What are you guys paying for Hills Z/D diet?

[madara]

Vet applied some Epi-otic advanced during appt this week to see what I was talking about how I thought it was making it worse for him. He literally went OMG at how blood red, swollen and twitchy his ear got. Today we applied Trizedta instead. This is the best color his ear has looked since early May. Poor little guy I'm hoping so hard this is finally winding down enough that he can get 3-4 month breaks like last year.

 

[darlili]

Oh, good - I hope you've found something that works. Allergies, etc., can be just so darn hard to pin down. He's lucky to have you in his corner.

 

[madara]

He is having stomach contracts and swallows a few times like he is trying to keep his food down after eating his Venison and Green Pea even with very small portions now. I dont know what to do anymore, I was hoping this was because of Depo-Medrol injection but that was way back on June 7th and half the normal dose. We are out of grain free Natural Balance options and the Vet is pushing Z/D again. I just dont understand how that is better then NB when it has soy, Brewers Rices, and sawdust in it(Cellulose). Sure the meat is specialized but what about all this grain junk? I suppose since NB does not have grains, they use peas and he has a history of 2 years of reacting to grain free wet food it has to be all meat proteins he reacts too. I'm just so nervous, if this makes him worse.

 

[kylew]

Originally Posted by madara

I just dont understand how that is better then NB when it has soy, Brewers Rices, and sawdust in it(Cellulose).

The animal protein in z/d is hydrolyzed. This means that it's molecules are made so small that they cannot be recognized as allergens. If you cat has proven to be allergic to everything else, why worry about other ingredients? Hills is not in the business of making cats sick. Feed the z/d and get your cat well

 

[madara]

Fourth day on Z/D. 90 percent less scratching, 60 percent less licking paws after eating. Mouth seems to be healing.The real test will be the ear growth and stomach. Watching the litter, fairly close to diarrhea, quite mushy stools. Just amazed that it seems he really got allergic to the venison meat eventually on NB.

 

[darlili]

Crossing fingers it continues to go well! I remember thinking the ingredients on my cats' CD didn't look so super, based on 'internet what is the perfect cat food' concepts - but, honest to God, it worked!

 

[otto]

Yep, Hills Prescription foods are good at what they are made for!

Glad to hear the z/d is doing a the trick. The soft stool is to be expected with a sudden food change. ask your vet if some probiotic can be used to help him adjust.

 

[madara]

Darn, that was a short vacation. Scratching and licking after immediate eating again, nearly gouged his right eye out, right ear black gunk again. Wakes up from dead sleep about every 20 mins and head shakes but there is hardly anything in there, no inflammation compared to the past when he didn't do that so I don't understand what he is feeling that is so different. Still crouches on all fours after eating and blinks his eyes, tummy contracts twice fast and he swallows alot like trying not to vomit. The vets tell me not to make much of that unless he is hiding but I know my cat this just started a month ago and he looks in pain. I wonder if the allergy reaction that happened in his mouth also happened in the stomach. All I can do now is give it time with Z/D, hope he heals as this is the end, four vets, a grand and half of money with no real answers. There barely is any protein out there left to try anyhow and after what happened to him with the rabbit food. I dont have the heart for anymore diets nor does his system need to always be on 60-90 day elimination trials so I think regardless what happens we stick with this into September. Everyone is telling me to prepare to the possibility of having to put him down for my health, sanity, wallet and his quality of life if this continues for the rest of the year or he starts getting bleeding sores. We found him with what we assumed was burns from inside a car engine and pure black bacterial non mite filled ears, he came this way well before any diet or environment I offered him but I starting to suspect this situation is as serious a birth defect and alot more complicated then common allergy. Its surely beyond any vet science.

 

[darlili]

I am so sorry to hear this update - I hope that things do get better for both of you, but surely this little guy was guided to your warm heart to make sure he got plenty of love and the best chance at health available. Many