New to everything

Hello all. I am new here, and am hoping that the community can help guide me through what so far seems like an overwhelming experience. My cat Romeo, who is about 14 years old, was diagnosed a few days ago with diabetes. I had taken him to the vet after noticing some hunger-related behavioral changes and sudden weight loss over the course of a month. My other cat is on life-long pill medication for a hyperactive thyroid condition, and so I was hoping for a similar diagnosis that just was not meant to be. I have never known anyone who had diabetes, let alone someone who cared for an animal with it. The past few days have been spent doing a lot of reading, making time for veterinary visits, running around to track down medication and related supplies (fyi, Romeo was put on Humadin-N), and basically barely sleeping due to anxiety-related knots in my own stomach. We are in the initial stages of trying to get Romeo regulated, but already I have a lot of concerns about how his quality of life has changed since starting the insulin. I am going to post further details in the main forum since this one seems to be geared toward introductions. I hope that he is going to be okay.

 

Welcome.
What are you feeding? A low-carb canned is best. Commercial food like Fancy Feast or Friskies is fine. The prescription food from yur vet is not necessary.
As you likely have already read. N insulin is not the bets at all.
Most of us test our cats blood sugar before each shot and periodically between shots using a human meter.

 

The vet advised that we continue feeding him the wet Fancy Feast. I was leaving dry food out during the day for him and the other cat to snack on, but stopped putting it out per the vet's advise once we started insulin. I do not have any knowledge about diabetes and what types of insulin there are, and so I am relying on the vet's advice as far as the prescription is concerned at this point. We just had our first glucose test at the vet yesterday (the day after starting insulin) and the sugar went down 200 points. The numbers are looking good, but as I posted in the main forum I am just very worried about the changes I am seeing in his behavior.

 

For the Fancy Feast, you want the Classic pates. The ones with gravy are too high for regular feeding and helpful if the numbers go too low (below 50 mg/dL on a human meter; below 68 mg/dL on a pet meter).

 

Hi and welcome

I just replied to your other thread in main. I think with the insulin you are using and the dose then maybe for now until you are homes testing you should leave food down or at least give food throughout the day to prevent Romeo from going too low.

 

I am still in the beginning stages of learning about diabetes, and so am trying to follow the vet's advice at this point with regard to diet (and was happy that he did not recommend some medical-brand type of food). Romeo was never a big fan of dry food anyway, and so its removal from day-long snacking hasn't really been upsetting him (although my other cat is not too happy about it). The morning and evening Fancy Feast feedings have been working out well so far. I might try and transition him over to the Fancy Feast classic meals again in the coming weeks, but in the past he tended to turn his nose up at them often. I don't think that he likes the consistency. He isn't eating those gravy-lovers meals either, but rather I am feeding him some of the sliced, grilled, and marinated morsels varieties.

 

Most of us feed small mini meals throughout the day rather than two bigger meals. This is easier on their pancreas and helps to slow down any sudden drops in glucose from the insulin.

I would transition over to a lower carb food until you are testing at home as it can reduce the need for insulin.

 

From what I've read here I believe that Humilin-N has the capacity to drop numbers hard early in the cycle. If so, then you need to make sure that you give Romeo enough food early in the cycle to 'feed' the insulin and keep him safe. Mini meal feeding throughout the cycle may be more suitable for cats on longer-acting insulins that typically have 'gentler' action (e.g. Lantus and Levemir).

Can somebody with experience please give some input on the optimum feeding pattern for Humulin-N, please?

 

Feed 30 minutes before giving Humulin or Novolin N insulin to help soften the drop.
The nadir is around +3 to+4 hours post-shot; after that the glucose starts rising and generally has worn off by +8 to +10.
Feeding after the nadir will rapidly increase the glucose level, so if your cat will tolerate it, don't feed until 30 min before the next shot. You may find that giving N every 8 hours gets you better control.