FUS/FLUTD Foods?

[Nix]

With the recent scares about various canned foods, this is the worst timing in history to have my kitty diagnosed with FUS/FLUTD! Everything I have read is encouraging the use of wet foods, which seem to be the primary bunch tainted in the recent recalls.
I know one of my local vets is still stocking Hill's Science Diet, in both wet and dry varieties, so I assume they have checked all the lot numbers and are only stocking the new stuff that's not part of the recall?!?!?
What advise would you fine ppl give me for this trying new diet?
Any other advise would be appreciated as well!

[anneryan]

There was only one type of Hill's prescription cat food that was involved in the recall and it was a dry food (Hill's M/D formula). I'm sure that the vet has pulled the appropriate bags from the shelves. All vets are notified with every recall.

In response to trying the veterinary diet, I strongly advocate trying it. I have found that the prescription diets make a huge difference. My previous kitty had Chronic Renal Failure and did very well on the Hill's prescription diet that the vet prescribed. My current kitty was thought to have food allergies and was prescribed a different diet from Hill's and also did very well. I have also used Purina and Eukanuba prescription diets with very good results.

For your kitty's sake, I would go with the vet's recommendation for diet.

Hope he gets better soon!

Anne (and Mia)

[Traci]

Please keep your posts in one thread, as it regards your one kitty.

Other than the Hill's Prescription Diet M/D (which was dry only), Medi-Cal's Feline Dissolution Formula (canned) was also voluntarily recalled. Neither are on the shelves now, and the Hill's M/D is being reformulated before allowing marketing on shelves.

Follow your vet's advice for the Hill's prescription diet, most likely it will be Prescription C/D. No commercial diet found in grocery stores or pet stores can match the ability to manage/prevent crystals from forming in FLUTD cats.

Also, per your other post, please don't settle for your vet not telling you everything. Ask questions and get those questions met in a prompt manner, so that you are completely aware of what's going on, the treatment plan, the lab results and what to expect.

[Nix]

Hopefully, I have made up a proper list of questions about my kitty's condition and the subsequent treatment. Though by no means complete, a few of the questions include:
Wet Vs. Dry food Diet. (FLUTD prescrip, of course.)
Cranberry Extract based Ph Modifiers.
Distilled Water.
Constant flow, filtered water systems.
Avoidance of Seafood based foods.
Possible Ph Urine Test Strips.
Types of crystal found in urethra? Struvite or non?
Isolation; Is FLUTD Prescription maintainance food bad for my other kitties?
Thanks for all the help, I'll let you all know how it goes after I've picked Mr. Fish up later today!

[Traci]

As for dry vs canned, it is an individual preference on the cat's part. You can get both types in samples from your vet. Some cats are finicky and will not eat canned prescription diets, and vice versa, you have to be mindful of what your kitty prefers. As long as he has fresh water available at all times, and is drinking an appropriate amount on a daily basis, this should be sufficient.

As for urinary acidifiers, including cranberry supplements, you must know that you CANNOT use urinary acidifiers with a veterinary prescription diet. The prescribed diet is ALREADY acidifying. If you add acidifiers to the already-acidfying diet, you will be putting your cat at risk for oxalate crystals, you do NOT want that risk. The prescription diet is designed to manage pH levels, as well as manage/prevent further crystals from forming.

There is no need to use distilled water unless your water supply is heavy in chemicals.

Urine pH test strips used at home should never be used as the sole indicator of pH or other urine markers. Most owners do not know how to properly collect urine samples, nor know how to store samples before testing. Contamination of the urine in the litterbox can also affect the results, as can leaving a urine sample out for some time. Testing done by your vet affords him to look for other urine markers, such as concentration of urine, proteins, hematuria, WBC's, turbidity and volume, etc. Testing by your vet also ensures that the FLUTD is being monitored appropriately for signs of problems, and it allows your vet to determine if the prescription diet is working.

If your vet prescribes Hill's Prescription diet C/D, it is safe to feed this to your other cats, he will discuss that with you, providing none of your other cats has or is being treated for any other health issue.

[Nix]

Thanks so much for the reply, my kitty is home and happy, and was prescribed a diet of wet Hill's CD for the time being...which he LOVES! He has always liked wet food as an occasional treat, but due to a nasty bout of dental problems in a previous kitty I had, I was reluctant to put any of my cats on an all soft food diet, regardless of what they wanted. I'm glad I know better now.
He was prescribed, in addition to the food, some Amoxicilin and also prednisone to stimulate eating and drinking for the next 10 days.
Unfortunately, the vet did not talk to me about a schedule or appointment to follow up on the situation. Should I perhaps give the clinic a call tomorrow and find out if a follow up is needed? (I guess I was so happy to get my baby home, I forgot the most important question of all.)

[Traci]

Yes, and you need to know exactly what he found during the exam and urinalysis. You said an ultrasound was done, but was it only an xray? The vet said a "clot" was present, but did he say the clot was a mucous plug or crystals? Where is the clot located, upper or lower urethra, or bladder or? Did the urinalysis reveal infection or crystals? The blood in the urine is due to irritation from either crystals forming, infection, scar tissue, bladder wall thickening, or a combination of any of these. Your vet needs to be specific with you.

Since he had a prior injury (the leg amputation), if the injury involved the pelvis (i.e., hit by a car injury), then kitty may be predisposed to FLUTD episodes more often, this is because with any traumatic injury, bladder wall muscles are affected, scar tissue forms, etc and you will need to always keep an eye on his urination habits. Not saying this is the sole cause of kitty's urinary issues at this point, but you should know that, and your vet should have told you that. Other causes are physiology, inappropriate diet, narrowing of the urethra, scar tissue, injury, etc.

Call the vet back and get these questions answered, and ask to schedule a recheck, for a new urinalysis at least. This should probably be set up after the course of antibiotics is up, but sooner if problems develop (i.e., more blood occurs in urine, unable to produce urine at all, or only drops at a time, lethargy, weakness, distended bladder/abdomen, etc). Also ask him for a client handout sheet for FLUTD, which explains the condition, symptoms, treatment.

[Nix]

I am calling the vet back for a check-up today, as I just went outside with the kitty and noticed him frequently digging up dirt, straining for a bit, and then walking slightly away and repeating the process. He's urinating some amount, but I can tell he's not impressed with the amount an so is trying again. I dipped a piece of paper into the small puddles of urination to see if an observable amount of blood was in any and they were all light yellow. I know that some blood might be in there anyway though. No distension or tenderness of his abdomen from what I can tell. Also, no lethargy or odd behaviours except for the frequent attempts at urination.
Oddly though, this particular cat has no history of urination on garments or towels that are laying on the floor, but since his fluid transfers, he seems to almost seek them out now. The litter box is cleaned daily, and he still uses it, but he's also urinating on clothes or towels that might fall on the floor.
Just called, and he's got an appointment tomorrow early afternoon. I'll make a list of your questions and go over them with the Dr. when I get there.
Thanks again.

[Traci]

Call the vet back and ask if the appointment can be moved up to today. If he was started on antibiotics last Thursday, he should be doing much better by now. The continued straining may warrant further investigation, and you need to ask your vet what he meant by that "clot". Just because there doesn't appear to be blood right now, doesn't mean the situation is resolving.

Don't wait, call the vet back and try to get the appointment for today.

Also, as we advised before, Indoors Only!

[mamabear]

Keeping him indoors only will help ensure proper care and proper monitoring.