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Deb & Wink said:
What else may we help you with Travis? I feel like there are a lot of questions that we did not answer.

Here is the video we have on doing the Subq fluids yourself.

How to Give Subcutaneous Fluids (Video)
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Deb & Wink said:
What else may we help you with Travis? I feel like there are a lot of questions that we did not answer.

Here is the video we have on doing the Subq fluids yourself.

How to Give Subcutaneous Fluids (Video)
Click to expand...
Yes I found a very good link about it , I’ll definitely be asking him for this and tomorrow I’ll get the ketone strips . I did put a bid on a ketone monitor on eBay . So maybe I’ll win that but it will take a bit to get here so I’ll try the urine strips for the moment .
 
Deb & Wink said:
If you use the lancet correctly, and are not poking the actual vein, but are hitting the "sweet spot", it's very hard to tell that your cat is even being BG (blood glucose) tested at home.

Take a lancet or two in, and show the vet, and even more importantly the vet techs, how you do the ear testing. You'd be surprised how this "skill" is not widely known in the vet community. Usually, the vet clinics get the blood from a leg vein. I'm surprised they are using the ear.

Paw pads on a cat are another place that can be poked with a lancet for testing.

Here is the "sweet spot" diagram we use here. Don't know if you can print it out, or copy it to your phone or something, so you can show your vet office.

Testing
We all know the basics:
  • Warm the ear with a rice sock or a warm washcloth wrapped in a plastic bag.
  • Either freehand or use a lancing device; new members usually start with a larger gauge lancet such as 28g or 29g until the ear learns to bleed; then progress to a 31g or 33g which are finer.
  • Be sure to poke in the "sweet spot" and not the major vein that runs along the length of the ear. Poking the vein will not only hurt, but will result in a lot of blood. The sweet spot is on the edge of the ear.
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But did you also know there is a particular way for the lancet to be used? It has one side that is beveled so the sharpest part goes in first, if used correctly.
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Yes I get blood very easily , I literally think I could check her 20 times a day if I needed and it wouldn’t effect her one bit . I know that’s ridiculous but I’m just saying . I found all this information the first time which was a year ago when I found out she had diabetes. Wish I would of join this forum then . I never should of took her off of insulin
 
Travis, one way we let other people know that a reply has been read, is to click on the "Like" at the bottom of the post, next to the number of the post and to the right of the word "reply."

To respond back to someone, it's not necessary to always click on the "Reply" button.
You can simply start typing in the text box that is at the end of the last post.

There is some basic information on how to navigate and do things on this forum with the software here, in this thread:
Sticky HOW-TO USE THE FDMB: The Basics
Look at post #2, for some navigation tips.

That thread on "The Basics" from the Announcements & How to use the FDMB forum.
 
Got it , so another question I have . How big of a deal is food ? When she was doing well , she ate pate chicken and tuna . She wouldn’t eat any other flavor tho . She eats the gravy wet food no problem . Is the gravy any better then dry tho ?
 
Travis2020 said:
How big of a deal is food ? When she was doing well , she ate pate chicken and tuna . She wouldn’t eat any other flavor tho . She eats the gravy wet food no problem . Is the gravy any better then dry tho ?
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It depends on which dry food she was eating. And which chicken and tuna pate she was eating. And which gravy wet food she is eating now. Was that the Friskies Chicken & Tuna flavor pate you were feeding? Or another food?

Foods can be a "very big deal", and finding one that is <10% carbs can make all the difference in getting those blood glucose (BG) readings down to more normal levels. But you also have to find a food your cat is willing to eat.

Nausea from pancreatitis or ketones can make a cat not want to eat. In that case, you need to get some anti-nausea medications from your vet. And you may need an appetite stimulant too. Anti-nausea meds need to be given at least 30 minutes I think it is before you try to feed? Maybe more, check with your vet. Maybe up to an hour before. Then the appetite stimulant. You don't want to give an appetite stimulant without giving the anti-nausea meds time to work.

If she has ketones or DKA, then it's more important to get food into her, no matter what the carb levels.
DKA cats or cats with ketones need to eat a bit more (1.5 times normal) and stay well hydrated to keep them from catabolizing their body to provide energy. That is how the ketones form, as a toxic by-product of burning off fat and muscle tissue to provide much needed energy.

p.s. You can quote part of another person's response, like I did here. Simply highlight the portion you want to quote and there will be a little "Reply" that appears below that portion of the highlighted text. Click on that, and the text you quoted will appear in the Text Box, wherever the cursor happens to be located.
 
Deb & Wink said:
It depends on which dry food she was eating. And which chicken and tuna pate she was eating. And which gravy wet food she is eating now. Was that the Friskies Chicken & Tuna flavor pate you were feeding? Or another food?
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Yes friskies is what she was eating , also eating friskies beef and salmon in gravy now . She was on a appetite stimulate when I brought her home but nothing for nausea
 
Don't suppose you could attach a picture of the can of the Friskies beef and salmon in gravy here? There are several versions. Or you could write here exactly what is on the cat food front label.

She needs anti-nausea meds. Ketones make cats nauseous. Pancreatitis makes cat nauseous.
 
@Travis2020 what was Kitten’s actual diagnosis? Was it DKA, ketones, pancreatitis, dehydration, all of the above or something else?
It can make a difference in what we suggest you do.
I would definitely ask the vet for some antinausea meds such as cerenia and ondansetron. An antinausea med should be given 1/2 hour before an appetite stimulant.
How is her appetite?
 
Bron and Sheba (GA) said:
Kitten’s actual diagnosis?
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Was just very dehydrated, I went today and she seems much better . Her fur is normal and soft again . She also is eating so that’s great news . They are going to try and get insulin correct . I’m leaving her there probably all week . I mention the nausea medication and the subq. I will insist on having these things for when I bring her home . I’m also going to order a ketone monitor . I want to be ready with everything before I bring her home . Any other suggestions would be much appreciated
 
Thanks for the picture of the cat food can!!! Much appreciated.

Those Friskies Prime Filets are a bit higher in carbs (14-15%) then the usual recommendation of 10% that is given here. (2018) AAHA Diabetes Management Guidelines for Dogs and Cats says 12%.

The task force that complied those guidelines recommended 12 % carbs. "The TaskForce recommends a diet of approximately 12% ME, recognizing that there are a variety of expert opinions on this topic." You need to pay attention to the protein content also, and look for > 40% protein. ME is metabolizeable energy. See quotes below for the reasons why.

ECID. Every Cat is Different and some cats do better in regulating their blood glucose levels with higher carb content, some cats do better in regulating their blood glucose levels with lower carb content. There is no "ONE Food Fits All Cats." You need to find what works for YOUR cat and situation.

"Carbohydrate intake should be limited because carbohydrates may contribute to hyperglycemia and glucose toxicity. "
"Dietary Therapy Goals and Management The goals of dietary therapy are to optimize body weight with ap-propriate protein and carbohydrate levels, fat restriction, and calorie and portion control. Weight loss in obese patients and stopping DM associated weight loss are treatment goals for diabetic canine and feline patients. "

You need to pay attention to the protein content also. Again, from that AAHA document.
"Diabetic cats should be fed a high-protein diet (defined as = or > 40% protein metabolizable energy) to maximize metabolic rate,limit the risk of hepatic lipidosis during weight loss, improve satiety,and prevent lean muscle-mass loss.This dietary regimen is necessary to prevent protein malnutrition and loss of lean body mass.High-protein diets typically provide the lowest amount of carbohydrates without impacting palatability.

So please, do not focus only on the carb content of the food, as too many people in the facebook group do. Protein is important too. What I'm saying, is do not have too much of a narrow focus when selecting foods for your diabetic cat.

Anything I have in quotes, is from that AAHA guidelines document.
 
That’s a lot of information, a little overwhelming I must admit . Where do I start with that ? At the moment she is very skinny 4.5pounds . Is the food such a big deal where I should be getting several different foods to try right when I get her back . Or do I keep her on the friskies that she likes until I can get her insulin right and some weight on her ?
 
The most important thing will be for her to eat Travis. So if you know she will eat friskies I would give her that. Try and make the food 10% or under if you can. However eating is more important than the number of carbs in the recovery of DKA.
It is great she is eating at the vets.
Low carb foods under 10% are suitable for a diabetic cat. Have you seen the list we have here of suitable canned foods?
https://catinfo.org/docs/CatFoodProteinFatCarbPhosphorusChart.pdf

Great you are getting a ketone meter... you will need to test daily at first. You sound as if you are getting organised with the antinausea meds and the sub Q fluids as well. Kitten is a lucky girl.
Once she is home we can help you more.
 
The Friskies Meaty Bits are higher in protein than the Friskies classic pate style foods.
Friskies Meaty Bits may be higher in carbs than usually recommended, but if that is what she will eat, then let her eat that food.
You can adjust the insulin dose around the medium carb food.

It's a balancing act, between food and the amount of insulin.
 
Hi Travis, this thread is getting long. The moderators like us to keep them at 50 replies max.

Would you start new thread please, and link this old one at the top for continuity.
 
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