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Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD) treatment??
My cat seems to have flutd. Howell says to acidify the urine, give the
cat ammonium chloride. Anyone have any ideas on how to use that? I imagine I could add it to the drinking water. The taste might put him off though. Adding it to fish might be better, as messing with his water sounds like a really BAD idea, under the circumstances. He is getting better as I speak as his urine output is increasing. His last one was approximately the size of a ping-pong ball. CatMan |
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Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD) treatment??
Get your cat on a canned food diet. This will provide the moisture
needed to prevent crystal formation. You may say that the cat drinks water-but that doesn't help to keep crystals from forming. ---MIKE--- In the White Mountains of New Hampshire (44° 15' N - Elevation 1580') |
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Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD) treatment??
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#4
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Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD) treatment??
"CatMan07" wrote in message ... On Sun, 26 Aug 2007 18:36:15 -0400, (---MIKE---) wrote: Get your cat on a canned food diet. This will provide the moisture needed to prevent crystal formation. You may say that the cat drinks water-but that doesn't help to keep crystals from forming. Thanks for the advice, Mike; and I will not be feeding dry food in the future. The challenge for me at the moment remains: how do I acidify my cats urine immediately in order to dissolve the struvate which may be partially blocking his urethra? Do you have any ideas about that? CatMan First off- are you *absolutely* sure your cat's uroliths are composed of struvite and not calcium oxalate? Acidifying the urine in a cat that has calcium oxalate uroliths or crystals is like pouring gasoline on a fire. Years ago about 90% of the crystals found in cats was struvite. But since the advent of so-called acidified urinary tract health diets the incidence of struvite has decreased while the incidence of calcium oxalate has increased ~10x to almost 50%. So, before you start manipulating your cat's urine pH, make sure you know which way you have to go. If your cat has struvite, speak to your vet about Hill's Prescription Diet s/d. This diet is designed to dissolve struvite. You can also buy urine acidifiers in tablet and gel form. However, you must be careful- dl-methionine is toxic to cats in high doses. Don't give your cat a urine acidifier if your feeding him a specially acidified diet. Calcium oxalate uroliths cannot be dissolved and must be removed surgically if it doesn't pass or can't be retrieved. If the problem turns out to be struvite, you can reduce the risk of future occurrences by feeding your cat a *meat-based* canned diet twice a day- 12 hours apart. The sulfur-containing amino acids and phospholipids in meat acidify the urine, whereas diets containing a lot of plant materials alkalinize it. Long periods between meals allows the cat's natural urine acidity to return and dissolve any struvite that might have formed during the postprandial alkaline tide. In either case, a canned diet will help reduce the formation of both types of crystals because it increases urine volume and dilutes the concentration of crystal-forming particles in the urine making them easier to eliminate. Canned diets also cause more frequent urination which helps eliminate particles before they can aggregate or accrete into larger and larger particles that eventually become crystals and uroliths. Best of luck, Phil |
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Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD) treatment??
First you need to get that cat to a vet so it can be properly diagnosed and
tested. One of my cats has had a UTI and the last thing you want to do is start experimenting except maybe in regards to the food. In order to treat FLUTD your cat needs to be put on antibiotics and a good solid diet. -- Cat Galaxy: All Cats! All The Time! www.catgalaxymedia.com Panther TEK: Staying On Top Of Your Computer Needs! www.panthertekit.com "CatMan07" wrote in message ... My cat seems to have flutd. Howell says to acidify the urine, give the cat ammonium chloride. Anyone have any ideas on how to use that? I imagine I could add it to the drinking water. The taste might put him off though. Adding it to fish might be better, as messing with his water sounds like a really BAD idea, under the circumstances. He is getting better as I speak as his urine output is increasing. His last one was approximately the size of a ping-pong ball. CatMan |
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Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD) treatment??
CatMan07 wrote:
Thanks for the advice, Mike; and I will not be feeding dry food in the future. The challenge for me at the moment remains: how do I acidify my cats urine immediately in order to dissolve the struvate which may be partially blocking his urethra? Do you have any ideas about that? CatMan Has the vet diagnosed this? Sometimes cats have bladder infections with no crystals. Our cat at one time has crystals and an infection, the next time -- just an infection. What has the vet recommended as treatment? Rhonda |
#7
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Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD) treatment??
On Mon, 27 Aug 2007 13:38:44 GMT, "Phil P."
wrote: "CatMan07" wrote in message .. . On Sun, 26 Aug 2007 18:36:15 -0400, (---MIKE---) wrote: Get your cat on a canned food diet. This will provide the moisture needed to prevent crystal formation. You may say that the cat drinks water-but that doesn't help to keep crystals from forming. Thanks for the advice, Mike; and I will not be feeding dry food in the future. The challenge for me at the moment remains: how do I acidify my cats urine immediately in order to dissolve the struvate which may be partially blocking his urethra? Do you have any ideas about that? CatMan Thanks for your most thoughtful reply, Phil. I really appreciate it. First off- are you *absolutely* sure your cat's uroliths are composed of struvite and not calcium oxalate? No, I'm not sure. In fact, I have my doubts as I've only fed my cat a reduced magnesium dry cat food, with the occasional canned fish treat.. Acidifying the urine in a cat that has calcium oxalate uroliths or crystals is like pouring gasoline on a fire. Years ago about 90% of the crystals found in cats was struvite. But since the advent of so-called acidified urinary tract health diets the incidence of struvite has decreased while the incidence of calcium oxalate has increased ~10x to almost 50%. Can it be that the "cure" is worse than the "disease"? So, before you start manipulating your cat's urine pH, make sure you know which way you have to go. If your cat has struvite, speak to your vet about Hill's Prescription Diet s/d. This diet is designed to dissolve struvite. You can also buy urine acidifiers in tablet and gel form. However, you must be careful- dl-methionine is toxic to cats in high doses. Don't give your cat a urine acidifier if your feeding him a specially acidified diet. Calcium oxalate uroliths cannot be dissolved and must be removed surgically if it doesn't pass or can't be retrieved. Considering my cat's low Mg diet, there is a very good chance, as you say, that the blockage may be calcium oxalate. As mucus is formed around urethral crystals, I thought that an anti-inflammatory food such as salmon might reduce the inflammation (AND the associated swelling) and increase the possibility that the stone, of whatever composition, will be more likely to pass naturally. The increase in the volume of the urine is substantiating this idea, imho. The omega 3s in the salmon are also blood thinners, so I am not surprised that there is some visible blood in the urine now. If the problem turns out to be struvite, you can reduce the risk of future occurrences by feeding your cat a *meat-based* canned diet twice a day- 12 hours apart. The sulfur-containing amino acids and phospholipids in meat acidify the urine, whereas diets containing a lot of plant materials alkalinize it. It sounds like a meat-based diet is just better all-round for cats. So CORN, being the FIRST ingredient in my cat's dry food is BAD, and may turn out to have been REALLY BAD! Long periods between meals allows the cat's natural urine acidity to return and dissolve any struvite that might have formed during the postprandial alkaline tide. So would feeding him once a day be even better? In either case, a canned diet will help reduce the formation of both types of crystals because it increases urine volume and dilutes the concentration of crystal-forming particles in the urine making them easier to eliminate. My cat really likes the juice from the canned salmon, even better than the salmon itself! Go figure. So I've been adding some water to the juice to get more fluids in him. That seems to be one of the things that is working the best. Is there something I can add to my cat's water that will make him drink more? I sure hope so. Canned diets also cause more frequent urination which helps eliminate particles before they can aggregate or accrete into larger and larger particles that eventually become crystals and uroliths. Can you please explain how a canned-food diet increases urination? I thought they put salt in dry food to encourage water consumption. Not enough though, I guess. CatMan Best of luck, Phil |
#8
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Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD) treatment??
On Mon, 27 Aug 2007 13:38:44 GMT, "Phil P."
wrote: "CatMan07" wrote in message .. . On Sun, 26 Aug 2007 18:36:15 -0400, (---MIKE---) wrote: Get your cat on a canned food diet. This will provide the moisture needed to prevent crystal formation. You may say that the cat drinks water-but that doesn't help to keep crystals from forming. Thanks for the advice, Mike; and I will not be feeding dry food in the future. The challenge for me at the moment remains: how do I acidify my cats urine immediately in order to dissolve the struvate which may be partially blocking his urethra? Do you have any ideas about that? CatMan First off- are you *absolutely* sure your cat's uroliths are composed of struvite and not calcium oxalate? Acidifying the urine in a cat that has calcium oxalate uroliths or crystals is like pouring gasoline on a fire. Years ago about 90% of the crystals found in cats was struvite. But since the advent of so-called acidified urinary tract health diets the incidence of struvite has decreased while the incidence of calcium oxalate has increased ~10x to almost 50%. So, before you start manipulating your cat's urine pH, make sure you know which way you have to go. If your cat has struvite, speak to your vet about Hill's Prescription Diet s/d. This diet is designed to dissolve struvite. You can also buy urine acidifiers in tablet and gel form. However, you must be careful- dl-methionine is toxic to cats in high doses. Don't give your cat a urine acidifier if your feeding him a specially acidified diet. Calcium oxalate uroliths cannot be dissolved and must be removed surgically if it doesn't pass or can't be retrieved. If the problem turns out to be struvite, you can reduce the risk of future occurrences by feeding your cat a *meat-based* canned diet twice a day- 12 hours apart. The sulfur-containing amino acids and phospholipids in meat acidify the urine, whereas diets containing a lot of plant materials alkalinize it. Long periods between meals allows the cat's natural urine acidity to return and dissolve any struvite that might have formed during the postprandial alkaline tide. In either case, a canned diet will help reduce the formation of both types of crystals because it increases urine volume and dilutes the concentration of crystal-forming particles in the urine making them easier to eliminate. Canned diets also cause more frequent urination which helps eliminate particles before they can aggregate or accrete into larger and larger particles that eventually become crystals and uroliths. Best of luck, Phil Thanks, Phil. I just read your article on dry vs wet cat food on your maxshouse.com site. The dry cat food I"ve stopped using says it is "approved by veterinarians". So WHY are none of the many facts you present AGAINST dry cat food mentioned on the label?! If vets are going to give their "Stamp of Approval" to a product they KNOW is detrimental, then I must ask: What the hell is going on?! Are we being intentionally MISLED? Catman |
#9
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Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD) treatment??
"Catman 07" wrote in message ... On Mon, 27 Aug 2007 13:38:44 GMT, "Phil P." wrote: Thanks, Phil. I just read your article on dry vs wet cat food on your maxshouse.com site. The dry cat food I"ve stopped using says it is "approved by veterinarians". So WHY are none of the many facts you present AGAINST dry cat food mentioned on the label?! Because if they were no one would buy the food.... Most of the knowledge that most vets have about nutrition came from pet food company sales reps. If vets are going to give their "Stamp of Approval" to a product they KNOW is detrimental, then I must ask: What the hell is going on?! It only takes one or two vets to endorse a product to substantiate the claim "Veterinarian Approved" or "Recommended by Veterinarians"-- and those vets probably work for the company. Are we being intentionally MISLED? Ya think??? |
#10
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Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD) treatment??
"CatMan07" wrote in message ... On Mon, 27 Aug 2007 13:38:44 GMT, "Phil P." wrote: First off- are you *absolutely* sure your cat's uroliths are composed of struvite and not calcium oxalate? No, I'm not sure. In fact, I have my doubts as I've only fed my cat a reduced magnesium dry cat food, with the occasional canned fish treat.. Has your cat even been seen by a vet? or are you just guessing? If your cat hasn't been seen by vet, I suggest you bring him in right away. Urinary tract problems in male cats can become life threatening very quickly . Your cat might not even have crystals/uroliths. Feline Interstitial Cystitis can produce symptoms that resemble a partial urethral obstruction. Inflammation in the bladder or urethra produces the same type of sensation and urge to urinate as a full bladder whether the bladder is full or empty. If the bladder is actually empty, the cat will appear to be blocked and straining to urinate. If you start playing with his urine pH without knowing what his problem is you might be create a more serious problem than he actually has. Acidifying the urine in a cat that has calcium oxalate uroliths or crystals is like pouring gasoline on a fire. Years ago about 90% of the crystals found in cats was struvite. But since the advent of so-called acidified urinary tract health diets the incidence of struvite has decreased while the incidence of calcium oxalate has increased ~10x to almost 50%. Can it be that the "cure" is worse than the "disease"? So, before you start manipulating your cat's urine pH, make sure you know which way you have to go. If your cat has struvite, speak to your vet about Hill's Prescription Diet s/d. This diet is designed to dissolve struvite. You can also buy urine acidifiers in tablet and gel form. However, you must be careful- dl-methionine is toxic to cats in high doses. Don't give your cat a urine acidifier if your feeding him a specially acidified diet. Calcium oxalate uroliths cannot be dissolved and must be removed surgically if it doesn't pass or can't be retrieved. Considering my cat's low Mg diet, there is a very good chance, as you say, that the blockage may be calcium oxalate. As mucus is formed around urethral crystals, First off- you're describing a urethral *plug* not a stone (urolith) or crystal. A urethral plug is something like fruit jello where the mucus would be like the gelatin and the crystals would like the fruit. Uroliths don't contain mucus. Male cats are more likely to develop urethral plugs than uroliths. I thought that an anti-inflammatory food such as salmon might reduce the inflammation (AND the associated swelling) and increase the possibility that the stone, of whatever composition, will be more likely to pass naturally. Possible but not probable. The increase in the volume of the urine is substantiating this idea, imho. The omega 3s in the salmon are also blood thinners, so I am not surprised that there is some visible blood in the urine now. The blood in the urine (hematuria) is more likely the result of small tears in the bladder from straining to urinate or from irritations or lacerations to the bladder or urethral mucosa from crystals. Over distention of the bladder can also produce small tears that will produce hematuria. If the problem turns out to be struvite, you can reduce the risk of future occurrences by feeding your cat a *meat-based* canned diet twice a day- 12 hours apart. The sulfur-containing amino acids and phospholipids in meat acidify the urine, whereas diets containing a lot of plant materials alkalinize it. It sounds like a meat-based diet is just better all-round for cats. So CORN, being the FIRST ingredient in my cat's dry food is BAD, and may turn out to have been REALLY BAD! Long periods between meals allows the cat's natural urine acidity to return and dissolve any struvite that might have formed during the postprandial alkaline tide. So would feeding him once a day be even better? No. In either case, a canned diet will help reduce the formation of both types of crystals because it increases urine volume and dilutes the concentration of crystal-forming particles in the urine making them easier to eliminate. My cat really likes the juice from the canned salmon, even better than the salmon itself! Go figure. So I've been adding some water to the juice to get more fluids in him. That seems to be one of the things that is working the best. Is there something I can add to my cat's water that will make him drink more? I sure hope so. I use home-made chicken broth without the spices to increase water consumption in cats that need extra hydration. Canned diets also cause more frequent urination which helps eliminate particles before they can aggregate or accrete into larger and larger particles that eventually become crystals and uroliths. Can you please explain how a canned-food diet increases urination? Canned food increases total water intake which in turn increases urine volume that results in more frequent urination. I thought they put salt in dry food to encourage water consumption. Not enough though, I guess. You guessed right. Cats fed dry food drink more water than cats fed canned food but most of the water goes into fecal moisture rather than urine volume. |
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