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- Dec 24, 2016
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Hi! About 4 weeks ago, I noticed my 4 year old male kitty was licking his pee area obsessively. I took him to the vet and they discovered struvite crystals. Up till this point he had no issues peeing. He was going large amounts and in no distress so they said we caught it early. The vet experience alone was incredibly stressful for him. (He was a stray I rescued one night when I found him outside on a below zero winter night and saved his life) and he does NOT like people besides me. He had to be heavily sedated just for the exam and she also insisted on giving him lots of fluids. Not knowing any better I agreed to everything they did.
Just HOURS later, he totally blocked. Knowing this was an emergency I rushed him to the emergency room. I caught it very early but he still needed a catheter for 24 hours. It's been three weeks and (knock on wood) he's been doing wonderful. No licking, peeing normal amounts with no distress and back to his crazy self.
Here's my issue now- food. They gave me hills c/d urinary and stress formula. When he was on his painkillers, he ate it up. Now that he isn't high on meds anymore, he HATES the food. He takes one sniff and tries to "bury" it. I plan on never giving him dry food again so that's not an issue. But would it be terrible to give him high quality wet food like purina pro plan or others that have a urinary formula? Not to mention hills is outrageously expensive. 35 dollars for 24 cans and he eats two cans a day.....if it means no blockages again I would spend the money but I'm skeptical that this is the only option I have. When I asked the vet she dragged her feet and basically said "if I HAVE To feed him something besides the prescription food it should be okay as long as it's wet." Any advice appreciated
Ps: looking back, I feel that he blocked because they overwhelmed his bladder with fluids all at once. There's no way it was just a coincidence he blocked so suddenly after wards...oh well live and learn.
Just HOURS later, he totally blocked. Knowing this was an emergency I rushed him to the emergency room. I caught it very early but he still needed a catheter for 24 hours. It's been three weeks and (knock on wood) he's been doing wonderful. No licking, peeing normal amounts with no distress and back to his crazy self.
Here's my issue now- food. They gave me hills c/d urinary and stress formula. When he was on his painkillers, he ate it up. Now that he isn't high on meds anymore, he HATES the food. He takes one sniff and tries to "bury" it. I plan on never giving him dry food again so that's not an issue. But would it be terrible to give him high quality wet food like purina pro plan or others that have a urinary formula? Not to mention hills is outrageously expensive. 35 dollars for 24 cans and he eats two cans a day.....if it means no blockages again I would spend the money but I'm skeptical that this is the only option I have. When I asked the vet she dragged her feet and basically said "if I HAVE To feed him something besides the prescription food it should be okay as long as it's wet." Any advice appreciated
Ps: looking back, I feel that he blocked because they overwhelmed his bladder with fluids all at once. There's no way it was just a coincidence he blocked so suddenly after wards...oh well live and learn.