EPI in Cats
Gussie’s Cat Coco's Feeding Regime
Coco is my 9 year old Torti.
She refused to eat food with the enzymes on it, I even tried the flavorings for the powder
and she still refused to eat it.
My vet suggested the pills so gave that a try and that is what I have been giving her for
over a year.
She gets ½ pill with food, usually 3 or 4 times per day. She was always a frequent
eater and still is.
The pill is Pancrezyme, 425 mg tablets which I get with a prescription from my vet.
My vet had pills on hand and I got them from him until I wanted to have them on hand
and not have to worry about refilling a small supply each month. I buy a bottle of 500
now and it lasts me a little over a year.
My biggest challenge now is giving her what she likes to eat so she doesn't get tired of
it. Her weight has gone back up to just under 10 lbs. She also is getting a B 12 shot twice
a month. Gussie
Carol’s Cat Soleil’s Feeding Regimen
EPI/IBD
Soleil will not eat her enzymes unless they are compounded. Most places will tell you that they cannot or are unable to compound pancreatic enzymes. This is not true. I have done it for three years as have others. Below is my feeding regimen for Soleil and I will attach another document with the recipe for Soleil’s compounding and also include other options for getting the enzymes compounded. Always check first with your vet on the ingredients of the compounding to be certain this is something safe for your kitty. If your kitty is diabetic the compounding ingredients would be different than the ones I am currently using.
Soleil’s compounded enzymes are in a thick liquid form. Once they are compounded they are kept in the fridge in an 8 oz. bottle. I must shake the bottle well before syringe drizzing over her food. I compound her enzymes myself at home and I make a new bottle every week.
Soleil receives three meals a day. She does not always finish all her food. Her meals consist of:
One 3 oz. can of Fancy Feast Elegrant Medley shredded chicken with garden greens in a light broth. I place the can of food on a small plate. I then syringe drizzle 2.5 mls. of the chicken pot pie flavored compounded liquid over the food. (The 2.5 mls. of liquid contain 1/3 tsp. of enzymes). I mix the liquid compound well with the food. I then sprinkle 1/3 packet of Forti Florz over her food and mix again. I top this off with 10-20 pieces of dry Blue Buffalo Chicken Freedom and push the dry food down into the wet.
If I am home and able to see when Soleil eats, I will immediately give her another 10-12 pieces of Blue Buffalo Freedom Chicken dry food as I know that she just took in her enzymes. I do this because Soleil does like to eat some dry food and this is like a treat for her. It also seems to help her not to gag or lick so much after eating the wet enzymed food. I also believe this helped her gain a little weight.
If you are interested in compounding enzymes, please see the separate attachment.
Carol
LILY’S FEEDING REGIMEN
Linda Deckard
Lily will be 8 in August this year. She is a tortie and was the runt of the litter. She was diagnosed in July 2013 with EPI. They sent me home with a small amount of Pancrezyme powder. I was thrilled to have a diagnosis until she would not eat her food with the enzymes. I was really desperate until I saw Carol’s story on the EPI dog website and emailed her. Carol gave me her compounding recipe and a link to compounding pharmacies. Carol was a lifesaver!
After calling several pharmacies and having them tell me they could not compound the enzyme with a flavor because it would not be stable, I found a compounder with a cat who listened to me. She said she could not compound it, but she could make a flavor for me that I could mix with Lily’s food to mask the enzymes. I gave her Carol’s recipe. She mixed a chicken flavor for me and Lily ate eat her food with it. I was thrilled! Her chicken flavor is oil based with stevia natural sweetener.
At first I mixed a heaping ¼ tsp. Pancrezme powder with 1.5 ml. of flavor in a dish. Then I mix about ½ can 5.5 oz. Wellness chicken canned food with it. I would then let it set for 20 min. and feed her. I did this morning, noon, and night for a while. Then I started using the Pancrezyme tablets for some of her feedings. I would use ½ tablet crushed with a spoon and 1.5 ml. of flavor mixed in a dish. Then I add the canned food and mix it together. I use both Wellness chicken and Merrick Chicken Pate canned food. I heat up food stored in the refrigerator in the microwave for 10 – 12 seconds on 7 power in a separate dish until it is at room temperature and then mix it in the dish with the enzymes (tablet or powder) and flavoring.
After Lily went from 5 lbs. to 8.6 lbs., she wasn’t as hungry and became picky. I started having to sprinkle dry food on top of the wet food mixture to get her to eat more. I also mainly use the tablets now because she seemed to eat more of her food with them than the enzyme powder. I use Merrick Before Grain Chicken dry food and sometimes Canidae Chicken dry food. I also use Stella & Chewy’s Chick, Chick, Chicken Freeze Dried Raw sparingly because it is more expensive. Like Gussie, my challenge is keeping her interested and eating now that she isn’t starving. I feed three meals a day unless I am gone all day, which is rare.
Compounding Viokase (pancreatin enzymes)
The following recipe is not yet approved by the company Flavorx. They are in the process of getting it approved at present. My vet created this recipe for my cat Soleil. It has worked for us for over a year now. Have your vet look over the following information and if he/she approves it, you may use the following information to try compounding your pancreatic enzymes for your EPI kitty. I hope it helps. If you have any questions, you can reach me at cmp25391@comcast.net.
The company that sells the products for compounding this recipe is Flavorx.
My contact at the company is Tina Coleman. Give her my name, Carol Pilger or my cat’s name, Soleil Pilger. She will know what you are looking for. You must let her know whether your cat is diabetic or not. This recipe, etc. must be approved by your own personal vet before trying it with your kitty.
Tina Coleman’s phone number is (800) 884-5771 Ext. 239. Her e-mail address is tcoleman@flavorx.com. Her fax number is (240) 223-1099.
For a non-diabetic cat the following are the things you can order from Flavorx once your vet has written a letter to the company authorizing you to order. The company usually only sells to vets so they need a letter of approval from your vet prior to you being able to order. The letter can be faxed to the above fax number above to the attention of Tina Coleman. You can contact Tina first and she can let you know exactly how this letter should read and the information she requires.
Below are the items to order for a non-diabetic cat w/confirmed EPI:
- Vet Syrup – One 16 oz. Bottle (Ingredients – Sucrose 85% w/v, Purified. Water, citric acid and 0.1% Methylparaben as a preservative). Not to be used for a diabetic cat.
- Chicken Pot Pie - 60 ml. Bottle (Ingredients – Contains Water, Natural Flavors, Caramel Color, Glycerine, MSG, Salt, Potassium Sorbate).
For a Diabetic Cat you should check with your vet to see if you can substitute the Versa Free Sugarless Syrup Vehicle for the Vet Syrup (listed above). The VersaFree is a versatile, sugar free, paraben free, saccharin free, aspartame free, dye free, unflavored syrup like vehicle formulated for use in compounding oral extemporaneous delivery systems. The VersaFree Sugarless vehicle comes in a 16 oz. Bottle and is sold by Flavorx. (Ingredients: Purified water, Glycerin, Sorbital, Xanthan Gum, Neotame, and buffered with Sodium Citrate and Citric acid. Preserved with potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate).
I have not used the VersaFree Sugarless Syrup Vehicle because my cat is not diabetic.
For compounding the enzymes you will also need to order from Flavorx a mortar and pestle, a graduated cylinder, the eye droppers for the sweetening enhancer and for the chicken pot pie bottles, a small spatula, perfect plug tops for your finished product bottles, and syringes for dosing (I order the 3 ml. Syringes as Soleil’s dose is 2.5 mls. Per 3 oz. of food, which I give her twice a day). You will need 6 or 8 oz. bottles to put the finished product in. Flavorx does not sell bottles of this size. I buy them from my vet’s office. Ask your vet if you can purchase your 6 or 8 oz. medicine bottles from them. You can also possibly purchase your perfect plugs and syringes from your vet.
The recipe I use to compound the Viokase for my cat Soleil, who is 7 lbs. 4 oz., is as follows:
Soleil’s Dosing and Recipe: (Your cat’s dosing should be determined by your vet)
- 3 Tablespoons (which is the equivalent of 9 teaspoons) Viokase.
- 40 ml. Vet Syrup (For No Diabetic Cats Only)
- 40 ml. Feline Solution
- 40 drops Sweetening Enhancer
- 40 drops Chicken Pot Pie
To compound these items, I first place the 3 tablespoons of Viokase in the mortar. I slowly add the 40 ml. of Vet Syrup and mix. I next add the 40 ml. of feline solution and mix again. I then add 40 drops of sweetening enhancer and then 40 drops of chicken pot pie and mix well again. I then pour the finished product into the 6 to 8 oz. bottle. I then place the perfect plug into the top of the bottle. I then place the top on the bottle and shake very well. This finished product of compounded enzymes must be kept in the refrigerator and it only lasts for 7-9 days. I make a new batch once a week. You must shake it well before each feeding.
This link is a You-Tube video by the company Flavorx demonstrating some of the compounding techniques. It will help give you an idea. It is not the same recipe of course. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K44jL8wvpK0
I feed Soleil 3 oz. of Fancy Feast Elegant Medleys shredded white meat chicken fare with garden greens in a savory broth. I syringe drizzle 2.5 mls. of the compounded enzyme solution over the food and mix it up. I then sprinkle ½ packet of Fortiflora (probiotic) over the food and mix again. I then put 15 or so pieces of Blue Buffalo Freedom dry chicken food on top and push into the food. This gives Soleil a little crunch that she likes. Blue Buffalo Freedom is a grain free gluten free food, which Soleil seems to tolerate very well. I feed this to Soleil twice a day (sometimes three times a day). I would not leave this food out for more than 9 hours or so. I do work full time so I put it out in the morning and come straight home from work and make her second batch for her evening food. If your home does not have air conditioning during the summer, this food should probably not be left out this long.
You certainly don’t have to use these foods but I am listing it as it works for Soleil. You can mix this into any of your cats favorite wet/dry tolerated food. Flavorx also makes several other flavors such as grilled tuna and beef, etc. I don’t know if the recipe would be the same for these different flavors but you can check with your vet.
I hope this helps your EPI kitty eat his/her enzymes. I know my finicky little Soleil would not eat them any other way. Best of Luck and again, don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions. cmp25391@comcast.net
Carol Pilger
PCCA Compounding
Flavorx Compounding
Other Suggestions
For Compounding Pancreatic Enzymes
Any method of compounding enzymes should be run by and approved by your vet before using. The following are suggestions to help with your kitty eating the enzymes. Any suggestion should be approved by your vet before trying. Your kitty may have other medical issues that may preclude attempting any of these suggestions.
This link is for finding a PCCA Compounding Pharmacist in your area. Simply put your zip code in the search box and several options near you should come up.
Linda Deckard and Kaveh are using PCCA compounding pharmacists. Margaret is also using PCCA.
If you call a PCCA pharmacist in your area and they tell you that they cannot compound the enzymes, please have them contact one of the compounding pharmacists that someone in our group is using, ie Kaveh, Linda, or Margaret. These pharmacists have talked to each other and will share the information because they are a nationwide network.
If you choose to use the Flavorx method, you must order all of those supplies through your vet. Flavorx will not sell to individuals. They will sell only to vets. You would need to give your vet my compounding Viokase instructions and ingredients and your vet would have to order and possibly compound for you. (Instructions and Ingredients are attached on this site under a separate attachment).
This is the link to Flavorx: http://flavorx.com/about/
Other Options
The PCCA compounding pharmacist that helps Margaret, gave her a recipe for catnip tea to use on the food. This has helped her kitty Runt eat the enzymes. I will try to get the recipe from Margaret for this.
Other suggestions that may help your kitty eat the enzymes are Cat-Man-Do Fish flakes. Sprinkle these over the food after the enzymes are added. You can order Cat-Man-Do Fish Flakes from http://www.hare-today.com/
Also – you could try purchasing fish oil tablets (the stinky kind), poke a hole in the tablet to release half of the liquid fish oil from the tablet and mix this with the correct amount of powdered enzymes per meal for your kitty to form a paste. You could then mix this paste in the food or see if kitty will eat the paste.
Raw Pancreas – If you want to try raw pancreas you may be able to purchase this from a slaughter house in your area. Another option to order this on line is http://www.hare-today.com/ Raw pancreas can be frozen for up to three months. One suggestion I received was to freeze the raw pancreas in ice cube trays so you can just thaw out one serving at a time. The raw pancreas must never be heated to thaw. It must always be thawed at room temperature. Do not leave raw pancreas out all day. Kitty should eat this fresh mixed with his/her food and then pick the plate up.
Lynda Doty is using freeze dried raw tripe. She says it is pretty stinky but it is working for her kitty.
Carol Pilger
Scale Options and Auto Feeder Option
This link gives options for scales. I use the Salter Pediatric scale.
This link is for an automatic pet feeder
I see that this option comes with an ice pack
You can also purchase auto pet feeders at Petsmart and Petco. I have never seen the one that comes with the ice pack . . . . . interesting.
Syringe Feeding
When all else fails or before you figure things out
Syringe feeding is another way to get the enzymes into your kitty if your kitty will not eat the enzymes. Hopefully, this would be something used only for the short term. Syringe feeding can be extremely stressful for both you and your kitty, but it is certainly an option. I am attaching a link to a You-Tube video that demonstrates syringe feeding. I highly recommend that you bring kitty to your vet once or twice for instruction before attempting this yourself. Things don’t always go as smoothly as they do in this video, but I hope you find it helpful if needed.
Video or How to Syringe Feed a Cat: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9ygsA93vQc
When I syringe fed Soleil, I would use Gerber chicken baby food, the small jar. I used the food that was just pureed chicken, no vegies, etc. I would place the baby food jar in warm (not hot) water for a few minutes. I would then mix the appropriate amount of enzyme in 1 to 1 ½ oz. of the baby food. I would stir well and let sit for 20 minutes. I would stir it again in 20 minutes, and then put the food in a large syringe and feed Soleil while holding her on my lap. You need to go slow and see that kitty is swallowing okay. It is easy to choke them a bit if you go too fast. I also do recommend a few instructions with your cat at the vet’s office before trying this. It is a fairly messy procedure. Once you are finished syringe feeding, have a warm damp towel or paper towel handy to wipe kitty’s face or any area where the food and enzymes may get on the kitty. The enzymes can burn a bit so be sure to keep kitties face clean after feeding.
Carol
Websites that show you
HOW TO ANALYZE THE NUTRIENTS IN CAT FOOD
Thank you Stephanie for sharing these links with us!
Need to Camouflage the taste of Enzymes???? Try Cat Nip Tea !
This recipe was submitted (and used with success) by Margaret "Peg" Kuhn... thank you very much Peg !!!!!
Cat Nip Tea Recipe-simple and easy to make::
Place 1 teaspoon cat nip into a tea ball (you can purchase the tea ball at the store for $2.00 or so). Place the tea ball into 4 oz of boiling water and let it steep 5-10 minutes as you would making tea for yourself. Let it cool, then cover it and place in the refridgerator. I add about 12-15 drops of this tea to Runt's food, along with the compound; I also then then add a couple pinches of ground catnip and.stir it all together. I make a new batch of tea every 3 days per the pharmacist's recommendation in order for it to stay fresh and tasty!