01/29/2012 Spitzer vet update

Previously

Per vet @ 11:07 am Ohio time:
He is doing well. He is eating. No vomiting. The nasal discharge is better. He has more energy.

He is on cyclosporine and something to coat his intestines somewhat.

He has had a large stool (this is his 'usual') which is somthing that can occur with inflammatory bowel disease (and IBD can lead to intestinal lymphoma, but we won't know until there is a biopsy).

The vet increased his insulin to 2.5 units. I'd just gotten him up to 2.0 after getting food stabilized on Great Choice [formerly Sophisticat] ... which turns out to have carrageenan in it, a probable GI irritant that may have contributed to his condition.

I'm hoping to bring him home at noon if its OK; my emergency cash reserves have sunk dangerously low.

I need to find a canned pate, no carrageenan, no gluten, (what else sets off IBD?), no soy (phytoestrogens/flavanoids may affect hormones) canned food that all 12 cats can eat ... and I'd really like it to come in a 5.5 oz or larger can! And no, I'm not up to making my own raw diet.

PS And the vet said it was no wonder I haven't been able to get the diabetes well controlled with the GI problems Spitzer has as those can really alter glucose patterns.

 

Thanks SO much for the up date. I have been praying for the poor guy. I WISH I had answers to your questions. I too have been searching for alternatives to Zoe's current diet. She is rather picky so it's going to be ...fun. :/

I'm so glad Spitzer is doing better.
jeanne

 

Well I guess that is good news but wow, that's going to be tough work! I can't find a single wet food that the two cats here will both eat.

Do you have any way to separate his food out? When I had a 4 cat household, I was able to give each cat a separate feeding spot and apart from my one problem child, everyone ate his or her own food. Now I have two it is easy because Scout eats on the floor and my civvie Nipper eats on the desk that Scout can't get up on. Since Nipper doesn't like Scout's food, I don't have to spend money of the facy food for a cat that doesn't really need it. I was thinking if you fed Spitzer separately at meals then the other cats could eat whatever, then pick up uneaten civvie food? Or could you keep him quarantined completely until his BG and diet are under control? Also, my cousin has a cat door that goes with a collar so only her cats, wearing the collar, can make it through the door. That could be another way to let Spitzer have access to his special food, but of course it won't stop him eating someone else's.

I'm feeding Scout Blue and Evo now, they are pricy but I buy in bulk and get a discount. I'm not good enough at reading labels to know if they have all that stuff in them though, sorry.

Lori xx

 

So glad to log on this morning & see your post.
It's great news to see Spitzer doing better.
I hope he gets to come home today.

I don't have any food suggestions. All the crap the food companies put in food that dont belong in feline diet is one reason I am in the early stages of raw diet.

Have a feel good day Spitzer!

Jenn & Baxter

 

So glad to hear Spitzer's picking up. The food I use would fit the bill but it's made in New Zealand and I have enough problems getting hold of it in Australia so I'm not sure you will be able to get hold of it at all. Also it is horribly expensive and with a house full of cats may be out of the question but just in case, it is Ziwipeak.