Hard stools

[BettinaT]

@Dr. Jean Hofve @Dr. Jeff

Would it be a good idea to start her on this probiotic soon?

I still give her the drops for hairballs. I now give it 2x2 times a week

@Dr. Jean Hofve

She should have been, or now should be, on probiotics every day for several weeks to compensate for the antibiotics.

The Solid Gold product is a probiotic but not a great one. It doesn't contain a good prebiotic to feed the bacteria.

I don't recommend seaweed products for cats due to the high iodine content of kelp and other seaweeds, which can adversely affect the thyroid.

@Dr. Jean Hofve

I can get probiotics home for her in early May. This one

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0DMFTMQK3/ref=ox_sc_act_image_2?smid=A1M4LIUBJA5KCY&psc=1

There is someone who brings it for me there.


I have not been able to find any reasonable relatively clean / good product here in Denmark, so I chose to order the other online

 

[Dr. Jean Hofve]

Okay sounds good! It will work no matter when you start it.

 

[BettinaT]

Okay sounds good! It will work no matter when you start it.

How long do you think i should give my cat that ? And should i give both of my cats that ?

 

[BettinaT]

@Dr. Jeff @Dr. Jean Hofve

I've been using the drops for hairballs for almost a month now. But I still see no improvement. Hairball Gold - Holistic Hairball and Digestive Care for Cats

My cats' stools are still hard. And a bit powdery at times.

And again today, my male cat has not been able to get rid of it properly, right away. And it was very hard and like little hard lumps.

What can I try and do?

Should I try and switch to this instead?

Smooth BM Gold - Supports Healthy Bowel Movements in Cats

Smooth BM Gold supports your cat’s digestive health with a gentle, veterinarian-developed formula featuring Triphala. Designed to help maintain healthy, regular stools and support balanced GI function for long-term bowel health.

petwellbeing.com

 

[NancyK]

I would try increasing the meat in the diet and reducing the calcium. Too much calcium is going to clog them up and no supplement is going to fix that.

Nancy

 

[BettinaT]

I would try increasing the meat in the diet and reducing the calcium. Too much calcium is going to clog them up and no supplement is going to fix that.

Nancy

I give this vitamin powder, where I give 3,6 grams to 300 grams of meat according to the company's instructions

Alnutrin with Calcium (Regular)

You can place an order through this E-Shop only if you live in the USA. If you live in another country and you want to place an international order, please email us at: [email protected] Alnutrin with Calcium should be added to boneless meat. This product is sold as a loose powder. An...

knowwhatyoufeed.net

 

[Dr. Jean Hofve]

You could up the meat by about 30 grams and be balanced. Are you adding fiber/prebiotic and probiotics? There is none in this product. Not all cats need it, but yours might benefit. Also try adding a little bit of warm water to the food right before feeding.

 

[BettinaT]

How long do you think i should give my cat that ? And should i give both of my cats that ?

@Dr. Jean Hofve not yet , i have order this

 

[NancyK]

I give this vitamin powder, where I give 3,6 grams to 300 grams of meat according to the company's instructions

Alnutrin with Calcium (Regular)

You can place an order through this E-Shop only if you live in the USA. If you live in another country and you want to place an international order, please email us at: [email protected] Alnutrin with Calcium should be added to boneless meat. This product is sold as a loose powder. An...

knowwhatyoufeed.net

One thing I have learned in over 15 years of homemade feeding two dogs is to feed the dog in front of me. Not all dogs are the same. Their requirements are similar but some may need slightly less or more of certain ingredients. The same applies to cats. Although the mix is great for the majority of cats, yours may have slightly different needs. I thought reducing the calcium may be worth a try.

Nancy

 

[BettinaT]

One thing I have learned in over 15 years of homemade feeding two dogs is to feed the dog in front of me. Not all dogs are the same. Their requirements are similar but some may need slightly less or more of certain ingredients. The same applies to cats. Although the mix is great for the majority of cats, yours may have slightly different needs. I thought reducing the calcium may be worth a try.

Nancy

Thanks for metion
Should i just try to give smaller dosage of the vitamin powder ?

 

[NancyK]

Thanks for metion
Should i just try to give smaller dosage of the vitamin powder ?

Dr. Jean Hofve had a great suggestion in her post above of simply adding more meat. Please look at her post. The main thing is the ratio of meat to the calcium. I assume this could be accomplished by adding more meat or using less mix.

Nancy

 

[BettinaT]

Dr. Jean Hofve had a great suggestion in her post above of simply adding more meat. Please look at her post. The main thing is the ratio of meat to the calcium. I assume this could be accomplished by adding more meat or using less mix.

Nancy

@Dr. Jean Hofve
I just checked up on what the company wrote, and I actually give that dose of 3.6 grams of vitamin powder for 250 grams of meat. But I use 300 grams of meat.

 

[NancyK]

This is probably a very dumb question but isn't magnesium necessary to metabolize calcium? Doesn’t magnesium deficiency cause constipation? It looks like the Alnutrin has either calcium carbonate or eggshell powder as a calcium source. I believe eggshell powder at least has small amounts of magnesium and other minerals. These would be missing in the version with calcium carbonate. In nature a cat would get calcium from bone along with some minerals necessary to metabolize calcium. I am confused as to why these minerals are missing from the Alnutrin with calcium carbonate.

Nancy

 

[Dr. Jean Hofve]

I am confused as to why these minerals are missing from the Alnutrin with calcium carbonate.

Not a dumb question! There is plenty of magnesium in meat, but no calcium. This product is intended to balance pure meat.

 

[BettinaT]

And both my cats is still throwing hairballs up. 1-2 times at a week .

 

[BettinaT]

@Dr. Jeff @Dr. Christina @Dr. Jeff


I wonder if it could be their food, the raw meat I give them, that is causing them problems?
My cats are 13 and 14 years old now

It's been going on for a long time that both my cats have these problems, and based on the fact that they get exactly the same food.
I don't know, but I'm confused...



..

 

[NancyK]

@Dr. Jeff @Dr. Christina @Dr. Jeff


I wonder if it could be their food, the raw meat I give them, that is causing them problems?
My cats are 13 and 14 years old now

It's been going on for a long time that both my cats have these problems, and based on the fact that they get exactly the same food.
I don't know, but I'm confused...



..

Here are a few suggestions that may help.

1. Are you feeding enough fat?
2. They may need less calcium source so you could add more meat to fix this.
3. Try a different brand base mix, or try the Alnutrin which has egg shells instead of calcium carbonate. Although egg shells lack minerals too so not sure if that will help much.
4. Add digestive enzymes.
5. Make your own food and use a calcium source such as bone meal which has all the cofactors for calcium absorption. Or if kidney issues are a problem, you could use seaweed calcium. Calcium carbonate is not species appropriate in my opinion. See article below.

Good article on pros and cons of various calcium supplements.

How To Balance Calcium For Dogs - Dogs Naturally

Base mix for cats that contains digestive enzymes.

EZ Complete For Cats - Small

Nancy

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Thanks for the great suggestions Nancy!

raw meat I give them, that is causing them problems?

Thanks for the super important question Bettina.The raw food may indeed be a trigger, however it is not the underlying cause.

The root cause of most symptoms, like vomiting hairballs, is an energetic imbalance.

The extra energy needed to digest a raw diet may be triggering the symptom. Have you tried a lightly cooked diet?

In addition to any food you can find locally, Amy has a few crock pot and Instant Pot recipes in the HA! member area that might be good for you to try.

 

[BettinaT]

Here are a few suggestions that may help.

1. Are you feeding enough fat?
2. They may need less calcium source so you could add more meat to fix this.
3. Try a different brand base mix, or try the Alnutrin which has egg shells instead of calcium carbonate. Although egg shells lack minerals too so not sure if that will help much.
4. Add digestive enzymes.
5. Make your own food and use a calcium source such as bone meal which has all the cofactors for calcium absorption. Or if kidney issues are a problem, you could use seaweed calcium. Calcium carbonate is not species appropriate in my opinion. See article below.

Good article on pros and cons of various calcium supplements.

How To Balance Calcium For Dogs - Dogs Naturally

Base mix for cats that contains digestive enzymes.

EZ Complete For Cats - Small

Nancy

Hi Nancy, thanks for your answers.

1 . I don't know if I'm giving enough fat. There is a lot of fat in the meat I sometimes give, for example in lamb

2. I already give more meat than what the company told me to mix in with the vitamin powder.

3. I have not been able to find any other pure product of vitamin powder. I have also used both the one from alnutrin with eggshell powder in it. I saw no change when I used it.

4. Thanks for mentioning it, because I don't use it.

5. My cats don't really like bones. They only like a very small amount of chicken neck.

 

[BettinaT]

Thanks for the great suggestions Nancy!


Thanks for the super important question Bettina.The raw food may indeed be a trigger, however it is not the underlying cause.

The root cause of most symptoms, like vomiting hairballs, is an energetic imbalance.

The extra energy needed to digest a raw diet may be triggering the symptom. Have you tried a lightly cooked diet?

In addition to any food you can find locally, Amy has a few crock pot and Instant Pot recipes in the HA! member area that might be good for you to try.

@Dr. Jeff no i have not try a lightly cooked meal