New member, new diagnosis - abit worried

[Kimbo]

Hi all, like everyone else, super glad i found this forum. I have a 21 yr old (Doodle) with kidney disease and hyperthyroid and found that online forum so helpful, when she was first diagnosed. So knew you all would be here for diabetes! My 17 yr old (Cher) was recently diagnosed - (last week) sorry i don't remember the exact numbers, but the vet said something like she is 3x higher than the normal range. It was really only weight loss that trigger us to check... at her annual physical they confirmed she lost over a kilo in one year, after at least 5 years of stable weight (in fact was slightly overweight for years)... i was expecting a return from bloodwork of kidney disease or hyperthyroidism, but surprise, diabetes. Now on a steep learning curve.

We went on insulin and purina diabetic mgt wet food right away. I also bought the purina DM dry because Cher is one of those cats who prefers dry food to wet, and so needed to keep her eating. I have since read here somewhere that the Purina DM dry is not highly regarded, but i am going to keep using it until i find a better one. Recommendations welcome.

Here's my thing - feeding times have been a real exercise in orchestration.

• Two cats who can't eat each other's foods,
• two cats who are basically grazers, eating a bit, going away, coming back later.
• Diabetes cat who prefers dry to wet
• Needing to ensure that Diabetic Cher eats the bulk of her wet at one sitting, so that the insulin can be given and has to work on - means reducing the amount and timing of dry food for her (so that's she hungrier 2x a day at insulin time.)

Originally the vet and the vet tech (who demo'd the injection for me) said, no grazing, no in between meals of kibble even DM type, no snacking. I jumped on this forum and the intranet for your expert advice and found a debate - for long action insulin (which i asked, and is now confirmed), not in serious crisis state (which she is not), then Cher can continue to graze abit, without too much damage as long as she eats 2 big wet food meals at insulin time per day. That's lessening the stress in this household signficantly.

My question to all (aside from recommendations you have for any of the above)... should I be trying to do the urine testing strips at home now? Or wait until after her first check in (in 3 weeks)? I'll put it as a poll, try that cool function.

Many thanks all, Kimbo and Cher

 

[Red & Rover (GA)]

Welcome. I can answer some of your questions.

My question to all (aside from recommendations you have for any of the above)... should I be trying to do the urine testing strips at home now? Or wait until after her first check in (in 3 weeks)? I'll put it as a poll, try that cool function.

Go out and get yourself a human glucose meter. Testing with a monitor is the only way to keep Cher safe.
If you are in the US, the Relion Classic at Walmart is recommended, and it's affordable.

Relion Premier Classic Meter at Walmart for 9 dollars
https://www.walmart.com/ip/ReliOn-Premier-CLASSIC-Blood-Glucose-Monitoring-System/552134103

The tests strips are 17.88 for 100
https://www.walmart.com/ip/ReliOn-Premier-Blood-Glucose-Test-Strips-100-Count/575088197
​

Two cats: since they are grazers, feeding in separate rooms won't really work. There are micro chip autofeeders available. I'm sure other folks will chime in with ideas.
These links may be helpful:

• Food list under 10% carbs, under 1% phosphorus (updated mid-2017 by manxcat419)
• https://felinecrf.org/dry_food_usa.htm (scroll down to Standard Food and look for under 10% carbs)

Purina Diatetic Food: there is nothing special about it. Quite a few cats go off it rather quickly. If this is the case, you can return it to the vet for a refund (the company guarantees it).

(so that's she hungrier 2x a day at insulin time.)

Pick up all food two hours before shot time so that the blood glucose test at shot time is not food influenced.

If you could tell us the insulin and the dose, then set up a spreadsheet after you starting testing, that would be very helpful.
New? How You Can Help Us Help You!

21 and 17! Well done, you.

 

[Sienne and Gabby (GA)]

Urine test strips for glucose level are unreliable. As mentioned, a human glucometer -- or any glucometer -- is a much more reliable way of testing.

Microchip feeders are great if you can afford at least one. They can be pricey. I bought one and my cat refuses to use it. (She's a scaredy cat and it freaks her out!)

The issue with the DM dry, aside from the poor quality of the ingredients (e.g., powdered cellulose is a polite name for sawdust) is that it is dreadfully high in carbohydrates. There are very few dry foods that are low in carbs. There are freeze or air dried raw foods that may provide the same appeal to your cat but are lower in carbs.

It would also be helpful to know what insulin you're using.

 

[Bron and Sheba (GA)]

It is fine for your kitty to have snacks during the cycles as well as the two main meals. Only 2 meals a day is old thinking.
Please tell us what insulin you are giving

 

[Kimbo]

Ok all sorry for delay, for those asking for what insulin... she is getting Lantus Glargine - 1 unit every 12 hours.

I will update my signature as described with other details, as i get them.

Thanks for feedback about not using urine strips. I will get a meter.

Thanks for tips and links on food. To clarify, i am weaning her off dry food (at this point, it is Rx Purina Diabetic Dry, and enouraging hunger so that she eats her big meals of wet food twice per day, for insulin shot time).

For these wet food meals she is fed in a separate room and stays in for 20-30 mins, depending on how much she has eaten. She is doing very well this, each meal, it gets easier. And i think she is feeling much better, seems to have more energy, less sleeping, and maybe drinking less...

The other cat (kidney cat Doodle) is super unhappy about having to eat her crappy renal support wet when she can smell me preparing the Diabetic wet! But i ensure that her food is only down when Diabetic Cher is not in the room, and doesn't have access to the Diabetic wet food. I have become the cat food police.... i'm sure some of you can relate...

For dry food, Kidney Cat Doodle is not as interested, sometimes eats a bit of it. Currently it is a mix of the new Diabetic dry and their old dry Royal Canin satiety.

If there is a dry food that both a diabetic and kidney cat can eat, please let me know! I am working my way through the volumes of posts and materials on this site...

I know i know, many say stop the dry. I am weaning her off it. The amount is going down.

Thanks to you here who posted about grazing, validating that. I've read up on it as well.