Crystals and Hyperthyroidism

I found out today that I've got a male cat with both crystals and hyperthyroidism. I'm trying to search online and on this forum for some information and I'm doing such a bad job lol. If anyone has any great links for information on either of these conditions it would save me a LOT of stress lol. I'm calling to talk to the vet tomorrow because she called my bf instead of me tonight, so I have a bit of time to research before talking to her.

Thanks in advance

What type of crystals???

How old are the cats??

Current diets?? ie brand and type of food given

For information on crystals, please look here.

For information on hyperthyroidism, please look here.

Good luck, and I hope things work out for you and your cat!

Its 1 male cat, approx 11 years old. I'm not sure what type of crystals, that's what I'm going to find out today when I talk to the vet. All my cats were on Orijen for about a year, but it got a little too costly so I've switched them to Solid Gold katz-n-flocken. They've been on this food about 3 months now. They also get wet food almost every day, and I feed both types of Solid Gold wet food and I also have some Felidae Chicken and Rice wet food. I alternate between all three wet foods.

Thank you for the links tachyon

He's got struvite crystals, and the vet wants me to put him on their Urinary SO canned and dry food for the next 6 weeks to dissolve his crystals. He's also on an antibiotic (Bio-Clav, 62.5mg every 12 hrs). I'm wondering what others have done when their cats have crystals? Do they put their cats on the vet food? If not, what have you done?

The wet food ingredient list is: Water, meat by-products, chicken by-products, animal fat (preserved with BHA/BHT), natural flavors, trace minerals... When I look online their canned food is a totally different list of ingredients which makes me a little confused. I can list more of the ingredients if necessary.

The dry food ingredients: Chicken Meal, Rice, Corn Gluten Meal, Corn, Chicken Fat, Natural Flavour, Soy Protein Isolate, Powdered Cellulose, Salt, Dried Egg Powder, Dried Brewers Yeast, Potassium Chloride, Fish Oil, Sodium Bisulphate, Calcium Sulphate, Soya Bean Oil, Taurine, Choline Chloride, DL-Methionine, Vitamins (DL-Alpha-Tocopherol [Source of Vitamin E], Niacin, Biotin, Riboflavin [Vitamin B2], D-Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride [Vitamin B6], Vitamin A Acetate, Thiamine Mononitrate [Vitamin B1], Folic Acid, Vitamin B12 Supplement and Vitamin D3 Supplement), Trace Minerals (Zinc Oxide, Zinc Proteinate, Ferrous Sulphate, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Copper Sulphate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate and Sodium Selenite) and Marigold Extract (Source of Lutein).
Naturally Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols, Rosemary Extract and Citric Acid.

I've been trying to feed him more wet food than dry food, and I'm only slowly switching him over to the dry (because I dont' want him to get diarrhea on top of everything else) but he doesn't like the wet at all and he's not eating nearly as much as I'd like him to over the last 2 days. I've caved in and mixed in some of my Solid Gold Chicken, Turkey and White Fish (http://www.solidgoldhealth.com/produ...id=69&code=232) which I know he likes to try to get him to eat some more but I'd really like to find another solution to his crystals than trying to feed him these 2 foods for the next 6 weeks. He's already underweight (from the hyperthyroid) I don't want him to loose even more weight from not liking his food.

My employers are distributors for Solid Gold products, and there is a product called Berry Balance (http://www.solidgoldhealth.com/produ...id=25&code=509) that is supposed to acidify the urine and help treat/prevent struvite crystals. Has anyone used this and/or know if it works? I'm not sure about feeding him a powder made primarily from berries, but if it works and I can keep him on food which is good for him and I know he eats I would be much happier. I've also got some PH test strips so I can test and keep an eye on his urine PH.

I've been trying to find alternative treatment methods online for the last couple of days and I'm having absolutely no luck. Hopefully someone here will be able to help.

Coco was on s/d for crystals and stones and it worked great.
They were all gone within 2 months.

Ask the vet about the berry balance . In some cases it can help./..

Corn gluten and or corn is often used to acidify in dry foods made with chicken

Neither food you are currently feeding is UTI / crystal certified or even seems friendly by the % of certain items

IMHO start with the RX foods for the specified time then retest and bring your research to the vet ... If kitty wont eat then a consult with vet would be needed sooner...