Purina d/m carb content? Low carb limited ingredient food?

Ive been checking out foods and carb contents...I think Smokey is starting to get a bit of a reaction from the purina d/m (he's been getting itchier, and itchier since changing food, and starting insulin...today I noticed bumps on his ears too...I've always thought he had some food sensitivities). I've been looking at some carb content, today I realised the purina d/m canned food seems to calculate higher in carbs than the purina d/m dry that we've been drastically limiting and deterring him from. Am I looking at this wrong?

Please don't tell me how he shouldn't have dry...he's hardly eating any (some days doesn't eat any) now, but due to other health issues we've been through we need to have it available to some degree as a back up. Sorry if that sounds harsh...just that's where we are.

Does anyone know of a limited ingredient (for sensitivities to food) low carb food available in Canada. He used to get Blue Buffalo Basics (a limited ingredient sensitivities food)...with minimal itching. But now he just seems SOOO very itchy!

 

Would you consider making his food?

 

Would rather buy...Worried about not hitting full nutritional requirements with vitamins and minerals, while trying to remove all possible sensitivities. With previouse eating issues, would much prefer to see exact calorie contents to ensure he's getting full calorie counts in too. We've had a lot of trouble with eating issues...feel more comfortable with packaged to be sure he's getting everything he needs.

 

Our general rule of thumb is that you treat any other conditions, and treat the diabetes around them.
If that means you need to feed a higher carb food to keep him from having horrible skin allergies, then that's what you do.

 

I've calculated the carbs in the blue...it's high...REALLY HIGH, not surprised he became diabetic on it now that I know. If I have to I will put him back on it...but would prefer to try something that would be lower in carbs for him. The food change was a huge issue for us, we didn't even expect him to be willing to eat it. Figured it might be okay, since he was willing to eat it. But, we might be heading for a bit of trouble with it. Will go to the vet before putting him back on it if we don't find something better, just incase it is something else.

 

Is Natures Variety available in Canada? They have a couple limited ingredient canned and dry foods.
ETA not sure of the carb count in the dry, but the wet is low carb

 

Per Cat Info, you can add 1 part lean protein to 5 parts canned cat food, mix well, and portion out. This boosts the protein and lowers both carbohydrate and fat.

 

Found the dry at pet valu...calculates to 37-43%..., petsmart only shows dog food. Will keep looking for the wet though! It sounds more like something I'd like to try. The blue wet is even really high in carb, so even if I can get a low carb wet to try...it would give me something to try before putting his BG up. Thank you...my fingers are crossed that I can find it...and he'll accept it.

 

Have you checked the food list at Cat Info?

 

Take a look at the Wellness Core dry. Can't find the figures right now and it's late at night for me. Also, the Orijen Red claims to be low - found at Petsmart.

I thought my cat would never make the switch from dry to wet. And surprise, it did happen. Cats are habitual but habits can change.

 

I wouldn't suggest Wellness Core for food sensitivities - my girl Rain has food allergies, and she had problems on it (vomiting partially digested food, in addition to itchy/scaly ears). It is one of the lower carb dry foods, but it's not limited ingredient or novel protein. I did like the food, it just didn't work well for Rain's food issues. Unfortunately, the food that Rain used to be on for her food allergies is pretty high in carbs (Royal Canin Hydrolyzed Protein, around 40% if I remember right) so I don't think that's what you're looking for.

Natural Balance has some limited ingredient canned foods that are in the 12-16% carb range. Science Diet d/d canned food is around 16-17%. I know Merrick has some limited ingredient foods but I haven't looked into them since I've been a little leery of Merrick since the changed their formulas a couple years ago - might be worth looking into though if nothing else works.

 

ziwipeak makes an air dried venison that is 10% carb (it is like little pieces of kibble but it's all meat) - they make a lamb version as well http://www.ziwipeak.com/air-dried-cat-food-ziwipeak-daily-cat-air-dried-cuisine/

 

This is not correct--Purina DM canned is 3% carbs and Purina DM Dry is 13% carbs--it contains corn meal/starch, which will cause problems with regulation.

Nature's Variety Instinct and Merricks both make limited ingredient canned foods that are low carb. I think they both also make limited ingredient dry foods, but they're not low carb. I'm also not sure if they're available in Canada, but there are store finders on both of their web sites.

 

Yeah, I'm seeing the calculator is not giving accurate info...the only thing the numbers seem to match is the listed carbs for the d/m dry?
I contacted Natures Variety...And they actually responded! Here's the info they gave me...

Hi Charlie - Thanks for contacting us!

Here is the information you requested:

INSTINCT CANS CARBOHYDRATES
As Fed

Limited Ingredient Diet Lamb
2.58%

Limited Ingredient Diet Duck
3.39%

Limited Ingredient Diet Turkey
2.17%

Limited Ingredient Diet Rabbit
3.24%



INSTINCT FELINE KIBBLE CARBOHYDRATES
As Fed

Limited Ingredient Diet Turkey
24.2%

Limited Ingredient Diet Rabbit
23.9%

Sincerely,
Ronni

So...we tried the Turkey canned food today. He really seems to like it! It's a start. If I can't find a limited ingredient dry that has less carbs, at least this is lower than blue for him!

Okay, before I finished writing this....Smokeys preshot was lower than I expected..struggled to make a decision...gave him 1/3 of his usual dose...seemed ill. I think we may have given to much of the new food...keeping track of BG...slowly dropping, but numbers are not "low". So I'm thinking just to sudden a switch...hubby didn't mix...but he only gets 1/4 can at a time (he gets 7 feedings a day)...so it wasn't a huge amount. He seemed to go after the dm dry...I didn't discourage...he seemed like he needed it, either BG levels not making him feel well, or needed to get something else in his tummy with the new food, plus I figured if I did make a mistake giving him any insulin...it'll help! Trying to stay up to get a few more tests in to be sure it was just an upset tummy, but have to be up for work at 3:00am. Doesn't help that I'm starting to use a human meter right now too, instead of the alpha...the numbers are a little scarier!