Hi Tracie,

I’m thrilled that the Weruva has resolved Leo’s struvite crystal situation.  However, for the last 3-4 months he has been biting the tip of his tail and chewing on his paws.  The vet thinks he possibly has a food allergy to chicken, and offered steroid shots.  To give Leo some immediate relief the vet gave him one shot.  I do not plan to continue a course of steroids.

I  also switched Leo to a limited ingredient diet on March 14th, feeding him Instinct’s rabbit, venison and lamb.  There is no chicken or chicken liver.  He did really well until last week when he started over-grooming and biting his tail and paws again.

I apply Advantage flea control every three to four weeks. I was hoping the change in diet would help, but he seems to have the same allergy symptoms. I would love your advise on what other things I can do to help him.

Thanks!
Laura K.

Laura -

Here’s what is going on:

Leo needs omega-3 fatty acids in the form of fish oil — Nordic Naturals is my favorite because of its purity and freshness — it comes in pet capsules and you can puncture the capsule and squeeze a few drops on his paws every day for him to enjoy & lick off. These omega-3 oils are anti-inflammatory in general plus they nourish the skin at a cellular level.

You are so right to avoid the steroid shots — it creates a horrible cycle of dependence on them and it solves nothing — only deals with the symptoms and creates problems of its own

Food allergies are extremely rare and vets blame chicken all the time and then give shots — without any proof of why the animal is suffering – it’s ridiculous! I think you may still have fleas — one flea bite can create a terrible itchy reaction and the biting and scratching can cause more irritation.

The product you are using cannot compare to Vectra for cats — it is far superior because it is the newest technology and kills off all 3 life cycles of the flea — which can live in your environment for years unless the life cycle is ended. Plus, it works efficiently for a full 30 days so there is not reason to have a product that you have to reapply too soon because it isn’t working anymore! Please go on my website and see the page about Vectra so you can figure out how to ask your vet to carry it or you can go to your nearest Banfield Vet Clinic which has Vectra made for them under the name First Shield — this product is available only through vets — never online, to protect the quality and safety of the product.

About the crystals — to avoid them forming again you want him to drink as much water as possible — which cats are not inclined to do, especially if getting such good nourishment. So you have to make the water really tasty! In addition to giving my favorite canned cat food, Weruva, I urge you to buy a canister of Ice Pups (just ignore the name!)  from the Honest Kitchen — available online if you don’t have a premium pet store near you. It’s finely ground chicken & herbs which dissolves in water after you stir it around and makes it really delicious. So you can put half a teaspoon in a shallow bowl of half a cup of water and see if you can get him to slurp up some of that, too!

Let me know how everything goes!

–Tracie Hotchner

I got this note from Lisa, who called into my radio show about her Lab Ally who has been suffering from skin problems and a hot spot resulting from them:

Thanks for suggesting I get my lab off Iams, in the past we did a food elimination diet and it didn’t seem to help, we also had a skin test done and the results showed that she is allergic to dust, cedar and mold but no apparent food allergies. Anyway she does seem much better, having a hard time getting rid of the hot spot. I am currently feeding her hamburger (boiled), shredded carrots and brown rice. I am also supplementing with Platinum Performance I need to get some Omega 3′s, I have been giving her the same ones I use but I think you said there was another brand that I should use, you touched briefly on commercial food that I can use, I think you said to use Halo, are there others and can I buy these at my local pet store? Thanks again!

First thing, I am really gratified that you understood my advice to get Ally off of commercial dry food she has been on exclusively, and thank you for going to the trouble of cooking for her and supplementing with Platinum Performance so that it is a balanced meal and contains many nutrients that have been lacking. The fish oil I recommend to everyone for themselves and their pets is Nordic Naturals, because it is the only one I have encountered which is 100% pure fish oil from sustainable fish and Norwegian seas. As for re-introducing kibble into her diet, I would recommend HALO (which uses only human grade meat in their dry food) from the new natural foods section of PETCO. I would also suggest that you go to SmartpakCanine.com and get a 5-day free sample of any of the kibble they carry — either LiveSmart, their own premium brand of lamb and rice or chicken & rice kibble — or any of the kind of Newman’s Own organic kibble or the whole Wellness line of dry food. That way you can discover which one she likes best (and you can switch to another the next month). The kibble arrives in a sealed portion pack, so the amount is just right and the food stays fresh. I also want to urge you and everyone listening to go to www.Proportions.com and sign up for the new monthly feeding plan, which Smartpak Canine has developed, based on my feeding theories. The trial samples will be ready after the holidays and you want to be amongst the first to try it since it solves ALL the balanced feeding issues. Meantime, feed a small quantity of the best dry kibble you can find, and make at least one half of her meal a quality protein source from a can or cooked meat, fish, chicken, eggs and/or cottage cheese and yogurt, and some vegetables. Feel free to call back into my shows any time and let’s get healthy skin and even drop a few pounds off Ally while we’re at it!

Tracie

The Dog Bible

I got this nice note from Randy Handwerger, who has a heated covered pool in East Hampton (RandyProductions.com, S.S. Aqua Dog Swimmer) where she does rehabilitation and exercise for dogs instead of surgery or after it. She called in a donation to the new NPR station on 88.3 during our fund drive and I thanked her on the air – and commended her excellent services. She wrote:

I just wanted to a little line and say THANK YOU so much for being so sweet and giving me such a great plug on air!’What a nice surprise!

I am not kissing up when I say really do listen to your show!’I tend to be swimming dogs when the show is on so I listen when I am working on the computer as podcasts.’I still keep leaning new things and save the ones all about knee surgeries since the information keeps changing and so many of my clients use my swim-aquatic rehab before, after, or instead of surgery.’Cuz of you I now recommend every person one and every animal use Nordic Naturals fish oil and Platinum Performance supplements – myself and my cat and dog included!

So thank you immensely and please keep up the good work so I can keep teaching this ole dog new tricks!’By the way I am also furthering my learning by taking a canine massage certification this winter in FLA. for more canine anatomy proficiency.

I previously posted a blog about Stephen’s concerns about constipation with Weruva, which I dispelled. Now he has concerns with the calorie count, something he read about in an online chat room (which I often refer to as gossip and bashing sites):

I’ve been meaning to call your show, but I just can’t seem to find the time. I want to thank you for responding the first time and printing my question in your blog.

There’s one other question that’s come up regarding Weruva.  I’ve been reading other forums and there’s some concern about the low caloric count of Weruva (84 calories per can) and the low fat percentage. My cat has been eating almost two 5.5. oz cans per day but her weight stays constant at around 8 pounds. Lulu’s a dainty thing and may be a Turkish Van mix so this could be around her ideal weight, but the vet would like to see her gain at least a pound.

She’s still having problems with constipation and we’re adding Metamucil Clear & Natural (formerly Fibersure) to her food (3/4 of a teaspoon every day). Her movements come every 5 or 6 days, and they’re large and not hard, although there’s a drop of blood at the end from time to time.  Our vet feels that can be from the straining and could be from a hemorrhoid.  Since she’s a senior cat (12 years old), he thinks there may be a motility issue and may move to something stronger from Petromalt soon.  The low fiber content (.5%) of Weruva may also be adding to the problem.

As I previously wrote, Lulu had skin allergies and would scratch and lick her face and legs until they were bald and had wounds. Since I switched to Weruva, the skin problems have cleared up but I would like to add a higher calorie food to her diet which is higher in fiber.  I’m just afraid that another food will cause her skin allergy to flare up again.

David from Weruva answered thoughtfully in great detail as follows (and my reply is below this one):

Weruva’s calorie content reading is lower than most brands. There are two primary reasons for this with respect to the ingredients used. Also, our caloric count is based on the metabolizable energy as well as the caloric content as it pertains to the guaranteed analysis.

Regarding the food, we add little to no carbohydrates to our formulas, so there are minimal calories coming from carbohydrates. Grain Free does not mean carbohydrate free, and as cats are obligate carnivores, it is important not just to focus on low or no grains, but to focus on overall low carbohydrate content. In addition, all of our meat cuts are very lean, such as the skinless chicken breast, so the fat content is also low. A gram of fat has 9 calories and a gram of protein has 4 calories. Therefore, foods with higher fat content and higher carbohydrate content boost up the caloric count. There is no shortage of calories coming from high quality protein.

As you likely have noticed on pet food labels, there is a guaranteed analysis expressed in minimums and maximums. These are required for labeling, and the Mins and Maxs are put in place more or less because pet food processing, in large part, relies on the availability of raw materials that remain after human food processing. Because of inconsistencies in raw material sourcing/availability, the pet food industry implemented the range of Mins and Maxs and does not require actual listings.

How does this all relate to calories? If raw material sourcing accounts for inconsistencies, it follows that caloric count cannot be entirely consistent. I cannot speak for other brands, but I have heard that some manufacturers take the average of a few production runs to come up with caloric count. We use the same cuts of meat and carefully weigh the amounts of food going into each can, so we can be pretty consistent with our calorie count. However, along the lines as to the way pet foods are required to be labeled, we calculate our calories in large part based upon the guaranteed analysis. For instance, if we guarantee 10% protein in a 156g can of food, that is 15.6g of protein. As a gram of protein has 4 calories, there are 62.4 guaranteed calories coming from protein. In a similar calculation, there would be 21.06 calories coming from fat if we guaranteed 1.5% fat (min). Same for carbs. In reality, the actual readings of protein and fat will be higher in our cans, as we account for possible underfills in the production runs.

In addition, our calorie content is the metabolizable energy (ME) of the food, not the gross kcal. ME is essentially the energy that is left over after the digestion and processing of the meal. The question you asked is a good one, and there really is no correct caloric amount. The great news is, you are feeding all canned. Unlike dogs, cats that are eating the right foods will more or less know when it is time to stop eating. In that regard, as long as the obligate carnivore kitty is eating high quality protein (such as animal based meaty cuts), he or she will generally not overeat. With that said, the caloric count of Weruva, as you have seen, may appear to read lower than that of other brand. We recently received a similar inquiry to yours, and this is the response we gave:

The important thing to note about cats, dogs and even people and calories is that not all calories are created equally, and both pets and people will fare differently on different foods with the same caloric count… so looking at calories alone does not always get you there. For instance, the correct and appropriate food for “obligate carnivore” cats is meat . . . meat being comprised of protein and fat. Cats run quite efficiently when eating a high quality meat based diet and will require less caloric intake than cats not eating similar quality foods. In contrast, cats that eat kibble, which contains high concentrations of carbohydrates (even the grain free ones) and cats eating diets that use plant based proteins as opposed to meat based proteins will not be eating foods that nature intended for cats. For that reason, cats may require higher caloric consumption to get their nutrition.

Unlike dogs, as long as cats are eating meat based diets, they more than likely will not overeat and they more than likely will not gain weight. In that regard, we do not urge a focus on actual caloric count. Instead, we says as long as they are eating the right foods, let them eat as much as they want. Our philosophy is similar to what it recommended by Tracie Hotchner, author of The Cat Bible and Host of Cat Chat® on Martha Stewart Living Radio. Feed cats twice a day (sometimes once, sometimes more) and let them eat as much high quality canned food as they want in a 15-20 minute period.

For good measure, I added:

As for the constipation, keep in mind that when you stop giving an animal dry food which is made of  indigestible plant fiber (which goes in one end and out the other) and highly processed carbohydrates, you change their bowel habits. As you yourself guessed, the body is now USING this high protein diet as the body was intended to — utilizing all of it. The definition of “constipation” is also misunderstood — people think it has to do with frequency, but the basic definition is of hard, dry stool and difficulty passing it or straining. You noticed yourself that Lulu seems happy and comfortable and has no problem defecating, albeit infrequently. This is yet another of the great benefits of getting a cat off “kitty crack” and onto wet food — less tool, smaller stool, less smelly stool.

And how about that professional opinion to keep giving her Petromalt…? In Lulu’s honor I did some up-to-date research on Petromalt and you will find one of my most recent a blogs on the topic. I have been saying for years that if a cat has hairballs — or digestion that needs a little boost — the healthiest thing to give her is a natural substance, either a pat of butter or better yet, a few drops of Nordic Naturals omega-3 fish oil on her food or put on her leg for her to lick off.

The omega-3 fatty acids will also be of great help in healing her poor skin and maintaining its health going forward, as long as you avoid forever any dry food — think outside the bag and her body should have a chance to naturally get her straightened out. Needless to say, the sooner you can get off all those meds, the better her body can cope. Remember that chronic use of steroids (cortisone) requires a slow weaning off them.

I got this from Melinda, one of the nice people who came to my talk (put on by Everything & the Dog in Leesburg Virginia) “YOU’RE FEEDING YOUR PET WHAT?!”   Nordic naturals sent me on this outing and also supplied really cool goody bags with a month’s supply of their Omega-3 pet oil. And there were tons of other goodies in there from Weruva, Halo Spot’s Stew, Dr. Harveys, The Honest Kitchen, Wagatha’s biscuits and Platinum Performance joint supplement. We also sold my Bibles to benefit the Dog park that just opened.

MANY thanks for the lovely, lovely goody bags from your fabulous April 24th event! They are fantastic and I’m sharing the wealth with my friend Oceane who has a kitty (I rescued from my farm in the remote part of KY) and can definitely use the kitty stuff in the bags. Briga, however, is greatly enjoying the Omega-3 supplements and the treats. I’ve noticed that since she’s been taking the Omega-3, she’s been scratching less, which is a common occurrence among cockers. Also, I’ve noticed her skin is less dry and flaky. I’m pretty certain the fish oil is lubricating her skin. If I’d only known before!

Also, many thanks for the great book . . . I love it and will be sure to consult it often!

I got this question from Nancy, a friend of a friend and there seem to be many misunderstandings here — both the vet’s and Nancy’s. Here’s the story as I received it:

Shamrock’s History:

I have always been very strict about using Frontline on Shamrock except giving her a break from it in the winter months of December, January and February. About 2 years ago the vet discovered she had lymes disease through a routine heartworm test. She was and has always been asymptomatic. They put her on 30 days of antibiotics and then asked me to have her tested in 6 months. She was positive again (the titers were still very high). They did another 30 days doxy and she was tested in 6 months again still asymptomatic but still a very high positive. I believe we did one more round of this and there was no change. They did a urine test discovered a little protein in the urine so they did 2 months of doxy no change so they continued (they wanted to do 4 months) but stopped it after 3 1/2 and did another urine sample. So ultimately now they believe she is a chronic lymes carrier, with no symptoms but with the beginning of kidney disease. She has recently started on prescription diet for kidney disease.

First of all, Nancy stated that she kept the dog on Frontline except for three winter months, which is already an error since on any warm day in winter ticks come out in force.

Secondly, when she stated that the dog “is and always has been asymptomatic” (not displaying symptoms of the illness) that is contradicted by Nancy’s later comment that urine testing showed protein was a kidney failure due to Lyme disease (which would certain by a symptom, if it were true!). Thirdly, it seems the vet does not understand how to utilize doxycycline with blood testing since the C6 snap test for tick-borne disease needs to be done right before and then immediately after the 30 days of doxy given to a dog with a high blood titer. By waiting 6 months, there is no way to know if that course of doxycylcine was effective, or more importantly whether the dog has been re-exposed to Lyme or another tick-borne disease in the interim. Certainly that is a possibility given that Shamrock had no protection for 3 months in the often mild winter months in the heavily tick-infested East end of Long Island.

Furthermore, Frontline has no repellent component, a huge drawback when repelling ticks and fleas is half the battle. With ticks, the transmission time for some diseases can be as little as 2 hours of attachment, so the sometimes quoted statement that a tick has to be on the dog (or person) for 24 hours of attachment has been proven false in numerous experiments. Therefore, she should be using K9 Advantix or, the newest topical that I am using, Vectra 3D (which uses the same tick repellent and killer as Advantix but has a much stronger and less toxic flea component. Old Towne Animal Hospital in Southampton carries Vectra 3D, which can only be prescribed by a vet so that a dog is under a vet’s care for the confusing aspects of tick-borne diseases.

This is a dog who is also a candidate for the Lyme vaccination, which is misunderstood by many vets and people but which is a first line of defense against the often debilitating disease.

Unless Nancy is simply confused about what tests were done and why, or what medication was used and why, it is especially odd that a vet didn’t know how to properly time the blood test, and then left off using it as a yardstick for infection and turned to urine testing instead. I wasn’t told the dog’s age, but if she is an older dog then declining kidney functioning would be a normal sign of aging and not of Lyme disease – since joint pain is the main symptom we look for in Lyme’s.

Then to add insult to injury, the dog is given a kidney diet in a bag. Both THE DOG BIBLE and numerous blogs and Q&A’s on my website make clear that the old-fashioned use of low protein vet kibble for kidney issues has been contradicted by more recent findings that we should not be giving a dry, dehydrating food with questionable ingredients to a dog whose body needs high quality protein and lots of moisture. The dog needs food that is minimally processed, preferably no kibble at all — with a high quality protein source in a can or from eggs, cottage cheese, sardines, or any fish or meat source from the human dinner table. Some raw freeze-dried vegetables from Dr. Harvey’s Veg-to-Bowl mix or The Honest Kitchen’s raw dehydrated food both provide lots of moisture and are truly nutritious and vitamin-packed. She definitely needs all the things I recommend for optimal nutritional health, with Nordic Naturals omega-3 fish oil at the top of the list, and Platinum Performance joint supplement to boost the immune system and reduce any inflammation or pain she may have from whatever source.

At the very least, a second opinion from a vet who is up to date on Lyme prevention and treatment is definitely in order.

Tracie

The Dog Bible

I got this from Mirla, a devoted listener from Levittown, whose pooch suffers from frustrating skin problems:

I’ve been listening to the podcasts since the show started. We actually met one time at a pet fair in Long Island. I would love to get a bookplate for my Dog Bible. My doggie’s name is Sammy, he’s a three and a half year old cockerpoo. Can we get a bookplate for my sister’s Dog Bible too please.  Her dogs are Max and Charlie.

I will probably call your show soon. My doggie had awful allergies and we’re tried everything to help him stop itching. We did the food trial, temeril-p, medicated baths, derm caps, allergy shots. We even had our carpets removed hoping that would help and it hasn’t. The allergy test said it was mostly environmentally related. He’s basically allergic to dust and some type of grasses. Can you think of something I can do to help him find some relief?

Mirla- So sorry for all the effort you have made without success to give Sammy some relief. There are a few things you need to do immediately and the first is to stop all commercial food and cook for him. My blog and Q&A have suggestions on how to do that easily – there is also The Ultimate Pet Food Guide, a very good book. You cannot underestimate the problems that commercial foods can cause in some dogs. Order some Platinum Performance supplement to put in the home cooked food (I am sending you a sample and brochure) to be sure he’ll be getting a balanced complete diet. Next, you need to get him on Nordic Naturals omega-3 fish oil right away — I am sending you a big packet with two samples of everything I believe in for you and your sister (along with the signed bookplates) but I am not even going to put in the little Nordic sample bottles because you need to get him a bottle of capsules or the oil RIGHT AWAY. These fatty acids have huge value for skin problems – the product you got (from your vet, I’ll bet) is not 100% fish oil from Norwegian waters, tested by their government, filtered and guaranteed pure and fresh — it’s quite another thing. Your sister’s dogs should get on it right away, too – it is an overall health tonic. Then you need to either call in to my other radio show CAT CHAT® at 8 PM precisely on Wednesday April 29th when Dr. John Gordon (my Official Dermatologist) will be a guest – you don’t need Sirius radio to call in. Just call 866-675-6675 and I will let you consult with him on the air. Alternately, his contact information is on my website and you can contact his office, send them whatever tests result they might need, and you can hear what he suggests.

To say that you need pet insurance is an understatement. Please tell me you already have it from listening to DOG TALK®??

Tracie

The Dog Bible

UPDATE:

Hi Tracie.  Thank you so much for the care package you sent me with the bookplates.  I ordered the Nordic Naturals oil for Sammy.  Yes, I have pet insurance, and it actually did come in handy with the allergy test!!  I put it on my calendar to call in on 4/29 to speak to Dr. Gordon.

I sent off a “Bible” signed bookplate to Patience with a tiny bottle of Nordic Naturals omega-3 fish oil to try for her kitties. But she said:

We received the package the other day – thank you for everything! But I have tried the Nordic Natural before with our cats and they will not eat the food with it on there and we tried everything (they are too smart). So we were thinking about maybe giving the pills this way no tasting and they are pretty good at taking pills – one of our cats is a Maine Coon so he is about 20 pounds and the other about 12 lbs. Would this be okay to give them the pills? I read on the brochure the pills were for animals 20 or more pounds – what do you think? Would we be harming them with too much?

This is the first time I’ve heard of cats refusing the oil on food, but generally I recommend that the most efficient way to give fish oil to your kitties is to puncture a capsule of the Nordic pet oil and squeeze a few drops onto your cat’s paw or leg to lick off. It’s one way to make sure they get it, and the right amount. Who says they are smarter than you, anyway?? We’re the ones with the thumbs, aren’t we?!

Tracie

I got this email from Stephen, and it contains several issues and misconceptions, which I need to straighten out:

My mom is the owner of a beautiful 11 year old, mostly white, longhair cat with a very bushy tail named Lulu. Unfortunately, Lulu has been allergic to something ever since we have her (a little over 7 years). Whether it’s the environment (she’s strictly a house cat and there are no other pets in the house) or food, I’m not sure. The vet refers to her problem as a “lick granuloma” because she’ll lick her hind leg until there’s a wound and will scratch other areas of her body and the malady responds to steroid treatment. Most recently she had a big wound on the side of her face and under her eye. We’ve tried antihistamines, antibiotics and corticosteroids (Prednisolone and currently, Triamcinolone). Our vet isn’t a fan of Depo Medrol shots because of the chance of an adverse reaction. He prefers pills because they’re removed from the bloodstream faster. He’d like to try Cyclosporine as that’s known to reduce the allergic reactions, but I have trouble giving her pills and I’m afraid of its effect on her kidneys.

We’ve tried to change her daily diet from Fancy Feast (only the wheat gluten free flavors) but she would rarely eat anything else other than cooked kosher chicken or Boar’s Head Low Sodium Turkey Breast (that’s how we used to administer her pills). The vet tried Hills or Royal Canin prescription rabbit (now discontinued) and she wouldn’t eat it.

I’ve read a lot about allergic cats and many seem to respond to rabbit protein or a raw food diet. Our vet isn’t too keen on raw food because of the chance of toxoplasmosis (also mentioned on the Cornell Vet School site), and since my mom is an elderly woman, the measuring of the meal (even if bought pre-frozen may be too much for her. She has enough trouble administering the correct dosage of Petromalt.

I know you recommend Weruva and about a month ago, a holistic pet food store I went to gave me a can of Paw Lickin’ Chicken. Well, Lulu just loved it. We switched her over from her Fancy Feast canned (only Gourmet Chicken or Turkey & Giblets) and Natural Balance Duck and Green Peas Dry diet to strictly Weruva Paw Lickin’ Chicken.

The problem is that since we made the switch, she’s been constipated. (She’s also currently taking 2 tabs of .5 mg Triamcinolone/day). Her last bowel movement was last Wednesday (approx. 5 days after her previous one and it was helped by Petromalt), and she hasn’t pooped since (today is Sunday or 4 days later). I’ve given her two doses of Petromalt since then. She urinates several times a day but doesn’t show any inclination to defecate nor does she strain. She’s not lethargic, seems very happy, drinks on occasion (but not as much since the switch to Weruva Paw Lickin’ Chicken), and has a good appetite (almost three cans per day). The vet said to continue with the Petromalt and doesn’t seem to think the Triam tabs are causing the constipation. I know there’s preservatives and a bunch of different proteins in the Fancy Feast, but is it possible that Fancy Feast along with the water she consumed after eating her Natural Balance Duck and Green Peas Dry Food was helping her regularity? Has anyone else mentioned constipation when switching to Weruva? There was one post about it on the Only Natural Pet Foods Store website.

I certainly had my work cut out for me with Stephen:

Well, well – your beautiful Lulu certainly has been put through the wringer, hasn’t she, poor dear? I am ever so glad you reached out to me Stephen, on Lulu’s and your mother’s behalf, because there are quite a number of things about which you have been misinformed or haven’t been encouraged to think for yourself, logically.

The first thing to do with any cat not feeling well is to get them off any dry food immediately and switch them to the highest quality, least processed food possible. Instead, the vet bombarded her with various drugs (all of which can cause digestive problems, just as with people). The allergy your cat presumably had was quite likely a bad REACTION to highly processed commercial carbohydrate-laden food. Fortunately, you have gotten to the right nutrition with your own good sense. If you read any of the Q&A’s on my website – or the many blogs on the subject – you will see how soon a cat’s physical appearance and health improves when she goes onto any wet food – but especially a high quality one like Weruva that has no hormones or antibiotics in the free-range chicken. You’ll also see that drinking a lot of water is not natural for a properly fed cat and many stop needing to drink altogether once they get off the “kitty crack” that was dehydrating them from the inside-out.

It’s too bad that Cornell has done so many cats the disservice of continuing to promote dry food only for them – despite all scientific facts showing they are obligate carnivores whose digestive systems were not designed to handle highly processed carbohydrates. It is also promoting foolishness to think that there is toxoplasmosis in the carefully prepared and frozen raw diets being sold to many satisfied feline owners. If anything, the food-borne risk of infection would be from salmonella, but companies like Feline’s Pride, Oma’s Pride, Nature’s Variety and many others have very clean track records. Wild Kitty brand had a moment where salmonella seemed to be in one of their batches and they discovered it, disclosed it and dealt with it without any harm to cats. Compare this to the ingredient disasters with commercial pet food and it is shameful. Really, that detractors of raw feeding of cats have managed to spread needless fear (raw food is considered the “gold standard” by great vets like the Official Vet of CAT CHAT®, Elizabeth Hodgkins, who also breeds and shows Ocicats, and many other highly educated and dedicated professional cat owners and breeders). The food comes in a frozen plastic container which your mother would keep in the refrigerator, using a spoon to put some on a small saucer for Lulu – the spoon gets rinsed and put in the dishwasher, as does the saucer after 15 minutes on the floor. The food doesn’t touch a surface or anyone’s hands. With the severe skin problems she has, a diet like this could turn her around fast.

Of course the Weruva is sensational food, too.

As for the constipation. keep in mind that when you stop giving an animal dry food which is made of indigestible plant fiber (which goes in one end and out the other) and highly processed carbohydrates, you change their bowel habits. As you yourself guessed, the body is now USING this high protein diet as the body was intended to – utilizing all of it. The definition of “constipation” is also misunderstood – people think it has to do with frequency, but the basic definition is of hard, dry stool and difficulty passing it or straining. You noticed yourself that Lulu seems happy and comfortable and has no problem defecating, albeit infrequently. This is yet another of the great benefits of getting a cat off kitty crack and onto wet food – less stool, smaller stool, less smelly stool.

And how about that professional opinion to keep giving her Petromalt?? In Lulu’s honor I did some up-to-date research on Petromalt and you will find one of my most recent a blogs on the topic. I have been saying for years that if a cat has hairballs or digestion that needs a little boost, the healthiest thing to give her is a natural substance – either a pat of butter or better yet, a few drops of Nordic Naturals omega-3 fish oil on her food or put on her leg for her to lick off.

The omega-3 fatty acids will also be of great help in healing her poor skin and maintaining its health going forward, as long as you avoid forever any dry food — think outside the bag and her body should have a chance to naturally get her straightened out. Needless to say, the sooner you can get off all those meds, the better her body can cope. Remember that chronic use of steroids (cortisone) requires a slow weaning off them.

Tracie

The Cat Bible by Tracie Hotchner

For quite some time I have been urging people to use a pat of butter on their cat’s dinner if she has had problems with hairballs (many of these problems disappear entirely once the cat gets off “kitty crack” and only wet food only). Another great natural intestinal lubricant with a boat load of other healthy properties is omega-3 fish oil — and I have been recommending putting a few drops of it on your cat’s leg or paw every day and letting her enjoy licking it off. The only brand I know to be thoroughly tested, filtered and re-tested for purity, freshness (and no contamination with other cheaper oils) is Nordic Naturals.

But because some vets continue to recommend this product for both hairballs and for constipation, I thought I had better look into it a little further. Here is just one of many citations for the reasons to avoid a product like Petromalt, the only active ingredient in which is mineral oil (44%).

Mineral oil can cause harm to the intestinal tract and block absorption of vitamins: it is a lipid solvent and may absorb drugs and many substances and/or interfere with normal absorption of these nutrients. Chronic use of mineral oil may result in increased gut motility with decreased absorption as the foods pass through the intestines more rapidly. As a result, foods, supplements and medications have reduced opportunity to be absorbed through the intestinal wall. While there is some disagreement, most research has found that mineral oil interferes with the absorption of many nutrients, including beta-carotene, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and vitamins A, D, K, and E. Chronic use of mineral oil can cause a deficiency of vitamins A, D, E, and K, being fat soluble, as a result of their being not being assimilated properly.

Tracie

The Cat Bible