As an exception to the Unique Protein range, for cats in the Unique Protein (Rabbit) variant it is recommended to use this product without adding a carbohydrate source. For cats, following the feeding advice with only Unique Protein (Rabbit), an optimal protein / energy ratio is achieved. Adding a carbohydrate source, in addition to the recommended amount of Unique Protein (Rabbit) will cause an energy intake which is too high.
Both the Anti Struvite supplement and a urine-acidifying diet have been formulated to achieve a specific urine pH. When these two products are combined, it is virtually impossible to predict the effects on the urine pH. It is therefore not advisable to combine Anti Struvite with a urine-acidifying diet.
Kidney problems and struvite are two disorders that are difficult to tackle simultaneously. This is because anti-struvite diets acidify the urine and this is undesirable in kidney patients. Kidney patients are less efficient in regulating the acid-base balance in the body. When a urine-acidifying diet or supplement is given, the animal’s kidneys are unable to raise the pH of the blood sufficiently, which can lead to acidosis (blood acidification). Acidosis can cause health problems in the long term. To prevent acidosis, kidney diets slightly raise the urine pH. This, however, increases the chance of the formation and precipitation of struvite.
In patients with kidney problems and struvite, a choice between two evils has to be made. In these cases, the priority goes to kidney failure, because animals with this condition can only be supported with a kidney diet. Struvite can be prevented by acidifying the urine and by increasing the urine volume. Since animals with kidney problems are less able to regulate the acid-base balance, increasing the urine volume is the only option for the prevention of struvite. We recommend that animals with these two disorders should be prescribed the wet food variant of a kidney diet. This minimises the burden on the kidneys and dilutes the urine, which reduces the chance of struvite formation.
Intestinal Support is a supplement that should be combined with dry food. It supports, among other things, the growth of carbohydrate fermenting microorganisms. These so-called ‘good bacteria’ provide a better intestinal health when they are offered the right food source.
When the growth of carbohydrate-fermenting microorganisms is stimulated with Intestinal Support, this bacterial colony needs more carbohydrates in order to maintain itself. Dry food is rich in carbohydrates, which is an ideal food source for the good bacteria. Wet food, on the other hand, contains little carbohydrates and relatively high quantities of protein and fat. In case of a shortage of carbohydrates, the good bacteria switch to fermenting proteins. However, they are very inefficient in using proteins as an energy source. As a result, the bacteria produce harmful by-products, which can lead to health problems in the long term.
It is therefore very important to tune the diet and the pre- and/or probiotics supplement.
With liver diseases it is usually advised to not give the cat any ‘extras’, to spare the liver as much as possible.
The liver is a metabolic organ that regulates the metabolism of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. With liver diseases problems arise with the uptake of substances and their degradation. Because of this, not all harmful substances can be detoxified. Thus, for example, ammonia (waste product of protein) is not transformed into urea, which can result in the accumulation of ammonia in the body.
Giving a kibble of hepatic food from a different brand, as a treat, could be an option. Always consult your veterinarian for suited dietary advice.
Animals with a pancreatic disease (like exocrine pancreatic insufficiency/EPI) do not produce sufficient digestive enzymes, which causes a disrupted digestion or ‘maldigestion’. In animals with pancreatic disorders, mainly the digestion of fats is disturbed.
In case of pancreas problems, it is advised to not give any treats to the animal.
Urinary Calm is a dry food for adult cats, to promote calmness.
Cats can be sensitive to stress, which can result in potential health problems in the lower urinary tract. To help reduce stress in cats, three calming substances are added to Urinary Calm: green tea extract, milk protein hydrolysate and tryptophan.
K-citrate (potassium citrate) helps to buffer the acidity of blood, which occurs in a lot of animals with a reduced kidney function. Potassium citrate is able to bind to calcium, which prevents oxalate binding to calcium.
When your cat is being treated with a different dietary food for a different condition and also develops struvite, it is not recommended to just switch to a struvite preventative diet. Your veterinarian will decide if this is possible. The most important function of an anti struvite diet is lowering the urinary pH. When the pH of the urine is lowered enough, struvite stone formation will be prevented. It is also possible to lower the urinary pH by supplying specific supplements, like TROVET Anti Struvite | UAS. This way the cat can stay on the current diet and still have the favourable acidic urine. Always consult your veterinarian before treating your cat with acidifying supplements. When your cat suffers from kidney failure, acidic urine is not desirable.
Urinary Struvite is absolutely not suited for kittens. The acidic effect of the food can be harmful for the health of the young animal, mostly for the development of the bones.
