Any Veteranarians here? (cat questions, icky details within)

[starguru]

So my cat (The same cat from this thread https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/ask-a-mustachian/damn-cat/)  vomits.  A lot.  Pretty much once a day.  Before embarking on hundreds of $ of tests wanted to see if anyone has good insights.  Here's what happens:

1.  He pukes pretty much every day.
2.  Most days its clear with what looks like bubbly mucus in it.
3.  Every now and again (once a week, maybe) it looks like maybe there is blood in it.
4.  Sometimes it looks like bile.
5.  Cat is still active (given that he is a cat and sleeps a lot)
6.  Cat is still eager to eat
7.  Nothing unusual or missing from the litter box.

We did bring him to a vet and did a blood test that ruled out pancreatitis.  Vet wants to do an ultrasound next to see if it's lymphoma, but that's several hundred dollars. 

Any ideas?  Thanx!

[Frankies Girl]

Foamy white vomiting is usually a sign of kidney issues from what I was told. My cat has renal failure, and this was one of the signs, along with lots of peeing. We switched to the expensive Hills k/d food, (she only eats the kibble, not the canned stuff because she won't touch the wet food) and all issues stopped. Her bloodwork is perfect now, and no litterbox issues.

With your cat being male and having crystals in their bladder, you absolutely should be feeding urinary health food for the rest of its life, and likely should be tested for kidney failure.


Also look up "inflammatory bowel disease" and see if that sounds like a possibility. They can treat it without diagnosing it because the treatments aren't inherently harmful even if it is something else... and my vet said if it was IBD, the cat would respond within 48-ish hours and that would confirm her diagnosis (instead of doing exploratory surgery and biopsy). A few shots and pills are way cheaper than putting them under and surgery, and less stressful on the cat as well.

[damnedbee]

Consider dietary changes. They can help with a lot of GI problems and chronic vomiting. A few years ago, my cat was almost on death's door, and the vet couldn't find the cause. I switched him to a higher-quality food and saw great results, and he's hung on for years now with a much better quality of life. I was also able to test and eliminate some ingredients that he was particularly sensitive to. It turns out he does best on a diet that mimics what cats might eat in the wild--chicken, rabbit, and grain-free.

[starguru]

Foamy white vomiting is usually a sign of kidney issues from what I was told. My cat has renal failure, and this was one of the signs, along with lots of peeing. We switched to the expensive Hills k/d food, (she only eats the kibble, not the canned stuff because she won't touch the wet food) and all issues stopped. Her bloodwork is perfect now, and no litterbox issues.

With your cat being male and having crystals in their bladder, you absolutely should be feeding urinary health food for the rest of its life, and likely should be tested for kidney failure.


Also look up "inflammatory bowel disease" and see if that sounds like a possibility. They can treat it without diagnosing it because the treatments aren't inherently harmful even if it is something else... and my vet said if it was IBD, the cat would respond within 48-ish hours and that would confirm her diagnosis (instead of doing exploratory surgery and biopsy). A few shots and pills are way cheaper than putting them under and surgery, and less stressful on the cat as well.

Hmm I think the bloodtest he just had ruled out kidney issues.  How do you treat IBD with a cat?

[starguru]

Consider dietary changes. They can help with a lot of GI problems and chronic vomiting. A few years ago, my cat was almost on death's door, and the vet couldn't find the cause. I switched him to a higher-quality food and saw great results, and he's hung on for years now with a much better quality of life. I was also able to test and eliminate some ingredients that he was particularly sensitive to. It turns out he does best on a diet that mimics what cats might eat in the wild--chicken, rabbit, and grain-free.

What food do you recommend?  He currently gets blue buffalo branded wet food, which are grain free.  I stopped giving him the kibble since he seemed to puke that up more often. 

[Frankies Girl]

Foamy white vomiting is usually a sign of kidney issues from what I was told. My cat has renal failure, and this was one of the signs, along with lots of peeing. We switched to the expensive Hills k/d food, (she only eats the kibble, not the canned stuff because she won't touch the wet food) and all issues stopped. Her bloodwork is perfect now, and no litterbox issues.

With your cat being male and having crystals in their bladder, you absolutely should be feeding urinary health food for the rest of its life, and likely should be tested for kidney failure.


Also look up "inflammatory bowel disease" and see if that sounds like a possibility. They can treat it without diagnosing it because the treatments aren't inherently harmful even if it is something else... and my vet said if it was IBD, the cat would respond within 48-ish hours and that would confirm her diagnosis (instead of doing exploratory surgery and biopsy). A few shots and pills are way cheaper than putting them under and surgery, and less stressful on the cat as well.

Hmm I think the bloodtest he just had ruled out kidney issues.  How do you treat IBD with a cat?

From what I remember, it was either steroids combined with nausea/vomiting meds initially as shots and then oral meds if diet changes didn't have any effect. None of the drugs were a daily for the rest of their life; most were an every other day or "few times a week" type of thing. So definitely doable if the cat improved and could go on to life a comfortable life without serious symptoms (or constant vomiting). The diagnosis would have been assumed to be correct if the cat responded favorably; my vet seemed to think it a good idea to try treating it instead of risking surgery to confirm one way or another. (old cat with other medical issues = more likely to suffer complications or die from surgery, not even considering the discomfort/pain from the surgery itself)

But your vet may have other ideas, so best to ask if about IBD - if that might be a possibility - and kidney issues have been ruled out already (but do make sure you're feeding a high quality food that reduces crystal formation - this is very important).

I am not a vet, so do please check with your doc about all of this (and it never hurts to seek a second opinion if you have a trusted recommendation for another vet).

[startingsmall]

So my cat (The same cat from this thread https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/ask-a-mustachian/damn-cat/)  vomits.  A lot.  Pretty much once a day.  Before embarking on hundreds of $ of tests wanted to see if anyone has good insights.  Here's what happens:

1.  He pukes pretty much every day.
2.  Most days its clear with what looks like bubbly mucus in it.
3.  Every now and again (once a week, maybe) it looks like maybe there is blood in it.
4.  Sometimes it looks like bile.
5.  Cat is still active (given that he is a cat and sleeps a lot)
6.  Cat is still eager to eat
7.  Nothing unusual or missing from the litter box.

We did bring him to a vet and did a blood test that ruled out pancreatitis.  Vet wants to do an ultrasound next to see if it's lymphoma, but that's several hundred dollars. 

Any ideas?  Thanx!

Vet here. Ultrasound next sounds like a completely reasonable option.... they'll probably be looking for evidence to suggest lymphoma or inflammatory bowel disease, but other intra-abdominal diseases can also be seen on ultrasound. An ultrasound (+/- aspirates of any abnormalities visualized) will  hopefully allow your vet to diagnose the cause of your cat's vomiting. Without a diagnosis, it's difficult to develop a treatment plan or know your cat's prognosis.

If you are not up for ultrasound, you could ask your vet if they may consider empirical treatment. That would save you money, but may not be successful.  If your veterinarian suspects lymphoma or inflammatory bowel disease (which is what I'm assuming, based on the ultrasound recommendation) sometimes steroids can be attempted. Just a few quick thoughts on steroid therapy, though. Both lymphoma and IBD will initially respond to steroids, in most cases. (Some other conditions will also improve on steroids, some will not.) If it's lymphoma, the improvement with steroids will typically be short-term; if it's IBD, the improvement will typically be long-term. The downside to that approach is that steroids may interfere with your ability to ever get an accurate diagnosis, so I wouldn't recommend going that route unless you're committed to that decision and not at all open to diagnostics. If you start steroids and things are going okay but then stop going well, you can't necessarily decide at that time to get a diagnosis and start more appropriate treatment. Basically, steroids without a diagnosis are a 'last-ditch' effort in cases where a client is unwilling/unable to pursue an appropriate workup. If you want to do what is medically best for your cat and give the best chances of successful treatment, abdominal ultrasound sounds like a reasonable next step.

Obviously, I haven't examined your cat and really can't make any recommendations based on the info you've given here, but given the recommendation of an ultrasound, I'm assuming that the above thought process is what's going through your vet's mind. If you aren't sure, you should ask your vet.

Hope that helps.

[starguru]

So my cat (The same cat from this thread https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/ask-a-mustachian/damn-cat/)  vomits.  A lot.  Pretty much once a day.  Before embarking on hundreds of $ of tests wanted to see if anyone has good insights.  Here's what happens:

1.  He pukes pretty much every day.
2.  Most days its clear with what looks like bubbly mucus in it.
3.  Every now and again (once a week, maybe) it looks like maybe there is blood in it.
4.  Sometimes it looks like bile.
5.  Cat is still active (given that he is a cat and sleeps a lot)
6.  Cat is still eager to eat
7.  Nothing unusual or missing from the litter box.

We did bring him to a vet and did a blood test that ruled out pancreatitis.  Vet wants to do an ultrasound next to see if it's lymphoma, but that's several hundred dollars. 

Any ideas?  Thanx!

Vet here. Ultrasound next sounds like a completely reasonable option.... they'll probably be looking for evidence to suggest lymphoma or inflammatory bowel disease, but other intra-abdominal diseases can also be seen on ultrasound. An ultrasound (+/- aspirates of any abnormalities visualized) will  hopefully allow your vet to diagnose the cause of your cat's vomiting. Without a diagnosis, it's difficult to develop a treatment plan or know your cat's prognosis.

If you are not up for ultrasound, you could ask your vet if they may consider empirical treatment. That would save you money, but may not be successful.  If your veterinarian suspects lymphoma or inflammatory bowel disease (which is what I'm assuming, based on the ultrasound recommendation) sometimes steroids can be attempted. Just a few quick thoughts on steroid therapy, though. Both lymphoma and IBD will initially respond to steroids, in most cases. (Some other conditions will also improve on steroids, some will not.) If it's lymphoma, the improvement with steroids will typically be short-term; if it's IBD, the improvement will typically be long-term. The downside to that approach is that steroids may interfere with your ability to ever get an accurate diagnosis, so I wouldn't recommend going that route unless you're committed to that decision and not at all open to diagnostics. If you start steroids and things are going okay but then stop going well, you can't necessarily decide at that time to get a diagnoses and start more appropriate treatment. Basically, steroids without a diagnosis are a 'last-ditch' effort in cases where a client is unwilling/unable to pursue an appropriate workup. If you want to do what is medically best for your cat and give the best chances of successful treatment, abdominal ultrasound sounds like a reasonable next step.

Obviously, I haven't examined your cat and really can't make any recommendations based on the info you've given here, but given the recommendation of an ultrasound, I'm assuming that the above thought process is what's going through your vet's mind. If you aren't sure, you should ask your vet.

Hope that helps.

Thank you, that helps quite a bit.   Seems like you agree with our current Vet's process here. 

Im trying to figure this out.  So we can pay the $$ and get tested.  If the cat has IBD or something that is treatable maintainable we will follow that course.  If it's something painful we will wait until he is suffering and do the right thing.

If we forego the ultrasound, and just make an educated guess of IBD, and do the treatment, either he will get better long term, or like you said we might see a short term improvement followed by a rapid decline. 

I can't see what doing the ultrasound buys us other possible knowledge.  But practically it seems either way he is going to get the steroids and that will work for as long as it works.  Could an ultrasound reveal something that would mandate a different reasonable treatment path?  Will the ultrasound answer all questions, or could it lead to more tests?

Thanx again.

[startingsmall]

So my cat (The same cat from this thread https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/ask-a-mustachian/damn-cat/)  vomits.  A lot.  Pretty much once a day.  Before embarking on hundreds of $ of tests wanted to see if anyone has good insights.  Here's what happens:

1.  He pukes pretty much every day.
2.  Most days its clear with what looks like bubbly mucus in it.
3.  Every now and again (once a week, maybe) it looks like maybe there is blood in it.
4.  Sometimes it looks like bile.
5.  Cat is still active (given that he is a cat and sleeps a lot)
6.  Cat is still eager to eat
7.  Nothing unusual or missing from the litter box.

We did bring him to a vet and did a blood test that ruled out pancreatitis.  Vet wants to do an ultrasound next to see if it's lymphoma, but that's several hundred dollars. 

Any ideas?  Thanx!

Vet here. Ultrasound next sounds like a completely reasonable option.... they'll probably be looking for evidence to suggest lymphoma or inflammatory bowel disease, but other intra-abdominal diseases can also be seen on ultrasound. An ultrasound (+/- aspirates of any abnormalities visualized) will  hopefully allow your vet to diagnose the cause of your cat's vomiting. Without a diagnosis, it's difficult to develop a treatment plan or know your cat's prognosis.

If you are not up for ultrasound, you could ask your vet if they may consider empirical treatment. That would save you money, but may not be successful.  If your veterinarian suspects lymphoma or inflammatory bowel disease (which is what I'm assuming, based on the ultrasound recommendation) sometimes steroids can be attempted. Just a few quick thoughts on steroid therapy, though. Both lymphoma and IBD will initially respond to steroids, in most cases. (Some other conditions will also improve on steroids, some will not.) If it's lymphoma, the improvement with steroids will typically be short-term; if it's IBD, the improvement will typically be long-term. The downside to that approach is that steroids may interfere with your ability to ever get an accurate diagnosis, so I wouldn't recommend going that route unless you're committed to that decision and not at all open to diagnostics. If you start steroids and things are going okay but then stop going well, you can't necessarily decide at that time to get a diagnoses and start more appropriate treatment. Basically, steroids without a diagnosis are a 'last-ditch' effort in cases where a client is unwilling/unable to pursue an appropriate workup. If you want to do what is medically best for your cat and give the best chances of successful treatment, abdominal ultrasound sounds like a reasonable next step.

Obviously, I haven't examined your cat and really can't make any recommendations based on the info you've given here, but given the recommendation of an ultrasound, I'm assuming that the above thought process is what's going through your vet's mind. If you aren't sure, you should ask your vet.

Hope that helps.

Thank you, that helps quite a bit.   Seems like you agree with our current Vet's process here. 

Im trying to figure this out.  So we can pay the $$ and get tested.  If the cat has IBD or something that is treatable maintainable we will follow that course.  If it's something painful we will wait until he is suffering and do the right thing.

If we forego the ultrasound, and just make an educated guess of IBD, and do the treatment, either he will get better long term, or like you said we might see a short term improvement followed by a rapid decline. 

I can't see what doing the ultrasound buys us other possible knowledge.  But practically it seems either way he is going to get the steroids and that will work for as long as it works.  Could an ultrasound reveal something that would mandate a different reasonable treatment path?  Will the ultrasound answer all questions, or could it lead to more tests?

Thanx again.

An ultrasound could lead to more tests, but I would say that in the majority of cases where I have recommended ultrasound for a vomiting cat, the ultrasound (+/- fine needle aspirates taken at the time of the ultrasound) has given us a diagnosis.

Depending on the diagnosis, there absolutely may be things that can be done beyond steroids. Maybe they find a mass that can be removed surgically, or evidence of an infection in the liver, or one of any other countless possibilities. Or maybe they see evidence of lymphoma. Lymphoma in cats can respond very well to chemotherapy. And before you start immediately saying "no chemo!," it's important to understand that chemo in cats is totally different than chemo in humans - they don't lose their hair, they don't typically develop nausea, and the overall side effects are not like in humans. Cats with lymphoma can live for several years with chemo (compared to a few months with steroids). So, if you would consider spending the money on chemo or surgery if it was indicated, getting a diagnosis is pretty important and could potentially have a significant impact on your cat's lifespan and quality of life. If, on the other hand, the ultrasound alone would eat up the maximum amount you would ever spend on your cat and you would decline any expense over that dollar amount, then yeah, the ultrasound isn't going to change much and you'd be better off not spending the money.

[starguru]

So my cat (The same cat from this thread https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/ask-a-mustachian/damn-cat/)  vomits.  A lot.  Pretty much once a day.  Before embarking on hundreds of $ of tests wanted to see if anyone has good insights.  Here's what happens:

1.  He pukes pretty much every day.
2.  Most days its clear with what looks like bubbly mucus in it.
3.  Every now and again (once a week, maybe) it looks like maybe there is blood in it.
4.  Sometimes it looks like bile.
5.  Cat is still active (given that he is a cat and sleeps a lot)
6.  Cat is still eager to eat
7.  Nothing unusual or missing from the litter box.

We did bring him to a vet and did a blood test that ruled out pancreatitis.  Vet wants to do an ultrasound next to see if it's lymphoma, but that's several hundred dollars. 

Any ideas?  Thanx!

Vet here. Ultrasound next sounds like a completely reasonable option.... they'll probably be looking for evidence to suggest lymphoma or inflammatory bowel disease, but other intra-abdominal diseases can also be seen on ultrasound. An ultrasound (+/- aspirates of any abnormalities visualized) will  hopefully allow your vet to diagnose the cause of your cat's vomiting. Without a diagnosis, it's difficult to develop a treatment plan or know your cat's prognosis.

If you are not up for ultrasound, you could ask your vet if they may consider empirical treatment. That would save you money, but may not be successful.  If your veterinarian suspects lymphoma or inflammatory bowel disease (which is what I'm assuming, based on the ultrasound recommendation) sometimes steroids can be attempted. Just a few quick thoughts on steroid therapy, though. Both lymphoma and IBD will initially respond to steroids, in most cases. (Some other conditions will also improve on steroids, some will not.) If it's lymphoma, the improvement with steroids will typically be short-term; if it's IBD, the improvement will typically be long-term. The downside to that approach is that steroids may interfere with your ability to ever get an accurate diagnosis, so I wouldn't recommend going that route unless you're committed to that decision and not at all open to diagnostics. If you start steroids and things are going okay but then stop going well, you can't necessarily decide at that time to get a diagnoses and start more appropriate treatment. Basically, steroids without a diagnosis are a 'last-ditch' effort in cases where a client is unwilling/unable to pursue an appropriate workup. If you want to do what is medically best for your cat and give the best chances of successful treatment, abdominal ultrasound sounds like a reasonable next step.

Obviously, I haven't examined your cat and really can't make any recommendations based on the info you've given here, but given the recommendation of an ultrasound, I'm assuming that the above thought process is what's going through your vet's mind. If you aren't sure, you should ask your vet.

Hope that helps.

Thank you, that helps quite a bit.   Seems like you agree with our current Vet's process here. 

Im trying to figure this out.  So we can pay the $$ and get tested.  If the cat has IBD or something that is treatable maintainable we will follow that course.  If it's something painful we will wait until he is suffering and do the right thing.

If we forego the ultrasound, and just make an educated guess of IBD, and do the treatment, either he will get better long term, or like you said we might see a short term improvement followed by a rapid decline. 

I can't see what doing the ultrasound buys us other possible knowledge.  But practically it seems either way he is going to get the steroids and that will work for as long as it works.  Could an ultrasound reveal something that would mandate a different reasonable treatment path?  Will the ultrasound answer all questions, or could it lead to more tests?

Thanx again.

An ultrasound could lead to more tests, but I would say that in the majority of cases where I have recommended ultrasound for a vomiting cat, the ultrasound (+/- fine needle aspirates taken at the time of the ultrasound) has given us a diagnosis.

Depending on the diagnosis, there absolutely may be things that can be done beyond steroids. Maybe they find a mass that can be removed surgically, or evidence of an infection in the liver, or one of any other countless possibilities. Or maybe they see evidence of lymphoma. Lymphoma in cats can respond very well to chemotherapy. And before you start immediately saying "no chemo!," it's important to understand that chemo in cats is totally different than chemo in humans - they don't lose their hair, they don't typically develop nausea, and the overall side effects are not like in humans. Cats with lymphoma can live for several years with chemo (compared to a few months with steroids). So, if you would consider spending the money on chemo or surgery if it was indicated, getting a diagnosis is pretty important and could potentially have a significant impact on your cat's lifespan and quality of life. If, on the other hand, the ultrasound alone would eat up the maximum amount you would ever spend on your cat and you would decline any expense over that dollar amount, then yeah, the ultrasound isn't going to change much and you'd be better off not spending the money.

I really appreciate your help.  Someone asked to come up and join the conversation.




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[MMMaybe]

(Aside from seeing the vet), I agree with looking into his diet. We realised after many expensive eye problems, that our cat was in fact allergic to fish. The resulting itchy skin, caused him to claw at his face. So we do limited ingredient, grain free, high protein dry food and high meat content (70% plus meat) and he is now fine.

The other more random thing is that some cats eat stuff which isn't actually food. Mine likes to snack on plastic (and puke). We also had a wool shaggy rug that he was eating too and puking up bloody vomit. So is he eating something he shouldn't be?

[Nate R]

Our older cat (16 when these issues started getting bad) seemed to benefit greatly from a few B12 shots, and removing poultry from his diet. After that, the vomiting went from daily to maybe once a month.

[starguru]

May I ask what food you feed your cats?


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[MMMaybe]

I feed him Applaws or Spot's Stew or similar. For me, its not just the grain free, high protein aspect which is important, it is also what kind of meat they are using. It needs to be human grade, actual meat. Unfortunately the pet food industry is legally allowed to put some real rubbish into pet food. Google it but prepare to be grossed out.

As an introduction, this info from Spot's Stew explains what shouldn't be in pet food and I follow that when I read the labels on pet foods.

https://halopets.com/philosophy-on-ingredients/?_ga=2.77582549.1194124948.1493832314-576880537.1493832314

[Nate R]

May I ask what food you feed your cats?


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Not sure who this is directed to?
We eventually had settled on Weruva's La Isla Bonita for that cat after trying several options. He was missing several teeth due to earlier in life dental issues, and had not done well on dry food previously. At this stage, he wasn't absorbing things real well, so we had to watch to make sure he got enough caloric intake/absorption. So he ate plenty of it!

[Better Change]

I am not a vet, but I can tell you this: my cat has never been sicker than she was when I was feeding her that Blue Buffalo stuff.  I couldn't figure out what was going on, because my cat is pretty low maintenance, and she LOVES to eat.  It got so bad that she refused to eat the cans of Blue Buffalo, and she was starting to ignore the dry food, too.

I switched her back to what she was eating before, and the vomiting and food refusal stopped instantly.  I'm trying her on a different food now, and we're back to the morning puking.  Sigh. 

[Meowmalade]

One of my cats was puking pools of liquid every other day (mostly clear, but sometimes with blood or bile), and it turned out to be a food allergy.  It turns out that cats are often allergic to chicken, and it seems that she had also developed an allergy to beef.  Now she's on an all-rabbit diet (vet said that rabbit tends to be a good option for animals with allergies to certain proteins) and the vomiting has mostly cleared up.  She just has a trigger-happy tummy and when she has a hairball, she'll throw up 8-10 times in the couple of hours after.

Good luck!

[starguru]

I am not a vet, but I can tell you this: my cat has never been sicker than she was when I was feeding her that Blue Buffalo stuff.  I couldn't figure out what was going on, because my cat is pretty low maintenance, and she LOVES to eat.  It got so bad that she refused to eat the cans of Blue Buffalo, and she was starting to ignore the dry food, too.

I switched her back to what she was eating before, and the vomiting and food refusal stopped instantly.  I'm trying her on a different food now, and we're back to the morning puking.  Sigh.

Yes I'm probably going to change the food.  I wonder with a food allergy if the cat would vomit right after eating.  From what I can tell my cat vomits in the middle of the night.  Since I control his food so far as I can tell he is vomiting long after eating, long enough that the vomitus is all liquid.

What food did you settle on?  Is there anything good available at pet smart?


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[Spork]

Danger: I am not a vet.  Listen to startingsmall before you listen to me.

That said... we had a cat that had the symptoms of IBD.  We were feeding high end, grain-free foods.  Our vet had us start eliminating specific proteins.  I.e. -- do 2 weeks feeding only chicken based foods.  No change?  Do 2 weeks with only beef based foods...  Repeat until you run out of proteins to try.

We eventually found a protein that he could digest and we stuck to it hard.  He lived to be 18 with no further symptoms. 

[Meowmalade]

My cat did not vomit right after eating, with the food allergy.  Usually it was at night (and I'd have to leap out of bed to save the rug) but sometimes during the day.  By the way, we feed our cats raw but the rabbit also comes in canned.  Nature's Variety Instinct is a good brand-- not cheap, but good quality.  Like what Spork just said, it takes a little while to try a different food and know that it's working. 

[starguru]

I appreciate all the responses. Going to the pet store this afternoon.  I will probably go thru with the ultrasound unless the food I pick this afternoon works.


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[startingsmall]

I appreciate all the responses. Going to the pet store this afternoon.  I will probably go thru with the ultrasound unless the food I pick this afternoon works.


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If you're wanting to try food before ultrasound, you might first ask your vet about a hydrolyzed protein diet. Diets like Hills' Z/D and Royal Canin HP are prescription diets that are processed in such a way that the proteins are broken down too small for the immune system to recognize them. They're available through your veterinarian, or your veterinarian can call in a prescription to your nearest Banfield and you can get the food at Petsmart.

Instead of playing the trial-and-error game of trying a million different diets/proteins, you try the hydrolyzed protein diet and, if it's a food sensitivity, your cat should respond. Then you can either maintain them on the food or play the trial-and-error game looking for a cheaper OTC alternative, but at least you KNOW whether it's a food allergy or not. Much quicker way of getting an answer, assuming that your vet feels your cat is stable enough to try a food trial and not in urgent need of an answer. (It can take 2-3 weeks to see improvement on a food trial.)

Whatever you do, don't listen to the pet store employees. They'll sell you on some awful crap like Blue Buffalo. You don't need some silly grain-free organic garbage, a food allergy is typically to the protein. You need a food that does not contain ANY protein that your cat has ever been exposed to. That's typically hard to find with OTC diets, especially since many of the foods are not manufactured on a dedicated line and they can pick up bits of other proteins. (Think about all of the human foods that say stuff like "this food has been manufactured in a facility that also processes peanuts.") Prescription food is a much more accurate way ensure that you're excluding possible allergy triggers.

[Meowmalade]

If you're wanting to try food before ultrasound, you might first ask your vet about a hydrolyzed protein diet. Diets like Hills' Z/D and Royal Canin HP are prescription diets that are processed in such a way that the proteins are broken down too small for the immune system to recognize them. They're available through your veterinarian, or your veterinarian can call in a prescription to your nearest Banfield and you can get the food at Petsmart.

This is a great idea.  The vet had Girl Cat (the vomiting one) try out Z/D (or was it Z/Z?) and it helped with her vomiting issues, but it gave Boy Cat diarrhea (it's hard to do separate meals for our cats).  That's how we knew it was a protein allergy and started trying out weird meats like duck and venison and finally ended up with rabbit, where both cats liked it and did well on it.

[starguru]

I appreciate all the responses. Going to the pet store this afternoon.  I will probably go thru with the ultrasound unless the food I pick this afternoon works.


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If you're wanting to try food before ultrasound, you might first ask your vet about a hydrolyzed protein diet. Diets like Hills' Z/D and Royal Canin HP are prescription diets that are processed in such a way that the proteins are broken down too small for the immune system to recognize them. They're available through your veterinarian, or your veterinarian can call in a prescription to your nearest Banfield and you can get the food at Petsmart.

Instead of playing the trial-and-error game of trying a million different diets/proteins, you try the hydrolyzed protein diet and, if it's a food sensitivity, your cat should respond. Then you can either maintain them on the food or play the trial-and-error game looking for a cheaper OTC alternative, but at least you KNOW whether it's a food allergy or not. Much quicker way of getting an answer, assuming that your vet feels your cat is stable enough to try a food trial and not in urgent need of an answer. (It can take 2-3 weeks to see improvement on a food trial.)

Whatever you do, don't listen to the pet store employees. They'll sell you on some awful crap like Blue Buffalo. You don't need some silly grain-free organic garbage, a food allergy is typically to the protein. You need a food that does not contain ANY protein that your cat has ever been exposed to. That's typically hard to find with OTC diets, especially since many of the foods are not manufactured on a dedicated line and they can pick up bits of other proteins. (Think about all of the human foods that say stuff like "this food has been manufactured in a facility that also processes peanuts.") Prescription food is a much more accurate way ensure that you're excluding possible allergy triggers.

Hmm it was my vet that recommended the Blue Buffalo....Do you have a food brand you recommend in general?

I will call my vet tomorrow and try to follow the hydrolyzed food recommendation.  Can I ask, why the heck is some cat food prescription only? 

Thanx again for the advice.

[startingsmall]

I appreciate all the responses. Going to the pet store this afternoon.  I will probably go thru with the ultrasound unless the food I pick this afternoon works.


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If you're wanting to try food before ultrasound, you might first ask your vet about a hydrolyzed protein diet. Diets like Hills' Z/D and Royal Canin HP are prescription diets that are processed in such a way that the proteins are broken down too small for the immune system to recognize them. They're available through your veterinarian, or your veterinarian can call in a prescription to your nearest Banfield and you can get the food at Petsmart.

Instead of playing the trial-and-error game of trying a million different diets/proteins, you try the hydrolyzed protein diet and, if it's a food sensitivity, your cat should respond. Then you can either maintain them on the food or play the trial-and-error game looking for a cheaper OTC alternative, but at least you KNOW whether it's a food allergy or not. Much quicker way of getting an answer, assuming that your vet feels your cat is stable enough to try a food trial and not in urgent need of an answer. (It can take 2-3 weeks to see improvement on a food trial.)

Whatever you do, don't listen to the pet store employees. They'll sell you on some awful crap like Blue Buffalo. You don't need some silly grain-free organic garbage, a food allergy is typically to the protein. You need a food that does not contain ANY protein that your cat has ever been exposed to. That's typically hard to find with OTC diets, especially since many of the foods are not manufactured on a dedicated line and they can pick up bits of other proteins. (Think about all of the human foods that say stuff like "this food has been manufactured in a facility that also processes peanuts.") Prescription food is a much more accurate way ensure that you're excluding possible allergy triggers.

Hmm it was my vet that recommended the Blue Buffalo....Do you have a food brand you recommend in general?

I will call my vet tomorrow and try to follow the hydrolyzed food recommendation.  Can I ask, why the heck is some cat food prescription only? 

Thanx again for the advice.

The prescription foods aren't designed to meet the nutritional needs of all pets, so they should be given only under vet supervision.

My go-to brands are Purina ProPlan (which is what I feed my dog & cat), Royal Canin, and Science Diet.

[Walsh1122]

I appreciate all the responses. Going to the pet store this afternoon.  I will probably go thru with the ultrasound unless the food I pick this afternoon works.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Whatever you do, don't listen to the pet store employees. They'll sell you on some awful crap like Blue Buffalo. You don't need some silly grain-free organic garbage, a food allergy is typically to the protein. You need a food that does not contain ANY protein that your cat has ever been exposed to. That's typically hard to find with OTC diets, especially since many of the foods are not manufactured on a dedicated line and they can pick up bits of other proteins. (Think about all of the human foods that say stuff like "this food has been manufactured in a facility that also processes peanuts.") Prescription food is a much more accurate way ensure that you're excluding possible allergy triggers.

Veterinarian here, THANK YOU!  My eye was twitching until I got to this!

[starguru]

I appreciate all the responses. Going to the pet store this afternoon.  I will probably go thru with the ultrasound unless the food I pick this afternoon works.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Whatever you do, don't listen to the pet store employees. They'll sell you on some awful crap like Blue Buffalo. You don't need some silly grain-free organic garbage, a food allergy is typically to the protein. You need a food that does not contain ANY protein that your cat has ever been exposed to. That's typically hard to find with OTC diets, especially since many of the foods are not manufactured on a dedicated line and they can pick up bits of other proteins. (Think about all of the human foods that say stuff like "this food has been manufactured in a facility that also processes peanuts.") Prescription food is a much more accurate way ensure that you're excluding possible allergy triggers.

Veterinarian here, THANK YOU!  My eye was twitching until I got to this!

What was causing your eye twitch?

[starguru]

I appreciate all the responses. Going to the pet store this afternoon.  I will probably go thru with the ultrasound unless the food I pick this afternoon works.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

If you're wanting to try food before ultrasound, you might first ask your vet about a hydrolyzed protein diet. Diets like Hills' Z/D and Royal Canin HP are prescription diets that are processed in such a way that the proteins are broken down too small for the immune system to recognize them. They're available through your veterinarian, or your veterinarian can call in a prescription to your nearest Banfield and you can get the food at Petsmart.

Instead of playing the trial-and-error game of trying a million different diets/proteins, you try the hydrolyzed protein diet and, if it's a food sensitivity, your cat should respond. Then you can either maintain them on the food or play the trial-and-error game looking for a cheaper OTC alternative, but at least you KNOW whether it's a food allergy or not. Much quicker way of getting an answer, assuming that your vet feels your cat is stable enough to try a food trial and not in urgent need of an answer. (It can take 2-3 weeks to see improvement on a food trial.)

Whatever you do, don't listen to the pet store employees. They'll sell you on some awful crap like Blue Buffalo. You don't need some silly grain-free organic garbage, a food allergy is typically to the protein. You need a food that does not contain ANY protein that your cat has ever been exposed to. That's typically hard to find with OTC diets, especially since many of the foods are not manufactured on a dedicated line and they can pick up bits of other proteins. (Think about all of the human foods that say stuff like "this food has been manufactured in a facility that also processes peanuts.") Prescription food is a much more accurate way ensure that you're excluding possible allergy triggers.

Hmm it was my vet that recommended the Blue Buffalo....Do you have a food brand you recommend in general?

I will call my vet tomorrow and try to follow the hydrolyzed food recommendation.  Can I ask, why the heck is some cat food prescription only? 

Thanx again for the advice.

The prescription foods aren't designed to meet the nutritional needs of all pets, so they should be given only under vet supervision.

My go-to brands are Purina ProPlan (which is what I feed my dog & cat), Royal Canin, and Science Diet.

Yay, all those are at Petsmart.  Thanx!

[Walsh1122]

Starguru, I completely agree with startingsmall on the previous discussion regarding ultrasound vs. treatment.  If it is a food sensitivity or IBD a veterinary prescription diet trial may help a lot.  In the case of a food sensitivity it may be the only thing you need to change.  In the case of IBD I always pair the hydrolyzed protein diet with other therapies (i.e. steroids, etc).  However, I will echo the comment by someone else, it is never wrong to seek a second opinion if you think you need to.  Having a consensus of multiple doctors may help you make the decision that is best for your pet and your family. 

[Walsh1122]

I appreciate all the responses. Going to the pet store this afternoon.  I will probably go thru with the ultrasound unless the food I pick this afternoon works.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Whatever you do, don't listen to the pet store employees. They'll sell you on some awful crap like Blue Buffalo. You don't need some silly grain-free organic garbage, a food allergy is typically to the protein. You need a food that does not contain ANY protein that your cat has ever been exposed to. That's typically hard to find with OTC diets, especially since many of the foods are not manufactured on a dedicated line and they can pick up bits of other proteins. (Think about all of the human foods that say stuff like "this food has been manufactured in a facility that also processes peanuts.") Prescription food is a much more accurate way ensure that you're excluding possible allergy triggers.

Veterinarian here, THANK YOU!  My eye was twitching until I got to this!

What was causing your eye twitch?

The incorrect information regarding over the counter limited ingredient diet trials. 

[Sibley]

I appreciate all the responses. Going to the pet store this afternoon.  I will probably go thru with the ultrasound unless the food I pick this afternoon works.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Whatever you do, don't listen to the pet store employees. They'll sell you on some awful crap like Blue Buffalo. You don't need some silly grain-free organic garbage, a food allergy is typically to the protein. You need a food that does not contain ANY protein that your cat has ever been exposed to. That's typically hard to find with OTC diets, especially since many of the foods are not manufactured on a dedicated line and they can pick up bits of other proteins. (Think about all of the human foods that say stuff like "this food has been manufactured in a facility that also processes peanuts.") Prescription food is a much more accurate way ensure that you're excluding possible allergy triggers.

Veterinarian here, THANK YOU!  My eye was twitching until I got to this!

What was causing your eye twitch?

The incorrect information regarding over the counter limited ingredient diet trials.

So, I'll ask a vet. Purina One, IAMS, Fancy Feast wet foods - yay or nay? (that's what my family's cats get)

[starguru]

Starguru, I completely agree with startingsmall on the previous discussion regarding ultrasound vs. treatment.  If it is a food sensitivity or IBD a veterinary prescription diet trial may help a lot.  In the case of a food sensitivity it may be the only thing you need to change.  In the case of IBD I always pair the hydrolyzed protein diet with other therapies (i.e. steroids, etc).  However, I will echo the comment by someone else, it is never wrong to seek a second opinion if you think you need to.  Having a consensus of multiple doctors may help you make the decision that is best for your pet and your family.

Still not sure why you had eye twitch.  So am I supposed to be going with trying the food or just skip to the ultrasound?

[Walsh1122]

I appreciate all the responses. Going to the pet store this afternoon.  I will probably go thru with the ultrasound unless the food I pick this afternoon works.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Whatever you do, don't listen to the pet store employees. They'll sell you on some awful crap like Blue Buffalo. You don't need some silly grain-free organic garbage, a food allergy is typically to the protein. You need a food that does not contain ANY protein that your cat has ever been exposed to. That's typically hard to find with OTC diets, especially since many of the foods are not manufactured on a dedicated line and they can pick up bits of other proteins. (Think about all of the human foods that say stuff like "this food has been manufactured in a facility that also processes peanuts.") Prescription food is a much more accurate way ensure that you're excluding possible allergy triggers.

Veterinarian here, THANK YOU!  My eye was twitching until I got to this!

What was causing your eye twitch?

The incorrect information regarding over the counter limited ingredient diet trials.

So, I'll ask a vet. Purina One, IAMS, Fancy Feast wet foods - yay or nay? (that's what my family's cats get)

My cats eat Purina and Fancy Feast, nothing wrong with those diets at all.  Iams is decent too!  If your cats are generally doing well on them, maintaining a healthy weight and have no major medical concerns requiring a diet change, I would say you are golden.

[Walsh1122]

Starguru, I completely agree with startingsmall on the previous discussion regarding ultrasound vs. treatment.  If it is a food sensitivity or IBD a veterinary prescription diet trial may help a lot.  In the case of a food sensitivity it may be the only thing you need to change.  In the case of IBD I always pair the hydrolyzed protein diet with other therapies (i.e. steroids, etc).  However, I will echo the comment by someone else, it is never wrong to seek a second opinion if you think you need to.  Having a consensus of multiple doctors may help you make the decision that is best for your pet and your family.

Still not sure why you had eye twitch.  So am I supposed to be going with trying the food or just skip to the ultrasound?

I think that discussion is ultimately between you an your veterinarian as that is where your client/patient doctor relationship is.  With that said, I think if you are not going to pursue an ultrasound a change to a hypoallergenic protein diet won't hurt.

[startingsmall]

Starguru, I completely agree with startingsmall on the previous discussion regarding ultrasound vs. treatment.  If it is a food sensitivity or IBD a veterinary prescription diet trial may help a lot.  In the case of a food sensitivity it may be the only thing you need to change.  In the case of IBD I always pair the hydrolyzed protein diet with other therapies (i.e. steroids, etc).  However, I will echo the comment by someone else, it is never wrong to seek a second opinion if you think you need to.  Having a consensus of multiple doctors may help you make the decision that is best for your pet and your family.

Still not sure why you had eye twitch.  So am I supposed to be going with trying the food or just skip to the ultrasound?

I think that discussion is ultimately between you an your veterinarian as that is where your client/patient doctor relationship is.  With that said, I think if you are not going to pursue an ultrasound a charnge to a hypoallergenic protein diet won't hurt.

This. Exactly. I don't know enough about your cat to make a specific recommendation. You need to discuss with your vet, who has actually examined your cat.

[Dicey]

No advice to offer, just a shout out to startingsmall for such great responses and to Walsh1122 for the nimble assists. I hope when you two have frugality/FIRE questions, your questions will be answered as helpfully as starguru's have been. I love this forum!

BTW, is that a deal bird in that photo, sg?

[NewPerspective]

No advice here either really but I wanted to thank the vets that commented about the food. 

Before we got our German Shepherd puppy I did a ton of reading and research.  Part of that reading led me to various websites and forums that discussed dog food.  Well, of course, I wanted to feed my dog(s) the best so I started with 4.5-5 star rated foods on dog advisor.  Unfortunately, our dog always, always, always had mushy gross poop.  I tried Merrick, Zignature, Nature's Domain and one other over about 16 months.  At our last vet visit, our vet told us to just try Purina Proplan.  Of course, all of the dog food "experts" say this food is absolute garbage, vets don't get any nutrition education, etc., etc., but guess what, our dog's poop is finally solid! (who knew this would be cause for celebration?), her coat looks great and she likes the food.

Anyway, moral of the story (for me), listen to your vet.    :-)

[starguru]

Just an update.  Kitty had his ultrasound.  The found a mass near the stomach and said the stomach lining looked abnormal.   They said usually in this case it's lymphoma, but not always.  They wanted to run further tests (some sort of needle to extract a bit from the mass), but we declined.  Kitty will be steroids for a bit to make him feel better, and we'll monitor for when his quality of life is degraded too much. 

We asked how much chemo is, and they said the first 3 months is typically about $2k, so at this point we feel like that is not going to happen.

[startingsmall]

Just an update.  Kitty had his ultrasound.  The found a mass near the stomach and said the stomach lining looked abnormal.   They said usually in this case it's lymphoma, but not always.  They wanted to run further tests (some sort of needle to extract a bit from the mass), but we declined.  Kitty will be steroids for a bit to make him feel better, and we'll monitor for when his quality of life is degraded too much. 

We asked how much chemo is, and they said the first 3 months is typically about $2k, so at this point we feel like that is not going to happen.

I'm sorry to hear that. At least now you have an answer and can stop fretting over food choices, etc. Feed him whatever decent-quality cat food he wants to eat and love him like crazy!

[kite]

No advice here either really but I wanted to thank the vets that commented about the food. 

Before we got our German Shepherd puppy I did a ton of reading and research.  Part of that reading led me to various websites and forums that discussed dog food.  Well, of course, I wanted to feed my dog(s) the best so I started with 4.5-5 star rated foods on dog advisor.  Unfortunately, our dog always, always, always had mushy gross poop.  I tried Merrick, Zignature, Nature's Domain and one other over about 16 months.  At our last vet visit, our vet told us to just try Purina Proplan.  Of course, all of the dog food "experts" say this food is absolute garbage, vets don't get any nutrition education, etc., etc., but guess what, our dog's poop is finally solid! (who knew this would be cause for celebration?), her coat looks great and she likes the food.

Anyway, moral of the story (for me), listen to your vet.    :-)

+1

Anyone using the "vet schools / med schools don't teach nutrition" line is peddling snake oil. 

[Polaria]

Just an update.  Kitty had his ultrasound.  The found a mass near the stomach and said the stomach lining looked abnormal.   They said usually in this case it's lymphoma, but not always.  They wanted to run further tests (some sort of needle to extract a bit from the mass), but we declined.  Kitty will be steroids for a bit to make him feel better, and we'll monitor for when his quality of life is degraded too much. 

I am sorry to hear the diagnosis for your cat. From my experience steroids should help improve his quality of life no matter what the actual issue is.

My late cat was also vomiting a lot, vet said it could be anything from cancer to IBS, but I declined to perform further invasive tests and steroids are the palliative treatment in all cases anyway. She was on one steroid injection every three months, I found it better than trying to make the cat ingest a pill each day.

[starguru]

Just an update.  Kitty had his ultrasound.  The found a mass near the stomach and said the stomach lining looked abnormal.   They said usually in this case it's lymphoma, but not always.  They wanted to run further tests (some sort of needle to extract a bit from the mass), but we declined.  Kitty will be steroids for a bit to make him feel better, and we'll monitor for when his quality of life is degraded too much. 

I am sorry to hear the diagnosis for your cat. From my experience steroids should help improve his quality of life no matter what the actual issue is.

My late cat was also vomiting a lot, vet said it could be anything from cancer to IBS, but I declined to perform further invasive tests and steroids are the palliative treatment in all cases anyway. She was on one steroid injection every three months, I found it better than trying to make the cat ingest a pill each day.

Yeah I'm having trouble getting him to take the pills.  I'm grinding them up and putting them in his food,  but I'm having trouble finding a food he likes.  If this continues I'll ask about an injection.


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