Sick 10 Year old Sphynx! Someone Please Helps! Vets Don't Help!

[Condo commando]

I actually make raw food at home for my cats so I'm all in with raw.

That said, it may not be for everyone even if they can get the meat. For one thing you need freezer space. It's also very important to use a "balanced" recipe and follow it religiously; if you aren't going to do that it's better not to wing it.

If for whatever reason you decide against raw, then choose canned over kibble. They are both processed, they both contain questionable if not downright objectionable ingredients....but canned food has water (!!!) which kibble does not.

 

[MollysMom]

@ZazooLoves any update or any poop make an appearance yet?

 

[ZazooLoves]

@ZazooLoves any update or any poop make an appearance yet?

I’ve been so busy I haven’t been able to write a reply until now. This little girl has got me running around like a chicken with my head cut off but here we are to this day.. years later.. Zazoo finally made a poop. And not just any poop. An ice cream cone poop! It didn’t smell like a sick diareah runny poop! It smelt normal and it looked normal! For the first time in years!!!!!!!! I am blown away!!! I am almost in tears!! Thank you so much to all of you who helped. You have no idea how much this means to me. We’re not through the woods yet. She still has a long way to go but I see the light at the end of the tunnel. I knew she wasn’t ready to go yet. I’ve been feeding her and giving her liquids almost every two hours like a baby. Changing her diapers ( no leaks today!). It was 48 hours after the s boulardii and something just changed. Her little guts must be singing with joy! She needs to get some nutrients back. I think it’s time to start feeding her some real food. My boy was looking weak so I gave him some racheal ray tuna nutrients wet food and he perked right up. I did go to the store and get chicken thighs with bones and they’ve been eating that but I think they’re over the bland diet. They have not thrown up once since starting the slippery elm bark. yes I have been putting A&D ointment on her. Yes I have also been giving her pedialyte. Everything seems to be coming together. I’m so relieved! Thank you everyone! Thank


Is there any kind of food you suggest I can pick up from pets mart tonight while I order there other food online?

 

[MollysMom]

@ZazooLoves so happy to hear that! We have used the freshpet one for cats that are like little niblets (I think its chicken and fish) with success. Or this one for wet food:



Bith of those don't have too much extra "junk" in them, and they are chicken based. For now I would stick to chicken based food so that if they get an upset tummy again, you know it wasn't caused by the protein source. I get both of them from petsmart. Keep going with the boulardii at least a week after her poop is a good firm consistency.

 

[Condo commando]

@ZazooLoves this is great! She's coming around.

I don't want to scare you but since you were seeing blood before, I know what happens with humans is when they lose blood they lose iron, and they can become anemic. So definitely keep pumping as much food and nutrients as she'll eat.

As to what food, get raw or canned (something wet). No kibble.

If you decide to go with raw, there are some of us here who have been making our own raw food at home so we can help you.

 

[Condo commando]

@ZazooLoves one more quick note - you can keep feeding the cooked chicken for a couple of days longer if she's eating it. It's not a problem for a week or so when they have a flare-up, either. You just can't make it a constant thing.

The issue with commercial foods no matter which one you get and how much it costs is they are all highly processed. Depending on how much "repair" her GI system needed, it might - or might not - be ready for processed foods.

 

[Yoda mom]

@ZazooLoves , checking in for updates

 

[ZazooLoves]

Feed them as much as they will eat in a sitting. Give them 1/2 a cup of the meat and broth mixed together and see how much they finish. I assume they have lost weight because of this. You could buy bone-in chicken thighs to cook (which would be cheaper) and make sure you remove all the bone before feeding it to them. You can also make bone broth with any type of bones, and not worry about cooking the chicken with bones. Often at the meat counter in the store you can find or ask for soup bones for cheap. Beef bones, pork feet, whatever will work. A great way to do it is in a crock pot and let it go for 8-12 hours.

As this is not a balanced diet, you can't feed them this forever. But for a week or 2 until they get their bowels sorted it won't hurt. Here is the thing about switching to canned food: there are a lot of things in it that can cause digestive upset (especially in sensitive guts). Carageenan, xanthan gum, peas, potatoes, wheat and other grain starches... all those things are not species appropriate for cats to eat (they are obligate carnivores). They use ìt as filler in canned and other pet foods to help make the product cheaper to make. Is feeding a raw or cooked diet permanently an option for you? You would HAVE to buy ready made raw, OR make your own and mix meat with a powder like Food Fur Life or Know Better Pet Foods premixes. Alnutrin is another brand. All of those add what is missing to the meat and make it a complete meal. Canned food would be okay in the sense of a bit here or there, but it shouldn't comprise the whole meal or it might upset the gut again.

Also, if you compare making raw/ cooked with the cost of canned... it is comparable if not cheaper. Thinm outside the box too to get meat sources. It doesn't just have to come from the grocery store. Local butchers, people who hunt, even people you know who are getting rid of freezer burned meat (that has no added seasoning) would all work.

So I’ve been feeding her the canned food with chicken and it did upset her stomach a little bit. I need a new diet one that is constant and consistent. Can someone tell me a recipe that works for them and their kitties? What do you buy?

 

[Condo commando]

I would strongly recommend raw. There are several brands available (ie, Instinct, Primal, Radcat, Aunt Jeni's). Usually they're sold in boutique type pet stores, not the big chains. They're very convenient because all you have to do is dethaw and serve. Just be aware, raw food must be kept in the freezer; you can only keep it in the refrigerator 3 days max because it spoils.

That is how I started. I only did that for a few months and after that I started making my own raw food. Making it at home is a lot cheaper, but it's also more of a commitment. Think of homemade raw as phase 2. Phase 1 is commercial raw food.

Cats that aren't used to raw might not eat it at first. To me the best thing to put on the food to entice them to eat is Temptations Cat Treats, which I crush and then just sprinkle a little on top of the food. You can buy Temptations in the pet aisle at Walgreens or CVS.

 

[Condo commando]

@Zazoo this link has a ton of info for raw feeding that you can read as you have time.

Every Raw Feeder's Resource for Raw Diets

 

[Yoda mom]

@ZazooLoves Hugs and head smooches sent !
((Hugs))) I couldn't do raw bcz no way my mom would deal with it she pets sits . She doesn't want to mess with it during hurricane times either . Raw diets work great amd members have great info to share on Raw.
I just can't do it for personal reasons . So I had to find a packaged kibble . The one that works best for my IBD kitty is Nutrisource cat and kitten in the blue bag - I have tried I swear every grain free over 5 yrs with this kitty . My whole crew eats it now amd no skin , poo , issues .

I got the Nutrisource ( noted for its gut health ) amd never recalled - amd it is a world of difference . I buy it online at its very reasonable priced
Cat & Kitten Chicken Meal, Salmon & Liver Cat Food - NutriSource Pet Foods
my crew actually does better on grain inclusive food . Even my vet feeds grain inclusive
(We had a long chat )

Another member feeds their grain free line called Pure Vita with great results .
Just wanted to share its an option to Raw .

Another product I see mentioned is "BITR" better in the Raw -that looks like it is not complicated amd members have good results .
Also I recommend checking recall histories for products . We have seen some Raw and kibble and canned recalls from a few brands .

Another member reported great results with Halo Senstive stomach kibble .

**(I tried it years awith my girl but they had on bad batch . Have not heard of any other recalls simce the small batch I fed years ago. )

 

[Condo commando]

One other convenient AND raw option is freeze dried raw. It comes in a bag and doesn't have to be refrigerated. You add water to it when you serve it so it becomes mushy (like canned food) so it's also good for hydration.

Freeze dried raw is way better than kibble or canned food. It's just as convenient. Unfortunately it's pricey but so is the vet plus they would sell you a prescription diet for the rest of her life. Frozen raw is cheaper which is why I suggested that first but granted it's not as convenient.

With either the frozen raw or the freeze dried raw you're buying time for Zazoo's gut to heal. I'm guessing her gut was probably very inflamed so it needs at least a few weeks of unprocessed food.

 

[MollysMom]

I agree with @Condo commando ... knowing what I know now about cat's gut health and having a cat with IBD, I would avoid kibble. You can slow and manage the symptoms of IBD with food, but it can eventually get worse. Think of it as a person who has Crohn's disease. It can be progressively degenerative to the point that the medical interventions become greater and greater. I say that not to scare you, but just to help you weigh everything when choosing a food for your guys. Freeze dried raw will be the most convenient, then commercially prepared raw, then home made with a premix powder.

 

[Sswanson86]

I live in Illinois and work at a vet. Please message me!!!
@ZazooLoves

 

[Condo commando]

@ZazooLoves how is your sweet girl Zazoo doing?