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Post by smilesbetter on Mar 6, 2015 12:17:27 GMT
I have posted about Carlotta's poor health when it comes to food before, and I have for a long time believed that she had some sort of food allergy as most cat food makes her vomit, even grain free ones. Anyway she has been doing great on raw, but the last few days she has been vomiting mostly stomach acid, but a couple of days ago this had some pink in it which I believe to be blood from the strain of vomiting. She has also had quite sore looking eyes.
She hasn't eaten any bone in the last few days so it's definitely nothing caused by feeding raw bones in case anyone suggests it, she does great on raw bones. However, she has Pham beef the last few days and although she has had beef liver before with no obvious problems, I suspect that she might have a beef allergy which would explain all her cat food issues as most cat food seems to contain beef somewhere in the ingredients.
Anyway I am going to start doing a bit of a tried with her to find out if she really does have a beef (and perhaps anything else) allergy by feeding her just chicken for a fortnight (as a base, as I know she does great on chicken) and then adding a bit of beef and seeing if she has any allergy symptoms. If so then I know it is definitely beef and I can completely cut it out of her diet.
She has also been having egg recently for the first time so I will also try the same with that following another vomit free chicken fortnight haha. I think I will try a range of other proteins in this time, just in case she has any other allergies. She's quite a sensitive cat, and having been fed for about seven years before I got her on food that was constantly making her sick then it's amazing she has made it this far.
Anyway I know there are no other raw feeding cat owners on here so perhaps not of interest to anyone, but thought I'd post it anyway.
On a side note, Smudgie and Mieze are doing great on raw, although I realised I've been over feeding Mieze and Carlotta a bit so I am in the process of getting them onto what they should be eating much to their disgust.
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Post by tonib on Mar 8, 2015 14:34:49 GMT
Hope your trials go Ok & there are no other issues with Carlotta smilesbetter. As to raw feeders you never know who maybe changing
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Post by smilesbetter on Mar 8, 2015 15:37:59 GMT
Well, no luck so far and she vomited blood again today so I'm thinking it's something else and not the food, as she's just been having chicken which has never been an issue before, and the other pets have been eating the same stuff with no problems. Unfortunately all the vets are shut today but we'll go in tomorrow first thing, presumably to take some blood samples. Hopefully they don't want a urine sample, I haven't a clue how to get one of those with a cat. If she vomits again I will bag it up too to bring in, as gross as that seems.
It's frustrating, as normally if a pet was being sick, I'd move them onto the most gentle food I can give them. With Carlotta, she can't really have anything other than raw as it all makes her very very sick. We have moved her feeding place recently as she has a tendency to drag food away, so I've been feeding her in the kitchen with the door shut. There's a chance it could simply be caused by eating too fast while stressed, as I know stress can cause IBD and similar things in cats.
Ach, cats!
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Post by tonib on Mar 8, 2015 17:34:42 GMT
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Post by smilesbetter on Mar 8, 2015 21:29:24 GMT
Thanks, that's really handy! Never know when I might need to be able to take a sample.
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Post by smilesbetter on Mar 9, 2015 18:56:42 GMT
Well, been to the vets. He said he hopes she has gastritis but wasn't sure, if she still has symptoms following a course of tablets then I'm to take her back for a blood test.
In my opinion, this vet hasn't a clue. Firstly, he completely ignored what I said about her eyes being very red and watery, and instead started casually brushing her with a flea comb (she had been snoozing next to my plants today and got some soil in her hair). Then he injected her with goodness knows what (I presume an antibiotic) and said she had a hard stomach, he thinks she has gastritis, but he wasn't sure. "I HOPE that's what it is anyway" he said...
He has prescribed Selectavet Gastrosel, which has the following ingredients: plant derivatives, milk and dairy, oil and fat (from plants) and magnesium oxide. Considering Carlotta's allergies (which he knows about, having read her file), I'd think that it would make it worse to give her a tablet made with all these things in it?? I can't understand why I've been given them, and really have no idea whether I should use them or not. I can't really find any information online about them that isn't from the manufacturer, and even then all I can see is that is is possibly homeopathy (but I'm not even certain on that).
Considering how Carlotta vomits horrendously consistently for three days after eating any normal cat food (which he finds normal), I am very worried about giving these tablets and have no idea whether I should or not. I mean at the same time, I would like her to stop vomiting blood. I'm just worried that giving her these tablets will make her much worse.
Urgh, I miss the days when I could go to a vet, think they were animal genius' and hung on to their every words, and did everything they told me to. Now I've got to a place where I don't trust any of them, they are constantly making horrendous mistakes and now I have to research everything they give my pets.
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Post by smilesbetter on Mar 9, 2015 19:04:07 GMT
Oh, and the vet asked if I had been ill recently. I hadn't but my man had - can that cause Carlotta to be ill too? :S
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Post by tonib on Mar 10, 2015 2:17:59 GMT
smilesbetter, Just had a quick look online with the aid of google translation & the basis of the gastrosel seems to be kaolin - which is used to help human stomach upsets - the principle being (I believe) is that it coats the lining of the stomach stopping further irritation & allowing healing. Its a product that appears to be only available in Germany so not heard of it here. I must admit I'd probably follow the vet's advice but keep a careful eye on Carlotta & if she gets worse after a day or 2, then I'd stop giving it to her. If it is a gastro infection then I suppose the bug/parasite could be passed to cats from humans.
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Post by smilesbetter on Mar 10, 2015 6:06:56 GMT
Thanks, no more vomiting so far and she seems a bit better today, so I think I'll wait and see. I think the injection must have helped. If she is sick again she'll get the tablets I think.
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Post by smilesbetter on Mar 11, 2015 20:45:26 GMT
Well, Carlotta seemed to get a bit better but this morning she vomited up all her breakfast and then some. She vomited all over the floor. So I gave her one of those tablets, which wasn't easy and my gosh, when she's wrapped up in a cover with only her tiny white face poking out and she does her tiny "what are you doing to me?!" miaow that she only uses when being forced tablets, she is the most adorable little thing ever.
After she had the tablet and walked away, I noticed her sides were shaking and she was staggering slightly. I've never seen her so bad before, but thankfully after a while she came back and drank up loads of Rosa's water (apparently cat bowls aren't good enough for her - I suspect she doesn't like her whiskers to touch the sides) and then slept most of the day in the windowsill.
When I got home from work she seemed to be in pain, she didn't even get up to greet me which she normally does and was lying in a position which made it look like she had a sore stomach. I gave her some chopped raw chicken and so far so good. She seemed a lot livelier afterwards, stomping around as before.
I am desperately hoping that it is another of her "become super ill then miraculously recover" episodes. She does give me a lot of scares, I've never seen her this bad though. I was wondering if all her cardboard eating maybe caused a blockage or something in her stomach, she eats cardboard instead of cat grass when she has decided it's feeding time and hasn't then got food (every time an alarm goes off).
Anyway I will be keeping a close eye on her, if she vomits again then it's off to the vets tomorrow. She is lying on the couch at the moment but has changed position and looks a lot comfier and happier.
Hopefully she starts to get back to normal again soon!
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Post by tonib on Mar 11, 2015 23:28:35 GMT
Hopefully the tablets & rest will do the trick smilesbetter. If it was a blockage then I would have thought she'd not be using the litter tray for poo. fingers crossed for Carlotta & you.
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Post by smilesbetter on Mar 12, 2015 5:16:58 GMT
Well, just been woken up by the cats racing around the flats like nutters, and no vomit so far. Also last night Carlotta came and snuggled in with me in bed, which she hadn't done the last few nights unusually. Looks like the tablet actually worked!
So, as usual with Carlotta, no idea what caused this sudden bout of illness. My only assumption is stress.
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Post by tonib on Mar 12, 2015 22:10:52 GMT
That is good news
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Post by smilesbetter on Mar 13, 2015 6:25:44 GMT
Haha yeah, well, yesterday Mieze vomited blood too. I guess it must be some sort of bug that they've both had. Obviously quite a bad one though
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