Allergy/diet advice needed

Hi All,

I really would appreciate some advice. Feeling caught between a rock and a hard place.

My 13 year old boy Murphy has been doing pretty well. He's been in remission nearly 4 months which is fantastic. He's most lately been diagnosed with pancreatitis, but we've managed to get through the first episode well and as comfortably as possible and he's active again and exploring our garden.

However he has long standing allergy/dermatitis issues. He literally scratches his face red raw and bloody, he has no whiskers left and he's bloody and sore constantly behind his ears. He also chews his paws until they bleed. It's heartbreaking to see and we've tried so much. We thought it was a severe ear mite allergy, but that's under control. We now think it's a good allergy and before we try immunotherapy of some sorry (atopica or allergy injections) we want to do a good trial.
My vet (who is brilliant and we'be a good relationship) is really very keen to do a food trial. She us recommending the Purina HA diet and I'm also interested in the Royal Canin. Unfortunately they're both kibble, which I know is a big no-no, but we're desperate to get him some relief. Please could someone look at the ingredients (links below) and tell me what you think of it? Are the carbs ridiculously high? Would it be bad for his pancreatitis?

I'd be hugely thankful for some advice.

https://www.purinaveterinarydiets.com/pet-food-nutrition/feline/products/ha-hydrolyzed/

http://www.royalcanin.com.au/products/products/vet-products/vet-diet-feline/hypoallergenic

 

Hello Amy I am not sure how much advise I can give as Magellan has a very minor allergy and it is taken care of by giving him a Lysine chew 1 per day you might want to look into it yourself.

 

Thank you..
I do add lysine to his current food, but I might look at increasing the dose of I don't go the hypoallergenic/elimination route.

 

Hi, Amy. So sorry Murphy has so many allergy problems, poor little guy. Unfortunately both the foods you listed are really high in carbs, well over 30% by my calculations. Sometimes, though, you just have to treat the other issues, allergy/dermatitis in his case, first and the diabetes second.

Here are two links to carb calculators that may be of some help to you, they're not % accurate but I believe they are close.

http://scheyderweb.com/cats/catfood.html

https://secure.balanceit.com/tools/_gaconverter/index.php

Good luck! And Murphy looks like a real sweetie pie.

 

Thank you so much Lucy!
I think I'm going to have to prioritize his allergies (even though it might not be food!!). It's disappointing though as he was doing so well with his numbers and being in remission. Do you know if there's anything else I'd need to look out for regarding his pancreatitis though? Is it phosphorus?
Thank you so much for taking the time to work out the carbs, I really appreciate it. I just want to do the best by him and it does feel a tricky one to figure out.

 

You are very welcome!

I know phophorus is not good for kitties with kidney problems, but I don't know about pancreatitis. I know a lot of the members here have cats with pancreatitis and one of them would probably be better able to help you with that than I am. Everything I've ever read about it suggests a high protein, low carb diet; some say raw is best. My cats eat some raw mixed in with their canned, just for overall health benefits.

It can be very frustrating trying to find the "perfect" food for our kitties, I know. I am still trying to find an affordable diet that all four of mine can eat, but so far no joy; I'm spending hundreds every month and it's killing me!

I hope you can get Murphy's allergies sorted out. Please keep us posted on his progress!

 

Yes it was kidneys that too much phosphorus isn't good for. Ice addled my brain!

Just been reading that dry food is very bad for cats with pancreatitis... Argh! I'm at a loss! I don't know if it makes it a deal breaker though?

Is there anyone here with a cat with pancreatitis AND allergies/atopic dermatitis? Help!!

Thank you again, Lucy

 

You can have blood tests done to find out what the specific allergens are. That might be a good place to start. Then you can take appropriate action to eliminate the allergens and remove the guess work.

 

How Are Cat Allergies Diagnosed?

It’s important to see a veterinary dermatologist for an allergy test if your cat has itchy or irritated skin. The test of choice is an intradermal skin test, as blood allergy tests are not considered as reliable.

The only way to diagnose a food allergy is to feed your cat a prescription or hydrolyzed protein diet exclusively for 12 weeks─that means no flavored medications or treats. This diet will be free of potential allergy-causing ingredients and will ideally have ingredients your cat has never been exposed to before. Your cat will remain on the diet until her symptoms go away, at which time you’ll begin to reintroduce old foods to see which ones might be causing the allergic reaction.

Please note, many cats diagnosed with a food allergy will require home-cooked meals, but this must be done in conjunction with your veterinarian as it requires a special protein and careful food balancing.
from:
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/cat-care/allergies

Also see:
http://www.vetstreet.com/care/allergy-testing

 

Hi Amy,

I have a diabetic cat with pancreatitis who has recently been diagnosed with specific food allergies from blood tests. I know one poster mentioned the blood tests were not reliable, but after eliminating some of the foods identified with the allergy tests, the scratching and redness above my cats eyes has pratically disappeared. Once you identify the allergies, you can look for low carbohydrate foods that don't include the allergen.

It is important to keep a diabetic cat on a low carbohydrate diet, which means no dry food. Also, a moderate fat diet is better if your cat has a history of pancreatitis. If you can have allergy testing done- blood or skin, it will help you identify what food is best for your cat.

I wish I had the allergy testing done sooner than I did after seeing how my cat has been relieved from all her itching and scratches on her temples.

Lisa

 

You can also consider adding Omega-3 oil to your kitty's food in the meantime. Here's a little info: http://www.littlebigcat.com/nutrition/choosing-an-omega-3-oil-for-your-pet/
I would pick one that's supplemented with Vitamin E.