continued from:
http://parenting-furkids.com/index.php?topic=3042.0I'm going to post what info may be relevant and what comes to mind, concerning the vet visit and Roxy's history. I am pretty bummed out right now, so I may need to edit...as I remember details.
I took Roxy to the vet today. It is like the stuff is taking over her head! Not only is the chin acne worse, her left ear is screaming red... with a bunch of little red bumps. Today the red bumps showed up on the outside of her ear as well. And the other ear is also now nasty. She is now scratching and "flicking" little red specks.
1. Keep in mind, this is the vet that "introduced" me to wet food many years ago...which started my "research" into pet food ingredients, pet food companies, etc.
2. I was pretty sure he wasn't a raw food cheer leader. I got the impression that he feels it isn't all it is "cracked up" to be. Today he confined that.
3. He wasn't happy when I declined some kind of Hill's teeth cleaning kibble krap, after another cat had a dental cleaning.
4. NORMALLY, he and I can agree to disagree.
5. This vet is the best of what is available. I've gone to many, and I always end up back with him. The holistic vets here are not true holistic vets.
6. I don't think on my feet. I don't have the smarts, memory, or the confidence to "argue" a point with him...when it comes to something he STRONGLY believes in.
The outside enclosure has been closed off for two weeks, due to rain and the bugs. Hoping anything that could be lurking outside is a non-issue.
She was eating from a flat metal dish. Her dish is washed in hot soapy water, after every meal. I have since changed her to a Corelle dish...just in case.
Roxy has always been more sensitive to foods/proteins than the others. She is the reason I slowly add in a different protein. She is currently eating chicken, duck, rabbit, and turkey.
Roxy is/was a chronic barfer. Last December, I started giving her Pepcid. She currently is given 1/2 of 10mg of Pepcid. The barfing stopped.
I've recently started feeding raw chicken. She gets half raw and half canned for every meal.
Let me back up a bit. Before the Pepcid, I was able to slow down the barfing by not feeding beef, not feeding certain brands, not feeding foods with certain ingredients, making sure she eats every 8 hours, etc. There are probably other things, that I can't remember. We make changes as needed, and it all just becomes the norm.
With that said...
The vet's best guess is food allergy. The only change has been the addition of real raw. Since I feed a variety of foods, he STRONGLY recommended... wait for it... Hills Venison d/d.
Ingredients list for the wet:
Venison, Water, Venison Liver, Ground Green Pea, Pea Protein Concentrate, Soybean Oil, Powdered Cellulose, Fish Oil, DL-Methionine, Choline Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, Iron Oxide, Calcium Sulfate, Iodized Salt, Potassium Chloride, Taurine, Dicalcium Phosphate, Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Ascorbic Acid (source of vitamin C), Zinc Oxide, Ferrous Sulfate, Beta-Carotene, Niacin, Manganous Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin, Biotin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Calcium Iodate, Folic Acid, Sodium Selenite.
Ingredients list for the kibble:
Ground Yellow Peas, Pea Protein Concentrate, Venison, Ground Green Peas, Pork Fat, Powdered Cellulose, Calcium Sulfate, Chicken Liver Flavor, Fish Oil, Lactic Acid, Choline Chloride, DL-Methionine, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Taurine, Glyceryl Monostearate, Iodized Salt, Potassium Sulfate, Dicalcium Phosphate, vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), Niacin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Cysteine, minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Mixed Tocopherols for freshness, Phosphoric Acid, Beta-Carotene, Natural Flavors.
Let's pretend the above Hills food has no crapy ingredients, dry is what every carnivore should be eating, and Hills is an ethical company. I DETEST Hills. Hills "owns" vet schools...and vets. Their "food" is HIGHLY over-priced, for what the ingredients are. Let's not forget Robin Olson, who recently toured the company. Her FIRST HAND experience/info. She can be unbiased because Hills isn't teaching, funding, forcing up-selling, giving kick-backs, and brain washing her.
http://coveredincathair.com/content/hill’s-pet-nutrition-center-tour-part-one Back to vet visit. He mentioned why Roxy's problem couldn't be environmental or stress...something about the problem having to do with living spores or microcosms.
He gave her an anti-inflammatory shot. He also did a "cytology in house." She goes back in 3 weeks.
My choices:
1. Feed Roxy only one brand/protein of wet food that she normally eats. I'm leaving raw out of consideration, because MAYBE there is something in the vitamins and minerals that is causing the problem. I know it is possible to develop an allergy, to a food that previous had no issues, but... I'm thinking something new would be more likely...or should at least be ruled out first. ??
2. Feed the wet version of the venison Hills... against every part of my being.
3. Feed a decent brand that mfg venison. If Roxy has developed an allergy to chicken, turkey, or rabbit... ANY brand should fix the situation. Yes?
Going by different things that were said...
I believe he wants to "prove" that Hills is the cure. I wish I could say that he picked a brand and a protein that I don't feed... except he he didn't ask what proteins I feed, he knows I DETEST Hills, and he apparently drank the Hills kool-aid.
If I don't go with the Hills...I need to figure out a fix, before her next vet visit!