cat with food allergies

[lalaland]

how did you get rid of your cat's ear infections?

I have used the purina naturals....

 

[matt44644]

Constant cleaning it was tough.I did the drops for the 10 days at first like the vet said ,that didn't work.Then did it again,and again.A friend told me that you got to get in there and keep cleaning and cleaning until it goes away.It just takes one little piece in there and it will keep coming back.It was horrible,

 

[Imachicklvr2]

I think that eliminating the grains is a great start. Corn and corn products can be particularly problematic. Keep in mind that it takes two weeks to see results from a change in diet and up to six weeks for maximum results. So hang in there. I hope your kitty starts feeling better soon. Also, I have read that Fancy Feast Classic variety(has to be this variety) canned food does not contain grains. It is not the highest quality food but it is not the worst either and it is reasonably priced. You may also have your vet check for yeast in your cats ears, They can sometimes get a yeast infection secondary to a bacterial infection and she might need a different medication to get the remaining infection cleared up.

 

[lalaland]

thanks. I am tempted to try nustock in her ears....she cries pitifully when I am working on her ears.

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

Ah, cats and allergies can be terribly difficult!

Food allergies are rare, but when they occur is most often to the meats in the diet rather than the grain. I would recommend trying a restricted allergen diet (your vet should have more information on this) to help rule out potential food allergies.

Another thought that comes to mind is fungal infection rather than bacterial. It is definitely somehing to rule out. Is she still on any medications? If so, I would discuss with your vet about stopping them.

It is possible she is allergic to something in the environment as well. Cats with allergies present in all kinds of strange ways. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to rule out causes, and it can also be expensive.

If I were in your position, I would first rule out any medical issues. I would ask the vet about possibly sending a sample out for culture and antibiotic sensitivity testing. This will give you an idea of whether or not the antibiotics you used were effective. If those come back clear, then try the restricted food allergy test. You could even try a low allergen food for a while and see if it makes any difference. Another option if none of those provide answers, is a serum antibody test for common allergens in the environment. These can be expensive though, and don't always provide a clear diagnosis or treatment options.

Either way, it sounds like you are on the right track!

 

[lalaland]

thanks.

she took it up a notch, unfortunately, and spent a night vomiting and having diareaha. Scratched her self bloody. That was Day 4 of the new food which has chicken and two kinds of fish but otherwise a cleaner food.

I brought her back to the vet who said nothing was cultured in her ears, that they were pretty clean - but I have been washing the ears out every other day.. Did the predictable shot to get her system calmed down, prescribed the first dose of steroids, and also recommended the novel protein thing, but said this vomiting could be the adjustment to the new diet. I don't know, I've never had a cat react to a diet change probably because I continually change their foods up to avoid that.

I know that this first round of steroids is likely to never be as successful the 2nd round, so I feel like there is one shot to do this.

Vet did say to give her more time on this food just in case it will work for her, but then wants the predictable hills hd diet, which I will not do. I think if this doesn't work, it might be make your own time - but that sounds both expensive and time consuming although not as epensive as the $15/lb diet i've been seeing.

am very discouraged.

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

This hills diet is not a bad one. I've seen many pets with allergies do quite well on that and it is a cheaper option than making your own food. I don't just promote it because I'm involved in the vet world, but those prescription diet do accomplish what they are made for. There are other brands that offer the same thing though. I know people have aversions to hills and that's fine. I usually try to mention the other brands as well!

I think your vet is on the right track. Vomiting is not necessarily a sign of allergy in cats. (However, like I mentioned before, they are weird whe. It comes to allergies) I would definitely recommend a very slow transition to a new food over two weeks at least, if you aren't already doing that. Cats tend to be pretty sensitive when it comes to switching food.

The novel protein diet is a good idea. It is quiet likely she is allergic to something as simple as chicken or fish.

Steroid shots can be helpful but are not always the best option because they can cause lots of other medical issues worse than the allergy. Steroids suppress the entire immune system, which is helpful for allergies but not so helpful for all the other normal functions the body must perform. Avoidance is usually the best option with allergies because the medications all have pretty severe side effects, especially for cats. Unfortunately, it is just so darn hard to pinpoint exactly what they are allergic to.

 

[lalaland]

she is not on any meds - she's only 2 and previously healthy, although as a kitten she had problems with diarreha. She seemed to grow out of that around 6 months, and druing the 3 months we just kept trying different foods.

I know, I'm am very hesitant to go the steroid route - I haven't given her any of the prednisolone yet, since she seems ok so far today. I realize that could be the result of the famotidine injection she got late yesterday. But, if I can hold off on starting that regime I will.

She hasn't vomited before, so I think it is likely related to the allergic reaction she is having. Last night I heard her vomiting but couldn't find anything.

Most of the problems I have heard of with Hills have been dry food....but I have found a local source for cat food - comes in chicken, duck, rabbit, or quail and doesn't include all the preservatives, grains, byproducts, etc. It will cost a little more than making from scratch, but will only run about a buck a day. That will be my back up plan if she doesn't do well on this new food.

 

[laceykins]

yes, a zillion q tips.  I've used the ear wash , squished it around in the base of the ear, q tipped it out, repeat daily.  Always gunk in the ear.  Also tried witch hazel.  She is miserable and I'll probably have to take her in for steroids but would really like to avoid that.

I've read cause of bacterial ear infections can be allergies, and now that she has developed the skin thing (bright red like a sunburn, and welts, etc) I feel odds are good it is an allergy problem.  Can't afford the foods I am looking at - 

If treating the symptoms isn't working, she might need to be on an antibiotic for a week or so. I'd take her to the vet asap, and it must be miserable for her.

 

[lalaland]

thanks, Lacykins. I did take her to the vet, who gave her the steroid shot and prescribed steroids. He said he was confident it was a food allergy.
She stopped vomiting, and now has been on petguard canned food with no preservatives, soy, corn, gluten, colors, etc - and she seems to be tolerating that well. I have not given her the prednisone pills .

She is definitely feeling better, her ears and face are returning to normal and she is losing weight (had gained 2 pounds since May, vet said that was a weight gain attributable to allergy) - and is much more energetic and active.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed - if I can keep her on this food, which is expensive to me, I can avoid the next step which is double the cost - that would be fresh or frozen ground protein, bones, and vitamins/taurine. That would run about $4 a pound.