Vet wants Cheetah on IAMS low residue

Cheetah was hosiptalized 2 days ago for Gastroentoritis. When Cheetah was discharged, the vet wants Cheetah to be off raw food and on Iams low residue dry.
I looked at the ingredients: Chicken By-Product Meal, Corn Meal, Corn Grits, Chicken, Dried Beet Pulp, Dried Egg Product, Fish Oil (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E), Chicken Flavor, Brewer's Dried Yeast...

I am wondering if there is better option for Cheetah than this with his condition right now. Is there any suggestion that I can bring it to my vet?

(A side note, I am very glad we purchased pet insurance. The bill came up to $1300+!)

I have seen Low residue fix alot... No I cant tell you how based on ingrediants but remember RX foods are Medicine not just food /...

Originally Posted by sharky

I have seen Low residue fix alot... No I cant tell you how based on ingrediants but remember RX foods are Medicine not just food /...

Click to expand...

Thank you, Sharky! I hope that will help Cheetah. He is liking the dry, and not eating the canned at all. But I guess as long as he eats something, it is good. He hasn't been eating for a few days (he was on IV at the hospital), so I guess it is good to take it slow.

My little guy Franklin was just put on Hills z/d. It's a hydrolyzed protein diet for those that are allergic to most other proteins. It's ingredients make most people shreek. He, on the other hand, has never looked or acted better. Trust your vet Like Cheetah, Franklin seems to like the dry z/d better than the canned. But as you said, as long as he's eating!

Originally Posted by KyleW

My little guy Franklin was just put on Hills z/d. It's a hydrolyzed protein diet for those that are allergic to most other proteins. It's ingredients make most people shreek. He, on the other hand, has never looked or acted better. Trust your vet

Like Cheetah, Franklin seems to like the dry z/d better than the canned. But as you said, as long as he's eating!

Click to expand...

Hope was on Duck and Green Pea Formula for IBD, started with prescription, then changed to Natural Balance... She then stopped eating and I ran out of options (HATED Green pea and Duck).... until I tried Z/D Canned - she LOVES it, and has done very well on it. Her energy is back, no diarrhea, and she is her playful old self - I could not ask for more, besides perhaps a cheaper price, of course
I also like the fact that Bugsy can eat (he is allergic to chicken and duck and was having constant diarrhea while Hope was on Natural Balance).

Yes, the ingredients might not be the best, but they are certainly the best for HER.

Koobe, Cheetah is going through this for a while, if I am not mistaken.... I have been following and reading this for a long time.... She hasn't been eating well for so long... IMO just go with what the vet says - as Sharky says, take this as medicine, not only food....:v ibes:

Franklin started on Royal Canin Duck and then RC Venison. I switched him to Natural Balance varieties of both and he did real well for a while. Eventually he seemed to develop an allergy to the Novel proteins too. That's why he's on z/d now. THe vet swears he can't develop an allergy to the hydrolyzed protein. If any one can, Franklin can

Originally Posted by Carolina

Koobe, Cheetah is going through this for a while, if I am not mistaken.... I have been following and reading this for a long time.... She hasn't been eating well for so long... IMO just go with what the vet says - as Sharky says, take this as medicine, not only food....:v ibes:

Click to expand...

Cheetah hasn't been very interested in eating for a while. Oh by the way, Cheetah is a boy, everyone in the hospital said "she" too
He does eat whenever he wants and usually when we are not watching.

After a few visit to the hospital and taking a few medicine, he is now always asking for food. He probably will eat 1-2 teaspoon each time, but wants food every 2 hours. Right now, he is on low residue dry and canned. There is a holistic vet in the hospital, I am planning to let her see Cheetah when he tummy stables.

THANK YOU ALL for your inputs. It is great to find so much support here.

Originally Posted by koobe

Cheetah hasn't been very interested in eating for a while. Oh by the way, Cheetah is a boy, everyone in the hospital said "she" too

He does eat whenever he wants and usually when we are not watching.

After a few visit to the hospital and taking a few medicine, he is now always asking for food. He probably will eat 1-2 teaspoon each time, but wants food every 2 hours. Right now, he is on low residue dry and canned. There is a holistic vet in the hospital, I am planning to let her see Cheetah when he tummy stables.

THANK YOU ALL for your inputs. It is great to find so much support here.

Click to expand...

Oopsie! sorry for the he-she confusion! Glad to know he is eating better now... My experience with Hope is that once a problem "sets in" it can take a while, and I mean a LONG while to resolve... I am hoping not a lifetime in Hopes case, but I am prepared to deal with if that is the case...
But in the end of the day, what matters is that they do well, regardless if they are eating Yams or Hills , or whatever it works for them.

Just a FYI on the Hills... the Hydrolyzed proteins are chemically(? this) and mechanically made too small for the body to recognize as protein thus no allergy can occur... this is one of the main reasons that at least in the beginning Hills was saying these allergy foods were ONLY temporary feeds and used as a exclusion diet...

Originally Posted by sharky

Just a FYI on the Hills... the Hydrolyzed proteins are chemically(? this) and mechanically made too small for the body to recognize as protein thus no allergy can occur... this is one of the main reasons that at least in the beginning Hills was saying these allergy foods were ONLY temporary feeds and used as a exclusion diet...

Click to expand...

Right now Cheetah is on low residue, the vet said if he is still not feeling well, then she will suspect he has food allergy (which from what I know he is not allergic with any food), then the vet would like him on z/d, which the vet explained the fine protein concept to me.

They let Cheetah taste z/d at the office, but he wouldn't eat it

Originally Posted by sharky

Just a FYI on the Hills... the Hydrolyzed proteins are chemically(? this) and mechanically made too small for the body to recognize as protein thus no allergy can occur... this is one of the main reasons that at least in the beginning Hills was saying these allergy foods were ONLY temporary feeds and used as a exclusion diet...

Click to expand...

Yeah, I called them and they said it is not temporary - it is balanced and can be used for short, long, and for a lifetime; nothing is missing from the food per the Company, so that is not the case anymore. The formula is not the same either - it used to have BHA for example (on the canned), and it no longer does. The Guaranteed Analysis shows protein like any other food does, so I am not sure how that works . What I know is that I personally called them before I switched and I was informed to the food is perfectly ok for lifetime use - not that I think Hope will like it for a life time anyways .

Here is the analysis (and I do understand the process):

Nutrient
Dry Matter1
Protein 33.7%
Fat 18.2%
Carbohydrate (NFE) 40.5%
Crude Fiber 1.5%

Calcium 0.72
Phosphorus 0.64
Sodium 0.30
Potassium 0.80
Magnesium 0.064
Taurine 0.38
Omega-3 Fatty Acids Total 0.45
Omega-6 Fatty Acids Total 4.05
¹The nutrient in the product after moisture is removed.
It is used to make direct comparisons of nutrient profiles of products with differing moisture contents.

Ingredients: Hydrolyzed Chicken Liver, Water, Corn Starch, Soybean Oil, Powdered Cellulose, Calcium Carbonate, DL-Methionine, Potassium Chloride, Dicalcium Phosphate, Choline Chloride, Iodized Salt, Vitamin E Supplement, Taurine, Calcium Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Zinc Oxide, Ascorbic Acid (source of vitamin C), Ferrous Sulfate, Niacin, Beta-Carotene, Manganous Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin, Biotin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Calcium Iodate, Folic Acid, Sodium Selenite.

I was assured by my vet that z/d was indeed nutritionally 'complete & balanced' and that I could feed it to Franny as well as Franklin. I'd rather not have to contend with two foods. Both seem do be doing just fine.

The % on a bag are Raw , my guess as to how it claims protein... Please Read the post I wrote carefully as Many will be confused by yours.. I said in the Beginning they stated it was temporary...My guess is like most pet food companies they ran it thru the six month AFFCO tests and thus were deemed safe... IMHO the ingredients are not that different and the process is thus I would be cautious and consulting a vet nutritionist if an animal needed it for more than 12 week s ...

Originally Posted by sharky

The % on a bag are Raw , my guess as to how it claims protein... Please Read the post I wrote carefully as Many will be confused by yours.. I said in the Beginning they stated it was temporary...My guess is like most pet food companies they ran it thru the six month AFFCO tests and thus were deemed safe... IMHO the ingrediants are not that different and the process is thus I would be cautiousous and consulting a vet nutrtionist if an animal needed it for more than 12 week s ...

Click to expand...

The formula might not be THAT much different, but it IS different.
I am not sure what is there to be confused about my post. You said Hills used to say in the beginning that the food was to be used in a temporary basis.
In my post, I said I called the company, spoke to a nutritionist adviser who said that is not the case anymore. The food is perfectly fine to be fed short, mid, long term and for a life time - it is completely balanced and nothing is missing from it. Feel free to call them, the number is on the website. I am again not sure what is confusing about that. But sure, since this is a prescription, a vet should always be involved anyways.

Back to the Topic ... Iams low residue is a highly successful food for intestinal issues... It is for even long term use( though like with any RX discuss it with the vet periodically)

Originally Posted by sharky

Back to the Topic ... Iams low residue is a highly successful food for intestinal issues... It is for even long term use( though like with any RX discuss it with the vet periodically)

Click to expand...

Yes, the vet said let him on low residue for 2 weeks, and then we can talk about getting back to raw depending on his situation.