prescription food for bladder problems

[JBalways2000]

hi everyone,

you may remember my thread a few months ago about Raven, he had to go into the vets a couple of times for problems with struvite crystals. here is the thread i made about him:

http://www.catsey.com/showthread.php?t=27440

well since then he has been on hills S/D food. initially our vet said not to keep him on it any longer then 5 weeks and then to try and get a urine sample. of course 5 weeks passed without us realising and no reminder from the vets. when i did remember i rang the vets about it and asked if i should switch him to c/d as he'd already been on it longer then the vet said. the vet said he will be fine on it a while longer but that he really wants a sample.

we bought two sample kits from vetsuk which is basically non absorbant litter and a test tube to collect the urine in but so far we havent had any luck getting a sample. he goes the toilet during the night and even when we stayed up late with him he refused to go in anything but his usual litter(even tried to go on the floor when he couldnt find it rather then use the other one!)

so basically he has been on s/d for far longer then the recommended time. my feeling is that a urine sample at this time is pointless. he has been problem free since being on this food so i dont see what a urine sample would show other then that. surely it would be better to change the food and THEN get a sample.

i really hate this prescription food, Raven has put on around a 1KG in weight, it is full of crap ingredients in my opinion and i just want him off it all together. unfortunately it isnt my usual good vet that is dealing with Raven but another vet at the practice that seems to care more about making the practice more money so not sure i would trust his advice. i did buy something called uro pet ( http://www.vetuk.co.uk/index.php?mai...oducts_id=1106 ) which seems to do basically the same as the over priced prescription food, only it would mean i could get him back on his decent food along with it. im afraid to mention it to this vet though because if i didnt buy it from them then it cant possibly be good anyone used this?

the point of my thread was to ask if anyone else has been in the same situation i have and what they done? were they required to get a urine sample before swapping food?

im a bit frustrated at the moment because im right at the end of yet another bag of s/d and really dont want to buy another as it will be a waste of money. it even says on the bag not to give for longer then 12 weeks

any advice?

[kado]

Simon has the same problem, guinness has cystitas. They went on the wet food which i found expensive and at 85g less than a normal pouch. I got a bad batch where two boxes where blown got them changed and they didnt like them after that. I asked the vet if they had an dry alternative to the s/d and they suggested c/d i dint have too get a wee sample at all. Guinness loves it but eats too much off it. You have to give there target weight not there actual weight in food per day spilt between 2 meals. I phoned the Hills science and they where very helpful. You could phone them and see what they say about keeping you cat on it for longer. I changed for one bag when i run out and guinness bladder played up he is now on cystease at the moment. I personaly wouldnt change but ask for another oppion or see another vet practice.

jane

[JBalways2000]

Thanks for the reply. i actually managed to get a urine sample from Raven friday evening(my partner held a spare animal food dish under him while he went ) but when we brought it up on saturday they said it was no good as they only send them to the lab monday to friday so we managed to get another one the same way this morning and it is being sent off to the lab tomorrow morning. should have the results by the end of the week.

we are completely out of s/d food now though so hes starting c/d food tonight. it wont hurt him to be one it for a couple of days while we are waiting for results and i honestly think the vet will tell us to start him on it again anyway so makes no difference. shall update when i know more though!

the only problem with the c/d food though is that he doesnt like it can see him refusing to eat it tonight bless him. when i speak to the vet about the results im going to ask him if he can go back on his normal diet with us giving the uro pet with it. shall see what he says.