newly diagnosed cat

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1catlover56

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My name is Donna and my cat, Oreo, was diagnosed with diabetes. He is 5 years old and I am currently giving him 2 units of Humulin N. I am not sure if it is working but Oreo does seem like his old self but drinks like he has never had water before. I am feeding him wet and dry food. Recently I was given Science Diet diabetic dry food and Oreo seems to really like it. Is there any reason not to feed him this food? He also gets two "baby" spoonfuls of canned food but it is mostly fish. Some have chicken with tuna and beef and salmon flavors. He really likes the ocean white fish and sardines. All of these canned foods are Friskies. Is this too much fish? Is there other kinds I can try to help his diabetes?
I am going back to work soon and I need to know if I should still keep the dry food going since I am not home during most of the day. I usually leave around 7:30 am and return around 2:30/3 pm and keep dry food so Oreo can eat during the day.
Thanks for reading this,
Donna
1catlover56

confused_cat
:?
 
Welcome Donna!

There are three very important aspects of successfully treating diabetes in cats, and if all three recommendations are followed, the majority of cats go into remission for their diabetes (which means they no longer need insulin).

First, is food. There is no Hills food that is acceptable for a diabetic cat, even the prescription ones they claim are for diabetics. There is also no dry food that is ok to feed a diabetic. Diabetic cats need a low carb (less than 10%), canned diet at all times. The good news is that there are a TON of options for food! Here's a link to the cat food nutrition charts: http://www.felinediabetes.com/diabetic-cat-diets.htm. Just pick something that is under 10% in the "carb" column. Many people here feed the Fancy Feast "Classics" because they are easy to find and most cats love them. Just try and limit fish to once or twice a week--there's a high mercury content and cats can get addicted to it.

This is very important, though--do not remove the dry food until you are home testing and lowering the insulin dose. Removing dry food can cause Blood Glucose levels to immediately drop by 100-300 points, and some cats even go into spontaneous remission.

The second important point is insulin. Unfortunately, your vet has you using a dangerous and ineffective insulin for cats. Humulin-N (NPH) is a good insulin for dogs, but not for cats because cats' metabolisms are twice as fast as people or dogs, so the Humulin only lasts a short time. Cats do extremely well on long acting human insulins like Lantus or Levemir because they last a full 12 hours per shot. Here is a link to a document for you to print out and give to your vet: http://www.uq.edu.au/ccah/docs/diabetesinfo/link2.pdf. Note where it states "Lente is the 3rd insulin of choice and NPH the 4th of choice insulin for control of diabetes mellitus in er cats, behind glargine or detemir (1st choice) and PZI (2nd choice), Lente and NPH result in lower remission rates compared to long acting insulins." I would urge you to get your vet to change the insulin immediately. Not only is Humulin-N rather ineffective (which means Oreo's diabetes will most likely worsen), Vets tend to overdose it because it is ineffective which often leads to dangerous hypoglycemic incidents. It's really in both your and Oreo's best interest both health-wise and financially (even though it seems less expensive than the other insulins on the surface, the Humulin is a waste of money which usually leads to more expensive vet bills) to ditch the Humulin asap and get a better insulin.

Finally, when dose adjustments of a good insulin like Lantus, Levemir, or Prozinc are made via daily home testing, newly diagnosed cats have an high remission rate. Home testing seems hard at first, but after a week or two (once the cat is used to it), it's incredibly easy. Vet testing is inaccurate because stress will raise a cat's blood sugar levels at the vet, and this too often leads to chronic overdosing. Also, home testing will save you a ton of money because it is far cheaper to do it yourself than get curves done at the vet. The Relion meters have inexpensive strips and are good quality--you can get them at any Walmart if you're in United States. If you need any help or tips learning to home test, ask, because we have a ton!

I know that what I'm saying is probably contradicting what your vet is telling you, but understand that many vets are not current in feline diabetes treatment. Many of these guidelines recently came out in 2009, and many vets just haven't seen them yet. I would strongly recommend you print the documents I'm providing below and bring to your vet to bring him/her up to date. If your vet is stubborn and refuses to change treatment despite the information you're providing, you may need to change vets.

American Animal Hospital Association diabetes guidelines, which recommend a low carb, canned diet, home testing over vet testing, and a long acting insulin: http://www.aahanet.org/PublicDocuments/AAHADiabetesGuidelines.pdf

Article which shows the safety and effectiveness of Lantus and Levemir along with daily home testing and a low carb, canned diet:
 

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Welcome, Donna.

Julia has given you some great information.

The Hills Science foods are in the 20-30% carb range. We try to feed under 8%. We fed Oliver Science Diet Light for years because he was overweight. He never lost weight and ended up diabetic. We changed his food, got him on insulin and he went into remission and lost weight within 6 months (Not a guarantee for every cat but works for many)

BUT we don't suggest you change food without testing. We switched Oliver over from dry to wet and he dropped 100 points overnight. If we hadn't tested the next morning and gave our usual dose, he would have hypoed.

Read the information on the Board Index page. Read other threads on this page. Ask questions. We would love to help you help your kitty.
 
One more bit of advice--I was also gone at work all day when Bandit was on insulin (he's in remission now, diet controlled on low carb canned food), so I would freeze his and my other cat's food at put them in an autofeeder to release at meal time. As long as your cat won't sit and gnaw on the frozen food like my Bandit will, you could also just freeze the food and leave it out without the feeder. Other people also just free-feed the canned food by adding water to it so it doesn't dry out during the day the while they are gone.
 
Thank you for all of the replies I received about my cat, Oreo. I looked at every reply and I realized I was getting great advice from everyone. Thank you so much for the list of canned and dry foods and all of your support.
An update: Oreo is still not gaining weight but is on a low-carb canned food and is still on dry food. I am not home testing Oreo yet because I owe money to his doctor. I will ask about home testing and how it is to be done. Oreo is also losing his fur in chunks, some small and some large, but I am thinking it is because when he was weak in the early stages of diabetes he lain in his own waste. I have bathed him several times and he just did his "business" on the floor again. My daughter and I are very concerned about his health and the way his fur is falling out.
I will update as soon as I find out anything more about Oreo's condition. :thumbup
 
You can get a free testing kit from us. Click on the picture on the top of this page and Rebecca will send you the meter, strips and other things you need.

While you are waiting for it, get Oreo ready. Pick a place where you want to test. Take him there and play with his ears. Then give him a treat, lots of praise and let him go. After a few times, warm his ears with a rice sack or pill bottle. (rice sack= thinnish sock filled with rice and warmed in the microwave until very warm but not hot. Pill bottle= prescription bottle filled with very warm but not hot water). By the time the kit arrives, he should be ready for the poke!
 
Thank you for all the sympathies sent to my daughter and concerning Oreo. He was a great cat and companion and will be greatly missed. He is buried next to our beloved guinea pig Ella (who lived to be 11 years old). Oreo and Ella were the best of friends.
 
Dear Friends,
I think Oreo had more than diabetes, possibly cancer. He starved himself to get rid of the pain.
I'm sorry I didn't get him tested for cancer but due to financial problems I couldn't. Also, I didn't have any needles left for his insulin so I stopped giving him the shot but I didn't realize that I could use the needles more than once.
 
.....WHY didn't you let someone know you needed syringes? I'm sitting here with about 200 of them that I would have packed up one of those boxes and sent to you. I'm SO SO sorry this had to happen...he was WAY too young for this to have had to happen. I'm devastated and tears are for much more than your losing your baby. I could have helped...and didn't know...this is going to be with me for a long time....

BIG HUG,
 
Dear Squeaky & K.T.,
Sorry I didn't let anyone know about not having no needled. I'm new to this sort of thing so I didn't know what to do. I feel really bad that I let this thing happen to my daughter's and my precious baby boy. :oops: :oops: :cry:
 
The members of this board have pitched in so many, many times over the years to help with supplies, even financial aid. If we had only known, we all would've done everything we could to help you and Oreo. As for the starving, it probably was from unregulated diabetes. Diabetic cats are always hungry in the beginning till their body starts to utilize food and insulin together. You didn't know but this is so heartbreaking to read and I am so sorry for you, your daughter and for Oreo(GA).
 
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