet.
 
Can we get you started using our grid to record your glucose tests? It will help us give you better feedback. Instructions are here.

Understanding the spreadsheet/grid:

The colored headings at the top are the ranges of glucose values. They are color-coded to clue you in as to meaning.

Each day is 1 row. Each column stores different data for the day.

From left to right, you enter
the Date in the first column
the AMPS (morning pre-shot test) in the 2nd column
the Units given (turquoise column)

Then, there are 11 columns labeled +1 through +11
If you test at +5 (5 hours after the shot), you enter the test number in the +5 column
If you test at +7 (7 hours after the shot), you enter the test number in the +7 column
and so on.

Halfway across the page is the column for PMPS (evening pre-shot)
To the right is another turquoise column for Units given at the evening shot.

There is second set of columns labeled +1 through +11
If you snag a before bed test at +3, you enter the test number in the +3 column.

We separate day and night numbers like that because many cats go lower at night.

It is merely a grid for storing the info; no math required.
 
Definitely going to start the grid shortly. I will take a look at the vet interview topics, the vet at the practice I've been using (same one for all pets since I was born practically) retired a couple years ago so this is with a new vet that took over. I wouldn't mind switching, it just means the nice two block trek will be longer. When things go really bad my family usually takes our pets to WSU's vet hospital which is two hours away (her first vet actually as I was in Pullman when I got her from the shelter), but always worth it even if I end up in debt for a while. I'll try seeking out some other more local vets.

I have lots of syringes of varying sizes, I have pigeons as well and occasionally had to rehab or feed babies so I'll hopefully be good on that end if it comes to that. I'll see if I can borrow some cash to get the ketones test asap... I realized I had some gift card on amazon enough to cover a box of fancy feast classics pate so I have that on the way in a couple of business days.
 
The ketone test strips are about $6 for 50 test strips, at WalMart, if you have one near by. I would make those a priority.
 
I do have a Walmart nearby, well across town anyway. Its where I got the insulin actually. Six dollars sounds doable. I'll go get some as soon as possible. My poor Pala isn't used to the timed feeding, she's been trying to convince me its food time for the last hour, but we've still got a bit to go. I'll nab a pre shot test soon too.
 
Until regulated, the diabetic cat may need up to 50% more food. An extra tablespoon or 2 of water to the food helps them feel more full, too.
 
She's been eating a little under half the can of science diet prescription md 5.5 oz and a small amount of the science diet dry food. Vet had told me to do a half can/half cup mix at first which seemed like a lot in total each meal for her even when she was a year old and I measured it out daily for her so I could see how much she ate she normally averaged maybe 3/4 to a cup a day. With this last meal she gobbled the wet and left most of the dry. I've been convincing her to eat at least most of the wet portion if not all and to go back to her bowl until she absolutely refuses (aka 'I'm full Mom!'). I added some extra water to tonights meal which was gone from the container at the end. Her water dish is kept full and she's been drinking. I did a pre shot and a +5 test this evening. 360 and 373 respectively. It only took one poke this last try to get a good drop to test. Progress! Also a happier cat.
 
I've been updating the file in my signature. Pala was at 291 this morning, ate and I tried to give the shot but she twisted while around was plunging and I think the needle slipped out during. I've heard there would be an insulin smell but I'm all stuffed up arm so I can't tell. Going to test on my breaks today, hopefully a few days of positive non fur shots in the coming week will give me a comparison to find out. Pala did take the blood test decently though.

I'm giving her the shot during feeding so she's distracted, I'll likely do it after tonight so I can ensure a good grip to prevent another fur shot.
 
Fur shots happen; never try to estimate and give more insulin, as it could result in overdose, which can be fatal.
 
Gotcha! I didn't and will make sure never to do so!

Got a couple of readings this morning, a slightly early +5 on my lunch and had an extra early break so I took a +2 reading. I'm off work early today so I should be able to get a slightly late +7 as well.
 
Question! My kitty is asking every morning at 4:30 and every evening at about the same time for food. She was a free grazers until the vet had me switch to timed. Do you think its be okay to give her a tiny bit of food with some water mixed in around those times/overnight.
 
Hello inoke , I'm in the UK & I'm not sure all vets in the US do the timed feeding twice a day or not. They don't all seem to do it in the UK.

I told my vet that although my cat Squiggles has a pouch of wet food twice a day, at about 8 .30 am & 4.30pm she also free grazes on biscuits the rest of the time .

I asked my vet if I should try limiting her food to certain times & she said if she's a free grazer, it will probably make her more stressed getting hungry.

We havn't changed her onto a low carb diet yet, she doesn't want to do that while we're stabilising her.

Other US members here might have been told different things about when they can feed their cats, but my UK vet said it will upset me & her more if she's begging for food, so let her carry on as normal.

I'm sure it won't harm your cat to have a little bit of food & water when she's asking for food at those times, but I'm afraid I'm not an expert yet when it comes to feline diabetes !
 
Many of us free feed if our cats are grazers; this works best with gentle, long acting insulins like ProZinc and Lantus.

With Caninsulin, you want food on board first as it hits hard and tends to drop them like a rock. Feeding 2-3 mini-meals in the first half of the day can help smooth the drop without skyrocketing the rise at the end.
 
Pala had her lowest number I've seen yet, a 255 pre shot this morning. Pre shot last night was in the 400s. I'm waiting on the arrival of blood glucose test trips as I'm starting to get low on what my father gave me with the meter. I ordered the type he buys on eBay immediately after diagnosis so I'm going to be a bit conservative. Should arrive at the end of this week and the fancy feast will be here tomorrow. I have a long shift today 7-5) so hopefully she'll be okay as I'll be shut in my office.
 
The vet had Pala yesterday for a curve. Vet told me to up Pala's dose to 2.0 units from her 1.0. This seemed like a huge increase at once (especially after some things I read) so I only gave her 1.5 units last night and this morning lowest her bg has been at I've seen is that its gone to 225. Should I increase to 2.0 like the vet wants tonight or should I wait and increase later? They asked to see her on the 30th for the next curve.

She's also on Clavamox at the moment as the vet was worried about a possible infection as her lungs sounded congested and she's been sneezing. She's now on a mix of the science diet wet prescription m/d and fancy feast classics pate.
 
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