Treats caused Pancreatitis in my 13 month old Himalayan kitty!!!

[dante]

HOW MANY CALORIES ARE IN YOUR TREATS AND HOW OFTEN SHOULD I TREAT MY CAT?

Our treats are about two calories each, and we recommend feeding up to 15 treats per 10 pounds of your cat's body weight. Like anything else, it's all about portion control and using your best judgment. We always suggest speaking with your cat's vet about any weight-related issues or concerns. For additional information, please call our customer care line at 1-800-525-5273.

Out of nowhere yesterday my kitty showed  (lethargy, inappetance, vomiting, so I took him to the Vet and they checked him out said it might have been a hair ball or blockage and gave me some tuna flavored cat laxative and said if he didn't show improvement to bring him back. Well he got worst and I took him back today had them do a blood test and ultrasound and a few other tests, they said he has pancreatitis and he needs to be admitted for a couple of days and they will put an IV for the pain and dehydration =(. I'm sooooooo sad that the above statement these treats are wicked high in fat and are POISON at that recommended feeding. 

Has anyone else delt with a similar situation and have any insight??? BY the way the Vet called at 8pm saying he is responding to the treatment. 

 

[carolina]

HOW MANY CALORIES ARE IN YOUR TREATS AND HOW OFTEN SHOULD I TREAT MY CAT?

Our treats are about two calories each, and we recommend feeding up to 15 treats per 10 pounds of your cat's body weight. Like anything else, it's all about portion control and using your best judgment. We always suggest speaking with your cat's vet about any weight-related issues or concerns. For additional information, please call our customer care line at 1-800-525-5273.







Out of nowhere yesterday my kitty showed (lethargy, inappetance, vomiting, so I took him to the Vet and they checked him out said it might have been a hair ball or blockage and gave me some tuna flavored cat laxative and said if he didn't show improvement to bring him back. Well he got worst and I took him back today had them do a blood test and ultrasound and a few other tests, they said he has pancreatitis and he needs to be admitted for a couple of days and they will put an IV for the pain and dehydration =(. I'm sooooooo sad that the above statement these treats are wicked high in fat and are POISON at that recommended feeding. 



Has anyone else delt with a similar situation and have any insight??? BY the way the Vet called at 8pm saying he is responding to the treatment. 

I am so sorry you are dealing with this issue for your kitty
Are you certain it was the treats? What makes you sure of that? What is the kitty eating besides that?

 

[dante]

Fancy Feast gravy lovers and small scoop of gourmet dry food, I've been researching and am considering changing to a raw diet. The vet said it's very uncommon in such a young cat and that it's more common in dogs with high fat diet. I looked on the can and it was only 2% fat then I checked those damn treats and it said 

UARANTEED ANALYSIS
Crude Protein	Min. 30%
Crude Fat	Min. 17%
Crude Fiber	Max. 4.5%
Moisture	Max. 12%
Calorie Content:
(Calculated)	4000 kcal ME/kg

Ingredients

Chicken By-Product Meal, Ground Corn, Animal Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Rice, Dried Meat by-Products, Wheat Flour, Natural Flavors, Corn Gluten Meal, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Salt, Calcium Carbonate, Taurine, DL-Methionine, Vitamins (dl-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate [Source of Vitamin E], Vitamin A Acetate, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride [Vitamin B6], Folic Acid Supplement), Minerals (Zinc Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Potassium Iodide), Dried Cheese.

Did you ever hear of a 13 month old having pancreatitis?? Any info is greatly appreciated 

 

[carolina]

Fancy Feast gravy lovers and small scoop of gourmet dry food, I've been researching and am considering changing to a raw diet. The vet said it's very uncommon in such a young cat and that it's more common in dogs with high fat diet. I looked on the can and it was only 2% fat then I checked those damn treats and it said 

UARANTEED ANALYSIS
Crude Protein	Min. 30%
Crude Fat	Min. 17%
Crude Fiber	Max. 4.5%
Moisture	Max. 12%
Calorie Content:
(Calculated)	4000 kcal ME/kg

Ingredients

Chicken By-Product Meal, Ground Corn, Animal Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Rice, Dried Meat by-Products, Wheat Flour, Natural Flavors, Corn Gluten Meal, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Salt, Calcium Carbonate, Taurine, DL-Methionine, Vitamins (dl-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate [Source of Vitamin E], Vitamin A Acetate, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride [Vitamin B6], Folic Acid Supplement), Minerals (Zinc Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Potassium Iodide), Dried Cheese.





Did you ever hear of a 13 month old having pancreatitis?? Any info is greatly appreciated 

Well.... The can is not calculated in dry matter - I will bet it is higher that the treats when calculated in dry matter - can you post the complete nutritional analysis for the can? I will calculate for you and post the TRUE fat content of it for you :nod:
You are comparing apples and oranges there - not the same thing.....
And if you were feeding the treats as treats.... IMHO.... I highly doubt it that the QTY will be sufficient to cause pancreatitis..... Really, really don't think so.....
What is the dry food?
Thereare many many possible cause for pancreatitis..... since she is so young, genetics can be playing a big role here. Medications is another possibility..... Food is just one of many. I will be more inclined to think of genetics, especially since she is a Himalayan, and has a siamese gene - they have a genetic predisposition for the disease.... just FYI.

 

[dante]

FEEDING INSTRUCTIONS FOR YOUR CAT:

Weight of Cat	Dry Alone*	Dry + Canned (Dry + 1 - 3 oz can)	Dry + Canned (Dry + 2 - 3 oz cans)
5 to 9 lbs.	1/3 to 2/3 cup	1/4 to 1/2 cup	up to 1/3 cup
10 to 14 lbs.	2/3 to 1 cup	1/2 to 3/4 cup	1/3 to 2/3 cup

*Using a standard 8 oz. measuring cup

ADULT CAT FEED INSTRUCTIONS: These amounts are averages and your cat's needs may differ. Feeding should be adjusted as necessary to maintain an ideal body condition.

KITTEN FEEDING INSTRUCTIONS: Kittens generally nibble solid foods at 3 to 4 weeks of age. Keep moistened Fancy Feast available to these kittens at all times. After weaning, at 6 to 8 weeks of age, kittens will normally eat dry or moistened food at will. If water is added, use no more than 1 part warm (not hot) liquid to 3 parts Fancy Feast, changing frequently to ensure freshness.

FEEDING FOR REPRODUCTION: Fancy Feast provides the extra nutrition needed by reproducing females in stages of gestation and lactation. Food consumption may vary during gestation, so feed the amount needed to maintain the pregnant female's good body condition. Food intake may double or even quadruple during lactation.

FEEDING TIP: Changes in your pet's diet should be made gradually to allow your pet to become accustomed to a new food. Substitute small amounts of the new food for the old food, gradually increasing the amount of the new food while decreasing the old food, over a period of 7 to 10 days.

WATER: Adequate water intake is necessary to maintain your cat's health and body functions. Provide fresh water in a clean bowl daily.

For your pet's health, see your veterinarian regularly.
Store in a cool, dry place.'

Both food items are Fancy feast and have been following this but I don't understand how this is happened. Thanks for the help

Fancy Feast[emoji]174[/emoji] Gourmet Dry Cat Food

Crude Protein (Min)	32.0%
Crude Fat (Min)	16.0%
Crude Fiber (Max)	4.5%
Moisture (Max)	10.0%

Gravy Lovers[emoji]8482[/emoji] Chicken Feast

In Grilled Chicken Flavor Gravy

Crude Protein (Min)	9.0%
Crude Fat (Min)	2.0%
Crude Fiber (Max)	1.5%
Moisture (Max)	82.0%
Ash (Max)	3.0%
Taurine (Min)	0.05%

Thank You for your input

 

[carolina]

Ok, here is what your can really looks like:

Dry Matter Basis
Crude Protein 50.00%
Crude Fat 11.11%
Crude Fiber 8.33%
Ash 16.67%
Carbs13.89%
Moisture 18%

Not higher, but not 2% either..... not even close.... and you feed much more of the canned than the treats. Look at the dry food you are feeding too - has pretty much the same amount of fat than the treats..... probably the kitty gets more kibbles than treats?
IMHO, you are looking into genetics here....

Has the kitty taken any medications recently? Antibiotics and such?

BTW - there has been some scares with Fancy Feast recently throughout the country..... Not sure if with Pancreatitis.... but it is around the net that quite a few cats got sick.... and some died.... if it is true or not... :dk: But be aware of that too... http://www.consumeraffairs.com/pets/ralston.html

 

[dante]

Yes I took him to the vet yesterday and they gave him a shot. He was neutere[font=arial, sans-serif]d a few weeks ago as well. He has had all his shots on time as scheduled by the vet. So you think it's genetics? [/font]

 

[carolina]

Yes I took him to the vet yesterday and they gave him a shot. He was neutered a few weeks ago as well. He has had all his shots on time as scheduled by the vet. So you think it's genetics? 

I am inclined to think so.... unless he was using drugs long term and had a bad reaction to it.... But given her age, I am more inclined to think genetics.... I highly doubt the treats caused this.
I do however think that your idea of a raw food is a GREAT Idea.... The Purina "scare" and looking into the mess which is the pet food industry and the AAFCO made me take that step - along with having a kitty who REALLY needed help health-wise. I am currently transitioning my 3 to raw - 2 of them are already there, one is in the process - all of them are doing better than ever!

Hope your baby gets better soon

 

[dante]

I'm going to take all the cans back and try something new. This is the first time this has happened so the inflamed pancreas[font=arial, sans-serif]  hopefully goes back to normal. Is raw the way to go? If not what brand of cat food would you recommend? Thanks for all the replies.[/font]

 

[carolina]

I'm going to take all the cans back and try something new. This is the first time this has happened so the inflamed pancreas hopefully goes back to normal. Is raw the way to go? If not what brand of cat food would you recommend? Thanks for all the replies.

IMHO, yes, raw is absolutely the way to go..... Unlike dogs, cats are obligate carnivores - which means they were made to eat meat, and nothing but meat. That also means that they lack the ability to digest anything else... like vegetables, plants, herbs, etc. They do not produce the necessary enzymes for that. :nod:
With that stated, it is not something you introduce in an instant - for several reasons: 1- your kitty is probably addicted to kibbles and canned food, and all the junk in it; meat is much more bland, if you will, than the seasoned canned and specially kibbles. 2- it is very protein rich, so you have to introduce it slowly to not shock their systems and get them to produce those enzymes to digest that food properly.

There is a GREAT resources thread here on TCS on both nutrition and raw, including on transitioning your kitty to it: http://www.thecatsite.com/t/240809/raw-feeding-resource-thread

The first step you will have to take, is to put her on all wet (is much healthier anyways), and on scheduled feedings - you can start with 4 meals since she will be sick now.... and needing all the food she can get, then go into 3 meals. One at breakfast, before work; one as soon as you get home from work, and one right before you go to bed.
Then you slowly start adding small amount of raw to the canned. From there, you reduce the canned, and increase the raw.
You can feed home made raw, where basically you feed chunks of meat with bone, and organs, or alternatively, there are plenty of brands of commercial raw in the market. For now I feed commercial - it is easier to transition for commercial, in a lot of cases, as the texture is similar to canned food.
My Base food is Rad Cat - it is 100% meat - no veggies.... (some of them have up to 5% vegetables). I am also in the process of introducing another brand called Nature's Menu - also 100% meat (purchased online). And in my freezer I have quite a few pounds of meat from Hare Today.... also all meat. Bare in mind, when I say all meat, it includes Meat/organs/bone (or food grade bone meal for Rad Cat, Straight Calcium for Nature's Menu).
For the cans, has your baby eaten anything at all aside from Fancy Feast? What does she like best - Gravy or Pate?

I forgot two things: Enzymes.... since she has pancreatitis, she should be on enzymes.... You should ask your vet about that.... A good one is Prozyme. Make sure if you put her on raw that she is on enzymes and probiotics....
And make sure she eats plenty...... especially during recovery.... she has to eat eat eat - so if Fancy Feast is what she likes, Fancy Feast is what she gets :nod: But of course if she likes something better, that's great! just don't let her go without food because you want something better for her :nod:

 

[violet]

Dante.....hi.......

I have a few articles I'd like to share with you. Each one has important information you absolutely need to read. And, please, save every one of them so that you can go back to them and read them again and again. Reading them just once is not enough.

A few short articles

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=1+1329&aid=334

http://www.cat-world.com.au/pancreatitis-in-cats

http://drnelsonsveterinaryblog.com/2010/08/29/feline-pancreatitis--treatment.aspx

And the very best, one of the most important pieces of information I have

http://www.idexx.com/pubwebresources/pdf/en_us/smallanimal/education/dx-consult/managing-pancreatitis-and-concurrent-conditions.pdf

Great advice here

http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2010/10/05/pancreatitis-in-pet-cats.aspx

even if you don't register and just read what you see on your screen.

 

[Anne]

Just a word of general caution - with this potentially being a sick kitty, please please please fully research everything and consult with your vet before making any dietary changes. As stated in our rules, no online advice can replace veterinary care.

 

[carolina]

Just a word of general caution - with this potentially being a sick kitty, please please please fully research everything and consult with your vet before making any dietary changes. As stated in our rules, no online advice can replace veterinary care.

for sure!!!! Thanks Anne..... and my apologies I did not bring this up before.... absolutely the vet should be consulted :nod:

 

[dante]

I'm hopefully picking him up today and will talk to the Vet about what the best plan going forward is, thanks for all the input. In you opinion what is the best OTC food brand and product, thanks.

 

[orientalslave]

Whatever the nutritional 'best' food is you can be sure your cat won't like it - or he will like it until you buy a lot of it.

The other thing is that it's usually best to change diets gradually.

 

[violet]

Dante,

please, please, please, read this article again and again

http://www.idexx.com/pubwebresources/pdf/en_us/smallanimal/education/dx-consult/managing-pancreatitis-and-concurrent-conditions.pdf

and make an effort to print it out and then take it to your vet for a thorough, detailed discussion of everything, including supplements that might be necessary at this point (Vit B 12 for instance) and a recovery diet.

Please, talk to your vet about this recovery food or something very similar that vets have for very sick kitties. I'm urging you to do that because such recovery diets have saved the lives of many kitties with a very serious case of pancreatitis when absolutely nothing else worked.

Tube feedings started that same day, using an energy-dense
prescription diet (Royal Canin Veterinary Diet[emoji]8482[/emoji] Recovery
RS[emoji]8482[/emoji]). Her calorie needs were calculated based on an estimated
optimal body weight......

I also want to urge you to not make any drastic diet changes on your own at this time. Your intentions may be the best but a serious case of pancreatitis that requires hospitalization is a very, very serious warning. This illness requires a very careful approach and all the help you can get from your regular vet and a knowledgeable, very conscientious holistic vet who treats patients based strictly on the specific needs of the patient.

I have a cat (my precious little Amy) who had IBD already when she was only seven weeks old.

I had a cat (my dear, sweet Rosie) who came down with pancreatitis after a rabies booster that normally shouldn't be a big deal for a cat. She got so sick she had to be hospitalized.

So I'm including a very, very important piece of information for you

http://www.holisticat.com/vaccinations.html

and I urge you to discuss this issue with both your regular and a holistic vet.

I realized how incredibly important this information really was when our regular vet stopped vaccinating my Bernie on her own when Bernie's IBD became a very serious issue. (He never developed pancreatitis but in the end he died of diffuse lymphoma.)

I'd just like to add that, based on my experiences with IBD kitties and serious food sensitivity issues, there is no doubt in my mind that you will need to make some diet changes but please, please, please, don't make any changes on your own, do that with the help of a very good holistic vet. And keep in mind at all times what the doctor in this article says

The most important thing to remember is that each cat responds in its own way. In my experience, there is no diet that is perfect for every cat with pancreatitis or IBD. Watch your cat closely for signs of recurrence.

Link once again

http://drnelsonsveterinaryblog.com/2010/08/29/feline-pancreatitis--treatment.aspx

(Already in my previous post to you)

 

[carolina]

I'm hopefully picking him up today and will talk to the Vet about what the best plan going forward is, thanks for all the input. In you opinion what is the best OTC food brand and product, thanks.

Dante, talk to the vet, and at least for now, follow his lead.... No matter what, make sure your baby eats, and eats well.... Nutrition will be very very important for his recovery..... Worry about a long term diet change in the future - the word now is recovery.
Make sure to establish a close relationship with your vet..... Keep him up to date on his status by calling him often, and don't feel afraid of calling if anything, anything at all goes wrong....
When Bugsy was sick for over a year, I kept in contact with my vet almost twice a week by phone - not only for updates, but to discuss changes of plans/diets, etc. Your vet will be your close friend now....
Don't do anything without his knowledge.... Not a herb, not a home treatment, not a change of diet..... Nothing. If you do anything at all, you want to keep your vet informed - as it will make much easier for both of you to get the best results not only now, but also preventing recurrences in the future.

Let us know how your baby is

 

[dragonheartjoe]

Hi,

 I've been giving my "Rosco" who is a 10 year old Norwegian Forest Cat those "Temptations" along with Whiskas meaty dry food all his life. Now lets just say I am currently an expert on Feline Diabetes. Any and all dry foods are poison to our cats. Especially those treats. The carbs are through the roof. Absolutely no nutriotional value at all. Plus these dry foods are baked at 500 degrees or more so any vitamin supplements they claim to have added to there product is basically vaporized. Rosco got lethargic, very thirsty, eating constantly and loosing weight. Poor guy even lost some function in his hind legs. "Neuropathy" from diabetes. Very luckily after about a month of insulin, and a very strict diet he's in remission and controlled through his diet. High protien low carb. Fancy Feast is awesome for that. Cats are meat eaters. Thats all there body knows. Stay away from Wheat and wheat glutin, Rice, Soy, and grains. I even see very expensive organic cat foods out there that enrich with fruits and vegatables? Like seriously!!! Fruits and Veggies....IAM's is crap too don't be fooled.

 Been through hell with Rosco and I'm so glad he's OK and I wish I listened earlier. I hate those dry food companies, and trust me the last thing they care about is our cats' health. I feel compelled to tell you this. Good luck

 

[bonepicker]

Tha

Hi,
 I've been giving my "Rosco" who is a 10 year old Norwegian Forest Cat those "Temptations" along with Whiskas meaty dry food all his life. Now lets just say I am currently an expert on Feline Diabetes. Any and all dry foods are poison to our cats. Especially those treats. The carbs are through the roof. Absolutely no nutriotional value at all. Plus these dry foods are baked at 500 degrees or more so any vitamin supplements they claim to have added to there product is basically vaporized. Rosco got lethargic, very thirsty, eating constantly and loosing weight. Poor guy even lost some function in his hind legs. "Neuropathy" from diabetes. Very luckily after about a month of insulin, and a very strict diet he's in remission and controlled through his diet. High protien low carb. Fancy Feast is awesome for that. Cats are meat eaters. Thats all there body knows. Stay away from Wheat and wheat glutin, Rice, Soy, and grains. I even see very expensive organic cat foods out there that enrich with fruits and vegatables? Like seriously!!! Fruits and Veggies....IAM's is crap too don't be fooled.
 Been through hell with Rosco and I'm so glad he's OK and I wish I listened earlier. I hate those dry food companies, and trust me the last thing they care about is our cats' health. I feel compelled to tell you this. Good luck

Thank you for your story, we try to spread the word about how bad all dry food is, but in the end everyone has to decide to feed wet for themselves.

 

[claud]

Why is this page covered with ads for me? I have a response but can hardly read this. I had Bengals and they had ongoing issues with their digestion and finally found after searching for a million hours that Asian cats are notorious for having very very sensitive digestive systems. So I am just wondering if all cats with exotic backgrounds have digestive issues. If I can find that information again I will post it. I didn't know then what I know now about cat food. With the sick cat that I have now when he has been dehydrated I had a food/medicine syringe - you know the kind with no needle, and just put room temp water and gentlysquirted it in his mouth, to get extra fluid through him.

I know some pet owners give their own animals fluids intravenously. It sounds drastic but some do it routinely. I try and leave fresh water (don't hate me but I actually buy electrolyte water from Whole Foods for him) around the house in 2-3 locations. I notice when he sees it, like in the office, he often drinks some. Or you can add a little extra warm water to the wet cat food. Or maybe one of those fountains also.

Like I said I can't read the posts, so sorry if I'm repeating  anything.