Royal Canin Hydrolyized Protein good or bad?

kellvanz

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I adopted my kitty Radar from the humane society when he was 6 weeks. He's now 6 months and still had soft stool/diarrhea. I've taken to the vet and after parasite tests and probiotics and me taking a sample of his poop to get tested the results have all come back normal. My vet suggested the hypoallergenic royal canin dry food. I tried for two weeks and it worked, but it's super expensive and I also have read some things about it not having meat and isn't good long term. I ran out and haven't been able to buy another bag so he's back on regular cat food and his diarrhea has returned. I don't know what to do. I can't afford $50 a bag, but I also want the diarrhea to go away. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
 

mrsgreenjeens

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Were you feeding dry food before?  kibble is naturally drying, so often if cats are switched from canned to kibble it will help with diarrhea simply because it dries them out.

If you were already feeding kibble, then it certainly sounds like there was something in the food you were feeding that wasn't agreeing with your little guy.  You could try to figure out what that was by trying to feed something completely different, maybe a limited ingredient food.  Say you were feeding Purina Kitten Chow, which possible had chicken, turkey and fish in it.  Then maybe you could switch to Natural Balance Green Pea and Duck or Natures Variety Instinct Rabbit...something like that.
 

relienna

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I adopted my kitty Radar from the humane society when he was 6 weeks. He's now 6 months and still had soft stool/diarrhea. I've taken to the vet and after parasite tests and probiotics and me taking a sample of his poop to get tested the results have all come back normal. My vet suggested the hypoallergenic royal canin dry food. I tried for two weeks and it worked, but it's super expensive and I also have read some things about it not having meat and isn't good long term. I ran out and haven't been able to buy another bag so he's back on regular cat food and his diarrhea has returned. I don't know what to do. I can't afford $50 a bag, but I also want the diarrhea to go away. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Hey there!

So, I'm sure that your Veterinarian explained the reason for the RC Hypoallergenic food, but if it's not too redundant I'll just throw some info out there!

The hypoallergenic diet is a hydrolyzed protein diet - which is a fancy word for saying that the soy protein and small amount of chicken protein they used has been ultra broken down (essentially has been pre-digested) to be extremely easy on the intestinal tract. The reason they use mostly soy protein is because the diet is designed for cat's with allergies to meat protein sources. It's grain free as well since those can contribute to allergies too.

Cats and dogs express their allergies in 2 different ways: Either skin issues or Stomach Issues.

The reason your cat did better on the food could potentially be because your cat has an allergy to different meat protein sources. The most common allergies in our pet friends tend to be between chicken, beef and sometimes turkey. In dogs lamb is another candidate. Our grain sources obviously included in potential allergies.

The Royal Canin diet is AAFCO approved to be a balanced diet and is safe to give as a regular diet. ESPECIALLY if your cats allergies are GI based to meat proteins.

I know, the idea of a cat being allergic to what it's naturally supposed to eat seems like a strange anomaly. But, it's possible. And I know lots of people have negative things to say about soy protein being the main source. But, it IS a balanced diet and if pets are truly allergic to most protein sources they soy is kind of what we have left.

That being said, it's possible that what you were feeding prior to the Royal Canin diet could have just had one specific grain or protein source your kitty was adverse to.

In that case, if you really don't want to stick to the Royal Canin or experiment before you commit to an expensive diet, you can do what the person above me suggested and try limited ingredient  diets. But, I gotta warn you, they aren't going to be THAT much cheaper than the prescription diet.

When experimenting you want to pick ONE protein and ONE protein only to trial for at least a month. The more you switch around foods the more you are going to upset your kitty's tummy! Natural Balance has the best options if you want my opinion as far as really strict limited ingredients. Their diets are really good about not having additional flavorings outside of the main protein flavor they advertise. You want the food to only have ONE TYPE OF MEAT. The next important thing about the protein you choose is it has to be something you cat has never had before. The best two flavors for this are duck and rabbit (as the person above stated).

If you choose to attempt this route I would still recommend getting an opinion from your veterinarian beforehand! =]

Hope this helps! Feel free to ask questions!

EDIT: If you do want to stick to the prescription diet since it worked for you furry friend - Hills Science Diet and Purina Veterinary Diets ALSO make a Hydrolyzed Protein Diet! For Hills it is called "Z/D" and for Purina VD it is called "Purina H.A."! Those two prescription brands might be slightly cheaper than the Royal Canin! Call and ask your vet for either a quote or a written prescription so you can shop around!
 
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tobilei

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I've had lots of issues with a cat with allergies (and another who doesn't but does get diarrhea/soft stool from certain foods).

Can I ask, did he have diarrhea when you first got him? We were under strict instruction to continue to feed our kitten what she was eating at the shelter and to introduce new foods very slowly. Any transition should be done slowly. Some of the new foods went well, others not so much.

Unfortunately prescription diets are expensive.

Also I could be wrong, I know ingredients vary from country to country but in Australia the RC Hypoallergenic is not grain free. It has rice. As does the Hills Z/D although it has hydrolyzed liver rather than soy if you don't like soy. The company did tell me that it draws fluid into the intestines though and will almost definitely cause loose stool for the first few weeks of being on it.

You have a couple of other choices. If the vet suspects allergies, keep feeding the RC hypoallergenic he was fine on. Once he's well again introduce a single protein source. Like chicken you've cooked at home yourself, or lamb, or beef. If there's no reaction he's fine to keep eating that particular protein. If there is a reaction you know you need to continue to avoid it. Give him at least 2 weeks between challenges.

The limited ingredient diets are another option, but again, not cheap.

Or you can go all out and be careful to try feeding a dry or wet food that has a single protein source and if the diarrhea continues you may just have to go the prescription diet route.

You have my sympathy though, I have 2 cats and because one has issues with food, we can only keep suitable foods in the house. 2 cats eating prescription diets is very expensive.
 

relienna

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I've had lots of issues with a cat with allergies (and another who doesn't but does get diarrhea/soft stool from certain foods).

Can I ask, did he have diarrhea when you first got him? We were under strict instruction to continue to feed our kitten what she was eating at the shelter and to introduce new foods very slowly. Any transition should be done slowly. Some of the new foods went well, others not so much.

Unfortunately prescription diets are expensive.

Also I could be wrong, I know ingredients vary from country to country but in Australia the RC Hypoallergenic is not grain free. It has rice. As does the Hills Z/D although it has hydrolyzed liver rather than soy if you don't like soy. The company did tell me that it draws fluid into the intestines though and will almost definitely cause loose stool for the first few weeks of being on it.

You have a couple of other choices. If the vet suspects allergies, keep feeding the RC hypoallergenic he was fine on. Once he's well again introduce a single protein source. Like chicken you've cooked at home yourself, or lamb, or beef. If there's no reaction he's fine to keep eating that particular protein. If there is a reaction you know you need to continue to avoid it. Give him at least 2 weeks between challenges.

The limited ingredient diets are another option, but again, not cheap.

Or you can go all out and be careful to try feeding a dry or wet food that has a single protein source and if the diarrhea continues you may just have to go the prescription diet route.

You have my sympathy though, I have 2 cats and because one has issues with food, we can only keep suitable foods in the house. 2 cats eating prescription diets is very expensive.
You might be right, looking into it I saw that the RC Hydrolyzed Protein does have Brewer's Rice in it.

But, I wonder if it is processed differently like the protein source because I'm pretty sure we have recommended it to cats and dogs with pretty bad meat AND grain allergies before at the vet clinic I work at.

I could be wrong though, it's been awhile since I've been involved in a food allergy case. All the ones we have been seeing lately are flea related! Haha

It doesn't sound like this particular cat has grain allergies at least. If the rice was an issue, the kitty wouldn't have done better on it! =D
 

sweetpea24

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The hydrolyzed protein means that the protein molecules have been modified so they are smaller. The body then doesn't recognize the molecules as protein and thus, won't react. The ingredients aren't the greatest but the food has the same amino acod profile as other cat foods and provides the correct nutrient profile. It is the best way to determine if your cat has a a food allergy or not. Feed as th sole diet for 6 weeks. If you see improvement, it is a food allergy. You can then, if you want, try Royal Canin' hypoallergenic which is based on a single source, novel protein (duck) and see if your cat reacts. If your cat does then you can change proteins. Royal Canin makes Sensitivity VR with venison. The thing is that the rx diets are made in a controlled environment which prevents cross-contamination with other foods. Royal Canin only makes their hypo diets on Mondays because their factory gets thoroughly cleaned on the weekends. And they guarantee their foods. You can get a full refund if the bag is at least half full if your cat doesn't like it or if it isn't working for your cat. Pet store foods cannot guarantee there has not been any cross-contamination as most foods are made in another plant by another company. Both Hills and a Purina have the same guarantee with their rx diets?
 

crystalgeyser

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I've had lots of issues with a cat with allergies (and another who doesn't but does get diarrhea/soft stool from certain foods).

Can I ask, did he have diarrhea when you first got him? We were under strict instruction to continue to feed our kitten what she was eating at the shelter and to introduce new foods very slowly. Any transition should be done slowly. Some of the new foods went well, others not so much.

Unfortunately prescription diets are expensive.

Also I could be wrong, I know ingredients vary from country to country but in Australia the RC Hypoallergenic is not grain free. It has rice. As does the Hills Z/D although it has hydrolyzed liver rather than soy if you don't like soy. The company did tell me that it draws fluid into the intestines though and will almost definitely cause loose stool for the first few weeks of being on it.

You have a couple of other choices. If the vet suspects allergies, keep feeding the RC hypoallergenic he was fine on. Once he's well again introduce a single protein source. Like chicken you've cooked at home yourself, or lamb, or beef. If there's no reaction he's fine to keep eating that particular protein. If there is a reaction you know you need to continue to avoid it. Give him at least 2 weeks between challenges.

The limited ingredient diets are another option, but again, not cheap.

Or you can go all out and be careful to try feeding a dry or wet food that has a single protein source and if the diarrhea continues you may just have to go the prescription diet route.

You have my sympathy though, I have 2 cats and because one has issues with food, we can only keep suitable foods in the house. 2 cats eating prescription diets is very expensive.
You might be right, looking into it I saw that the RC Hydrolyzed Protein does have Brewer's Rice in it.

But, I wonder if it is processed differently like the protein source because I'm pretty sure we have recommended it to cats and dogs with pretty bad meat AND grain allergies before at the vet clinic I work at.

I could be wrong though, it's been awhile since I've been involved in a food allergy case. All the ones we have been seeing lately are flea related! Haha

It doesn't sound like this particular cat has grain allergies at least. If the rice was an issue, the kitty wouldn't have done better on it! =D
 

crystalgeyser

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The company did tell me that it draws fluid into the intestines though and will almost definitely cause loose stool for the first few weeks of being on it.

Hi. I've a cat we assume has a food intolerance or allergies. She had started to experience nausea and vomiting on her other, regular food. Your comment that the manufacturer of the hydrolyzed food told you that it could cause diarrhea/loose stools because such diets pull water into the intestines is what perked up my ears.

My cat was on Royal Canin Ultamino for 5 wks. We quit this food after 5 wks because she hated it, and I just couldn't get enough calories into her each day. That was the downside. The upside was that on the second day of Ultamino, she never vomited or acted nauseated again.

HOWEVER, by the 4th week of Ultamino, her stool had turned from just fine to semi-soft, to soft. .

Therefore, we switched to Hill's canned Z/D. It stunned me when she wouldn't look at it to a few days later enjoying it. The first 3 days or so, her stool was fine but then turned to soft and now to occasional diarrhea, or at best, pudding thickness.

Both vets I've seen admitted they knew nothing of the articles on the net that say hydrolyzed food "MAY cause diarrhea or loose stool." They don't seem to think her loose stool is because of the two hydrolyzed RX diets she's been on.

They were nice about my pointing out that there are articles of a research nature that claim such diets "MAY draw sufficient water into the intestines to cause loose stools or diarrhea."

I called Royal Canin and nice as they are, they claimed "we would not expect such a reaction to our product."

I wrote Hill's and have not received an answer.

Can you tell me anything else you know about the loose stool connection? I would have expected that after four or five weeks, if it were going to resolve on my kitty, it would have. What did that rep tell you and what company was it, RC or Hills?

Anything you can tell me would help. Thanks so much.
 

mrsgreenjeens

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Can you tell me anything else you know about the loose stool connection? I would have expected that after four or five weeks, if it were going to resolve on my kitty, it would have. What did that rep tell you and what company was it, RC or Hills?

Anything you can tell me would help. Thanks so much.
I'm sorry you haven't gotten a response to your questions, but this thread is almost six years old, so I'm not really surprised. You might want to start up your own thread to get better attention to your queries.
 
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