Great news! Lily went this week for her regularly scheduled anal glands appointment, and the vet was very pleased! He said that her glands appear to be expressing normally (that's a first!) and were barely clogged at all.
This was especially good news because at our last appointment, our vet was skeptical that Lily's anal gland problem could be fixed. He suggested pumpkin but didn't think it would really make a difference.
This was especially good news because at our last appointment, our vet was skeptical that Lily's anal gland problem could be fixed. He suggested pumpkin but didn't think it would really make a difference.
I credit this progress to two changes we've made: The addition of pumpkin and extra water/liquid to her diet. Thanks to faithful reader Kimberly Marie for the suggestion of water! The vet agrees that water is a key to healthy anal glands. Unfortunately, I've only had modest success with increasing her water intake. I have, however, been giving her some low-sodium broth which she readily drinks. To encourage more water consumption, the vet suggested putting ice in her water bowl to make it more enticing and also looking into a bubbly fountain.
The addition of pumpkin has been easy, since Lily will eat most anything. A lot of cats don't care for it so it can be mixed into wet food, but Lily will eat it directly out of the can.
Since the
pumpkin will spoil in the fridge before she can go through an entire
can, I've been freezing it in small ice cube trays. I just pop out one at a time and let it thaw. It's a nice, filling treat that so far seems to be having the desired effect.
The vet suggested increasing the amount to one "pumpkin pop" (as I now call them!) per day. The vet was so pleased with Lily's progress that he's going to suggest the pumpkin pops to other patients. (Note: Be sure to use pure pumpkin...not pumpkin pie filling! As tasty as it may be, the added sugar is not good for kitties.)
The vet suggested increasing the amount to one "pumpkin pop" (as I now call them!) per day. The vet was so pleased with Lily's progress that he's going to suggest the pumpkin pops to other patients. (Note: Be sure to use pure pumpkin...not pumpkin pie filling! As tasty as it may be, the added sugar is not good for kitties.)
I scheduled Lily's next appointment for three months out, and if she's not exhibiting any scooting behavior, I will cancel it. We're hoping that the combination of additional water and the fibrous pumpkin will keep her on the right path...and away from the vet!
Happy Feline Friday!
jp
2 comments:
YAY, YAY, YAY!!! What wonderful news!! So glad both the pumpkin pops and water/broth seem to be doing the trick!! I like your idea of freezing the pumpkin in ice cube trays. Think I might do that for a treat, especially on hot summer days!!
Kimberly Marie -- So sorry, I again missed your comment! Email problems...grrr!
YES -- I'm so happy we seem to have a good solution to this pesky problem! Thank you so much for your recommendation on increasing water intake. So far, so good!
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