Topic: The CRF rollercoaster (Read 10172 times)

clarenmax · « **Reply #51 on:** February 13, 2008, 13:05:16 PM »

You're a star, many thanks

swampmaxmum · « **Reply #50 on:** February 13, 2008, 11:22:43 AM »

found it http://www.specific-diets.com/

the nutritional breakdown etc compared to other nosh is also compared on www.felinecrf.org/tinned_food.htm. The one I tried was the renal and liver fish one as they do another adult cat food but it's higher in phosphorus. My vet had to order it in although they normally just stock Hills and RC as well, don't think it was a problem. happy noshing!

clarenmax · « **Reply #49 on:** February 13, 2008, 11:16:03 AM »

Thanks hun, thats very much appreciated

I'll try and ring the vets later as well to see if they can source. I'm pretty sure they only stock the RC and Hills stuff ordinarily, but they might be able to help!

swampmaxmum · « **Reply #48 on:** February 13, 2008, 11:12:50 AM »

I got mine on special order from the vet. I think the company also takes them back if your cat won't eat them as I recall taking about 3 alutrays of it back. Think they have a website? If I can find it, will post it later.

clarenmax · « **Reply #47 on:** February 13, 2008, 11:10:20 AM »

Any idea where I can get the Specific stuff from ?

One place I've found is Best Pet Pharmacy on line, but reluctant to buy 16 pouches if he might not touch them lol!

I might try and find the manufactures details, see if I can get a sample to try first

swampmaxmum · « **Reply #46 on:** February 13, 2008, 11:06:33 AM »

Wow, Jasmine, your Martha eats well!!! A whole tin and a pouch every day

amazing.

These furbabes of ours are tricky to feed anyhow - mine would not touch the RC alutrays. Max hugely enjoys the RC Senior dry one but the RC dry renal was declared Revolting. Luckily it was a free sample. That Leo/Specifics nosh that Corporal Smokey mentions honks to high heaven, so may be acceptable? Very very fishy if it's the same nosh we're on about. Danish fish nosh for kidney and liver?

clarenmax · « **Reply #45 on:** February 13, 2008, 09:36:35 AM »

Thanks Amy, I'll have a look for that

Corporal Smokey · « **Reply #44 on:** February 13, 2008, 09:35:27 AM »

The Leo Specific one I mentioned before has a similar texture to the RC alutrays so that's a good alternative

clarenmax · « **Reply #43 on:** February 13, 2008, 09:00:16 AM »

Quote from: swampmaxmum on February 12, 2008, 17:11:29 PM

On renal food, Clarenmax -have you tried the beef and the chicken RC pouches? I have to blend the chicken ones for Swampy - that makes it really easy to eat and may be worth a try (although once they get used to blended you can forget trying to feed chunks ever again). Also believe the Hills lot are going back to the rice-based minced chicken K/d which makes lots of cats spit out the rice, but not sure as yet. The online retailers are still supplying the temporary smoother pate style k/d.

Max wouldn't touch the RC pouches, the vets on had the chicken flavour so I couldn't just get one or two pouches to try, but I think it just doesn't smell so strong, so he doesn't like that, or the texture. Same with the Hills tin, its very dry, and even mixed with a bit of water, he still wasn't interested. The RC alu tray is the only one he seems to want, but he does eat the dry food very easily, so I think a combination of both of those, and his better quality chicken/fish meals i.e. Natures Menu and Applaws should hopefully be OK for him.

Corporal Smokey · « **Reply #42 on:** February 13, 2008, 08:53:18 AM »

Thanks for that Jasmine.

Hope's coat was always a bit odd. It was thinner and more cotton-woolly than your average British. Meggie, the British girl we lost the other month at the shelter also had similar texture fur. They were both blue-cream and both renal so I've never been sure if it's a coat thing and blue-cream females are just lighter textured or if it was something to do with the crf. I have a suspicion that it was yet another symptom I missed first time

Fore-armed is forewarned and all that.

Jasmine · « **Reply #41 on:** February 12, 2008, 21:51:40 PM »

Glad Clapton is back to his ol' self - I did post last night, but decided to bounce a full glass of vino over the keyboard before it was accepted

Here is a link for the Corporal re SEB:
http://www.felinecrf.org/holistic_treatments.htm#SEB
I haven't tried it myself yet.

Martha, my 22 yr old CRF puss is currently on a full prescription diet: one pouch RC renal beef & one tin Hills KD a day, but her coat hasn't been the same since the change, don't know if it's just a coincidental decline in her health or related to the diet. I posted a little while ago that she had a bad case of dandruff, that's now gone, but the fur along her back is dramatically thinning. I'm taking her for a check up on Fri.

swampmaxmum · « **Reply #40 on:** February 12, 2008, 17:11:29 PM »

Glad senor Clapton is doing better and hope it lasts. My Max has hunkered down on these foggy mornings too and can't say I blame him.

On renal food, Clarenmax -have you tried the beef and the chicken RC pouches? I have to blend the chicken ones for Swampy - that makes it really easy to eat and may be worth a try (although once they get used to blended you can forget trying to feed chunks ever again). Also believe the Hills lot are going back to the rice-based minced chicken K/d which makes lots of cats spit out the rice, but not sure as yet. The online retailers are still supplying the temporary smoother pate style k/d.
Has anyone tried Purina renal?
And if you cat eats fish, the Specifics that peeps mentioned on here before when I was asking, is meant to be good for 'em. Mine barfed it all over the beige carpet as they aren't used to fish

clarenmax · « **Reply #39 on:** February 12, 2008, 15:50:53 PM »

I'm still giving him Natures Menu or Applaws every 3rd meal or so to be honest, even though the vets said to do all the renal food

He will get so bored only eating one thing that I want to keep it a bit varied, so I'm still doing my 'good quality' food as well

Mark · « **Reply #38 on:** February 12, 2008, 15:01:24 PM »

I still wouldn't be happy feeding a restricted protein diet. If he is only eating that, I would be tempted to supplement with high quality protein like chicken & fish.

clarenmax · « **Reply #37 on:** February 12, 2008, 13:37:27 PM »

That's great news

Must have been having an off-day yesterday!

I think I've now worked out that the only renal food Max will eat is the alu RC trays, so bought some more of them yesterday after exchanging all the other stuff at the vets! If I mix in a bit of water, its almost the same consistency as the Nature's Menu, so think that will be the trick to keeping him interested with it

Maddiesmum · « **Reply #36 on:** February 12, 2008, 12:36:40 PM »

That's great news Mark

MrsR · « **Reply #35 on:** February 12, 2008, 10:09:02 AM »

Quote from: Mark on February 12, 2008, 10:04:09 AM

He's a lot better thanks Clare

He ate well last night and had his Fortekor. This morning he was back to waiting for his 2 pouch breakfast and has retired to the basement spare bedroom so I had to put the heating on in there Our gas bill will be horrendous

After breakfast, he came to join me on purrs before going for his nap

Awwwww bless, lots of tlc for a special kitty x

Mark · « **Reply #34 on:** February 12, 2008, 10:04:09 AM »

He's a lot better thanks Clare

He ate well last night and had his Fortekor. This morning he was back to waiting for his 2 pouch breakfast and has retired to the basement spare bedroom so I had to put the heating on in there

Our gas bill will be horrendous

After breakfast, he came to join me on purrs before going for his nap

[attachment deleted by admin]

clarenmax · « **Reply #33 on:** February 12, 2008, 08:54:05 AM »

How's he doing today Mark?

Mark · « **Reply #32 on:** February 11, 2008, 22:26:29 PM »

Thanks people. He just wasn't himself last night & this morning. His eyes were dilated and he was acting scared. He is making up for lost time and just had his bedtime meal

Now he is very active and looking like he is going to jump up on my lap

Pinkbear (Julie) · « **Reply #31 on:** February 11, 2008, 21:27:28 PM »

Quote from: Mark on February 11, 2008, 16:28:53 PM

He has eaten again but gone into hibernation. Then again, they are all asleep

Remember my concerns about Jumpy last week? Well, OH reports both Tilly and Jumpy went upstairs when I left for work at 7am this morning, and they have only just come down to eat at 8.30pm. At 8.50pm, after a visit each to the tray, I heard them plodding up to the top floor again.

I'm sure it's the weather, Mark. Hot one minute, frosty the next. I'm even feeling sleepy myself...

Susanne (urbantigers) · « **Reply #30 on:** February 11, 2008, 20:21:38 PM »

I'm glad he's back to normal!

My two are exhibiting a strange combination of spring madness and sleeping at the moment! Mosi seems to be a bit hyper, esp when the sun is out, but a bit more sleepy in the evenings.

Quote from: Corporal Smokey on February 11, 2008, 16:13:46 PM

Sorry to also be dumb but I never encountered SEB when I was going through it. What does it do?

I think it is supposed to help with nausea.

Maddiesmum · « **Reply #29 on:** February 11, 2008, 19:31:11 PM »

Phew they do worry us don't they

Corporal Smokey · « **Reply #28 on:** February 11, 2008, 19:23:27 PM »

Awww bless that's good to hear Mark

Mark · « **Reply #27 on:** February 11, 2008, 18:02:54 PM »

Well he seems pretty much back to normal

Maddiesmum · « **Reply #26 on:** February 11, 2008, 17:52:24 PM »

At least he is eating Mark.

Mark · « **Reply #25 on:** February 11, 2008, 16:28:53 PM »

He has eaten again but gone into hibernation. Then again, they are all asleep

Gillian Harvey · « **Reply #24 on:** February 11, 2008, 16:14:53 PM »

Hope he was just having an 'off' day

- oddly, my Jasper with CRF isnt doing so well these past few days.

Corporal Smokey · « **Reply #23 on:** February 11, 2008, 16:13:46 PM »

Sorry to also be dumb but I never encountered SEB when I was going through it. What does it do?

Also meant to say, best wishes and snuggle headbutts to Clapton.

I'm off to do a follow-up on the renal cat I rehomed last month. I'm going to take him a box of pouches when I go but if SEB is good for them I might get some of that too!

Mark · « **Reply #22 on:** February 11, 2008, 15:56:54 PM »

Yes it is

I got the capsules in Holland & Barett when they were on offer. Their own brand ones are fine but check the ingredients as some have various things added like clove oil, cinnamon etc

clarenmax · « **Reply #21 on:** February 11, 2008, 15:19:36 PM »

I'm interested too with Max's recent diagnosis too.

I'm guessing it might be Slippery Elm Bark?

CarolM (Wendolene) · « **Reply #20 on:** February 11, 2008, 15:06:39 PM »

Quote from: Mark on February 11, 2008, 12:11:13 PM

I haven't had to do anything special other that the fortekor as he had been really well for months. I will look into getting some in as standby. When I did give him SEB, last year, I just sprinkled it on his food and he was OK eating it

Hope Clapton is feeling better. Sorry to be a bit thick but what is SEB? I'm interested in this because Korky is in the early statges of renal failure so the more I know the better.

Corporal Smokey · « **Reply #19 on:** February 11, 2008, 15:00:42 PM »

Quote from: Maddiesmum on February 11, 2008, 12:07:09 PM

Dragan was on lactulose for the last three months. Not to do with his liver though more because he was often constipated due to his pancreatitis. It did help. Am I right in thinking that constipation is one of the side effects of kidney failure?

It's one of the symptoms, yes. Hope was regularly on Lactulose and it did work but she already had megacolon by then

Maddiesmum · « **Reply #18 on:** February 11, 2008, 12:38:07 PM »

It might be just an off day hopefully

Mark · « **Reply #17 on:** February 11, 2008, 12:11:13 PM »

I haven't had to do anything special other that the fortekor as he had been really well for months. I will look into getting some in as standby. When I did give him SEB, last year, I just sprinkled it on his food and he was OK eating it

Maddiesmum · « **Reply #16 on:** February 11, 2008, 12:07:09 PM »

Dragan was on lactulose for the last three months. Not to do with his liver though more because he was often constipated due to his pancreatitis. It did help. Am I right in thinking that constipation is one of the side effects of kidney failure?

swampmaxmum · « **Reply #15 on:** February 11, 2008, 11:27:05 AM »

How's he doing in the sunshine? (hope it has reached you, just arrived here). have you tried him on lactulose at all? I'm starting to see it as a bit of a wonder med. My vet says they use it successfully for liver disease as it rids the body of ammonia, so logically it could help with CRF too. He also said you can mix SEB into a paste and rub it on their gums if they aren't eating -how do you administer your's to Clapton?

Hope it's just an off colour day and he'll be fine in no time. You are right in that when they have CRF, any symptom gets put down to that.

Kittybabe (Ruth) · « **Reply #14 on:** February 11, 2008, 11:18:06 AM »

Gis him a little cuddle from me. Hope he starts perking up soon.

Maddiesmum · « **Reply #13 on:** February 11, 2008, 11:16:56 AM »

Ah bless is it sunny where you are it's lovely here. Hope he continues to eat and enjoys the day

Mark · « **Reply #12 on:** February 11, 2008, 11:04:42 AM »

He has eaten a bit more felix and is now in the garden

Hopefully he will pick up later. It is odd for him to reject chicken though

Author Topic: The CRF rollercoaster (Read 10172 times)