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FLUTD
Hi there,
Our cat is about 7 years old, and was first diagnosed with Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disorder (FLUTD) about 5 years ago. 5 years ago we were told to keep him on a diet of vet food such as Hills 'C/D' or similar. It was spelled out that we should use dry food as this would make him thirsty and he would drink water to flush his urine. Since including that diet he gets bouts of straining every 12 months or so. I haven't always used the vet formula, mainly due to convenience and cost. There are foods at the shopping mall such as Purina One that are marketed towards FLUTD. But every so often he does strain. About a month ago I noticed that he was sick again, only he kind of blocked up. I switched food over to Hills C/D straight away and he seemed to get better within a couple of days. But last weekend he blocked up completely. Couldn't pee at all. So we took him to the vet. The vet gave him a canula (tube in his penis) for three days and this seemed to clear the blockage. This cost $1000.00 USD. Now the vet is saying not to feed him dry food, but to feed him either raw meat or canned food and not to feed him the dry food at all. What do I do? I cannot afford repeat vet bills like this. We adore our cat, he has a beautiful personality and is like a part of the family. I do want the best for him. Any suggestions? K, Sydney Australia |
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"K..........." wrote in message news:1114851681.65f8fd56713e80284a2fe670af9700f2@t eranews... Hi there, Our cat is about 7 years old, and was first diagnosed with Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disorder (FLUTD) about 5 years ago. 5 Now the vet is saying not to feed him dry food, but to feed him either raw meat or canned food and not to feed him the dry food at all. [..] What do I do? I cannot afford repeat vet bills like this. We adore our cat, he has a beautiful personality and is like a part of the family. I do want the best for him. Any suggestions? K, FlUTD is a general description for various disorders and vets nowadays generally advise a wet food diet and to encourage your cat to drink more. My cat Kim has a tendency to feline idiopathic cystitis which means there is no known cause and she is on a total canned diet and I add a GAG supplement which lines her bladder and have a feliway diffuser. She's not had it for a year so its a question of being vigilant and managing it . Alison http://catinfolinks.mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/ http://doginfolinks.mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/ |
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"K..........." wrote in message news:1114851681.65f8fd56713e80284a2fe670af9700f2@t eranews... Hi there, Our cat is about 7 years old, and was first diagnosed with Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disorder (FLUTD) about 5 years ago. 5 years ago we were told to keep him on a diet of vet food such as Hills 'C/D' or similar. It was spelled out that we should use dry food as this would make him thirsty and he would drink water to flush his urine. That's kinda silly logic. Cats fed dry food do drink more water (~6x more) than cats fed canned food, but most of that water is lost to fecal moisture so the urine volume is actually -less- and urine specific gravity is -higher-. The concentration of the solutes in the urine- especially the substances that form crystals and plugs- depends on urine volume. A higher water intake results in a less concentrated urine and a higher water turnover results in more frequent urination which eliminates crystal and plug substances before they become large enough to interfere with urination and/or irritate and inflame the glycosaminoglycan (GAG) layer that coats the bladder epithelium. Frequent urination also results in less time that urine is in contact with the bladder wall. This can reduce and often eliminate symptoms of interstitial cystitis in cats that might have a defect in GAG layer that might permit urine to penetrate the urothelium and cause inflammation. Many studies over the last 20 years have shown that cats fed canned food have a -higher- water intake and water turnover than cats fed dry food. So, this isn't simply an opinion. Since including that diet he gets bouts of straining every 12 months or so. I haven't always used the vet formula, mainly due to convenience and cost. There are foods at the shopping mall such as Purina One that are marketed towards FLUTD. Even though dry urinary diets are similary formulated, they're less efficacious than canned. All dry foods have the same disadvantages. Also, dry food is less digestible than equal-quality canned food- so, the cat must eat more food and in doing so, takes in more magnesium (as well as other minerals). Urine pH determines if struvite will form, but the amount of magnesium determines how much struvite will form. The magnesium content only becomes important when urine pH rises above 6.1-6.2. But every so often he does strain. This can also be caused by inflammation caused by crystals or a leaky GAG layer. Inflammation causes a nervous sensation that mimics the feeling of a full bladder. The nervous impulses that control the urge to urinate are constantly stimulated by inflammation so that the urge to urinate is constant whether the bladder is full or empty. This is why many cats that are rushed to emergency vets because they seem to be straining to pee actually have empty bladders. However, whenever a male cat appears to stain to urinate, you should always assume the cat is blocked and get him to a vet ASAP. A urinary tract obstruction produces a pathophysiologic state equivalent to oliguric acute renal failure-- which can become fatal very quickly. About a month ago I noticed that he was sick again, only he kind of blocked up. I switched food over to Hills C/D straight away and he seemed to get better within a couple of days. But last weekend he blocked up completely. Couldn't pee at all. So we took him to the vet. The vet gave him a canula (tube in his penis) for three days and this seemed to clear the blockage. This cost $1000.00 USD. Now the vet is saying not to feed him dry food, but to feed him either raw meat or canned food and not to feed him the dry food at all. The vet is absolutely correct. What do I do? I cannot afford repeat vet bills like this. We adore our cat, he has a beautiful personality and is like a part of the family. He's not 'like' part of the family; he *is* part of the family- at least that's how I feel about my cats. I do want the best for him. I believe you. That's why I'm taking the time to give you the best advice I can. Any suggestions? Try adding a very small amount (1 tsp) of water to his dry food and gradually increase the water every few days after he adjusts to the slighly moistened food. This must be accomplished s l o w l y and very gradually- if you rush it you'll blow it. After he's eating a mix that's pretty close to the consistency of canned food, you can gradually introduce the canned food to the mix (removing the same amount) so he can gradually adjust to the taste. Another method that works with some cats is grinding the dry food into a powder in a Kithchen-Aide or blender and sprinkling the powder over the canned food. You can also accustom him to canned food by smearing a dab of canned food on his nose (not near or blocking his nostrils). The smell will satiate his olfactory system and when he licks it off he'll satiate his gustatory system so the food will become 'familiar' to him. You can also smear the canned food on his belly. The more canned food you get him to eat, the quicker he'll adapt to eating it voluntarily. Cats' texture preferences are deep-seated and very strongly influenced from kittenhood and and very hard to change. Some cats adapt very quickly, but most cats take a bit more work. One last suggestion: Feed your cat only twice a day- 12 hours apart. Feeding releases bicarbonate that causes transient alkalinization of the urine (postprandial alkaline tide) that could promote struvite formation. Feeding at 12-hour intervals allows the cat's natural acidity to return and dissolve struvite. All-day grazing keeps the urine alkaline throughout the day and could allow struvite to form. Best of luck, Phil |
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"Phil P." wrote in message
... That's kinda silly logic. Cats fed dry food do drink more water (~6x more) than cats fed canned food, but most of that water is lost to fecal moisture so the urine volume is actually -less- and urine specific gravity is -higher-. Phil, can you explain why this is? I don't disbelieve you, I know you're correct, but it seems counter-intuitive that fluid intake via water will be lost in fecal matter but fluid intake via canned food would go through the kidneys. Why does it work that way? Thanks. Hugs, CatNipped |
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"Catnipped" wrote in message ... "Phil P." wrote in message ... That's kinda silly logic. Cats fed dry food do drink more water (~6x more) than cats fed canned food, but most of that water is lost to fecal moisture so the urine volume is actually -less- and urine specific gravity is -higher-. Phil, can you explain why this is? I don't disbelieve you, I know you're correct, but it seems counter-intuitive that fluid intake via water will be lost in fecal matter but fluid intake via canned food would go through the kidneys. Why does it work that way? Gastrointestinal absorption. Dry food must absorb more water to move it through the digestive system leaving less moisture for urine. That's why dry- fed cats usually have a lower urine volume and a higher USG- and why dry-fed cats are more prone to crystalluria and urolithiasis than canned-and meat-fed cats. Dry-fed cats also become constipated quickly if they don't drink enough water... which they usually don't. Here's an excerpt from the NRC: "A number of studies have been conducted in which the ratio of free water to dry matter intake of cats has been measured (Carver and Waterhouse, 1962; Thrall and Miller, 1976; Holme, 1977; Jackson and Tovey, 1977; Seefeldt and Chapman, 1979). Anderson (1983) summarized these data and showed that for commercial dry foods the ratio of water to dry matter intake varied from 2.0 to 2.8.1 and for canned foods from 3.0 to 5.7: 1. Kane et al. (1981b), in a study of eating and drinking patterns of the cat, reported lower ratios of water to dry matter intake for two purified diets (1.1:1 and 1.4:1) than those reported by Anderson (1983) for commercial diets. However, they found similar ratios to those reported by Anderson (1983) for commercial dry and canned foods (1.9:1 and 3.5:1, respectively). In these studies cats given dry commercial food ad libitum drank water about the same number of times as they ate (16 - 0 versus 15.7 times/day, respectively). All studies on water and dry matter intakes of cats indicate higher total free water to dry matter ratios for cats given commercial canned food diets than for cats given commercial dry foods. That is, cats given dry food do not voluntarily consume water to equal the ratio of water to dry matter of cats given canned diets containing about 75 percent moisture. " You can find more information about water balance in the cat on my site: http://maxshouse.com/feline_nutrition.htm#Water Requirements Phil "On a Cat Ageing He blinks upon the hearth-rug And yawns in deep content, Accepting all the comforts That Providence has sent. Louder he purrs and louder, In one glad hymn of praise For all the night's adventures, For quiet, restful days. Life will go on forever, With all that cat can wish; Warmth, and the glad procession Of fish and milk and fish. Only-the thought disturbs him- He's noticed once or twice, That times are somehow breeding A nimbler race of mice." SIR ALEXANDER GRAY |
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"Phil P." wrote in message
... Gastrointestinal absorption. Dry food must absorb more water to move it through the digestive system leaving less moisture for urine. That's why dry- fed cats usually have a lower urine volume and a higher USG- and why dry-fed cats are more prone to crystalluria and urolithiasis than canned-and meat-fed cats. Dry-fed cats also become constipated quickly if they don't drink enough water... which they usually don't. OK, now that makes sense, thanks! I'm glad my girls are finally, not only getting used to, but looking forward to their canned food twice a day. It's funny, and maybe it's because they were so used to eating the same flavor of dry food all these years, but they seem to like only one flavor of canned (beef). It took a while and trying many different flavors to find one that they enjoy eating and will eat all of instead of trying to "bury" it. ; I'm still trying other flavors every once in a while in case they decide they like something else, but it's mostly wasted, and at the cost of premium canned food now-a-days, I hesitate to waste it. Hugs, CatNipped Here's an excerpt from the NRC: "A number of studies have been conducted in which the ratio of free water to dry matter intake of cats has been measured (Carver and Waterhouse, 1962; Thrall and Miller, 1976; Holme, 1977; Jackson and Tovey, 1977; Seefeldt and Chapman, 1979). Anderson (1983) summarized these data and showed that for commercial dry foods the ratio of water to dry matter intake varied from 2.0 to 2.8.1 and for canned foods from 3.0 to 5.7: 1. Kane et al. (1981b), in a study of eating and drinking patterns of the cat, reported lower ratios of water to dry matter intake for two purified diets (1.1:1 and 1.4:1) than those reported by Anderson (1983) for commercial diets. However, they found similar ratios to those reported by Anderson (1983) for commercial dry and canned foods (1.9:1 and 3.5:1, respectively). In these studies cats given dry commercial food ad libitum drank water about the same number of times as they ate (16 - 0 versus 15.7 times/day, respectively). All studies on water and dry matter intakes of cats indicate higher total free water to dry matter ratios for cats given commercial canned food diets than for cats given commercial dry foods. That is, cats given dry food do not voluntarily consume water to equal the ratio of water to dry matter of cats given canned diets containing about 75 percent moisture. " You can find more information about water balance in the cat on my site: http://maxshouse.com/feline_nutrition.htm#Water Requirements Phil "On a Cat Ageing He blinks upon the hearth-rug And yawns in deep content, Accepting all the comforts That Providence has sent. Louder he purrs and louder, In one glad hymn of praise For all the night's adventures, For quiet, restful days. Life will go on forever, With all that cat can wish; Warmth, and the glad procession Of fish and milk and fish. Only-the thought disturbs him- He's noticed once or twice, That times are somehow breeding A nimbler race of mice." SIR ALEXANDER GRAY |
#10
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"CatNipped" wrote in message ... "Phil P." wrote in message ... Gastrointestinal absorption. Dry food must absorb more water to move it through the digestive system leaving less moisture for urine. That's why dry- fed cats usually have a lower urine volume and a higher USG- and why dry-fed cats are more prone to crystalluria and urolithiasis than canned-and meat-fed cats. Dry-fed cats also become constipated quickly if they don't drink enough water... which they usually don't. OK, now that makes sense, thanks! Another reason: Dry food is less digestible than equal-quality canned food. The lower the digestibility of a food, the more the cat must eat to meet her energy needs. The more the cat eats the more feces produced. The more feces produced, the more water retained in the intestinal tract and excreted in the feces-- which results in less water excreted in the urine and a higher concentration of urinary solutes. I'm glad my girls are finally, not only getting used to, but looking forward to their canned food twice a day. That's great! It's funny, and maybe it's because they were so used to eating the same flavor of dry food all these years, but they seem to like only one flavor of canned (beef). Its a good practice to rotate flavors *and* brands so they don't develop a fixed food preference. This becomes very important later in life if the cat needs to be switched to a prescription or special diet. It took a while and trying many different flavors to find one that they enjoy eating and will eat all of instead of trying to "bury" it. ; I'm still trying other flavors every once in a while in case they decide they like something else, but it's mostly wasted, and at the cost of premium canned food now-a-days, I hesitate to waste it. My cats usually eat the trial cans of a new food-- but give it the nose-up *after* I buy a few cases! Their last okey-doke was with Wysong- they got me good on that one! I swear they plan the rejection just so their conspecifics in the shelter get a special treat-- I think they know I bring the food they don't like to the shelter. Smart ladies- but I'll get even.... I'll take the money I spend on food they don't eat out of their catnip money! ;-) Try the Pet Guard Turkey & Rice and the Rabbit- great nutrient profiles and a lot of cats love rabbit. My cats are on their third cycle of Rabbit (every 6 days)... They're probably eating it because I haven't bought a case yet! LOL! Phil http://maxshouse.com/feline_nutrition.htm#Water Requirements Phil "On a Cat Ageing He blinks upon the hearth-rug And yawns in deep content, Accepting all the comforts That Providence has sent. Louder he purrs and louder, In one glad hymn of praise For all the night's adventures, For quiet, restful days. Life will go on forever, With all that cat can wish; Warmth, and the glad procession Of fish and milk and fish. Only-the thought disturbs him- He's noticed once or twice, That times are somehow breeding A nimbler race of mice." SIR ALEXANDER GRAY |
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