Calloway is much better! Food change coming up!

[jennielynn1970]

poor Calloway! Keegan can sure sympathasize with him.

This is just her head -

And here is a pic I took with my phone on Saturday.

YIKES!!! That looks so painful!! Poor Keegan!

I have no idea what Calloway's butt even looks like at this point, but it can't be good if they are keeping him overnight. The vet said something about "one big old hot spot", and I think that was all the way around his backside . Now I'm wondering how many days I missed this... I feel terrible about him being in pain. I know it's been messy a few days, but I thought it was just poop and I did try to clean it with wipes but that got me one heck of a nasty meow from Cal and swiped at and nipped at.

[heidiv]

Just wanted to let you know if he is scooting it is probably his anal glands??? I wonder if a hot spot is the same thing as anal glands??? Anyway I just thought I would let you know that Mopar my oldest (heaviest) of my 4 is going in for her glands on Thrusday because she too! Has a horrible smell to her backend and she scoots across the floor. She has started this again so its time. I have to take her in about once every six months to have her glands done. I too thought that was a dog thing but my vet mentioned she has a couple of cats they have to do every once in a while. But yes I have to agree its VERY Unpleasent for the human caring for them.

[krazyaboutkatz]

"If the EVO stuff will help Cal lose some weight that would be great. I can't imagine not free feeding though. I have a few that freak out if I don't notice the feeder is almost empty and then they gorge and throw up. Think it's just left over instinct from their stray days. Sophie is especially sensitive when it comes to that, and she has the sensitive stomach and the colitis/IBD. She's the one I really needed to make sure could eat the dry food and not be barfing all over."

The main reason that all of my cats are now on Innova Evo is becasue of Starr's health problems and he also has Colitis and IBD. He can't eat any food that has grains in it. I also found out that Pearl breaks out on her chin and lips because she's also allergic to grains. They don't need to eat as much of this as with regular cat food so they only eat about 1/2 cup a day of the dry in 4 small feedings. I also give them the canned Innova Evo for 2 of the feedings in small amounts because it's so rich.

At first I was worried when I found out that Sunny had lost some weight but my vet reassured me that it's because of the Innova Evo which is a high protein diet. She said it's like us going on the "Atkins Diet". So now all of my cats have lost some weight and they all seem to be much more active and happy. Starr is still on a small dose of pred but will soon be weaned off of it entirely so then I'm sure that his body will adjust and he'll lose even more of the weight that he gained while on the pred. Good luck.

[Emeraldgreen]

My vet's office used to get alot of Golden Retrievers in with hot spot, like Keegan. I've heard that it can be started or worsened by diet but also with moisture that stays on the skin. Alot of Goldens swim and the dampness can stay in their fur and irritate the skin that they then scratch and it progresses from there.
I think you're right, it probably is from the scooting. And, maybe there was some moisture there from his messy bum and it just got worse. Hopefully the vet will check his anal glands to make sure they are not impacted as well.

I haven't tried this but I've been thinking about it. My vet suggested that I take a box and cut a hole in it on the side that is big enough for my smaller cats to get in and out of easily and put a bowl of food in there for free feeding. That way, my two big guys, George and Paddy couldn't get in to eat because they are too big to fit through the hole. They would only get food when I give it to them twice a day. Sounds mean but it might be a good solution.
Right now, I put a large bowl of kibbles up on the window sill. Everyone who shares Paddy's room can hop up there but he isn't able to so it's pretty much the same thing I guess.

I was just suggesting to Moesha that she might want to ask her vet if the antibiotic Convenia injection would be applicable in Aroara's situation. Maybe it would be for Calloway too. I think I remember reading that it was good for skin and bacterial infections. Here is the website link: Convenia
It would be great if you didn't have to pill him twice a day.

[jennielynn1970]

The main reason that all of my cats are now on Innova Evo is becasue of Starr's health problems and he also has Colitis and IBD. He can't eat any food that has grains in it. I also found out that Pearl breaks out on her chin and lips because she's also allergic to grains. They don't need to eat as much of this as with regular cat food so they only eat about 1/2 cup a day of the dry in 4 small feedings. I also give them the canned Innova Evo for 2 of the feedings in small amounts because it's so rich.

I did start buying cans of the EVO last time I went to the warehouse when I knew what I wanted (you tell them, they deliver it to you from the warehouse.. you can't peruse and meander. So, I'll have to do that at their main store first, and then go to the warehouse.

I did try SO Organic canned food. I was repulsed by it. The cats snubbed it, and it was just like this pasty stuff that I've seen Iams try to pass off as kitten paste food. BLECH!

[jennielynn1970]

Just wanted to let you know if he is scooting it is probably his anal glands??? I wonder if a hot spot is the same thing as anal glands??? Anyway I just thought I would let you know that Mopar my oldest (heaviest) of my 4 is going in for her glands on Thrusday because she too! Has a horrible smell to her backend and she scoots across the floor. She has started this again so its time. I have to take her in about once every six months to have her glands done. I too thought that was a dog thing but my vet mentioned she has a couple of cats they have to do every once in a while. But yes I have to agree its VERY Unpleasent for the human caring for them.

So, do you see a correlation between being a large cat, not being able to clean well back there, and getting the anal glands impacted (or whatever they are called), then doing the scooting, and then if it's bad and not treated (bad bad foster meomy that I am) it would develop into a hot spot?? I'm trying to string all things together, and narrow out what might not be causing it.

Do you find it might be an allergic reaction to food?? I just changed their dry food from Nutro to California Natural about 1 1/2 months ago. This started about 1-2 weeks ago (scooting, that is, although I have seen him do it before a few times over the last year, but not regularly at all, which is why I give him Revolution, in case there were mites, or fleas or whatever may have been bugging him)

I'm looking now at Innova's EVO, Fromm's Gourmet meals. They seriously sound like something from a 4 star restaurant. I just dont' want to have Sophie barfing from an upset stomach (however, she did eat 2 sweet potato fries with me tonight, and liked them very much! She's so odd, my sweet Sophie!)