Author Topic: It just keeps getting better (getting off the c/d saga continued)  (Read 29821 times)

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Offline Middle Child

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I know I have several threads on this already, but they are scattered around, I can't keep track of which forum I put them in. And this one will update, with a synopsis for back round information.  But I'm still not sure where it belongs funny2 It's about nutrition, but also about medical issues, but since the medical issues are directly related to her diet, I guess I will keep it here

My Lovey cat has now gone 9 days with no regurgitation!  And: two days with no pepcid.

bananamiddlechild bananamiddlechild

I had almost  forgotten how she used to be, running everywhere.  She slowed down over the past year or more, and, while I noticed it, I just didn't think of it as abnormal.  But now, last night, I realized she has started running everywhere again. She dashes around, instead of walking.  Dashing was something she always did, but as it gradually stopped, I just didn't attribute it to diet. Until the other dietary problems started, that is.

She plays more and sings more, is just all around more herself than I have seen in a long long time.  With her increased activity level and the slight reduction I have made in her daily intake quantity, that extra pound she has gained over the past month should slip away without too much trouble (though I am of course being careful that she doesn't lose it too quickly).

She has been on an all canned diet, (and completely off the Hills Prescription c/d kibble)  for 45 days. At first I was feeding her a variety of canned foods, the same way I feed the other two, but it soon became clear that she has other sensitivities, too.

 It took time to find canned food that didn't bother her in one way or another, but I finally did, the By Nature Organic Turkey & Chicken, a food which also meets my criteria of a lower phosphurous and magnesium percentage than most other commercial canned foods. It is NOT a "reduced phosphurous and magnesium" food, but the numbers, on a dry matter basis, are very close to the c/d, which is important because of her propensity to forming struvite crystals in her urine.

Her urine pH is mostly staying at the 6.5 range.  Sometimes it spikes at 7. I'm not sure why a pH would be so inconsistent, especially as she eats the same food day in and day out. There doesn't seem to be any specific pattern I can find, but when I average a week's worth of readings the result is 6.5.

She has been on ONLY the By Nature Organic Turkey&Chicken for 16 days.

While there are still issues to be worked out, as I am still nervous about regurgitation, and though she is still taking 1/2 tablespoon of pumpkin morning and night, in a meal, constipation is still a problem, (but maybe if I can keep her OFF the pepcid, that will be solved, too) the change in her, as Herself is...incredible.  Especially since I have narrowed her food down to eliminate hopefully all the ingredients  to which she's shown intolerance.  I'd like to try expanding her diet a little, because I think eating the same food day in and day out can exacerbate ingredient intolerance/sensitivity problems but things are going so well, I think I will wait a while longer, though I still hate it that she is getting menadione bisulfates with every meal, albeit a very tiny amount (it is the last ingredient listed).

Oh, and no more hairball remedy either in 13 days.  That, too seemed to trigger regurgitation of food. The pumpkin is keeping the hairballs going out the other way. bananamiddlechild

She still takes a probiotic (Proviable DC) daily, and her cosequin daily (for bladder health). She is still needing mineral oil every two days, but I am hoping with the elimination of the pepcid, I'll be able to stop that, too.



Offline Middle Child

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Re: It just keeps getting better (getting off the c/d saga continued)
« Reply #1 on: March 04, 2012, 10:57:07 AM »
By the way I forgot to mention, she is hardly shedding at all now. She has always been a heavy shedder, especially this time of year. But her coat is now thick and soft, and when I touch her my hands are not coming away covered in fur.

Offline CarnivorousCritter

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Re: It just keeps getting better (getting off the c/d saga continued)
« Reply #2 on: March 04, 2012, 11:10:17 AM »
Wow!!   love1


Appears as though her little system has been gradually adjusting, and right before your eyes!!   How WONDERFUL!!!!

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Offline Middle Child

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Re: It just keeps getting better (getting off the c/d saga continued)
« Reply #3 on: March 04, 2012, 09:41:22 PM »
Thanks CC!  Now that I've noticed it, I just can't get over how thick and nice her coat is, and the lack of shedding.  She has always shed tons, my hand would be covered when petting her.  Especially this time of year.  But now...nary a hair.

Offline Lola

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Re: It just keeps getting better (getting off the c/d saga continued)
« Reply #4 on: March 04, 2012, 10:00:30 PM »
MC,
I'm soooooooo happy for you BOTH!  Your gal feeling better, and you seeing the results of alllll your hard work...awesome.  By the way, she IS a beauty. 
 
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Offline FurMonster Mom

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Re: It just keeps getting better (getting off the c/d saga continued)
« Reply #5 on: March 05, 2012, 02:10:07 AM »
So glad you've found something that works.   catmilk1
meow meow meow meow meow meow? -woof!
Translation: "I can has my raw food? -please!"

Offline Middle Child

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Re: It just keeps getting better (getting off the c/d saga continued)
« Reply #6 on: March 05, 2012, 08:14:20 AM »
Thanks you guys!  Another day (yesterday) with no regurgitation!  That makes 10 days in a row, an all time record.  And another morning (this morning) with no pepcid, that's three!

Now if I can just get her pooping back to regular......I'm going to be reading this site some more:

http://www.felineconstipation.org/index.html

I emailed the owner to thank her for the site and she wrote right back.   She suggested spreading the pumpkin out more (like I was doing initially) and perhaps adding miralax now and then. I admit to have been balking at miralx up until now, though I know it is used frequently now for megacolon cats.

I'm really hoping that now that I am not using the pepcid any more, the constipation will stop.

Offline Pookie

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Re: It just keeps getting better (getting off the c/d saga continued)
« Reply #7 on: March 05, 2012, 12:48:54 PM »
Hi MC,

I'm so glad things (knock wood) are going so well!  I was reading the Feline Constipation site (prevention section) and saw the following.  I know, I'm obsessed, but I thought it was interesting (bolding is mine):

Nerve sheaths, the outer protective covering of nerves, need good body levels of Vitamin B12 to ensure nerve integrity, so that the nerves inside the sheaths are not vulnerable to exposure and do not 'short out' as it were. The usual form of supplemental B12, added to most commercial cat foods and supplements, is cyanocobalamin which requires conversion in the body to an active form. Cyanocobalamin is actually an artifact of the purification process when synthesizing Vitamin B12. The methylcobalamin form of Vitamin B12 does not require the same conversion and is now more readily available for purchase for cats who require supplemental Vitamin B12.

The entire family of B vitamins called B Complex are important to help maintain gut health and to prevent constipation. Vitamins are not nutrients, they are co-enzymes, that is they assist enzymes to do their jobs. Enzymes are not only involved in digestion, enzymes play a role in all metabolic functions and each enzyme is specific to its task. Without adequate B vitamins such as folic acid and Vitamin B12, enzymatic function suffers. First to suffer are those areas of the body with faster cellular turnover such as the gut wall and the blood components. If gut barrier function is reduced, the body itself is more vulnerable to trouble and the enteric nervous system is at risk of damage.
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Offline Middle Child

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Re: It just keeps getting better (getting off the c/d saga continued)
« Reply #8 on: March 05, 2012, 09:29:43 PM »
Hi MC,

I'm so glad things (knock wood) are going so well!  I was reading the Feline Constipation site (prevention section) and saw the following.  I know, I'm obsessed, but I thought it was interesting (bolding is mine):


Okay, thank you!  But she's off the pepcid now, so mal-absorption of vitamin B-12 should no longer be an issue, right? I just don't want her to have to have anything she doesn't really need, such as the binders and other fillers that come with vitamin tablets.  Also, I read in, I think it was the link you posted in the Vitamin B-12 thread, that giving this vitamin orally, for a cat who is deficient because of adsorption problems isn't an effective way of rectifying the problem, that injections are much preferable.

I haven't spoken to my vet in a couple weeks, but I don't know if she'd be willing to prescribe B-12 injections (I would do them myself) without an exam/bloodwork, which my girl isn't due for until June. (Last check up was in December)  Any other cat, I wouldn't hesitate, but this one, I really try to keep her vet visits to twice a year.

Well, we'll see how it goes now that she is off the pepcid.  I think it's just taking this long for her poor little body to recover from all the years on the corn laden c/d kibble.

When I used to defend this food, I always said that if ever I thought my cat was no longer "doing well" on it, I would find another way.  Well, and so I have, right?  It's been a struggle, and it's not over yet, but I think we are well on our way.

Offline Lola

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Re: It just keeps getting better (getting off the c/d saga continued)
« Reply #9 on: March 06, 2012, 09:38:07 AM »
Quote
When I used to defend this food, I always said that if ever I thought my cat was no longer "doing well" on it, I would find another way.  Well, and so I have, right?

Right!  The food was vet recommended.  Whenever you tried something else, her PH levels spiked.  As far as you could see, she was doing okay.  Many would have done the same thing.  You are human.  We are all human.  

« Last Edit: March 07, 2012, 11:14:26 AM by Lola, Reason: spelling...no surprise! »
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Offline Middle Child

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Re: It just keeps getting better (getting off the c/d saga continued)
« Reply #10 on: March 07, 2012, 10:23:24 AM »
Thank you so much for your support everyone! I really think it is just taking a long time for her body to recover from 6 years of bad food. This morning, because of insomnia problems, I over slept. I panicked when I woke and realizedshe had been almost 10 hours without food. Only two weeks ago that would have almost guaranteed a regurgitation, unless I gave her pepcid.

I was so reluctant to put her back on the pepcid for even one day I decided to risk it. She ate her little first meal of the day, and kept it down, even after an almost 10 hour fast!

Last night I thought we might have a regurgitation incident, but she managed to BURP instead. I really do think that some of her problem is, when she feels the burp, she just assumes she is going to bring everything back up, as has been her habit for so many years.

Now I have seen her burp twice, but keep the food down. I think she is learning that when she feels that bubble, she doesn't HAVE to bring it all back up, she can just let the bubble up.

This morning I found myself wondering how long it will take before I will stop actually counting the days, as in "wow, 12 days with no regurgitation!". I look forward to a time when I won't be feeling so watchful over this, if ever.

Now just to get her bowels on the right track...she's still going only once every 48 hours, and when she goes the stools are larger than I like to see.

Offline Lola

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Re: It just keeps getting better (getting off the c/d saga continued)
« Reply #11 on: March 07, 2012, 07:01:58 PM »
I don't know if I have ever heard any of our cats burp.  Hmmmm
Glad yours burped, instead of regurgitating.  dance1
I think you will eventually quit counting the days.  I wouldn't count on being able to stop being so watchful though. 



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Offline Middle Child

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Re: It just keeps getting better (getting off the c/d saga continued)
« Reply #12 on: March 08, 2012, 06:33:09 AM »
I don't know if I have ever heard any of our cats burp.  Hmmmm
Glad yours burped, instead of regurgitating.  dance1
I think you will eventually quit counting the days.  I wouldn't count on being able to stop being so watchful though. 





I know you're right about that.  I've been hyper watchful since my first cat as an adult, Baby, developed cystitis when he was 3.  That's (1986)  when I started keeping a Cat Journal. (and also when I went to canned food only)

Offline Lola

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Re: It just keeps getting better (getting off the c/d saga continued)
« Reply #13 on: March 08, 2012, 02:14:47 PM »
Because of you...
I now also have a journal.
I have By Nature Organic food on order.   :-*

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Offline Pookie

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Re: It just keeps getting better (getting off the c/d saga continued)
« Reply #14 on: March 08, 2012, 04:25:19 PM »
Welcome to the "Journal Club," Lola!   :D  I've had one for years, too.  It was the only way I could figure out what allergies Pookie and his sister had (before I stopped dry feeding).  Even though he's much better now, I still do it.  Ya never know . . .
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