Self Regulation?

[John Popp]

This what works for us and Chongo. He loves the thing and will roll it around until the kibble is gone. Not a big part of his diet, but if I could load up wet food in something similar he would be all about it.

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

Guaranteed Analysis varies widely. The most nutrient packed foods typically have protein content in the 50 54 per cent range, fat 20-25 per cent, moisture 8-10 per cent, and 600 kcal/cup.

Lower nutrient foods are around 30-35 protein, 12-18 fat , 8 moisture and 350-450 kcal/cup.

I gave a stool sample to my vet for analysis. Again, she only treats cats, so should have a greater knowledge of them. The test, which was for everything EXCEPT T.foetus, came back negative. I suggested that because the T.foetus test is not always accurate, that we should treat for T.foetus without analysis. She ordered the ronidazole which should arrive Tuesday.

Next question to her: what if the prob is not T.foetus? Likely IBS, but she doesn't want to give steroids, with which I agree fully. Next step will be prescription diet, if necessary.

Meantime, I will switch him over to this:
http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/product.aspx?ProductId=88&product=L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets® Green Pea & Duck Dry Cat Formula&ProductCategoryID=40&category=LID Limited Ingredient Diets Dry Cat Formulas
which does not require a prescription.

Will make the dietary change after the course of R begins. Want to eliminate the tritrich in any case!

Next option if the Natural Balance is NG and tritrich not present will be prescription diet.

Last 2 options, which I don't want to think about right now, would be a very bland single ingredient fresh meat diet with supplements. Finally, the last resort is prednisone.

Joe

Do you know which test it was that was done? I'm curious about a test that does definitively test for everything except T.foetus... is it a PCR or ELISA test? Which lab?

I do think that if you are sure it can't be anything other than T.foetus then maybe it is time to just treat for it and see if it improves things.

And the Natural Balance Limited Ingredient diet is a good option. Many cats like that, and I think more like it than the prescription versions too!

Good luck!

 

[Louie'sDad]

Do you know which test it was that was done? I'm curious about a test that does definitively test for everything except T.foetus... is it a PCR or ELISA test? Which lab?

I do think that if you are sure it can't be anything other than T.foetus then maybe it is time to just treat for it and see if it improves things.

And the Natural Balance Limited Ingredient diet is a good option. Many cats like that, and I think more like it than the prescription versions too!

Good luck!

ELISA test was done, which tests for Giardia. I don't know which lab, but it's probably local to central NJ since I got the results in 2 days. I told the vet that I have already treated Lou for coccidia. Do you know if the ELISA test will detect anything other than Giardia?

Because of the time limit on EDITING here, I was unable to clarify above. The plan is to continue feeding the current very dense nutrient packed food, Nature's Variety Instinct Chicken Formula, which has been causing loose stools, during the course of ronidazole which will start tomorrow. If the ronidazole fails to correct, then I'll go to the Natural Balance Duck and Pea.

Natural Balance does not have a high nutrient/caloric content. The bag says it's OK for growing kittens. Ah, the power of marketing!

 

[John Popp]

I'm still of the opinion that the high vegetable content in the Nature's Variety food is causing some of your issues. I'm doubtful I could get even half as much vegetables in my raw mix and have our cats still eat it. The older cats will tolerate some pumpkin, but a lot less than what is mentioned in terms of vegetable content. Perhaps about half and Chongo wants little to do with it.

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

I tend to agree with John, that the vegetables in the NV mix is problematic and may at least contribute to the issue.

No, the ELISA test would be specific for Giardia. Have you treated the coccidia with ponazuril because if it was albon you treated with, the coccidia is not necessarily treated.

 

[Louie'sDad]

I tend to agree with John, that the vegetables in the NV mix is problematic and may at least contribute to the issue.

No, the ELISA test would be specific for Giardia. Have you treated the coccidia with ponazuril because if it was albon you treated with, the coccidia is not necessarily treated.

The breeder gave me the medication, whose name I don't remember. It was a white powder which I was instructed to mix with water and then administer a full dropper (10 ml, I think) once per day for three days. I went ahead for an extra 2 days until it ran out. The bottle was marked "coccidia medicine".

 

[Louie'sDad]

I treated Louie with Marquis (ponazuril) in early March 2013. This was given to me by the breeder.

So, apparently now both Coccidia and Giardia are eliminated as culprits.

Should I start him on the duck and pea (limited ingredient kibble from Dick Van Patten) before I proceed with the ronidazole, or vice versa?

 

[admin]

Joe, I just do not agree with starting a cat on ronidazole, which is a very powerful drug with sometimes very deleterious side effects, before testing for TF, but that is just me...why not ry the other food? Or get the test done?

Also, I think continuing to change his food is not going to stabilize his GI tract either IMO.

 

[Trish Allearz]

Joe, I just do not agree with starting a cat on ronidazole, which is a very powerful drug with sometimes very deleterious side effects, before testing for TF, but that is just me...why not ry the other food? Or get the test done?

Also, I think continuing to change his food is not going to stabilize his GI tract either IMO.

I actually don't think it's the worse idea- BUT I do think bouncing around on food, alone, will cause diarrhea so if that's what's been going on- that HAS to stop. Personally, I'd go to raw. It seems to work best with upset tummies.

 

[Louie'sDad]

Must be a trait of F1 and possibly later gen SV's, because every time I go near his litterbox, which is in the bathroom, he eliminates whether he's "ready" or not. Must have something to do with the need to please the master?

For the last week, I've been coaxing him into eating more. I kneel next to his bowl, say the words "get some food" which he understands, and prime him with a few nuggets in my hand. He usually begins eating from his bowl at this point and all the while I whisper "good boy, Louie" with my lips right up against the scruff of his neck. He loves this and his eating takes on more gusto and is more prolonged. He seems to have "filled out" some more over the past week. The bad news is that his BMs are more frequent, smaller, but now very noisy, splattery and wet. He also farts a lot, and they're all SBDs, which singes my eyebrows. The extra eating seems to have aggravated the situation.

I think I will immediately switch him over to the duck and pea (simple ingredients) kibble. I will hold the ronidazole and, as I said, raw/fresh meat and rice is a last resort.