Opinions on Methyl B-12, other options...

[quo1]

FYI- (for anyone wondering) I found an old tube of Laxatone (for hairballs and G-I lubrication) "sold exclusively through Veterinarians":
white petrolatum, light mineral oil, corn syrup, malt syrup, soybean oil, cane molasses, water, gelatin by products, preservative and flavors.

pretty sweet... this might explain some of those 11u, and probably isn't ideal for use in a diabetic.
Hope you can start testing soon. Is Ben pretty easy to handle for his shots?

It does suggest 2-3 x / week; and I guessing this might be because it impairs GI absorbtion of nutrients, or causes diarrhea in some cats.

Ben is wonderful with shots..also no problem swallowing the Cisapride, nor the Lactulose,only the Laxatone he's nor crazy about, but still no problem...I didn't really start using any of the constipation stuff till last July/Aug- 3 years after he started his 22 units per day.. I have an appt with a Diabetes specialist Tuesday and I'm hoping I can either stop his injections or switch to lower dose......This Home House call vet was terrific in opening my eyes....

 

[Phoebe_TiggyGA_NortonGA]

Please learn to test his urine for KETONES.

If you reduce dose or stop insulin, it can quickly result in Diabetic Ketoacidosis, which requires Emergency room treatment / hospitalization.

Ketostix are used to test the urine for presence of ketones. (available at human pharmacies)

The Fructosamine test that your vet said meant Ben was no longer diabetic -- WRONG INTERPRETATION unless Ben has not been on insulin for the past 3 weeks!!!

The result shows that the 22u insulin per day is CONTROLLING the diabetics symptoms Very Well -- producing a NORMAL blood sugar result.

This means that Ben is a WELL REGULATED diabetic on 22u per day.

 

[Nancy and Cody]

It would be so awesome if you could go into this new vet armed with blood glucose readings you took at home. The stress from the car ride and the barking dogs at the office, unfortunately make readings at the vet less than ideal :shock: :lol: The fructosamine gives you the average, not the whole minute by minute fluctuations, so its somewhat flawed.
Since he's so patient with the whole shot process you should have little trouble getting those readings, if you are diabetic yourself, do you have a meter/strips to test yourself? That will work perfectly for Ben...
If not, it is good to get a meter with cheap strips that requires a very small blood drop (.5 microliters or less)

Great job!

 

[Jen & Squeak]

Phoebe

Question. I thought that if a cat were rebounding, the fructosamine could theoretically be the same as if the cat were well reguated?

And this cat is not well regulated by the sounds of it if you read the original post about him being barely able to walk for hours at a time each day, inappropriate pooping, etc. Plus the high dose and the illogical way in wich it was reached.

 

[quo1]

It would be so awesome if you could go into this new vet armed with blood glucose readings you took at home. The stress from the car ride and the barking dogs at the office, unfortunately make readings at the vet less than ideal :shock: :lol: The fructosamine gives you the average, not the whole minute by minute fluctuations, so its somewhat flawed.
Since he's so patient with the whole shot process you should have little trouble getting those readings, if you are diabetic yourself, do you have a meter/strips to test yourself? That will work perfectly for Ben...
If not, it is good to get a meter with cheap strips that requires a very small blood drop (.5 microliters or less)

Great job!

Nancy- I do have my own strips BUT I don't know how to draw the blood form him..if you look at several posts before yours, you will see someone named mrmush who has offered to come by my house and show me how to do this...nice, huh? I will learn how to do this.....

 

[quo1]

Phoebe

Question. I thought that if a cat were rebounding, the fructosamine could theoretically be the same as if the cat were well reguated?

And this cat is not well regulated by the sounds of it if you read the original post about him being barely able to walk for hours at a time each day, inappropriate pooping, etc. Plus the high dose and the illogical way in wich it was reached.

The inappropriate pooping was due to the Prednisone, a common side effect along with vomitting..it was also his 1st dose...2nd time he was fine PLUS gave it w/ food, which I didn't the 1st time...the walking bad is not every day..it must be either arthritis or neuropathy...

 

[Phoebe_TiggyGA_NortonGA]

"mrmush" is Laurie - she offered to show Alan how to home test next Tuesday, 3/8, when she will be in the WPB area.

 

[Hillary & Maui (GA)]

if you would like to attempt it yourself, it's really not hard to do.

You can use the lancet with or without the device, and you want to poke the outside edge of the ear, between the vein (if you can see it - use a flashlight if dark ears) and edge. If you hit the vein, you get lots of blood.

This is the area I'm referring to:

Try this link for more helpful information on home testing:

viewtopic.php?f=14&t=287

Also, if you free hand (without lancet device), I recommend poking at an upward 45ish angle, like this pic:

So, give it a try.....

 

[Nancy and Cody]

Alan, I know the proper way is to look for the vein, but I never learned that, and honestly I just fold the ear over my finger and poke anywhere I find furless skin. I always poke in the middle of the ear and it bleeds just fine for me.

If your lancet comes with a clear top lancet, you can HOLD the lancet with pressure over a spot for about 5 sec before and after you pop it. peek into the clear lancet top to see when the drop is big enough to draw.

Some folks warm the ear first by warming a sock filled with rice in the microwave.
Some folks rub the ear vigorously first. Both of these help increase the blood flow before popping the lancet.
Lancets come in various needle thicknesses. the larger ones bleed better. I think these are 26 or 28 gauge, whereas, 31 gauge make a tiny hole and don't bleed as well.

Give it a try

 

[Sophia]

I live not far from you.. if you live in west palm beach.... my husband and I could at least show you how to test.. but we would not be able to advise re dosage. I think you should start to test asap... when my cats were diabetic we never gave a shot without testing before.... much too dangerous. They are now diet controlled.

 

[quo1]

Hi Alan,
No, miralax and metamucil are not at all the same.

Miralax is a tasteless white powder which does not add any bulk, but it chemically attracts and holds water, it actually draws water into the colon, so the poo stays soft and easy to pass. (It acts like the lactulose, but unlike lactulose it is not a man made sugar)

If you read up on lactulose, (on the internet LOL) there are warnings to be cautious using it in diabetes, because it is a man made sugar. Cody was on lactulose before I found the FDMB, and I always wondered if it affected Cody's numbers- cant really say, but didn't want to risk it. Lactulose is also sticky and yucky to administer.

Cisapride- Cody was on it for awhile, as well. It is a drug that has to be compounded for pets, because it was taken off the human market because it caused fatal heart attacks. Cody has an enlarged heart (part of his acromegaly) and again, I never felt great about using it, and it was very expensive for me because it was compounded. I was glad to get off it when the miralax worked.

Miralax- I was thrilled with how easy it is to use. I mix a slightly rounded 1/4 tsp into EVERY can of Friskies pate flavors (Ocean white fish, Turkey and Giblets, mixed grill, etc no gravy)

if you give too much Miralax it can cause gas and diarrhea. I would not try it YET however, because when you change diet off of WD, you may find you have diarrhea for a week or so during the transition. Once he settles into a new diet, you can see where you are and begin the Miralax (available at the grocery store- purple label- white bottle)

laxatone is a vet sold prescription (i think) hairball remedy. If you read the ingredients, it has sugars (corn syrup and molasses, I think.) GREAT for his diabetes..... It also has white petrolatum (otherwise known as vaseline). I now give plain white vaseline if I think he needs hairball help, and for awhile, before the miralax, I used it for the megacolon/constipation. I don't think its good chronically though, because it may inhibit nutrition exchange from the colon- it lines and lubricates the colon and acts as a barrier (in my mind). So, there you have it.

Hope that helps explain our choice to use Miralax.

I also perform warm water enemas as needed, sounds like you do as well.

Nancy- How often do you use Miralax? The emergency Vet yesterday told me to start Ben on Miralax and I did ..BUT once a day or twice? GREAT NEWS! Ben has stopped his insulin till at least Tuesday, when he has an appt. with the Diabetic Specialist....Long story short: Fri night I tried to give Ben an enema BUT 80% of it shot out in the air because Ben was so agitated that he pulled away from me JUST after I squirted the solution and very little got inside him...he threw up, pooped VERY LITTLE..next morning ( Sat.) I noticed Ben trying to poop several times with no success..as he was trying, I called that Home house calls Vet who had come over Wed and took some blood and told me he DID NOT think Ben was diabetic according to his BG & Fructo numbers... I asked The Vet if he could come over and help me do another enema and he said he could not since he was booked all day Sat...BUT he suggested I bring Ben in NOW to the same Emergency Clinic I made an appt for Ben Tues morning with the Specialist..he told me he recommended them HIGHLY and I did immediately...I dropped Ben off at 8 AM, expalined to the nurses & Vet the situation...listen to this: The House call VET CALLED THE CLINIC AND SPOKE WITH THE VET there about Ben,so when I got there , he knew about the possible not Diabetes thing, the constipation,and his possible arthritis/ neuropathy in his hind legs area!! Wow, I was impressed that DR. P, (home Vet) called Dr. J ( clinic) and they spoke..my wife & I had to go into Miami to visit a cruise ship ( NCL EPIC- I'm a cruise consultant now), so I left Ben around 9 AM...we agreed they would call me on my cell if there was an important decision to be made if they discovered anything urgent ( you know what I mean...)...SO- We picked Ben up around 4 PM..Vet said 1st, they took x- rays of his colon and he DOES NOT have Mega- colon, which is great..BUT, there is a problem with the function of his colon and the Specialist will address that..told me to STOP the lactolose and try Miralax, because Lactolose can upset the stomach..keep doing the Cisapride and Laxotone..2nd: Ben has a little arthritis in his back, BUT not too bad..he must LOSE WEIGHT..Vet said to try and get him to lose weight- 26 pounds is alot..so no more snacks 3-4 x times a day w/dry foods..I admit I give in and feed Ben & brother Jerry waaaay too often.. I will definitely start feeding them less even when they cry and look at me for food....3rd: Ben's BG was 148 with NO insulin,lactolose, Prednisone ( both which raise BG), and this horrible trip to the clinic, which also raises BG..The vet concurred with DR. P, STOP the insulin till I see DR. T., the specialist Tues AM. Giving that much insulin to a NON- diabetic cat is dangerous.. BTW- NO KEYTONES IN his urine... told me to look for excessive drinking water and excessive peeing, and if I see that before Tues., to bring him to the clinic ASAP..Kidney values were perfect! Vet said Ben was a terrific cat, allowed them to do everything with no problem..I cannot tell you the RELIEF we felt when we heard this..bad news: this cost ALOT of $$$, and both Ben & Jerry slept on our bed last night, so I didn't sleep much...BUT Ben ate this morning, peed, pooped, and went back on my bed ( I have steps they can use to climb now..)..he is currently purring and resting comfortably on the bed....SO- after Tues AM, I will know FOR sure about Ben, but with now 2 diagnosis that he is probably NOT diabetic anymore AND does not have Mega Colon, so far, this is all good news!! Please advise on the Miralax and how often- once a day or twice?

Alan- VERY HAPPY in FLA..

p.s. ONCE AGAIN ..THANKS FOR ALL YOUR ADVICE, CONCERN, TIPS & MOSTLY your education on Feline Health!!!

 

[janelle and Nomad]

I am updated on your info now. Going to a specialist to sort all of this is a good plan. Much of this could have come from past bad advice from your old vet. I call it vetotis.....LOL Keep us updated.

 

[Nancy and Cody]

Alan,
Thanks for the update - thought we lost you- and after all the time-consuming detailed explaining, that gets frustrating. :roll:

Miralax- I mix a slightly rounded 1/4 tsp into EVERY can of Friskies pate flavors (Ocean white fish, Turkey and Giblets, mixed grill, etc no gravy)

EVERY TIME I crack a can of food, I mix 1/4 teaspoon of miralax thoroughly into it. Cody does not eat any food without Miralax mixed in. Cody however, DOES have megacolon. It is very important that I use a measuring spoon because there is a very specific amount that works without causing cramping and gas.

Cody only eats wet food, because ALL ALL ALL dry food has too much carbohydrate for a potentially diabetic cat.
Dry food also contributes to constipation in cats. Canned food supplies the needed water to reduce constipation.

Cats CAN and DO go in and out of "diabetes", requiring insulin and then not requiring insulin. This does not mean he is not diabetic, it means he is "OTJ" (off the juice,) for the time being. If you want for this to continue, you need to do everything you can to keep him OTJ with DIET, which means WET FOOD ONLY.

Friskies pate flavors (with NO gravy) are a good inexpensive option. You can read COUNTLESS stories here of cats OTJ for long periods that go back on insulin after the owner eases up on the no carb rule.

Lastly, a timed feeder can be used for doling out measured quantities of wet food while you are out of the house. He does NOT need dry food. In warm months, measured amount of wet food can be frozen into pucks to load the feeder for mid-day and/or middle of the night feedings.

Good luck

 

[Nancy and Cody]

Here is a post I wrote a long time ago, which may be of help to you with the Miralax:

CONSTIPATION
Not pooping can become megacolon. When you palpate his stomach/belly, does it feel soft and squishy, or do you feel large firm intestines, almost like banana inside his belly? My cat has megacolon with difficulty pooping and after trying a large number of things, I finally have control of it using Miralax and increased fluids.

Miralax is sold over the counter, in grocery or drug stores for human use (with constipation). It is a white powder which you sprinkle on every meal you feed. It is tasteless and acts by drawing water into the colon, thus softening the poop. You must increase kitties water intake when you give miralax, so I add a lot of water to his food and sometimes syringe extra water into his mouth.

It will take 3-4 days to work its way through his system before you see its results. If kitty is really blocked up he may need 1 or more enemas to get moving first, because miralax only softens the poo from the food its in. Most kitties that use it here seem to need somewhere between 1/8 teaspoon-- 1/4+teaspoon added to 5.5 ounces of food. Unfortunately, getting the right dose takes a couple weeks, and you will probably need to give too much (messy), then back off gradually. Miralax is ok to use with diabetic kitties, so long as you increase water, so they don't become dehydrated.

If the constipation is severe and /or dehyration is an issue, I have had a lot of luck giving lactated ringers solution subcutaneously everyday. Depending on your cat, and you, home enemas are a life saver.

 

[Nancy and Cody]

and as for the enemas

You really don't need a "solution" sold by the vet, warm water works fine, and is less toxic to their system. The one and only time the vet used soap solution, was the one and only time Cody tested positive for ketones. Coincidence? I don't know.

Also don't panic and think your cat has to poop everyday, they really don't. If xrays show he does not have megacolon,
I would :
-switch to canned only
-add a bit of extra water to the canned food

the switch to canned may well be the only change needed, BUT if issues continue after about 10 days of this I would:
add a scant 1/8 teaspoon of miralax to 5.5 ounces of food
wait a week and see.

It takes days for the Miralax to travel through the system to see if it is softening the poop :lol: so you need to be methodical and slow in your dose changes.

 

[Carolyn and Spot]

Nancy said:

Cats CAN and DO go in and out of "diabetes", requiring insulin and then not requiring insulin. This does not mean he is not diabetic, it means he is "OTJ" (off the juice,) for the time being. If you want for this to continue, you need to do everything you can to keep him OTJ with DIET, which means WET FOOD ONLY.

I can not emphasize enough what Nancy said. Wet food, wet food wet food.

I am also very leery of the off the juice pronunciation. Please keep your appointment with Laurie, if he still needs insulin, and doesn't get any, he could get a heck of a lot sicker. Knowing how to test at home will save you a lot of money and possibly save his life as well. He was at an extremely high dose, and he was showing signs that the insulin was too much. Overdose will cause weight problems and muscular issues, to be sure, but mere overdose does not mean the cat does not need insulin. Only several successive days of non-diabetic numbers will prove that.

Sounds like your new vet did great, but... I want you to read Dr. Lisa's page on weight loss. Your vet is correct to be concerned about his weight, 26lbs is a very heavy load for the heart to work with. Cats eat many small meals a day, so snacks are ok, as long as they are not junk food (temptations, dry food) and as long as it is not too much food. http://catinfo.org/?link=felineobesity It is very important that you do not put him on a crash diet, as losing weight too fast can have extremely unhealthy side effects. A healthy cat should eat 6-8oz wet food daily. Your cat does not really fit into that range because of his weight, so you will need to probably start a little higher and work your way down. Try to calculate how many calories he WAS taking in on dry food and then cross reference that with canned food. Janet and Binky's food charts show how many calories are in each flavor of food so it's simple math. It sounds very technical and like a lot of work but if your cat does not get enough calories, he could develop a disease called HL (hepatic lipidosis) and that will not only be life-threatening, but extremely expensive. Slow and steady is the best plan of action in weight loss for cats, anything sudden and there could be very bad consequences.


When dosing Miralax, it's important to remember this: Cats' digestive systems work very quickly. What goes in, comes out fast.. since Miralax does not build up in the system, and gets pooped right back out, you should take care to make sure it's in the system at all times. Don't skip. I once skipped Leo 2 doses in a row and incurred a 5 day constipation that resulted in a lot of effort to relieve. Also make sure to add water to the food so he doesn't get dehydrated from it pulling fluids from him. 1/2can per whole can of food is a good start.

Keep us updated, we're very proud of all you've accomplished with Ben and we're rooting for you guys!

 

[Carolyn and Spot]

One other thing.. the mere switch to canned (or raw!) food will take lbs off him. Dry food has often been compared to Twinkies. It's junk food, little protein, which means they have to eat a lot of it to get the protein they need. Initially, the wet food may be less satisfying for them as far as filling them up, but it's only because they are used to the bulk of the dry food. After a time, they will slow down on their own.

 

[quo1]

Nancy said:

Cats CAN and DO go in and out of "diabetes", requiring insulin and then not requiring insulin. This does not mean he is not diabetic, it means he is "OTJ" (off the juice,) for the time being. If you want for this to continue, you need to do everything you can to keep him OTJ with DIET, which means WET FOOD ONLY.

I can not emphasize enough what Nancy said. Wet food, wet food wet food.

I am also very leery of the off the juice pronunciation. Please keep your appointment with Laurie, if he still needs insulin, and doesn't get any, he could get a heck of a lot sicker. Knowing how to test at home will save you a lot of money and possibly save his life as well. He was at an extremely high dose, and he was showing signs that the insulin was too much. Overdose will cause weight problems and muscular issues, to be sure, but mere overdose does not mean the cat does not need insulin. Only several successive days of non-diabetic numbers will prove that.

Sounds like your new vet did great, but... I want you to read Dr. Lisa's page on weight loss. Your vet is correct to be concerned about his weight, 26lbs is a very heavy load for the heart to work with. Cats eat many small meals a day, so snacks are ok, as long as they are not junk food (temptations, dry food) and as long as it is not too much food. http://catinfo.org/?link=felineobesity It is very important that you do not put him on a crash diet, as losing weight too fast can have extremely unhealthy side effects. A healthy cat should eat 6-8oz wet food daily. Your cat does not really fit into that range because of his weight, so you will need to probably start a little higher and work your way down. Try to calculate how many calories he WAS taking in on dry food and then cross reference that with canned food. Janet and Binky's food charts show how many calories are in each flavor of food so it's simple math. It sounds very technical and like a lot of work but if your cat does not get enough calories, he could develop a disease called HL (hepatic lipidosis) and that will not only be life-threatening, but extremely expensive. Slow and steady is the best plan of action in weight loss for cats, anything sudden and there could be very bad consequences.


When dosing Miralax, it's important to remember this: Cats' digestive systems work very quickly. What goes in, comes out fast.. since Miralax does not build up in the system, and gets pooped right back out, you should take care to make sure it's in the system at all times. Don't skip. I once skipped Leo 2 doses in a row and incurred a 5 day constipation that resulted in a lot of effort to relieve. Also make sure to add water to the food so he doesn't get dehydrated from it pulling fluids from him. 1/2can per whole can of food is a good start.

Keep us updated, we're very proud of all you've accomplished with Ben and we're rooting for you guys!

Thanks so much for the tips and encouragememnt!! Hardest thing to know is HOW MUCH to feed Ben...yes, he's 26 lbs and used to eating waaaayy to much, thanks to me...I will give small WET food snacks with water and Miralax every time with his 2 main meals a day..thanks for reminding me no crash diets....Problem: their food is in the kitchen area on the floor..EVERY time I come into the kitchen, they think they are going to be fed. ( and it breaks your heart to see them both look at you and CRY!!)..and no, I don't feed them every time...but I do give them small snacks ( sometimes WD dry food because it has ALOT fiber- just look at the Binky charts..)...maybe I'll just give them a few SMALL wet food snacks with water to start reducing the volume down to a more acceptable amount...Thanks again!

Alan

 

[Carolyn and Spot]

Maybe I can help with the oz.. this is a lot of information to take in at once so you must prioritize. IMO the order of priority should be:

1. He must eat. Priority number one.

2. Try to get him to accept no more dry. switch him to wet cold turkey. he may balk, and you may have to trick him by crushing some dry over the wet, but he's off insulin so now is the time. ***important*** if he refuses to eat ANY wet food, use Dr. Lisa's transitioning tips (on same site i gave you).. it IS important that he eat so if he goes even a short length of time refusing food, you'll have to go to plans b, c and d -- see priority 1. keep us apprised, we'll help.

3. Mix as much water in the food as you can get away with, it will help with the full feeling and it will also help keep his system healthy coming off insulin.

4. Diabetes. This is extremely important, and while it sounds absolutely wonderful that he may be off the juice, you must NEVER let your guard down. He must be tested regularly, which thankfully you can do at home. Every day at first, every week later. You see dandruff, you test. You see him drinking water, you test. You see him laying around looking too tired, you test. You see ANYTHING out of the ordinary, you test. It might not be gone, and if it is gone, there's a good likelihood it will be back.

Now......... Maximum oz of food per day.. he is 26lbs. Current thinking is he needs 15-20 cals per lb per day at 26lbs = 520 +/- calories to maintain weight, which we do not want. (http://binkyspage.tripod.com/foodfaq.html) Soooo.. taking 1 can of Friskies (one of the least expensive commercial foods) Special Diet Ocean Whitefish Dinner and we find it has 184 calories in the 5.5oz can (http://binkyspage.tripod.com/CanFoodNew.html) That means a little under 3 cans per day will maintain that weight. You could start at say 2.5 cans per day, heavily diluted with water. Note: We can talk about cat food addictions later, when it comes to fish, ultimately you don't want to feed a lot of fish, but when moving a cat onto canned, sometimes it's helpful. Also do NOT buy any "in gravy" or "in sauce" foods or you'll never get him to eat the healthier pate varieties. Remember: the mere switch to canned is gonna get that weight loss started for you.

Hope this gets you off to a good start!

 

[quo1]

Maybe I can help with the oz.. this is a lot of information to take in at once so you must prioritize. IMO the order of priority should be:

1. He must eat. Priority number one.

2. Try to get him to accept no more dry. switch him to wet cold turkey. he may balk, and you may have to trick him by crushing some dry over the wet, but he's off insulin so now is the time. ***important*** if he refuses to eat ANY wet food, use Dr. Lisa's transitioning tips (on same site i gave you).. it IS important that he eat so if he goes even a short length of time refusing food, you'll have to go to plans b, c and d -- see priority 1. keep us apprised, we'll help.

3. Mix as much water in the food as you can get away with, it will help with the full feeling and it will also help keep his system healthy coming off insulin.

4. Diabetes. This is extremely important, and while it sounds absolutely wonderful that he may be off the juice, you must NEVER let your guard down. He must be tested regularly, which thankfully you can do at home. Every day at first, every week later. You see dandruff, you test. You see him drinking water, you test. You see him laying around looking too tired, you test. You see ANYTHING out of the ordinary, you test. It might not be gone, and if it is gone, there's a good likelihood it will be back.

Now......... Maximum oz of food per day.. he is 26lbs. Current thinking is he needs 15-20 cals per lb per day at 26lbs = 520 +/- calories to maintain weight, which we do not want. (http://binkyspage.tripod.com/foodfaq.html) Soooo.. taking 1 can of Friskies (one of the least expensive commercial foods) Special Diet Ocean Whitefish Dinner and we find it has 184 calories in the 5.5oz can (http://binkyspage.tripod.com/CanFoodNew.html) That means a little under 3 cans per day will maintain that weight. You could start at say 2.5 cans per day, heavily diluted with water. Note: We can talk about cat food addictions later, when it comes to fish, ultimately you don't want to feed a lot of fish, but when moving a cat onto canned, sometimes it's helpful. Also do NOT buy any "in gravy" or "in sauce" foods or you'll never get him to eat the healthier pate varieties. Remember: the mere switch to canned is gonna get that weight loss started for you.

Hope this gets you off to a good start!

This does help....NO drastic diets..just gradual stuff....problem with some of these other canned foods is that they are very LOW in fiber...maybe the Miralax will help Ben with that, but switching Ben to low fiber foods may make his constipation worse..I will see what the specialist says Tues... I will suggest what you said...

Alan

 

[Nancy and Cody]

Many/most of the cats that switch cold turkey from dry to all canned have diarrhea- NOT constipation.

We end up suggesting a probiotic for a few days to solve this, which it does. (Fortiflora by purina, sold at vet, as an example)

You will not have to worry about constipation, and on the REMOTE chance you do- add the miralax then.

 

[Nancy and Cody]

Dr. Lisa's web site on basic feline nutrition and raw diets: http://catinfo.org/


Several folks have suggested this link to you, but it obviously got lost in the onslaught of info.
It is written by a veterinarian who frequents this site, and it will shatter your current thinking about feeding your cat and his GI issues.

If you do not do anything else, PLEASE stop and read it now.



You will thank me, and so will Ben and Jerry

 

[Carolyn and Spot]

Yep fiber is not as important as you think it is. Moisture is, remember cats are carnivores. That's meat, not fiber. There are cases where you will need to add bulk but so far he is not dx with any of those things. Like Nancy said, Dr. Lisa's site will shock you. She specializes in feline nutrition, and she writes in such a way that it's easy to understand.

 

[quo1]

Dr. Lisa's web site on basic feline nutrition and raw diets: http://catinfo.org/


Several folks have suggested this link to you, but it obviously got lost in the onslaught of info.
It is written by a veterinarian who frequents this site, and it will shatter your current thinking about feeding your cat and his GI issues.

If you do not do anything else, PLEASE stop and read it now.



You will thank me, and so will Ben and Jerry

Read it and saved it ! Thanks..no more DRY FOOD..just yelled at my wife...canned w/water!!!!

 

[quo1]

Yep fiber is not as important as you think it is. Moisture is, remember cats are carnivores. That's meat, not fiber. There are cases where you will need to add bulk but so far he is not dx with any of those things. Like Nancy said, Dr. Lisa's site will shock you. She specializes in feline nutrition, and she writes in such a way that it's easy to understand.

Saved and will read fully ( started to..)...do you guys give NO dry food at all, or just once in a blue moon?

Alan

 

[dian and wheezer]

no dry ever, never, nope, uh huh.
one exception is if cat is sick and will eat nothing else then dry will be ok cause cat has to eat something. otherwise. more sever complications can happen but a a general rule, NO

 

[Nancy and Cody]

Absolutely none.

Cody will sneak dry dog food on occasion, and the constipation that results causes me at least 1 week of serious constipation and resultant enemas. This is the only time I see blood sugars in the 400's. Dry food is poison for any feline, especially a diabetic.

Many folks will tell you even a few dry kibble "treat" will make an OTJ (off insulin) cat, return to insulin use.

For "treats", we feed freeze dried 100% chicken or 100% fish treats (available at pet stores) Carolyn feeds bits of rotisserie chicken (without the seasoned skin) as a special treat. NO carbs, no cereal, no wheat, etc just 100% protein for treats.


The canned food is 100% complete nutrition - by law, all the vitamins and minerals he needs.

oops - yes just realized the 1 exception to this rule is when a cat won't eat. Not eating even for a few days is a medical emergency for a feline. It causes "fatty liver" which can turn fatal quickly. Therefore in this case dry food is fine if its all they will eat.

 

[Blue]

I have a big fellow, Oliver, 29lb, and he also ate a great deal before he was regulated.... maybe up to 30oz per day.
Now, I think he is pretty happy with under 15oz. He gets two 5.5oz cans of friskies pate per day, and maybe a fancy feast 3oz can split into 2 snacks. Other snacks are chunks of raw chicken or maybe freeze dried 100% chicken.

With all his foods, I put 1tsp RestoraLax and always lots of water; the water's important to fill him up and to work with the RestoraLax to keep him regular. I skipped adding it to his food in the past and we had a couple bouts of his having 'issues'.
Now, it's added to every meal, even if it's a small snack and I put in only 1/4 tsp.
He doesn't eat dry, never did, so I don't have an issue with dry food or snacks.

My other acro, Shadoe, did eat only dry before her dx, but she took to wet well when it was removed from her menu. She did do alot of stealing the dry from my civie in the beginning, and when she did, her BG numbers would rise a great deal. The food makes a great difference. If she got even just a mouthful of a few pieces, I would see her BG shoot up into the 400s. Even some of the wet foods refer'd to as HC high carb like the ones with gravies or called 'grilled' will raise her BG very high.

The only dry food I have is for one civie and it is covered when I go out, or go out of the room. Dry food is pretty much like poison to diabetics BG numbers, except under the dire circumstances mentioned by others. There have been cats who no longer need insulin once their food is switched, so that should pretty much be proof to the goodness of dry foods.
I think of dry food as the same as a McDonalds Big Mac.

 

[Carolyn and Spot]

In case of dire illness when the cat is off food I have.. my diabetic Oscar went into heart failure and was off his food... I fed him dry, but really he barely even ate that. Just something to change it up because when they are off their food you need to feed them anything they will eat, esp when they are sick.

Other than that, I have 2 diabetics in my house and one non-diabetic. No dry food has crossed my threshold since Oscar was alive. It's too risky, they get addicted to it and then refuse the wet and then you have to start all over with the transition.

 

[mrmush]

Hi Alan, Just got back earlier today from my stepdaughter's wedding in Lakeland and a Red Sox spring training game at Mets Stadium. Unfortunately, I won't be able to meet with you Tuesday. Bob works at FPL in Juno Beach and previous years he's gone to work for 1/2 a day and I've met him at the stadium. My plan was to send him home after the game to walk our dogs and I would come to your house. Well, he's taking Tuesday off and we're going to the game together. We just can't leave the dogs for 5 hours without a walk (8 month old puppy, still working on housebreaking) so I have to head home. You said you're 30 minutes south of Jupiter so I just can't do it. I apologize; I tried to email you but the address bounced. Please send me a private message through this board and I will be happy to send you my phone number. Once you get used to testing, it will be extremely easy. Laurie

 

[janelle and Nomad]

I am in the Boca area on Tues. and Thurs. West Palm is probably about twenty or thirty minute drive. I am willing to come by one of those evenings if you still want help learning to home test. By then you might know if could use the extra lantus I have.

 

[mrmush]

There you go Alan, Janelle and Sophia (post from Saturday) live nearby and have offered to help you learn to home test. Thank you ladies, I was concerned and an glad to see others in the area. Laurie

 

[quo1]

Hi Alan, Just got back earlier today from my stepdaughter's wedding in Lakeland and a Red Sox spring training game at Mets Stadium. Unfortunately, I won't be able to meet with you Tuesday. Bob works at FPL in Juno Beach and previous years he's gone to work for 1/2 a day and I've met him at the stadium. My plan was to send him home after the game to walk our dogs and I would come to your house. Well, he's taking Tuesday off and we're going to the game together. We just can't leave the dogs for 5 hours without a walk (8 month old puppy, still working on housebreaking) so I have to head home. You said you're 30 minutes south of Jupiter so I just can't do it. I apologize; I tried to email you but the address bounced. Please send me a private message through this board and I will be happy to send you my phone number. Once you get used to testing, it will be extremely easy. Laurie

No problem Laurie..will let you know after I see the specialist Tuesday if I could use your help....Thanks again!
Alan

 

[quo1]

I am in the Boca area on Tues. and Thurs. West Palm is probably about twenty or thirty minute drive. I am willing to come by one of those evenings if you still want help learning to home test. By then you might know if could use the extra lantus I have.

Janelle- I will be seeing the specialist Tues at 11: 30 and will let you know..very nice of you and will be in touch!

Alan