Is there testing to determine if my cat is getting proper nutrition?

[cc0000]

My cat has IBD and has been put on Hill's Z/D to stop flare-ups. So far, it has been working well for that. I am concerned, however, that it is not healthy for him long-term and is lacking something causing him to drink more water.

I was recently concerned that my cat had diabetes/kidney disease as he started drinking more water. He tested fine and still is running around and having no IBD flare-ups. But, he goes back and forth with drinking water. He will drink normally some days, and others, he is running to the bowl constantly.

The weird thing is his blood tests and urine tests came out fine and the excessive drinking (since starting Hills Z/D) is the only change noticed. He also, strangely, doesn't seem to urinate more like you would think with the upped water consumption.

My cat has also run to the water bowl when I've fed my other 2 cats their food so it got me thinking, maybe this food is leaving him hungry because it is nutritionally incomplete.

I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place. My cat's IBD finally has stopped flaring up after months of food trials and vet visits. But, now he is having other issues so I don't know if the food needs to be switched again.

Any help is appreciated, thanks.

 

[lalagimp]

It's been said that they will add things to prescription foods to make their thirst drive go higher so that they are drinking more water, not necessarily because something is missing. If all the blood and urine come back ok, that might be the case.

 

[sweetpea24]

My cat has IBD and has been put on Hill's Z/D to stop flare-ups. So far, it has been working well for that. I am concerned, however, that it is not healthy for him long-term and is lacking something causing him to drink more water.


I was recently concerned that my cat had diabetes/kidney disease as he started drinking more water. He tested fine and still is running around and having no IBD flare-ups. But, he goes back and forth with drinking water. He will drink normally some days, and others, he is running to the bowl constantly.

The weird thing is his blood tests and urine tests came out fine and the excessive drinking (since starting Hills Z/D) is the only change noticed. He also, strangely, doesn't seem to urinate more like you would think with the upped water consumption.

My cat has also run to the water bowl when I've fed my other 2 cats their food so it got me thinking, maybe this food is leaving him hungry because it is nutritionally incomplete.


I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place. My cat's IBD finally has stopped flaring up after months of food trials and vet visits. But, now he is having other issues so I don't know if the food needs to be switched again.


Any help is appreciated, thanks.

Hills z/d is definitely not incomplete. The tests you can run are full bloodwork and urinalysis. The bloodwork will tell you if his organs are functioning properly. If you want to know if the nutrients are in the food look up the National Research Council's nutrient requirements for cats or the AAFCO'S. These give you the recommended amounts of each nutrient. Granted that some of the veterinary diets will be restricted in some nutrients depending on the conditions they treat but z/d is meant as a maintenance diet and provides the necessary nutrition your cat needs. I would talk to your vet with your concerns.

 

[Willowy]

Some of the prescription foods aren't meant for long-term use but z/d says it's "complete and balanced" so it should be OK. I know some of the urinary foods have additives to make the cat drink more, to make them pee more, to prevent urinary issues, but there's really no reason for the allergy food to have that feature :dk:. Are you using the canned or the dry version? If you're only using the dry, try some of the canned and see if that helps.