sugar or food

My cat Adam was diagnosed with diabetis in beginning of Nov. he is 13 yrs. old. On lantus up to 3mm twice a day now. I try to give him more wet food, usually Fancy Feast- but have just started a raw diet (feline pride) and DM-( I thought it was a bad choice for him) - not sure why the vet prescribed it. He seems to be doing good- gained weight,fur looks better and seems more energized. But is still drinking a lot and peeing, there's times when he just lays by the water bowl and lets out this agonizing cry- I try and time the crys- seems like its about 1/2 hour before insulin , but than a hour after he will cry again. It worries me and not sure what he needs- food or sugar- his appearance and actions seem fine. I haven't started home testing yet- but want to- now i take him to the vet. should I be testing when he crys like this. Also, the vet says it is ok to feed and give insulin before I take him in to get his glucose test and also the fructosamine, I just question if hes getting a correct count. I have another cat Freddy who is 2yrs. and loves dry food- I want to use a raw food diet along with a low carb/high protein dry for them or is this really bad!

 

Adams on 3 cc of Lantus twice a day

 

Welcome

Lantus is a great insulin for diabetic cats.

You mean 3 units, not mm or cc. Insulin is always measured in units.

Did you start at 1 unit twice a day? How often was the dose increased and based on what? In vet office blood glucose curvse?

Read the stickies over on the Lantus board to understand how Lantus works for cats: viewforum.php?f=9

You don't need fo feed the DM, dry or canned. It's basically junk food. Vets prescribe it because they don't know much about nutrition.

Stick with the Fancy Feast and raw. Make sure to feed only the low carb varieties of Fancy Feast (or any other canned food). Have you seen the food charts? If not, take a look at them and choose foods that have a number 10 or less in the carb column: http://binkyspage.tripod.com/canfood.html Fancy Feast is on the "old" chart.

http://www.catinfo.org has more info on proper diet for cats.

Unregulated diabetic cats are always hungry because their bodies can't use the food nutrients the right way. Free feed your cat. Many people here provide several small meals throughout the day, either by using a timed feeder or freezing canned food into chunks and letting a few chunk thaw out in a bowl for the cat to eat.

You should be testing your cat's blood glucose levels Blindly shooting insulin into the cat can be more harmful than good.

You don't need the vet's permission to test your cat's blood glucose levels at home and you don't need a pet blood glucose meter. A Human blood glucose meter works just fine.

It's fine and won't impact the glucose test or fructosamine.

Dry food in general is bad and is one reason why many cats end up diabetic. Even grain-free dry foods can keep a cat's blood glucose levels too high. You can transition your non-diabetic cat over to raw/canned food. There are tips on http://wwww.catinfo.org

 

Hi and welcome.

You probably mean 3 units of Lantus.

Yes, dry food is bad (for any cat, but particularly for diabetics). Even low-carb dry is bad. Not as bad as high-carb, but still bad. To understand why, read http://www.catinfo.org, which is written by a vet. However, don't change the food while you are not hometesting and are on that much Lantus.

The vet probably prescribed DM because it is a food he has been told is good for diabetics. But you are right, you can get better in grocery-store or pet-store canned foods.

Yes, it would really help if you could test when Adam cries. Otherwise, none of us can have any idea whether the problem is glucose or something else.

Feeding and giving insulin before getting a fructosamine test is not a problem, as far as I know. Before a regular blood glucose test it could be. The solution here is to be able to test at home, so that you can test before feeding or giving insulin. (And then you wouldn't need to pay the vet for glucose tests.)

Both Freddie and Adam will benefit from a canned or raw diet. They can both be on the same thing - you don't have to feed them different diets. But, as I said, until you are hometesting, don't change the food. Removing the dry may make Adam's blood glucose drop quite a lot, which would mean 3 units would be too much Lantus for him. The result could be a very nasty situation.

 

Yes, I meant 3 units. I will start testing at home- have to do some research, not sure what Im looking for in the test , but will do anything.

 

Great you will be willing to hometest. Here are two links to start

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zE12-4fVn8

My personal favorite site: http://www.sugarcats.net/sites/harry/bgtest.htm

This FAQ site just have lots of general advice: http://www.felinediabetes.com/fdmb-faq.htm

We all have tips that have worked for us. Read and then come back with questions.

 

The blood glucose numbers won't make much sense to you at first but as you keep testing and recording the numbers, you will see how your cat is responding to the insulin and current dose.

Most people here use this spreadsheet to keep track of their cat's blood glucose numbers: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=16

We can help you interpret the numbers and what your next step should be. Having a spreadsheet for us to look at will help

 

Based n your user name, I was wondering if you're located in Phoenix, AZ. If so, I have a meter that you can have and I can teach you how to home test.

 

All you need for hometesting is a human glucose meter (any brand will do), test strips for the meter, lancets, low carb treats for your cat and some patience. :mrgreen:

You should test before every shot. By doing this you first will be able to determine if it is even safe to give insulin and second, after you have tested for a period of time, determine if you need to adjust your insulin dose.

Hometesting is not difficult, but does take some patience and rewards for your cat to make it easier to learn.

 

Just went out and bought the accu-chek read the instructions and tryed it on Adam, he was so good- took several trys to get enough blood, it registered 538- wow. He free feeds now so what is the best times to check- i will try again right before the insulin and a couple hours after to see any changes. I have a google account, but not sure how to fill the form out. Thank you....

 

I do live in Phoenix , thank you for the offer, just went out and bought one.

 

Fantastic! Welcome to the vampire club. 538 is high. I am assuming that is before you give him insulin, not after. Right? Or does his insulin come later? If I were you, I would try it again just to make sure that is an accurate number.

You want to test before every shot, and at times during the day. Since you are using Lantus, you may want to go over to the Lantus board and introduce yourself and Adam. They work with Lantus every day and can give you lots of tips and advice.

Also if I were you, I would go back out and buy some ketone strips also. They are with the diabetic supplies in the drug store and are inexpensive. You stick them in his urine flow (if this is problematic, we have ideas for you.) The problem with high numbers is the threat of hyperglycemia: http://petdiabetes.wikia.com/wiki/Hyperglycemia With his numbers that high, you want to be watching out for ketones.

 

Yes, I first took the test about 7 1/2 hrs. after his insulin shot. Took it again before the shot and it just read HI, Im going to check it again- now worried. I have some of those ketosis sticks- not sure if still good, but will try. :?

 

Deanie is an excellent resource should you need any help or advice

 

Wondering how things are today? Hope you are getting some lower numbers?

 

No, this morning was bad, he was still HI before food and insulin, got him to eat something so he could have insulin, up until today he couldn't get enough food. Than he threw up everywhere- took him into the vet, where he has to stay for a couple days. Sent out the test for pancreas, found low ketose in urine. This happened a few weeks ago and now we're back :sad: I pick him up Monday- hope with good news. I just worry about more than just diabetes. Poor guy, he's 13 and I feel he has more years ahead.

 

So sorry to hear this. It is hard when it isn't only diabetes but other complications. Keeping paws and fingers crossed that he will rally and be back home soon.