The biggest difference between a prescription diet and any other food is that most pet foods are “variable formula,” which means that legally the manufacturer can change any ingredient for up to six months without changing the label. With a prescription food, you know you are getting exactly what is says.
JT likes cajun soup and queso.
Also, at the time of ear droop he was not on ear meds.
About a year after the full on ear droop is when crappers hit the fan with his ear infections.
[QUOTE=Simkie;7939938]
I’d really like to like NV Instinct, but it just has So. Much. other stuff in it. Even the raw. Apples, butternut squash, broccoli? In a cat food??? WHY? 
:no:
Tough to sign on for that, especially for an allergy cat, especially for the cost.[/QUOTE]
I agree. I do prey model myself, but a lot of people don’t want to do that. I think all of the pre-made raw foods have vegetables and fruits in them, as do canned foods and dry, but I think the packaged raw is better.
[QUOTE=Jhein12;7941865]
I agree. I do prey model myself, but a lot of people don’t want to do that. I think all of the pre-made raw foods have vegetables and fruits in them, as do canned foods and dry, but I think the packaged raw is better.[/QUOTE]
All? Nope.
For canned:
EVO 95%
Wild Calling 96%
Hound and Gatos
By Nature (Not perfect–has some alfalfa, of all things)
Nutro Natural Choice even has some cans without fruits/veggies
Oh, and some Fancy Feast, right? All by products, but you can find without any grains or fruits and vegetables.
I know there are raws out there that don’t, but I haven’t paid a whole lot of attention, as cans are just so much easier for me.
Have no idea about dry food, but I’m sure you’re right on that front…has to have some sort of binder.
When you said “exotic cat”, I thought you had a Zot. I was surprised to see he is really a Selkirk! Cool cat!
My British Shorthair has periods of itchy ears. I suspect seasonal allergies over food based in his case. I don’t have much to offer in way of advice, but my cats do well on EVO 95. You can get a case of the large cans for $25 off Amazon. It really is reasonably priced for a quality wet food. Several of my cat showing friends feed it as well.
This stuff has worked wonders for cat/dog skin conditions. It’s not cheap, but it’s worth a try.
[QUOTE=Puglet;7943502]
My British Shorthair has periods of itchy ears. I suspect seasonal allergies over food based in his case. I don’t have much to offer in way of advice, but my cats do well on EVO 95. You can get a case of the large cans for $25 off Amazon. It really is reasonably priced for a quality wet food. Several of my cat showing friends feed it as well.[/QUOTE]
I really, really loved EVO until Natura Pet sold to Proctor and Gamble. I thought the food really changed then, and all of my pets agreed I’m glad it still works for some people–it was a great food.
would invest in an allergist. Having worked in the dog/cat nutritional industry for ten years (and some names mentioned above) was told by some higher-ups that a number of vets push Science Diet because it has to do with the corporation paying off their student loans if they’ll push their products in their clinics. Me, I wouldn’t touch it with a stick. Good luck. And do consult an allergist.
I really encourage you to go to Catinfo.com. Check out the raw diet (or, as it is in our case: the semi-raw diet). If you can’t do that, at least feed a high-quality meat only canned food. Grains are probably the #1 problem with your kitty, and I’d wager that if you were to remove them from his diet, you’d see big changes within a month.
Science Diet is crap. c.r.a.p.
And concerning DinoVite–I currently feed this to all 4 of our dogs. The two Aussies–Mom and Daughter–came to us with rough coats, and itchy ears. Now they are both so glossy that all the crap they get into doesn’t stick quite as fiercely–burrs pull out easily, and they don’t mat and get nasty from their constant forays into the ponds. And there is no nightly scratch-thump-scratchthump-scratchthump all night long.
I used Dinovite mixed in with the semi-raw diet I used to feed all of our cats. It certainly made that process easier, and I’d still be feeding raw (venison) if I could have gotten a deer this season. I’m just not willing to grind up multiple chickens by hand anymore, so now I feed Holistic Select. No dry food…nope. And we have some glossy, healthy kitties, and the tubbies have become pretty darned svelt in the process.
I say LOSE THE GRAIN and you will be amazed at the transformation in your kitty!
Say what you will about Science Diet, but I can ASSURE YOU that no one is paying off my student loans but me… or anyone else…
These rumors are out of control.
My picky allergy cat is currently doing great on Natures Variety Instinct Limited ingredient Rabbit. Ordered from chewy.com or from my local upscale dog/cat food store it’s about $35 for a 5.5 lb bag. Seems super expensive for such a small amount but actually it’s not bad…She eats free choice from her little bowl and goes through the bag in about 5 weeks.
Are you a practicing DVM with your own clinic?
[QUOTE=Pancakes;7946238]
Say what you will about Science Diet, but I can ASSURE YOU that no one is paying off my student loans but me… or anyone else…
These rumors are out of control.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=Pancakes;7946238]
Say what you will about Science Diet, but I can ASSURE YOU that no one is paying off my student loans but me… or anyone else…
These rumors are out of control.[/QUOTE]
But it is weird that all of OP vet friends (ok, all might be like 2 in that case) have pushed Science Diet, and told her Blue is bad.
Comparing the ingredient list of the Blue and SD grain-free varieties, they’re very similar. I’d love to know what makes Blue so bad in these vets’ opinions, or SD so superior.
yes, yes and then they can cheapen the listed ingredient quality.
[QUOTE=SarahKing;7940596]
The biggest difference between a prescription diet and any other food is that most pet foods are “variable formula,” which means that legally the manufacturer can change any ingredient for up to six months without changing the label. With a prescription food, you know you are getting exactly what is says.[/QUOTE]
as I said above…
[QUOTE=Coanteen;7951010]
But it is weird that all of OP vet friends (ok, all might be like 2 in that case) have pushed Science Diet, and told her Blue is bad.
Comparing the ingredient list of the Blue and SD grain-free varieties, they’re very similar. I’d love to know what makes Blue so bad in these vets’ opinions, or SD so superior.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=Kat the Horse;7945664]
I really encourage you to go to Catinfo.com. Check out the raw diet (or, as it is in our case: the semi-raw diet). If you can’t do that, at least feed a high-quality meat only canned food. Grains are probably the #1 problem with your kitty, and I’d wager that if you were to remove them from his diet, you’d see big changes within a month.
Science Diet is crap. c.r.a.p.
And concerning DinoVite–I currently feed this to all 4 of our dogs. The two Aussies–Mom and Daughter–came to us with rough coats, and itchy ears. Now they are both so glossy that all the crap they get into doesn’t stick quite as fiercely–burrs pull out easily, and they don’t mat and get nasty from their constant forays into the ponds. And there is no nightly scratch-thump-scratchthump-scratchthump all night long.
I used Dinovite mixed in with the semi-raw diet I used to feed all of our cats. It certainly made that process easier, and I’d still be feeding raw (venison) if I could have gotten a deer this season. I’m just not willing to grind up multiple chickens by hand anymore, so now I feed Holistic Select. No dry food…nope. And we have some glossy, healthy kitties, and the tubbies have become pretty darned svelt in the process.
I say LOSE THE GRAIN and you will be amazed at the transformation in your kitty![/QUOTE]
gotta agree with your Sci Di comment!
I’m not sure the grain is the problem. It actually might be chicken. Chicken is one of the things that cats are most often allergic too, forget where I read it, but I’m not dragging this out of my ass- I used to be a vet tech.
Probably the Blue had more chicken (because it has more meat ingredients generally), the Science Diet has less because it has other junk in it, and the Royal Canin has more. If he’s still itching even on Science Diet only, I’d try something else entirely that has no chicken. You can pick one out that is a brand you like, but they are often “duck and sweet potato” or “salmon and sweet potato” etc. Blue actually makes a limited ingredient line calls Blue Basics that I thought was very good. Granted, I last worked in a vet’s office in 2008, but then we were recommending it for people who needed a food for a pet with food allergies that couldn’t afford the Prescription stuff.
Pet food is sort of a hottly contested issue right now with all the recalls, the debate over a raw diet, the anti-soy anti-corn people, etc. So umm…, good luck with this!!
[QUOTE=Ruth0552;7951300]
I’m not sure the grain is the problem. It actually might be chicken. Chicken is one of the things that cats are most often allergic too, forget where I read it, but I’m not dragging this out of my ass- I used to be a vet tech.
Probably the Blue had more chicken (because it has more meat ingredients generally), the Science Diet has less because it has other junk in it, and the Royal Canin has more. If he’s still itching even on Science Diet only, I’d try something else entirely that has no chicken. You can pick one out that is a brand you like, but they are often “duck and sweet potato” or “salmon and sweet potato” etc. Blue actually makes a limited ingredient line calls Blue Basics that I thought was very good. Granted, I last worked in a vet’s office in 2008, but then we were recommending it for people who needed a food for a pet with food allergies that couldn’t afford the Prescription stuff.
Pet food is sort of a hottly contested issue right now with all the recalls, the debate over a raw diet, the anti-soy anti-corn people, etc. So umm…, good luck with this!![/QUOTE]
If you want to feed Blue without chicken I think your only option for dry is the blue basics (limited ingredient)… The others all have chicken in the recipe (except maybe some of their canned foods) even if they are labeled as some other non-chicken flavor.
Not getting into the food debate.
I think your cat should have a ct or mri of the inner ears. Chronic ear infections that are in the inner ear can eat through the small bone that separates it from the brain = major consequences
Head tilts are the most common sign. If the ear infections do involve the inner ear the cat may need a teca to prevent the infection from proceeding further.
As for the food…do what you feel is best and gives you the best results. Chronic ear infections are not something to be taken lightly.
[QUOTE=owlbynite;7950960]
Are you a practicing DVM with your own clinic?[/QUOTE]
I am a practicing DVM. I attend multiple conferences a year. I do not own my clinic. Our hospital has a deal with Iams right now, actually, since they feed our blood donor animals for free in exchange for us using their products “in-house” but all of our clinicians will recommend a food for our patients based on our own assessment of the needs of that patient. We all have our own preferences.
I have friends, however, who own and run their own practices, and their loans aren’t being paid off either…
