? New member 7/13 Change in food and water intake

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Precious papa

Precious papa

Member Since 2023
New member with relatively new diagnosis. Just the past day my girl vomited 3 times, not bile but more like the pate color and consistency. We have been bad over the past couple weeks and gave her a small portion of dry food overnight so I thought that might have spiked her bg and have kept it away from her since. Not sure if it is a coincidence or not but this happened right after a steam cleaned the carpet with baking soda only. She had another one overnight but very very small. Her attitude and energy is still about the same as normal but she isn't eating as much at a time. She is also very upset about the lack of dry food and is constantly begging for it. Not sure if I am being overly concerned or not but after reading extensively about diabetes I am worried.

Some background - Precious was initially diagnosed about a couple months ago with a 461 bg but was stressed at the appointment per usual. She was on a high carb diet at the time with mainly dry food and treats plus 1 fancy feast can a day that she would only eat about half of. We decided to change her diet first and see if that would help drop it. Did a gradual change over to mainly cans at about 4-5 a day with her only eating about 1/3-1/2 can each time. She was still having some treats but reduced and supplemented with cooked chicken. She was also having dry food overnight. Went back to get tested after a month(only a week or 2 of full diet change) and her bg dropped to 406. Testing was done at the same time of day and unfortunately shortly after she has some food. The vet agreed that the food change was helping and to continue with eliminating dry altogether which we have been trying to. She also wants to get her on insulin of course. Unfortunately, I am on disability with a fixed income so it is taking some time to get everything needed and just ordered a meter which should be here this weekend. I have cut my personal food budget so I could afford her 200/mo plus diet alone.
 
Sorry for the ridiculous long post. But there is another question. With keto tests do I need a special litter, she uses tidy cats for the past 8 years or so.
 
Precious papa said:
Sorry for the ridiculous long post. But there is another question. With keto tests do I need a special litter, she uses tidy cats for the past 8 years or so.
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You need to be able to catch the urine in a big spoon or a container if possible. Try that first.


I am glad you are going to test for ketones in the urine because not starting insulin when a cat is diabetic runs the risk of ketones forming.
Has the vet said what type of insulin he is going to prescribe?
We can help you get some cheaper insulin so ask here first before buying.
Lantus or Prozinc are the two insulins that are best for cats, so get the vet to prescribe one of those.
It is important that Precious eats well.
What is the dry food you are feeding at the moment? Is it a low carb dry food or just one of the pet store ones?

A drop-down to 406 from 461 with a diet change, is not enough and I think you need to start insulin.
The usual starting dose if feeding any dry food is 1unit of insulin.

Precious papa said:
have cut my personal food budget so I could afford her 200/mo plus diet alone.
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What are you feeding her that costs that much a month?
 
Bron and Sheba (GA) said:
You need to be able to catch the urine in a big spoon or a container if possible. Try that first.


I am glad you are going to test for ketones in the urine because not starting insulin when a cat is diabetic runs the risk of ketones forming.
Has the vet said what type of insulin he is going to prescribe?
We can help you get some cheaper insulin so ask here first before buying.
Lantus or Prozinc are the two insulins that are best for cats, so get the vet to prescribe one of those.
It is important that Precious eats well.
What is the dry food you are feeding at the moment? Is it a low carb dry food or just one of the pet store ones?

A drop-down to 406 from 461 with a diet change, is not enough and I think you need to start insulin.
The usual starting dose if feeding any dry food is 1unit of insulin.


What are you feeding her that costs that much a month?
Click to expand...

Thank you for the reply and Sorry, my brain has been jumbled and overwhelmed since learning about this especially today so I misspoke. The 200 plus included the litter, the cans are around 150. The dry food is fancy feast and we were trying to eliminate it completely but she has been having a small amount at night recently. Today I have her some just to get some food in her because she wasn't eating much. But she did start drinking water and ate her dinner better. No more vomiting either so hoping and praying it was something she ate or something. We are picking up the tests tomorrow and the meter hopefully will be here tomorrow too.
The vet did recommend lantus/glargine at 1-2 units and we are trying to get the money together to go for the introduction /training visit to get this started.
 
Lantus is good, but please start at 1 unit. I would recommend you test before every dose to see it is safe to give the insulin and then if you can test at least once inbetween the doses around +4 to + 7 to see how low the dose will take Precious,

there are some low carb dry foods can use to feed Precious.
There is Young again zero carb dry food which is 5% carbs
Dr Elseys Clrsn Protein dry food …low carb
Ziwi Peak freeze dried food
Stella and Chewys freeze dried food.
I will tag @Diane Tyler's Mom as she can tell you have to get cheaper insulin
 
Lantus is the major brand name glargine the USA you can get generic/biosimilar glargine at very reasonable prices using GoodRx coupon. Most members use the generic because Lantus is to expensive.
https://www.goodrx.com/lantus?label...d-pens-of-100-units-ml&quantity=1&slug=lantus
Make sure that the Match your prescription pull down menue says generic glargine 1carton of 5 3ml pens.
There is no wait time test, feed, give insulin
Lantus usually doesn't kick in until 2 hours after the shot
Let us know if the vet writes the script for you because you will need U-100 syringes with half unit markings , I can tell you which ones you can use
We buy the pens but use the syringes to draw out the insulin because if you use the pen you can only adjust by full units


Also
The 5 pens will last about a year, we use the pens just like a vial, you would just insert the syringe it the gray rubber stopper on the pen and draw out your insulin
Its generic lantus



Or this one also

I see some members will call CVS, Rite Aid, Costco, Walgreen's, to get the price for 5 pens
Posted by another member
One members posted this
. I paid $175 for a box of 5 pens at Walmart pharmacy, but GoodRX coupon says you can get it for around $90 if you have a Rite Aid pharmacy near you.

Just call around for the best price

A member just posted this
Allie was using the Lantus and I just switched to the generic and using the GoodRX I got 5 pens for $81.30 at Walgreens. GoodRX has a 1-800 number to assist you in using their services to get your pets prescriptions filled if the pharmacy gives you any issues.

I think I found it for you
GoodRx / Customer service

1 (855) 268-2822
 
most pharmacy's don't carry the U-100 syringes with half unit markings .
I know Walmart does , I think you will need a script
You can get the syringes with half unit markings at a Walmart. Their ReliOn Brand syringes of 0.3 cc (30 unit) capacity come with half unit markings. Cost $12.58 for a box of 100
This is what the packaging looks like: either box is fine
They won't say it half unit on the box but the are . open then and look before you leave the store, can't be ordered on line , need to go into the store
:




upload_2021-9-5_23-18-9-jpeg.62508


49823063143_3437e9e997_o.jpg
 
Thank you both so much for all this info. I was originally looking at the pens and the vet said the same thing about the doses but didn't think about using them like vials, good tip. If she isn't any better tomorrow morning we are bringing her in to get checked out and probably get the script. Feeling like crap that I have waited this long
 
Precious papa said:
Thank you both so much for all this info. I was originally looking at the pens and the vet said the same thing about the doses but didn't think about using them like vials, good tip. If she isn't any better tomorrow morning we are bringing her in to get checked out and probably get the script. Feeling like crap that I have waited this long
Click to expand...
With the pens you can only adjust the dose by full units, that's why we use the syringes so we can adjust the dose by 0.25 units

Just take the cap off the pen and use a U100 syringes and pull the insulin out of the pen!
syringe-in-pen-pic-jpg.45006
 
Just an update. I was up with her most of the night and she started eating and drinking. This morning she is almost back to her normal self although still not eating much of the cans. Thinking she may have just been sick and relating the puking to the cans. Don't get me wrong, I am not ruling out the bad just trying to be hopeful. The ketostix will be here later this afternoon and the meter is out for delivery. Now comes the hard part of trying to get blood out of a cat that doesn't even let me cut her nails haha. Been trying to get her used to be rubbing her ear for the past couple weeks though so fingers crossed
 
Update #2- we brought her in to the vet to get checked out today and have her tested to be sure. Good news is zero ketones! And her bg has dropped even with the little bit of carb high did she has had today. Still high at 335 (down from 406)so insulin is still needed but it's a good sign that the diet change is helping too. They suspect a stomach bug or sensitivity to the baking soda that I used on the floors
 
One other possibility... Many cats get a bit of GI upset with a food change. Some kitties will end up with diarrhea and others may vomit. When transitioning to a new diet, often a slow switch over helps.

I'm glad to hear that Precious is tolerating the food and back to her usual self.
 
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