Looking For Experience With Elimination Diets

[backyardzoo]

Another update on my girl as it will be 11 weeks this week on the Royal Canin PD canned and kibble. Still having some occasional puking but have not noticed any litter box issues or gas. The puking episodes have happened twice since the last update but only for a day or so. I don't know if hair was/is the cause of those episodes and hairballs just irritated her stomach to puke up kibble as I pulled her kibble and would feed small amounts of canned which she would keep down before offering small amounts of kibble again. The scratching her face raw is still a big problem and seems to come and go as she almost heals up and then it goes back to being scabby/weepy. I'm going to book her in with the vet again but I'm thinking I am running out of options for her. Least I have more information for the vet from the 11 weeks, but really wish that this had worked out for her.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi! I saw there had been some mentions upthread of raw? Although I'd say only a couple puking episodes is quite an improvement...I'm almost wondering whether you could keep the RC, and try some freeze dried or hydrolyzed food intermittently?
Can you try chamomile tea as a wash on the itchy areas? Just brew a cup, let it cool and apply it with a cotton ball. It's both anti fungal and anti bacterial.

 

[backyardzoo]

I've thought of trying raw with her, but getting it and her actually eating it would be the challenge. She's getting better at eating canned but I add water to the pate and mashed it up so it more soft/puree like because she in the past was a gravy eater. I'm trying to remember if in the past if she ate raw turkey as we usually offered the critters a few little pieces when prepping a bird, so she might be ok with it.

 

[Wile]

It might be worthwhile to try a different protein type. In your initial post you suggested that rabbit was the next step. Is that something that you would be willing to try? I know that Instinct makes a rabbit-based LID kibble and wet food.

I am also on a food trial with rabbit at the moment. I feed the Rayne hypoallergenic rabbit maintenance prescription diet along with home cooked rabbit. Rayne is a Canadian company, so your vet should be able to order it in for you.

 

[backyardzoo]

She has been on Royal Canin PD canned for over 2 months now instead of the Merrick so I'm thinking maybe duck is not her thing(or maybe the hydrolyzed soy in the kibble as that was the only real difference I saw in the canned vs kibble RC). Though the episode that started this was over a week of puking and diarrhea before we got it under control with the change of food/meds. She hasn't had anything remotely the same since for puking and I haven't noticed any real diarrhea issues since. She is going to the vet on Friday and I will see what they say and maybe a protein change is in order for another trial. I'm starting to wonder if there are other issues that will need to be looked at as well as food allergies/sensitivities. Having dealt with my own health issues with doctors I know how long it take for things to be figured out. I just feel so bad for her in the mean time

 

[Wile]

She has been on Royal Canin PD canned for over 2 months now instead of the Merrick so I'm thinking maybe duck is not her thing(or maybe the hydrolyzed soy in the kibble as that was the only real difference I saw in the canned vs kibble RC). Though the episode that started this was over a week of puking and diarrhea before we got it under control with the change of food/meds. She hasn't had anything remotely the same since for puking and I haven't noticed any real diarrhea issues since. She is going to the vet on Friday and I will see what they say and maybe a protein change is in order for another trial. I'm starting to wonder if there are other issues that will need to be looked at as well as food allergies/sensitivities. Having dealt with my own health issues with doctors I know how long it take for things to be figured out. I just feel so bad for her in the mean time

It is really hard to know with these cats what is going on, and food trials take so long so I feel your pain

Hopefully the vets will give you some more direction on Friday.

 

[Furballsmom]

I'll be keeping my fingers crossed that whatever happens it is a forward direction

 

[backyardzoo]

Sorry for the long-winded story, but feeling frustrated.

Vet thinks even though that she is still scratching and occasionally puking for a day that the food allergy is not an issue anymore and that she is sensitive stomach with possible environmental allergies. I did mention that she can keep down canned food 99% of the time and if she pukes it is the kibble usually(as in the puking day if I feed her small amounts of canned and water it will usually not come back up). She is not an over-groomer but is extremely detailed on her grooming so he thinks it could be the hair irritating her stomach causing the puking as she hasn't had really any serious diarrhea in this trial. He said if we wanted we could try the allergy drug that might help clear up the scratching, however it is a syringe in the month daily at the tune of $130. I could try that but she is a total princess and I can't see her even slightly tolerating that(it would be $130 on the floor/her and very little in her even if kitty burrito). He did not think I need to try another food protein or the special hypoallergenic food where there is basically guaranteed no reaction.

She was almost cleared up under her chin at the visit but has again scratched it to scabs while still being on the Royal Canin PD canned and kibble. I'm thinking either we have to just live with this as is or maybe on my own find a novel protein(rabbit be easiest to find I'm thinking) to try her on. I can't afford to keep dragging her to the vet at this rate as it is $100/visit and I'm not really any further ahead then when I started a year ago trying to get this figured.

 

[Furballsmom]

maybe on my own find a novel protein(rabbit be easiest to find I'm thinking) to try her on.

Definitely, try this.

Can you try chamomile tea as a wash on the itchy areas? Just brew a cup, let it cool and apply it with a cotton ball. It's both anti fungal and anti bacterial

and also try this - it'll help a lot, including with itchiness, and if she ingests some it is safe.

 

[backyardzoo]

Thanks for the suggestions, I have a pink liquid the vet gave to wash her chin with, think I have chamomile tea somewhere from when I was healing some piercings though...

Going to head to the two pet stores to see what they have for rabbit LID/raw food options or can get in. Can't make things worse at this rate. I noticed as of late she is shedding a touch more with some dandruff so makes me think food issues are still there. Just not as bad.

She is such a love kitty too, feel bad for putting her thru all this.

 

[Furballsmom]

 

[daftcat75]

If she's good with wet and only has trouble with kibble, why still feed her kibble? That's just setting the stage for digestive and kidney problems further down the road.

 

[backyardzoo]

I've been trying to reduce the amount of kibble she gets but it is a slow process as she has never liked canned food as much as kibble especially the pate versions(hence me adding warm water and mashing it to make it edible to her)

 

[daftcat75]

You can throw a whole pate can in the blender. The jelly stuff on top will make it blend smooth. Then you can cut it with bone broth or kitten milk replacer if you want it thinner. If you want it thicker, you can add gelatin. You can also mix shreds with pate (either before or after blending) to make it more interesting than gruel.

 

[daftcat75]

The thing with blending a pate though is that depending on the thickener used to keep it together, it may set up pretty firm when refrigerated. I had that experience with Rawz which uses fenugreek seeds as its binder. It set like a firm pudding when I refrigerated the remaining blended portion. I guess that's to say you may not get to retain blended leftovers. That's why it's important to get bang for your buck out of any added moisture (KMR or bone broth.)

 

[backyardzoo]

Thanks for the help daftcat75. I was using water just for the not wanting to add anything else that would throw off the elimination diet.

Short update, got a small bag of Nature's Variety Instinct LID rabbit kibble. Kitten went straight for it in the little dish over the Royal Canin, she sniffed and went to the RC. Also bought a bag of frozen raw rabbit dog food as they didn't have a cat one that was rabbit, still looking for a canned plain rabbit food. Neither cat wanted anything to do with it, dog ate it though lol so if least it won't go to waste. Try again tonight.

 

[lisahe]

I hate to say it, backyardzoo , but our cats were also very unfavorable on Nature's Variety Instinct when I tried feeding it to them years ago. Canned, raw frozen, it didn't matter. Even if they ate some, they never finished and were never happy. And it's too expensive to throw away. At least you have a dog to finish it off, if need be!

 

[Selarah]

I am having very similar issues with my kitty. He is itchy everywhere. So reactive, that he can’t even finish a meal with most foods because he runs away scratching and irritated. I too, have tried an assortment, albeit maybe not long enough, since the cat decides he doesn’t want to eat anything longer than two weeks, either because he hates it, or due to the persistent itching still. He is also stubborn about trying anything novel (rabbit, venison HATES it). Maybe I have to be more consistent and more stubborn than him. Sometimes I don’t even know where I am at with everything, because nothing seems to be working and I’ve tried plenty. I have great plans for him, but 50% of this relies on him cooperating, well, we all know how that can go.

I have been terrified about using kibble/prescription diet, but I have come to terms and just want to find relief for him, so I am going to transition him to a hydrolyzed diet from the vet (going to try the Purina HA, since he likes all Purina foods) My hope is that it is super palatable. It is on order and should be here today or tomorrow.

If your attempts don’t work with the rabbit, or anything else that you try, maybe ask your vet again about the hydrolyzed. At least you can see if it works. If it does and once she is stable, it will make it so much easier to do food trials to find something that will work, in addition with the hydrolyzed. That is my theory anyway.

Someone else mentioned the Rayne rabbit. That is also another good option if your cat likes it. Rayne is made without peas, you were mentioning that might be a questionable ingredient for your kitty. Rayne is also made in a clean facility with absolutely no cross contamination. Mine sadly hated it.

RAWZ is tricky to find, and their website isn’t all that helpful. I managed to find it in a couple small independent pet stores (where are you located?). If you have a small independent store, they may be able to special order it for you. My cat really likes RAWZ but so far all the proteins I have tried makes him SO ITCHY, instantly, and he cries at me.

I hope you find something that works for your baby, you aren’t alone.

 

[backyardzoo]

The kitten did eat it, but he is a garbage can. They both went meh at the raw food, even the dog was a little hesitant with that stuff. The color of the Instinct rabbit kinda was a put off as it almost black in comparison. From what I can find the only options I might be able to get for canned rabbit are Rawz, Instinct LID and Koha. Might be mail order though for those(joys of living far from everything in Canada)

 

[Selarah]

The kitten did eat it, but he is a garbage can. They both went meh at the raw food, even the dog was a little hesitant with that stuff. The color of the Instinct rabbit kinda was a put off as it almost black in comparison. From what I can find the only options I might be able to get for canned rabbit are Rawz, Instinct LID and Koha. Might be mail order though for those(joys of living far from everything in Canada)

I am in Canada too, and they are available in stores near me. Where are you located?