'Natural' food for FLUTD?

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juniper

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My Meeko was diagnosed with crystals in his urine, resulting in a blockage, earlier this week. The vet feels the crystals were probably the result of diet, so he has switched Meeko's diet to one specifically intended for this problem - unfortunately, though, I am really, really unhappy with the ingredients in the food (Royal Canin urinary SO) - by-products are the first two things listed.
I know that it's most important to control the crystal problem so that he doesn't become blocked again, so if I have to feed him this to accomplish that, I will, but ideally I'd like to do that AND not have him eating a crappy food full of by-products - isn't there a 'natural' food of the calibre of California Natural, Innova, Wellness, Chicken Soup, etc. that's also formulated to control the problem? Thanks!
 
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I've been switching my cat over to Wysong Utrine. He's not 100% on it yet, so I couldn't say if it has done any good! Global Pet Foods seems to have brought in the whole line. (I see that you are in Toronto...).
 
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Originally Posted by Juniper

My Meeko was diagnosed with crystals in his urine, resulting in a blockage, earlier this week. The vet feels the crystals were probably the result of diet, so he has switched Meeko's diet to one specifically intended for this problem - unfortunately, though, I am really, really unhappy with the ingredients in the food (Royal Canin urinary SO) - by-products are the first two things listed.
I know that it's most important to control the crystal problem so that he doesn't become blocked again, so if I have to feed him this to accomplish that, I will, but ideally I'd like to do that AND not have him eating a crappy food full of by-products - isn't there a 'natural' food of the calibre of California Natural, Innova, Wellness, Chicken Soup, etc. that's also formulated to control the problem? Thanks!
Click to expand...
Dry Waltham SO doesn't have byproducts ( it's the same as Royal Canin SO, because Roayl Canin bought Waltham's). That's what I feed my cat. It's been working really well for my Scaredy so far.
Wysong Uretic doesn't have canned, does it? Cause I would try that, but the only thing I see is dry. And I don't want to switch dry considering Waltham's SO is working for him.
 
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Originally Posted by Juniper

My Meeko was diagnosed with crystals in his urine, resulting in a blockage, earlier this week. The vet feels the crystals were probably the result of diet, so he has switched Meeko's diet to one specifically intended for this problem - unfortunately, though, I am really, really unhappy with the ingredients in the food (Royal Canin urinary SO) - by-products are the first two things listed.
I know that it's most important to control the crystal problem so that he doesn't become blocked again, so if I have to feed him this to accomplish that, I will, but ideally I'd like to do that AND not have him eating a crappy food full of by-products - isn't there a 'natural' food of the calibre of California Natural, Innova, Wellness, Chicken Soup, etc. that's also formulated to control the problem? Thanks!
Click to expand...
Nutros max cat adult and max lite are both certified to help with flutd.. talk to your vet..It does have wheat , but no chemical pres. by products or ground corn
 
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My sister's cat is at the vet now for the same thing. They have to keep him 3-5 days. They put him on Science Diet C/D.
 
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Originally Posted by CJandBilly

My sister's cat is at the vet now for the same thing. They have to keep him 3-5 days. They put him on Science Diet C/D.
Click to expand...
Science Diet has by-products even in dry form.
 
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Thanks, everyone - my vet wants him to be on an all wet diet, as apparently this also helps with keeping crystals away, so unfortunately I can't switch to the Royal Canin urinary SO dry food (wish I could, it's much cheaper, and as you pointed out, has way better ingredients). Does Wysong have the uretic food in wet, or only in dry? I checked out their website and could only find it in dry, does anyone know if it also comes in wet? Thanks again!
 
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I'll have to check the next time I go to the store. I'm wondering if I should try harder to get grem on an all wet diet. *shrug*
 
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Kylie, my guys get the dry Medi-Cal Maintenance that you can only get through your vet. I imagine they probably make wet food as well, possibly something that would help Meeko's condition. Good luck.
 
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Originally Posted by Juniper

Thanks, everyone - my vet wants him to be on an all wet diet, as apparently this also helps with keeping crystals away, so unfortunately I can't switch to the Royal Canin urinary SO dry food (wish I could, it's much cheaper, and as you pointed out, has way better ingredients). Does Wysong have the uretic food in wet, or only in dry? I checked out their website and could only find it in dry, does anyone know if it also comes in wet? Thanks again!
Click to expand...
My cat Scaredy is doing pretty well on their dry Waltham SO. He stopped peeing everywhere. He also gets wet food but mostly Nutro because he only likes chunks in gravy. As for wysong uretic, I haven't seen it in wet either, I really don't think they make it in wet food. My health food store only sells dry.
 
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I'm so sorry, Kylie, you and Meeko are going through this right now.
I also recommend wet food. You also may want to consider getting a fountain to encourage Meeko to increase his water intake!
 
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Hope your not feeding dry, i dont care what its indended to do. SD has a fancy name, nothing else. You couldnt pay me to feed dry, dry is cruel, especially in sick cats. Wet will disolve crystals and more than likely keep them from coming back. A cats natural food is 70%+ water, no wonder cats get sick when fed dry kibble. Wet food is much better.
 
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My cats are fed dry... they're doing pretty good. They've been getting canned lately, too, but it's mostly dry.
 
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Juniper...what kind of crystals - I am assuming struvite? There is a very respected vet - Dr. Strombeck, who has a book of recipes for various conditions - some are low phosphorous, low sodium, low protein etc. You might want to order the book, see if it's in your local library or ask your vet if they are familiar with Dr. Strombeck's book and if there is an appropriate diet there.

As for Hills - they put out recipes to home cook foods similar to some of their prescription foods, if a cat would not eat them. click here and scroll down to the Feline Restricted Mineral and Sodium Diet - you'll see after the recipe, that they say that a mineral restricted food - Hills C/D is available via prescription. I believe this to mean the recipe is for a comparable, but homemade version. Print this out and ask your vet if they feel it is accurate and okay for you to try. This page is allegedly taken directly from a copyrighted print out from Hills, but I'd rather you check it with your vet.
 
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Thanks so much, everyone! Pat & Alix, I have ordered the book by Dr. Strombeck from my library, and am hoping that it will be in when I get home to Toronto next week. Should I be looking for a mineral restricted diet, then? Will a mineral restricted diet help prevent crystals? (Oh, and I'm uncertain what kind of crystals they were - the vet only told me crystals, without specifying, so I will have to ask). I am a bit nervous about bringing this all up with my vet, as they are very anti-'natural' food (they gave me a paper they'd printed up last time I brought it up which said that byproducts are okay
) and they push the prescription diets hard (they're always trying to get me to switch), so I am guessing they are going to be against me making food at home, too. Anyone know how I can find a vet who would be supportive of a natural, homemade diet? Should I just call around and ask, or is there possibly some kind of directory? Thanks again!
 
pat

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Originally Posted by Juniper

Thanks so much, everyone! Pat & Alix, I have ordered the book by Dr. Strombeck from my library, and am hoping that it will be in when I get home to Toronto next week. Should I be looking for a mineral restricted diet, then? Will a mineral restricted diet help prevent crystals? (Oh, and I'm uncertain what kind of crystals they were - the vet only told me crystals, without specifying, so I will have to ask). I am a bit nervous about bringing this all up with my vet, as they are very anti-'natural' food (they gave me a paper they'd printed up last time I brought it up which said that byproducts are okay
) and they push the prescription diets hard (they're always trying to get me to switch), so I am guessing they are going to be against me making food at home, too. Anyone know how I can find a vet who would be supportive of a natural, homemade diet? Should I just call around and ask, or is there possibly some kind of directory? Thanks again!
Click to expand...
Hi, it really does depend on which kind of crystals - struvite (which can be dealt with by a dietary approach and are easier to deal with per my vet's opinion) and calcium oxalate. The urinary ph is what is key - and how often one feeds as well as what one feeds varies depending on which type of crystals.
Here is a link that seems to me (under advanced search) to also list holistic vets in canada as well as through the US): click here I would try to find a holistic vet, interview them to be sure you feel they are the right match for you and your pets, and work with them. Ultimately, if it were me, I'd hope to find a vet who works via both traditional and more holistic approaches, kind of straddling both worlds
I do know that Dr. Strombeck is highly regarded...when I was talking about one of his recipes being published on the internet, my vet said he'd been one of her professors in vet school
 
pat

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Originally Posted by home.slice

What kind of crystals is it when the pH level is normal?
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I am not sure I can answer that. It is that when a cat has been diagnosed with struvite crystals, the treatment has been to acidify the urine. The cause of calcium oxalate crystals is a urine ph that is too acidic - so they need a more alkaline urine.

Here is an article I found discussing flutd in cats with struvite crystals which notes that about 50% of cats with flutd do not have struvite..it goes over current treatments...perhaps this article will be of help. click here
 
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