Newly off insulin and won't eat

Hi I am new here.
My little Fur Baby Paco was just diagnosed with diabetes at the beginning of February. After a week in the vet he was sent home with a dose of 4u of insulin 2x a day. I immediately did a lot of research (most through this forum thanks to all) and switched him to a low carb wet diet and then after another week to raw food diet.
As soon I switched him to raw his BG went down and started to regulate. So much that he actually went into insulin shock on Feb 21st. I was able to take quick action (thanks again to this forum) and after another over night vet visit they confirmed that his BG was normal and that he no longer needed insulin.

I was so ecstatic.
except now he won't eat.

He all but refused his raw food. Eating only the littlest bits. I tried mixing the raw with the canned wet and he still wasn't interested. For a couple days his BG were still with in normal but in the last couple they have been getting on the low warning side of normal. He is also very in active. In desperation I have given him back his medical dry food. He is still eating only the littlest bits not even half of what he was consuming before. (He is only 8pounds). His BG is also now rising to the high side of ok. In the last 24 hours his stool has been very soft, almost diarrhea.
He is drinking normally, is affectionate and chatty.
He is an indoor/outdoor cat and since diagnosis I have been reluctant to let him out. I think it might be depressing him and causing low and energy and maybe the low appetite.

Any advice would be appreciated. I am really feeling at my wits end. I have barely slept since this all started.
I want to get him back eating raw again.

Thanks
Tori and Paco

 

My cats won't touch raw. So don't necessarily expect it will work with yours. That said, Dr LIsa has tips for transitioning at www.catinfo.org

 

IMO, it is most important that he eat. If he won't eat the raw, it would be best if he will eat lo carb wet. Have you tried warming it till nice and stinky? Sprinkling with tuna juice or kitty kaviar?

Without knowing about the raw, wondering if there was something in it that upset his stomach. You might try pepcid. This article is about inappetite and explains how to dose: http://petdiabetes.wikia.com/wiki/Inappetance

It is good he is still acting happy. But inappetite in a cat who may be diabetic can quickly turn bad. I would consider a vet visit.

 

Just rereading this...what are his bgs? If they are rising that may also contribute to inappetance. WHat is your plan regarding whether to give insulin again? 4 units twice a day was an insane starting dose and it is no wonder that when combined with a food change that your cat became hypoglycemic; but this in no way means that he doesn't need SOME insulin...

Jen

 

may i ask how bad his hypo episode was? were there seizures involved? i'm just wondering because if it was bad enough maybe it threw off some of his senses or reactions and he doesn't recognize the food as food?

i'd definitely try some varieties of food as eating is most important.

also, do you hometest? if not i would encourage you to start so you can make sure his BG's aren't climbing again, causing problems.

 

what insulin did you use?

what brand/flavor of raw did you feed?

I ask because there was a recent recall on Nature's Variety chicken flavor - with a specific date - due to possible salmonella. If you used this brand/flavor that could be one reason why he's not feeling well or wanting to eat now.

 

His raw diet was homemade. I got ground chicken organ and muscle meat specialty ordered from my butcher and mixed that with egg and eggshell and some ground clams and chicken hearts.
He loved it for the first week. Before he had his hypo episode. Which was bad. Really bad. Seizures, drooling, mewling, it was really scary.
I do home test. I just didn't include his levels previously because I am Canadian and I know a different measure is used and wasn't sure how to convert it. For reference vet told me normal or safe was between 4.0 and 8.0.
When he was diagnosed he was at 28.8!
While on 4u of insulin he was fluctuating anywhere between 23 down to...well my meter just said LO
Since going off insulin he has been at his lowest 2.3 and his highest (early this morning) 7.6. The rise occurring after in desperation I gave him dry food.
I tried lots of different things to try and make the raw more appetizing. From warming it to mixing it with other things he loved.
No dice.
Tonight his BGs were back down to 3.6

As I type this I opened a can of tuna for him and I don't know why I didn't give him this sooner because he is just loving it and eating healthily.
My plan now is to go from the tuna, to the wet, to the raw and hopefully the gradual transition will work.

thanks so much for the help
Tori & Paco

P.S. when is the best time to test? Before or after food? how long before or after?
those strips are pretty expensive, I can't afford to keep testing him 4 times a day.

 

I'm sorry, but your diet likely isn't properly balanced. If you want a recipe, see Dr Lisa's page www.catinfo.org

As for testing, if you aren't giving insulin try varying the testing times throughout the day, and you really only need to do it once a day.

Jen

ps where in Canada? I'm in Calgary. And to convert your numbers, multiply by 18

 

Agree with Jen. You can't just feed different kinds of raw meat. There are other ingredients that must be added to make the diet balanced or your kitty can get sick. Check out the website she gave you.

Try Ebay for your strips. You can save 50% off the store price. Just be sure of the expiration date and that they match your meter exactly.

 

I actually did use that site as reference when developing the recipe, along with several others.
I listed the main ingredients (not the vitamin supplements also added) but I didn't list their values and I am confident that it is nutritionally balanced raw mix.
Ever since he was diagnosed all I have done is research cat diet. I am not just feeding him different kinds raw meat at random I assure you.

thanks for the ebay suggestion I didn't know you could get medical supplies there.

I think Cidy's suggestion that it was related to how bad his hypo episode was may be correct. It wasn't so much that he had a low appetite. He was still giving me that plaintiff "I'm hungry" meow but anything I fed him he just look back at me like I was nuts and won't touch or would only peck at.

The tuna he went nuts over. This morning his stool was normal and he seems very happy and eager to play.
His BG is 4.8

so now I think it is just a matter of slowly transitioning him.

thanks everyone
Tori & Paco