New to this site with newly diagnosed diabetic furbaby...

Hi everyone, as I mentioned above, I am new to this page & forum & need some guidance primarily with food change. I have a multi-cat household (4) & Bailei, my oldest at 7 1/2 yoa was just diagnosed as diabetic. I am a previous vet tech so I have quiet a bit of medical background, but having a diabetic in the house is a new ballgame for me. He is currently on insulin (ProZinc) with a sliding dose based on BG. I test him every 12 hours & feed/dose accordingly. For example, last night he was 364, I fed him (canned food (9lives tuna/egg) & fresh boiled chicken breast) & gave him 2 units. This morning, he was 97, so I fed him (same thing) & did not give any insulin. We're doing his curve this weekend to try pin down his nadir, but in the meantime, I am testing every 12hours. My main question is diet, considering I have 3 other adults cats living in a communal home. Bailei will continue to be on a predominantly wet diet (canned food morning & night) but I need a suitable dry to leave out for everyone else that will not sabotage his numbers. The others also get canned food at night, but they are all used to eating dry food. I have done a lot of research, I DO NOT want to use the DM or WD RX diets the vet has recommended, but have narrowed it down to these 2 food brands: Wysong Epigen 90 (guaranteed analysis 63p-16f-3fi-10m) & Orijen Cat & Kitten (40p-20f-3fi-10m). They are similar in price & both are very low carb diets. To me, the Orijen appears to have better main ingredients (more meat sources), but I wanted to get opinions from the board as to which would be "better" considering my household. Thank you in advance!!

 

Hi everyone, really looking for some guidance on the dry food I mentioned above if anyone can provide any input. I know dry is not preferred, but as I mentioned I have a multi-cat household & I want to keep a low carb dry available for in-between snacks. I am converting ALL of them to a wet diet, giving them canned in the am before I leave for work & pm when I get home, but again, just want a low carb dry to have out in between. Any recommendations on the ones I posted above would be greatly appreciated!!!

 

I’m not familiar with the Orijen, but @Carol & Murphy has some experience with the Wysong. If you’re in the US, Young Again and Dr Elseys Clean Protein are good choices.

 

I've actually heard a lot of bad things about YA lately, molded food, vomiting, diarrhea, etc. The Dr Elseys is even more expensive than the YA so I was looking into the Epigen90 in particular but wanted to get more info from people that have actually used it for their diabetic babies. My vet just wants to keep pushing the RX diets

 

My friend uses young again for her 10 cats and has had no trouble, but I’ve heard on this board of kitties getting diarrhea from it. Hope @Carol & Murphy checks in soon and can give you some info

 

Hi Neeka I have used Wysong's Epigen90 (it has to be the Epigen90, not the regular epigen) for Murphy for over three years now - I only give it as a supplement to his wet food - he gets ~a teaspoon or at most a tablespoon. Some days he doesn't get any kibble. He frequently won't touch his wet food until he has a few kibbles. Sometimes, when he gets pancreatitis attacks, he will only eat kibble. I don't notice any effect on his blood sugar with the Wysong. I wouldn't use it as the only food, but it is working out fine for us as a supplement for him (when necessary). I"m going to give the Orijen Cat & Kitten a try though. Hope this helps

 

Yes, it helps a lot, thank you! It's definitely not his "main" food, he gets canned food morning & night, but I have 3 other non-diabetic cats as well & they are used to dry food. I feed all of them canned at night as a treat, but now with Bailei's diagnosis I am going to start feeding all of them canned Friskies (the pate on the food list that has under 5 carbs) morning & night, the dry will just be for in between snacking while we're at work & at night. I just want to make sure I get them transitioned to a good low carb dry that will not cause his numbers to go up that everyone can enjoy. This has all been a BIG lifestyle change for everyone. Just trying to do the best thing for my babies without breaking the bank, which has been challenging!

 

No need to explain - BIG lifestyle change for me too. After 3.5 years, it's just the new normal.

 

This site has been AMAZINGLY helpful. I'm still trying to get his numbers regulated. He's on prozinc but has some pretty big fluctuations...yesterday AM he was 97, a full 12 hours from his prev shot, last night he was in the 500s, so I gave him 2u. This morning he was at 422, so I gave him 2u again. It's so stressful. I am religious about the testing, 6-630 every am/pm so we're getting the full 12hour span. I'm doing his curve this weekend to try to find his nadir.

 

Are you posting daily in Prozinc forum? Sounds like he's bouncing. When Murphy was first dx and on Prozinc, I posted daily and the dosing advice was critical. Murphy was all over the place for the first 6 months or so - I think that initially, the response to exogenous insulin is somewhat erratic. Prozinc has lots of flexibility in timing of dosing

 

No, I haven't posted there. I new here so I'm still trying to find my way around

 

Here is the prozinc forum - you'll learn alot from posting there
You'll also need to start a spread sheet - I'll look for the directions

 

Here are the spreadsheet instructions
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/fdmb-spreadsheet-instructions.130337/
If you need help setting it up, just ask and we’ll get someone to do it for you.

 

thank you! I have read up on the prozinc forum, very helpful as well, I'm just worried about the dosing at this point.

 

If you set up a spreadsheet and post regularly on the Prozinc forum, they will help you with dosing

 

Hi Neeka, I was just looking at the ingredients in the Orijen -with the lentils, beans, and chickpeas, I'd be worried about the carb content

 

The Orijen kibbles are moderately low carb. The text on their web site gives percentages between 16% (Fit & Trim) and 20% (Cat & Kitten). Which accords well with the GA-derived numbers I've seen. You'd do better with Young Again, Dr Elsey's or the Wysong Epigen 90, depending on budget and what your cats will eat. Mine, thankfully, love Dr Elsey's.

 

I ordered the epigen 90, hopeful everyone likes it! After ordering though, I read the reviews on Amazon & I'm concerned about so many reporting severe diarrhea; anyone else on here have any issues with their kitties getting diarrhea?

 

Never heard about that. Never an issue with Murphy.

 

Good, keeping my fingers crossed it's an easy transition. I think the main key is to introduce it VERY slowly since it is such a drastic change in diet.