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In dogs, most hypothyroidism is due to autoimmune destruction of the thyroid. Adding iodine might help the remaining tissue function better, at least for a while. Definitely worth a try! For sure, no vaccines in the future, since that is what creates the autoantibodies that destroy the thyroid...

Sodium is a vital and necessary nutrient, so eliminating it is not possible. Adding potassium-rich foods is fine, but do not add potassium supplements. The body balances sodium and potassium very carefully, and it's not wise to interfere too much. It's possible (though unlikely since this is...

Little red dots could be lice not fleas (black) or ticks (brown), but lice are pretty unusual on a cat, and they would be on all the in-contact animals. Scabies are EXTREMELY itchy and not only would all the cats have them but they are also highly transmissible to humans so the caretaker would...

Oh okay, thought this cat was coming to *your* porch and you could handle him! Let's back up a bit... why does he think the cat has worms... is he seeing tapeworm segments, or is it just because the cat is thin?

If he lets you handle him like that, he is not feral, just stray or unowned. He does look like quite a sweetheart! As Dr. Jeff says, it depends on what kind of worms. Hopefully you have a local vet to work with to run a fecal and provide the correct dewormer. For fleas, here is my protocol...

Give the taurine regardless, it works at a cellular level to improve neural function, but it will not itself stop seizures. Just work with your vet as you are doing, to reduce the dosage. Hopefully there's a happy medium between too sedated and return of seizures. There are other options for...

Darwin's is back in the news again after several lots of its raw food tested positive for Salmonella, and one for both Salmonella and Listeria. Here is FDA's notice and Darwin's response. Darwin's is, as ever, unapologetic and insists its food is safe for pets. While no pet illness has been...

Just want us not to lose sight of the fact that phenobarb really annoys the liver, hence the liver values are off, and it can also cause severe lipidemia and high cholesterol, not to mention all the wobbly, confused, dopey behavior. Aspen's sodium and potassium are perfectly normal; curious...

You can usually call the vet and request to add on tests (like free T4) within 7 days of the original test, most labs hold on to the samples that long. Might be a good idea. Shouldn't cost too much.

Since it sounds like her activity and attitude are good, let's give her appetite time to settle. My big adult cats only ate 4 oz of raw homemade a day, at 68 g that's 2 oz, probably plenty for a kitten. If she had been constipated her tummy may just not be that anxious to load up again (though...

Go for the vaseline now. Coconut won't help with constipation, it is digested and absorbed in the small intestine and does nothing for the colon. Can you gently palpate her belly to see if you feel hard stool in there? You could even do a little *very* gentle massage... I think there is a video...

I'd suggest plain taurine unless she is on the CV formula for an actual heart issue. Hawthorn is a powerful herb, not for everyday use. 1000 mg/day of taurine (Jarrow is a good brand) isn't too much, though I'd split it up 500 mg am and pm. You can get it in capsules and add to food, it has a...

Hi Linda! Jumping in a little late here, but I had a couple of thoughts. First, her previous bloodwork showed anemia, was that addressed? Maybe emphasize the beef in her diet and supplement with some raw organic liver to keep her blood healthy. (That food looks fine!) Here is my article on...

Hi Joanne! The nutritional yeast is fine to continue using. You can't overdo the B vitamins as they are water soluble. The only problem I've ever seen with it is the potential to develop an allergy, but that is very rare. (It happened with my own dog so I'm a little keyed to it!) Are you...

More frequent fluids may be of great benefit. Many people give fluids daily to manage the condition and symptoms, especially appetite.

Hi, welcome! Learning to give fluids at home is the single best thing you can do for a cat with CKD. It will wash the toxins out, improve her hydration, and make her feel much much better! Here's my article on CKD, probably you know most of it but there may be a nugget or two that will be...

Hi, here is an article about seizures in cats--many of the supplement suggestions (some of which Dr. Jeff mentioned) also work for dogs. Double-yes on the ketogenic diet, which can stop severe refractory seizures in children. Very low/zero carb is necessary in dogs, and it may take a few...

Just to be super-safe, call the maker and ask them exactly what is in the "plant food?" claimed on the label. Presumably it's just the things listed (limestone [calcim carbonate], mycorrhizae, yucca), which would be fine, but make sure there's no added nitrogen, phosphorus, or other minerals.

A 10-lb cat should get 80-100 mg of taurine per day, but a kitten can get the full amount with no harm, taurine is totally safe and can't be overdosed.

2000mg is a huge amount of salmon oil, equivalent to 6 capsules of Moxxor, so it makes sense. Man that must be some concentrated stuff!! Whew!