Oh dear - my problems with my little Mario have started to escalate!
***Now please keep in mind my ultimate goals is to put Mario on a raw food diet but at least get her eating wet food (Mario is a kibble addict with IBD) I just am having a hard time getting there!***
So I took my little girl to the vet for an occasional cough this past Saturday, and they ran a few x-rays. The vet didn't find anything and said it might be bronchial inflammation (which is kind of what I had suspected because of the pilling and her allergies) She put my girl on antibiotics for a few days. So far I haven't heard her cough at all.
But right now that's not quite what I'm concerned about. The vet also took blood and urine tests because Mario was due.
She said Mario's blood sugar levels have gone up and are now in a pre-diabetic stage (222). Mario has always had high blood sugar (200) but the vet said being on the pred might push her over the top. She said diabetes starts in the high 200s (no idea what this means right now, but I plan on googling).
Currently Mario is on Natural Balance Duck and Pea for her IBD, and has been doing well on it - I've gotten her pred dosage down to 2.5m a day. The vet is insistent that I start her on the Science Diet Duck limited ingredient diet. ::annoyed:: (of course she is - she gets paid for promoting that!) I'm a little pissed that I have to cop out 40.00 more per bag, but in the end cost isn't a factor. She wants me to try and lower the pred (which I am anyway) but I don't see what difference the Royal Canine is from the Natural Balance. But at this point I don't really want to argue with the vet since I need her; I don't have a hollistic vet in my area (I live in the city and don't have a car). So I'm willing to pay the 40.00 extra a bag to keep in her good graces.
BUT.....the vet said Mario is starting to get urine crystals. She said we could mix some urine regulating food in with her kibble....but I told her Mario is allergic to chicken and the urine regulating foods all have chicken products in them!
So I NEED to switch her to the wet food. So far it's taken ONE MONTH to actually get her to eat her kibble off of the same plate as the wet food. My next step once she gets comfortable with that is to mix in tiny pieces of wet food masked in kibble powder. I know this stubborn girl is going to need a lot of time for this transition. The problem is that I don't have that much time! And switching her to a new kibble is going to set me back a week or so.
In one month exactly I'm going overseas for 10 days and if it weren't for that, I would put a feeding tube in her now. But I feel that I can't subject her or the pet sitter to that!
Just looking for some thoughts......I know there are a few of you who have had to deal with similar kitty issues. What are your thoughts on the ingredients of the Royal Canin vs. the Natural Balance? The vet swears the Royal Canin has more limited ingredients than the Natural Balance, but does this look like more limited to you??? Now she may have meant the wet food - which does look better but I can't afford to waist money on that expensive wet food now if I'm just going to be throwing it away.
Royal Canin PD:
Ground pea, duck by-product meal, pea protein, coprah oil, natural flavors, duck, anchovy oil (source of EPA/DHA), calcium sulfate, soya oil, sodium bisulfate, monocalcium phosphate, DL-methionine, salt, taurine, choline chloride, Vitamins [DL-alpha tocopherol acetate (source of vitamin E), inositol, niacin supplement, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), D-calcium pantothenate, biotin, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), riboflavin supplement (vitamin B2), thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), vitamin A acetate, folic acid, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement], Trace Minerals [zinc proteinate, zinc oxide, ferrous sulfate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, copper sulfate, manganous oxide, calcium iodate, sodium selenite], rosemary extract, preserved with natural mixed tocopherols (source of vitamin E) and citric acid.
Natural Balance Duck & Pea
Peas, Duck Meal, Duck, Canola Oil, Flaxseed, Natural Flavor, Methionine, Choline Chloride, Taurine, Natural Mixed Tocopherols, Zinc Proteinate, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1), Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Potassium Iodide, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin (Vitamin B-2), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamim B-6), Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Manganous Oxide, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin D Supplement, Folic acide (Vitamin B)
Thank you for your thoughts.
~B
***Now please keep in mind my ultimate goals is to put Mario on a raw food diet but at least get her eating wet food (Mario is a kibble addict with IBD) I just am having a hard time getting there!***
So I took my little girl to the vet for an occasional cough this past Saturday, and they ran a few x-rays. The vet didn't find anything and said it might be bronchial inflammation (which is kind of what I had suspected because of the pilling and her allergies) She put my girl on antibiotics for a few days. So far I haven't heard her cough at all.
But right now that's not quite what I'm concerned about. The vet also took blood and urine tests because Mario was due.
She said Mario's blood sugar levels have gone up and are now in a pre-diabetic stage (222). Mario has always had high blood sugar (200) but the vet said being on the pred might push her over the top. She said diabetes starts in the high 200s (no idea what this means right now, but I plan on googling).
Currently Mario is on Natural Balance Duck and Pea for her IBD, and has been doing well on it - I've gotten her pred dosage down to 2.5m a day. The vet is insistent that I start her on the Science Diet Duck limited ingredient diet. ::annoyed:: (of course she is - she gets paid for promoting that!) I'm a little pissed that I have to cop out 40.00 more per bag, but in the end cost isn't a factor. She wants me to try and lower the pred (which I am anyway) but I don't see what difference the Royal Canine is from the Natural Balance. But at this point I don't really want to argue with the vet since I need her; I don't have a hollistic vet in my area (I live in the city and don't have a car). So I'm willing to pay the 40.00 extra a bag to keep in her good graces.
BUT.....the vet said Mario is starting to get urine crystals. She said we could mix some urine regulating food in with her kibble....but I told her Mario is allergic to chicken and the urine regulating foods all have chicken products in them!
So I NEED to switch her to the wet food. So far it's taken ONE MONTH to actually get her to eat her kibble off of the same plate as the wet food. My next step once she gets comfortable with that is to mix in tiny pieces of wet food masked in kibble powder. I know this stubborn girl is going to need a lot of time for this transition. The problem is that I don't have that much time! And switching her to a new kibble is going to set me back a week or so.
In one month exactly I'm going overseas for 10 days and if it weren't for that, I would put a feeding tube in her now. But I feel that I can't subject her or the pet sitter to that!
Just looking for some thoughts......I know there are a few of you who have had to deal with similar kitty issues. What are your thoughts on the ingredients of the Royal Canin vs. the Natural Balance? The vet swears the Royal Canin has more limited ingredients than the Natural Balance, but does this look like more limited to you??? Now she may have meant the wet food - which does look better but I can't afford to waist money on that expensive wet food now if I'm just going to be throwing it away.
Royal Canin PD:
Ground pea, duck by-product meal, pea protein, coprah oil, natural flavors, duck, anchovy oil (source of EPA/DHA), calcium sulfate, soya oil, sodium bisulfate, monocalcium phosphate, DL-methionine, salt, taurine, choline chloride, Vitamins [DL-alpha tocopherol acetate (source of vitamin E), inositol, niacin supplement, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), D-calcium pantothenate, biotin, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), riboflavin supplement (vitamin B2), thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), vitamin A acetate, folic acid, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement], Trace Minerals [zinc proteinate, zinc oxide, ferrous sulfate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, copper sulfate, manganous oxide, calcium iodate, sodium selenite], rosemary extract, preserved with natural mixed tocopherols (source of vitamin E) and citric acid.
Natural Balance Duck & Pea
Peas, Duck Meal, Duck, Canola Oil, Flaxseed, Natural Flavor, Methionine, Choline Chloride, Taurine, Natural Mixed Tocopherols, Zinc Proteinate, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1), Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Potassium Iodide, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin (Vitamin B-2), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamim B-6), Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Manganous Oxide, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin D Supplement, Folic acide (Vitamin B)
Thank you for your thoughts.
~B