Icarus & UTI

Karen Chuplis wrote:

Hills c/d is usually the first they try. There are a couple of other brands
from the vet too. The whole "dry food" thing is still debated by some vets.
They are beginning to come around to the fact that high quality wet food is
important, but it is not universal. They will definitely admit that water
intake is inmportant and cats being desert animals are used to getting water
through their food (live prey) so, unless Mingy drinks a LOT of water, I
would sure consider a very high quality wet food, with c/d as support (Since
I don't recall seeing c/d in a canned version, but there may be one. Hills
usually has both even for their prescription foods. You should definitely
ask). My cats have the Eukanuba dry as a supplement to their wet food rather
than the Hills c/d.

I think it was available in a canned form, but Mingy only licks
the gravy off the chunks, and the vet didn't think it came in that
form. She thought it would be okay for him to lick the gravy off
of his normal wet food. Do any of the higher-quality (I have been
using Science Diet and Nutro) wet foods come in a chunks plus
gravy form? Is Eukanuba or some other dry food good for a cat who
now has shown a predisposition to forming struvite crystals? (Of
course, I'll do plenty of research too, and discuss this with the
vet. Maybe there will be other findings that must be taken into
consideration too.)
--
Jean B.

in article , Jean B. at wrote on
1/23/05 9:03AM:

Cathy Friedmann wrote:

Although it's upsetting for you to think of him being unhappy at the vet's,
don't take unnecessary risks, going to get him if the roads are really
awful tomorrow. In the end, more important that you get there & back safely
w/him - even one more night at the vet's won't make a difference - in the
long run.

Cathy

Now this is a moot point, since the (other) vet who called this
morning said they will take out the catheter this afternoon and
observe him overnight. (I have no idea why they are not removing
the catheter this morning, as had been discussed--was too
shell-shocked to ask at the time, and sort-of assumed, since
nothing negative was said, that this is just what this second vet
thinks is best.) I muttered something which I hoped would invoke
a response re giving him some antianxiety med, and I got no such
response. I am, frankly, more worried about his mental state than
his physical state, except to the degree that his anxiety can't
help him physically. I know he is in good hands, otherwise.

Anyway, since it appears that it will be snowing all day, with
predictions now of up to three feet, I probably would not have
been able to get him today anyway. And it is better for him to be
there if he has a setback or needs some kind of prompt attention.

BTW, are they going to be smart enough to have IB fluids running
through him to see whether he can urinate after the catheter is
removed? He may very well not eat or drink anything while he is
there.

Relatedly, if he doesn't eat or drink anything there, and they
just give him IV fluids, is his liver in
danger???????????????????????

He will be fine. They will give him fluids. They are just being extra sure
than all the fluids they put in, come out through the catheter and take all
the crystals currently there with it. Really he will be fine.

"Jean B." wrote in message ...
Relatedly, if he doesn't eat or drink anything there, and they
just give him IV fluids, is his liver in
danger???????????????????????

Some of my cats have not eaten while at the vets', & they were okay. Not a
long enough time sans food to create a real problem. I don't know about the
water bit - don't even know if my cats who refused to eat at the vets' also
refused to drink.

Cathy

"Jean B." wrote in message ...
KellyH wrote:

You can only get Prescription foods at the vet.

--
-Kelly
kelly at farringtons dot net
"Wake up, and smell the cat food" -TMBG

Now why is that? Surely there must be good foods that do no
promote crystals that are available elsewhere. It's not like
these foods are drugs! But then I am just beginning this journey.
--
Jean B.

Probably so that people who shouldn't feed their cats the prescription
foods, don't. IOW - sort of like prescription Vs. OTC drugs. Hill's
Prescription Diet foods are available only at the vets', whereas Hill's
Science Diet regular foods are available at pet supply stores.

Cathy

Karen Chuplis wrote:

He will be fine. They will give him fluids. They are just being extra sure
than all the fluids they put in, come out through the catheter and take all
the crystals currently there with it. Really he will be fine.

Thanks (again). I'll try to stop whinging today.
--
Jean B.

Cathy Friedmann wrote:

Some of my cats have not eaten while at the vets', & they were okay. Not a
long enough time sans food to create a real problem. I don't know about the
water bit - don't even know if my cats who refused to eat at the vets' also
refused to drink.

Cathy

I'm not so worried about the fluids, since he has an IV....
--
Jean B.

Cathy Friedmann wrote:

Probably so that people who shouldn't feed their cats the prescription
foods, don't. IOW - sort of like prescription Vs. OTC drugs. Hill's
Prescription Diet foods are available only at the vets', whereas Hill's
Science Diet regular foods are available at pet supply stores.

Cathy

I wonder what would motivate folks who don't have to use such
foods to buy them? I really have to read up on this here (boy, I
don't relish getting into THOSE interminable threads) and
elsewhere on the net. (Not saying I will ignore the vet's advice,
but I want to educate myself too. I guess it would be wise to
start doing that before Mingy is released, so I can ask whatever
questions occur to me at that time.)
--
Jean B.

My Hannah has had on going FUTD since we adopted her last June, I had noticed
that she would sit in the litter box for quite a while with very little urine
out put. The Vet did a urine culture and it showed blood in her urine along
with struvite crystals, she had a round of antibiotics and was put on Science
Diet S/D for 60 days. They did another urine test after 10 days and the
infection was cleared up but there were still crystals, so another 30 days on
S/D and another a urine test that showed some crystals but she was much
improved. She's now on Science Diet C/D both canned and dry and her urine out
put is good. They'll do another urine test next month. Now the thing is I asked
my Vet just how long she will be on the C/D and he said for LIFE, I mentioned
other high quality foods and he said NO. Is there anyone out there who has a
cat that has to be on the C/D for life.
I also have a 10 month old kitten and I had asked the Vet if the C/D would hurt
her, he told me the kitten can not have the C/D. He told me that would be like
me taking someone elses prescription when I really didn't need it. So now
feeding time is a bit difficult but I'm working that out, they just have to be
feed in separate rooms, that works out if we are going to be home but if we go
out for an extened amount of time I have to keep the girls in separate rooms
with their food and they don't like being separated at all.. I added a third
litter box down the cellar for Hannah and I try to keep the kitten out of it,
that way I can monitor Hannah's urine out put.
Hannah does drinks a lot of water and she loves the dry C/D and she's slowly
getting use to the canned C/D. I had asked the Vet if I could mix the C/D
canned with a some other high quality canned food until she got use to it and
again he said NO.
Hannah evidently was sick when we adopted her and never had any treatment for
FUTD, poor thing I'm so glad we adopted her, she's such a sweet girl. She's the
only cat that I've ever had that doesn't get stressed when she goes to the Vet,
very loveable even with strangers I know this is long, sorry, but this group is
so great and I would appreciate any in put
Thanks
Dianne.

"Jean B." wrote in message ...
Cathy Friedmann wrote:

Now this is a moot point, since the (other) vet who called this
morning said they will take out the catheter this afternoon and
observe him overnight. (I have no idea why they are not removing
the catheter this morning, as had been discussed--was too
shell-shocked to ask at the time, and sort-of assumed, since
nothing negative was said, that this is just what this second vet
thinks is best.) I muttered something which I hoped would invoke
a response re giving him some antianxiety med, and I got no such
response. I am, frankly, more worried about his mental state than
his physical state, [...]

Relatedly, if he doesn't eat or drink anything there, and they
just give him IV fluids, is his liver in
danger???????????????????????

Jean, I understand how you feel, as I climb the walls when my
girls are out overnight at the vet. But one vet tech told me that
usually they just adjust to where they are once Mommy is not
looking, and they get curious about their surroundings and
are calm and fine. As for the rest--they teach those people
more than we know at vet school, so I bet they have it covered.
You're a good cat Mom--let us know how it turns out.

I talked to someone last night whos cat had a UTI and he two mixed the old
with the new to get his cat to transition over. It seems like the popular
thing to do.

--
Cat Galaxy: All Cats! All The Time!
www.catgalaxymedia.com

Panther TEK: Staying On Top Of Your Computer Needs!
www.panthertekit.com

"Jean B." wrote in message ...
I asked, and the initial response was favorable. That may change
when I go to pick Mingy up. I would just do that to try to avoid
intestinal upsets from an abrupt transition.
--
Jean B.