My big boy Quincy (now 9 years old) just gave us a litterbox scare this weekend. He had a blockage 5 years ago, and right before we had planned to go to bed this past Friday I noticed him going to the litterbox over and over with no results. Rushed him to the ER in a huge thunderstorm at 1 a.m.
Result was that he was NOT blocked but had an infection and crystals. Received the usual meds (Clavamox, anti-spas, bup), and a prescription for Purina Veterinary UR (both wet and dry, but I am only filling the Rx for wet and feeding him that exclusively). A sample was sent to the lab and we're still waiting on culture results, but the presumption is he'll need more Clavamox than what the ER gave us.
I am wondering (just out of nerdy curiosity more than anything else) if anyone knows by what mechanism the Purina Vet UR works. I know most urinary foods use a combination of certain restricted nutrients, increased sodium (to increase thirst) and dl-methionine (to dissolve crystals). I note that Purina Vet UR says it dissolves both kinds of crystals, but it has no dl-methionine. Does anyone know how exactly it works?
Also, do vets typically test for which type of crystals a cat has? My reason for asking is that for about the last 4 years he's been eating Dave's Restricted Diet Magnesium & Phosphorus, as an alternative to what he was prescribed at the time of his blockage 5 years ago (Hills s/d followed by c/d). It has better ingredients than c/d, with the same approach (the restricted nutrients plus dl-methionine content). Also, my vet believes that as long as a cat gets mostly wet food, any wet food is fine, and that Quincy didn't need to be on Rx food. (FWIW I agree he doesn't usually need to be on Rx food, but I don't agree that "any wet food is fine".) Quincy also was (not anymore) getting a VERY small amount of a high quality grain free dry food WITH dl-methionine as a treat each day...certainly not enough to cause a blockage, especially since he was getting dl-methionine. But now I wonder if he was getting TOO much dl-methionine and maybe the crystals he has now are the OTHER kind. Maybe I need to get a pH kit!!! But anyway, does anyone know if my theory has any plausibility, and/or if vets routinely test to see which type of crystal?
Result was that he was NOT blocked but had an infection and crystals. Received the usual meds (Clavamox, anti-spas, bup), and a prescription for Purina Veterinary UR (both wet and dry, but I am only filling the Rx for wet and feeding him that exclusively). A sample was sent to the lab and we're still waiting on culture results, but the presumption is he'll need more Clavamox than what the ER gave us.I am wondering (just out of nerdy curiosity more than anything else) if anyone knows by what mechanism the Purina Vet UR works. I know most urinary foods use a combination of certain restricted nutrients, increased sodium (to increase thirst) and dl-methionine (to dissolve crystals). I note that Purina Vet UR says it dissolves both kinds of crystals, but it has no dl-methionine. Does anyone know how exactly it works?
Also, do vets typically test for which type of crystals a cat has? My reason for asking is that for about the last 4 years he's been eating Dave's Restricted Diet Magnesium & Phosphorus, as an alternative to what he was prescribed at the time of his blockage 5 years ago (Hills s/d followed by c/d). It has better ingredients than c/d, with the same approach (the restricted nutrients plus dl-methionine content). Also, my vet believes that as long as a cat gets mostly wet food, any wet food is fine, and that Quincy didn't need to be on Rx food. (FWIW I agree he doesn't usually need to be on Rx food, but I don't agree that "any wet food is fine".) Quincy also was (not anymore) getting a VERY small amount of a high quality grain free dry food WITH dl-methionine as a treat each day...certainly not enough to cause a blockage, especially since he was getting dl-methionine. But now I wonder if he was getting TOO much dl-methionine and maybe the crystals he has now are the OTHER kind. Maybe I need to get a pH kit!!! But anyway, does anyone know if my theory has any plausibility, and/or if vets routinely test to see which type of crystal?
