Author Topic: What's the take on prescription wet foods?  (Read 3250 times)

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Offline Pet South

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What's the take on prescription wet foods?
« on: June 27, 2021, 06:03:43 AM »
Hi guys,

haven't been here for a while and have a cat in chronic kidney failure so I have been trying to do some research and this group came back in my mind.
So in the book by Dr Hodgkins she basically writes the kidney prescription diets are not good due to the low protein. I am trying to find more info on this which is hard. Our cat, Jemma, has at most a year they said. She is getting the sub q fluids from us and we have a phosphor binder. Trying to find the right food to help her as long as possible. If the kidney diet is bad, I want to make sure she gets the protein she needs without doing any harm to her. Your insights would be much appreciated.

Robert
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Offline Pookie

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Re: What's the take on prescription wet foods?
« Reply #1 on: June 27, 2021, 04:26:26 PM »
Hi Robert,

Welcome back!  First, I'm so sorry to hear about Jemma.   :(  Dr. Hodgkins' book is a great resource, and I agree that the "prescription" diets aren't good.  Cats are obligate carnivores and need meat, and that doesn't change because of kidney failure.  So a good-quality, grain-free canned food, or even raw if you're comfortable, with the phosphorus binder would be good.  Raw or wet food has a lot of moisture in it, which would help her hydration in general, and not put as much stress on her kidneys compared to dry.  Chopped, cooked egg white can also bind phosphorus.

In my "The Veternarian's Guide to Natural Remedies for Cats" (which is from 1999, so some of the information is out-dated), one vet mentions Renatrate by Progressive Laboratories, 1/2 tablet twice a day.  The company still exists:  https://simplynutrients.com/Renatrate-p1200.html

He also recommends 3-5 drops of Renal Drops by Professional Health Products, which is a "combination homeopathic remedy to help rebuild kidneys":  https://professional-health-products.com/product/renal/    You may want to contact them to find out what's in it, since the page doesn't list ingredients.

Dr. Hovfe states in the book that it's best to feed wet food and what the cat likes.  She recommends a home-prepared diet and a supplement called Renafood by Standard Process, 1-2 tablets a day, crushed and added to food.  I checked and this company is also still in business:  https://www.standardprocess.com/products/renafood

Finally, I checked Dr. Hovfe's site, Little Big Cat, and found this article on kidney disease:  https://littlebigcat.com/kidney-disease-in-older-cats/

If you have time, I would research those supplements and see if you feel comfortable with them, but hopefully this gives you a place to start.

Sending purrs to you and Jemma! HeadButt

P.S.  I just looked at Dr. Pitcairn's book, he does mention reducing protein, with which I don't agree (the book is from 2005).  He does mention giving good quality protein and states "it is vital to replace water-soluble vitamins that get flushed out of the body easily, especially vitamins B and C, and to supply plenty of vitamin A, which is good for the kidneys."

More from Dr. Pitcairn:  "Many cats with kidney disease will develop a state of low potassium levels in the body, which further complicates the situation and creates symptoms in its own right.  If your cat does not respond adequately to the treatments suggested here (and below), consult your veterinarian about adding a potassium gluconate supplement to this diet."

Be advised that his diets are home-cooked and include rice, and if your cat isn't used to home-cooked, she may not eat it.  Dr. Pitcairn lists some herbal and homeopathic remedies as well.
« Last Edit: June 27, 2021, 05:02:11 PM by Pookie »
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Offline Pet South

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Re: What's the take on prescription wet foods?
« Reply #2 on: June 27, 2021, 05:05:39 PM »
Thanks, I will look into those. Right now she is getting the Azodyl (which I also read in the book is nonsense), the phospor binder (Ekapitine or something), renal food and sub q. I would love to put her on a high protein diet with the phosphor binder, she has lost so much weight, but am scared to do more damage than good.
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Offline Pookie

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Re: What's the take on prescription wet foods?
« Reply #3 on: June 28, 2021, 07:57:49 AM »
grouphug

I think the most important thing is to keep her eating what she likes (preferably wet) and hydrated with the sub-q fluids.  As we say on here, "we do the best we can."  You're doing what you can to make her comfortable.   HeadButt
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Offline Pookie

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Re: What's the take on prescription wet foods?
« Reply #4 on: June 28, 2021, 03:47:52 PM »
Here's some info that you may find helpful, though it's not specific to prescription foods:  http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/AnimalWellness/RenalFailure

Years ago, a co-worker of mine had a dog that had cancer, though I don't remember where it was located.  Anyway, my co-worker contactedout to Shirley and got some helpful information from her, including feeding the dog a home-cooked diet with a supplement (this was a long time ago, so I don't recall what it was), and this seemed to improve the dog's quality of life until (s)he died.  As I said, this was years ago so I don't know if Shirley charged a fee or not, but if you find the information on her site useful, it might be worth a try.  I may do that, too, for my cat (Miss Kitty)'s health issues.
2-4-6-8  Please don't over-vaccinate!
"Pass on what you have learned."  -- Yoda, Star Wars:  Return of the Jedi

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