any success treating IC Idiopathic cystitis in cats, need input please

ItW had been about 20 days since Spook's last terrible cystitis flair. He had been back to normal for about 10 days and I have been incorporating more of the Royal canin s/o canned, a little water added to it and made into a gravy. With this I mixed in his Duralactin (supplement for chronic inflammatory conditions) and made sure he got canned at least three times a day. He got a little dry but vet said to add a little water to that and I had been doing that also.

We started Desert harvest Pet Aloe Vera capsules also about two weeks ago also but I have to pill him on this one since he won't eat his canned if this is mixed in. He gets one capsule, twice a day.

Monday night it all started back in again, frequent trips to litter box, licking. I noticed some blood in his urine also.

Tuesday morning to the vet we go. His ph was iffy since he had blood in it but test strip gave a ph of 7.5.

We had the A-Cyst on stand by at the vet and went ahead and did the first treatment (it is a series of three treatments)

Vet flushed his bladder out I think twice before the treatment.

He was sent home with buprenex for pain and I am to keep doing what I had been originally doing for him.

Vet believes it is a stress issue with Spook, I have resided in the past month using the amitriptiline (Elavil) at night, which is not what I really wanted to do but I am at a loss. It is also used for cats with cystitis, since it is suppose to have some anti-inflammatory properties also.

Why can't i keep his ph in normal range ??? He is on that Royal canin s/o that is SUPPOSE to do that.

I really need some suggestions from anyone who has or had a cat that they treated successfully with cystitis, anyone ?????

Spook is upstairs, away from the other two cats, has plenty of space to walk around up there with two rooms, plenty of windows to look out, 3 litter boxes, food, water, toys, a lot of social interaction with me, a feliway diffuser, etc....

The fourth of July didn't help I fear with the loud booms and noises out side and son & grandson slept upstairs on Sunday night where Spook is at.

The two supplements I am using are Aloe vera Desert Harvest and Duralactin. The A-Cyst is instilled up into the bladder by the vet, consisting of Hyaluronic acid, chondrotoin sulfate, c4 & c6 & n-acetyl D - Glucosamine.

I have used Cosequin before with no real results except I believe it is what caused him to throw up a few times....

I am trying to control frequent flairs and heal his Gag layer of the bladder, anyone have any other suggestions or anything they are or had used for their pet with this condition ?????

I am desperate here folks, everytime we have to go to the vet for this it is at least $300-500 and more if he has to be hospitalized. It isn't only the $$ but I want my Spook to be healthy and not see him in pain.....

Thanks,

Donna

My Pipsqueak has FIC too. I know when he has frequent trips to the litter box and the clumps are smaller that he needs help. I cannot see the blood in his urine, but it is there, all the time. He is highly stressed, highly protective of the family and an extremely demanding Siamese cat which is typical of that particular breed. I have used and tried most of what you have above. I did have good luck with him on Dasuquin It worked SO much better than the brand Cosequin. I even tried Spirit Essences with him - everything natural I could think of with no avail.

The only thing that does work IS the Elavil. In fact, right now he is back on it for a couple of months. I find that he tends to need it on and off throughout the year. IF I see him getting overly stimulated and agitated with the other pets for simple things then I know he needs another round of the Elavil. I only give him 5 mg. once daily and he hates it because IF you don't get it in the back of the throat it is bitter. So I use a pill shooter with a teeny bit of water behind it.

I am at a total loss too as to how to help my Pip. We just manage the best we can with his condition and I hope/pray that it doesn't progress to something worse as he ages. :cross: :cross: Not an easy disease to manage at all. Stress is usually one of the contributing factors to FIC. I am thankful for Elavil because it really works to take the edge off and I then notice that his clumps are bigger and he doesn't go as frequently. Elavil has two benefits for IC stressed kitties. It helps to calm them a bit AND helps them to retain urine in the bladder. Still, I worry a lot about my :king: Pip.

Try some Glucosamine/Chondroitin and/or Adequan injections (not approved for cats but works quite well).  I have had 2 FIC cats (one just crossed the bridge due to bladder cancer a week ago).  The other one I tried D-Mannose (cranberry derivitive) that helps so the bacteria can't affect them as much.  Also Corn Silk Tea works great for inflammation.  I would ditch the Urinary SO, it uses excessive amounts of salt as the basis for why it supposedly helps them, cats can't handle as much salt as is in that diet so it taxes the kidneys (I saw it with my dog who was on SO for a long time, and she constantly had elevated kidney issues with her bloodwork) once she was off of it (she is raw fed) she improved drastically, her kidney functions are now in the normal range. Here is what I do for my FIC kitty

1-  Glucosamine/Chondroitin daily

2-  Adequan injections (2 x a week for 4 weeks then every other week) I buy mine off the internet and give my own (I use the generic)

3-  Raw or Grain free canned diet only with additional water added to the food (my kitty is on raw only)  Be careful adding water to dry as it is easy to build a lot of bacteria on it that way. 

4-  Encourage drinking water with cat water fountains

5-  D-Mannose

6-  Corn Silk Tea

7-  Microlactin for inflammation (mostly for arthritis), I use the human version (which is the main ingredient in Duralactin) MUCH cheaper and IMO works better

(you can read about D Mannose and Corn Silk Tea here: http://www.thecatsite.com/t/276327/d-mannose-corn-silk-for-bladders)

Pip is also on D-Mannose and Corn Silk Tea. I have not seen any change though with adding these BUT know they certainly can't hurt and can only improve his condition. :nod:

I have a cat with FIC, it seems to be more common than I had originally thought? My cat Blue blocked almost one year ago and after numerous vet visits, medications, a procedure to un-block him I was at my wits end. I saw so many supplements available online, on forums people swore by this food but not that food...it kind of freaked me out. As soon as I got him on the Royal Canine, no problems. He hasn't had a problem since. He drinks water times ten compared to what he used to drink. I know the food promotes that, makes him thirsty, but it seems to work well for him.

However that is ALL he gets, no treats, no people food, no supplements, that is it. Royal Canine. I even keep a little sandwich bag with dry RC in it next to the treats so if I give my other cats a treat he gets RC and "thinks" he is getting a treat. I am sure all cats with FIC are different but my Vet told me to give him RC and nothing else or it will throw off the ph. Might be worth looking into...

I read that Coconut water and oil helps cleanse the bladder and body.

You can get  unrefined-cold pressed-organic virgin coconut oil in glass jar ( if you can't find an glass jar just get what you find ) and as for Coconut water get fresh coconut water but if you can't find at any store than package one are ok as long it's organic or 100% coconut water ( check the back of the package to see if you getting the real deal ). You can watch okraw to find out for best coconut water packaged for your cat to drink .

You can also feed your cat wheatgrass fresh or powder, kale, and other green veggie in his diet. Make sure to blend up the veggie to make it easy for him to drink or eat.  

Thanks all...

I  have tried taking Spook off of the RC S/O in the past only in a matter of two weeks he developed Struvite crystals and his PH hit 8.0  He was on grain free canned and a little grain free dry.

I'm in a "catch 22" here as my vet says that he needs to be on the RC RX diet but even on it I have had issues.

I have developed a trick which works most of the time for now. I get a bottle of Aquafina purified drinking water, a heavy  glass and sit by Spook and pour the water out into the glass. Most of the time this entices him to drink from the glass..then I leave it for him and when he wants he will drink from it.

He is doing better after day 4, frequent urination has slowed down but now he isn't real interested in his canned food!

I have used the Dasaquin before, I may try it again.

I will look into Microlactin next time instead of the Duralactin.

I have a water fountain just for him but he doesn't really pay attention to it and I haven't really seen him drink from it much.

Can't go raw, tried it before and he simply wasn't interested.

He is the most high strung cat, doesn't like anyone but me and my husband around him....

He is a Russian Blue mainly, I have read they are very shy cats and are best being the ONLY cat in the household.

Thanks so much, I will look into a few of the recommendations....

DonnaJean said:

Thanks so much, I will look into a few of the recommendations....

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I hope something works for you, too. My Pipsqueak has never had crystals/stones nor has he blocked. Only blood. I tried the prescription c/d for him when he was first diagnosed with awful results - digestive and skin acne. We went to raw. He now eats partial raw (Rad Cat - which most kitties LOVE) and grain free canned and a teeny bit of high quality grain free dry at bedtime. Still, with blood in urine, he is considered FIC. I KNOCK WOOD :cross: that he has never had any other issues urinary related other than the idiopathic blood.

Best of luck to you, Donna. :cross:

My cat is almost 18 and really suffering from uti's. We found a large ragged stone in his bladder. Testing to see if is a certain type that can be dissolved by diet. Otherwise lithotripsy or open surgery. I hate seeing him suffer like this. Meds are a temporary fix. Seriously considering open surgery- it's a sure way to remove it. He's generally healthy otherwise.
FYI I swear by pill pockets for meds. They are soft and yummy and he always eats them up!

Ps-have you tried a water fountain? Drink well makes them and he loves slurping away at the stream!