Corrective diet

Discussion in 'Feline Health - (Welcome & Main Forum)' started by Ajanosec, Dec 20, 2018.

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  1. Ajanosec

    Ajanosec New Member

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    Dec 16, 2018
    So the vet is letting me put Bones on a corrective diet to see if it will adjust if not then insulin. Is vetsulin a good insulin? Right now he's been coming down a bit 394 the 365 the reading at the vet was 470... How long on diet alone would it take to see the numbers back to normal?
     
  2. FurBabiesMama

    FurBabiesMama Well-Known Member

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    Jul 6, 2017
    If you have a choice, longer lasting insulins are better - Levemir, Lantus, ProZinc.

    I think the impact of changing to a low-carb wet food diet can be seen pretty quickly. Others for whom a diet change alone has worked can comment on how long it took, but I would not want to go more than a couple of weeks at most before deciding to start insulin if the glucose levels stay high.
     
  3. Larry and Kitties

    Larry and Kitties Well-Known Member

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    Dec 28, 2009
    What does the vet mean by "corrective" diet? There is no need for a prescription. There are low-carb commercial canned foods available. Dry should be avoided but there are a few low-carb dry available.
    Vetsulin is not the prefered insulin since it does not last 12 hours in cats. Vetsulin was formulated for dogs.
    There is the pet insulin ProZinc and the human insulins Lantus and Levemir.
     
  4. Ajanosec

    Ajanosec New Member

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    Dec 16, 2018
    We tried to switch to friskies pates and no dry food before doing insulin. But doesnt seem to be working unless he's eating something I dont know so he's indoors for the next couple days to see if the low carb helps. If not then insulin but I'll definitely see if there is another insulin they can prescribe him.
     
  5. Ramon's mom

    Ramon's mom Member

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    Dec 6, 2018
    If you are letting your cat outside then you don't have actual control over what he eats.
     
  6. Ajanosec

    Ajanosec New Member

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    Dec 16, 2018
    Hes now confined to the dog run when he wants out due to that factor he was caught eating something out of the squirrel feed... He has started insulin though he went down a bit with diet but the back up in the high 400s...
     
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  7. Sybil and Zoe

    Sybil and Zoe Member

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    Oct 16, 2018
    Its been 3 months since Zoe was diagnosed and I am still wrestling with the food issue. Not so much the canned food issue--she is eating the Fancy Feast pate and occasionally the flaked Tuna and Trout versions with only a few days of turning her nose up at it. The flavor enhancers worked only a short time. I sometimes crush a little treats and sprinkle over food to get her to eat what I put down. I still give a few Temptation treats to get her to come get her ear stick and insulin shot twice a day. But her BG still runs in high to mid 300's to 400's. I bought some Forever Young dry that has no carbohydrate and she and her sister will eat it sometimes. I just don't know exactly how much. The company says that it is all they need but I dont want them on kibble only. It was just a way for me not to worry about her during the day while I am at work or night while I am asleep. My biggest issue is Zoe eating her FF and her sister's. Bella likes to go out in the morning and eat when she comes in or nibble. But Zoe will eat hers and then eat her sisters. That is why she really hasn't lost that much weight. She started out at 13.7 lb and is 13lb now. But she really needs to loose more and maybe then her numbers will come down. She is like a human and wanders around wanting something eat all the time because she is bored I think. Her sister is a hunter and goes out. I have bumped her insulin again hoping to get her in the 200's to 5.25 units. (started at 3units) It hasn't made that much difference.
     
  8. Ramon's mom

    Ramon's mom Member

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    Dec 6, 2018
    They make feeders that will unlock with a special tag on a cat's collar. If you got one of those for Bella, then her food would be safe from Zoe and it would open up for Bella to eat when she is ready. (And by the way, if you don't already know, cats who hunt need regular deworming. They get them from eating birds and rodents).
     
  9. Julie and Honey

    Julie and Honey Well-Known Member

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    Dec 22, 2018
    Hi there, I am not an expert by any means, still learning myself, but saw your post and noticed the mention of Temptations treats for shots/testing and crushed treats on food for Zoe? From what I understand, even a few of those carb containing treats a day may be throwing off her BG? Maybe look into low carb treats, like the freeze dried meat? I would ask for some advice from the more knowledgable people here about Zoe, since you still are having to increase insulin after a few months and her numbers are still on high end? Again I am no expert, but might help Zoe to do a separate post for her regarding food (including she is getting some high carb treats), BG still high after several months, type of insulin and dosing amounts increasing. Maybe another insulin that might work better for her? Maybe you already reached out on another thread, not trying to tell you what to do, just concerned because I love all kitties and want to help if I can :)

    Best to you and Zoe!
     
  10. Sybil and Zoe

    Sybil and Zoe Member

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    Oct 16, 2018
    I am going to check into the feeder. It would solve some issues. When my kitties were young I used to keep collars on them with name tags and address (though they are both chipped). Zoe has allergies and scratches when they are active and Bella lost a couple of collars. It gets expensive to replace them and I tend to worry, even when they are break away collars, about them getting one caught on something and choking. Thankfully Zoe never strays far from the porch and Bella doesnt stay gone long either so I quit buying them. So far Bella has not been diagnosed with worms though Zoe was last june before her diabetes diagnosis. I figured I was negligent with the flea med on her since she was so skittish back then about being picked up and she swallowed a flea. They hate when I put the med on their necks and I hate thinking about the toxic effects. Oh well it is always something now. At least the diabetes has calmed her skittishness down significantly after having to be handled twice a day. Thanks!
     
  11. Sybil and Zoe

    Sybil and Zoe Member

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    Oct 16, 2018
    And thanks Julie for the post on Zoe's numbers. I know the temptations are bad:arghh: but they have made injecting her a breeze because she will do anything if she thinks she will get some. I have tried the freeze dried treats. They are very expensive and neither cat will eat them. I have tried the freeze dried "raw" food by Stella and the frozen raw food version and they will not eat it so I have an unopened box from Chewey sitting with two bags of food and a bag of treats, and frozen food wasting in the freezer.

    As far as her insulin dose and numbers go, I was doing some more reading on the site and someone suggested giving shots in stomach instead of neck/nape, so I tried that this morning. She did not like the shot there and bolted after getting only a little insulin. I had to get her and give the remainder. I am going to try using that site and check her today to see if that makes any difference in her numbers. She willingly gets on sofa and lays down for her ear prick and insulin shot due to to getting her beloved treats. I am definitely going to start cut back to 2-3 treats only at shot time and see if I can make any difference and drop to 1, if I can. I asked the vet at the last visit about why he chose Vetsulin ($58) and have been wondering if another insulin would work better since I have had to increase up to 5.25 units from the original 3 units. He said it was the most cost effective because some can run $300. I googled Lantus yesterday since many use it and it was $300. I was floored. I can not do that monthly or even every 45 days. It is just me footing the bill for all of this. I use the Alpha Trak2 and that is $50 for 50 at the cheapest, but am going to try the Freestyle insulinix on someones suggestion. Its just that I am a RN and can't in good conscious not test before each shot or use an inaccurate strip. I still try to do mini curves on weekends to check for the nadir, so 50 strips are gone in no time. Not meaning to whine, this is actually I have written down what the costs are so I am realizing something has to give. I love my kitties and will always do the best I can for them, but I cant bankrupt myself doing it!
     
  12. Julie and Honey

    Julie and Honey Well-Known Member

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    Dec 22, 2018
    I think they are also saying the Freestyle Lite strips work well also in Alphatrack. I was looking at buying some of those today on Amazon. Not sure if you heard about Marks Marine pharmacy in Canada from this board? Marks will sell the 10 ml vial of Lantus for $110 Plus $25 shipping in temp controlled container, takes about a week. Call and talk to them, they are very helpful to find out options that would work for you. That vial can keep up to 6 months if refrigerated and handled properly. Marks sells the pens too ( less insulin, less money) but for me the vial is reasonable if it lasts 6 months and you have to pay the shipping with either one. I am in the US, and yes Lantus is expensive here. Most places in Illinois will only sell 10ml vial and cheapest I found here with a Rx discount card was CVS at $235USD, regular price is around $300, so you are correct. I was told Walgreens will sell the individual Lantus pens (most pharmacies here in Illinois will not), which are 3ml (300 1 unit doses) and a lot of people here draw the insulin out of the pens with a syringe vs buying the vial which is an awful lot of insulin 10ml (1,000 1 ml doses).
     
  13. Julie and Honey

    Julie and Honey Well-Known Member

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    Dec 22, 2018
    Above post at end I meant 10ml (1,000 1 unit doses) not 1 ml doses, yikes! I’m sure you figured that out, but just to clarify for anyone else reading it..
     
  14. Sybil and Zoe

    Sybil and Zoe Member

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    Oct 16, 2018
    whoa I am going to keep trying on the vetsulin. There is an app you can download on your phone (we use this for our human patients) if you have not heard of it, called Good Rx. It locates best cash price on meds or coupon prices. I see that Lantus can be bought for 189.40 with discount. Many times people don't realize their meds can be purchased cheaper with cash price than with their insurance. I see where I can get Vetsulin for $38 if vet will be willing to write rx.
     
  15. Sybil and Zoe

    Sybil and Zoe Member

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    Oct 16, 2018
    and I am in Greensboro, NC--so USA too.
     
  16. Julie and Honey

    Julie and Honey Well-Known Member

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    Dec 22, 2018
    I checked Good Rx first and that $189 price was only for humans (if you try to print it says can’t use that coupon for animals) I called Good Rx and they emailed me one for pets but it was $276 from Good Rx for animals.

    The Lantus is not a bad deal from Marks Marine in Canada if you are good with $135 for 6 months.
     
  17. Sybil and Zoe

    Sybil and Zoe Member

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    Oct 16, 2018
    oh shucks. Well I tried. Just goes to show the drug makers know they have pet lovers over a barrel and its despicable.
     
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