Has anyone with a FLUTD kitty tried Azmira food?

My 12-year old FLUTD kitty has always done very well on Prescription Diet CD in terms of his urinary health, but we all know the food itself is crappy ;-) Anyway, in the last year or so he's had skin allergies flare up to the point we finally had to give a steroid shot. I'm starting to think the low quality food could be a contributor to the allergies. His urinary health is obviously just as (if not more) important, but steroid shots can really take their toll.

I've been studying the Azmira holistic pet food site. They state their food has been tested to be safe and effective for FLUTD kitties, but I know other food companies have made those claims, and they haven't held up with some of you.

Just curious to know if anyone has tried Azmira for their FLUTD kitty with good results??

thanks,
Summer

Many say for uti health FEW are certified.. Ie went thru FDA testing so they can claim for uti health ...

Purina and Nutro are a couple Royal canin also has one

Azmira is a HARD to come by food where I live ... but I will look at it

http://www.azmira.com/ProductFoods.h...ic_Cat_Formula
I see the OWNER is a nutritionist .. animal or human I >??
Classic Cat Formula

Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein \t30% min. \tIMHO only seniors eating dry only should eat protein that low

Crude Fiber \t4% max.
Ash \t6.5% max.
Calcium \t0.8% min.
Linoleic Acid \t2% min.low end of normal
Crude Fat \t12% min.see protein though maybe a pancreatic issue cat ...
Moisture \t10% max.
Magnesium \t0.12% max.
Phosphorus \t0.65% min.



Calorie Content (calculated) 3350 kcal/kg



Ingredients: Chicken / Turkey meal written this way it could be CHICKEN or Turkey or both, Whole Ground Yellow CornGood for UTi health though the second ingrediant makes me cautious as it is the least digestable of grains , Full Fat SoybeansYUK .. Allergen possible estogen cancer aid , Whole Ground WheatAlllergen but good digestabilty , Whole Ground Brown Ricewhole grains are less digestable than flours , Chicken Fat preserved with natural mixed tocopherols, Citric Acid, Rosemary extract first can be a chemical the other is a Known tummy issue causer , Ascorbyl Palmitate (a vitamin C ester), Oatmealgood slow digesting grain but this makes 4 grains to 1/2 meats, Whole Dried Egg, Menhaden Fish MealNOT ever used in human food and another common allergen plus a UTI general rule LOW to NO FISH, Natural Flavors, Flax Seeduseless to the cat in this form, Phosphoric Acid, Monosodium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Choline Chloride, Dried Kelp, Taurine, Yucca Schidegera Extract, Vitamin Supplements (E, A, B2, B12, D3) Niacin, Calcium Ascorbate (source of vitamin C), Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Inositol, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (source of Vitamin K activity), Folic Acid, Biotin, Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Oxide, Ferrous Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Proteinate, Manganous Oxide, Cobalt Proteinate, Potassium Iodide, Sodium Selenite


I would NOT feed this at all ....

It IMHO would not be a uti food

Thanks Sharky! Whatever suggestions you can offer. I also hate that my other two "healthy" kitties are having to eat the crappy CD. Just saw on the Candidae site the following quote regarding their dry cat food -- should I put enough stock into this to give it a try??

pH balanced formulation to promote the prevention of both urinary crystals and calcium oxylate stones

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Summer

Ugh, I see fish meal in the Felidae list too. I'm SO frustrated. Dealing with both the FLUTD and the new skin allergies is HARD. My gut tells me the allergies would improve if he was on a higher quality food, but I can't risk the UTI's coming back -- it's been YEARS since he's had one. The last one came because I tried switching him back to Nutro Max, and within a week he had an infection.

Originally Posted by SummerMH

Thanks Sharky! Whatever suggestions you can offer. I also hate that my other two "healthy" kitties are having to eat the crappy CD. Just saw on the Candidae site the following quote regarding their dry cat food -- should I put enough stock into this to give it a try??

Summer

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lol Felidea has been thru MANY changes ...

Um that is a standard line ... 90% of foods fit that range...

By good ingredients what do you mean? Have you discussed changing with your vet?

Just getting rid of the disgusting by-products that the CD would help. I was drawn to the Azmira because of this statement they make in their product guide:

cat food pH 5.5 - 6.3 with average urine pH of 6.2 - 6.5; laboratory retested after long term prevention or acute rehabilitation protocols in May 2003

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I guess it sounded official, but the notes you made in the ingredients list make me wonder how it could be??

Originally Posted by SummerMH

Just getting rid of the disgusting by-products that the CD would help. I was drawn to the Azmira because of this statement they make in their product guide: I guess it sounded official, but the notes you made in the ingredients list make me wonder how it could be??

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Foods certified for UTI health like c/d go through a MINIMUM of 18 months testing to 24 months after the 6 month affco trials...

Nutro max changed its formula but is re certified ... no by products


most foods have a smaller ph .. ie food 5.8-6.2 yielding 6.1 -6.4 ... not real numbers but an idea

Thanks so much, you are a WEALTH of information.... if this was your situation (senior FLUTD kitty with newly diagnosed -- and pretty severe -- dermatitis), what would you do? Stick with the CD and the steroid shots (his first/last shot was 2 months ago and the scabs, etc... are returning, and I want him to be comfortable)... change foods (if so, which), give another steroid shot, and look for improvement? Something else??

I would likely be asking the vet about wysongs rxs ... they are IMHO decent ingrediants and well researched ...

other possible would be a round of z/d ultra

have blood tests been done to rule out senior issues that can cause both of those issues?

http://www.wysong.net/prescription-cat-dog-foods.php

http://www.wysong.net/RXdiets/uratra...t-dog-food.php

http://www.wysong.net/RXdiets/struva...t-dog-food.php

Wow, those Wysong ingredients look SO much better!! And less expensive than CD (20 lb. bag of CD is hovering around $60 w/ tax). We ran bloodwork about a year ago to rule out thyroid, etc... and everything checked out just fine, no problems at all, just the skin wreaking havoc. Vet simply feels it's an aging symptom, but I'm afraid if we have to give steroid shots every 2 months we'll just be creating more problems. May not have a choice though.

thanks again!
Summer

1 year ago is too long/./If you can get more bloodwork

sharky, just ran across this article, would be interested in your opinion -- could it really be as "simple" as switching to a high quality wet food? http://www.catinfo.org/feline_urinar...cription_Diets

thanks,
Summer

Originally Posted by SummerMH

sharky, just ran across this article, would be interested in your opinion -- could it really be as "simple" as switching to a high quality wet food? http://www.catinfo.org/feline_urinar...cription_Diets

thanks,
Summer

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in some .. That is why you will see me say TALK or go See the VET.. they may not be nutritional experts per say but they know what each cat needs ...

In my house it was as simple as changing to a food with grain and a wet without ... I had done grain free dry and had two ph , uti issue cat s and one cat with no history get one.. at the time they got grain free dry and wets of all types ... My vet prefers raw , my cats DO NOT ... the other holistic vet I see had the same issue and her fix was the same as mine

Talk with the vet ... bring in info you find and talk

Certainly I will ask the vet, but I think he'll wave me off. He's not holistic, and the only food he sells is Prescription Diet. He also thinks my cat's allergies are purely environmental, because he's been on this food for several years, and just in the last year started having skin problems (at 11 years old). However, as a symptom of aging is decreased immunity, maybe it is the low quality CD diet only now becoming a problem?? KWIM?

skin issues are seen in kindey cats, thryoid cats , sometimes arthritic cats... age plays a part but NO age alone is not the culprit ... any allergy tests done>? meds given?

If he waves you off time to get a new vet IMHO.... I have two main vet clinics , use a third also ... Never have I gotten waved off

Our vet didn't see the need in doing an allergy panel, said it's very expensive (?) and he's convinced the issues are environmental (compounded with age), which we can't do anything about since he's an indoor/outdoor cat. I don't mean to imply he wouldn't discuss it with me, but I don't see him truly believing that changing my cat's diet will help his skin.

Originally Posted by SummerMH

Our vet didn't see the need in doing an allergy panel, said it's very expensive (?) and he's convinced the issues are environmental (compounded with age), which we can't do anything about since he's an indoor/outdoor cat. I don't mean to imply he wouldn't discuss it with me, but I don't see him truly believing that changing my cat's diet will help his skin.

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ask about this .. it maybe a VERY simple fix... adding fish , salmon or cod liver oil to the food...

Many allergy tests are very $$$...I am almost certain I can figure out how old you vet is

Funny He's probably not as old as you're suspecting -- I'm guessing low-mid 50's.

I'm going to start sprinkling Dinovite on their food again and see if that will help the itching, sores, and flaking. It contains the following (if you see any problems here, please let me know ):

Chicken meal, dried kelp, yeast culture, stabilized rice bran, salmon oil, spray-dried chicken liver, egg product, fructooligosaccharide, zinc methionine complex, diatomaceous earth, montmorillonite clay, yucca schidigera extract, Aspergillus oryzae fermentation product dehydrated, Aspergillus niger fermentation product dehydrated, Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product dehydrated, Lactobacillus casei fermentation product dehydrated, Bifidobacterium thermophilum fermentation product dehydrated, Enterococcus faecium fermentation product dehydrated.

Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein ... Minimum ...28%
Crude Fat ... Minimum ...15%
Crude Fiber ...Maximum ...4%
Moisture...Maximum ...7%
Zinc...Minimum ...2 mg/gm

*Omega 6 Fatty Acids ...Minimum ...2.75%
*Omega 3 Fatty Acids ...Minimum ...1.45%

*Lactic Acid Microrganisms ...Minimum ...1.0x106 CFU/gm
(L. acidophilus, L. casei, B. thermophilum and E. faecium)

Enzyme Activity per 8 gm (1 tbsp.) of supplement
*Amylase (A. oryzae)................. 152 mg starch dextrinized/min/gm
*Protease (A. oryzae) ................ 640 mcg of tyrosine equivalence liberated/min/gm
*Lipase (A. niger) 40 micromoles fatty acids liberated/min/gm

I tried putting Dinovite's brand of salmon oil on his food once before (in addition to the Dinovite), but he turned his nose up .