Newly diagnosed, still figuring out diet

[jhonan]

Hi - Apologies if you've heard this type of story a billion times before, but here goes.

Smudgie is a 10yo female neutered tux. We've had her from when she was a kitten. She's not overweight, but 2 weeks ago was diagnosed with diabetes.

We initially had her on '1.5 units' (the smallest markers in the syringe) of insulin, and yesterday the vet upped it to 2 units. They've done blood and urine tests; the urine is at '20', and the blood is still showing ketones.

We think the reason for the sustained high-sugar levels is the diet. The vet gave us special dried food for her, but said it was okay to give her wet food pouches as an occasional treat. We've now removed the pouches from her diet, so it's the special dried food she's eating.

Then, last night she started acting all hungry, like the dried food wasn't enough. So today we started feeding her sardines and tuna.

Now, I'm worried, cause I don't want to risk see-sawing her carbs and sugar levels all over the place. I just want a steady diet that will safely get her sugar back to a nice normal level. From what I've read elsewhere on the forum, dried food is high in carbs and isn't always a good idea for diabetic cats. So I'm really confused. I don't have a home testing kit either, the vet told us to bring her back once a week for testing.

Any advice would be appreciated. Main questions; Should we keep her solely on the 'special dried food'? - Should we buy a home testing kit? - Is it safe to give her tinned tuna and sardines as her main diet?

 

[Sue and Oliver (GA)]

Welcome!

Ketones can be deadly. I would suggest you start testing for them at home. Here is some info: ketones

I would change her food to wet lo carb. This vet explains why wet is better than dry: www.catinfo.org. Personally, we changed Oliver from dry to wet and his levels went down 100 points overnight. Which is why, we wouldn't want you to change foods until you are hometesting. Sardines and tuna do not have the supplements needed in her diet. You need a complete food, whether you choose wet or raw.

So, we would like you to hometest first. Here is a list of what you will need:

A human glucometer. Any one that sips and takes a tiny sample is fine. The meters are often free at drug stores; it’s the strips that are expensive. You can, however, buy them on ebay at less than half the price of stores. Lots of people here also like the ReliOn from Walmart. It is an inexpensive meter and its strips are the cheapest around. Try the meter out on yourself or someone else before you try it on your cat. You want to be familiar with it before you poke the cat.

Lancets and a lancet device. Usually, until the ears “learn” to bleed, a 25-26 gauge is good. Any brand will work.

Ketone strips. (Ketostix) Just like human diabetics use. You will sometimes need to test urine if the numbers are high.

Rice sack. Make this out of thinnish sock, filled with raw rice or oatmeal and then knotted. You heat this in the microwave until very warm but not hot. Then heat the ears before poking.

Also nice to have. Flashlight: so you can look at the ears and find the little capillaries that come off the vein running down the ear. Vaseline: Put a tiny smear where you want to poke. It will help the blood bead up.

And some lo carb treats to give your kitty, successful test or not Lo carb treats

Here is a video that shows how we do it: Video for hometesting

Our protocol has worked for hundreds of cats - wet lo carb, testing at home, insulin with doses determined by testing. We would love to help you and your sweet
Smudgie. ( I picture a white nose with a smudge - am I right?)

 

[Kurai & Daniel]

Hi Jhonan!

Dry food isn't typically good for diabetic because they all have higher carbs, I think there is one dry food that is ok for diabetics but it's still not that great I just can't remember. I've done more research on wet food recently XD

But don't change the diet til you are hometesting! I say this because when you change the diet the need for insulin can and likely will go down, so if you do so without checking you might overdose your baby.

What kind of insulin is Smudgie on? Also did your what kind of test did your vet determine she was diabetic from? It I believe will either be urine, or a blood test. As for testing at the vets the BG levels can be elevated due to the stress of being at the vet. Hometesting is actually pretty handy once you get the hang of it.

And Sue I think mostly covered all that XD

 

[squeem3]

We initially had her on '1.5 units' (the smallest markers in the syringe) of insulin, and yesterday the vet upped it to 2 units.

0.5 is the smallest unit on a 3/10 cc insulin syringe with half unit markings.

What insulin is your cat on? That's a very important piece of information this boards needs in order to try to help you :smile:

They've done blood and urine tests; the urine is at '20', and the blood is still showing ketones.

Ketones is not good. You can test your cat's urine for ketones at home. The Human pharmacy sells KetoStix and KetioDiastix.

We think the reason for the sustained high-sugar levels is the diet. The vet gave us special dried food for her, but said it was okay to give her wet food pouches as an occasional treat. We've now removed the pouches from her diet, so it's the special dried food she's eating.

What brands of food are you feeding? Dry food is not good for a diabetic cat. It just keeps blood glucose levels too high. Canned food is a better choice. There are many low carb commerical brands you can buy.

Then, last night she started acting all hungry, like the dried food wasn't enough. So today we started feeding her sardines and tuna.

Neither sardines nor tuna are nutrionally adequate for your cat. Plus, they are too high in phosphorus which can be hard on the kidneys and some cats get addicted to eating fish.

Now, I'm worried, cause I don't want to risk see-sawing her carbs and sugar levels all over the place. I just want a steady diet that will safely get her sugar back to a nice normal level. From what I've read elsewhere on the forum, dried food is high in carbs and isn't always a good idea for diabetic cats. So I'm really confused. I don't have a home testing kit either, the vet told us to bring her back once a week for testing.

Your local Human pharmacy sells blood glucose testing kits. Just go out and buy one and extra test strips and lancets :smile: You don't need to take your cat to the vet for testing. The results won't be accurate because many cats get so stressed out that their blood glucose levels will be artifically high.

Should we keep her solely on the 'special dried food'? - Should we buy a home testing kit? - Is it safe to give her tinned tuna and sardines as her main diet?

No. Ditch the special food and feed only low carb canned food (some feed raw food to their diabetics). Are you in the UK? Felix in jelly is one popular brand UK members here feed. Whiskas is another one, I think.

Yes, buy a blood glucose test kit.

No, as mentioned above, sardines and tuna are not nutritionally adequate for your cat and can cause other health issues. They are ok as occasional treats but not as the sole diet.

 

[jhonan]

Thanks for the replies! - All very informative. We're taking her back to the vet tomorrow for another blood test, so we'll see how it goes. I will discuss the points you've all made with the Vet.

I'm in Ireland, and up until now we've been feeding her Sheba and Felix in Jelly - The vet put her on the 'special' dried food diet.

The insulin is called 'Caninsuline'

The dried food she's on is called Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Diabetic Feline "A complete diabetic food for cats formulated to regulate the supply of glucose. This food contains a low level of rapidly digestible carbohydrates..."

 

[Jen & Squeak]

Felix in Jelly is a good option for where you are so you should stick with that.

A cat shouldn't be sent home with ketones...they can rapidly progress to a life threatening condition called diabetic ketoacidosis, so if it isn't too late in the day, please call your vet back...but it likely is around 9pm there?

Cats don't need carbs....they are obligate carnivores. Plus dry food can dehydrate them.