Cats and Vacuums

Listen up kitties, don't try this at home.

Overdue update on my health

Have you ever noticed when there is a problem in life, every bit of your attention goes to that problem? Have you also noticed as soon as the problem goes away you forget about all that attention? I sure do. This past summer I was plagued with bladder problems. If you didn't know me back then you can read about my travails here and here.

The human took me to five different vets. Five! I was poked, prodded, tested, and forced to do very unpleasant things. I was finally diagnosed with having calcium oxalate stones--a condition that isn't treatable, persistent, and required bladder surgery. Even if I was to have surgery to remove the stones, I was told I would have to be on a bland (unhealthy!) prescription diet for the rest of my life and I would STILL be likely to get the stones again.

The human fired the first three vets--he felt like they were treating him like he was ignorant. One made me have a painful procedure without proper sedation. He fired the fourth vet because despite his vocal statements about not willing to put me on a prescription diet (do you know the main source of animal protein in most prescription foods are things like chicken feathers? Did you know that prescription diets are associated with their own set of health problems?) the vet continued to suggest I go on a prescription diet. That vet also refused to give me proper sedation despite my obvious and extreme display of fear during a procedure.

I was beginning to worry about my human. In rapid succession he fired everyone that met me. I was worried that he was the problem. As it turns out, he wasn't. He finally brought me to a doctor that understood my problem and was able to solve my problem. He also saved me from having surgery that would have cost over $1,800 and had the risk of life-long incontinence. I don't even know for sure at this point if I actually had the condition that I was supposed to get surgery for.

Anyway--that catches you all up to date. I don't think I told you all that I was better. I am. I am much better. The human took me to Dr. Dan's Integrative Pet Hospital. After carefully listening to my human's concerns, after gently examining me, and after some reflection together, Dr. Dan essentially said this is no big deal. He prescribed me a supplement called UT Strength STAT for dogs. This is the same company that makes the wonderful non-toxic non-scary flea and tick be-gone product that also changed my life (thanks Dr. Dan!).

I've not had a single problem with my bladder since then. With one product I went from having a life-long condition that would likely require multiple expensive operations to having no condition (I don't even use the supplement anymore). I thought you might all want to know, since I certainly complained enough about the problem when I was having it.

If any of you reading this have a similar problem, don't run out and order the UT Strength. You need to consult a vet that you trust: what worked for me might not work for you. What is important here, and what is the moral of this story, is take the time to find a vet you trust. Take the time to find a vet that is knowledgeable. If you believe in a holistic approach, by all means take the time to find a vet that is well trained in holistic medicine. Having a vet that speaks your language is what is important here.

In fact, you can ask my cat-brothers that very same question. They were lucky because the human already had a vet that specialized in cats (in fact, he only sees cats). Dr. Carlson at the Cat Doctor was the one initially responsible for getting the human so strident and uppity about pet food. After having two cats die from fatty liver disease the human finally found Dr. Carlson--and heard him say something along the lines of we've been killing cats for years with prescription diets and dry foods that cause problems rather than help prevent them.

My cat brothers, you see, were also having bladder problems. This was before I was born. The way the cats explain it they discovered painful (yet oddly pretty) crystals in their pee. The human stuffed the cats in a box, drove them all the way to New Hampshire, and upon exiting the box they saw Dr. Carlson. After an hour long lecture about how horrible many cat foods are, and being taught the evils of a dry food only diet, and learning a whole lot of other useful stuff... Anyway, the cats say Dr. Carlson said "wet food only" and "mix it with broth until it's like a beef slurpee." The cats have never had crystals again. Never.

Easy as that.

So--go find yourself a good vet. And as for Dr. Carlson and Dr. Dan--I know you both read this blog sometimes--thank you for being smart and thoughtful.

No Dry Food

Once again, my quick wits saved the day. Though still groggy, I was patiently waiting outside the litter box this morning for some play time. Iggy, one of my feline household companions, was playing hide-and-go-seek. I caught onto this and was waiting outside the box surprise him. A lick or two behind his ear was in order. When he spent the better part of ten minutes inside the box I became concerned and did what any thoughtful dog would do: I barked.

Jason came and investigated. Things didn't sound very good. He took the top of the litter box and Iggy did some serious complaining. There was some hushed talking downstairs and a short while later Iggy was whisked out of the house in a plastic box with holes cut in the side. Could you imagine having to travel around in that?  Why not walk? Those cats are very strange. I do believe I will never totally understand them.

Anyway, I was very upset that I couldn't come. I wanted to get out of the house. I was informed that dogs weren't welcome at Iggy's doctor because it's for cats only. The nerve!

As usual, the vet talked Jason's ear off for a good hour. This guy seriously knows everything there is to know about cats. For example, last year Dr. Carlson told Jason about the evils of dry cat food. He was aghast to learn that dry food was the worst possible food to feed cats. If not a contributing cause to the fatty liver disease that took the lives of Jason's previous cats, a dry food only certainty didn't help. Here is a link that will take you to a page that pretty much describes the evils of a dry-food only diet for cats. Want to know even more? Here is another similar source of information.

Back to today. Dr. Carlson was at it again teaching Jason. He explained that cats evolved from desert dwelling creatures: they adapted to their environment by having their moisture requirements met solely by the moisture found in their prey. When is the last time you saw a cat in the wild hunt down a bag of dried cat food? What does a wild back of dried cat food look like anyway?

Iggy mostly eats a canned food diet with a little bit of dry kibble. The problem is that there is just not enough water in the canned food for him. Iggy, being picky, only likes to drink out of the dripping faucet. Jason, being frugal, thinks it's a bad idea to leave the faucet on all day for the cat. See the problem?

Iggy basically had sand in his bladder, the pH of his urine was off the charts, and he was wicked uncomfortable. He got some pain meds and muscle relaxants (he's been no fun today--sleeping up on the fourth forth floor which is out of my puppy reach).

Dr. Carlson also now has both cats on a slurpee diet. Canned food only--and that food is now mixed with as much water as the cats can tolerate. Jason whisked equal parts food and water together. He thinks it looks gross. The cats however find it delicious. I also find it rather yummy. Of course, I also find dead frogs on the road yummy so my tastes are somewhat suspect.

Looks like things are getting back to normal. If you have cats in your life, give some thought to their diet. Opening up a bag of dry food just isn't good enough.