needs some help with AlphaTrak -New member 3/8/25

Milah and Maxine

Milah and Maxine

Member
Hi everyone I have been trying to educate myself with all this information surrounding diabetes. It is so overwhelming to say the least. i am scared to death that I will lose my 12 year old 14lb girl to this. Her vet kept saying we have to keep an eye out for diabetes with Milah(my cat) because her blood sugar level was in the high 200s at the time of an ER visit . They said it was stress. Turns out she has diabetes all along . We get monthly vet visits and they did not diagnose.
i took her to a new vet and he started us on 1 unit of prozinc 2x a day. Which scares me because of my crazy work schedule. I am often gone 10-14 hrs a day .
my girl is eating very little and is very constipated.
I got a home pet glucose tester (alohatrak3)?although I’m not so sure how to use correctly the numbers are coming up very high 300s-400s. she is also walking on her hocks and seems wobbly.
last night she ate just a quarter can of the 2.9oz hills cd food (doctor doesn’t want to change food yet) I gave half a dose of prozinc
Now it is 2am and she is looking for food. Do I give it and hope she eats a little during the scheduled 1unit dose (7am)

I can use all the help I can get please
 
Hi and welcome to the forum Maxine and Milah. We are happy to be able to help you.:)
First of all Prozinc is a good insulin for cats. I’m going to tag @Suzanne & Darcy as she uses Prozinc and I don’t, but I can help you with everything else.
About the food…the cd Hills is not suitable for diabetic cats. It is too high carbs. What does Milah normally eat?
I am going to give you a FOOD CHART. Have a look for foods that are 10% or under carbs.
You need canned or wet food. Almost all dry food is high carbs.
Yes! If she is hungry now, feed her. Just don’t feed for the 2 hours preshot as we don’t want that BG to be food influenced.
We recommend feeding before the dose of insulin and then give 2 or 3 snacks during the first half of every cycle. Diabetic cats need to eat well. Only feeding twice a day is old thinking.

Walking on the hocks and wobbly is from diabetic neuropathy and is common in diabetic cats. Once the BGs get more under control it should improve. You can also give Zobaline tablets from lifelink.com for the neuropathy. My Sheba had it badly but it did improve over time with the Zobaline and when the BGs went back down towards normal.

With testing the BGs we recommend testing before every dose to make sure the BGs is high enough to give the dose. Then we recommend testing at least once during every cycle to see how low the dose takes Milah.
We can help you with dosing but we would need to to set up a spreadsheet and signature which you will find in this link
HELP US HELP YOU
 
I was having trouble with typing in the above post so I posted it and will continue here.
Also in the link at the bottom of the above post is the link to the hypo box. Please make sure you set on up in case it is needed.

Have you told the vet about the constipation?. You may need to get something for that. In the meantime, plain cooked pumpkin mashed in the food ay help. About a teaspoon a couple of times a day.

I’m wondering if she is nauseated. You may need to ask the vet for an antinausea medication such as cerenia or ondansetron.
It’s very important she is eating. I would change the food straight away to see if she will eat something else. There is absolutely no reason to keep her on the Hills cd.

I would also recommend you get a bottle of Ketostix from a pharmacy and test Milah’s urine for ketones. There should be no ketones. If there are tell the vet.

Is Milah the only cat in the household? Do you think she would eat out of an automatic timed feeder?
I think it is important you are leaving her food to eat during the day while you are gone.
Keep asking questions. It will get easier I promise once things become more familiar. We all felt as you do now in the beginning. :bighug:
 
Thank you all for your responses. She was on hills cd about a month and a half ago to combat crystals in her urine . Before Milah was only eating dry from an automatic feeder (urinary s/o food )because of my work schedule. I would give her just a little wet food with her cosaquin(which we have stopped) the old vet told me she had arthritis and that is why she had trouble with the back legs . They had us getting monthly injects of solensia (adds up very quickly @$100 a shot) we have also stopped since I didn’t see much improvement. Last Wednesday milah didn’t want to eat and hadn’t passed any stool for 2/3 days . Her vet said they couldn’t see her so that’s when I found this new vet who diagnosed milah with diabetes. He also did an enema and removed extremely hard poop. She has only passed small hard nugs of poop since. She had an infection (I believe uti ) so she has been on antibiotics he also prescribed something to increase appetite(can’t quite read the name on the bottle ,he hand wrote it) so doc gave me wet cans of the hills cd . according to the chart she’s supposed to have 5.5 2.9oz cans a day. She has only been eating 2 at the most on a good day. And I have to sit with her for an hour Fokker her around with the bowl until she gets most of it down.
this scared me because of everything I’m reading online about hypo. I got some honey here just incase im just worried something will happen when I’m not home. I tried leaving some of the dry food out but she won’t eat it anymore. I really want to change her food but the vet said he wants to get diabetes under control. although I don’t see how that can happen with the wrong type of food . (Should I change on my own? )
I m so overwhelmed but i appreciate each of you for taking the time out to help us! THANK YOU! We will not give up .
i will ask the vet tomorrow at our appointment about some anti nausea meds and get to setting up a spread sheet for her. I will also look into getting the box of ketostix
I’m so glad I found you guys!
@Bron and Sheba (GA)
@Madm4444
 
:bighug::bighug:

First breath. It's understandable to be anxious and scared right now. Give this a read: https://felinediabetes.com/newdiag.htm and https://www.felinediabetes.com/dear-mom.htm

Now, remember it's YOUR cat not the vet's. You make the decisions on what you feel is best for YOUR cat. The vet can recommend and suggest things but you do not have to blindly go along with those. Take notes, think about, discuss here on FDMB, and make an informed decision on what you think will work best for YOUR cat. It's ok to push back on the vet and firmly insist on something different the vet has a different opinion on. Having good communication with the vet is really important and being respected and listened to is also important. If you feel the vet just isn't listening to you and your concerns and questions, consider finding a new vet. Long ago with my first diabetic, the first vet was ok but not great. I think she was a few years out of vet school. She started my cat on Humulin N which is not a good insulin choice for cats. She was open to Lantus which was just starting to be used in cats. I don't recall what she said about diet. I knew that I found FDMB right away and put my cat on a low carb canned food diet. A FDMB member at that time who lived near me suggested her vet so I made the switch and never looked back. Some 15+ years later, we still see that same vet and my vet totally trusts my judgement when it comes to the cats. He basically does the annual exams, blood work, etc my cats need and leaves me to keep him informed on what's going on so he can advise if needed.

Food is one of those things that vets have strong opinions on. Some vets are old school and push only dry food and prescription diets for every heath issue. Other vets are more open to different kinds of food. You do not need the vet's permission to feed whatever you want. If the vet asks, just say you changed the diet from X to Y and leave it at that.

The SO dry food likely caused the diabetes in the first place. It's really high in carbs. Plus prescription dry food (any dry food really) are horrible for urinary tract health. Are you feeding only the canned CD now? That's somewhat better than dry food but still too high in carbs for a diabetic. Here's some reading on diet and all sorts of health issues: https://catinfo.org/

Unregulated diabetic cats are literally starving so ignore the amount the vet or chart told you to feed and just give your cat as much food as she wants to eat. A few small snacks throughout the day works for many cats. You can put canned food into a programmable timed feeder so your cat has food while you are away. Canned food won't spoil if left at room temperature.

The thing with changing to a canned food only diet while on insulin is that it can have a big impact on lower blood glucose levels so you must closely monitor blood glucose levels and adjust or even skip insulin if needed. You can certainly change the diet right now but it may be better to wait until you get the hang of how to test blood glucose levels.

It's good that you have an AlphaTrak. You can also use a Human blood glucose meter which cost way less than the pet one. Here's info on testing: https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/hometesting-links-and-tips.287/

The hypo treatment links:

https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/how-to-treat-hypos-they-can-kill-print-this-out.15887/
https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/jojo-and-bunnys-hypo-tool-box.2354/

@Bandit's Mom can help you get a spreadsheet set up.
 
@squeem3 thank you for those links! And that advice. He originally suggested I would have to put her down because she wasn’t walking anymore but it was that he had her on the slippery table and she couldn’t hold herself up. I put her on the ground and even tho it was wobbly and slippery she is still walking and using her stairs. He said her kidneys weren’t working like they should . He then said we can try the insulin to se if it will help. I left there in tears and scared I would be losing my girl. I don’t know a thing about diabetes except for what I’m learning now.

& That’s correct she’s only eating the canned Cd . The problem is she won’t eat on her own right now. She’ll come to the bowl when she’s hungry lick around and then stop and go lay down. I follow her with her bowl mixing around the food every few minutes. She will eat a little more. Takes us an hour to finish a 2.9 oz can if I’m lucky she’ll eat the whole thing.
I had returned to the vet mid week with my concern about constipation . He said she wasn’t eating enough to pass poop. I see her trying to push and it’s difficult because her legs slide out from under her. I had mentioned that her numbers were in the high 300s& 400s but I wasn’t sure I was testing correctly. He wanted to change the insulin amount to 2 units 2x a day. I’m worried that with how little she is eating she would go hypo. Then he said to keep it at 1 unit until he sees me again which would be tomorrow. She has been on prozinc 1 unit 2x a day for 1 week now.
 
Sorry -- but I'm going to throw a bunch of information at you. But first, my early experience with my cat's diabetes was a lot like Squeem3. My vet started my cat on one of the prescription diabetes diets. After finding FDMB, I went back to the vet's office with the cases of canned food and bags of the dried stuff and said I wanted my money back. The stuff was way high in carbs. My vet and I had a "discussion" that ended with my asking her what the carb count was in what she had me buy. She didn't know. I did. I got my $$ back and my cat was eating Fancy Feast. She was a smart vet and started making sure that people knew where to find the food chart that we use.

When you see the vet, ask about using Miralax for the constipation. It draws water into the colon and can help to get things moving. You cat's appetite may be off due to the constipation. (Consider how humans feel when constipated!!!) You can also add a bit of oil or butter to your cat's food. It may help. I'd also suggest adding water to your cat's food. You want your cat to be hydrated especially given the constipation. It's also possible that your cat may need another enema.

All of the C/D canned foods are above 20% carb. In other words, they are way high in carbohydrates. We consider below 10% as low carb and most members feed their cat diet that's in the neighborhood of 5%. There are lots of choices! The C/D is likely one of the things that's contributing to Milah's higher numbers. Many people here feed their cat Fancy Feast pate style food (Classics). You can find it on the food chart link that Bron provided. That list has 60+ pages of canned food options along with information on the carbs so it's likely you will find a food that your cat will eat.

It's likely that the appetite stimulant is mirtazapine. Has it been helping? Does it seem like Milah is nauseous? Another issue may be that the antibiotic may be making your cat queasy. If the nausea isn't controlled, giving an appetite stimulant is not a great idea. It can cause a food aversion. Medications like Cerenia or Zofran (ondansetron) can help to control nausea. Once the nausea is controlled, the appetite stimulant will help.

If your cat has a UTI, it may be contributing to the high blood glucose numbers. Any infection or inflammation can cause a rise in numbers. It also means that if the antibiotic is effective, numbers may drop. So it's good that your home testing. Please let us know if you've got a handle on home testing. It's the best way to keep your kitty safe!
 
You are getting lots of good advice Maxine.
I think you need to get the issues constipation and possible nausea addressed and hopefully that will help the situation.
Have you tried putting Parmesan cheese on top of some wet food?
Would she eat scrambled eggs?
Or BBQ chicken?

I know seeing her slipping and sliding all over the place is scary. My Sheba was like that especially on wooden floors. But she eventually returned to her former self so don’t lose hoe with that. And there is no reason you can’t continue with the cosequin. I gave that to Sheba when she was diabetic.
 
Sienne and Gabby (GA) said:
Sorry -- but I'm going to throw a bunch of information at you. But first, my early experience with my cat's diabetes was a lot like Squeem3. My vet started my cat on one of the prescription diabetes diets. After finding FDMB, I went back to the vet's office with the cases of canned food and bags of the dried stuff and said I wanted my money back. The stuff was way high in carbs. My vet and I had a "discussion" that ended with my asking her what the carb count was in what she had me buy. She didn't know. I did. I got my $$ back and my cat was eating Fancy Feast. She was a smart vet and started making sure that people knew where to find the food chart that we use.

When you see the vet, ask about using Miralax for the constipation. It draws water into the colon and can help to get things moving. You cat's appetite may be off due to the constipation. (Consider how humans feel when constipated!!!) You can also add a bit of oil or butter to your cat's food. It may help. I'd also suggest adding water to your cat's food. You want your cat to be hydrated especially given the constipation. It's also possible that your cat may need another enema.

All of the C/D canned foods are above 20% carb. In other words, they are way high in carbohydrates. We consider below 10% as low carb and most members feed their cat diet that's in the neighborhood of 5%. There are lots of choices! The C/D is likely one of the things that's contributing to Milah's higher numbers. Many people here feed their cat Fancy Feast pate style food (Classics). You can find it on the food chart link that Bron provided. That list has 60+ pages of canned food options along with information on the carbs so it's likely you will find a food that your cat will eat.

It's likely that the appetite stimulant is mirtazapine. Has it been helping? Does it seem like Milah is nauseous? Another issue may be that the antibiotic may be making your cat queasy. If the nausea isn't controlled, giving an appetite stimulant is not a great idea. It can cause a food aversion. Medications like Cerenia or Zofran (ondansetron) can help to control nausea. Once the nausea is controlled, the appetite stimulant will help.

If your cat has a UTI, it may be contributing to the high blood glucose numbers. Any infection or inflammation can cause a rise in numbers. It also means that if the antibiotic is effective, numbers may drop. So it's good that your home testing. Please let us know if you've got a handle on home testing. It's the best way to keep your kitty safe!
Click to expand...



***I will definitely ask the vet about Miralax. I try adding water in to her food but she won’t touch it. I also picked up this electrolyte water called kittenlyte I’ve been giving her some of that.
the appetite stimulant doesn’t seem to be making her all that hungry unless like you said she’s just feeling super out of it because of antibiotics or constipation.
Today is the last day for the antibiotic. He had her on it for 10 days Hopefully that helps also. I was hoping she would eat more tonight before her next dose but no luck. She was supposed to have it at 5:30pm Im holding off to see if she’ll eat something. Not even licking the gravy tonight. She’s supposed to go into the vet on an empty stomach and no insulin in the Am .he can see her anywhere from 8am-10am.
 
Bron and Sheba (GA) said:
You are getting lots of good advice Maxine.
I think you need to get the issues constipation and possible nausea addressed and hopefully that will help the situation.
Have you tried putting Parmesan cheese on top of some wet food?
Would she eat scrambled eggs?
Or BBQ chicken?

I know seeing her slipping and sliding all over the place is scary. My Sheba was like that especially on wooden floors. But she eventually returned to her former self so don’t lose hoe with that. And there is no reason you can’t continue with the cosequin. I gave that to Sheba when she was diabetic.
Click to expand...


She used to want what ever i was eating .she would sit in front of me and beg. I tried putting chicken on top of her food , tuna also but nothing. She’s completely uninterested
 
Did you try BBQ chicken ?
I think she needs an anti nausea medication.
Hopefully the vet will agree. If he is not happy to give it, ask for a few tablets to start with. He may give an injection to start with.
 
The hind leg issue is called neuropathy. Good news, it can be treated with methylcobalamin. Your vet may or may not be aware of treatment. One popular brand to use is Life Link Zobaline, https://ilifelink.com/product/zobaline-for-cats-3-mg-x-60-tablets/ You can also buy it from Amazon.

Keep feeding the canned CD for now if it's all your cat will eat. Your cat must eat something. Try toppers of any kind: stinky fish based cat food, gravy canned cat food, canned tuna, crushed up freeze dried meat treats, shredded plain chicken, FortiFlora (kitty crack. Amazon and Chewy and other places sell it). Try other brands of canned food. Talk to the vet about anti nausea medicine (Cerenia is commonly given) and an appetite stimulant (Mirataz is one and is a transdermal gel you rub on the inside of an ear with a gloved finger).

Are your cat's teeth ok? Dental issues can make eating painful. Most vets don't bother to check teeth during an exam. I don't think dental health is covered much in vet school.

You can try Miralax or generic equivalent for the constipation. Start with 1/8 teaspoon once a day and slowly increase to 1/4 teaspoon twice a day if needed. Dissolve the powder in some water and then mix into a small amount of canned food. You can syringe the dissolved Miralax into the cat if needed.
 
squeem3 said:
The hind leg issue is called neuropathy. Good news, it can be treated with methylcobalamin. Your vet may or may not be aware of treatment. One popular brand to use is Life Link Zobaline, https://ilifelink.com/product/zobaline-for-cats-3-mg-x-60-tablets/ You can also buy it from Amazon.

Keep feeding the canned CD for now if it's all your cat will eat. Your cat must eat something. Try toppers of any kind: stinky fish based cat food, gravy canned cat food, canned tuna, crushed up freeze dried meat treats, shredded plain chicken, FortiFlora (kitty crack. Amazon and Chewy and other places sell it). Try other brands of canned food. Talk to the vet about anti nausea medicine (Cerenia is commonly given) and an appetite stimulant (Mirataz is one and is a transdermal gel you rub on the inside of an ear with a gloved finger).

Are your cat's teeth ok? Dental issues can make eating painful. Most vets don't bother to check teeth during an exam. I don't think dental health is covered much in vet school.

You can try Miralax or generic equivalent for the constipation. Start with 1/8 teaspoon once a day and slowly increase to 1/4 teaspoon twice a day if needed. Dissolve the powder in some water and then mix into a small amount of canned food. You can syringe the dissolved Miralax into the cat if needed.
Click to expand...

I’m a little worried because I can’t get her to eat. She was like this last night and then ate a little more in the morning. I can’t give her any food in the morning before we head to the vet. Should I skip insulin tonight even tho it will also be skipped in the am. She seems a little out of it. She just wants to sleep. I tested her and it read in the 400s should I give her .5 or nothing at all?
 
I’m concerned you are saying she is a bit out of it.
Have you tested for ketones in the urine yet?
If she is not eating for you and is lethargic, I would recommend you take her to a 24 hour vet or ER tonight
I would give her a half dose of insulin if she is not eating. It is not a good idea to skip doses of insulin if the cat is unwell and not eating.
 
Vets don't usually ask insulin to be withheld before an appointment. Food maybe (typically before surgery) but not insulin.

If she's out of it and not acting right, be sure to discuss it with the vet and get answers. Have blood work done and a ketone test done. Insist on testing if needed. If the vet just doesn't seem concerned, take your cat to another vet for a second opinion, even to the ER if you have to.
 
Bron and Sheba (GA) said:
I’m concerned you are saying she is a bit out of it.
Have you tested for ketones in the urine yet?
If she is not eating for you and is lethargic, I would recommend you take her to a 24 hour vet or ER tonight
I would give her a half dose of insulin if she is not eating. It is not a good idea to skip doses of insulin if the cat is unwell and not eating.
Click to expand...
Bron and Sheba (GA) said:
I’m concerned you are saying she is a bit out of it.
Have you tested for ketones in the urine yet?
If she is not eating for you and is lethargic, I would recommend you take her to a 24 hour vet or ER tonight
I would give her a half dose of insulin if she is not eating. It is not a good idea to skip doses of insulin if the cat is unwell and not eating.
Click to expand...


She ate a tiny bit more through the night. We just left the doctors office . He told me to give her whole milk to use the bathroom .
He told me she needs to eat more. And told me to continue giving her the appetite stimulant . He also told me to go up to 2units insulin she had been taking .5 -1unit previously. But not eating well.
I may have to go somewhere else. This place was just the most affordable. But i leave confused and worried. I am going to go buy her a different canned food today.
 
:bighug:

Cats don't have the necessary digestive enzymes to break down the lactose in cow milk. I'm not sure why your vet suggested cow milk for constipation. It doesn't seem like he's a very good vet or at least not knowledgeable in cats and diabetes.

Give the Miralax a try. You can buy it OTC at any pharmacy. Store generic brand is fine. I use the CVS store brand for my cats.

Well yes the cat needs to eat more but obviously isn't feeling well enough to eat :rolleyes: If the appetite stimulant isn't' working well, the vet needs to investigate further and run tests to determine why your cat isn't eating much.

What exactly did the vet do at the appointment? Listen to the heart, lungs, palpate the abdomen, etc? Did the vet show any concerns about your cat's lack of appetite even with an appetite stimulant?

Definitely look for a new vet. Some people recommend cat friendly or cat only vets. If you're in the US, you can look for a cat friendly vet here: https://catfriendly.com/find-a-veterinary-professional/ Use Google to find "cat only vets" in your area.

@Suzanne & Darcy can give you suggestions on the Prozinc dose and how that insulin works for cats.

You definitely want to get a spreadsheet going to track your cat's blood glucose levels. The instructions are here https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/how-to-create-a-spreadsheet.241706/ @Bandit's Mom can help you as well.
 
I left so upset because I withheld her food and insulin this morning and we drove out to the vet for him to just check her blood sugar .. same as I did when I left my house this morning.
I tried asking about another stimulant or laxative for her and he said the milk was going to do it for her to syringe it to her . It will make her go to the bathroom and help with appetite. ‍♀️
I said she wasn’t really eating her food last night just licking around. Sometimes I hear a little crunch sound when she’s eating WET food. He said that’s from weakness. But gave nothing else .tested nothing else. Checked for nothing else..
her vet before him is worse .completely ignored all signs of diabetes and my concerns. so I will be looking for another cat friendly vet. It is just her and I so cost is one of our biggest concerns . I am unable to pick up extra night shifts now that I have to get back to her for insulin after my morning job. But we will figure this out.

i am just getting her back home she has passed a few Nugs of hard poop since we got here but she is uncomfortable.
i am running out now to buy her some supplies
Food- pets mart ?
Miralax -pharmacy?
Keyostix - pharmacy?
Any one have anything else in mind I can pick up?

Also I have been keeping a timed log for the past few days of her behavior , feeding times, insulin time , antibiotic & appetite stimulant . I have to dive into learning and using the spread sheet. Next.
 
squeem3 said:
:bighug::bighug:

First breath. It's understandable to be anxious and scared right now. Give this a read: https://felinediabetes.com/newdiag.htm and https://www.felinediabetes.com/dear-mom.htm

Now, remember it's YOUR cat not the vet's. You make the decisions on what you feel is best for YOUR cat. The vet can recommend and suggest things but you do not have to blindly go along with those. Take notes, think about, discuss here on FDMB, and make an informed decision on what you think will work best for YOUR cat. It's ok to push back on the vet and firmly insist on something different the vet has a different opinion on. Having good communication with the vet is really important and being respected and listened to is also important. If you feel the vet just isn't listening to you and your concerns and questions, consider finding a new vet. Long ago with my first diabetic, the first vet was ok but not great. I think she was a few years out of vet school. She started my cat on Humulin N which is not a good insulin choice for cats. She was open to Lantus which was just starting to be used in cats. I don't recall what she said about diet. I knew that I found FDMB right away and put my cat on a low carb canned food diet. A FDMB member at that time who lived near me suggested her vet so I made the switch and never looked back. Some 15+ years later, we still see that same vet and my vet totally trusts my judgement when it comes to the cats. He basically does the annual exams, blood work, etc my cats need and leaves me to keep him informed on what's going on so he can advise if needed.

Food is one of those things that vets have strong opinions on. Some vets are old school and push only dry food and prescription diets for every heath issue. Other vets are more open to different kinds of food. You do not need the vet's permission to feed whatever you want. If the vet asks, just say you changed the diet from X to Y and leave it at that.

The SO dry food likely caused the diabetes in the first place. It's really high in carbs. Plus prescription dry food (any dry food really) are horrible for urinary tract health. Are you feeding only the canned CD now? That's somewhat better than dry food but still too high in carbs for a diabetic. Here's some reading on diet and all sorts of health issues: https://catinfo.org/

Unregulated diabetic cats are literally starving so ignore the amount the vet or chart told you to feed and just give your cat as much food as she wants to eat. A few small snacks throughout the day works for many cats. You can put canned food into a programmable timed feeder so your cat has food while you are away. Canned food won't spoil if left at room temperature.

The thing with changing to a canned food only diet while on insulin is that it can have a big impact on lower blood glucose levels so you must closely monitor blood glucose levels and adjust or even skip insulin if needed. You can certainly change the diet right now but it may be better to wait until you get the hang of how to test blood glucose levels.

It's good that you have an AlphaTrak. You can also use a Human blood glucose meter which cost way less than the pet one. Here's info on testing: https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/hometesting-links-and-tips.287/

The hypo treatment links:

https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/how-to-treat-hypos-they-can-kill-print-this-out.15887/
https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/jojo-and-bunnys-hypo-tool-box.2354/

@Bandit's Mom can help you get a spreadsheet set up.
Click to expand...

Hi also would you have suggestions on food ? I took a look at the list but am unsure which to try. I know Milah’s vet had mentioned that her kidneys were not in the best shape and I read that certain foods although high in protein and low in carb are still not good for the cats with kidney issues ? Also we are low on her cd wet can food can I just switch her to a new food or would I hav ego buy more to mix the two and have her switch over that way? i appreciate all of your answers and tips everyone has been so awesome here !
 
For now, whatever she'll eat is good. Let's get her feeling a bit better then work on what the best diet will be.

As noted, I've never heard of using milk to help with constipation. Cats are lactose intolerant. You really need a better vet.
 
Maxine29 said:
I left so upset because I withheld her food and insulin this morning and we drove out to the vet for him to just check her blood sugar .. same as I did when I left my house this morning.
I tried asking about another stimulant or laxative for her and he said the milk was going to do it for her to syringe it to her . It will make her go to the bathroom and help with appetite. ‍♀️
I said she wasn’t really eating her food last night just licking around. Sometimes I hear a little crunch sound when she’s eating WET food. He said that’s from weakness. But gave nothing else .tested nothing else. Checked for nothing else..
her vet before him is worse .completely ignored all signs of diabetes and my concerns. so I will be looking for another cat friendly vet. It is just her and I so cost is one of our biggest concerns . I am unable to pick up extra night shifts now that I have to get back to her for insulin after my morning job. But we will figure this out.
Click to expand...

Time for a new vet :bighug::bighug:

i am just getting her back home she has passed a few Nugs of hard poop since we got here but she is uncomfortable.
i am running out now to buy her some supplies
Food- pets mart ?
Miralax -pharmacy?
Keyostix - pharmacy?
Any one have anything else in mind I can pick up?

Also I have been keeping a timed log for the past few days of her behavior , feeding times, insulin time , antibiotic & appetite stimulant . I have to dive into learning and using the spread sheet. Next.
Click to expand...


Miralax and ketostix can be bought at any pharmacy. CVS, Walgreens, WalMart, etc. These are FSA/HSA items (in the US) so if you have one of those accounts, you can use the funds to purchase them and any other Human diabetic supply your cat needs (syringes, insulin, test strips, etc). Keep the receipts. Pet insulin, pet test strips, and pet syringes are not eligible for FAS/HSA.

Any pet store will have a selection of low carb foods. Take a look at https://catinfo.org/docs/CatFoodProteinFatCarbPhosphorusChart.pdf and make a list of potential low carb (under 10%) canned foods to try. Many can be bought at Petco, PetSmart, etc. Some brands may only be sold at independent pet stores (Weruva, Rawz, Koha, etc).

You'll want a few high carb canned foods on hand to use in case of a hypo. Anything based in gravy is good like Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers. I've kept Science Diet on hand before since the carbs are like 20%.

@Bandit's Mom can help you get a spreadsheet set up.
 
Last edited:
Sienne and Gabby (GA) said:
For now, whatever she'll eat is good. Let's get her feeling a bit better then work on what the best diet will be.

As noted, I've never heard of using milk to help with constipation. Cats are lactose intolerant. You really need a better vet.
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squeem3 said:
Time for a new vet :bighug::bighug:




Miralax and ketostix can be bought at any pharmacy. CVS, Walgreens, WalMart, etc. These are FSA/HSA items (in the US) so if you have one of those accounts, you can use the funds to purchase them and any other diabetic supply your cat needs (syringes, insulin, test strips, etc). Keep the receipts.

Any pet store will have a selection of low carb foods. Take a look at https://catinfo.org/docs/CatFoodProteinFatCarbPhosphorusChart.pdf and make a list of potential low carb (under 10%) canned foods to try. Many can be bought at Petco, PetSmart, etc. Some brands may only be sold at independent pet stores (Weruva, Rawz, Koha, etc).

You'll want a few high carb canned foods on hand to use in case of a hypo. Anything based in gravy is good like Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers. I've kept Science Diet on hand before since the carbs are like 20%.

@Bandit's Mom can help you get a spreadsheet set up.
Click to expand...

Okay great so I did pick up the Miralax ( a little nervous since she is dehydrated as it is but she has to get that poop out!) I have been giving her some feline electrolyte supplement (kittenlyte).
I purchased the ketostix but I'm now seeing the date on top& they are expired. I will have to return them tomorrow after work and exchange for a box that isn't expired.

I picked up a few cans of the Fancy feast in a few of the classic pate flavors. a few of the flaked and a few gravy lovers just in case.
will it effect Milah going from such a high carb can food to a super low one? even though she is barley eating one and a half 2.9 oz cans a day currently.( its been really hard getting food into her before shot time even with the appetite stimulant and trying to add on all her favorite toppings ex: tuna, pumpkin or anything in gravy. she will just lick around and not actually eat the food. )

**I also got the spreadsheet downloaded and put into my signature box. I just have to get some data going in there. yay!
thank you again !
 
Odd that the pharmacy had expired ketostix on the shelf:confused: You shouldn't have an issue returning it.

Generally yes, switching from a higher carb diet to a lower carb one will affect blood glucose levels. The lack of eating much combined with a diet change will probably have a bigger effect. You'll want to monitor blood glucose levels closely and slowly change the diet.
 
also this Alpha Trak tester has me nervous(sorry if I sound like a worry wart. I tested and it gave me a 500mg/dl reading. I tested again 5 minutes later and it came back at 393mg/dl how do i know these readings are correct ?
 
squeem3 said:
Odd that the pharmacy had expired ketostix on the shelf:confused: You shouldn't have an issue returning it.

Generally yes, switching from a higher carb diet to a lower carb one will affect blood glucose levels. The lack of eating much combined with a diet change will probably have a bigger effect. You'll want to monitor blood glucose levels closely and slowly change the diet.
Click to expand...

I may have already made a mistake. I ran out of her CD chicken stew cans today I had planned on purchasing more at our vet visit today but he was also out. I can't get more until tomorrow. she had a quarter can of C/d left and I gave her some of the fancy feast mixed with that. but for the morning feeding I will only have the fancy feast. I can go buy some more c/d cans from another vet we used to go to tomorrow after work.
 
I don't use the AlphaTrak so I have no idea. If you edit the subject of this thread to include Need AlphaTrak help, members who do use that meter will help you out.

It's not uncommon to get two different but close numbers within minutes of each other but 500 to 393 is a big difference.
 
I agree with Sienne. Let her eat whatever she will eat at the moment.
Eating anything is more important that what the food is. That can be sorted out later.

Did the vet check her teeth. If you can hear a crunch, it might be a tooth.
Maybe if you can mash up or purée her food, she will lick it up.

Also I would not go from 0.5 or 1 unit to 2 units of insulin.
Let’s see what @Suzanne & Darcy suggests.
If you could add the data to the SS which I can see that would help us a lot.
I’m sorry you have got so upset with the vet. It is just not good enough this is happening to you and Milah
 
Bron and Sheba (GA) said:
I agree with Sienne. Let her eat whatever she will eat at the moment.
Eating anything is more important that what the food is. That can be sorted out later.

Did the vet check her teeth. If you can hear a crunch, it might be a tooth.
Maybe if you can mash up or purée her food, she will lick it up.
Click to expand...

yes I thought the same thing.maybe a tooth. I just started hearing this crunching sound recently. wasn't sure if it was her making the noise (she's made some strange noises while eating in the past haha )or if it was actual crunching. I brought this up to the vet he did not check and said this crunching sound is from weakness. he then sent me on my way.
 
Milah and Maxine said:
yes I thought the same thing.maybe a tooth. I just started hearing this crunching sound recently. wasn't sure if it was her making the noise (she's made some strange noises while eating in the past haha )or if it was actual crunching. I brought this up to the vet he did not check and said this crunching sound is from weakness. he then sent me on my way.
Click to expand...
That is terrible. You need to find a new vet who is actually interested in solving the problems, not adding to them!:bighug:
I would definitely try and get her mouth looked at. Will she let you open her mouth?
 
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