Tonya and Tiki
Member Since 2011
In terms of having high carb food on hand to off set any low, low blood numbers, how high of a carb count should you have?
Question Re: High Carb Food
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Kathy and Kitty
Member Since 2009
I was trying to find FF with gravy-flavors in the link to Janet & Binky's list http://binkyspage.tripod.com/CanFoodOld.html but don't see it.
Maybe someone else will be able to refine this answer, but we use the FF with gravy flavors for HC situations.
ETA: I had the number wrong, so I deleted it.
Really low carb is 6 or below. We try to stay below 6.
You can make your own "medium carb" by drizzling some gravy on your regular LC food. It works for situations when you want to assist the BG a little, but it's not a HC emergency.
Maybe someone else will be able to refine this answer, but we use the FF with gravy flavors for HC situations.
ETA: I had the number wrong, so I deleted it.
Really low carb is 6 or below. We try to stay below 6.
You can make your own "medium carb" by drizzling some gravy on your regular LC food. It works for situations when you want to assist the BG a little, but it's not a HC emergency.
Tonya and Tiki
Member Since 2011
I had bought that type too just to have on hand if needed, but wasn't able to find the carb count on it either.
Would using his old dry food work too, although he had pretty much shunned that completely when I started to feed him the wet stuff.
Would using his old dry food work too, although he had pretty much shunned that completely when I started to feed him the wet stuff.
There's no one "right" answer here. Some cats are far more carb sensitive than others. Jill's Alex can get a 30 point rise from eating a piece of cooked chicken. That's a carb sensitive cat! For most of the rest of us, above 17% is usually considered high carb.
To be honest, I don't generally use gravy-based food. Gabby can get diarrhea from the gluten in high carb food. I use either Karo or honey. I base the 1 - 3 drops I use on where her numbers are (i.e., how low), when it is in the cycle, and how fast she's dropping.
To be honest, I don't generally use gravy-based food. Gabby can get diarrhea from the gluten in high carb food. I use either Karo or honey. I base the 1 - 3 drops I use on where her numbers are (i.e., how low), when it is in the cycle, and how fast she's dropping.
squeem3
Member Since 2009
High carb is anything over 18%.
The FF gravy ones are good to use. They are listed on the old chart: http://binkyspage.tripod.com/CanFoodOld.html The grilled and sliced varieties are the high carb ones. FF sells a case of 12 cans (I think?) of grilled and sliced varieties which you can keep on hand for hypos.
I've even used the really high carb junky Science Diet canned for hypos.
I would keep a few cans of 18% carb and a few cans of higher carb foods on hand for hypos. And corn syrup if you should ever need it. Have you seen the hypo toolbox list? http://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=2354
The FF gravy ones are good to use. They are listed on the old chart: http://binkyspage.tripod.com/CanFoodOld.html The grilled and sliced varieties are the high carb ones. FF sells a case of 12 cans (I think?) of grilled and sliced varieties which you can keep on hand for hypos.
I've even used the really high carb junky Science Diet canned for hypos.
I would keep a few cans of 18% carb and a few cans of higher carb foods on hand for hypos. And corn syrup if you should ever need it. Have you seen the hypo toolbox list? http://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=2354
Tonya and Tiki
Member Since 2011
I definitely have the karo on hand already. Thankfully, I have never had to actually use it. His numbers are FAR from hypo! But I am starting to finally see a downward trend in his BG numbers so I just wanted to get my ducks in a row.
Some people have mentioned leaving out high carb food if they fear the numbers may drop while they are at work which sounds smart but does that ultimately derail any progress you may have made with the insulin?
I feel like I barely understand the low BG numbers. That's the goal, LOW numbers, but it seems like the lower they go, the worse the situation can become. When I finally hit the green numbers I will likely be paralyzed with fear!
Some people have mentioned leaving out high carb food if they fear the numbers may drop while they are at work which sounds smart but does that ultimately derail any progress you may have made with the insulin?
I feel like I barely understand the low BG numbers. That's the goal, LOW numbers, but it seems like the lower they go, the worse the situation can become. When I finally hit the green numbers I will likely be paralyzed with fear!
Lisa and Do Lou (GA)
Member Since 2010
yes ECID on this my cat used to be very carb sensitive 8% would bring him up and now I have to always use karo its a learning process to see how carbs work with your cat
julie & punkin (ga)
Member Since 2011
i pop open a can of fancy feast "gravy lovers" and because punkin is not terribly carb-sensitive because of the acromegaly, i give him 1/4 can of the high carb. the "typical" instructions are to give 1 teaspoon of the gravy, not the food because you don't want to fill the cat up. you give 1 tsp of the gravy, or low-carb + karo, wait 20-30 minutes, and retest.
Cini Mini's Mom
Member Since 2011
In my experience with Cini Mini
Low carb is anything under 5%
Medium carb is 6% to 10% carbs
High carb is over 11% carbs
But when you get to the low low numbers and you're trying to go OTJ you may want to consider if diet is influencing the low numbers for the good or bad. I was feeding Cini 4% carb food and someone suggested I go to 0% carbs to see if that helped with getting him OTJ and it did.
Low carb is anything under 5%
Medium carb is 6% to 10% carbs
High carb is over 11% carbs
But when you get to the low low numbers and you're trying to go OTJ you may want to consider if diet is influencing the low numbers for the good or bad. I was feeding Cini 4% carb food and someone suggested I go to 0% carbs to see if that helped with getting him OTJ and it did.
Squeaky and KT (GA)
Member Since 2011
First - ECID!!
Problem with giving the dry food is yes it will raise the BG but it also stays in their system for as much as 3 days. Using the gravy based foods as well as karo/honey only reacts for a short time.
With KT, it seems like:
Low carb is anything under 7%
Medium carb is 7% to 12% carbs (our MC food is 10%)
High carb is over 12% carbs - (our HC gravy food is 18%)
Hugs,
Problem with giving the dry food is yes it will raise the BG but it also stays in their system for as much as 3 days. Using the gravy based foods as well as karo/honey only reacts for a short time.
With KT, it seems like:
Low carb is anything under 7%
Medium carb is 7% to 12% carbs (our MC food is 10%)
High carb is over 12% carbs - (our HC gravy food is 18%)
Hugs,
Ann & Tess GA
Member Since 2010
Tess is like KT and Cini Mini in carb sensitivity. At first I never wanted to use the Karo, but I've learned that like Gabby, it works well for her. It will bring her up for about 2 hours and wear off. if I give her higher carb foods her numbers stay up much longer and much higher. It seem to enhance her bounces.
mybuddybinks
Member Since 2010
Binks is addicted to the flavor of karo syrup :roll:
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