Holistic Select Staff Vet - Dr. Al

This month Dr. Townshend answers your questions about a Siamese cat’s chronic vomiting and reducing gas for a Red Heeler.

Q: I have two Siamese cats. The female mother cat throws up her food, daily. My vet tells me there is nothing I can do for her. What (if anything) can I do? I have tried many different brands and types of food, including foods with higher meat/protein content and fewer grains. Do you have any suggestions?

A: There are many reasons a cat might throw up his food. Although sometimes this can be a reaction to food, there are many other possible causes. It is certainly not normal for a cat to throw up daily, and I would recommend working closely with your veterinarian to make every effort to resolve the issue.

When trying to pinpoint the reason for your cat’s chronic vomiting, consider the following possible causes:

1. Eating too fast can increase the potential for vomiting regularly. Hairballs building up in the stomach can also cause the problem. Adding a small amount of oil to the diet may help. Try olive oil or canola oil, about a teaspoon full daily. Make sure you feed the cats separately as eating together may cause stress and cause the mother to eat too quickly.

2. A change in the normal bacterial flora of the GI tract may be a problem. Supplementing with Probiotics such as Holistic Solution®, for a few days may help.

3. Foreign body in the stomach could also be a cause. Be sure your veterinarian has ruled that out with a series of X-Rays if needed.

4. Pathogenic organisms in the upper parts of the digestive tract have been known to cause vomiting. Many times they can be eliminated with antibiotics.

Q: My 1 year old Red Heeler has a lot of gas. What can I do to help him with this issue?

A: Excess gas can be a frustrating problem.  Eating too quickly and gulping in excess air can cause the problem.  Feed frequent smaller meals in a quiet location where there is no stress or competition for the food.

Changing the bacteria in the digestive tract may help. Supplement with a “Probiotic” such as that contained in Holistic Solution® for a week to ten days may resolve the problem.

Changing the protein and/or the carbohydrates in the diet may help. If you are feeding a chicken based diet, try lamb or fish such as in the Holistic Select single protein recipes (Anchovy, Sardine and Salmon or Lamb).

Exercise is also important in reducing gas. Keep in mind that some gas is normal so don’t expect it to go away completely.

This entry was posted on Friday, February 22nd, 2013 at 1:25 am and is filed under Pet Health, Pet Nutrition, Vet. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

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