Newly Diagnosed

Our sweet 6 year old was just diagnosed with diabetes - and is on Prozinc.. My Vet, although I really love her, hasn't explained all this to me very well, so I'm doing the best I can. He's had about 4 shots now (spaced 12 hours apart) and is eating minimally. I'm totally confused as to the best food for him right now. He's also on an antibiotic for his inflamed gums. My Vet has written me a script for Royal Canin feline glycobalance. BUT>> I haven't worked since March and this is becoming difficult financially. Can anyone tell me a good wet canned food for him that doesn't cost an "arm & a leg?" - and 'any' other information you can give me in greatly appreciated. We love our little orange tabby B.D. and will do anything to make him healthy. Thank you.

 

WELCOME TO FDMB Cee and your extra sweet baby. We CAN help you!
First off Prozinc is a good insulin for cats.
Are you home testing kitties blood glucose levels? Its VERY important to do so to keep your baby safe.
How many units of insulin are you injecting with each shot?
The best food for ANY diabetic is a low carb food (much like humans) Many here feed Fancy Feast pates or Friskies pate's The fancy feast pates are ALL under 10% carbs.

*ALL dry food is packed with carbs. WARNING...if you are currently feeding dry food DO NOT remove it without home testing blood glucose. The removal of a high carb food can drop BG levels to dangerously low levels.*

This can be overwhelming but once you gain knowledge it becomes easier. I'm going to link you to a forum that will get you acquainted on how things work around here.
New? How You Can Help Us Help You!

Theres a wealth of information here with good people to help you navigate it all.

WELCOME TO OUR FAMILY

Dont worry we are here for you and will walk you through this process, every step of the way. We look forward to getting to know you and your (insert kitties name here)
jeanne

 

No. I'm not testing glucose levels.. at least not yet. Our Vet just has him on 2 units twice daily. We're supposed to go back early next week for her to do blood work and see if he is responding. I'm heading out in a bit to get him some food, but, just not sure what to get. He's losing weight & is drinking profusely. He's also on an antibiotic for his inflamed gums - "that" is initially why we took him to the Vet - for a checkup and thought he needed his teeth cleaned. That's on the "back burner" now that we know he's diabetic. So.. do you think I can get him Fancy Feast pates? I'm feeding him 12 hours apart - and pulling up the food after about a half hour - "then" he gets his shot. Thank you SO much. Btw - his glucose level was over 500 a few days ago, before he started. She said that was really high.. We have 2 other kitties - one is underweight and the other is overweight.. and now B.D. is diabetic, so this is becoming somewhat challenging, since my husband and I haven't worked since March. Again.. thank you. People like you are truly angels.

 

Fncy feat pates are fine i'm worried about that dose though. 2 units is a lot of insulin for a newly DX's cat.

Inflamed gums CAN raise BG levels. I would let him eat. Diabetic cats cant metabolize food properly thats what hes so ravenous.

 

You ca go to walmart and pick up a meter and some strips (I think they sell a package with the ReliOn meter) should include the meter testing strips and lancets. They are the cheapest to use. You will go through a lot of strips in the beginning.

 

UGH ALSO have some honey or Karo and some high carb food on hand just in case of a hypo.
High carb food can be any food that comes in gravy. I would stick to the same brand though FF

 

The Relion Primer meter is a favorite around here, I think. Really, any human meter that is easy for you to get, and has cheap and easily-available strips will do. A bonus is if the meter takes only a small amount of blood!

One thing: the lancets that come with meters (if they do) tend to be too thin to use when you're first starting out. You want the thicker lancets, which will have a smaller gauge, 26 or 28.

Welcome!

 

Thanks Nan . Not feeling too well here. I'm a little disheveled my apologies

 

Most of us feed our cats more than just twice a day
No food prior to the first test in the AM and the PM
Bigger meals at shot time and you can feed throught the day smaller meals
It's easier on the pancreas.

Most of us use Human Meters
Walmart
The Relion Prime 9 dollars
The Relion Test strips 17.88 for 100 strips
Lancets get 26 or 28 gauge to prick the ear
Cotton rounds to put behind the ear so you don't prick yourself
You will go through a lot of strips in the beginning
Don't let your vet try to tell you to buy a pet meter Alpha Trak 2
It's about 40-45 dollars and the strips are about 55 dollars for only 50 strips
You will go broke
Just tell her you can't afford

Fancy Feast Classics Pate , I'll post our food chart so you can browse around
We like to stay under 10 percent carbs.

 

I just got off the phone with my Vet. She said to go down to 1 unit. Darn. I just gave him the 2 units. Thanks so much for your input. I'm going through the weekend and taking him to the Vet on Monday.

 

https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/dr-pierson-new-food-chart.174147/
Food chart


Nothing special about the food your vet suggested
Is it wet or dry Most likely they are very high in carbs
You can return them and get your money , just say he won't ear it.

What is he eating now?

 

do you have karo or honey on hand?

 

Oh good. Jeanne's right, 2U is a large starting dose, especially without testing.

And I agree with Jeanne and Diane-- feeding multiple times a day, and probably increasing the amount of food, will be better for managing B.D.'s diabetes.

 

Feel better Jeanne

 

thanks Diane just kinda out of it. lol can you tell?

 

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tap on your avatar where it says your name ,then hit profile page ,tap on that ,then go up to the very top, upper right hand side and tap on your name ,it will bring down a drop box, tap on signature, the signature will be under settings, tap on the signature then and you can start to add what I posted above, make sure you hit save ,
Welcome to the best place you could ever be and an awesome group of people

 

I copied this that one of our members posted thanks @Aleluia Grugru & Minnie


There are lots of tips about testing here and each of us does something that helps so you can take what works for you and leave the rest. For me:

1. Warming up the ear, as someone already mentioned with the nuked sock filled with rice, is key. Her ear needs to be warm to the touch and then I know I’ll get a nice size droplet
2. Start with a larger lancet gauge like 28 or even 26. They make slightly bigger pricks and you’ll get more blood out. As you get better at it, you can switch to a 30 gauge - larger numbers indicate smaller needle tips
3. I use a few cotton ovals that I place behind the ear for support so it’s a) easier to apply the needed pressure with the lancet and b) it protects my finger in cases the needle does go through
4. Apply pressure with the cotton oval onto the spot after you got the blood out so it won’t bruise.
5. Always aim for the sweet spot

6. As the ears get used to bleeding and grow more capilares, it gets easier to get the amount of blood you need on the first try. If she won’t stand still, you can get the blood onto a clean finger nail and test from there
7. I always sing a lullaby as I’m testing. It works to calm us both down and now when Minnie hears the lullaby she knows it’s testing time
8. I use a small flashlight that I hold in my mouth and aim at the spot so I can see well what I’m doing and the bevel of the needle going in, which could be bevel side up
9. I always give her either food or a treat immediately after



Here is a video of one of our members testing her cat, if you buy a human meter no need to
code it like in the video


VIDEO: How to test your cat's blood sugar

 

Besides the FF pates you should also buy at least a couple of high carb and medium carb .This is what you need to feed if he ever drops to low, don't have want a hypo

Such as

You should always have a few can of these on hand in case you need to bring up


Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers Gourmet Beef Feast in Gravy 20% High Carbs


Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers Gourmet Chicken Feast in Gravy. 15% Med Carbs




Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers Turkey Feast in Gravy. 15% Med Carbs


Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers Chicken and Beef Feast in Gravy 15% Med Carbs

 

You mentioned that he is losing weight
The rule of thumb is about 20 calories per pound of ideal weight. So say your cat should be 14 lbs, he would need about 280 calories. However while your cat is being regulated he may need extra calories because they can not properly utilize the nutrients.

 

B.D. is eating Hills high protein/low calorie dry & canned food. He's not a fan - prior to finding out his diagnosis, he loved 'anything' gravy. I feel so sorry for him.

 

You will save a lot of money if you home test rather than have your vet do it.
Besides anything can happen in a week, that's why we home test , it's the only way
to keep your cat safe. You don't want to shoot blind.

I know it's a lot to take in and we have all posted a lot for you.
After you fill out your signature, it's the gray writing under my post , you can
set up a spreadsheet that we call use to keep track of out cats blood glucose numbers.
If you ever need help, if he drops too low or you need dosing advice
we can easily take a look at it

We also test a few times after the AM shot and the PM shot to see how the insulin
Is working. Most of us buy syringes with half unit markings.
It makes it easier for when you have to increase or decrease his insulin.
We do this by 0.25 units

Well I guess we just made your head spin lol
Just ask questions

 

Is that the exact name , I'm trying to look up the carb content
Take a look at the food chart I gave you and maybe you can find something he
might like that's under 10 % carbs

 

On the food chart take a look at Fancy Feast Roasted/Flaked /Chunky
They are not pates, some are 4, 5, or 6 % carbs
We also add some water to them, maybe he would eat the pates with added water,
There is a little bit of juice in them so just pour it out over the pate
The pates are 2 or 3 % carbs

You can also look at the Friskies Brands


Just remember

ALL dry food is packed with carbs. WARNING...if you are currently feeding dry food DO NOT remove it without home testing blood glucose. The removal of a high carb food can drop BG levels to dangerously low levels.*

 

ok.. without the risk of sounding dumb - what exactly do I need to look for in my kitty, if he's in danger? I have no idea. I've never "fully" understood diabetes - although, I'm starting to get a grip - My Vet had me scared to death a few days ago - his glucose number was over 500. So.. we immediately started 2 units of insulin, 12 hours apart. I pulled up all is high caloric food (which he loved) and replaced it with Hills high protein dry & wet. He's not a fan of either. Now, I'm lowering the unit amount to 1 unit - and just gave him the rest of the canned food, because he's so hungry. Can someone tell me in laymen terms exactly what's happening and the danger signs to look for? My Daughter just sent me a drinking fountain for him, and thankfully, he loves it.. He's staying hydrated, which is essential as well, ...correct? Thanks everyone. I'm kind of clueless and trying to take all this in.

 

The Royal Canin dry is about 23 to 25 percent carbs way way too high

 

How to treat HYPOS - THEY CAN KILL! Print this Out!!

Dont let the title scare you its just information we give to all newly dx'd kitties

 

What is the carbohydrate content of the new formula introduced in June 2020? Is it still 2.8%? My cat doesn't like the new formula as well. Also, why does the dry diabetic formula have 25.2% carbs? Did that change in June 2020 as well? That is REALLY high for a diabetic cat.
At this time, the Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Glycobalance Morsels In Gravy Canned Cat Food has a carbohydrate content of approximately 1.87% on an as fed basis and 12.06% on a dry matter basis. The Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Glycobalance S/O Index Dry Cat Food has a carbohydrate content of approxi mately 23.54% on an as fed basis and 25.29% on a dry matter basis
basis

This was on the Chewy site about the wet Royal Cabin carbs

 

A lot of the so-called "prescription" diets are fully guaranteed by the manufacturer. That means you can return them, say "my cat didn't like this stuff" and get a refund.

Even if he liked them, they usually really aren't worth the money, in my opinion. There are tons of affordable options that are equal or greater quality-- hopefully at least one will be to his liking!

 

You say high calorie food what was the exact name, I want to see if I can find the carb %

I googled Hills high protein dry and then wet
What is the exact name

 

Hi Nan I posted #27 found it on the Chewy site about carbs in the wet food
I forgot what do you go by when talking about carbs as feed or dry matter basis

 

I think dry matter is what you want-- all of Dr. Lisa's percentages add (roughly) to 100, so the moisture content is not being included in the calculation. Plus, I can't imagine any food "with gravy" coming in at 1.87% carbs!

 

Thank you Nan ,yes especially with the gravy

 

I recently discovered Fancy Feast Medley Tuscany has the highest carb content at 20% so I have some at hand too

 

I'll have to get some of that one Ale if Tyler ever needs it

 

You already got a ton of information and I hope you’re not overwhelmed. It’s a learning curve, but once you get it it will all become second nature to you.

I just want to talk about feeding for a moment because I didn’t see it mentioned. Diabetic cats need to eat because the diabetes causes them to not be able to process the nutrients in food efficiently, so they eat but are always starving and will lose a lot of weight. You can feed him smaller meals throughout the day. Feeding only twice a day is not good for cats who have high metabolisms and are typically grazers. It’s also not great for their already compromised pancreas. A good rule to thumb for daily calorie intake is 20 times ideal weight. If he’s ideal weight is 12 pounds then he should be getting at least 240 calories a day. More if he needs to gain. It’s best to give the bulk of the meals after the insulin but you can feed more throughout the day as well. In fact, you should do that. Is he under or over weight right now?

 

As Diane said, if you home test you’ll never have to take your cat to the vet again to check glucose levels because you’ll be doing that yourself at home and you can simply email her the info. Baby steps. First get the wet food that doesn’t cost a fortune and politely decline the Royal Canin.

 

He "was" overweight a bit - but, started losing. I'm getting so much information, and it's all different. Shots "before" they eat...shots "after" they eat.. And I didn't plan on testing his glucose - but, it looks like I should. Why did my Vet tell me to only feed him 2 X's a day? - and not allow grazing? I'm so confused. Should I seek another Vet? I've had her for over 20 years, but, she doesn't seem to understand that my husband and I are "not" working right now, due to the Pandemic. This is getting incredibly expensive and I'm wasting money, buying food that my kitties won't eat - like Hills low caloric dry.

 

You should always test, feed, shoot....in that order. You want to take food up for the 2 hours immediately before shot times so that when you do the "Pre-Shot" test, you get a number that's not influenced by food. It's the only way you can know if it's safe to give insulin at all. If the Pre-Shot number is high enough to give the insulin, you can then feed him to make sure he's willing to eat (and not refusing food because he's sick or anything) and shoot. Most of us shoot while their head is still in the bowl.

The older insulins (that a lot of vets still use) were very harsh and hard hitting. It was important that they eat a large meal before the insulin to make sure there was food on board before the insulin started to "hit". These types of insulin also would usually wear off before 12 hours, so you didn't want to feed in between the shot because the food would slam the brakes on any remaining action from the insulin. The newer insulin's last longer and take effect slower so it's not so necessary that they eat a certain amount.

The ONLY good thing about the Hill's food is that it's 100% guaranteed. You can return it for a refund. A lot of us just told our vets that our cats refused to eat it anymore.

The sad truth is that vets get about 5 hours of formal education in school. Vet schools have to cram a lot of stuff into a few years so they teach a tiny bit about everything. They don't have time to go into depth about each disease and the different treatments possible. Once they're in practice, they don't have the time to stay up to date on the latest treatments for every disease in every type of animal they see. They'd never have time to see any patients if they tried! That's why places like this board are such a valuable tool. The people here deal with nothing but feline diabetes and the complications that tend to come with it. They live and breathe it. They deal with it 24/7/365, some for many years so they know what works....and what doesn't. We also have the time to try to search for new breakthroughs in treatments that might benefit our cats or some in the future. Your vet might be a fantastic and caring person...but they just can't spend the kind of time they'd need to to be able to learn it all.

By home testing, YOU are in control of your cat's blood glucose. If he starts to act funny, you can make sure he's not running too low. If he is, you will know what to do to get his numbers up instead of risking a hypoglycemic crisis and a huge ER vet bill. Home testing also allows you to learn how YOUR cat is responding to treatment. Just like humans are told to always test before they give themselves insulin, it's the same with our furkids. By testing in between the shots, you learn how quickly the insulin starts to kick in, what point in the cycle he usually goes the lowest, and how long the insulin seems to work for him. ECID (Every Cat Is Different)

 

I 100% agree with what Chris & China said.
I love my vet and have been probably going to her for over 20 years, but
I was actually teaching her a few things about diabetes that I have learned
from the members here.
My Tyler wouldn't be doing this good if I didn't take the advice from members here.

I told my vet about this board and printed a lot of info from this site and printed out
a lot of advice that I was getting from the members and how much they knew
about diabetes along with other medical problems that could happen to a diabetic
cat. She was very impressed reading everything I had printed off for her to read.

She saw how excellent Tyler was doing and now trusts me when it comes to taking care of him.
She works with me not against me.

I'm not saying that all vets don't have a clue when it comes to diabetes,but most of them don't.
I now only take Tyler to my vet for routine blood work and a check up,
probably once a year or unless he's sick, which knock on wood he never has been.

So I trust the members on here more than a vet when it comes to diabetes.
Like Chris said members here deal with diabetes 23/7/365 some for many years
and know what works

 

What they both said exactly

 

Thank you so much. I'm late to respond.. very sorry. You've all given me a wealth of information. B.D. is doing much better. I'm not limiting his food intake like I was - I have all my kitties on Fancy Feast Pate' right now. One is overweight and one is underweight, and, of course, B.D, is diabetic. He's only been on the insulin for about 4 days, but, I went down from 2 units to 1, after I called my Vet and B.D. was acting very sluggish. I go this week to see how his blood work is and if he's responding to the insulin. Like I said in my earlier post, I haven't worked since March, due to Covid - so, I'm trying like crazy to keep my costs down. So far, we've probably spent about $300 on everything - insulin/antibiotics/Vet bill/new food.. etc etc.. It's all adding up. But, I'll do anything and everything to keep B.D. healthy. When I go back this week to have him checked, does anyone have any advise for me? I'm hoping I don't have to start the "pricking" his ears - but, I will if I have to.

 

I have 'one' more question - besides Fancy Feast Pate' - is there another low-cost canned food you recommend (low calorie/high protein) I'm taking back the Hills low-caloric dry this week. None of my kitties really liked it. I read that the canned is much better all the way around. Thank you.

 

Friskies pate's, 9-Lives ground, even Special Kitty pate's from WalMart are all low carb and cheaper than Fancy Feast

Start home testing now. It sounds worse than it is and hurts us more than our cats. The edges of the ear have few pain receptors so it doesn't really hurt them but they can object to having their ears fooled with at all.

You can get everything you need for testing at WalMart for less than $30....compared to having curves run at the vet that can cost over $100 each time and are going to give you unreliable numbers anyway due to the stress of being at the vet.

Here's something I wrote up for others for testing...maybe it'll help you too!

It can be really helpful to establish a routine with testing. Pick one spot that you want your "testing spot" to be (I like the kitchen counter because it's got good light and it's at a good height....it also already blocked 2 escape routes due to the wall and the backsplash) It can be anywhere though...a rug on the floor, a table, a particular spot on the couch...wherever is good for you.

Take him there as many times a day as you can and just give his ears a quick rub and then he gets a yummy (low carb) treat. Most cats aren't objecting so much with the poking..it's the fooling with their ears they don't like, but once they're desensitized to it and learn to associate a certain place with the treats, they usually start to come when they're called! Or even when they hear us opening the test kit!

You also have to remember...you're not poking him to hurt him...you're testing him to keep him safe and understand what's going on inside his body. There's just nothing better than truly understanding what's going on inside your kitty's body and with this disease, the more knowledge you have, the more power you have against it. The edges of the ears have very few pain receptors, so it really doesn't hurt them. Also, if you're nervous and tense, it's going to make your kitty nervous and tense too. As silly as it might seem, try singing! It forces you to use a different part of your brain!

It's also important to make sure his ear is warm. A small sock filled with a little rice and microwaved or a small pill bottle filled with warm water (check temp against your wrist like you would a baby bottle) works well

For new kitties, using a heavier gauge lancet is also really helpful. A 25-28 gauge lancet pokes a bigger "hole" than a 31-33 gauge lancet does, so look for "Alternate Site testing" lancets that are usually a lower number. At WalMart, the "thin" lancets are fine but the "ultra thin" and "micro thin" are too small for "new" ears. They also have a new "2 in 1" that would work fine.

Finding the right "treat" will be a great help too! Freeze dried chicken, bonito flakes, little pieces of baked chicken...whatever low carb treat you can find that he really enjoys will help him to associate the testing with the treat! China's Achilles heel was baked chicken, so I'd bake a piece, chop it into bite sized pieces, put some in the refrigerator and freeze the rest to use as needed. It didn't take long for her to come any time I picked up the meter!

 

Agreed. Especially if costs are an issue. It will be much cheaper to home test. You’ll never have to take him to the vet to check his bg level again and that right there will save you a couple of hundred $$$

Minnie doesn’t enjoy it. She meows and tries to move her ear away but she stays put and purrs and gives me kisses right after and is excited to get her reward treat. They know you’re helping them. It feels worse for us than for them. Trust us

Happy to hear you’re feeding him more

 

Thank you SO much. You are so incredibly helpful!!!! - it's very very appreciated!!!

 

I agree with the above and more. Home testing BG levels will save you more money in the long run than you have already spent.

 

Hi @Cee Sharp

How is your kitty doing? We seem to have lost you on your other thread, where you said you got the BG of 31 and the title is Super Confused.

This one:
https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/super-confused.237951/#post-2671498

Would you please reply over on that thread? We are worried about how things are going for you.