vet wants me to switch food...

Im currently doing research here on walthams and Hills c/d (which my cat is currently on). There's a lot to read.

I ordered another bag of hills and my vet's desk girl suggested I just switch food since its easier for them to get the walthams than order the Hills. Price wise Im ok with it - BUT i certainly dont want to do this if its a matter of my cat's health. He has been eating C/D since he was diagnosed with crystals 3 years ago and has had no problems.

I just want to make sure that switching to walthams will be ok. I will be LIVID if he gets crystals again due to the laziness of some young girl. I DID ask her if he should be ok with the the switch and she just said the vet does recommend the food...

I just need to double check here before making the switch. THANKS for any help!!!!

Waltham is part of Royal Canin now--a lot of people here use Royal Canin SO for their cats with crystals. It has worked well for my friend's cat.

http://www.royalcanin.us/products/pr...il.aspx?ID=107

I've been feeding RC as well much better than science diet.

OK - i have read its either as good or better. I just want to make sure that actually switching foods wont cause the crystals to come back. That maybe his system is used to C/D. I dont know - maybe that doesnt make sense - but as I said I just wanted to double check that he's not going to have another issue.

Thanks.

I have no experience with this food but have read in posts here where some cats do better on one than the other. It's like you said about his system.

What did the vet say? I will not take the advice of the office staff at my vet office either. Too many "ifs".

Summer was on CD before we got Chevy. CD did not agree with Chevy's stomach and we switched to the Royal Canin SO. She switched over well and actually has not had a UTI since the switch, and Chevy's stomach appreciates it.

Hope I helped!

talk to the vet directly.

If your cat is doing well on the walthams and Hills why even consider switching? I wouldn't.

I would just make sure that the vet either orders enough in advance or gives you a prescription for it so you can order it yourself (although I don't know if this food requires a prescription).

Do what you feel is best for your cat, I would be careful before switching unless it was directly recommended by your vet.

Just my opinion, if it ain't broke, why fix it?

My cat who had oxalate crystals needed the S/O food and not an acidifying food. He has had no issues on S/O. Based on his experience, it seems to be a good food for crystals.

Just my opinion

If it's a matter of your cat's health, you shouldn't feed any of that stuff. quality canned
food will do the trick for you whole cat's health much better then a carb loaded dehydrating dry food
http://www.catinfo.org/#Common_Felin..._Ties_to_Diet_
http://www.catinfo.org/

Originally Posted by optionken

Just my opinion

If it's a matter of your cat's health, you shouldn't feed any of that stuff. quality canned
food will do the trick for you whole cat's health much better then a carb loaded dehydrating dry food
http://www.catinfo.org/#Common_Felin..._Ties_to_Diet_
http://www.catinfo.org/

Click to expand...

This can be the case and IMHO talk with the vet about it ...

Yeah I read about the canned food as well. I will have to read more (the links you posted) to see if JUST canned is the best option. Sounds like it would be...

I just get so confused that I currently give him dry and canned (iams canned) because I dont like Waltham's pouches (not enough food) and my vet for some reason has such an issue with ordering Hill's products.

I did by the way get a message to the vet who said the switch should be ok. All i know is I would have rather kept with the C/D.

To be honest - he doesnt seem to really like the Walthams. I had to pick out his old food from the mixture of both for him to eat - but this morning it was all gone.

DO you think it will hurt him if he finishes this bag and then have them order hills for me asap? I dont know if they will take back this opened bag. And this ordering issue with Hills is pretty pathetic I think.

THANKS

likely it wont hurt but I suggest taking what you have learned into the vet and discussing it ( here the vets will usually give you 15 minutes of talk time without a charge)

OH no - not around me. Although I am taking both my cat and dog to a new vet for their next annual checkup (hopefully they wont NEED to go beforehand). I heard he's really good and truly cares. Ill definitely bring up the food issue then.

But the..... 3,4 vets Ive tried so far are all about money. One vet's annual checkup literally lasted 5 minutes. And with all these vets - if I have any questions after that visit - i have to bring my pets in for another $45 fee.

Its a shame there are so many pets in need of homes and Im sure a lot of people cant offer one due to the finances involved.

If your cat isn't liking the SO, then go to another vet's office to buy the c/d - I'm not saying switch vets for your cat's care, just go somewhere where you can get c/d more easily. It also depends on what type of crystals your cat has and c/d is for struvite crystals.

Like someone else said, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Just because your vet's office doesn't want to order it, doesn't mean your cat has to go through a food change. There are lots of people who buy their prescription food at the clinic where I work because it's more available but they don't necessarily go to our vets for their pet's care. At my clinic, the c/d is on the shelf - some Rx foods, you have to either have a prescription or have the approval of your vet in order to buy them. The Royal Canin Urinary SO is one of these foods. So I say, don't bother and just go to another vet's office for food.