Vest's skin problem is getting worse......

[Sara]

Day 2 on the food, day 4 on the antibiotics. He is not liking being seperated at feeding time into the guest room and eating this food. I don't know if it's the food he does not like or being seperated. He barely picks at it and then after I let him out he searches the other cat bowls in the kitchen for his regular food and regular feeding location. I have to keep him locked up for 20 minutes to give the other cats a chace to eat, and then dump whatever is left over back into the food container so he does not finish it. Then I put the remaining food of his back into the kitchen for him and the cats to pick at. The thing is my cats don't eat all the food in 20 mins. Saharan always waits for the other cats to finish and then goes in when they leave and eats hers. Now since I have to take the food away they are not all getting to eat enough. It's really a mess. I will keep on with it though. So far no changes in the skin with the antibiotic and food and the culture results are not back yet. Vest really misses his nightly wet treat.

[Sara]

Here is my update. Vet took him off the antibiotics. They did not help at all. His culture is still not done yet???????? I am leaving tomorrow on vacation, vet will be coming by to check on Vest and the Catsitter while I am gone. He hates the hypoallergenic food by Royal Cannon and I am not having success seperating them at feeding. I guess I will have to feed them all that diet for a little while. I am so frustrated. Vest will not be alone when I am gone. Poor guy...

[Tina B and crew]

awww...sara, I'm so sorry about poor vest's skin problems. I know what it is like to deal with those, no fun for the cat, no fun for the human I hope you find some solution soon.

[Mona]

I am sorry about Vest.

Have you considered changing the food to a Hypoallergenic one. I am thinking I heard that Pro Plan has corn and filler and corn reacts in humans I know. Just a thought.

Good luck and please post updates. Poor baby, I hope he gets relief soon.

Have you heard I have a new kitten Chlor, what a doll!! See my posts on Debbie's Cloud.

Mona, Chloe and HOneybun

[Sara]

I am back from vacation and wanted to post Vest's update.

His spots got worse before I left so I had the vet come by to see Vest and the babysitter several times while I was gone. She gave him two cortizone shots 48 hours apart and some different oral antibiotics. She said since the test results never came back that they were negative. She took more cultures and sent them back to the lab. She also put him on the hypoallergenic Royal Cannon diet. He is better and the spots are going away and drying up. The problem is this, he won't eat the new diet. He is starving, yowling, nervous and very unhappy with this diet and he has been on it for a few weeks now. We fed him regular food today because he was calling and begging and so unhappy I could not stand it. Now he is relaxed and fine. I am not sure what to do regarding this and will speak to the vet tomorrow about this and probably have her come by to check on him. Any ideas on this diet problem? I guess next step if these cultures come back negative will be the CBC? I hope the spots go away for good now. He looks so much better. Sara

[Mona]

I am sorry to hear about Vest. The Royal Canin is an excellent food. Honeybun eats the Special and I am about to change to the Indoor Cat Dry as she does not need the high fat content.

Try mixing his food with the old first. Eventually I hope he will eat the Royal Canin. It does not have corn or fillers which can be allergic.

Good luck and by the way I have a new kitten named Chloe who is 10 weeks old.

I wil post her pics soon on the other website Debbie's Cloud.

Mona, HOneybun and Little Chloe

[Traci]

Sara, it sounds like the diet may be helping, as in a potential food allergen. So, if he's not eating the RC, simply try another....please see my Dietary Page for the available options in hypoallergenic diets (might start with either Hill's Feline Z/D or IVD Limited Ingredients, or Eukanuba Low-Residue or LB Formula)

Remember, process of elimination, especially concerning diet, should be attempted for at least 6 weeks. If his skin improves while on a new diet with a selected protein source, chances are, you've pinpointed the problem. Talk to your vet further about this, and try to get at least, some sample packets of any of the above mentioned veterinary diets. Try to stick with one only, if possible, if improvement is shown, continue the diet until your vet has this pinpointed.

[Sara]

I will try mixing the diet with his regular food and get some samples of other HA foods. The thing is we saw no improvement until he got the two cortizone shots. Do you still think it might be food allergy? Since he only got worse after a few weeks on the HA diet she did the cortizone shots and more antibiotics. Is the HA diet okay for the other cats? He gets very stressed when I try to seperate him from the others during feeding times. I don't want to stress him out now that his skin is getting better. How do I figure out if it was the shots or the diet?

Thanks!

And Mona, congrats! I need to go to Debbies Cloud. I will try mixing the diet like you said. Sara

[Traci]

Well confirmation would require you to cease the steroid injections. If he has flare-ups again, then it could still be dietary-related or something still altogether different. What's the hold-up on the cultures, your vet doesn't do alot of these, does she, sheesh. (not your fault, Sara)

[Sara]

I don't want him to have anymore injections besides the two she gave him. I don't really like the idea of steriods. It did make him improve immediately though.

She does not do the cultures, she sends them to a lab. The vets here are not complete like in the states. They don't have any equipment or anything. She said if you hear back then they are positive and if you hear nothing they are negative. I still want the printed out analysis from the lab though, negative or not. Now we are waiting on the second or third round. She wanted to do it again just to be sure. I have no idea why the labs are so slow. It's so frustrating.

I guess I will mix the food and then try another brand. Do you think I will have to keep him on this food forever? He hates it and he is very unhappy and discontent. I can see the stress and unhappiness from this food on his face. He is a very sensitive little guy. If one thing is not right he gets very emotional. Tomorrow I will read your dietary list and request some samples. May I feed all my kitties this diet? Sara