Hello everybody!
It's good to know that someone thought about creating a forum for ragdoll owners. I have a beautiful, bi-color baby boy, who turned one in December 2009. The problem with him, when I first brought him home, was that he did not drink water or ate solid food. I previously had two other domestic cats with no such issues. When I decided to take him to a vet, I was advised to give the cat Peritol (ciproheptadina). After that he started to have digestion problems, he got diarrhea even with a small amount of blood at the end. After we stopped giving this medicine he made poop with something like a mucus, white-transparent. Another vet recommended Panacur (for intestinal warms). The diarrhea came back. After all these episodes, I never managed to restore his good digestion. He is now eating boiled beef and Acana dry food but steel he has poop problems. I saw that he is not assimilating properly what he is eating.
If you have any advice, I would really apreciate.
Andra
Sometimes it takes a long time for a GI problem to stabilize after the source is removed. So, when they continue you have the difficult question of trying other foods to try for improvement or letting things remain stable to settle down. The choice is difficult because merely changing foods can cause GI upset. So, if one is changing foods, particularly multiple changes, then one can just see GI upset based on the changes and not based on any other source. Obviously, if adequate nutrition is not being provided, then changes are needed.
If you do decide to try food changes, then start with the ones least likely to include any allergen that bothers him. For example, there are venison and duck foods that are geared to that kind of problem.
Dear JanH,
I don't think the food is the problem, because I am feeding Macaroon lactose and starch free dry food. And the problem is continuing for almost 8 months. It should have healed by now.
Andra
You said he did not drink water or eat solid foods. Did you mean dry food he didn't eat -- or he wouldn't eat dry or canned food? Are you located in the U.S. or in another country (just wondering as that can impact suggestions in terms of items available).
Hi, Andra -
Sorry to hear of your fur-baby's health problem (sorry, you didn't give us his name :-) )
I am no expert in this area but will speak from my own experience with Molly, who came to me a year ago very ill (previous owners did not take care of any of her health issues) and now I have her healthy and happy. She too had the diarrhea and mucus/discharge in it, and would throw up a lot. Turns out she has IBS (along with FLUTD) and they are both under control with 1 pill a day and a good diet (like a wholesome food without any by products, fillers, or grains or any 'junk'). One big thing that helped her was I got her off of dry food and onto only canned food. Molly also didn't drink much water at all and had only been eating dry food before she came to me. Canned food is about 80% water so she does get her water that way.
So, I would suggest you find a vet that is experienced in intestinal or digestive issues. You may need to have some diagnostic tests done to determine exactly what is going on, but once you know what it is, it can be treated through food and medication (when needed). It may take a little while to find what works for your fur-baby, but it is well worth it.
Valerie
Dear Valerie,
Thank you so much for your quick answer. I think you solved my case. Macaroon is the name of my sweet and beautiful baby boy.
As for the vet, you must know that here in Romania, where we live, the vets are not as well specialized as those from US but I will read more about the syndrome and seek for a very good doctor.
Thank you very much!
Andra
Valerie,
I forgot to ask what medicine are you giving to your cat for IBS? Or is it possible to tell me the active ingredients, to see if i could find it here, in Romania?
Andra
I do hope you're able to find answers and that maybe Valerie has started you on the right path for those answers.
I did want to just welcome you to the forum and encourage you to stay and share Macaroon with us.
TeresaK,
Thank you. I will keep everybody posted on Macaroon's health situation.
Andra
Andra -
Wow, Romania! A very big welcome to the Forum! Macaroon is a lovely name - when you can, please post some photos - everyone here LOVES photos!
As for the pill I give Molly, it is for her FLUTD (feline lower urinary tract disease) and is called 'Uro-Eze' which is simply ammonium chloride which balances her PH so she doesn't have crystals in her urine - which are painful and she won't use the litterbox when it hurts.
I have her IBS (irritable bowel syndrome, sometimes called inflammatory bowel syndrome, even tho they are a bit different) under control with her food. I tried many different foods (even tried raw food like rabbit) but what seems to work best for her is Wellness canned (she adores the fish flavor one). It is grain-free, filler free, and doesn't have a bunch of additives.
Since we were able to get her IBS under control with the food, I have not yet had to use medicines.
When you search the internet, try using both variations of the name (irritable bowel syndrome/inflammatory bowel syndrome).
In fact there is a forum out there just for IBS kitties and their 'parents'. It is: groups.yahoo.com/phrase/feline-ibd-treatment
Good luck, and let us know how you and Macaroon are doing :-)
Valerie
(03-03-2010 09:39 AM)andrab Wrote: [ -> ]Dear JanH,
I don't think the food is the problem, because I am feeding Macaroon lactose and starch free dry food. And the problem is continuing for almost 8 months. It should have healed by now.
Andra
That would be only two potential sources of allergic reactions. Some cats are allergic to chicken or ... . If it is an allergic issue and the symptoms are still there a long time after the lactose and starch have been removed from the diet, then it would be logical to conclude that neither of these is the problematic allergen.
(Cats are lactose intolerant. I would not expect much lactose in any food you chose.)