Questions about digestive enzymes

otto · Nov 20, 2012

What health issue prompted you to start?

Did you attempt other things first (such as diet change)?

What brand do you use and why?

After seeing improvement, have you ever tried stopping the supplement? What happened?

If a cat takes this supplement, will the body become totally reliant on it, meaning the cat will never be able to digest food normally, ever?

(I know I am discussing this with two of you in another thread and I greatly appreciate your help, but I would like to hear as many experiences as possible, so have started this thread that goes directly to the heart of the matter

)

mrsgreenjeens · Nov 20, 2012

I started using them when they started on raw...mainly because everyone told me I should, since raw would be totally new to their systems and I didn't want to cause any upset tummies. I am still giving it to them mostly because I'm on the same original bottle and want to use it up. After that I intend to stop because I really don't think they need it any more.

It'll be interesting to hear what everyone else has to say about what happens when you stop.

mschauer · Nov 20, 2012

If a cat takes this supplement, will the body become totally reliant on it, meaning the cat will never be able to digest food normally, ever?

My understanding is that an animals body produces as much of enzymes as are needed but which aren't supplied in the food consumed. So it would stand to reason that it is normal for the body to produce differing levels of enzymes depending on the differing levels of enzymes contained in various foods. So, I would think that stopping an enzyme supplement would just cause the body to react as it would if more low enzyme foods were consumed. So no, I don't think giving a digestive enzyme supplement would result in a permanent inability of the animal to produce digestive enzymes.

That's my take anyway.

Edit: I guess it is relevant to say that Coco (the cat getting the supplement) certainly didn't have any digestive problems after I stopped the supplement (when she started eating a raw diet).

otto · Nov 22, 2012

Thanks you guys. I am still in some confusion about how this digestive enzyme works (Mazy does get a probiotic daily) Or why it works.

If it helps digest the food faster...that will make for a stomach that is empty longer. But...if it helps digest the food faster, does that mean there is less chance of an over production of acid in the cat's tummy?

I'm so confused about this, but do plan to get Mazy on it to see if it will help her.

ldg · Nov 22, 2012

This isn't referenced, but ... http://www.se1.us/health/enzymes/enzymes_faq.html

My take on it is that in helping digest the food faster/more thoroughly, not only is more nutritional benefit derived, but it helps maintain a proper pH. Now I'm wishing I hadn't given away those enzymes, I'm going to give them a try for Lazlo. It also seems that the enzymes and probiotic work together, though enzymes need to be given at each meal.

otto · Dec 1, 2012

Here's an interesting effect of the enzymes. Mazy's poop now resembles a raw fed cat's poop. Mazy IS raw fed but only 1/3 of her diet. She was still having normal can fed poops. But now, on the digestive enzymes, while her poop in quantity, size and shape is almost the same (she always has multiple small stool pieces) those pieces are mostly thin shells of fur! The sections are a bit smaller, too, but there are still many of them.

You don't realize how much of their food they aren't using, until using the digestive enzymes! So my guess is that now the only thing she is pooping out is organic pea flour and organic guar gum (and maybe even that menadione bisulfate).

I may end up putting them all on this stuff as long as they are partially canned fed. Some of the on line vet sites claim that cats should take digestive enzymes every day. Hmmmm....

ldg · Dec 1, 2012

My Mercola digestive enzymes arrived yesterday. I forgot about them, so haven't given any to Lazlo yet. :lol3:

Wow - that is REALLY interesting!

otto · Dec 2, 2012

I am so thrilled with the results, I can't believe I was resisting trying this. Since all my cats are still partially can fed, I am thinking about putting them all on it.

It's just like with a diet improvement, from say kibble to canned, or a lower quality canned to higher quality. Even when you (general you) think your cats are the best they can be, when you make a positive change, you are amazed at the improvement.

If I do put Jennie and Queen Eva on the digestive enzymes, I'll be sure to report my observations. Jennie gets the most canned out of all three cats, so it will be interesting to see if her poops get that "rawfed" quality too.

Mazy's fur has gotten so nice, I just can't believe it. Mazy has always had a rough coat. Now it's like silk. Even with my rough hands I can feel how soft it is. Jennie's and Queen Eva's coats are lovely too, but maybe they'd be even more lovely with the digestive enzymes, then maybe I could feel how soft theirs are too. My hands are so rough from the kind of work I do, that I really can't feel the softness of their fur very well, generally.

krysta · Dec 2, 2012

Otto, you may have said this and I missed it, but which brand enzymes are you using, is it the Mercola like LDG ordered? I'm interested in getting some myself!

otto · Dec 2, 2012

I am using the original Prozyme:

http://www.prozymeproducts.com/Products.aspx

I am really picky about added ingredients. The "lactose free" Prozyme and the "Feline" Prozyme have rice starch. I do not want Mazy having ANY form of grain, so I gambled on the lactose. Another member, Carolina, had used it without any trouble.

Other brands I researched had cellulose, or maltodextrins. Then there were others that didn't seem to have any of those additives, but...I'd never heard of them. For my peace of mind I decided that the "milk sugar from whey" was the additive I could live with easiest, and I went with the brand I see recommended most often.

I am looking forward to hearing how Laurie likes the Mercola.

krysta · Dec 2, 2012

Thanks, otto! I'm going to order some. I have been debating on it for a while, and trying to decide if I should get the original or feline formula. I have found the original cheaper, so..... And I've been using the Natural Factors probiotic that has lactose in it with no problems.

mb70 · Dec 2, 2012

I am a big fan of digestive enzymes. Inky is on his second bottle of Prozyme Plus, it's worked wonderfully. He didn't have any issues before giving it to him, but it's like an added insurance policy to get the most from his food, which is all high quality canned. His coat is shiny ( he's a black cat), poops are small and firm. His weight has been steady at 11lbs for months. I think it just helps with overall health. Can't hurt to try!! I get it from Drs. Foster and Smith.

otto · Dec 2, 2012

Thank you for your input MB70!

otto · Feb 14, 2013

I have stopped the digestive enzymes. The only real outer benefit I saw after 10 weeks was that Mazy cat's whiskers became very full and luxuriant. And she seemed to become less active over time. I thought I was imagining that at first, but it seemed odd that she had gotten all this energy after her diet improvement and now seemed quieter again.

I wasn't imagining it. Yesterday was two weeks since I stopped the digestive enzymes and her energy has come back! Last night she was once again playing the Games I had grown accustomed to playing with her, that she had stopped showing interest in, and she is again tearing around with Queen Eva several times a day.

I can't begin to hazard a guess why the digestive enzymes had that effect on her, but my conclusion is, no more digestive enzymes.

txcatmom · Feb 14, 2013

The only real outer benefit I saw after 10 weeks was that Mazy cat's whiskers became very full and luxuriant. And she seemed to become less active over time.

These are both such interesting observations. Who knows what ingredients in some of these things set off little quirks in the kitties. My Eko has been taking a food additive dental thing the vet gave us as a sample. Every night I'm seeing the same little misbehavior at the same time....just started a couple days after we started the additive. I don't know for sure that they are related...but who knows.... We haven't tried digestive enzymes since the budget is tight and ours have never had digestive problems (aside from Leo doing some scarf and barf when he was on canned food.) Anyways, they do get a probiotic. (I've found digestive enzymes to be great for mama though....solved a heartburn problem the doc wanted to prescribe nexium for. It is so disconcerting that they don't seem to know or care about more natural alternatives.)

otto · Mar 20, 2013

otto said:
I have stopped the digestive enzymes. The only real outer benefit I saw after 10 weeks was that Mazy cat's whiskers became very full and luxuriant. And she seemed to become less active over time. I thought I was imagining that at first, but it seemed odd that she had gotten all this energy after her diet improvement and now seemed quieter again.

I wasn't imagining it. Yesterday was two weeks since I stopped the digestive enzymes and her energy has come back! Last night she was once again playing the Games I had grown accustomed to playing with her, that she had stopped showing interest in, and she is again tearing around with Queen Eva several times a day.

I can't begin to hazard a guess why the digestive enzymes had that effect on her, but my conclusion is, no more digestive enzymes.

Seven weeks after stopping the digestive enzymes. Mazy's activity level has returned to "very active". :clap:

Her whiskers, I noticed today, have gone back to short and skimpy. So I wasn't imagining it, the only outward physcial improvement I saw from the digestive enzymes was that her whiskers got very long and luxuriant.

Now they are back to their usual skimpiness but Mazy is her lively playful self again. I'll stick to skimpy whiskers and high activity in the 9 year old cat.

mrsgreenjeens · Mar 21, 2013

That is really weird, since I figured the use of digestive enzymes would help the food get used to it's fullest benefit, and would give them even MORE energy. Obviously it made her whiskers grow more. How about her claws? Did you need to trim them more often? If that's the case, maybe I should stop giving it to mine! Their claws grow entirely too quickly for my taste

otto · Mar 22, 2013

Thanks Sally. It is weird. Mazy's claws always grow into talons pretty quickly I didn't notice any change there. I particularly noticed the whiskers because I've always noticed her short skimpy whiskers. When they blossomed on the ProZyme I was thrilled. But I love her just as much now that she is back to short skimpy whiskers!

By the way the initial softness of her coat didn't last, even before I stopped the Prozyme. No matter what I do Mazy just has a roughish coat. It's much improved since taking her off that awful "prescription" food (15 months ago now) but it seems to only get so soft, and no softer, only so glossy, no shinier.

It was the loss of energy that really dismayed me. At first, in December, I thought it was because I had been ill, in bed with the flu for 8 days. But even after life got back to normal, her activity level did not increase. Until I stopped the Prozyme. Now she's back to ..always ready for a Game.

There isn't anyway to know, of course, what ingredient in the product caused her to become so quiet.

psychomama · Jan 8, 2016

MB70 said:
I am a big fan of digestive enzymes. Inky is on his second bottle of Prozyme Plus, it's worked wonderfully. He didn't have any issues before giving it to him, but it's like an added insurance policy to get the most from his food, which is all high quality canned. His coat is shiny ( he's a black cat), poops are small and firm. His weight has been steady at 11lbs for months. I think it just helps with overall health. Can't hurt to try!! I get it from Drs. Foster and Smith.

psychomama · Jan 8, 2016

How much Prozyme did you put in the food.

Questions about digestive enzymes

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