Recommendations please for wet food available in Oz

[Kaz and Boo]

Hi, have just joined the forum and need recommendations for low carb, high protein commercially available wet food suitable for insulin dependent 15 yr old cat. I'm transitioning him from a diet of mainly dried Hills Md that the vet recommended some years ago but after research I see this is not the best way to manage him. Vet now recommends the wet md but I disagree based on the high carb content. He loves wet food so I shouldn't have any probs as far as getting him to eat. Wondering if the varieties of fancy feast mentioned in previous discussions etc is the same type as what is sold here in Australia....? Any Aussies got ideas?
Appreciate any advice...thanks

 

[Elizabeth and Bertie]

Hi again Kaz, (just posted on your other thread in the welcome forum),

There is a very recent thread here where Australian cat foods are discussed. It's rather long, but there is some good info in there.
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/...lightly-different-in-usa-vs-australia.131383/

However, reducing the carb content of the diet can reduce the blood glucose levels (sometimes quite dramatically); and that can mean that the insulin dose needs to be reduced also. Therefore, we recommend that folks only switch to lower carb diets if they have learned to test their cat's blood glucose at home and can monitor the outcome.

Fortunately, hometesting isn't hard to learn (and it's a quick process that shouldn't hurt your cat at all).
Most of us use ordinary glucose meters made for humans. And testing essentially involves pricking the outer edge of the cat's ear (not painful at all) to get a teensy-weensy blood droplet; transferring that droplet to a test strip in a meter, and waiting for the meter to count down and give a result.
Most of us reward the cat afterwards with a cuddle or a treat, and cats can very soon learn to look forward to testing.
If you'd like to learn to test we'd be glad to help you with that.

Eliz

 

[Kaz and Boo]

Thanks...I haven't home tested before and am considering starting...is testing performed after the cat has eaten..say 30 mins later? I haven't yet checked out the wet md but isn't it similarly high in carbs to the dry? My cat now has a secondary complication of a possible ulcer that I think the dry md may have contributed to creating and I don't want it to worsen. Vet does not recommend surgery due to advanced age so we will manage with medication.

 

[BJM]

We test before we shoot, to make sure it is safe to give insulin.
When possible, we test in the middle of the cycle, between shots, to see how low the glucose is going. That number needs to stay safely above 50 mg/dL (2.7 mmol/L ) on a human glucometer.
We test if the cat is displaying signs of a problem.
There are indirect assessments you can monitor, too, and they are listed in my signature link Secondary Monitoring Tools.

 

[Vyktors Mum]

ZiwiPeak
Whiskas - in the cans the loaf varieties only, some of the new pouches are ok just check the ingredients and avoid cereals (ETA) and thickeners
Dine - except the ones that list cereal in the ingredients
Fancy feast kitten - there's a couple of other ones that are okay but mostly the Oz versions are full of cereal
Ultimates - except the one with rice
Natures gift - all of them are ok

Ziwipeak is the absolute best but not widely available and a little expensive. Check out their website to see if there's a stockist near you but you may have to mail order. Mypetwarehouse.com.au gives free postage for orders over $50

You dont want to feed anything containing fish more than once or twice a week

Be very careful transitioning from dry you'll need to closely monitor numbers, suggest you start home testing first. Accuchek Performa and freestyle optium are good meters, avoid the freestyle lite

 

[Kaz and Boo]

Thanks everyone, very helpful info especially re the food options. Just started him on wet md for now while I consider the next step. He's never liked the dry stuff much anyway!

ZiwiPeak
Whiskas - in the cans the loaf varieties only, some of the new pouches are ok just check the ingredients and avoid cereals
Dine - except the ones that list cereal in the ingredients
Fancy feast kitten - there's a couple of other ones that are okay but mostly the Oz versions are full of cereal
Ultimates - except the one with rice
Natures gift - all of them are ok

Ziwipeak is the absolute best but not widely available and a little expensive. Check out their website to see if there's a stockist near you but you may have to mail order. Mypetwarehouse.com.au gives free postage for orders over $50

You dont want to feed anything containing fish more than once or twice a week

Be very careful transitioning from dry you'll need to closely monitor numbers, suggest you start home testing first. Accuchek Performa and freestyle optium are good meters, avoid the freestyle lite

ks