New to group and new to forums introducing Tommy

Discussion in 'Feline Health - (Welcome & Main Forum)' started by j lance, Oct 27, 2015.

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  1. j lance

    j lance Member

    Joined:
    Oct 27, 2015
    Tommy was diagnosed as diabetic in April of this year and he also has Chronic Kidney Disease. Does anyone have a cat with these two issues that is giving insulin for diabetes and Benazepril for the kidney disease? I've been reading that Benazepril may interfere with blood glucose.



    j
     
  2. Merlin

    Merlin Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 18, 2014
    Welcome to FDMB! My Merlin is in Stage 3 CKD and is diabetic. He was dx two years ago for both. He is not on any medication other than phosphorous binders so I am not familar with Benazepril. I am sure others here will have some information for you. There are some food that can help both diabetes and CKD (not prescription food). So I am going to give you a bunch of information on diabetes and since Tommy has been dx seven months ago, you may already be aware of some but just in case. Food is very important for the diabetic and CKD kitty and this first link will give you a food list where you can choose from a low carb and low phosphorous, wet canned food. Holler when you have questions.

    Good Reading: This is a must read. It is an excellent 18 page informative document that covers feline health and nutrition. Don't take short cuts and read it all. www.catinfo.org Also read other postings and their spreadsheets. You will learn a lot more from others.

    Home Testing: Here, we all home test. It is mandatory to understand how your kitty is reacting to the insulin and the dose. You will want to test before each shot and some additional test in between the 12 hour cycle. Another reason to home test is to keep your kitty safe. Find a place in your home where you will always perform the test and give lots of hugs before and after testing. There are many videos showing you how to test. Hometesting Links and TipsHere is a picture of where you test on your kitty. http://s106.photobucket.com/user/chupie_2006/media/testingear/sweetspot.jpg.html

    Here is another good link on Home Testing:http://www.felinediabetes.com/bg-home-test.htm

    Meters: There are many meters. There is a pet meter called the Alpha Trak2 and human meters. Some use the pet meter because it is what the vets use so the numbers will match up. The meter and strips are expensive though. Most use human meters that can be purchased at any pharmacy. It typically reads a little lower than the pet meter but we have ways of compensating those lower numbers. Many use Walmart's brand, Relion Micro or Relion Confirm, because it only needs a tiny drop of blood. They cost around $15 and the strips are around 35 cents each.

    Lancets: These are used to poke the ear to get blood. There are many different sizes (gauges). It is recommended when you are first starting out to use a 26-28 gauge. Also, it would be a good idea to pick up Neosporin WITH pain reliever to apply on the edge of the ears and don't forget to alternate ears.

    Spreadsheets: Our spreadsheet instructions are here. If you look at the signatures of the members here, you will see a link to their kitty’s spreadsheets. We keep track of all our tests. This is basically a place to collect data and help you to determine patterns, doses, etc. It also aids those that may be helping you to better understand your kitty.

    Food: There are many reasons why we are here but one is due to feeding dry cat food which is high in carbs. You will want to consider changing your food to wet, low carb food. It is recommended to feed food that is under 10% carbs. Here is a list of cat food to choose from food chartyou will note that the food with fish are lower in carbs however it is recommended that you only give fish once a week due to its mercury content. Many use Fancy Feast, 9 Lives, Friskies, etc. This list can also be found in www.catinfo.org If you are already giving insulin and you have not transitioned to wet, low carb cat food, be sure to test while you are transitioning. This is because by changing to low carb food, it could decrease your kitty’s number by 100 points or more. One last thing, many of us add water to the wet food so your kitty is getting plenty of water to flush out the toxins and to keep them hydrated.

    Hypo Kit: Always good to be prepared for possible hypo events which means that your cat has reached dangerously low numbers. It can be fatal, hence, the importance of home testing and collecting data in a spreadsheet. In each of the Insulin Forums are stickie’s labeled Hypo Links. Here is one: How to Handle a Hypo. Please print and post on your refrigerator so everyone in your household is aware of hypo symptoms. You will want to create your hypo kit that would include and not limited to; extra testing strips, honey/karo/maple syrup, high carb food, medium carb food, vet information, etc.

    Ketones: Diabetic cats are susceptible to diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). It is best to buy testing strips that will measure (if any) ketones in the urine. One brand is Ketostix which can be found at Walmart or any pharmacy. You will want to test periodically unless you continue to get high numbers, then it is suggested to test more frequently. Ketostix typically costs around $10.

    Treats: It is always nice to have treats available for your kitty. Some use it after they have tested to reward. I like using Pure Bites. I have found it at Petsmart and other pet stores. It is freeze dried and the only ingredient is the meat i.e. chicken, duck, etc. If your cat likes it, then I would go to the dog section where it is cheaper than the cat package. It is bigger chunks but no problem in breaking it up. Another option is to use Bonita Flakes. There is a link here somewhere that has a list of low carb treats but I don't have it right now.

    Injections: Most folks here use one of these main insulins; Lantus, Levemir and Prozinc. Two hours prior to your insulin shot, you will not want your kitty to eat. Then you will test and then feed. It is best for your kitty to eat a little before your shoot. I shoot while he is eating. The reason why you do not want your kitty to eat two hours prior to your test is because food elevates BG numbers. So you do not want to dose based on a food influenced number. Here is a link on how to give injections.http://www.felinediabetes.com/injections.htm

    Note: Please check your insulins as there are some (the harsher ones like Humulin, Novolin, Vetsulin, etc.) that would be best to allow some time after your kitty has eaten before you shoot.
     
  3. j lance

    j lance Member

    Joined:
    Oct 27, 2015
     
  4. j lance

    j lance Member

    Joined:
    Oct 27, 2015
    Wow, thanks for the welcome and for the reply with lots of info. I will definitely check out everything you provided. Tommy is Stage 2 CKD and has been having protein in his urinalysis results so the vet suggested Benazepril. It's a drug that is used to control blood pressure but also seems to help proteinuria. I've been hesitant to start it since, as I mentioned, I see in some reports that it might cause a problem with blood glucose levels.

    He is on Humulin N 1 1/2 units twice daily and he is also overweight so only eats every 12 hours…..and no treats. He is also fed only canned cat food, Fancy Feast Classics. I have to give his insulin as he eats, reason being that he is too excited for food and won't stay still before he eats long enough for me to inject him but he is also slightly hard to handle anyway when it comes to injections so while he has his head in the food bowl he doesn't notice. At the vet's office it takes three techs to even get blood. I have an Alpha Trak 2 meter at home and have done glucose curves on him. At first his glucose dropped too low too quickly and I reduced it from the starting dose of 2 units twice a day. He stays between 100 and 255 on his curves now. I do periodic checks about 10 minutes after a meal and at his low point which seems to be about 2:30 pm. I don't check during the night and his injections are around 9:30 am and 8:45 pm. For some reason he is okay with the ear sticks. I was a nervous wreck when I started that.

    Earlier this year he weighed 23 pounds and is down to 16 due to slow calorie reduction but I'm hesitant to go any further with that right now even though the vet wants me to continue to reduce calories, his blood work is showing he is slightly anemic. Most vets don't like to be second guessed but I always check their recommendations. He has other issues as well including megacolon, chronic constipation, and arthritis. He is 13 years old this month. So far his phosphorus levels are okay but I know I will eventually have to give him that medication. Which one are you using?

    Are you familiar with Tanya's Comprehensive Guide to Feline Chronic Kidney Disease? It's online and an excellent source of information about feline CKD and they also have a support group. I highly recommend it.

    Thanks again for the welcome and info. I know very little about forums and am not too computer savvy so it will take awhile for me to figure out spreadsheets and the like.

    j
     
    Last edited: Oct 28, 2015
    Reason for edit: I corrected two typos. His high glucose number and his current weight.
  5. Sharon14

    Sharon14 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 16, 2015
    Welcome J and Tommy! It's good that you are testing Tommy's glucose. That's the best way to keep him safe and get the diabetes regulated. I don't have any experience with CKD, so I can't offer any advice on the subject, but keep posting and asking questions because many people here have kitties with both problems as well as the other issues Tommy has. As far as not being computer savy, you are not alone! If you have trouble setting up the spreadsheet, just ask and someone will help you. They helped me do it and even fixed it for me after I accidentally deleted half of it! Again welcome and we'd love to see a pic of Tommy.
     
  6. j lance

    j lance Member

    Joined:
    Oct 27, 2015
    Thanks Sharon,

    I find that it's wise to check with experienced pet owners for treatment plans. Vets sometimes are hit and miss and with that being said there are a lot of good vets out there so I mean no offense to the good ones. My experience unfortunately has only been with extremely busy and rushed vets who are not up to date with new treatments and stubbornly cling to "old school methods." Again, my opinion does not apply to all vets. I just happen to live in an area with few options as far a vet care and there are no specialists near.

    After my initial panic attack about the diabetes and home testing I finally got the hang of it. I was amazed at how well Tommy accepts the ear sticks. At first he didn't but I think he was maybe picking up on my nervousness. He is a terror at the vet's office. The techs are intimidated by him and he knows it. I have tons of charts on paper to keep track of everything.

    As soon as I can wrap my head around the forum/chat-room thing I will tackle the spreadsheets and downloads.

    Thanks for welcoming us.
     
    Sharon14 likes this.
  7. BJM

    BJM Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 6, 2010
    Understanding the spreadsheet/grid:

    The colored headings at the top are the ranges of glucose values. They are color-coded to clue you in as to meaning.

    Each day is 1 row. Each column stores different data for the day.

    From left to right, you enter
    the Date in the first column
    the AMPS (morning, pre-shot, test) in the 2nd column
    the Units given (turquoise column)

    Then, there are 11 columns labeled +1 through +11
    If you test at +5 (5 hours after the shot), you enter the test number in the +5 column
    If you test at +7 (7 hours after the shot), you enter the test number in the +7 column
    and so on.

    Halfway across the page is the column for PMPS (evening, pre-shot, test)
    To the right is another turquoise column for Units given at the evening shot.

    There is second set of columns labeled +1 through +11
    If you snag a before bed test at +3, you enter the test number in the +3 column.

    We separate day and night numbers like that because many cats go lower at night.

    The nadir is the lowest glucose between shots. There is a general period when it will happen which is specific to the insulin being used and testing then helps make sure your cat doesn't go too low.

    It is merely a grid for storing the info; no math required.
     
  8. j lance

    j lance Member

    Joined:
    Oct 27, 2015
    Thanks!! And no math required is great. :)
     
    Sharon14 likes this.
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