Methioform vs Vetoquinol Methigel

[julesb]

My cat has struvite crystals causing the bladder inflammation and the vet prescribed Maropitant for that. She also wants me to give her Hill's urinary tract c/d food which I don't have a high opinion of, so will be trying other food options. As recommended by a friend, I asked the vet about the Methioform tablets but she said the Hill's food will do what the tablets are supposed to do and so Methioform in her opinion wasn't necessary.

The same friend told me there's a generic version called Vetoquinol Methigel Urinary Acidifier. Does anyone have any experience with it? If so, please share.

 

[Kieka]

While I don't generally endorse prescription diets, urinary blockages are one that I do. I'd personally get your cat on the urinary food just until everything is clear. Probably a few weeks/months and run a new urine test to ensure all crystals are dissolved before switching to a better quality (overall food) if you can. Maybe keep up with the Vetoquinol Methigel Urinary Acidifier or a similar after that but I really would do the vet diet for long enough to treat the majority of the problem then switch to just the supplement for the maintenance.

It's just not worth the risk of the supplement not being as good of an option, IMO. Even my vet who doesn't do veterinary diets in general will do them for urinary health reasons. She also does them for a cat with a lot of food allergies or one who lost weight and needs high calorie to get weight on, but those three cases are about it. Otherwise, she recommends other diet options but in some cases the prescription is just the better option even if the ingredients are a little off from ideal.

 

[julesb]

While I don't generally endorse prescription diets, urinary blockages are one that I do. I'd personally get your cat on the urinary food just until everything is clear. Probably a few weeks/months and run a new urine test to ensure all crystals are dissolved before switching to a better quality (overall food) if you can. Maybe keep up with the Vetoquinol Methigel Urinary Acidifier or a similar after that but I really would do the vet diet for long enough to treat the majority of the problem then switch to just the supplement for the maintenance.

It's just not worth the risk of the supplement not being as good of an option, IMO. Even my vet who doesn't do veterinary diets in general will do them for urinary health reasons. She also does them for a cat with a lot of food allergies or one who lost weight and needs high calorie to get weight on, but those three cases are about it. Otherwise, she recommends other diet options but in some cases the prescription is just the better option even if the ingredients are a little off from ideal.

Thanks for the response. Even if I approved of Hill's, my cat now refuses to eat it. I wish she did eat it just for now anyway, but no go. So I'm going to explore other food options and will try the Methigel as well.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Aren't there a couple different flavors/textures of the prescription food? I believe it comes in kibble and wet food. Pretty sure the wet food comes in several varieties. But if she is only eating kibble, perhaps your Vet could write a prescription for either Royal Canin or Purina and you can get the food somewhere else. I know Petsmart used to sell prescription foods (if you had a prescription).

 

[julesb]

Aren't there a couple different flavors/textures of the prescription food? I believe it comes in kibble and wet food. Pretty sure the wet food comes in several varieties. But if she is only eating kibble, perhaps your Vet could write a prescription for either Royal Canin or Purina and you can get the food somewhere else. I know Petsmart used to sell prescription foods (if you had a prescription).

No, she's always eaten wet and the vet is pushing wet Hill's but I don't like the ingredients and she doesn't like the taste anyway. I've tried one of Weruva low phosphorus cans last night and it was a hit.

 

[julesb]

One more question. I was under the impression that once my cat has been on the low phosphorus diet for a while and is eventually free of crystals, she can go back to eating her regular food (Welness wet). Or is she supposed to be on the low phosph. for the rest of her life, even when the crystals are gone? I'm very confused, hope someone can throw some light. Also, should my other senior cat, who is healthy, have the low phosph. food as well, just in case? This is also new to me...

 

[julesb]

And as a reminder, she has struvite crystals and bladder infection but her kidneys and thyroid are great.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

If she was on the Wellness wet food when she got the struvite crystals, then I would think she would be susceptible to them again unless you continue (or start) to give her one of those urine acidifiers you mentioned above. BUT, I'm not sure that it's just lower phos that will get rid of the crystals in the first place. The prescription food may have more things going for it than just lower phos. I think it also has lower magnesium.

Personally, I would not feed a healthy cat a low phos diet. But you might want to discuss that with your Vet. I believe lots of people who have cats on special prescription diets do end up feeding it to more than one cat simply because they find it difficult to feed separate diets.

 

[julesb]

If she was on the Wellness wet food when she got the struvite crystals, then I would think she would be susceptible to them again unless you continue (or start) to give her one of those urine acidifiers you mentioned above. BUT, I'm not sure that it's just lower phos that will get rid of the crystals in the first place. The prescription food may have more things going for it than just lower phos. I think it also has lower magnesium.

Personally, I would not feed a healthy cat a low phos diet. But you might want to discuss that with your Vet. I believe lots of people who have cats on special prescription diets do end up feeding it to more than one cat simply because they find it difficult to feed separate diets.

Yes, but she was eating Wellness for years and only developed crystals now, around the time I changed the litter.The doctor said the reason for crystals is unknown, it could be stress. Is it possible she was stressed out with the new litter (I usually use unscented paper crumble but they didn't have any so I bought paper pellets which are scented)? In any case, I'm still confuse whether we should stay on low phosphorus forever or just until the crystals are gone.

 

[Kieka]

Your vet is probably the best resource but my understanding is you can try going back to a regular diet once the crystals are gone. You just have to be very cautious and watch for reoccurance. I personally wouldn't go back to the same food because I tend towards paranoid. The litter change could have been the straw the broke the camels back so to say. Her old diet may have been leading towards crystals on its own but the litter change just tipped the balance one step too far. I've had cats who had to be hospitalized and didn't develop crystals with that amount of stress so I don't know if just changing litter could have been enough. I really would change litter and food just to take away any chance of reoccurance.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

My thoughts are that if she didn't like the new litter, she would have started peeing outside the box. Did you find any evidence of that. I know when I have switched it up before, my cats simply wouldn't use the box. (Luckily I only experimented with it in one box so they had another box they could use!)

You can actually monitor her PH level using human dip sticks once she is crystal free and if you see her PH rising, then change her food again. You just have to figure out how to do a urine catch. I know people have done it. Some actually are able to slip the dip stick right into their stream as they are going.

 

[julesb]

My thoughts are that if she didn't like the new litter, she would have started peeing outside the box. Did you find any evidence of that. I know when I have switched it up before, my cats simply wouldn't use the box. (Luckily I only experimented with it in one box so they had another box they could use!)

You can actually monitor her PH level using human dip sticks once she is crystal free and if you see her PH rising, then change her food again. You just have to figure out how to do a urine catch. I know people have done it. Some actually are able to slip the dip stick right into their stream as they are going.

Interesting,I didn't realize you could test their urine with human dip sticks. Do you know what a normal cat's urine ph is supposed to be?

 

[julesb]

Never mind, just looked up. It should be 6.0 - 6.5. Thank your for the dip stick idea. I will try to catch her mid stream.