Newbie has questions

[DeirdreKM]

Hi everyone. This is my first time posting. My 13 year old cat Sasha was diagnosed with diabetes this past Wednesday (2 days ago). On Thursday he started insulin and new food - Purina DM canned and dry. I have read some links on here since then that say this is not the best food! But it was what the vet prescribed. I have the Binky's list now so will be using that after I use up all of the DM food. I also have another cat, Chloe, who is 4 years old. She is overweight so I want to get her in shape so she does not end up with diabetes also! The vet said the DM food is fine for Chloe also.

I have 2 questions. The first is concerning giving the insulin injections. I have only given 3 so far. Sasha seems OK with it as long as I set a bowl of canned food in front of him first. He is so busy chowing down he doesn't seem to notice the shot. I'm worried I'm not doing it right. I am doing it just the way the vet tech showed me - grabbing a bunch of skin around his upper back (lower down than the scruff), and injecting. What worries me is the plunger doesn't seem to move much at all. He's only getting 1 unit (Lantus) each time, so maybe that's all it is. There's so little insulin going in that the plunger doesn't have far to go? His fur is never wet when I finish so I don't think I'm spilling any. Just worried I'm not doing it "right".

My other question is: is it normal for the cats to have pale, soft stool on this new food? I'm not sure which cat it was, but one of them just did a super smelly, somewhat loose, pale colored poopy. They are both getting the Purina DM now, and I wasn't able to transition them slowly to the new food (which I know is ideal). I just happened to be out of dry food (previously they ate Iams Indoor Weight & Hairball Control) the day Sasha was diagnosed, so I started them on the Purina DM that day. They have also been getting Purina DM canned instead of their usual Friskies with gravy variety, even though I had a few cans left. Is the change in food enough to warrant these loose, pale stools? Or should I be worried?

Thank you if you've read this far! I look forward to getting some sage advice from those more experienced!

Deirdre

 

[rhiannon and shadow (GA)]

Hi Deirdre and Sasha,
Welcome to the best place you never wanted to be.

I understand not wanting to waste the new food you have but if you have unopened cans, you should be able to get a refund.
Many folks here have done that after they start learning about the food issues. The DM as I understand it is poor quality, animal by-products
and way overpriced.
Many here feed fancy feast classics. The classic chicken dinner is 5% carb and the turkey and giblet dinner is 4%


If you haven't read this article, you may want to. She explains why she doesn't like the prescription foods.
http://www.catinfo.org/
And here is the latest updated list with more accurate values .
http://www.catinfo.org/docs/Food Chart Public 9-22-12.pdf


Your first question about injections;
I too shoot while my cat is eating her food. As long as you are pulling the skin up away from the body and shooting only under the skin,
you are doing it right. Do move around so you don't stick the same spot repeatedly to prevent scar formation.
It is less painful to keep the bevel up on the needle.
Take one of your used syringes and practice with water ( colored water helps you see it better ) and get a feel for the action of the plunger.
There isn't much distance to go so practicing will make you more aware of how it feels.
I'm currently on 0.25u and I can tell you, it really feels like nothing to push the plunger. :roll:

As for the second question, I don't have experience with that. I think I read something similar from someone else using that food but
I'm not certain. It does sound possible that the color is from the sudden change to that food.
Hopefully someone else can tel you more about that.

Be sure and make yourself a spreadsheet so you can keep track.
And always ask questions.
Since you are a lantus user, please come on over the the TRforum if you want more eyes to help you. You don't have to be doing the
tight regulation to post there. You will just be able to get a lot more attention and advise over there, and they will help you get a spreadsheet
started and just about everything else.
Everyone wants to help you help your Sasha!!

We each put up a new "condo" each day so you start with the date 10/5 catsname AMPS ____ or even Newbie wants help.
Hope to see you over there!

 

[knolet]

Hi Deidre, welcome :smile:

I switched both of my cats to the purina DM when Zeus was diagnosed, and yes, if you switched too quickly it can cause tummy upset, loose stool etc. had that happen with both cats. Also, I believe the canned DM causes extremely foul and strong smelling stool. I think the reason is because it is liver based. Also, if your cats are like mine (and like many others here) they will soon get tired of eating the same liver food everyday. Zeus refused to eat it after a while, and I had to make the switch. As Rhiannon mentioned, Fancy Feast classics are a good food, low in carbs, but it has to be the classics
- pâté style, the others have too many carbs.

Many people here cautioned me against feeding the purina DM dry, or any dry food for that matter as it contains too many carbs. Zeus took to the switch to canned food only really easily, but not so with Miss Smokey who had been eating dry food for 16 years.

This really is a great place to be, the people here are so wonderful and very helpful with questions & advice. Feel free to come back and ask as many questions as you need to.

Kathie