Honestly, it's nuts!
Yes. If z/d is going to help her and she'll eat it, then that's what she'll get. I don't worry about that too much, but I've also bought her expensive, really pure foods and she won't touch them so I guess she doesn't have refined tastes?The chicken fat is apparently perfectly fine. Though TBH I'm still going to avoid all things where I can.
You and I are in the same boat - I was told exactly that too. Novel protein or hydrolyzed. His regular vet understood my concern about the terrible food choices and told me about the two schools of thought on it. Good food - or fix the problem. It sucks - but I'm sure over time we can find a way to balance it once the major work is done. My vote - long, healthy, happy life. However we accomplish this I can live with it.
I love Charlie. Even though my arms and legs will never again be scar free lol.
It's so nice to be around fellow panic people that don't look at you like you are complete off your rocker.
How is Amber doing too? I have to go find your thread and get caught up with her too!
*nods* XOXOXHonestly, it's nuts!
Very much thank you. Still feeling a little drained but a little more sleep helps a lot. A couple of my colleagues got it too. One if fairing less well as he has a heart condition and has been off since January that began with this flu. :-(Oh gosh! I'd been wondering how things were going for you. I hope you're feeling better!
That's very disappointed the vet didn't mention the crystals. Any chance they thought it was "insignificant" or an artifact? My cat had crystals in her lab urine twice and when we re-tested each time in house, it turned out to be an artifact, as in they grew during transit? I was a bit confused by this, but that's how it was explained.
If not, then I'm terribly sorry. That is a lot to manage! But I'm glad he is eating the new food now. I think that if Charlie is eating Royal Canin or Hill's food, all the Rx diets should be formulated to prevent crystals even if its not urinary care food. At least all Hill's diets are the last I knew. That is only helpful if food is causing the crystals, however. Did they do any workup on the type of crystals?
Not as Random as you might think. You have a good mind there.Random, but I wonder if food allergies and asthma commonly occur together in cats? So if food allergy is managed, it could help asthma too?
As far as taurine, I thought I'd read on this site before it could be supplemented, but I don't know much about it.
Oh don't I know this one. Charlie does the same and I shake my head. I feel the same way too - if he eats it - I'll take it as a massive win.Yes. If z/d is going to help her and she'll eat it, then that's what she'll get. I don't worry about that too much, but I've also bought her expensive, really pure foods and she won't touch them so I guess she doesn't have refined tastes?
YAY! Good job Amber!Amber is doing well (crossing fingers). She gained a little weight back which I am happy about and she's been mostly doing better on eating her wet food. I'd say she's in a stable place. I stopped updating my thread because every time I gave good news I felt like she regressed. So I had to stop for my own sanity and I'm just keeping my paper log of what she eats, what her symptoms/signs are, etc. and trying to worry less if there's a few times she doesn't finish her food.
Anyway, thinking of you and hoping things will get better!
And they are a new clinic - so between that and the "YAY! Persist bacteria gone!" I can understand. I will simply have to be very diligent and on top of them over things since the communication is in need of improvement. They're good people. It's frustrating though.Oh noooo. Here I was so hopeful it might just be something not real. Darn! I am really sorry then! I guess I can understand missing the crystals due to focusing just on the infection...
I'm really glad to hear he is eating the hydrolyzed foods, given the battle you've had to get him on it. I understand the concern about soy, but on the other hand, these foods are researched with the intent to help in situations and diseases like this. So, I guess what I mean is it might be just fine for him to have food with soy. But maybe once he's done his hydryolyzed diet you can get him over to novel proteins with better quality? You should feel comfortable with your cat's diet, after all!
Exactly! I'm interested to see what happens with his breathing once the food is sorted out. I have a suspicion it's going to improve, maybe not completely but a measurable amount.I wouldn't be surprised if there was something to food allergy and asthma! I was thinking its like humans with allergies and asthma, plus a lot of immune disorders can co-occur. That is definitely also a bummer, but I'm hoping the food change will help Charlie!
For the heart - the best way is an ultrasound of it. Expensive but accurate. Seeing the heart in the x-ray was the final 110% confirmation of his HCM. It was incidental as we were rally looking at the organs, kidneys etc.That x-ray is really interesting. Amber has a new heart murmur, but we aren't sure if she has heart disease as her Cardiopet Pro BNP was normal. Would taking a regular x-ray help monitor that do you know? We haven't decided to spring for an ECG yet. I might have if her BNP was abnormal.
LOL yup and I think it's true. In fact I've considered making up a set of carda number 1 -49 and tell the cats to pick the 6 winning lotto numbers!Ha yes I think you're right. You've heard all about cat's psychic powers? Well I think there's something to it anyway. One day I even tried to absorb Amber's constipation when she laid on my stomach. I'd rather have it than her haha!
Well I think things will only get better from here, ok? Keep us updated and keep your chin up! You're doing a great job looking after Charlie. He's so lucky to have you!!
No issues that I know. He just went into his regular vet for his annual. She didn't mention his teeth - but I noticed when I read his report card (when I was entering into his heath book - each cat had a health book/binder) that she noted this on his teeth. So rather than wait for a real problem I want to be pro-active to prevent further build up and of course to figure out how I screwed up since for 6 years he's never had any build up.Has he had a cleaning under anesthetic recently? My concern would be that he may have other dental issues that can't be seen yet. I would want that ruled out before you potentially brush sore teeth and gums.
Also, you're not going to get much time in any of their mouths. Better to use either a finger cot or a kitty toothbrush. You'll be lucky to get a few quick strokes on the top and bottom. The insides will be left to their tongue.
Brushing Your Cat's Teeth | Partners in Animal Health
From everything I've read too - yes - the FORL's aren't preventable by the brush, unfortunately. :-(I didn’t brush Krista’s teeth. But to be fair, I’ve read FORLs aren’t preventable via brushing so I don’t feel guilt over that. I don’t want Krista to suffer, but I am secretly rooting for her remaining teeth to finally become extractable. Her current mouth with one canine and the upper incisors and maybe little else can’t be very comfortable for her. I have dreams of a toothless Krista once again eating, and grooming people and blankets with careless abandon. The easiest way I can tell her current mouth isn’t comfortable is that she went from being an avid licker to a very cautious licker these days.
But because I know her current mouth isn’t entirely comfortable for her, I will stay out of it. No teeth brushing for her.
Me too. His leg does not appear raw atm so he's not chewing on it *knock on wood* and he seems to have less of aversion to being petted. His skin is looking less dry too.Glad to hear the food's going well! And that he's not vomiting too often.
Many vets don't tell people about low murmurs as almost every cat that goes for a vet visit gets a stage 1 murmur from fear. Probably as most of us would panic. Even two is still low but it's one of those "Don't freak out - but watch" things. Sometimes a stage 2 can even be the cat extra stressy that day- but it's still a watch and keep an eye on. Did the vet say anything else to you about it?They said the murmur was grade 2 and that's the first we've ever heard that. Generally she's been in about every 6 months for check-ups, so I feel like it must be something new since we'd never been told that before.
Thanks! I feel like we can't catch a break right now. It's almost funny - but not. One of those "One day maybe we'll laugh about this."Gah sorry to hear about the teeth! If I were you, I'd just try the finger brush maybe without any toothpaste if you can. Its not really necessary, its just the scrubbing action that does the job not the paste. And don't feel bad, most people probably don't brush their cat's teeth. I don't even though I know I should.
I so wanted to try that - but they all (but one - Mia) drink out of fountains and refuse to drink from a bowl. I could get some to add to Mia's dish though as she hates the fountains. She looks at them like they are going to eat her.One other thing you could try is getting a water additive. I use the Strix NB oral care in a powder form. One tub lasts forever you just have to watch out for it to clump like sugar if you live somewhere humid like I do. It actually does a really good job of preventing tartar and plaque buildup and I've been told it can help soften it if used for a while prior to a dental, making it easier on the vet/tech, your cat and your pocket book.
*nods* After getting a quote on a price for teeth clean - pocket book needs the break. WOAW is what I have to say. Over $550.00. I don't even want to know what it would be if something was wrong. *touches every piece of wood she can find*making it easier on the vet/tech, your cat and your pocket book.
Poor kitty :-(Can you feed him the same protein from different brands? My cat has a food allergy too. Eventually it got so bad he was throwing up his food on average 4 nights a week bringing his weight down to a whopping 8lbs! After keeping a diary I found he could eat chicken or turkey (with no vegetables) and he would not throw up. If it had vegetables in it he would throw up the vegetables. I had to have a rotation of brands and styles (pate, flaked, smooth loaf, etc...) If I so much as fed him the same brand and style within a couple day period he wouldn't be interested in it even though he may have loved it a few days ago. Mind you, he wasn't like this when he was younger. My cat also has HCM, but he's medicated.
It does. I've tried to give my cat LID canned food from multiple brands and my cat doesn't like it. He'll eat it the first time, but if I give it to him again, he refuses to eat it.Poor kitty :-(
Yes and no is the answer to that. It's not just the protein but the carb as well.
The most important thing is to check the ingredient list carefully. The food should have one protein and carb that kitty has never been exposed to before.
A kitty cat be allergic / have a sensitivity to anything. More often than not it's a protein or a carb. So with an elimination diet, you want to add as few variables as possible in order to sort out what is causing the problem.
So for my Charlie - I have him on a duck and pea limited ingredient food. There are three brands of this but one of them has snuck in a second carb - so I axed it. If Charlie had issues with pea, that same make does have another LID (Limited ingredient diet) that is Duck and Sweet Potatoe. During a food trial, you would not want to switch from a duck and pea to a duck and potatoes unless the kitty was having issues.
Does that help at all?
*hugs* HCM sucks. Charlie isn't at the stage where he needs meds yet, but, one day he will. I dread that day so I feel for you. Seems like our boys have some things in common.
That's normally what my Charlie does. Although tbh I was lucky if I could get him to take one bite of anything new at all. This is the first time in three years of on and off trying I've had any luck at all.It does. I've tried to give my cat LID canned food from multiple brands and my cat doesn't like it. He'll eat it the first time, but if I give it to him again, he refuses to eat it.
Can you cut out the carbs altogether? They usually are not allergens but most often irritants. An itrritant doesn’t involve the immune system (not directly) but it does cause disturbances in the Gi that can lead to the changes in permeability (leaky gut) that allows protein to escape into the blood. It is protein that gets recognized by the immune system and triggers the inflammatory response.