Following are selected posts to Holisticat on the subject of diabetes. There's a lot of information here, and the posts are arranged in ascending chronological order. If there is a particular word you're looking for, it's probably best to utlize the "Find in Page" function in your edit menu!
Happy hunting :)
<1/9/99 From: Vick Re: diabetic cat not eating>
hey all-
<<He's on two very ominous sounding drugs -- one to relieve feelings of fullness and bloat and another to stimulate his appetite. But I'm wondering what else my clients can do to make him feel like eating. Aside from his lack of interest in food, he's doing fine -- bright eyed, energetic and enjoying his catnip.>>
missy, we had a couple diabetic cats that would come board at the clinic i worked at - talk about not eating!! it was usually me who got delegated all the difficult cats, so here's my battery of suggestions:
meat baby food: make sure it says meat and water and nothing
else. i usually gave the cat a spoon of that to get him interested, then
smeared some on top of the nappy hill's food (usually w/d becuz they think
fiber helps stabilize blood
sugar)
STINKY cat food: we're talking something like grocery store brand fish flavored food. it smelled so gross to me, but the cats dig it. i dunno what their kitty is eating, but i got cats to eat just about anything simply by pouring the 'juice' from the can over whatever crap we fed them.
isolating the cat w/ his food: at work i'd just put a towel over the cage. at home, it's as easy as putting cats in separate rooms to eat or just carrying the food dish upstairs so they don't have to hear the dog whine
sweet talk and play: this could be anything from sweetly talking to them about their nummies, simply talking to them, or making eating a game. usually once they have a few bites, they'll keep eating, so i went so far as to scoot pieces of food across their cage floors and get them to pounce on it and eat it. some cats just like dinner theater :)
and my home-based suggestions
Hi Missy,
I have had success getting cats to eat with a couple different methods
from allo vets, but diabetes wasn't an issue, so these may need to be modified.
I have a cat with cancer in his mouth. Before we got a handle on
things and the tumor started to shrink, I couldn't get him to eat.
He has never liked ANY kind of canned food, only dry. Hi mouth was
so sore, he couldn't eat
dry. I tried using the food processor to make a fine meal from
the dry (Hills), -no success. I tried mixing the meal with a little
water- no luck. Out of desperation I finally tried lamb baby food and he
LOVEs it. I know the nutrition mix isn't the best, but my vet said
that at this point he needs to eat, no matter what. At first I had
to feed him by hand, putting it in his mouth, then periodically washing
his mouth with water from a syringe. As his tumor has been shrinking,
the inflammation is down and he
can move his tongue again so he is now eating like a little pig, putting
on weight and drinking on his own. :))) He's on piroxicam (1mg)
for the tumor, but we also had him on Cyproheptadine(4mg) 1X daily for
a week or two to initially stimulate his appetite. When one of my
other cats was in a similar situation, the allo vet gave him valium to
stimulate his appetite and that worked well too.
I think a big part of gettting him to eat was his attitude. The
more time I spent with him just babying him and telling him I
love him, the more he seemed to want to get better. Please don't
take that last sentence the wrong way--sometimes there's only so much you
can do and it's important not to put yourself through the wringer with
I should have done this- or I should have done that, etc. On one
of the other posts someone mentioned visualization and sending the
kitty positive vibes-
that's really important because they can sense when we're not being
true with our emotions.
Good Luck!
Linda Moore
-----Original Message-----
<<One of my pet sitting cats could use your help.
About two weeks ago, Oliver was diagnosed with diabetes (he's nine years
old). Stabilizing him was difficult, and he spent a week at an emergency
clinic where he could be monitored around the clock. He didn't eat much
while he was in the hospital, and he's not doing much better at home. I
think part of the problem is that he now needs to eat on schedule when
he's
used to snacking whenever he feels hungry. At any rate, my clients
are having trouble getting him to eat enough at one time to make his insulin
shots safe.
He's on two very ominous sounding drugs -- one to relieve feelings of fullness and bloat and another to stimulate his appetite. But I'm wondering what else my clients can do to make him feel like eating. Aside from his lack of interest in food, he's doing fine -- bright eyed, energetic and enjoying his catnip.>>
Hi all
I've got a natural health magazine that has an article on diabetes. This is for people, mind you, but with the recent talk of diabetic cats I thought some of this might be useful to those of you whose kitties are suffering this. It might be worthwhile to check this out with your vets, of course.
Recommended vits and minerals (text is very much snipped!):
Take care all
Kathy and the cats
kashmir@
Apparently there was a big meeting of vets and nutritionist sponsored
by IAMS (has someone already mentioned this?). Anyway, it said that
research now suggests, especially in cats but also in dogs and humans,
that a carbohydrate- based diet is a big culprite in Type II diabetes (a
human type name, but closest to the type cats get). The rapid increase
since the 1970's in
diabetes in cats is most likely due to too many starches in the diet.
The "carnivore connection" means that in cats especially but also dogs
and humans, increased carbohydrates in the diet are responsible for development
of diabetes.
So for anyone concerned with what's in your cat's food (most of us on the list I'll bet!) check labels and pay attention to the ingredients. IMO, if the meat isn't the first ingredient, it means trouble. Even what I use for the occasional kibble snack or trip away, Sensible Choice, is a lower protein food. I'm going to start looking for another kibble, thank you very much. Too bad labels don't have to tell you percentages of specific items.
Lee
Hi Mark
Okay, this is going to be really really long. But since I don't know what info your mom has, it's best to include everything and she can select from there. This first post is the traditional vet stuff, and I'll get the others off to you later. Keep in mind that most of the info to follow later is *not* your traditional vet stuff; vets will generally tell you that insulin is about all you can do. I wouldn't skip the insulin, but there's a lot more to be done that could decrease or eliminate the cat's reliance on it. As I said yesterday, food is the most important place to start. Anything by Purina, Iams, and Hills / Science Diet is really really really a less than wonderful idea. The preservatives and lack of real food (ie byproducts) aren't doing the cat any favours. Diabetic cats generally need a high fiber food, so a good preservative free cat food with extra carrots or other veggies (not onions) will help.
That said, the rest of this info comes from a few different sources: _Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats_ by, of course, Dr. R. Pitcairn; C.J. Puotinen's _The Encyclopedia of Natural Pet Care_; and _The Natural Remedy Book for Dogs and Cats_ by Diane Stein. Another good one if your mom is interested in any of this, is by Anitra Frazier, called _The New Natural Cat_. I don't have it, but it comes highly recommended by those who do.
The first section is the technical vet stuff, in a book called _Caring >For Your Older Cat_ by Chris C. Pinney.
"Clinical signs associated with diabetes mellitus result from the inability
of the cells of the body to recieve energy in the form of
glucose. High levels of glucose in the bloodstream spill over into
the urine, leading to increased urinations and thirst. Excess glucose in
the blood can also infiltrate the lens of the eyes, leading to cataracts
and blindness. Diabetes mellitus can reduce the body's resistance to infection,
and affected cats often suffer from secondary bacterial infections of the
skin and urinary tract. Damage to small blood vessels caused by the effects
of the insulin deficiency can lead to kidney disease and gangrene of the
skin and outermost extremities. Finally, in response to the lack
of available glucose, protein and fat reserves are called upon by the cells
of the body for conversion into energy. This often leads to profound weight
loss and muscle atrophy. As fats are broken down for energy, substances
called ketones are produced and accumulate within the body. If levels of
ketones become too elevated, liver damage, pronounced nervous system depression,
and pH imbalances can result. Cats with such severe, complicated cases
of diabetes mellitus may exhibit vomiting, diarrhea, breathing difficulties,
dehydration, and depression to the point of unconsciousness. Cases exhibiting
such symptoms should be considered medical emergencies and
treated accordingly.
"Diagnosis of diabetes mellitus is based upon clinical signs, demonstrating consistently elevated glucose levels in the blood and urine, and ruling out other causes of similar clinical signs, such as Cushing's disease and kidney disease. It should be noted, however, that not all cases of diabetes mellitus in cats are permanent. Many are transient in nature, lasting for several weeks or months before resolving on their own.
"Treatment of diabetic cats suffering from severe clinical signs includes hospitalization with IV fluid therapy, blood pH modifiers, and insulin infusions. Close monitoring is required to ensure that blood glucose levels don't fall too low as a result of the insulin administration, leading to convulsions.
"For those cats exhibiting uncomplicated signs of diabetes mellitus, insulin injections are indicated to help normalize glucose utilization within the body. Such treatment, which can be administered at home, must be performed in strict accordance with the treatment protocol formulated by the attending vet. Depending upon the type of insulin prescribed, injections may be required once or twice daily. Accurate daily records reflecting morning urine glucose values as determined by special test strips, insulin amounts given, appetite characteristics, exercise activity, and any behavioural abnormalities must be kept. In addition, a strict feeding schedule should be followed utilizing special diets prescribed for diabetic cats. Diabetic cats that are overweight will need to reduce as well in order to ensure maximum insulin effectiveness.
"When administering insulin injections to a diabetic pet, begin by gently swirling the insulin vial to mix the contents. Do not shake the vial; to do so could damage the insulin molecules within the solution. Next, swab the injection top of the vial with cotton and alcohol, and then using the insulin needle and syringe, withdraw the desired amount of insulin from the vial. Once the proper dosage has been prepared, lift or "tent" the skin over either shoulder or hip region. Firmly insert the needle into the skin and underlying tissue, using care not to penetrate the opposite side of the skin. Once the needle is inserted, withdraw slightly on the plunger. If no blood is noted, administer the injection and withdraw the needle. Dispose of the needle and syringe properly.
"Be aware that injecting a deficient dose of insulin is better than administering too much. If too much insulin is indeed given, a condition known as insulin shock could result. Clinical signs seen with this condition are related to low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) and can include trembling, weakness, incoordination, and, in advanced cases, seizures. Chances are that if treatment instructions are closely adhered to, severe insulin should not be a problem. In some instances, low blood sugar can occur in cases of transient diabetes mellitus that resolve, yet insulin injections are continued. To be safe, pancake syrup or honey should always be kept available for quick oral administration should signs of insulin shock begin to appear. Two tablespoons of either should be enough to replenish blood sugar levels and dissipate the signs of shock. No further insulin should be given following a hypoglycemic attack until vet consultation is received."
Hi Mark
I'll start off with the info from the Pitcairn book.
"Seen in both dogs and cats, the type of diabetes animals get is similar in most ways to the diabetes seen in humans. It has now been determined that human diabetes is an immune disorder in which the body attacks the pancreatic cells that make insulin. It is likely this same process that destroys the insulin producing ability of our pets.
"This failure of the pancreas to secrete insulin does not allow proper use of blood sugar. Instead of reaching the body tissues, the increasing levels of blood sugar spill over into the urine and are lost from the body. Thus, despite adequate caloric intake, the tissues are in a condition of semi-starvation all the time.
"Thus, the animal eats a lot, but still gets thinner and thinner [the same kind of reaction is seen with hyperthyroid conditions]. The continuous presence of sugar in the urine also causes fluid loss. That's because the sugar must be dissolved in water to be eliminated, so it carries the water out with it. As a result, the animal is abnormally thirsty and passes large volumes of urine.
"There is apparently more to this condition than just lack of insulin, however, because even if insulin needs are carefully met with injections of the hormone, there are still progressive changes and weaknesses that may persist. These sometimes include recurrent pancreatic inflammation, formation of eye cataracts and an increased susceptibility to infection, particularly of the urinary tract [already a problem for male cats especially].
TREATMENT
"The usual treatment consists of strictly regulating sugar intake and using daily injections of insulin (derived from the glands of other animals). Feeding is usually restricted to canned food fed once a day, about 12 hours after the insulin is given (when its activity is the highest).
"The diabetic dogs I have treated have generally done well on [a] basic fresh and raw natural food diet given as two or three meals during the day rather than one large one. Their insulin needs seem to stabilize, rather than going through erratic ups and downs from day to day. You may need to experiment with your animal to find the best frequency of feeding, also taking into account the advice of your veterinarian.
"Above all, avoid the soft-moist foods that come in cellophane bags and don't need refrigeration. These products are very high in carbohydrates like sugar that are used as preservatives, as well as artificial colours and other preservatives.
"A supplement that is quite helpful is glucose tolerance factor, a natural chromium-containing substance found in yeast. It can assist the body in using blood glucose more effectively. I always recommend supplementing the natural food diet with this element. Give one teaspoon to one tablespoon of brewer's yeast with each meal.
"Vitamin E is also important because it reduces the need for insulin. Give 25 IU to 200 IU of this vitamin each day [the RDA for cats for Vit E is generally about 200 IU].
"In addition to the nutritional advice given here, see that your animal gets lots of exercise, which has the effect of decreasing insulin needs. Erratic exercise could destabilize the insulin needs, though, so a regular, sustained program of exercise is best. It is also important for your pet to maintain a normal weight. Obese animals have a much harder time with this disease.
SEVERE DIABETES
"The more severe cases need to have stringent dietary regulation. If your animal is not responding to the above program or is already quite ill with difficulty stabilizing his condition, then the following will be helpful.
Dietary guidelines: The main goal of a special diet to control diabetes
is to reduce the stress placed on the pancreas. That means strict avoidance
of foods that contain sugar as well as a low fat intake (because the pancreas
produces a number of enzymes particularly involved in the breakdown of
fat). Therefore, use the natural diets given in this book [I can send you
some if
you think your mom would be interested], but avoid fatty meats and
give only half of the fat or oil called for in the recipe.
"Certain foods are particularly beneficial for diabetes, so emphasize them in your selections [here I'm snipping a lot of info because cats generally can't metabolize grains well, and grains make up the bulk of Pitcairn's suggestions here]. Excellent vegetables are green beans (the pods of which contain certain hormonal substances closely related to insulin), winter squash, dandelion greens [an excellent suggestion], alfalfa sprouts, corn, parsley and garlic (which reduces blood sugar in diabetes). Garlic also stimulates the abdominal viscera and increases digestive organ function. Use it regularly in fresh form or capsules. [I'd avoid daily use, but I generally give my cats two or three little capsules a week mixed in their food.]
"Milk and milk products are helpful because they are alkalizing (as
are vegetables and most fruits), which helps to counter overacidity. [This
info mostly pertains to dogs. Cats *need* a higher acidity to maintain
urinary tract health.] They are best fed raw, as are meat, fruits and some
vegetables, because uncooked foods are much more stimulating to the pancreas.
Fruits in season are fine, if accepted by the animal; the natural fruit
sugar (fructose) can be used by the diabetic animal. Feed them
separately from other foods.
"Specific treatments for diabetes include:
Homeopathic:
Natrum muriaticum 6X is sometimes helpful to cats. Those it is suitable
for usually have appetite problems and a marked weight loss. Sugar will
be detected in the urine, and there will be a tendency to anxiety and fearfulness.
Give once a day for four weeks.
End Quote
It's pretty important to know something about homeopathy if your mom
is going to use homeopathic remedies. The main idea is to give a dose of
the remedy, generally repeated a few times, and if after that time there
is improvement, in *any* way (mentally, physically, plays more, seems more
alert, etc) then wait awhile until the improvement seems to stabilize or
wear off, and then dose again. If there's no improvement after two or three
doses initially, stop dosing. Sometimes there seems to be overall improvement,
but a couple of symptoms seem a little worse. This is what homeopaths call
an aggravation. Stop dosing until the aggravation has cleared, but you
know you've got the right remedy. And finally, sometimes, if you keep dosing
even after you see no improvement, you will get a proving, which is when
the patient takes on the symptoms that the remedy is
supposed to correct. That's why it's important that if there's no improvement,
don't give the remedy. Homeopathy in a nutshell :)
Oh yeah, and homeopathic remedies are available at the Bay pharmacy. I've got a good homeopathic remedy book for cats that helps to explain the ideas behind homeopathy, and how to use the remedies. It's a complicated system to try to explain briefly, but I personally put a lot of faith in the remedies. When you get the right one, it works like nobody's business. And fast, too. Herbs generally take a little longer to work but are also really good system-builders. My next post will combine a few more herbal recommendations with more diet and homeopathic info.
Take care
Kathy
kashmir@
Hi Mark
This post is from CJ Puotinen's _Encyclopedia of Natural Pet Care_. A lot of the info I covered in the previous two posts, so I'll pick up where they leave off.
"Vitamin C is another important nutrient; if your pet isn't already taking vitamin C, use a good quality supplement (not ascorbic acid) and give up to 500 g per 20 pounds of body weight [this may be a little high. Generally an ill cat can tolerate lots of Vitamin C, but it can cause diarrhea in high amounts. Start with about 1000 mg a day -- I use calcium or sodium ascorbate because it's tasteless -- and increase to bowel tolerance, or decrease as necessary].
"Herbal Therapy:
The leaf of the olive tree (Olea europaea) is a traditional European
remedy for diabetes, and modern research indicates that it reduces a diabetic's
need for supplemental insulin. In her _Complete Herbal Handbook for the
Dog and Cat_ Juliette de Bairacli Levy recommends 1 tsp of olive leaf daily
for diabetics. If you have access to an olive tree [yeah right ] you can
brew your own decoction (the olive's leathery leaves require simmering)
or make a concentrated tincture. Because the leaves can cause
gastric symptoms, these preparations should be taken after meals and
not on an empty stomach. Recent innovations in the manufacture of olive
leaf extracts have produced powders with no side effects for which a variety
of claims are made.
"The Chinese herb fo-ti (Polygonum multiflorum) is a specific for diabetes and hypoglycemia. An adaptogen, it helps restore balance and corrects deficiencies throughout the body. Fo-ti can be given as a tonic for long periods.
"Devil's Club (Fatsia horrida, Panax horridum or Echinopanax horridum) is a ginseng cousin that grows in the Pacific Northwest and has a long history of use among Native Americans for adult-onset diabetes. Devil's club root tincture is popular with human diabetics who use it to replace or reduce their daily insulin, and a growing number of pet owners give it to their diabetic dogs and cats.
"Bean pod tea is another blood sugar balancer. The pods of green beans contain an insulin-like hormone that helps control diabetes. Add raw green beans to your pet's diet, put them in a juicer with carrots and other vegetables or brew bean pod tea with fresh green beans or with dried bean pods from an herb shop or health food store. Garlic is helpful to diabetics and so are the blood cleansing herbs dandelion and burdock."
This next bit comes from Diane Stein's book. Again, a lot of it is repeated, so I'll start with the new info.
"Feed high amounts of garlic as a cleanser, blood sugar balancer and antiseptic. Liquid chlorophyll is highly important in balancing blood-sugar levels; it may be used more than once a day. Goat's milk helps overacidity, and the iodine from kelp is important. Digestive enzymes are highly recommended.
"Vitamins and Minerals: Give the recommended daily supplements. Trace minerals are highly important; chromium, zinc and manganese help to balance blood sugar. Essential fatty acids and calcium / magnesium are important. Vitamin B complex (10-20 mg) lowers the need for insulin and helps to detoxify stress; use a low potency tablet if not feeding yeast, or give a pet multiple vitamin-mineral supplement. Add additional B6 to prevent artery disease. Give double the usual amount of vitamin E, with vitamin C (500-3000 mg / day) or to bowel tolerance, and liquid lecithin in the amount of half a tsp to one tbsp per day. Raw pancreatic glandular is helpful [glandulars take quite some time to work well, but once they do they *really* work well. I can give you more info on these if your Mom may be interested]. A chromium supplement (glucose tolerance factor) from the health food store, with dosage reduced according to body weight, may decrease insulin need significantly.
"Herbs: The gentle yellow herb yarrow has a chemical composition similar
to insulin. Increase amounts gradually, monitor blood sugar carefully,
and use consistently if positive effects result. Alfalfa is a nutrient,
detoxifier and blood sugar balancer important for this disease. Other herbs
for diabetes include dandelion, parsley, buchu, mullein and periwinkle.
Goldenseal can reduce blood sugar levels significantly, but is not for
daily dietary use. Stevia, a chocolate-tasting herbal sweetener, is a blood
sugar
balancer. Ginseng is a stabilizer, energizer and balancer of blood
sugar; use the weaker teas rather than the concentrate.
Anitra Frazier suggests giving cats a teaspoon to a tablespoon
of a tea of dill seed or horsetail grass with each meal."
End Quote
Rather than go into her complicated homeopathic suggestions, I'll just re-print the clearer directions from George Macleod's _Cats: Homeopathic Remedies_.
Keep in mind that with homeopathic remedy choosing, the *whole* cat is considered: moods, likes and dislikes, what seems to make symptoms better or worse, and the particular *kinds* of symptoms.
If your Mom is interested in any homeopathic remedies, I can type up the more detailed symptom picture of these remedies.
Also, if she wants any more info about food, herbs, dosages, anything like that, I can give you more info. I can also pass on a bunch of human diabetes info that can be modified for felines, but in that area it's really best to know what you're doing before you play around with that stuff. I mean, in *general* you don't want to play around with any of this, but these are suggestions that your mom may be able to consider. There's no such thing as a naturopathic vet in town, but there *are* vets who are open to this kind of thing and are learning more. There are times when I take things to my vet and she looks at me with raised eyebrows, but she always wants to know more. Kashmir (my oldest, the evil one) is completely off medication for hyperthyroid, and doing very well, just with good food and a couple of supplements. In any case, your mom needs to work with the vet closely but I'm more than willing to pass on any info that she may be interested in.
I hope some of this can help and let me know if I can do any more.
Take care
Kathy
kashmir@
Hi Mark
One more post: here are a couple of links you may want to look at. The resources look good.
Links and resources:
A urinallysis "can" show signs of diabetis, you sometimes get ketones or glucose spillage into the urine. This is not always the case though
The best test is not just one glucose test, but a glucose curve over about an eight hour period. You want to see how the cat does after eating, after fasting ect. Good Luck
Lisa
Ocicats by Orendacats
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