Diet, constipation, urine pH

[Time 2 Recognize]

Hey guys,

I'm in a tough spot with my 2yo indoor only female. So back in February my cat sprained her leg somehow (this happened before I woke up so don't know how exactly). Just the day prior, I received urinalysis that was done to check that a UTI had cleared after antibiotics. It had, but then showed a higher than ideal pH of 7, as well as occasional crystals. My vet's office mentioned adding methagel to her routine to acidify the urine. Anyway, the next day I woke up to her obviously hurting and we went in to the vet's for an x ray, which she had to be sedated for. Just a sprain thankfully and then two-three weeks of keeping her as immobile as possible using pet pens and close eye watching her. I was given buprenex to give her for a couple days (I only did for 2 days since she actually seemed ok after resting and the buprenex made her weird). I bought the methagel and she healed after 2-3 weeks enough for normal routines/activity. She did have a period of time where she was urinating more than usual while in recovery/quaranteen but went back to normal amounts after a few days.

She does not like the methagel and I feel like the days I give it to her, she acts less herself. I do try and give it at meal time by putting some on her shoulder but I'm worried about how it makes her feel so I don't give it every day. Then this week, two main things. She's been back and forth with constipation since the leg sprain situation. I haven't really changed her foods with the exception of removing Holistic Select chicken from the options because it had the most listed plant ingredients and I wondered if that was contributing to higher pH. Truth be told though, she had the best poops when on that brand but, even when I gave her others wasn't having the issues like she has been lately. Now I give her Hound and Gatos brand, Rawz when I can find it, sometimes Tiki and recently Koha. She will typically get bored if feeding the same thing meal after meal, but has in the past week lessened in her appetite regardless. She still wants food, but I put it down and no matter what she's not super into it. She is less excited about freeze dried snack treats even. She's no longer interested in Hound and Gatos chicken much at all, and I was hoping Koha turkey would satisfy, but she only ate 2/3 of 1/3 can serving (I feed a 5.5oz can split in 3meals + water) when I gave it for mid-day snack today. I generally add kitty probiotics, salmon oil and sometimes pumpkin (but read doing that all the time defeats it's purpose?)

I am in contact with her vet, who has suggested stopping methagel all together to see if her appetite goes back to normal. She said to add more salmon oil if constipated but I'm concerned as to why she is like this lately and don't want to add too much oil and cause some other imbalance. I also am in NY, about 40 minutes out from the NY city -so we are only to go out for essentials and most vets offices have a drop off/pick up policy with the whole virus situation. I don't know if the vet I have now is really the best fit, but I've known her the longest and would at least trust leaving my cat there to be examined as opposed to going somewhere new. She also never had her rabies vaccine so I'm scared to bring her elsewhere as she isn't friendly at vet's offices after bad experience at a feline only clinic back in december. Since then, it's been one issue after the other (recovering from bad reaction to steroid shot at that clinic, then developing UTI, then high pH + crystals, then sprain, now all this). I would so dearly like her to be well before putting her system at odds with the rabies shot if I decide to get it. So I feel super torn about what to do, if I'm doing things wrong, if I should insist on new blood work and an exam from the vet I know...

I just want to find a good routine and diet that works for her and feel overwhelmed (on so many levels). If anyone has any advice I would so much appreciate it. Thank you.

 

[Furballsmom]

I am in contact with her vet, who has suggested stopping methagel all together to see if her appetite goes back to normal.

In my opinion, you'll need to approach this piece by piece, over some time and with patience.

I feel like the days I give it to her, she acts less herself.

As suggested, try stopping the methagel and see if her appetite goes back to normal. After a bit, try adding the Holistic Select on a rotational basis as you were doing and see if her constipation gets back to normal. If not then try adding a bit more salmon oil.

 

[Time 2 Recognize]

In my opinion, you'll need to approach this piece by piece, over some time and with patience.

I am trying. Stopping the methigel, but I wasn't giving that to her that regularly anyway. I did for couple days in a row and would stop for a while because I felt it was not sitting right with her. But will stop all together now. I added pumpkin to her dinner last night and her breakfast. I had one can of Holistic Select left and she did finish each meal of it last night and this morning. Then I tried the Koha Turkey for snack meal and she barely ate a few licks of it. I even put topper snack on it and she isn't interested enough to actually eat the food.

The two issues are I suspect the Holistic select may have contributed to higher pH (I could be wrong -it was just a theory) but also even if that's not the case, the brand is being discontinued. They are redirecting customers to switch to Wellness Core, which has peas and pea proteins in ingredients that I'd rather avoid. So either way it's not a food I can feed her long term now. She never used to be a picky eater and previously liked the brands I'm trying so it's odd to me and I'm not sure what to do.

Is is possible that I was rotating foods too often, thus making her picky? Could it just be behavioral? I'm not sure what to do if I can't get holistic and she won't eat the other brands I now stocked up on cases of (because with the shut down in NY I bought cases online over going to store and buying smaller amounts).

 

[Furballsmom]

Oh gosh
Maybe there's something on here that might help to convince her to eat

Any Good Tips To Get Your Cats To Eat? Share Them Here!

There are many times when a cat refuse to eat due to change of food, due to health reasons, being fussy or gotten sick of what they have been eating and we try to get them to eat a new food and have problems getting them to eat. I see that there are many threads past and recent on how members...

thecatsite.com

 

[Time 2 Recognize]

Oh gosh
Maybe there's something on here that might help to convince her to eat

http://[URL]https://thecatsite.com/...-get-your-cats-to-eat-share-them-here.396694/

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Thank you! After a quick look, it seems most things I've tried. I'm thinking that her being constipated is what is causing a lack of appetite. Or maybe she just suddenly has no interest in the foods that she's previously enjoyed. Even the Holistic, I gave it to her for dinner. She ate some and left the rest overnight. She never used to leave food overnight even if it wasn't her favorite of all favorites....

Then, Just this morning tried Hound and Gatos turkey/liver and she was not interested, walked away. I put 1/8tsp miralax in it to help move things, because I don't know pumpkin (which I started yesterday and she didnt eat much meals of) is helping. Yesterday she did leave a couple pieces of hard poo, and one definitely had some hair in it. Anyway, I eventually crumbled some freeze dried chicken heart/liver from Vital Essentials and she ate 2/3 of the meal, but I don't know if adding a bit of heart and liver to each meal would negatively throw things off nutritionally since most of the foods I buy are meat + liver. She was never this picky. She did want a topper of some kind always, but whether it was freeze dried turkey, lamb or chicken she didnt care and would lick the bowl clean.

So I'm waiting to hear from our vets to see if they can look at her and get blood work done today just to rule out anything that could show up there. She has been pooping, but like I said pretty constipated past few days...so I guess there's a potential that she is quite backed up. Again, just weird since her diet never used to cause this type of constipation.

 

[Furballsmom]

Again, just weird since her diet never used to cause this type of constipation

It's possible the manufacturer change the recipe ingredients - they aren't required to change their labelling for 3 months or something like that. I guess, too, the constipation and lack of interest in food could be stress related? Do you have a hairball remedy? I've used nutri-vet hairball gel with succes (thanks to M maggiedemi )

Let us know what the vet says - I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you-all!

 

[Time 2 Recognize]

It's possible the manufacturer change the recipe ingredients - they aren't required to change their labelling for 3 months or something like that. I guess, too, the constipation and lack of interest in food could be stress related? Do you have a hairball remedy? I've used nutri-vet hairball gel with succes (thanks to M maggiedemi M maggiedemi )

Let us know what the vet says - I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you-all!

I don't think they have changed...but also I have pretty much always fed a rotation. One can one day, a different the next. Just to keep her from getting bored with a food and also to try and keep her from getting so picky that if one brand went out of business (like holistic select) it wouldn't be too much an issue. But here we are and she's been getting constipated and hasn't had interest in 4 different cans. Just really weird for her.
I am waiting to hear if my vet can see her today. I really hope she can and if not will call elsewhere. I asked on pet-coach about this and a vet answered that constipation can cause lack of appetite and that if it gets to that stage they might need enema and hospitalization. I'm really hoping that is not the case and if it is I don't know that our regular vet would be able to do all that if she is crazy busy like the front desk made it sound.

With what's going on in NY, vet clinics are "drop off only" at this point. There is one other place I somewhat trust, but at the same time I don't trust them enough to leave my cat there and have her looked at without my presence. Main thing I want to also figure out is why she's gotten constipated lately on a wet food diet with added water and salmon oil...I will update when there is an update! Thank you for helping

 

[Furballsmom]

I will update when there is an update

 

[Time 2 Recognize]

Ok so I spoke with the vets office and since Echo is so difficult at the vet and her blood work from a couple months back was good on all counts, and urinalysis was good from just this week (I brought in sample and they said all is fine so kidney function should be good), they are recommending an appetite stimulant and some lactulose withough bringing her in. I guess the vet feels if they are going to look at her she would have to be sedated (which I want to avoid) and doesn't think even some gabapentin would be enough to calm her for an exam.

I will say I gave her gaba once, when we thought we would have to go in but ended up not having to (we were trying to get urine sample and soon as I gave her the gaba she naturally went to the loo), and she was super relaxed on it, especially 2 hours into it. Maybe would still be a little grumpy at a vet office but she was very relaxed and sleepy. I think this vet might feel I'm over reacting, but constipated for 3 days and low appetite seem like an issue that should have cause identified. They are totally booked with things tomorrow and not otherwise open until Tuesday of next week.

I don't want Echo fully sedated, so I said I would just pick up the lactulose and appetite stimulant to have. I'll also get some weruva cans while there since they have them to try with her, she's enjoyed before...but I'm not sure what the right thing to do here is. There is another vet clinic like I mentioned, but they won't let me in with her, it's basically curb side pick up and then they bring her out after which is very uncomfortable to me.

 

[Furballsmom]

it's basically curb side pick up and then they bring her out after which is very uncomfortable to me.

Hopefully the lactulose helps her but if not, either talk to your current vet again, or keep these folks as a possibility for her.
Hang in there!!