I've posted here before about my cats issues, but not for quite some time. I thought I'd come back to try to get some opinions from others. This will be long, I apologize in advance.
Some back story.. Sneak will be 6 in November. His UT issues started in '08, then again in '09. Both times they were classified as UTI's, no crystals were found. Those times we treated with antibiotics and switched him to a prescription food for 30 days and he was fine.
Then in May '11, he got really bad. To the vet we go, no crystals, just blood in the urine, so another UTI type deal. Given Clavamox. He didn't improve enough for my liking, so back to the vet. Another urinalysis done, switched to a different antibiotic. Gave that 4 days, still not enough improvement. Back to the vet. Given an antibiotic injection that was the equivalent of 2wks. worth of meds. Also prescribed the prescription food again (Royal Canin SO, wet only). That did the trick, or seemed to anyway.
3wks. after that, not right again. Back to the vet, this time urinalysis showed crystals. So he went on Science Diet S/D then. And finally he seemed better, so switched back to the C/D (since S/D isn't meant for long term). That lasted a little over a year. In fact, I was so happy with how he was doing that I switched him off the C/D wet, and put him on Before Grain wet, still getting the C/D dry. He did fine with that for a few months, so I decided to try him on the Before Grain dry as well, all seemed fine! Btw - I always float his kibble (he gets that in the AM) in water and he eats it fine, I also have a water fountain that he likes. Gets wet food in the PM. He is NOT a huge fan of wet food, I can barely get him to eat 1/4 can (5.5oz. can) of wet at night.
Fast forward to the end of July, I could tell he wasn't right again. So back to the vet we go at the beginning of August. He didn't have any urine for them to test then, so was put on a weeks worth of Clavamox, and back on the C/D. After a few days on the meds., he seemed better. But once they were finished, there were some days I could tell he was a little "off", others he seemed fine.
Went for a recheck and a urinalysis Thursday and go freaking figure, he has crystals again. Vet wants me to switch him to Royal Canin SO (which of course, is A LOT more expensive; $58 for a case of 24 cans) and do another urinalysis (another $75) in 4-6wks. If he still has crystals, they want to do an x-ray to check for stones.
He's not miserable, but it can't feel great to have crystals! I'm to the point where I'm considering putting him down.. I feel terrible for thinking that, but I also feel terrible that he keeps getting these reoccurring issues and now even has crystals on a food that's supposed to prevent crystals! I'm also not made of money :/ I just don't know what to do anymore.
Some back story.. Sneak will be 6 in November. His UT issues started in '08, then again in '09. Both times they were classified as UTI's, no crystals were found. Those times we treated with antibiotics and switched him to a prescription food for 30 days and he was fine.
Then in May '11, he got really bad. To the vet we go, no crystals, just blood in the urine, so another UTI type deal. Given Clavamox. He didn't improve enough for my liking, so back to the vet. Another urinalysis done, switched to a different antibiotic. Gave that 4 days, still not enough improvement. Back to the vet. Given an antibiotic injection that was the equivalent of 2wks. worth of meds. Also prescribed the prescription food again (Royal Canin SO, wet only). That did the trick, or seemed to anyway.
3wks. after that, not right again. Back to the vet, this time urinalysis showed crystals. So he went on Science Diet S/D then. And finally he seemed better, so switched back to the C/D (since S/D isn't meant for long term). That lasted a little over a year. In fact, I was so happy with how he was doing that I switched him off the C/D wet, and put him on Before Grain wet, still getting the C/D dry. He did fine with that for a few months, so I decided to try him on the Before Grain dry as well, all seemed fine! Btw - I always float his kibble (he gets that in the AM) in water and he eats it fine, I also have a water fountain that he likes. Gets wet food in the PM. He is NOT a huge fan of wet food, I can barely get him to eat 1/4 can (5.5oz. can) of wet at night.
Fast forward to the end of July, I could tell he wasn't right again. So back to the vet we go at the beginning of August. He didn't have any urine for them to test then, so was put on a weeks worth of Clavamox, and back on the C/D. After a few days on the meds., he seemed better. But once they were finished, there were some days I could tell he was a little "off", others he seemed fine.
Went for a recheck and a urinalysis Thursday and go freaking figure, he has crystals again. Vet wants me to switch him to Royal Canin SO (which of course, is A LOT more expensive; $58 for a case of 24 cans) and do another urinalysis (another $75) in 4-6wks. If he still has crystals, they want to do an x-ray to check for stones.
He's not miserable, but it can't feel great to have crystals! I'm to the point where I'm considering putting him down.. I feel terrible for thinking that, but I also feel terrible that he keeps getting these reoccurring issues and now even has crystals on a food that's supposed to prevent crystals! I'm also not made of money :/ I just don't know what to do anymore.