Helping your cat with a special diet | Pet Peeves
One disease that is not mentioned very often that we see in cats is chronic diarrhea. It is probably not talked about because, well, no one wants to talk about it. It is gross and cannot be described without describing very bad smells and accidents. I will leave the rest of that to your imagination and hope I have not grossed you out too much.
But the reason I want to talk about it is there are some things that can be done to help the condition. There are special diets available. The two I have seen have the most success are the Science Diet I/d and the Science Diet Gastrointestinal Biome.
Biome is a high-fiber dry cat food that has been shown to promote regular healthy stool and reduce the risk of diarrhea recurrence. It is made with ingredients that rapidly activate the gut microbiome and help manage the diarrhea. It contains a unique blend of prebiotic fibers, and it stimulates the microbiome to produce beneficial postbiotics.
I/d diet is highly digestible, and the nutrients are easily absorbed. It has prebiotic fiber, and is high in electrolytes and B vitamins that are known to help the lining of the gut. It also contains antioxidants, and Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids.
If a cat is having chronic problems with diarrhea, especially if it is a kitten, I recommend starting with the Gastrointestinal Biome if possible. The next best choice would be the I/d. I have seen really good results with I/d, but the Biome is just a cut above.
Another thing I recommend when trying to treat this condition is starting the pet on L-lysine. In humans, L-lysine is known to help with collagen formation and wound healing. It is an amino acid that is a building block for making proteins in the body. It cannot be synthesized by the body. It must be taken in through foods or supplements.
L-lysine is most commonly prescribed in cats to treat herpes viruses. It supports and strengthens the immune system so that the cat’s body can fight off the virus. I have seen some improvement in the diarrhea conditions of cats that have been started on L-lysine. Two brands that I like are the VetriScience Vetri Lysine Plus treats and the Vetoquinol Viralys Gel or Oral Powder. Both of these are good sources of L-lysine. They can be purchased online through Chewy.com.
Probiotics also are very useful in treating chronic diarrhea. Two of the tried and true probiotics on the market are Proviable and Fortiflora. Proviable is produced by Nutramax Laboratories. It is a multi-strain probiotic with prebiotics. It is in the form of a gel cap. It can be cut open and put on the food or it can be given whole as a pill.
Fortiflora is made by Nestle Purina. It also is a probiotic supplement. It comes in a powder that is sprinkled on the food once a day. Fortiflora and Proviable are two very successful probiotic products that help restore the natural gut flora and bring health to the intestines.
If you have a cat or kitten and have been dealing with chronic diarrhea problems in your pet, I hope today’s discussion has given you some insight and hope in the treatment of your pet.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Helping your cat with a special diet | Pet Peeves
