Diabetic Cat Care

Australian Info

Know what local prescription laws are with regards to obtaining insulin and syringes, International and a State by State listing for the US.

INSULIN

For information on insulins that are available in Australia

* Hypurin 100% bovine PZI is available ONLY for human use. It requires a prescription from a doctor stating why the individual cannot use insulins available in Australia. PZI insulin is not commonly used for humans. It CANNOT be obtained for veterinary usage. Australia's quarantine laws are very strict and very tight.

Lantus (aka Gargline) is the most commonly prescribed insulin for felines. Hypurin bovine isophane, which is an NPH type of insulin is also available. As is Hypurin Neutral. See the links below for more info on both of these insulins:

Hypurin Isophane Hypurin Neutral

Diabetes Australia is a helpful website for Aussies, with links to all of the state branches when you click on "Shop" in the menu

FOOD

Making a well balanced raw food diet for your Aussie cat might be a better choice if possible as pet food labeling is poor and it is almost impossible to know exactly what ingredients in canned food are. The manufacturers are not required to list ingredients specifically. For example: the label says "cereal" but you have no idea whether it is corn, rice, wheat etc. All Fancy Feast Labels list exactly the same ingredients. Two Fancy Feast varieties that have been checked and are believed to be low carb are:

Fancy Feast Gourmet Succulent Turkey and Giblets (purple label)

Fancy Feast Gourmet Chicken and Giblets Pate (orange label)

These are readily available in supermarkets and cost between 79 - 89 cents/can

Several flavors of Fancy Feast come with purple or orange labels so care must be taken to pick the correct ones!

Whiskas "loaf" style foods are reportedly low carb

Please note, the Fancy Feast flavours listed below include some with very high carbs and are not recommended for FD cats.

FANCY FEAST WHITE LABEL products list

Product	Consumer Unit	AAFCO Claim	Carbs.	Ingredients
FF Ocean Whitefish	9360-3362	feeding	8.0	fish including mackerel and tuna, meat and their by-products (pork), flavours, colours, gelling agents, vitamins and minerals
FF Chicken & Giblets Pate	9360-3348	feeding	9.0	meat and fish and their by-products (pork, chicken, fish and turkey), cereals and cereals by-products, flavours, vitamins and minerals, gelling agents, colours, taurine
FF Beefy Chunks	9360-3300		21.0	meat and their by-products (pork, turkey, beef), cereals and their by-products, vitamins and minerals, flavours, colours
FF Sl Salmon & Chicken	9360-3379	feeding	21.0	meat and fish and their by-products (pork, salmon, chicken and turkey), cereals and cereals by-products, flavours, vitamins and minerals, colours, taurine
FF Flaked Trout	9360-3393	feeding	0.0	fish including trout and salmon, meat and their by-products (pork and chicken), cereals and cereals by-products, flavours, colours, vitamins and minerals, gelling agents, taurine
FF Sl Chicken Hearts & Liver	9360-3423	feeding	21.0	meat and their by-products (chicken including hearts, pork including liver, turkey and poultry), cereals and cereals by-products, flavours, vitamins and minerals, colours, taurine
FF Turkey Casserole	9360-3317	feeding	21.0	meat and their by-products (pork, turkey and chicken), cereals and cereals by-products, flavours, vitamins and minerals, taurine, colours
FF Salmon & Tuna Filet & Pate	9360-3522	feeding	4.5	fish including mackerel and tuna, meat and their by-products (pork), flavours, colours, gelling agents, vitamins and minerals
FF Roast Chicken	9325-8234	feeding	21.0	meat and their by-products (pork and chicken), cereals and cereals by-products, flavours, vitamins and minerals, gelling agents, colours, taurine
FF Fine Cut Turkey	9360-3416	feeding	21.0	meat and their by-products (pork, turkey and chicken), cereals and cereals by-products, flavours, vitamins and minerals, taurine, colours
FF Grilled Tuna Prime Filet	9347-5792	feeding	17.0	meat and fish and their by-products (pork, tuna and chicken), cereals and cereals by-products, vitamins and minerals, flavours, colours, taurine
FF Grilled Turkey Prime Filet	9347-5808	feeding	17.0	meat and their by-products (pork and turkey), cereals and cereals by-products, vitamins and minerals, flavours, colours, taurine
FF Grilled Chicken Prime Filet	9347-5822	feeding	17.0	meat and their by-products (pork and chicken), cereals and cereals by-products, vitamins and minerals, flavours, colours, taurine
FF Cod Sole & Shrimp	9325-8258	feeding	2.0	fish (cod, sole and mackerel), meat and their by-products (pork), shrimp, flavours, gelling agents, colours, vitamins and minerals
FF Roast Turkey	9325-8241	feeding	21.0	meat and their by-products (pork and turkey), cereals and cereals by-products, flavours, vitamins and minerals, gelling agents, taurine
FF Flaked Chicken & Tuna	9360-3287	feeding	0.0	meat and their by-products (pork, chicken and turkey), fish including salmon and tuna, cereals and cereals by-products, flavours, vitamins and minerals, colours, gelling agents, taurine
FF Flaked Salmon & Ocean Whitefish	9360-3294	feeding	0.0	fish including salmon and mackerel, meat and their by-products (pork and chicken), cereals and cereals by-products, flavours, colours, vitamins and minerals, gelling agents, taurine
FF Flaked Tuna & Mackerel	9360-3447	feeding	0.0	fish including tuna, salmon and mackerel, meat and their by-products (pork and chicken), cereals and cereals by-products, flavours, vitamins and minerals, colours, gelling agents, taurine
FF Grilled Prime Salmon Filet	9360-3454	feeding	18.0	meat and fish and their by-products (pork, salmon and chicken), cereals and cereals by-products, vitamins and minerals, flavours, colours, taurine
FF Tender Salmon Marinade	9360-3843	feeding	21.0	meat and fish and their by-products (pork, salmon and chicken), cereals and cereals by-products, flavours, vitamins and minerals, colours, taurine
FF Tender Chicken Marinade	9360-0255	feeding	21.0	meat and their by-products (chicken, pork and turkey), cereals and cereals by-products, flavours, vitamins and minerals, colours, taurine
FF Tender Beef Marinade	9360-3270		21.0	meat and their by-products (turkey, pork, beef), cereals and their by-products, flavours, vitamins and minerals, colours
FF Gourmet Seafood Feast	9349-4359	feeding	4.0	fish including mackerel, meat and their by-products (pork), cereals and cereals by-products, flavours, shrimp, gelling agents, vitamins and minerals, colours
FF Sliced Chicken Casserole	9349-4342	feeding	21.0	meat and their by-products (pork, chicken and turkey), cereals and cereals by-products, flavours, vitamins and minerals, colours, taurine
FF Tender Tuna Marinade	9349-4335	feeding	20.0	fish and meat and their by-products (tuna, pork and turkey), cereals and cereals by-products, flavours, vitamins and minerals, colours, taurine
FF Turkey Marinade		feeding	21.0	meat and their by-products (turkey, pork), cereals and their by-products, flavours, vitamins and minerals, colours, taurine
Roasted Beef Flavoured Feast			21.0	meat and their by-products (pork, turkey, beef), cereals and their by-products, flavours, vitamins and minerals, gelling agents, colours, taurine
Grilled Liver & Chicken Filet			0.0	Meat and Meat By-products(pork, liver, chicken), Cereal, Amino Acids, Salt, Vegetable Protein, Vitamins and Minerals, Colours, Taurine
Grilled Ocean Fish Filet			0.0	Meat and Meat By-products(pork, chicken), Fish (ocean whitefish, tuna), Cereal, Amino Acids, Salt, Vegetable Protein, Vitamins and Minerals, Colours, Taurine
Gourmet Succulent Turkey & Giblets			0.0	Meat and Meat By-products(pork, poultly, turkey), Amino Acids, Vitamins and Minerals, Vegetable Gums, Flavours, Taurine
Gourmet Savoury Salmon			0.0	Meat and Meat By-products(pork), Fish (salmon, ocean whitefish), Amino Acids, Colours, Flavours, Vegetable Gums, Vitamins and Minerals, Taurine

GLUCOMETERS and SUPPLIES available in South Australia:

Accu-Check - Accu-Check Advantage, Accu-Check Advantage Complete, Accu-Check Go, Accu-Check Integra, Accu-Check Performa
Ascencia - Glucometer Elite, Ascensia Esprit 2
Betachek - Betachek G5, Betachek
CareSens - CareSens
Freestyle - Freestyle Pappillon Mini Meter
Gluco Card Meter
Gluco Care Meter
Omnitest - Omnitest EZ, Omnitest Plus
Optium - Optium, Optium Xceed (Glenys uses both of these meters and would recommend them to anyone with a diabetic pet)
TrueTrack - TrueTrack Meter

Meters and supplies can be purchased in pharmacies or from DIABETES AUSTRALIA. Costs vary but you can get them from $25.00 and up. Pet owners with diabetic animals can become members of DIABETES AUSTRALIA for $27.00 per year. This gives you 20% off when buying supplies. Glenys (and Sara) isn’t sure if the costs are the same in every state but in South Australia here are prices (with the 20% discount) for various supplies:

* Syringes - $17.95 per 100 - BD UltraFine II 0.3 ml. 31 G x 8 mm (there are no syringes available here with 1/2 unit graduations)
* Strips - approx. $50.00 per 100
* Lancettes - between $8.50 and $12.00 (the cheapest - Unilet Comfort Touch by Owen Mumford in a purple box)
* Some meters/strips/lancettes are available online. Recommended is Pharmacy Direct - delivery is fast and costs are competitive. They do NOT SELL Insulin Syringes.
* Glenys has ordered from Diabetic Promotions in the USA because they will ship overseas. The cost is doubled HOWEVER she can get 1/2 unit syringes and accuracy is priceless. They, too, are fast - orders come within a week!