Sodium

Hey guys,

My kitty (15) was recently diagnosed with congestive heart failure and is on meds for that. I'm so heart broken but I hope the meds help her. Up until a few years ago I had no idea about commercial foods and so since then she's been eating blue wilderness.

Do you guys think this food is ok for her diagnosis? Sadly her vet thinks it's too expensive and regular food would be alright. Other than that issue I love her vet though.

Anyway I'm not sure if the high protein may be bad for her and if I should see about something different.
I'm having a hard time finding sodium info on cat food. Some input from you guys would be awesome.

I've never heard of high sodium being an issue with CHF cats.  What did your Vet tell you to look for in cat food?  Low sodium?  Did he/she tell you what % not to go above?  I have a kidney cat, so if I can't find the amount of something that I need to know on the manufacturer's website, I just call them and they can usually get me the information. 

Is your cat taking something similar to Lasiks (sp?).  I think CHF cats seem to do fairly well as long as they are compliant on their meds.

According to information in the article from the link below, heart disease can result in the loss of the body's ability to sufficiently excrete sodium (salt). If the heart disease is bad enough, it can cause changes in kidney function and the central nervous system causing a build up of sodium and water. Part of the treatment of CHF involves restriction of sodium intake in the diet and its very important with cardiac disease to observe this restriction.

The article provides a pretty good explanation of the role of sodium and also the importance of protein and calories to manage CHF. You will also find some information on sodium to calorie ratios and a formula for working out appropriate sodium levels. Hill's Prescription Diet is mentioned as an example of a diet for calculating calorie to sodium ratios, but I would suggest that you can do this calculation with any food. As with anything, its advisable to discuss changes in diet with your vet beforehand.

If cachexia (weight loss) becomes a concern, the suggestion is to incorporate omega-3 supplements in the form of fish oil. I recall that fish oil is recommended to cancer patients to help put weight back on, so this could definitely be a beneficial addition to your cat's diet, and will also help to give your kitty a nice, soft coat.

http://www.vermontveterinarycardiology.com/index.php/for-clients/feeding-the-cardiac-patient

Hope this can help. I wish you and your kitty the best going forward.