I'm posting against my better judgement because based on previous threads, "
Have to start over with Lantus and any help with usused Lantus Pens?", "What dose should I go with?" and "Young Again Zero Carb Food"... I don't think you want to hear what I have to say... just sayin'. However, I'm a sucker for punishment when it comes to kitties and when I hear this level of frustration from a caregiver.
Poopers has diabetes. Diabetes is not terminal. It's a treatable disease! Does regulation happen over night or anywhere close? No way. Too many of our caregivers expect too much too soon after they implement changes (big mistake and source of frustration & depression). Is there a fair amount of trial and error involved? You can count on it!
Something that needs to be said about dry food... in particular, Young Again,... the only food I know of that some claim have brought their cat into remission. As has already been said,
Young Again does serve a purpose when transitioning dry food addicts to an all wet food diet. It might even help to entice kitty to eat when kitty has stopped eating. I'd even go as far to say YA may be the best alternative when kitty will not eat a wet food diet. Bottom line, the YAZC is a lower carb dry food. It's the "lower carb" part of it that definitely helps in when it comes to treating diabetes, but the "dry" part of of it is not good for
overall feline health.
So let's apply some basic logic to it when it comes to cats. Cats are carnivores. We already know cats thrive from a protein enriched diet derived from meats (not plant-based protein). We already know a cat's thirst drive is low. They're not going to drink enough on their own. These are givens.
YA is not a "miracle" food like some portray it to be. Something
not said when you read about these "miracles"... all too many of these "miracles" happen when the caregiver switches from a high carb dry food (26% carbs - 36% carbs - 37% carbs). Well geez. YA claims to only have 0% carbs (6% carbs according to others) from calories. It doesn't take an Einstein to figure out the reduced intake of carbs certainly played a part in regulating kitty's blood glucose. The huge reduction in carb intake
might/could even be the catalyst to throwing kitty into remission. It's kitty consuming fewer carbs that helps. It's
not that we're looking at a miracle food that's responsible for controlling diabetes and/or dropping every kitty's BG numbers. If kitty is already eating a low carb diet (or is a carb sensitive kitty) you're
not going to see that kind of major difference so I say, save the halleluiahs (and your $) when it comes to YA!
So much for the "miracle food". You're LUCKY. Poopers will eat canned/wet food. You have no idea how many members envy that fact... again, just sayin'.
Lest we not forget: the "dry" part of of it is not good for overall feline health. I don't know about you, but I prefer to treat the whole cat (as well as my other cats) not just the diabetes. When a cat eats wet food willingly, why open the door to other health issues because of feeding dry? Just doesn't make sense to me. A world renowned expert on feline nutrition, Lisa Pierson DVM, explains all this better than I ever could on her web site:
CatInfo.org.
While the right diet helps (low-carb wet) for all the reasons mentioned on Dr. Lisa's we site, it's insulin that is needed to regulate kitty's diabetes in most cases. If you're still with me: I'm going to be very candid and frank so if you don't want to hear what I have to say... please stop reading... right here... right now.
You're using a good insulin. FWIW, as I see it, what's lacking is a basic and good understanding of how lantus works. Lantus is a depot insulin. In other words, it has a cumulative effect... each dose builds upon the next. You're not going to see the numbers you'd like to see until you get close to a good dose or what some of us call a "break through dose". The typical scenario is to continue with dose increases in small increments (usually 0.25 unit) with not much happening until bam!... you've reached a break through dose and things start happening. BUT... don't get too excited. Kitty's numbers may go up again. Don't get discouraged. One has to have patience and continue to chip away at the BG numbers.
For Poopers' sake, I strongly suggest the following course of action: read the "Stickys" at the top of the
Lantus & Levemir Insulin Support Group, ask questions, and trust the methods practiced in the group. They work, but it takes time. Lantus/Levemir dosing largely requires a methodical approach based on numbers at the lowest part of the cycle. On the other hand, if you prefer a "shoot the numbers down as you see them" approach... you'd probably be happier using one of the "P" insulins (PZI or Prozinc). The "P" insulins are more flexible in that you're able to adjust the dose to the preshot number and nadir.
No matter what path you take, there's a steep learning curve and it may take weeks, months, or even years before you're happy with Pooper's numbers, but don't ever forget... it's never "just" about the BG numbers. Look at the whole cat. How's he feeling? Is he happy? Otherwise healthy? There's a whole lot more to our kitties than "just" diabetes...
I guess I got a little long-winded. If you're still reading... thank you.
I have house guests and will be gone most of the day and evening, but just wanted to get a few thoughts out there before I left the house. I can only hope you'll take my thoughts in the spirit intended. Take what you want, discard the rest. Your cat. Your decisions.
Hope you have a good day!
