Newly Diagnosed

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jaspatrick

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Bo is a 9 year old Maine Coon, who was between 14.5 to 15 pounds before dropping to about 13.7 when diagnosed last Friday. He has asthma and some kidney issues (I think vet said pre-kidney issues), but generally is a happy and active boy despite these issues. He receives steriods for his asthma using an aerokat inhaler device. The vet suggested Lantus, which, as a type 1 diabetic myself, I'm familar with. I got him his own bottle of Lantus and ordered the vet recommended tester, although it has not come in yet so we're currently sharing my one touch ultra glucometer.

On Saturday we started him on Lantus, beginning with 1 unit twice per day. He was 453 preshot. We upped it to 1.5 units yesterday and are testing about ever 6 hours. Although he's very slowly coming down, he's still around 300 to 350 on most readings.

Advice is appreciated. Dealing with my own diabetes seems so much easier than dealing with his. I worry constantly.

I do have two specific questions. Bo has always had dry food, even though 4 or 5 times we tried to convert him to wet at the vet's urging. Those times he would just stop eating until we went back to dry. Because I wanted him to eat as we started insulin, since Saturday I've slowly converted him from his old dry food to HIlls m/d (I guess their low carb dry food) and today was the first day I didn't put any of his old food in. Based on info on this board, wet food (and the vet also said this) is much preferable. Any suggestions on converting him? Also, is it safe to rely on the reading from my one touch ultra as opposed to the cat specific meter I ordered?

This board has helped greatly over the past few days and I'm not just getting around to posting. Much like the feline asthma board when he was diagnosed 4 years ago, I don't know how someone would get thru the first few days of a feline illness without a place like this. Thank you guys.
 
Welcome!

Yes - it is okay to use a human meter, in fact most of us do because the strips are cheaper. You don't need a special pet meter. Most of us run to Walmart and get the $15 Relion meter and strips. It is great that you are testing - especially before shot time. If I were you I would cancel the expensive pet meter - you don't need it.

It really is imperative to get your kitty off all dry food. Besides the carbs, the food is not good for the urinary tract and can cause all kinds of problems there and with the kidneys. Dry food also leaves a coating on the teeth which can lead to gum disease. But, keep in mind that transitioning to wet food could drop his bg by 100 pts so you might have to decrease the insulin as well if he goes too low. There are lots of tricks and suggestions for transitioning but you have to find the one that works. Sometimes working the dry food into the wet food and then slowly decreasing the amount of dry food added until none may work. The Hills m/d food is not low carb. We like to keep the carbs under 10%.

I transitioned a very thirsty dry food addict by appealing to her urgency for water. When presented with a bowl of kibble and a bowl of water-saturated pate food, she went right for the moisture and when she started licking the bowl clean of food (instead of just the water) then I removed the dry food and she never missed it. There is another member who is using shredded cheddar cheese to introduce wet food.

You will get lots of advice here about food and you don't need the expensive vet food. Fancy Feast, and Friskies pates are all good choices.

I like how your vet is urging you to transition from dry and that the starting dose is at 1u. That's where we like to start with Lantus.

Remember, this is a manageable disease - we know because we are all doing it with our sugarcats every day.

I am glad you joined the FDMB.
 
Hi sugardude Bo and welcome to the message board. Would you share your caregivers first name with us please?

Since you said your kitty may have early signs of kidney disease, you may want to do something a bit different than the usually recommended Fancy Feast pates or Friskies pates as far as canned food goes. Lower phosphorus foods, <250 mg phos/100 calories, can be better for cats with kidney disease. Since we also look for foods that are low in carbs, <10%, the list is a bit more limited. One inexpensive choice is the Friskies Special Diet pate food which meet this requirement of both low carb and low phosphorus, Except for the Whitefish Dinner flavor.

A wonderful vet, Dr. Lisa Pierson, has contacted all the pet food manufacturers and got specific data for most of the canned foods available in the US and Canada. She did some calculations and put together a very valuable list for cat owners, this Food Chart. From her list, this additional shortcut list has been created that only contains low phosphorus, low carb <8% foods.

Here are some more low carb, low phosphorus food choices for you to consider. Hope this helps you.
Shortcut shopping list <250 phosphorus. Adapted from Rhiannon & Shadow’s shortcut list
all values are from Dr. Pierson's updated list, September 2012

carbs in % . . last number is phosphorus (CKD, CRF cats need under 250 phosphorus)

5% - Friskies Special diet Beef and Liver entree 241
5% - Friskies Special diet Turkey and Giblets dinner pate 189
5% - Friskies Special diet Beef and Chicken Entree pate 242
7% - Friskies Special Diet with Salmon 228

3% Weruva Paw Lickin' chicken 196
9% Weruva Green Eggs & chicken 230
4% Weruva On the Cat Wok 163
5% Weruva Steak Frites 118
7% Weruva MidEast Feast 202

Weruva Cats in the Kitchen canned food
3% La Isla Bonita 166
8% Funk in the Trunk 250
4% Fowl Ball 180
8% Lamb Burger-ini 236
2% Chicken Frick 'A Zee 174
8% The Double Dip 248

5% - Merrick Cowboy cookout 202
8% - Merrick Grammy's pot pie 237
3% - Merrick Surf n Turf 229
9% -Merrick Turducken 219

1% - Merrick Before Grain cat 96% beef – 163
2% - Merrick Before Grain cat 96% turkey – 178

5% - Wellness Kitten 216
4% - Wellness chicken 219
4% - Wellness turkey 201
4% - Wellness Beef and chicken 226
6% - Wellness beef & salmon 207


8% - Wellness Core chicken/turkey/chicken liver 215
5% - Wellness Core Beef , Venison & Lamb 171

3% - Nature's Variety Instinct Grain free Beef – 248
1% - Nature's Variety Instinct Grain free Duck 191

2% - Natura Evo 95% chicken and turkey 155
4% - Natura Evo 95% beef – 234

2% Hounds & Gatos chicken 241
9% Hounds & Gatos Beef 250
3% Hounds & Gatos Lamb/chicken/salmon 225
3% Hounds & Gatos Lamb & Duck Liver 244

8% -Holistic Select chicken & lamb 222

3% Soulistic Polynesian Picnic 239
4% Soulistic Celestial Feast 250
7% Soulistic Upstream Dream 234
8% Soulistic Nautical Nirvana 228

9% Max Cat Chicken Supreme 173
8% Max Cat with savory duck 197
8% Max Cat with Savory Venison 214

8% Avoderm Chicken Chunks/gravy 234
2% Avoderm Tuna % chicken w/ veggies 241

9% Halo Succulent Salmon 227

1% Eukanuba adult Entree with gourmet chicken 239
8% Eukanuba adult Entree with Lamb and Rice 230
3% Eukanuba adult Entree with Pacific Salmon 241

7% Evolve -chicken 214
6% Evolve turkey 244

0% Natural Balance O'Fischally Scampi 244

5% Pinnacle Chicken and Ocean fish 175
5% Pinnacle Chicken and Tuna 221
4% Pinnacle Ocean Fish 231

3% Authority Chicken 238
7% Authority Turkey & Giblets 222
8% Authority Beef 249


BFF (Best Feline Friends ) also made by Weruva
BFF 2% Tuna and Chicken 234
BFF 2% Tuna and Salmon soulmates 236
BFF 2% Tuna and Shrimp Sweethearts 236
BFF 2% Tuna and Bonito Be Mine 240
BFF 2% Tuna & Tilapia Twosome 240
BFF 5% Tuna & Pumpkin Valentine 243
BFF 2% Tuna & Chicken Chuckles 234

8% Dr Fosters and Smiths Chicken 204

2% ZiwiPeak Lamb 224
Click to expand...
 
The second item of information I wanted to pass along to you, is this Transitioning Feline Dry Food Addicts to Canned Food document. It's also by vet Dr. Lisa Pierson.

When I started fostering my diabetic cat Wink, he was a dry food addict. I remember well the difficulty of transitioning him from his beloved dry food to wet food. It took about 6 weeks and I used almost every trick in that transitioning document to get him to switch.

Once he was on the wet food, his BG numbers went down quickly, he stopped getting UTI after UTI, his coat got silky and shiny, and he went into remission. He's been food controlled for over a year now. Those are just some of the benefits you might expect from feeding your cat the low carb wet food.
 
I've printed out the tips for switching kitties from dry to canned food and last night I purchased a half dozen different kinds of food from the above list. Going to start the process tonight. I am a little worried about giving him insulin and also withholding food for 12 hours at a time though, which is basically the first suggestion in making the switch. Is this safe?
 
It is tricky to use the hunger method for transitioning, on diabetic cats. Dr. Pierson's suggestions are mostly for healthy cats transitioning to raw as I remember. I personally would NOT use the hunger method on a diabetic cat unless the cat was a healthy weight and regulated. In fact, I use food to counter any low drops in the middle of the cycle in hopes that I can avoid a bounce during the next cycle. I had an emaciated foster diabetic and I fed her four times a day - every six hours and watched her closely to make sure she got something in her.
 
As an adjunct for transitioning, there are a few low carb dry foods which can help with transitioning, too.
Stella & Chewey's freeze-dried - meant to be re-hydrated, but phasing in the moisture can sneak them over to wet.
Young Again 0 Carb - actually 5% calories from carbohydrates the way we calculate it. Internet order only

Another idea:
Taking a can of any low carb wet food, spreading it thinly on a baking sheet or jelly roll pan and baking it dry is another way to sneak them over to it. Then, you gradually leave a bit more moisture in each batch until they'll eat it completely wet and not even warmed up.
 
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