What is the carb content in DM?

[Tomtomsmom]

Hi. My vet insists on giving my DM which we purchase online the national pet pharmacy, not through her office. I see that most on this forum frown upon it (especially the price YIKES!). I would much rather switch Tom to some less cheaper and probably better, but I need documentation to prove this to BF who insists we should listen the vet. I am quite familiar with Binky's list so I know I have alot of variety to choose from.

Thanks, Mimi

 

[Julia & Bandit (GA)]

Hi Mimi--are you talking about canned DM? If so, take a look at this recent food chart--Canned DM is at the top: https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B8...MzhkYTkxOGM4NThk&sort=name&layout=list&num=50

Canned DM is actually the only prescription food that is ok to feed a diabetic cat. However, it's a waste of money. There's nothing special in the ingredients that justify the price--it's exactly the same thing as some of the cheaper commercial cat foods.

Here's a link to the Purina DM ingredients: http://www.purinaveterinarydiets.com/Product/DMDieteticManagementCatFood.aspx

Liver, poultry by-products, meat by-products, water sufficient for processing, chicken, salmon, oat fiber, salmon meal, guar gum, potassium chloride, carrageenan, salt, Vitamin E supplement, calcium phosphate, taurine, thiamine mononitrate, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, niacin, calcium pantothenate, copper sulfate, Vitamin A supplement, manganese sulfate, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin supplement, Vitamin B-12 supplement, biotin, folic acid, Vitamin D-3 supplement, potassium iodide. I-4573

Compare it to Fancy Feast Liver and Chicken:

Liver, meat broth, meat by-products, chicken, poultry by-products, artificial and natural flavors, calcium phosphate, guar gum, potassium chloride, taurine, salt, magnesium sulfate, zinc sulfate, thiamine mononitrate, Vitamin E supplement, ferrous sulfate, niacin, manganese sulfate, calcium pantothenate, Vitamin A supplement, copper sulfate, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin supplement, Vitamin B-12 supplement, biotin, folic acid, Vitamin D-3 supplement, potassium iodide.

The Fancy Feast is actually a BETTER quality food because it contains slightly more muscle meat (high quality protein) than the DM.

And then look at the ingredients for a premium cat food (still cheaper than the DM)--this is Merrick's Before Grain Turkey:

Turkey, Turkey Broth, Dried Egg, Yeast Extract, Glycine, Glycine, Calcium Carbonate, Sodium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride,
Salt, Guar, Choline Chloride, Taurine, Carageenan,
Mixed Tocopherols, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Iron Amino Acid Complex,
Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Copper Amino Acid Complex, d-Calcium Pantothenate,
Vitamin A Acetate, Niacin, Lecithin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Folic Acid,
Ethylenediamine Dihydriodide, Cobalt Glucoheptanate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Biotin, Thiamine Mononitrate,
Sodium Selenite

Do you see the difference?

If you're talking about DRY Purina DM--that is way too high in carbs. You can find the carbs for dry DM on Binky's dry food list: http://www.felinediabetes.com/diabetic-cat-diets.htm

 

[Julia & Bandit (GA)]

You can also have your boyfriend read this: http://catinfo.org/#Prescription_Diets_and_Marketing_Labels

It's an article written by a vet who specializes in feline nutrition. A question you or your boyfriend can ask your vet is "What ingredients are in Purina DM that make it better for a diabetic can than other low carb canned foods?" Since the answer to that question is "nothing," that should help put your boyfriend at ease.

 

[squeem3]

It's on Binky's list. The canned DM had 7% carbs and the dry DM has 13% carbs. The ingredients are pretty poor quality. The vet who devloped and holds the patent for DM doesn't even recommend the food to any of her diabetic clients. I think the food is liver-based which, in large amounts, can cause vitamin A deficiency.

Remember, it's your cat not the vet's cat. That means you have the final say in how your want your cat's diabetes managed. The vet may disagree with some of your decisions but any good vet will respect the client's decisions and continue to work with them. If you want to feed Fancy Feast or any other commerical food, then go ahead :smile:

Many vets don't know a whole lot about nutrition. The big name pet food companies, like Hills, sponsors the one or two nutrition classes a student takes at vet school and may even give vets a commission for selling the food to clients.

My two cents :smile:

 

[Tomtomsmom]

Thank you all for the ammunition. I will be making printouts and showing it to him. I definitely do not want to keep paying for something that is definitely not any better than whats on our supermarket shelf already.

Mimi

 

[Melanie and Smokey]

Usually this situation will resolve itself because most cats won't eat a food with such a high concentration of liver for long. My Smokey started out loving DM, but soon refused to touch it.