Roxy's Vet Visit (and more)

[Lola]

Roxy has been having double the dose of pepcid (for how long) and you think that's what caused the rash?  Well!  Not wonderful that it happened, but certainly wonderful to know what caused it.

So are you going to stop it altogether, or just go back to her normal dose?

Yes, the double dose coincides with the rash. 
As far as stopping it totally... I didn't think it was good to do that. ?? 
 

[Lola]

Roxy's ears started getting red again.  Guess what she is now being fed...


I think I am going to cough up the 300 bucks for the allergy test.  If nothing else, I will be able to rule out certain proteins.  http://www.nutriscan.org

[Pookie]

Roxy's ears started getting red again.  Guess what she is now being fed...


I think I am going to cough up the 300 bucks for the allergy test.  If nothing else, I will be able to rule out certain proteins.  http://www.nutriscan.org

   Well, rats! 

Poor Roxy.  I'm so sorry the both of you are going through this. 

[Lola]

Since Roxy's appt is on Monday, I thought if I still want to have a vet that I CAN go to ...I had better feed the d/d *&#!#.  Have to be able to prove or disapprove his theory, or he won't be open to anything else. 
She's been eating only it.  Started Tuesday. Rash isn't getting worse, but it isn't getting better.  It SEEMS Pepcid keeps it going.  One day with no Pepcid, it showed improvement.  But no Pepcid, she is back to barfing. But (again) beef was a for sure barf trigger, before her regular barfing days.  Venison is red meat.  Does it fall into the beef category? 
The vet is going to be no help... really.  Too many variables.  And he isn't as open minded, as I had once thought.
How long do I try something new (or go back to old), before I decide there is no improvement?  Do I cancel her appointment on Monday... go back to feeding her canned (non d/d) and give her the correct amount of Pepcid...and wait and see?  For how long?

She needs some relief, and I don't know where to start! 

[Middle Child]

If it's a food allergy, it will take about six weeks of feeding only the limited ingredient food to know if the food is going to help.  Takes about that long for all effects of the old diet to work it's way through the system.  Well 6 weeks is always the guideline my vet uses, I would rather go with two full months.

I understand your aversion to Hills, I feel the same way.  So what you want to do is to use the canned d/d, continue with the pepcid, and see if the rash goes away?

And/or you want to use the d/d, so as to not antagonize the vet.  If Roxy doesn't get better, at least you can show the vet you tried with his advice.

Have you thought about trying a different type of antacid?  I think there are other forms besides famotidine that are safe for cats.  Let me ask at Cat Centric.

[Middle Child]

PS You are feeding the venison?  What about the duck version?

[Middle Child]

Responses to my question so far:

Yes, rantidine (Zantac) is another commonly used acid reducer. Prilosec helps for similar issues, but I believe is considered an antacid. I have read of the difference between acid reducers and antacids buy can't explain it.

Pepcid and Zantac usually work quicker. I tried Prilosec at later Ckd stages. I believe Prilosec works at lessening the production

Another member posted this link:

http://www.felinecrf.org/nausea_vomiting_stomach_acid.htm#treatments

[Pookie]

But no Pepcid, she is back to barfing. But (again) beef was a for sure barf trigger, before her regular barfing days.  Venison is red meat.  Does it fall into the beef category? 

In Chinese Traditional Medicine, venison and beef are both considered "hot."  So is lamb and possibly pork.  Chicken and turkey are warm (or hot, but not as much as beef or venison), and rabbit and duck are "cooler" than chicken and turkey.  So from a CTM perspective, beef and venison are related in that both are "hot" foods.  If you want to test that theory, you could try giving Roxy the duck if you're not already and it's an option.

Someone at the holistic vet that I'm on the wait list for (different from the one I saw today) had mentioned to me that pheasant is usually easier for "hot" kitties to handle.  Pookie can't handle lamb and was starting to have issues with beef when I went grain-free, so he's a "hot" kitty, too.  He's not a fan of the Primal pheasant (commercial raw), so I have to use a topper, but (knock wood) he tolerates it.

[Middle Child]

Mazy cat can't tolerate red meat either.  Jennie and Queen Eva have no trouble with it.  They get their PMR beef meal on Sundays, and Queen Eva gets Rad Cat lamb every other day.

[Middle Child]

Responses to my question so far:

Another member posted this link:

http://www.felinecrf.org/nausea_vomiting_stomach_acid.htm#treatments

Another reply has come in, something I didn't know, but I trust the source:

I don't know how the others work - but famotidine (pepcid a/c) works best if given at least one hour before or after food. It provides 24 hour coverage that way, so used just once a day. If you give it with food, it helps for just that meal.

[Pookie]

How's Roxy doing?  And how are you?

[Lola]

There was just too much (for my brain) going on.  Maybe this or that triggered this or that.. type of carp... to know WHAT to do for sure.  I wanted to at least get her "stable."
If the issue was caused by double dosing of Pepcid... got that corrected.
If the issue was caused by Pepcid/Alnutrin combo... I'm not feeding her any raw right now.
If the issue was due to a sudden protein intolerance... she is being fed Venison only.  A protein I have never fed her.
Right now, the Pepcid is keeping her from barfing. 
As far as healing, it seems to be at a standstill.  It is better than it was, and doesn't seem to be getting worse  But she is still scratching a bit.  She doesn't act miserable, but cats never do.  Is there anything totally safe I can use on her chin and in her her ears? 

[Lola]

Keep in mind, the vet's reasoning for feeding Hills d/d venison...limited ingredients...food allergy to current food/protein.  EXCEPT, he had NO IDEA what proteins I was feeding. 

Take my opinion of Hills, out of the equation.  The vet gave a "diagnosis," without knowing all the details.  He heard the word "raw," and everything stopped there.

OR ... do I have such an attitude towards Hills, that I'm taking my disgust out on the vet?

[Pookie]

As far as healing, it seems to be at a standstill.  It is better than it was, and doesn't seem to be getting worse  But she is still scratching a bit.  She doesn't act miserable, but cats never do.  Is there anything totally safe I can use on her chin and in her her ears? 

I'm not sure.  If the rash was bacterial, I'd suggest dabbing colloidal silver on it (actually, that's anti-everything -- fungal, viral, etc.) or Veterycin (for hot spots), but that doesn't treat the cause, just the symptom.  If the rash is truly due to allergies, then you're doing what you can. 

Keep in mind, the vet's reasoning for feeding Hills d/d venison...limited ingredients...food allergy to current food/protein.  EXCEPT, he had NO IDEA what proteins I was feeding. 

Take my opinion of Hills, out of the equation.  The vet gave a "diagnosis," without knowing all the details.  He heard the word "raw," and everything stopped there.

OR ... do I have such an attitude towards Hills, that I'm taking my disgust out on the vet?

In a word:  no.  In more words:  your opinion, both of Hills and the vet, are valid.  You don't "diagnose" something until you have all of the information.  If he didn't ask what proteins you were feeding, then how did he know you weren't already feeding venison?  How does he know that it's not, say, the colorings or flavorings or some "minor" ingredient in her food that, over time, she's developed an issue to?  He doesn't, because he didn't ask.  Shame on him.

[Lola]

I did cancel her follow-up appointment.  I don't think the vet is going to be much help, at this point.  I'm going to have to figure out the "trigger" on my own... I think.