Newly dx - going on vacation - NERVOUS

[Holly and Sunny Bear]

Hi! Sunny Bear is newly diagnosed and not regulated yet and we have a 10 day vacation coming up June 4. I'm super nervous to leave him.

He started out on 1.5 U of Prozinc and we're inching our way up to 2 U now as his insulin needs are creeping up for some reason. He's on Fancy Feast classic pate whitesish and tuna (0%carbs) only now, although yesterday I did give him some soulistic moist salmon which is 6% carbs which is maybe why his BG numbers are up yesterday and today? Back to only FF.

My very responsible and diligent 20 yr old niece will be housesitting for us and I'm going to prep her on testing/feeding/shooting insulin but I'm not sure what dose to use while we're away to be safe from a hypo event. I'm afraid his insulin need will drop while we're gone. Safer to have her give 1.5U while we're gone?

I will also have the hypo kit and instrucitons out for her. Any other tips so I can relax and not worry about Sunny the whole time we're gone?

 

[Diane Tyler's Mom GA]

I Can tag
@JanetNJ for you
And
@Deb & Wink

Thank you ladies

One thing it is suggested that you don't feed fish everyday

There are other Fancy Feast Classic Pates that are 2 and 3 percent carbs
https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/dr-pierson-new-food-chart.174147/

We generally say to limit fish based foods to no more than once a week.

Not only do we worry about the contamination in fish these days, it's higher in phosphorus which is harder on kidneys

 

[Diane Tyler's Mom GA]

This is from CatInfo.org: You will notice that many of the higher protein diets are fish-based but it is not a good idea to feed fish to cats. Or, at least not as their main diet. Fish can be high in mercury, high in PBDEs (fire retardant chemicals linked to hyperthyroidism), high in phosphorus (not good for older cats’ kidneys) and can be very addicting. It is best to feed poultry-based diets to cats.

 

[Dyana]

You might want to consider sharing this site with her and having a userid ready or sharing yours with her, so that she can post if she has any questions.

 

[JanetNJ]

As long as she's testing I'd keep the same dose. I wouldn't drop lower than 1.75

 

[Diane Tyler's Mom GA]

As long as she's testing I'd keep the same dose. I wouldn't drop lower than 1.75

Thanks @JanetNJ

 

[Holly and Sunny Bear]

Thanks @Diane Tyler's Mom - I wasn't aware of that danger with feeding fish. I have another cat in the house who has IBS and this is one of the only proteins that works for her but i will try to move Sunny to poultry based versions of FF. Thanks for the info

 

[Holly and Sunny Bear]

As long as she's testing I'd keep the same dose. I wouldn't drop lower than 1.75

Thank you @JanetNJ! Since we're so close to giving 2U right now -- I think I'll try Sunny on 2 over the next few weeks and see how he does. He doesn't seem to be dropping into the blues for his nadir yesterday or today. And I'll have my niece do 1.75 or 2 depnding on how the next few weeks look. Am I being too conservative?

 

[Holly and Sunny Bear]

You might want to consider sharing this site with her and having a userid ready or sharing yours with her, so that she can post if she has any questions.

Good idea! I will do that. Poor girl doesn't know what she's gotten hersef into. But so glad you all are here to help. Thank you

 

[JanetNJ]

Thank you @JanetNJ! Since we're so close to giving 2U right now -- I think I'll try Sunny on 2 over the next few weeks and see how he does. He doesn't seem to be dropping into the blues for his nadir yesterday or today. And I'll have my niece do 1.75 or 2 depnding on how the next few weeks look. Am I being too conservative?

It's OK to err on the side of caution when you can't be there. Your cat has no history of ketones, correct?

 

[Holly and Sunny Bear]

It's OK to err on the side of caution when you can't be there. Your cat has no history of ketones, correct?

I've tested him a few times in the past couple weeks and it was trace each time. Im adding a lot of water to his food to prevent ketones.

 

[JanetNJ]

I've tested him a few times in the past couple weeks and it was trace each time. Im adding a lot of water to his food to prevent ketones.

sounds good... well then if you want to lower a little while you are away it's probably fine to.

 

[Diane Tyler's Mom GA]

Thanks @Diane Tyler's Mom - I wasn't aware of that danger with feeding fish. I have another cat in the house who has IBS and this is one of the only proteins that works for her but i will try to move Sunny to poultry based versions of FF. Thanks for the info

You are welcome

 

[Dyana]

I've tested him a few times in the past couple weeks and it was trace each time. Im adding a lot of water to his food to prevent ketones.

If his ketones have been trace, I would be testing for them daily, at least. Anything over trace needs to be seen by a vet. I wonder if you could get a blood ketone meter (if you don't already have one), so your niece can use that if he acts off for any reason while you're away.

 

[Holly and Sunny Bear]

If his ketones have been trace, I would be testing for them daily, at least. Anything over trace needs to be seen by a vet. I wonder if you could get a blood ketone meter (if you don't already have one), so your niece can use that if he acts off for any reason while you're away.

Ok we will add this to the routine We do have a blood ketone meter and his readings have been 0.5 and 0.7 previously. I'll keep a closer eye on that!