Topic: No Christmas Turkey for Maisy (Read 14708 times)

Sam (Fussy_Furball) · « **Reply #52 on:** April 18, 2007, 19:47:09 PM »

Phew .... I just saw the venison and grean pea and instantly thought of poor Maisy.

It might be an idea to keep on eye on the FDA site as I notice that Hill's have recalled m/d http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/petfoodrecall/

Marie · « **Reply #51 on:** April 18, 2007, 16:36:05 PM »

Hi Sam

She is indead still on the venison and green pea but the Hills D/D. In fact neither of my cats will eat anything else!!!

Thanks a lot for thinking of us.

Sam (Fussy_Furball) · « **Reply #50 on:** April 18, 2007, 14:50:54 PM »

Marie,

Is Maisy still on venison and green pea food? If so is it Natural Balance ..... don't want to alarm you but the FDA has recalled this petfood today.

http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/naturalbalance04_07.html

Marie · « **Reply #49 on:** March 27, 2007, 15:18:28 PM »

She is out of the lampshade when we are at home, though still wearing the shorter adapted version when unsupervised, to be honest I'm a bit scared to leave her without it as the vet said we have to be extra careful as the area she scratches in right over her jugular vein!!!

But it's all good so far!

Sam (Fussy_Furball) · « **Reply #48 on:** March 27, 2007, 15:10:26 PM »

Oh sorry Maisy shouldn't laugh .... not the most flattering of pics is it.

Is she finally out of her "lampshade" Marie?

Great news that she has stopped stratching at last, fingers crossed she will continue to stay "itch free"

Marie · « **Reply #47 on:** March 27, 2007, 14:48:18 PM »

So far so good. We are down to half a steroid a day and half an antihistamine twice a day and so far still no scratching, just hope it lasts once she is off of the tablets.

Here is a pick of poor Maisy after her allergy testing

Sam (Fussy_Furball) · « **Reply #46 on:** March 21, 2007, 19:30:42 PM »

Any updates Marie? How's Maisy getting on?

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #45 on:** March 11, 2007, 09:40:55 AM »

Fingers crossed

Marie · « **Reply #44 on:** March 08, 2007, 15:53:50 PM »

Well allergy testing and blood test all came back negative so they cannot find anything that Maisy is allergic to, although they do not do food allergy testing which is I thought what we were going for and paying £415 for. They have given Maisy more steroids and antihistamines. She has been on them so far for 2 weeks, we have for the last week taken her collar off under supervision and she has not scratched at all!!! Fingers crossed this will be a turn around point for us. We have been told that we no longer need to keep her on the special food, thinking they would be pleased with this I bought a selection of tasty food, now I have a new problem both my cats will only eat dried venison and green pea!!!

I will keep you all update with her progress.

Sam (Fussy_Furball) · « **Reply #43 on:** February 21, 2007, 21:00:11 PM »

How did you get on today Marie .... did they think they could help with Maisies condition?

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #42 on:** February 07, 2007, 09:17:18 AM »

Fingers crossed

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #41 on:** February 07, 2007, 01:14:21 AM »

Good luck with the appointment and hope they can cure Maisy of her problems

Sam (Fussy_Furball) · « **Reply #40 on:** February 06, 2007, 14:52:36 PM »

Geeepers .... like you say thank heavens for insurance.

Marie · « **Reply #39 on:** February 06, 2007, 13:56:56 PM »

Received confirmation of our appointment today at the dermatology clinic at Langford for Maisy for Feb 21 at 11am. We will need to leave Maisy for tests and pick her up at 4-5pm. Estimated cost £250 - £350. Thank god for insurance, though we will have to pay it out and claim it back!!! Hopefully they will be able to tell us exactly what Maisy is allergic to or what is causing the scratching. I have also noticed little scabs on her neck and face area, only appearing every few weeks and only one at a time so maybe it is a skin problem not allergy after all!

Sam (Fussy_Furball) · « **Reply #38 on:** January 22, 2007, 15:53:51 PM »

Cool least they are happy to refer you (now they've had your money! LOL) I had forgotten about the vetinary school at Bristol .... my gran took her dog there when he poorly and they were very helpful.

Good luck.

Marie · « **Reply #37 on:** January 22, 2007, 14:59:35 PM »

Spoke with vets today and they no longer know what to do as the food should be working by now if it is ever gonna work! We have an appointment for tomorrow night and then they will refer us to the Langford Vet School at Bristol to see a specialist!!!

I will keep you all updated.
Marie

Marie · « **Reply #36 on:** January 22, 2007, 11:01:24 AM »

Thanks all my vets seem to want to do is trial different food at 6 weeks a trial and i have to admit i'm still not convinced it is an allergy as it is just the one small area on her neck that she scratches.

She could in reality still scratch this area when wearing the cone but although she does scratch at the cone does not scratch the problem area.

Sam (Fussy_Furball) · « **Reply #35 on:** January 21, 2007, 19:41:42 PM »

These people may be able to help: http://www.animal-allergy.com/index.php4

or the RVC: http://www.rvc.ac.uk/review/Dermatology/Tests/Allergy.htm

Good luck and please give Masiy a great big hug from me and a Foxy, Zephyr and Rossi all send lots of kitty kisses

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #34 on:** January 21, 2007, 17:17:07 PM »

How odd - I have heard about expensive tests that can pin point allergies, it might be wroth asking. I do wonder if there is something else, it can't be much fun for any of you now.

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #33 on:** January 21, 2007, 17:07:06 PM »

Hmmmmmmmm this is no good, have you seen a specialist? I cant remember if you have insurance but this maybe the way to go.

Poor Maisy. Just a question, does she try to scratch that ear with the collar on? If she does then it must be really irritating her but if not it sound a bit like habbit or stress related. Would have thought she would be less stressed without the collar and the habit would be broken after 6 weeks in a collar.........sorry sorta thinking out loud.

Marie · « **Reply #32 on:** January 21, 2007, 17:05:59 PM »

Forgot to say the blood tests came back fine, although they were only to test for organ function I believe and not what she is allergic too. The biopsy showed inflammed skin tissue on the healthy tissue around the area she had been scratching and hypersensitivity which is why the vets think it is a food allergy/intolerance. I have been told by someone on here that there are more expensive tests that can be done that can tell what she is allergic too and I am going to ask about these. Maisy is 9-10 months old and has already spent 5 months with an Elizabethan collar on, it is not fair on her and I do not really want to continue trial and error with food at 6 weeks a time!

Marie · « **Reply #31 on:** January 21, 2007, 16:59:28 PM »

Well it has been 5 and a half weeks now that Maisy has been on the new diet, took the elizabethan collar off for a test last night and within 5 minutes she had scratched the same area and drawn blood! I shall ring the vets tomorrow but what will they say - we will go in for another £25 visit, probably be given a different flavour food and told to wait another 6 weeks with the collar on. So far we have spent over £400 in 5 months and once again are back where we started off!!!

Iluvcritters · « **Reply #30 on:** January 18, 2007, 14:47:26 PM »

Just caught up! Hugs and prayers being sent!

Sam (Fussy_Furball) · « **Reply #29 on:** January 17, 2007, 18:14:36 PM »

poor Maisy ... not sure what to suggest (obviuosly, I'm not a vet!!)

Have you had the results from the blood tests yet ... if so what, if anything, did they show?

Marie · « **Reply #28 on:** January 17, 2007, 14:08:25 PM »

Hi Sam

That sounds very much like the circle we are going around in.
Maisy has had that area around her neck shaved a couple of times now, firstly when they removed the cyst that came up in the same area and secondly when she had blood tests and biopsy done on 15 Dec. The vets have said it could be the lack of fur that is now adding to the scratching although we have been told many different things but I do see what you mean as Maisy does still have a small bit of scabbing and the scar is still feelable from the op in Dec. As she is long haired there was also a little scabbing caught in the fur which I checked for and removed on your advice. Thanks a lot for your continued advice and support with this problem.

Sam (Fussy_Furball) · « **Reply #27 on:** January 11, 2007, 16:41:25 PM »

Ahhh poor baby. Sorry to hear things aren't improving. Fingers crossed the venison and pea diet kicks in soon and stops her scratching.

I know this may be a a bit drastic but when my little lad Zephyr was suffering with feline acne a couple of years ago he kept scratching himself so much he would end up pouring with blood ... we were in a viscious circle of collar, different types of antibiotics and steriod injections. Everytime it looked like it was beginning to clear up he would start scratching again and so the cycle would continue. He also developed a lump on his neck which I was concerned about and asked the vet to carry out a biopsy. In order to carry out the biopsy my poor baby had to be shaved and was obviously liberally covered in antiseptic stuff - anyway after he was shaved he stopped scratching and the antspetic seemed to clear up his skin condition. Within 3 weeks he was totally curred and has never scratched since. Like I say it's a bit drastic but maybe shaving the area affected could be an option.

I believe the only reason Zephyr kept scratching so much was because as he was scabing over his fur was getting caught in the scabs and was making him itch .... once we took the fur out of the equation things improved greatly.

Marie · « **Reply #26 on:** January 11, 2007, 13:08:04 PM »

Hello, thanks for asking. Maisy is still wearing her cone and still scratching just as much as ever. She has another 2 weeks to go on the venison and green pea and then if she is still scratching we will be back to square 1 with another food and the collar on for another 6 weeks! The problem is her ears are now looking sore from the collar rubbing but its either a bleeding neck or sore ears!

Sam (Fussy_Furball) · « **Reply #25 on:** January 10, 2007, 21:30:28 PM »

How's Maisy getting on with her new diet?

I thought you might be interested in the following http://www.veggiepets.com/acatalog/vegecat_vegan_cat_food.html (you can order taster packs) not sure if they would be suitable or not.

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #24 on:** December 31, 2006, 13:00:23 PM »

Aww, I do hope things go well for Maisie.

Linda (Bengalbabe) · « **Reply #23 on:** December 30, 2006, 16:37:00 PM »

Poor Maisy, I really hope changing her diet is the answer Marie. These boomin allergy type conditions are a nightmare to get treat and I must admit I get so fed up some times I could cry

Poor Maisy and Stitchy (but fingers crossed!)

Marie · « **Reply #22 on:** December 30, 2006, 13:34:13 PM »

Linda, just over 2 weeks, I think the vet (not the vet that has been treating Maisy as she was not working on Wed) was been a bit optimistic on Wed telling me the collar could come off. We have now cut the collar down so she can eat and her ears are free, as they were starting to look sore. Yes I phoned the vets yesterday and was advised by the vet that has been treating Maisy that it could take 6 weeks for the old food to be out of her system so I think the collar will now be staying on for at least another 6 weeks.

Linda (Bengalbabe) · « **Reply #21 on:** December 28, 2006, 14:28:05 PM »

Marie, although not totally cured, I reckon it was a good 6-8 weeks before I seen any difference in Stitch and maybe a wee bit longer..........My experience of changing the food definitely was not an instant remedy to the problem. Not sure how long you have been feeding the prescription diet?

Marie · « **Reply #20 on:** December 28, 2006, 12:50:02 PM »

How excited was I, took Maisy to the vets for her stitches out yesterday and was told the collar can come off as now she is on the new food she should not scratch.
2 hours later Maisy has scratched her neck to the point it is bleeding and the collar is back on. I feel this is never ending, I am just hoping this was because of the stitches but it means she still cannot have the collar off. I dont think I should even try again until it has all healed up, probably another month if I need to wait for all the fur to grow back and then if she still scratches we are back to square 1 again!!!

bagpussarah · « **Reply #19 on:** December 22, 2006, 18:51:47 PM »

My friend's little westie has an allergy to chicken. He scratches like mad when he's eaten some. My friend's bought a piece of beef for him for Christmas dinner cos he won't be able to eat any Turkey either. Spoilt or what??

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #18 on:** December 20, 2006, 17:38:18 PM »

i am so pleased that you have a result and hope that maisy can avoid that terrible collar now

Linda (Bengalbabe) · « **Reply #17 on:** December 20, 2006, 17:34:22 PM »

Marie, sorry to hear about Kyle.

I will definitely push the vets for the biopsy/tests for the allergies - unfortunately I think with allergies nothing is 100%. Stitch could even be allergic to the grass in the garden and then whats the choice, keep her in and she is miserable??? Ok, may not be extreme but its those sorts of dilemmas you potentially face with multiple allergies. Keep your fingers crossed for Stitch

Let me know how you go with the prescription food and whether or not it totally deals with the allergy - thanks.

Marie · « **Reply #16 on:** December 20, 2006, 17:23:37 PM »

Linda

I took on a rescue cat Kyle last year who had previously had part of his ears taken off from solar dermatitis. I only had him 6 months, after 3 months his ears became sore and weepy. He was treated for 3 months by a different vets with anti-biotics which never healed the condition, he only continued to get worse and worse and we were never offered a test or biopsy. It turned out to be cancer and Kyle had to be put to sleep so I was determined to be tougher this time and push the vets for a cause. We have been put on Hills d/d food. Blood test and biopsy cost about £120 total.

Linda (Bengalbabe) · « **Reply #15 on:** December 20, 2006, 16:35:08 PM »

Marie, thanks for your post. We adopted Stitch over a year ago now and have been dealing with these allergies since then. We have not at anytime been offered a biopsy or test. Only when I pushed our vet did he recommend the prescription diet - I think Stitch's is Hills XD? I have however been using some of the brands Sam suggested to alternate and these are equally as effective. Nothing though seems to take the full problem away, only reduces it and makes it more manageable.

Next time Stitch needs a trip to the vet I am going to demand some tests. Even if this means tears on my part. Steroids are not a long term answer but the only one I have for now. Its the only thing that seems to improve her quality of life at the moment even although longer term doing her no good. Unfortunately as we took Stitch in knowing she had this skin condition, none of it is covered on her insurance. Nevermind, if we can find some solution regardless of the cost, I'm willing to pay this for Stitch to be happy and comfortable.

Sam (Fussy_Furball) · « **Reply #14 on:** December 20, 2006, 15:58:21 PM »

Natural Balance Venison & Green Pea Dry Cat Food ... I assume this is the one she is already on.

If it is a chicken thing I suppose you can always go down the fishy route as well Burns Real Food For Cats: Ocean Fish

Marie · « **Reply #13 on:** December 20, 2006, 15:58:05 PM »

Maybe the vet thought chicken as I said that James Wellbeloved Kitten food which only comes in chicken is what she is mostly fed with occassional mixed wet food pouches. She was originally on natures menu, again kitten food so only chicken which she got bored of and stopped eating. That site is interesting though as it says food maybe changed to a novel protein and lists venison which is what our vet has done. So maybe the only difference in the food (which I dont think is hypoallergenic) is that it is a novel protein.

Author Topic: No Christmas Turkey for Maisy (Read 14708 times)