Cat gets sick with IBD at same time every year??? - IBD cat food suggestions needed as well

BeckarooF

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Hello. So our cat was diagnosed with IBD after her getting really sick last year. She was literally at deaths door when they finally made the diagnoses of IBD. I switched her at the time to Blue Buffalo Basics Turkey and she's been doing great on it until recently. About a week ago she started vomiting so I put a call into the vet and she said to giver her some of the Cerenia that I had here and see how she did on it. Long story short she got better for about 4 days and then last night she's back to square one. She started vomiting clear mucous, then a little with green (seaweed looking bits), then a bit with food and then pink tinged with blood. She has done this for the past 3 years at almost the exact same time every year. She's not eating plants, not a real Christmas tree, no food that she's gotten into but for the past 2 years within a couple weeks of her getting sick someone or even a couple of the kids have had the flu. Could there be any correlation there? Is this just par for the course with IBD kitties? I guess I'll be back to square one with figuring out a cat food that will work for her system and is limited ingredient and that she'll eat so any and all suggestions are appreciated. Also would she benefit from Pepcid at all? Thanks so much.
 

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rubysmama

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Awww... what a beauty. :catlove: Sorry she's having another IBD flareup. :(

My Ruby has never been officially diagnosed with IBD, but she has similar symptons/flareups. And, oddly, she had a flareup last Feb., and had another one just last week. This was after having a flareup in the summer, and me switching to a new food that agreed with her for several months. I think it might be just a coincidence with the time of year, but who knows. :dunno:

It's frustrating though, and I feel for you. I hope your pretty girl is feeling better again soon. :vibes::vibes::vibes:

About the Pepcid, that's something that was suggested for Ruby in the past, but she's so hard to medicate, she didn't actually get many, so hard to judge if it helped. This recent vet visit, my vet suggested we try Fortiflora which I've been adding to her wet food, but I don't think is making much difference.

For me, changing her food seems to make the biggest difference, so now I'm on the lookout for another dry food to give her for treats. Luckily her hypoallergenic duck canned food, still agrees with her system.
 

mrsgreenjeens

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Personally, I don't believe in coincidences, but have no idea WHY it would be seasonal because I can't for the life of me think how seasonal allergies could cause IBD or even vomiting if it weren't really IBD. Did she get a biopsy to truly ascertain that it's IBD? Is she on any meds for it, because most cats with IBD are, as far as I know. And a lot of them also get Vit B shots also. Here is a very good website all about IBD: Feline Nutrition – IBDKitties

As far as food, you might just need to start reading labels. Google limited ingredient foods and go from there. Or you could try raw. OH, and Stella and Chewy (a commercial raw food company) recently started selling canned cat food, and they do have a turkey flavor. Here's a link to it: Cage-Free Turkey Paté - Stella & Chewy's Pet Food

Also, here is a great thread on IBD from another member with lots of suggestions from other members: New With Questions About Kitty Ibs/ibd (in case you haven't already seen it)
 

LTS3

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Has your cat even been on steroids to help with flare ups? If not, that's something to discuss with the vet. Prednisolone is typically used for IBD cats.

Another good web site with info is Feline IBD

While a raw or home cooked diet are great for IBD cats, it's not necessary. LID type commercial foods are fine. Canned is preferred over dry. Your cat's tummy may be sensitive to turkey now so look for a novel protein food such as rabbit. Rawz is a good bland-ish brand with few fillers that may upset an IBD tummy. Rawz is pretty pricey, though, and only sold at specialty pet stores and a a few authorized pet supply web sites (the Rawz web site has a list).

Limited Ingredient Diet - Grain Free Cat | Merrick Pet Care
Cat Food - Limited Ingredient Diet - Kohapet
Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet | Instinct Pet Food
RAWZ | 100% Rendered Free Cat Food
NutriSource Pet Foods

Pepcid can be helpful and worth discussing with the vet.
 
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BeckarooF

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Thank you all for the information. I have an appointment for her in the morning. She hasn't had a biopsy but that's the conclusion that they came to after her last round of vet visits last January/February. The vet called and discussed with me but didn't really give any other meds other than what was needed to get her over the hurdle. She was very literally at deaths door between all the meds taking her appetite, she was lethargic so would't get up to eat or drink and was vomiting constantly. I nursed her back with pedialyte, canned pumpkin, some pouches of mostly chicken bits with broth and then was able to very gradually switch her food over to the limited ingredient turkey. She was fine until last week and then out of the blue going back down the same path to sickness as last year. I will look into the foods as I have enough of the blue basics to make a gradual switch. Any experience with the limited ingredient Royal Canin? If so, Which protein besides chicken and turkey are less likely to cause issues? Thank you again!
 

MissClouseau

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Is it shedding season / the beginning of the shedding season where you live? The timing makes me think of shedding season and she's getting more hair in her system that triggers more issues, and perhaps also the stress of it.

Do you brush her daily? Is she on a daily hairball remedy?
 

rubysmama

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Any experience with the limited ingredient Royal Canin? If so, Which protein besides chicken and turkey are less likely to cause issues?
I feed Ruby mostly Royal Canin hypoallergenic canned duck food, which I get from the vet. I think Ruby's sensitivity is to chicken, but the duck is fine. I've also given her turkey purebites and those didn't seem to cause an issue either. So although all 3 are poultry, it seems they don't all react the same in a cat's system.

Good luck today. :vibes::vibes::vibes:
 

LTS3

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Try novel proteins like rabbit, venison, kangaroo, etc. Duck may be ok. Some IBD cats who can't eat chicken can eat duck and other poultry but others cannot.
 
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