Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK
Cat Health & Behaviour => Health & Behaviour General => Topic started by: Philip on March 18, 2010, 21:55:22 PM
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My rescue Ragdoll Delphi looks like she's going downhill. She wont touch her food and is hiding away.
Please everyone send healing purrs and vibes for her.
I'm feeling very scared right now.
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Poor Delphi, sorry to hear she's feeling off-colour. Sending tons of healing vibes, and Pepsi is sending snuzzles and purry headbutts to make her feel better :hug:
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What has your vet said Philip ?
:hug: :hug:
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Sorry Phillip :hug: would something like Applaws/Encore chicken or fish tempt her? It worked for Sam when he was poorly.
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:( Poor Delphi, have you taken her to the vet?
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Sending many healing thoughts... I don't know Delphi's background but even if you know that she doesn't have long there are lots of things to try and help, manage discomfort and such. What does your vet think?
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Im on a night shift tonight so vets appointment is 09:15 in the morning.
I have tried loads of different foods. Applaws/almo nature/purina pro plan/fresh cooked fish.
She wont touch anything.
:'(
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Sending loads of vibes for Delphi. Beavis went like this once , and it turned out he was badly constipated. :doh:
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Delphi is a girl. sorry. :doh:
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Good luck for this morning.
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good luck at the vets Philip
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Good luck at the vets, hope Delphi is OK :hug: :hug:
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hope all went well :hug:
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I hope she is OK. When Clapton was really poorly about 3 years ago, the vet gave him a steroid jab to kick-start his appetite and he hasn't stopped eating since.
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I hope she is OK. When Clapton was really poorly about 3 years ago, the vet gave him a steroid jab to kick-start his appetite and he hasn't stopped eating since.
The steroids worked wonders for Schui too initially
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My vet took some bloods and she's on anitbiotics.
She ate some coley this evening and enjoyed a good fuss which was nice.
So got to see if the blood tests show anything.
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Didn't he give her anything to try to get her eating? - some fish is a start, but not enough to sustain her. Poor baby :(
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When will the bloods be back?
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I should have asked her about that. I had just finished a night shift and had rushed to get Delphi to the vets.
She is eating a little but I think I will try syringe feeding for a few days.
Still awaiting blood test results.
My baby still needs those healing vibes and purrs peeps.
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Hoping blood results are back tomorrow as they were taken Friday.
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Hope the bloods are ok and that and her appetite starts to pick up soon xx
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Hope the bloods are OK and that she starts eating again soon :hug:
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Hope hse improves Philip ....and please ask about a steroid injection :hug:
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Got home from work and gave Delphi some almo nature to see if she would eat.
She ate most of it which is an improvement on things.
The power of purrs healing vibes in action maybe.
I guess only time will tell.
Right now I'm just pleased she ate something.
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That's fab! :Luv: She might be feeling a bit better then.
Do still ask the vet about steroids - they can be given by injection at home if needs be, I did it every few weeks for months with a dying foster (Ollie :Luv2: ) and the improvement to his quality of life was remarkable - after a jab he'd be interested in everything again - eating, playing, cuddles, the kittens... it was a real transformation. It didn't change his underlying condition - brain tumour - but it relieved symptoms and gave him almost exactly one whole extra year of mostly very good quality life in the comfort of my home. I was terrified of subjecting him to injections at first, I thought he'd hate it, and that it would be terribly cruel when he was only going to die anyway. I couldn't have been more wrong. It was really easy and must have been pretty much painless as he generally sat (unrestrained!) on my knee, purring throughout the minute or so it took to do the jab and tidy up.
If you're holding off the vet because you think it won't change the course of things, please please do at least ring up and talk to them. Even at or near the end of life there's still plenty we can do for our cats.
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:) Glad to hear that Delphi has enjoyed some food, hope it continues xx
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Glad to hear that *well done Delphi*
If she stops though I swear by steroids, they gave Issey 6 extra weeks of quality time, I was giving injections to her at home
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So glad that she's eating something hun :hug:
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Glad she is eating again :Luv2:
I think steroids pulled Clapton back from the brink. As I said before, he had all but given up eating and it was a real kick-start. He only needed the one injection. Obviously it is the anabolic steroids (we were told in biology the way to remember is ants build nests = anabolic = building up process. Cats destroy things = catabolic = breaking down process :evillaugh: )
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Fingers crossed for the bloods. I would go with something like Periactin over steroids if you dont know what is causing it though, as steroids limit the ability to use other meds.
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Got blood results back today.
Nothing to be concerned about there.
She's eating better today. I think the antibiotics are helping.
Desley, Do you have to get periactin on vet prescription ?.
Thanks.
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;D Great news, hope she's starting to pick up now.
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Great news. Hopefully her appetite will start to pick up :)
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So glad to hear that she is eating again Philip xxx
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Glad that she is eating more - would she eat some a/d? I dont know about Periactin, my vet gave it to me, but not sure if it is prescription or not.
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Delphi stopped eating again.
So got some Periactin from my vet.
Dose is an eighth of a tablet twice daily.
It's as fiddly job splitting such a small tablet into eight equal pieces even with a tablet cutter.
Its day 2 today since starting the medication and I am seeing an effect.
I do hope it continues.
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Fingers crossed it's helping, poor Delphi xx
I used to cut up Pep's Istin into 8s with a pill cutter and now I just use a knife it does it much better.
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Ok will try with a knife next time.
What kind of knife did do you use?
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I just use a small paring knife, the type to peel veg with. The tablets were breaking up and all shapes and sizes with the cutter but I manage to cut then really neatly with a knife and no broken bits either. Just do half then a quarter etc.
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Have gone out and bought a really good paring knife.
Thanks for that tip. :hug:
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I had to give half a tablet a day, but glad it is working.
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Delphi is not good at the moment.
She developed a really blocked nose yesterday and has stopped eating again.
So back to the vets today for more antibiotics and a drug to help with the nasal secretions.
Am trying to help with steam inhalation, olbas oil and syringe feeding.
Got to go back in a couple of days if she doesn't improve.
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Poor girl is having a rough time of it :( hope she starts to pick up very soon :hug:
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Fingers crossed the meds work - have you tried heating her food to help her smell it more iwth her blocked nose?
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Yes have tried heated/smelly/new foods.
Sadly she doesn't want to know. Her nose is too blocked bless her.
Have just managed to get a secondhand nebuliser machine for £15 and she has just had her first saline neb.
Hoping this will help her breathing.
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Hope it helps Philip xx
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Good luck
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8th of a periactin :Crazy: what strength are they?!
Fingers crossed the new meds work
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OK a bit of an update.
Delphi bless her has started to eat today so thats good.
Was at this point a couple of weeks ago so don't wish to count any chickens yet.
I have been using hypotonic saline Neb's to try and help clear her blocked nose.
She's really good with the nebuliser which is surprising. I don't use a mask I just hold the chamber that connects to the mask pointed close to her face so she inhales the vapour and she sits there and tolerates it.
So this is the first day without syringe feeding for about a week.
She managed a purr for the first time in a few days as well without reverse sneezing. :Luv:
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aww that's great news, I bet the nebuliser has really helped her. Keeping fingers crossed she's starting to feel much better xx
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Wonderful news ;D
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Delphi having her nebuliser.
I'm having to use a mask now and wrap her in a towel as she now has decided she doesnt like nebulisers anymore. I see that as a sign she's improving as a couple of days ago, she just laid there.
Sorry about the picture quality.
Bless her she is so good.
It's definitely helping.
After she wandered round the front room surveying everything like it was hers. :innocent:
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Brave girl :Luv2:
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Good to hear she's eating :hug: Philip where did you get your nebuliser from? My Zeta has had two lots of antibitoics recently for upper respiratory infection, but it seems each time we stop the antibiotics, she gets congested again, wonder if a nebuliser could help her?
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I got the nebuliser secondhand. I found it in my local friday ad. I did look for new ones but boots wanted £150 for one.
There are some on ebay for varying prices.
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I wish I had have known about them for Schui
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My vet said that steam inhalations would help Delphi and I tried using hot water and also having her in the bathroom while I had a hot shower and this didn't work so being a nurse, I thought what about using a nebuliser to create a fine steam. I discussed it with my vet and so ended up going out and getting one.
I'm very pleased with the results. The nebuliser chamber makes a fine mist which isn't irritating to the cat and Delphi seems to tolerate it well.
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I feel rather at a loss right now.
I couldn't get Delphi to eat yesterday or this morning even with all the treatment I'm giving so had to syringe feed again.
Her breathing seems a little easier, but I'm at a loss to what to try next.
How long do I keep up such intensive nursing. I feel numb inside right now.
It seems, each time she has a course of antibiotics she picks up but then deteriorates when they stop.
I need to talk to my vet on Tuesday about this.
:(
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So sorry Philip and only something a vet can advise on :hug: :hug:
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Hope that the vet can suggest something to help her Philip :hug:
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Have tried opening cans of salmon, mackerel and chicken.
She didn't want anything.
I feel at the end of my tether right now.
:'(
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HI Phillip.. I have had exactly the same thing with my Leo.. i have opened so many cans of food to no joy.. But since yesterday he has picked up and now eats with a bit more gusto..He has lost some weight though.. but i hope he has turned a corner. Vet reckoned it was him feeling rotten from his op and maybe metacam.. However, i was told just poking it under their noses makes things worse and cats know its not the usual thing. I have tried to feed him now (pick him up and take him there every four hours or so) where he usually gets fed... and he did manage a good portion of tuna and juice earlier..
The reality is i suppose tha she just does not feel like eating (like you and me not feeling great)... I asked my vet about the appetitate tablet mentioned on your post and she said she would not give it unless 100 per cent sure it was just that.. and not other things.. as it can disguise a cat being unwell... So my Leo is on no meds at the moment and seems to be getting there.. I do not know the whole story of your Delphi but can you try liquids.. someone mentioned evaporated milk with water diluted..Sardines seems to be work well but no always.. but its soooooooooooo difficult to get a cat to eat something when it just does not seem to want to. and the stress involved with the owner may overwhelm and make the situation worse.. as they pick it up that you are acting strange (at least that was what my vet said) and Siamese are more prone to changes in routine then others... Esp if the bond with owner is very strong..
So i know your worry.. i really did not get much sleep in a wk.. kept getting up in the night to offer food and water and even kept a log for the vets to work out how much he was eating. Good luck and i hope she feels better soon. Am thiking about you and Delphi
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It is such a worry when they won't eat, I do hope that the vet can get to the bottom of what's wrong :hug:
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I hope your vet can suggest something. How old is Delphi?
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Have you tried Hill's Prescription diet a/d Philip? Byron has a cold atm and I've given her some and she has lapped it up, just a thought.
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Yes I am using the royal canin equivalent.
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ok :)
good luck at the vet tomorrow
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Have been back to the vets.
The facts are that Delphi has improved each time she's on antibiotics and then deteriorates about 2 days after they are stopped.
So am trying a 2 week course now with continued syringe feeding and L Lysine.
I think if she doesn't improve this time I will have to think seriously about her quality of life and whether its time.
To make things more complicated, I was stroking Delphi at the vets in the waiting room and she purred for the first time in a while and let me tickle her tummy.
I wasn't sure if I would be coming home with an empty carrier today or not.
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I wasn't sure if I would be coming home with an empty carrier today or not.
:hug:
One day at a time :hug: I hope the two-week course does the trick for Delphi.
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I do hope that this treatment gets Delphi feeling much better again, fingers crossed for her xx :hug:
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I do hope this works for Delphi :hug: :hug:
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oh Philip, I do feel for you
but at least if there is no improvement over the next two weeks you will know you have tried everything
so come on Delphi, get those antibodies working, there's a good girl
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IS she on the same kind of antibiotics as before Philip? Maybe they aren't strong enough to completely beat whatever is going on, as she gets worse after stopping them? What does the vet actually think is wrong?
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Latest update.
Delphi has started to eat again. She seems a little brighter.
I would like her to be eating more than she is but it is a start.
I guess the next few days are critical to what happens next.
So please top up the healing vibes.
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Sending loads of healing and eating vibes for Delphi - hope she gets over this soon. :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug:
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Lots of get well wishes being sent for Delphi xx :hug:
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sending lots of vibes for Delphi. Fingers crossed she will keep on eating after the antibiotics.
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Fingers crossed for her.
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Delphi ate some dry food and a whole tin of Almo chicken drumstick as well.
So a good day today.
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so pleased Phillip ;D
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me too - you feel so helpless when they won't eat, don't you :hug:
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;D aww, I'm really pleased xx
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Bless her.
This picture did make me laugh.
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she looks quite spaced out in that pic ;D
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Well....
Delphi has eaten a whole tin of almo nature chicken drumstick flavour and half an applaws pouch I found in my mountain of various cat foods.
;D
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That sounds better :)
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Glad that that things are still improving :)
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Glad things improving. Topping up and sending good vibes from Glasgow
:hug: :hug: :hug:
Zoe
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Delphi has eaten another half of a pouch of applaws.
This is the most she has eaten in one day in about a month.
:)
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Well.....
Today Delphi has eaten 2 tins of almo nature. Thats the most she has eaten in ages.
Her fur feels softer too.
:)
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She's doing great! hope things stay like this xx
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Great that she's eating but just wanted to check as I am pretty sure it is only complementary? their own site is down and there is no mention on other sellers websites. Quite worrying if it isn't complete and people are only feeding this to their cats. I came across a thread on Catchat and someone said they contacted Almo Nature who said it should be fed alongside their dry food which is complete. Unless people know this, their cats are in danger of malnutrition.
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Just read the side of the tin and the Almo food I am using is a complete cat food. Almo do different levels of wet food.
The cheaper pate like foods they do are not as good. I can only buy this from one pet shop or at cat shows.
As it consists of pretty much 75 % (hormone free) chicken drumstick and 24 % Chicken broth 1 % Rice . It has a good meat content.
I am happy with what I'm feeding her.
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I think I would eat that myself :evillaugh:
I will have to look out for it. There is a pet shop in Herne Bay that sells Almo Nature. I will have a look.
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I don't consider almo nature a complete food, Philip. It contains no added nutrients. They say on the tin that it is a complete food, but when it first came out I had some email correspondence with them about this and they said that it was complete because it was cooked in broth. However, they then went on to say that it should be fed alongside their dry food :shify: Also, their literature states the same. At the Supreme cat show last year I bought some and the leaflet that they put in the bag said that it should be fed alongside the dry food for a complete diet (or words to that effect). So I treat the cans as a complementary food.
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Well done Delphi, keep it up girl :)
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Well Delphi is doing well eating it and has gained 150 grams this week. Her fur is softer and her energy levels are greatly improved.
The meat content is good so and as that's what cats eat in the wild and get their nutrients from (and they seem to do ok), I'm not particularly worried.
There are other complete wet foods that don't contain anywhere near as good ingredients.
So I guess we will have to agree to disagree ;)
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The meat content is good so and as that's what cats eat in the wild and get their nutrients from (and they seem to do ok),
But they don't eat cooked meat in the wild. It's the cooking process that affects the nutrients and why complete foods generally have added vitamins and minerals. I'm not trying to argue with you and it's up to you - it's great that Delphi is eating something - but it's just something to be aware of. I'd hate anyone to feed a food exclusively thinking that they are feeding a complete food only to find out later that it may not actually be complete.
I feed Almo nature and Jaffa and Mosi love it (esp the beef one)
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One of the biggest problems with it is lack of taurine which will cause blindness. Please at least speak to the makers and get the facts. She may be gaining weight now but that isn't everything.
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I would say that, for now at least, Philip only needs to get her eating again and then cross the nutrient bridge when she's got her appetite back.
Blip - who's a fussy eater - loves Almo Nature and eats it most evenings. I think it must be very tasty.
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I fed a Siamese exclusively for 14+ years on a mix of cooked chicken, heart, kidney and white fish
she died of a pneumothorax probably following a RTA, and was in good health up to then
there must have been some taurine in her diet from what I fed her - I'm not saying I would go down that path again, especially now there are good quality dry foods around, but it does show, to my satisfaction anyway, that there is still a lot to understand about the optimum diet for cats
and any warnings which originate from the vastly profitable pet food industry need to be treated with some caution
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I would say that, for now at least, Philip only needs to get her eating again and then cross the nutrient bridge when she's got her appetite back.
Blip - who's a fussy eater - loves Almo Nature and eats it most evenings. I think it must be very tasty.
I agree it is fine in the very short term.
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and any warnings which originate from the vastly profitable pet food industry need to be treated with some caution
In the case of Almo nature, it isn't so much a warning from the pet food industry, but a particular manufacturer that is labelling products as complete foods when it's debatable that they are. Unfortunately, most people believe what they read on the packaging and may be misled into thinking they are feeding a complete food, only to find out later that health problems have resulted from the omision of certain nutrients. I think it's vital to have all the information so that an informed choice can be made. Almo nature is virtually identical to applaws and applaws state complementary on their cans (I think). Iirc, they used to state complete but were forced to change it when it was brought to their attention that it wasn't actually complete.
I agree with christine in this instance - the important thing right now is that Delphi is eating. But in the long term, it's worth bearing in mind the potential problems of her only eating almo nature.
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You have to remember that a week ago, Delphi wasn't eating at all and was rapidly declining. She was skin and bone.
I was nearly at the point of making the dreaded decision.
She is getting supplements that ensures she is getting the correct nutrients anyway. She also gets steamed fish.
So right now gaining weight and getting her feeling better is my priority. She wont touch any dried food so what am I to do?
It's not fair to maintain a life by syringe feeding if its a long term thing.
The tigers at the sanctuary in Thailand only eat boiled meat and they are thriving.
So as she is eating this and just as importantly enjoying it and I am supplementing her diet to make sure she is getting good nutrition I am going to continue.
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I hope she gets well soon.
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Well said Philip and this is a vast improvement on a week or so ago, goooooooooo Delphi gooooooo, keep on eating little one ;D
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Im glad shes eating again and she has chosen the same as simon did when he was sick, he loved the applaws with cheese. I was concerned with the vitamin side of things and found that tesco has a finest tin that is like applaws (abit more sloppy) but is vitamin enriched so long term its great ;D worth trying her with some of that
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I totally understand what you are saying Philip and it is great that she is eating :) - hopefully there is calcium in the supplement as chicken and fish meat is very low in calcium and it is so important for lots of body functions. Otherwise, if you can get her drinking some milk or even adding some Ipakitine to the Almo Nature. I'm sure the tigers get the bones as well as the meat. I'm not trying to nag and and I do understand that her eating is the main thing but she really needs calcium. This is something I covered in animal nutrition recently.
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So pleased she's eating again, that's the most important thing to my mind. I remember going through the same thing with Max several times when he was poorly, you'd cook them anything they wanted just to get some food in :hug:
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Well I discussed Delphi's nutritional needs with my vet and she is more than happy with what I am doing.
She's eating dry "complete" food now as well and is more playful rolling around the floor asking for her tummy to be tickled.
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so glad to hear she is eating again Philip
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Good news Philip, keep up the good work :hug: :hug:
And the tummy tickles of course :Luv:
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Great news Philip! :)