Seizure related to raw?

[thecatlady3]

Hi
I'm new here! I'm looking for some advice...
My 6 month old rescue had a seizure this morning. I took him to the emergency vet right away. He was lethargic post seizure but came around when we got outside.

His exam at the vet was normal but I opted for blood work anyways. The test showed elevated neutrophils which is likely a result of his upper respiratory infection. I have 1 other cats that have the feline respiratory herpes virus as they were adopted from the shelter.
The vet asked about diet and I have been transitioning Thompson to a raw diet. She isn't a fan of raw so wasn't too positive about that. I have been giving him pre made frozen meals that I buy locally. Www.buddiesnaturalpetfood.ca
I told the vet that the composition of the meals is 80% meat 10% organ and 10% bone. She disagreed and said that cats need more bone and less meat?? I've only been feeding the raw for a week and I've slowly been transitioning.
I am not sure what to do now.
It is possible that Thompson was running around and hit his head on the table, but the vet also said he could have toxoplasmosis.
I am super worried about him. Just wondering if anyone has any thoughts?
His feline HIV and leukaemia was also negative.
Thanks
Tammy

 

[ritz]

I highly doubt raw caused a seizure, imho that is really way out there. For one thing, other cats would be affected. Keep in mind most vets receive at most one semester of nutrition, which is often taught by food company reps. And actually 10 percent bone is on the upper limits of bone. Ritz gets 7 percent, any more she gets constipated. Do ask the food company what specific organs are included. I've heard of toxop, but don't know enough about it to comment. You indicated Thomas bumped his head, that might have resulted in a seizure, perhaps a one time seizure. Meanwhile, vibes.

 

[mschauer]

I don't see any reason to zero in on raw as the cause at this point. I would imagine some kind of contaminate in food could result in seizures, that's likely why the vet asked about his diet, but I would guess that is just one of many possibilities.

There's little point in discussing a raw diet with a vet unless they are both knowledgeable in how to formulate a diet and are supporters of a home-made raw diet. The vast majority of vets don't fit into either category much less both. 

 

[thecatlady3]

Th

I highly doubt raw caused a seizure, imho that is really way out there. For one thing, other cats would be affected. Keep in mind most vets receive at most one semester of nutrition, which is often taught by food company reps. And actually 10 percent bone is on the upper limits of bone. Ritz gets 7 percent, any more she gets constipated. Do ask the food company what specific organs are included. I've heard of toxop, but don't know enough about it to comment. You indicated Thomas bumped his head, that might have resulted in a seizure, perhaps a one time seizure. Meanwhile, vibes.[/quote

Thank you.
The organ is liver and heart

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

As to the percentage of bone, your Vet is mistaken.  10% is the recommended amount of calcium by EVERY resource I have ever seen. 

I commented on your other thread in the Health Forum, and now that I see you are feeding a commercial raw, and you've only just started it,  I really do NOT think it is Toxoplasmosis, unless Thompson contracted it before you adopted him.  How long have you had him?

 

[ritz]

Heart is not an organ for raw feeding purposes. You need to add a secreting organ, kidney is the one most easily found. That said I don't believe raw feeding is the cause of the seizure, even if you weren't feeding kidney.

 

[cprcheetah]

According to their website their meat is 80% meat and 20% organs?  Where is the bone?  I worry about the calcium, although I do not think that the raw caused the seizure.  Has your cat been vaccinated?  Vaccines can cause seizures.  According to their website they have a lot of different options with bones, organs, vegetables.  Which exact formula are you feeding?

 

[peaches08]

 
According to their website their meat is 80% meat and 20% organs?  Where is the bone?  I worry about the calcium, although I do not think that the raw caused the seizure.  Has your cat been vaccinated?  Vaccines can cause seizures.  According to their website they have a lot of different options with bones, organs, vegetables.  Which exact formula are you feeding?

Hypocalcemia can absolutely cause seizures.  I saw the same 80/20 without naming a calcium source as you did...

ETA:  I should have said "Hypocalcemia can absolutely cause seizures in humans."  But I don't doubt that it will in other mammals as well.

 

[thecatlady3]

According to their website their meat is 80% meat and 20% organs?  Where is the bone?  I worry about the calcium, although I do not think that the raw caused the seizure.  Has your cat been vaccinated?  Vaccines can cause seizures.  According to their website they have a lot of different options with bones, organs, vegetables.  Which exact formula are you feeding?

Hi
Under the product menu it says bone in blends for cats. In store they give the breakdown 80/10/10. I tried the chicken and organ and duck formula.
I can actually see the bone in the food.
He was vaccinated as he was a rescue and the rescue society vaccinated him.

 

[thecatlady3]

Heart is not an organ for raw feeding purposes. You need to add a secreting organ, kidney is the one most easily found. That said I don't believe raw feeding is the cause of the seizure, even if you weren't feeding kidney.

I did not know that heart should not been given raw...

 

[peaches08]

Hi
Under the product menu it says bone in blends for cats. In store they give the breakdown 80/10/10. I tried the chicken and organ and duck formula.
I can actually see the bone in the food.
He was vaccinated as he was a rescue and the rescue society vaccinated him.

I see bone-in blends under the "2014 product menu".  In any case I'd hope the "Ca" is one of the levels they would've checked.

You can feed raw heart.  What Ritz meant is that heart is not considered as an organ meat.  Heart is considered as a muscle meat.  Thymus, pancreas, liver...those are what we call organ meats.

 

[ritz]

Yes heart is a muscle meat and perfectly fine to feed raw. It's simply not a organ for raw feeding purposes. Were any lab tests done to figure out a possible cause of the seizure?

 

[thecatlady3]

Yes heart is a muscle meat and perfectly fine to feed raw. It's simply not a organ for raw feeding purposes. Were any lab tests done to figure out a possible cause of the seizure?

Yes I had them run blood work. The only thing out of ordinary was neutrophils. He does have an URI as my other 2 have the feline herpes respiratory virus, which he now has!
I found him under the table, which is solid wood. He does run full force and jump on the chairs so it's possible

 

[thecatlady3]

Here are some samples of the packages

image.jpg

• thecatlady3
• Mar 3, 2014

image.jpg

• thecatlady3
• Mar 3, 2014

 

[cprcheetah]

The 2nd picture doesn't have bone in it, what are their calcium sources?  What is the bone ratio in the first picture?

 

[thecatlady3]

It is bone in meat. I can pick out the bone pieces.

 

[peaches08]

The 2nd picture doesn't have bone in it, what are their calcium sources?  What is the bone ratio in the first picture?

 

[thecatlady3]

It is bone in meat. I can pick out the bone pieces.
This is the product menu..

image.jpg

• thecatlady3
• Mar 3, 2014

 

[peaches08]

OK, I'm still not seeing percentages listed.

 

[thecatlady3]

OK, I'm still not seeing percentages listed.

In the store it says 80/10/10 on the freezer doors...