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Weight loss on home cooked diet

JoannC

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Hi Dr Jeff and Dr Christina, I wanted to get this out for possible comments, helpful suggestions during the Empower Hour on Monday 12/17.

Since 9/2018 I have transitioned my 2 3-yr-old male neutered cats from canned food and some cooked using Balance It Carnivoire Blend a pre mix of vitamins and minerals and their recipe of using boneless meats. They were both doing well, stools good. Teddy is allergic to rice so I can’t use rice and Timmy does not do well on veggies but can somewhat tolerate them.

In Sept I stopped the First Mate canned food and went to a new batch recipe that consisted of boneless meat, a cooked veggie, eggs or organ meat, pumpkin, and supplements of eggshell calcium, probiotic called Total Biotics, an enzyme called Total Zymes, and RX essential for cats vitamin mix. Followed the recipe and fed them 2 oz 2z a day of that recipe batch. Their stools became increasingly hard as rocks, and I added more pumpkin, pumpkin in recipe and pumpkin with each meal to no avail. I bought SOJOs raw turkey liver treats and salmon, and about 3x a week I gave them a raw treat and the rest of the days a finger size cooked chicken with broth. Just last week I felt their stools were so hard I needed something different so I began for morning feeding to add 1 tsp of Carna 4 non synthetic whole food kibble. Stools started to loosen up a bit and Teddy had a day of loose stool that resolved so I thought all was ok.

I really want to transition to raw so fri, sat and sun evening of last week I gave raw treats. During the night Timmy had diarrhea and was hungry but refused to eat Monday morning. Teddy was hungry and ate his breakfast. That night I thought if he doesn’t eat I will take to vet (they are seeing a homeopathic vet in March - soonest I could get them in) I tried a fourth of canned food which I did not want to do and he gobbled it up, still had diarrhea but at least he ate.

Monday I gave them both Mitomax probiotic instead of the one they have been taking since Sept. It was half a capsule. Tuesday early morning, Teddy throws a hairball about an inch of his hair. Tuesday morning, now Teddy has very watery diarrhea after eating his chicken and chicken hearts meal. Could the probiotic have caused his? Timmy ate canned food. Now Teddy wants the canned food too.

i took them both to the vet, Teddy, the highly energized one lost -1.0lbs since 9/19. He weighs 9.18. He usually weighs 9.98 and on canned food began to increase weight. That is when they did titers on them. His immune system is very strong as he was 15 on titer scale. Timmy who has also been about a pound heavier that Teddy was was -.74lbs since 9/19. His titers were lower at 2.5 but both have immunity as noted by titers.

Both are 5/9 for normal body and stools were checked noting negative for parasites.

The following was determined for their treatment:

Recommendations:

Today:

Diarrhea can be caused by a range of causes in cats - including dietary changes, foreign material, infection (parasite, bacterial), stress.

We will start with medication to help reduce inflammation in the intestinal tract and target possible bacterial imbalance.

We will perform fecal analysis on both of the stool samples provided to evaluate for intestinal parasites. If there is persistent concerns/diarrhea then we may consider additional fecal testing (direct smear, submission for diarrhea PCR panel).

Medications:
Metronidazole 250 mg 1/4 tab by mouth every 12 hours for 7 days
Maropitant 16 mg 1/4 tab by mouth every 24 hours for next 3-4 days as needed to control.

I have not had to give the Maropitant as their appetites are back as of Wednesday night. I feed 2 oz of supplemented chicken and a fourth of can First Mate canned food for calories and the fact they want it over the chicken right now. Their vet wanted me to give them what had worked good before the new recipe and their stools were pretty good on this combo.

Both exams noted normal and healthy cats. Except for the diarrhea!

In March or sooner I am taking them to Pumpkin Hill fundamental vet and will get their blood drawn to include thyroid panel.

I am at a loss I feel like I just went backwards 2 yrs in time because they were on First Mate for about 2 yrs and Balance It recipe with their Carnivoire Blend or Feline Blend when using a veggie was added. Now it’s more home cooked food with a topper of canned. The crockpot recipe using whole cooked food, the many veggies in there may not agree with my guys. Rice is out so it’s difficult to find what works and is nutritious.

Questions. When crockpot is used should a supplement be used?

Anyone have success with the diet found online called Raw feeding for IBD Cats. My guys don’t have that but they have sensitive stomachs. It consists of boneless meat, .5 of chicken heart, 5 oz of liver, eggshell ca, 3 eggs, Jarrow human grade Potent B vitamins, or Natural Factor B vit, 5 grams of taurine, 1/2 capsule of vit E, pinch of salt, 1 capsule of chelates manganese?

Again it is all meat and maybe this is why before the diarrhea their stools were hard as rocks. But now why the diarrhea? And both of them

Has anyone used a product by Thorne called Gastro Plex? A pinch on food is suppose to help GI symptoms.

lastly I just ordered Reishi mushroom powder and will wait until bowels are back to normal and then give my guys maybe 2 x a week mushroom powder in a broth base mixed in their food. Any comments are welcomed.

I know this is a lot of info but I am so disappointed that I had to start canned food again even as a topper. These guys play during the day and in the evening, but on cooked food they have lost a bit of weight and I am wondering why. Maybe because it is just protein and they only get 2 oz 2x a day? No other food except at 8 a very small whole food treat. Any suggestions there? Thank you!
 
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Dr. Christina

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I will answer this in several different posts.
First, if an animal is losing weight - feed more - regardless of what an "expert" (book, web, etc) says. Every animal is unique and some just need to eat a lot more. For now, I would feed whatever they will eat that does not give them diarrhea nor hard stools, even if it is canned food.

Second, I would suggest beginning now to work by phone with a veterinary homeopath. Many, including Dr. Jeff, will not make you wait until March. Many can start a new patient within two weeks. This will minimize the use of the drugs being given. Pumpkin Hill can still be used for diagnostic.

I would continue the Mitomax even though there was a hairball vomited after starting it. Several studies have shown that it is more effective than Metronidazole for IBD and diarrhea in general.

Once titers for Parvo and distemper are good, they never need to be done again, so these kitties are now set!

Dr. Chambreau
 

Dr. Jeff

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Hi JoAnn-

Questions. 1. When crockpot is used should a supplement be used?

2. Anyone have success with the diet found online called Raw feeding for IBD Cats. My guys don’t have that but they have sensitive stomachs. It consists of boneless meat, .5 of chicken heart, 5 oz of liver, eggshell ca, 3 eggs, Jarrow human grade Potent B vitamins, or Natural Factor B vit, 5 grams of taurine, 1/2 capsule of vit E, pinch of salt, 1 capsule of chelates manganese?

3. Again it is all meat and maybe this is why before the diarrhea their stools were hard as rocks. But now why the diarrhea? And both of them

4. Has anyone used a product by Thorne called Gastro Plex? A pinch on food is suppose to help GI symptoms.

5. lastly I just ordered Reishi mushroom powder and will wait until bowels are back to normal and then give my guys maybe 2 x a week mushroom powder in a broth base mixed in their food. Any comments are welcomed.

6. I know this is a lot of info but I am so disappointed that I had to start canned food again even as a topper. These guys play during the day and in the evening, but on cooked food they have lost a bit of weight and I am wondering why. Maybe because it is just protein and they only get 2 oz 2x a day? No other food except at 8 a very small whole food treat. Any suggestions there? Thank you![/QUOTE]


1. That depends on the variety of the diet. If you are using 1 specific recipe, then yes. You will definitely need a supplement like Alnutrin or another whole food (vs. artificial) supplement.

2. This sounds like a great recipe to incorporate with your diet variety.

3. The diarrheas depend on microbial balance in the guts and individual sensitivity to food ingredients and the variety of the diet.

When put into context, e.g. exactly when and what are the stools like, how about BEAM and other symptoms, prior treatments, etc. loose stools, like any symptom, can be awesome clue to the internal balance and what to do.

The key is detailed description of the symptom. Use your Kent's repertory to see the many specific ways to describe diarrhea (which is a general term).

4. The Gastriplex ingredients:
Active Ingredients Per Capsule:

N-Acetyl-D-Glucosamine 125 mg.

L-Glutamine 100 mg.

Slippery Elm (bark) (Ulmus rubra) 100 mg.

Deglycyrrhizinated Licorice (DGL) (root) (Glycyrrhiza spp.) 25 mg.

Bacillus coagulans* 25 mg.

Quercetin Phytosome (Sophora japonica concentrate (leaf) / Phospholipid complex from Sunflower) 25 mg.

Saccharomyces boulardii 25 mg.

Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5) 12.5 mg.

Folic Acid 50 mcg.

all look great and useful.

5. Reishi alone is fine, but when it runs out you may want to consider a blend like Vitality Blend or the one that @mhassine uses (she'll be writing more about it in other posts).

6. I agree with Dr. Christina. If there is weight loss, try increasing the quantity when the diarrhea resolves. Variety will also help here.

This is another good symptom (weight loss despite eating well) that your vet homeopath can use.

Be well JoAnn.
 
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JoannC

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1. That depends on the variety of the diet. If you are using 1 specific recipe, then yes. You will definitely need a supplement like Alnutrin or another whole food (vs. artificial) supplement.

2. This sounds like a great recipe to incorporate with your diet variety.

3. The diarrheas depend on microbial balance in the guts and individual sensitivity to food ingredients and the variety of the diet.

When put into context, e.g. exactly when and what are the stools like, how about BEAM and other symptoms, prior treatments, etc. loose stools, like any symptom, can be awesome clue to the internal balance and what to do.

The key is detailed description of the symptom. Use your Kent's repertory to see the many specific ways to describe diarrhea (which is a general term).

4. The Gastriplex ingredients:
Active Ingredients Per Capsule:

N-Acetyl-D-Glucosamine 125 mg.

L-Glutamine 100 mg.

Slippery Elm (bark) (Ulmus rubra) 100 mg.

Deglycyrrhizinated Licorice (DGL) (root) (Glycyrrhiza spp.) 25 mg.

Bacillus coagulans* 25 mg.

Quercetin Phytosome (Sophora japonica concentrate (leaf) / Phospholipid complex from Sunflower) 25 mg.

Saccharomyces boulardii 25 mg.

Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5) 12.5 mg.

Folic Acid 50 mcg.

all look great and useful.

5. Reishi alone is fine, but when it runs out you may want to consider a blend like Vitality Blend or the one that @mhassine uses (she'll be writing more about it in other posts).

6. I agree with Dr. Christina. If there is weight loss, try increasing the quantity when the diarrhea resolves. Variety will also help here.

This is another good symptom (weight loss despite eating well) that your vet homeopath can use.

Be well JoAnn.
Thanks Dr Jeff, for all the helpful comments. Timmy is back to normal but Teddy has another run of diarrhea so I am keeping him on cooked chicken with premix Carnivoire Blend and I think the carbs in First Mate canned 18% mostly whit potatoes was making Teddy throw hair balls too. I gave him some broth from baked chicken and that there him into another diarrhea episode. Right now this is day 2 of slippery elm treatment I mix powder and water boil and have a mixture. Give 2-3 half tsp a day. It’s beginning to settle his stomach. He is eating the chicken and I know it’s wrong but RAWZ turkey and liver pate he loves so I am putting a tsp on top of that and working that canned food into meal- very slowly.....

Should I try next goats mild made by Answers or the Gastroplex sprinkled on food? This is a symptom of a internal issue, his energy is returning slowly but I know he is off. I question the daily chicken but every time I try a new meat he has diarrhea.

I have put both kitties complete charts together and a recurring theme is diarrhea from time to time mostly food related and in 2016 a trace amtof round worms found in Teddy stool. They were aggressively treated first with proventyl, then 2 doses ofPo Drontal. But as kittens 8 wks old Teddy was only about 2 lbs. At 15 wks they had fecal float no bugs or parasites found? But Teddy’s BEAM is off. I can’t help but wonder about hyperthyroid, as he is so vocal and nervous a lot, he won’t let me out of his sight either.

So.....once blood is drawn in March, as they go to Pumpkin Hill then because their 2 vets won’t let me be in the room while they take blood, nohome visits either I asked around and they are both traumatized by the titer draw in nov. Thecoughing I will admit with Teddy has stopped and can’t help but wonder if he was toxic from annual rabie vaccine.

I do not want to bring him to vet because she will try another med and I am hoping to avoid this.[/QUOTE]
Teddy’s stool are a brown thick muscous stretchy substance that may have at times some hair in it. This morning he was half formed and half thick liquid mucous that can be stretched out if that makes sense. I will continue with slippery elm unless you think I can use something else.
 

Dr. Jeff

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Happy (almost) New Year's Joann.

1. You can use both the Answer's fermented goat milk as well as the Gastriplex.

First try one at a time though so you can differentiate the response to one vs. the other.

Answer's also makes an awesome fermented raw food that you might want to introduce as part of the diet variety.

2. Regarding not wanting to go to the vet because they will put him on another drug, I can only partially agree.

A vet visit, exam and running any indicated diagnostics test results are great ways to uncover other internal symptoms and get the vet's view of the situation.

It is totally up to you how you proceed therapeutically.

You don't need to try any drugs.

A vet visit is to gather HMDM Step 2 research information from a reliable source.

Even this is only one piece of the picture.

What you do in HMDM Step 3 is best determined by holistically interpreting all of the info.

If your vet is not truly holistic, we'll be happy to help you put all of the disparate info about your kitties into context.

Perfect timing for your questions!

We can also address them further during the Diarrhea and Dysbiosis Empower Hours! that start 1/14.

Dr. Jeff
 

JoannC

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Happy (almost) New Year's Joann.

1. You can use both the Answer's fermented goat milk as well as the Gastriplex.

First try one at a time though so you can differentiate the response to one vs. the other.

Answer's also makes an awesome fermented raw food that you might want to introduce as part of the diet variety.

2. Regarding not wanting to go to the vet because they will put him on another drug, I can only partially agree.

A vet visit, exam and running any indicated diagnostics test results are great ways to uncover other internal symptoms and get the vet's view of the situation.

It is totally up to you how you proceed therapeutically.

You don't need to try any drugs.

A vet visit is to gather HMDM Step 2 research information from a reliable source.

Even this is only one piece of the picture.

What you do in HMDM Step 3 is best determined by holistically interpreting all of the info.

If your vet is not truly holistic, we'll be happy to help you put all of the disparate info about your kitties into context.

Perfect timing for your questions!

We can also address them further during the Diarrhea and Dysbiosis Empower Hours! that start 1/14.

Dr. Jeff
Thank you Dr Jeff. And a Happy New Year to you, I am very close to offering some raw but am afraid if he is still having loose stools. I am going to look for a vet this week who will draw blood in my presence and not take them in the back. They are so paranoid when Timmy had titers done, the vet tech wanted to give him gabapentin first send us home and come back in a few hrs, and calm him down to draw blood. I begged her to just try with me holding him and it was a success. I think that traumatized both. I heart Teddy scream and it was from his neck. He was traumatized too. Right now, They play and no throwing up with Teddy, so if they both eat I want to hydrate them before blood draw.

I am looking very forward to 1/14 empower hr, I believe Teddy is in dysbiosis so if I feed raw I am afraid he will really get sick. I did a timeline of their medical record and saw that they have had a rough start of it since 8 wks old. With 3 consistent yrs of rabies, vaccine, this yr no vaccine and Teddy’s cough disappeared? the types of canned food and bouts of diarrhea each yr are clues that maybe despite negative stools as I bring in a specimen 2x a yr, that one test result in 2017 noted MN FL for round worm despite receiving revolution which was suppose to kill parasites but I found out it does not. I then switched them to multi advantage in 2017, it all has so much to do with their internal upset. Plus Teddy watches me wherever I go and has to be with me. So, piece by piece, right now slippery elm is helping but may I ask what would you try next the gastroplex and how much or the Answer goat millk and how often. If goats milk can he also stay on his probiotic. Thank you!
 

Dr. Jeff

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You're welcome JoAnn.

Dr. Jeff
 

JoannC

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I contacted Thorne company and ordered VET Gastroplex. I understand it is 2 fold: it combines amino acids and botanicals that provide mucosal support and gut integrity and it combines probiotics and other nutrients that support GI tract inflammatory tract. Timmy is back to normal but Teddy has throw up hairballs 2 nights in a row. He eats good and plays but his stool is now some formed and some loose, thick rubbery brown with bits of undigested chicken in it? Towards the end of the movement it was size of quarter puddle of stool. I have been giving slippery elm for 5 days now. Thorne gave me 2 other products to consider to help one was Sacro-B a yeast that mitigates occasional diarrhea and supports the growth of beneficial gut flora and Bacillus CoagulansVET. A unique and stable probiotic organism that promotes GI health.

Question: Of the 3 what would help Teddy most get loose stool under control and should I stop the current probiotic when taking any one of these.

Both kitties have a heightened reaction to any noise and I was trying to motivate Teddy so I put a harness on him and he walked outside for about 5 minutes. It was very cold out Rochester weather but it did perk him up. I hope I did not cause more stress because they are both strictly indoors but he wants to go out.

Before I changed their diet in sept they were fine stool wise....I just don’t understand what is happening, why the loose stools and hairballs. Any guidance would be appreciated. The eat cooked chicken thigh and Carnoivere blend with about 2 tsp of RAWZ canned turkey pate. Things are stabilizing Slowly......but Teddy is not back to himself his BEAM is definitely off and I don’t know why.
 

Dr. Jeff

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Hi JoAnn-

Teddy's loose stools after the vitality upgrade to his diet (to some fresh from processed food) is actually a good sign!

Now you are seeing his true state of internal balance which will help you improve it.

In what way is his BEAM off?

Improving his internal equilibrium (balance) will help prevent future problems. Curing this imbalance is awesome proactive prevention.

That being said, the best soothing (not curative) product I've found is the Good Form BM (now called Dia-Assist) from Natural Pet Rx.

Has Teddy always eaten chicken?

Great news about the outside walk on a harness.

Breathing fresh (even though frigid) air and being in the sun will be additional boosts to his healing ability and should indeed help de-sensitize his noise phobias.

Dr. Jeff
 

JoannC

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Today Teddy had a formed stool! Finally after being on slippery elm mixture 2x a day. Yes, Dr Jeff, both kitties have had different cooked proteins like chicken thigh a few weeks, then grass fed venison, then grass fed lamb all with the Carnivoire Blend mixture and even some zucchini added in. Since the first episode of diarrhea which occurred 12/6, then the round of antiobiotics, then Timmy ok but Teddy a second bout they have only had chicken cooked thighs. I am wondering if the fat content in the pan cooked with all the juices from the meat and 4 oz of heart was too much or the raw freeze dried treats but I don’t dare try another protein? Right now they both are eating 1/4 of RAWZ turkey liver pate, and 2 oz of Carnivoire Blend powder on baked chicken thigh.

I have noticed Teddy licking and past 2 days no hairballs but he has started his hacking cough again????

Once they are stabilized a bit more I am going to get some blood work on them and check thyroid. I feel like chicken is the only meat right now and am PETRIFIED to give them raw they never have had that but I wonder how Teddy would do. I am noticing that Timmy’s energy is increasing on the total zymes and I stopped the zymes on Teddy and that is when the diarrhea stopped to? Could he not be able to tolerate enzymes?

I will keep the above product you mentioned in case he has another episode. They have had great stools for the past 2 yrs until I made this switch to full cooked meat but one thing I have noticed that with an increase of cooked meat the stools got dryer and dryer and harder, that resulted in me putting more pumpkin in the receipe and adding pumpkin, I could not believe how much pumpkin I was giving, then switched to coconut oil, that messed Timmy up so I feel any way I turn it’s not a good move.

Do you think I am causing more stress for Teddy by walking him in the backyard on a harness. He acts like he was borne in it. Timmy on the other hand does not like the outside or the harness.

I know baby steps but their food and what to feed them is driving me crazy! Since I have had them it has always been a limited ingredient and mostly chicken or turkey pate, alternating that with a sprinkle of dry non synthetic food called Carna 4. Now all I seem to be able to feed them is chicken but last week introduced RAWZ turkey and they are stable on this. Again thank you for your insights into my kitties, I just
can’t seem to get them on a healthy diet!

To try to build up Teddy microbiome would you recommend Good form BM or Gastroplex? Thank you.
 
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Dr. Christina

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Today Teddy had a formed stool!
I know this makes you happy. Remember to focus more on BEAM and EWS rather than one formed stool.


Finally after being on slippery elm mixture 2x a day. Slippery elm is fine, but I always suggest Marshmallow root powder to be tried first as it is a more sustainable product and a little more gentle on the intestines according to Greg Tilford (Herbs for Pets).

I have noticed Teddy licking and past 2 days no hairballs but he has started his hacking cough again????
Again, take everything in context and allow the body to express its imbalance with symptoms. As long as they are not affecting the BEAM, you are in good shape.

Once they are stabilized a bit more I am going to get some blood work on them and check thyroid.
Do you have pet insurance? All cover the blood work and some even cover homeopathic or TCVM treatment.

I feel like chicken is the only meat right now and am PETRIFIED to give them raw they never have had that
I would definitely try raw. There is no need to be fearful as you have already seen diarrhea so if it causes diarrhea you can add some slippery elm or marshmallow root, and this may be even better for them. Worth a try.

I am noticing that Timmy’s energy is increasing on the total zymes Excellent to observe the energy, so for sure keep Timmy on the zymes.

and I stopped the zymes on Teddy and that is when the diarrhea stopped to? Could he not be able to tolerate enzymes? I have never seen enzymes cause diarrhea.

They have had great stools for the past 2 yrs until I made this switch to full cooked meat
While we have been trained to look for a "cause" of a problem, remember that cooked meat would only be a trigger, not a cause. The cause is an internal imbalance that can best be corrected by energetic treatments.

but one thing I have noticed that with an increase of cooked meat the stools got dryer and dryer and harder,
As long as a cat or dog is not having any difficulty passing stools (straining, crying out, etc) it is normal and fine to have very tiny, hard, dry stools. There is no need to add pumpkin unless there is straining. When fresh food is fed, most of volume you feed is absorbed into the body, so there is very little left to be passed out of the body as waste - a good thing!

Do you think I am causing more stress for Teddy by walking him in the backyard on a harness. He acts like he was borne in it.
Again, focus on BEAM - Teddy loves it and one health essential is mental and physical stimulation, so you are providing a very good thing for him.

Timmy on the other hand does not like the outside or the harness.
Perfect example of every individual having different needs. You can have fun finding out what kind of exercise Timmy would love indoors. I remember visiting Anitra Frazier (author of The Natural Cat) in her NY apartment. One of her cats loved to "surf" the floors in a small box. Another loved chasing the laser or a feather toy.

I know baby steps but their food and what to feed them is driving me crazy!
Feeding can drive you crazy, but only if you allow it to. My cat, Ed (only 14 years old), has some chronic upper respiratory and renal disease. He is being very picky. I do not worry about this. I do not allow myself to be crazy. I try new foods and treats (thanks to all the members who post new foods in this forum), pay attention to his BEAM and continue to look for the best treatments for his energy field. He is on HIS journey of health, and I can best support him by not allowing myself to be stressed.

Be happy, don't worry, as that wonderful song says!! Timmy and Teddy know they are loved and that you are doing your best,
Dr. Chambreau
 

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Dr. Chambreau, thank you, and again thank you!!!!! Their BEAM is good and Teddy does have EWS in the GI and skin. I will definitely get some marshmallow root and also the suggested book!

Today in the sunshine I noticed Teddy skin was dry and some small specks of flakes just like he had about 2 yrs ago. I wonder if he still has parasites even though he had a proventyl treatment and 2 Drontal treatments when trace for roundworms was found on a stool test. I submit 2 a yr and they are meg but I wonder?

I bought Answers turkey raw and it is in the freezer right now. I am just trying to work up the courage but maybe I just need to try it and see what happens. I will have some marshmallow root on hand. Is there a formula to making it or is it a powder. Thank you again, I am so thankful for belonging to this community as it has helped me a lot to understand the journey....

Answers only makes turkey and chicken and my thought even before I start is how about variety when it comes to raw? Again, I need to just take one day at a time, so thankful for your help!
 

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For next week Empower Hour I would like to know how much psyllium powder to use for hard dry stools. Both Teddy and Timmy are on 2x a day, 2 ounces of cooked chicken thigh with Carnivoire Blend added to it, and I add one fourth of canned RAWZ. I am using cooked grass fed lamb as a treat right now but that is the next protein to rotate using Carnivoire Blend. The stools for both of them are back to being very hard and thin and so before I begin raw, and I will first try Answers turkey, I wanted to know a homeopathic remedy for constipation with high protein meals. Their BEAM is good, Teddy skin and newly developed some dry skin I attribute that to the canned food as he had none when on 100% cooked food. Pumpkin is not an option because I was using so much of it before and no luck. Also both get enzymes and 3 x a week omega 3 fish oil and a probiotic, old one I am holding the mitomax, it’s very powerful.

I realize these are symptoms, and Teddy has GI symptoms and skin symptoms, Timmy just GI, right now it’s hard rating thin sized stools. Just the opposite from only a few weeks ago. Teddy is also licking more than Timmy so I want to try to transfer from the fourth can to raw and see what happens. They are getting blood drawn next Wednesday and that should tell more. The throwing up of hairballs has stopped but when protein content is high their stools are hard. They don’t like veggies either and I am pure wing zucchini and mix a little in their food a few times a week...

So for next empower hour maybe talk about remedies for hard stools and remedies if dysbosis is caused by roundworms undetected. Thank you.
 

Dr. Christina

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I may have lost this answer in these emails about the hard stools.

hard stools are not a problem unless there is straining or pain. do either Timmy or Teddy have that?

If just hard, small stools there is no need for pumpkin or other issues.

In terms of homeopathic medicines, they need to fit the entire individual, not just hard stools.

Your homeopath will have a lot of great notes with which to work - keep it up!

Dr. Christina
 

JoannC

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I may have lost this answer in these emails about the hard stools.

hard stools are not a problem unless there is straining or pain. do either Timmy or Teddy have that?

If just hard, small stools there is no need for pumpkin or other issues.

In terms of homeopathic medicines, they need to fit the entire individual, not just hard stools.

Your homeopath will have a lot of great notes with which to work - keep it up!

Dr. Christina
 

JoannC

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No straining from what I can tell, Teddy had some straining about 3 months ago and was straining but that was only once and I had to walk him to the litter boxNd coax him to go which he did I, if you can believe at. Sometimes there is a meow before going. Thank you Dr Christina, yes, after the blood work on next Wednesday then I will look for a homeopathic Dr, either Dr Morgan or Dr Levy. Teddy’s coat is showing signs of dryness and some flaking of skin, he has done this before, not sure why but this started with the canned food. After blood work I will try Answers raw turkey as a treat and see how they handle it. See you on Monday, and again, thank you.
 

Dr. Christina

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Then as long as there is no straining, Joann, the hard stools are perfectly normal.

Dr. Morgan? Is that Dr. Judy Morgan? She is holistic, but not homeopathic.

Do you remember what was happening (context) when Teddy had flaking before? And what you changed that helped?

Dr. Christina
 

JoannC

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Then as long as there is no straining, Joann, the hard stools are perfectly normal.

Dr. Morgan? Is that Dr. Judy Morgan? She is holistic, but not homeopathic.

Do you remember what was happening (context) when Teddy had flaking before? And what you changed that helped?

Dr. Christina
Yes, Teddy after a few months of on canned cat food, first Mate we noted he was trace with round worms. The vet even did a skin scrape and did not find anything? I started on Just Food for Dogs fish oil, used a humidifier to put moisture in the air and gave Just Food for Dogs probiotic. His coat got better and t after a few o this on that oil, is when the stool showed minimal trace for roundworms. However his coughing has stopped completely since I have not vaccinated for his 3rd rabies vaccine that was annual.
 

Dr. Christina

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Then, if it does not hurt his digestive tract, try that fish oil, and their probiotic.,

Introduce one at a time.

Dr. Christina
 

JoannC

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Module III case to look at did cut and paste from email per your request.
Thank you again for wanting to present Teddy’s poop situation.

I have tried to be brief and will list symptoms as succinctly as possible. His stools have returned to “his palliative norm” for right now but I will send a pic once he delivers.

Teddy is 3 yrs 8 months and will be 4 in May. He had a very rough start in life when I got him in 2015 he had unstoppable diarrhea, so did his brother Timmy. SEP 2015 he received pyrontal liquid and then 2 wks later Drontal, plus an antibiotic Metrozidalefor 7 days. Both were placed on EN Gastrointestional food dry and canned with rice and stools were large and formed. Then after a few months Teddy threw up what looks like a lot of white rice. Vet checks contents and said it was not worms but total digested white rice in the food. So he was placed as a kitten on a canned Purina diabetic food called DM.

I was so angry yet did not know better and starts my journey trying and researching catinfo.org reading all I could and got into protein, fat and carb counts calorie counts and Teddy started his next journey slowly very slowly trying new food. In 2016, I started with Weuvera paw licked chicken he loved
but got diarrhea and the vet sad too high in protein to rich-for him and Timmy too, next and this was all a month transitioning for new canned food because they do not do well with quick transitioning, I tried Wellness core, and it was a palliative move. Stools were big, stinky but no diarrhea.

During all this Teddy received core vaccines and then annual rabies by purvax. All during this he had symptoms of a hacking cough and would crouch down like he wanted to throw a hairball but could not. He starting this hacking couch after he was neutered and continued this cough until 2018 late in the yr. This is the year he had titers thanks to you and Dr Christina! Titers were 15.

Back to canned food journey, it was wellness core, chicken pate or turkey pate, but then Teddy turned his nose at it. So I tried Hound and Gatos, another palliative move to make him eat, and on this diet stools were less smelly and more firm. Palatine again. But then he stopped eating this food and I tried Feline Naturals venison and he really picked up energy. All during this time he was highly active in the evening, meowing and wanting attention. All during the different foods I had stools tested every 4 months all negative for parasites. Teddy was on monthly revolution. His skin at one point had dandruff and I had a skin scrape and it was negative, vet said I brushed them too much? I started just food for dogs probiotic and fish oil and coats became lustrous and shines, hope that was curative?

They have stay on this probiotic and fish oil but in April 2016 stool test showed trace for round worms. So both had proventyl oil on back of neck and 2 doses of drontal vet said Revolution was not for round worms and he was start d on multi advantage which he has received since then up to nov 2018. During winter I do not put flea med on as they are indoor cats, although now that is changing because Teddy BEAM has picked up since I have taken him out for a short walk on a leash.

During 2016, sometimes Teddy’s stools after he went were soft, but formed and at the end of his movement was a mucous gel, clear and brown tinged that I had to wipe off. Hacking coughs during 2016 and 2017, and he tried to chew wood on table top which I had to cover with tape? He was highly anxious and energenic during these years more so than Timmy, chasing a favorite toy, etc. always jumping and chasing things.

I started him on a single Ingredient canned food, First Mate in nov of 2016 because he was turning his nose on Hound and Gato. Stools were formed and big, l as stinky but low crouching to floor and hacking cough at no specific time of day just occurred and continued.
2017 I researched Balance It recipe and starts both on cooked chicken, or lamb, or veal all organic and grass fed when possible. Teddy seemed even more hyper when eating veal? I used 10% to a full can aday of first Mate chicken or again turkey pate. Stools got smaller and less stinky, but sometimes Teddy had a stool that was soft and I could open it and it looked brown and rubbery. Not all the time.

In sept 2018 I used a pet health coach cooked recipe. Teddy seemed to do well on this and so I fed this recipe 100% no canned. His stools got very hard, so hard they felt like hard rocks. I tried to lesson the eggshell calcium, and added enzymes, still very hard. He overdosed on pumpkin, in the recipe and adding extra to his 2oz meat meal 2x a day, to no avail. He would cry and try to strain to go. I gave miralax and that helped. Stools returned to somewhat “normal”. I also added a pinch of extra taurine to this recipe.

I was feeding health coachrecipe for a few weeks which always had cooked liver or chicken hearts in it or eggs. Then switched to Balance It diet for strictly meat and premium x of synthetic vitamin/ minerals. Again a palliative move because I tried to add some variety which he does not do well with because I never could do that based on his history, always a rotate of chicken or turkey canned, and I gave raw treats SOJOs turkey liver, also gave cooked chicken hearts pieces only a fingertip size. On 12/14, after the days of new treats and rich receipe of hearts and meat, both had a plosives diarrhea, going 3-4 times, watery brown squirting size of quarter each time. Teddy had mixed rubbery bands in with the watery stool that gave a stretch to it.

I had Mitomax and gave one half capsule each hoping that would help and it made things worse ( I am sure it is a good probiotic, I did not know or understand why more diarrhea that it could cause, now I know) but I did try it again and same result for Teddy, diarrhea (1episode) so I stopped it. That is when I panicked and brought them into the vet. And yes another 7 day round of Metrozide.

Stools got better, palliative move but Teddy had thrown up 2 hairballs lots of hair and sometimes green mixed in some clear. After a week and a half Teddy started in with liquid rubbery stretching stinky stools 1 , but I think was because I was trying to feed him canned again, first Mate, he turned his head on cooked chicken and was hiding under bed which he never does. I had Dr Pitcairn book and made a slippery elm mixture and gave him a half to full tsp to help stop his loose stools, unformed very smelly and at times rubbery and stretchy. After 4 days his stools returned to being formed, but they are thin and very dark brown with some lighter brown? I will try to get a pic today if he goes and I know it’s his.

During the month of dec I was so desperate for him to gain wt because the vet said he was slightly dehydrated and lost weight I began a tsp at each meal RAWZ canned food turkey/ turkey liver, stopped probiotic, continued cooked meat 2oz using Balance It recipe, and on fourth an ounce of Answers raw goat milk. Stools a few days ago were soft and I think it was because I tried to give a full ounce of raw goat milk so I backed down to one fourth and stools are ok, formed, no smell, hair inside. Past 2 weeks hairball vomiting stopped but one episode of that hacking cough with head low to ground, when I gave a bit more canned food. I gave Tomelson hairball medicine and it stopped.

His BEAM has changed, he use to be highly overly energenic a lot of meowing and walking around, in evening, now he has calmed down a bit, will chase his mouse wand during our play time but only for 15 minutes, he loses energy or gets bored. Timmy is now the active one. He does crouch on rug like smelling things lately too? Something he use to do in 2016. But he is definitely more laid back after dec episode of all this diarrhea????H seems to want to watch his brother more than engage, almost like a reversal of roles between them????

Right now stools are formed, but I believe this is palliative right now on cooked chicken thigh or breast meat only with synthetic premix of Balance It receipe, plus 1/4 oz raw goat milk 2x a day, Nordic Natural fish oil 3x a week, enzymes at mealtime. He is up in wt from12/12 at 9.18 to 1/16 9.44 lbs so he is slowly regaining wt but diet is a problem. I am starting to use some of the veggies I eat and purée them and add to their meal maybe a few times a week. It is slow but I believe it is a way to introduce variety. Diarrhea occurs if I move too fast or it’s too rich for them? I would like to learn some remedies, like the one in module II when Molly ate too much butter. That remedy I have never heard of but I will research it and how much to give.
 

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