Newly diagnosed Devon Rex

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Devonne

Member Since 2015
Hello friends, my 11 year old Devon was newly diagnosed by her vet as "mildly diabetic" in late July this year. It was a fairly rapid loss in her weight within a month or so, drinking water a little more frequently than normal and lethargy that alerted me that something else was going on and it wasn't just the hot humid weather at the time in southern Ontario.

The vet prescribed injections of Lantus 1 unit, 2 times/day, as well as 1/2 can twice a day of "Purina DM" (dietetic management). She really liked the food to the extent I wondered if there were flavor enhancers in it. By the end of August her glucose level was good (4.6) and she had gained half a pound and her insulin injections were reduced to 1/2 unit/day after her morning meal only. She was doing well, and I was hopeful she might achieve a "diabetic remission". Over a weekend I ran out of the Purina DM food and went back to her old food (Pet Valu's "Performatrin" Adult) mainly beef and turkey flavors, fish occasionally. In about a week's time I noticed a weight drop, and she was drinking a little more, with larger pee clumps, so I put her back on the Purina DM. It was 2 weeks since she had her glucose and weight checked today, and I was shocked that her glucose was up to 21.1 (higher than her original reading of 19.4!) and that her weight had dropped from 7.8 lbs. 2 wks ago to 6.9 lbs. today. About six mos. ago her weight had been a stable 9 lbs and she was never overweight. So the vet upped her insulin to 1/2 unit, 2x/day. The vet said that I should not have gone back to her old food (even tho there are no grains, or carbs like potatoes, cranberries or other fruit in it). The vet also said that even giving extra treats apart from the meal will cause the imbalance even tho I was giving her a couple of Pure Bites treats (freeze-dried chicken or liver) after her injection.

I guess my question is: Purina DM is expen$ive (twice the price of her old food), but am now afraid to try anything else. Will my girl be stuck on eating this food for the rest of her life? I've been a cat owner for many, many years but this is the first diabetic cat I've ever had. I hope she can get a diabetic remission. Do you think this is possible?
 
Welcome.
Lantus is a good insulin
Most of us here test or cats blood glucose at home using a human meter. We test before each shot and periodically between shots. We record our reading and other info in a spreadsheet. See:http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/...te-a-ss-and-link-it-in-your-signature.130337/
I am not familiar with Pet Valu's "Performatrin" Adult. Based on your results form going back to it it appears to be a high-carb food. No reason for a prescription food. Here is a list of commercial low-carb cannedhttp://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/shortcut-shopping-list-all-8-or-less-updated.117688/

Here is a link to home testing blood sugarshttp://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/hometesting-links-and-tips.287/
 
Not many cats will eat the Purina DM, I couldn't even get the stray cats to eat it.

Most of us feed Fancy Feast Classic or Little Friskies Classic Pate (except Mixed Grill). These foods are under 10% carbs and diabetic cats need low carb food (all cats really). Little Friskies is what I feed Squeaker when he became diabetic and he was able to achieve remission in about 2 months. He has been on low carb food for 2 years and with the exception of a 6 week period of going back on insulin he has been insulin free for 14 months now. While there is no guarantee that a cat will go into remission------low carb food can help lower the insulin dependence. This food list will give you options on low carb food for your cat.

If you switch food you really need to start home testing your cats glucose if you aren't already. You can use a human meter, I use the Relion Confirm from Walmart. The meter is inexpensive as are the strips.

Here is the link for the food chart: http://www.catinfo.org/docs/FoodChartPublic9-22-12.pdf
 
Anitafrnhamer said:
Not many cats will eat the Purina DM, I couldn't even get the stray cats to eat it.

Most of us feed Fancy Feast Classic or Little Friskies Classic Pate (except Mixed Grill). These foods are under 10% carbs and diabetic cats need low carb food (all cats really). Little Friskies is what I feed Squeaker when he became diabetic and he was able to achieve remission in about 2 months. He has been on low carb food for 2 years and with the exception of a 6 week period of going back on insulin he has been insulin free for 14 months now. While there is no guarantee that a cat will go into remission------low carb food can help lower the insulin dependence. This food list will give you options on low carb food for your cat.

If you switch food you really need to start home testing your cats glucose if you aren't already. You can use a human meter, I use the Relion Confirm from Walmart. The meter is inexpensive as are the strips.

Here is the link for the food chart: http://www.catinfo.org/docs/FoodChartPublic9-22-12.pdf
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Thank you both very much for your comments.
I should have mentioned that the Pet Valu's Performatrin Adult is canned food. She has been eating canned food, mainly no grains (no corn, soy, wheat, barley, rice), for about 6-7 years now. I have a Devon boy as well and so far he's doing fine on it. I have tried them on raw food; she won't eat it, but he likes it, and occasionally I give him some chicken giblets or wingette to chew on to help clean his teeth. I also have given them Nature's Dentist supplement as an aid for plaque reduction and don't know if this contains carbs or not? Here's a link with the ingredient list.....what do you think? I sprinkle it on their food twice a day. It has helped with their teeth, as they've only had one cleaning in their 11 years. http://www.trinatural.com/supplements-mcintosh-dentist.php
 
I looked at the ingredients and don't see anything that screams sugar/carbs, but I'm sure some more experienced than me will come along.

Devonne said:
I give him some chicken giblets or wingette to chew on to help clean his teeth
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I would have to say I would discourage the wingettes, simply because of the fact that chicken bones splinter and can do some real damage.
 
Shiloh & Rhonda said:
I looked at the ingredients and don't see anything that screams sugar/carbs, but I'm sure some more experienced than me will come along.


I would have to say I would discourage the wingettes, simply because of the fact that chicken bones splinter and can do some real damage.
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My understanding from another cat forum on their raw feeding thread, that this is true if the chicken is cooked the bones can be brittle and splinter, but do not do this if the wingette is raw. My boy has been eating them raw for a while and so far hasn't had a problem.
 
This is guaranteed analysis of the Lamb and Chicken formula:
Crude Protein MIN 10.0%
Crude Fat MIN 7.0%
Crude Fiber MAX 1.0%
Moisture MAX 78.0%
Calcium MIN 0.22%
Phosphorus MIN 0.18%
Taurine MIN 0.08%
Omega 6 Fatty Acids MIN 0.40%
Omega 3 Fatty Acids MIN 0.04%

If this site is correct, the dry matter carb % is 14, which is too high for a diabetic cat. Would you consider trying Fancy Feast Classics or Friskies Pates?
 
Shiloh & Rhonda, so I'm confused here. What brand is the analysis of the Lam and Chicken formula? And the Beef and Liver and Beef and Turkey? It doesn't sound like this response was directed for me, but perhaps for another poster? Devonne
 
Shiloh & Rhonda said:
@JohnZ , since you have been so good at doing the calculations for the 9 Lives, could you take a look at the guaranteed analysis? I may be giving way bad advice here. And @Devonne if I am, please forgive me.
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Sure- but keep in mind that the numbers you supplied are guaranteed analyses numbers- which are only minimum and maximum values making them inaccurate by definition (per catinfo.org)- anyway- for the Lamb and Chicken formula- I come up with a carbohydrate count of 12.9. It's interesting to note that there's no Ash value supplied- if there were- it would bring the carbohydrate number down- possible quite a bit.:cat:
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I'm in a real conundrum about what I should be feeding my cats. I just learned that "Carrageenan" which I thought was a thickening agent derived from seaweed, and was pretty innocuous. But this article I read recently seems to indicate from animal research that it can be harmful in causing inflammation and affecting glucose levels. I checked the Purina DM and Peformatrin Adult and the both have "carrageenan" as one of the ingredients! Now what! Is this included in the Friskies Pates or Fancy Feast Classics? Check out this link: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/the-hidden-food-ingredient-linked-to-pain-and-inflammation.html especially the link in the article "Journal of Diabetes Studies". Perhaps other studies will dispute this? Who knows?

According to Dr. Weil, whose knowledge and opinion I respect, it should not be part of our diet.
http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA401181/Is-Carrageenan-Safe.html
 
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Devonne said:
I'm in a real conundrum about what I should be feeding my cats. I just learned that "Carrageenan" which I thought was a thickening agent derived from seaweed, and was pretty innocuous. But this article I read recently seems to indicate from animal research that it can be harmful in causing inflammation and affecting glucose levels. I checked the Purina DM and Peformatrin Adult and the both have "carrageenan" as one of the ingredients! Now what! Is this included in the Friskies Pates or Fancy Feast Classics? Check out this link: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/the-hidden-food-ingredient-linked-to-pain-and-inflammation.html especially the link in the article "Journal of Diabetes Studies". Perhaps other studies will dispute this? Who knows?
Click to expand...
 
Eliminating carrageenan has been helpful for some cats, particularly those with GI issues such as inflammatory bowel disease. You have to read the labels carefully - a magnifier can help considerably!
 
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