Bruce – Kidney & Pancreatic Disease

A 14 year old castrated male cat who presented with kidney, pancreatic disease and osteoarthritis. When Bruce first arrived he had severe flatulence and vomited frequently. 

There was a considerable decline between Dec 19 and April 2020 in his general wellbeing. He was then diagnosed with Iris Stage II Kidney disease. His water intake and urination frequency/volume and increased. His dental health was poor and he had secondary facial dermatitis due to dribbling. His vomiting and grass ingestion had become a little more frequent since going onto the prescription renal diets. He had hindleg ataxia and weakness and a history of urinary tract infections, triggered through stress. 

Treatment Goals: To support kidney disease, vomiting, pancreatitis, musculo/skeletal/neurological disease and anxiety from a holistic perspective. 

Integrative Treatment Plan: Bruce was prescribed a tailored herbal formulation incorporating renal-protective, immune-supportive, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, gastrointestinal, and anxiolytic herbs. 

His diet was transitioned to a veterinary-formulated, grain/carbohydrate-free regimen providing low to moderate protein levels, with restricted phosphorus and the inclusion of a phosphorus binder. In Stage II renal disease, severe protein restriction is not always indicated and may predispose to unintended weight loss and protein deficiencies. 

Additional support included omega-3 fatty acids, targeted vitamin supplementation, and pre- and probiotics. The use of filtered water was advised, alongside minimising chemical exposures such as routine flea products. Faecal egg counts were recommended to guide worming decisions rather than empirical treatment. 

Outcome: Bruce responded positively to the treatment protocol, and his quality of life improved significantly. We had to try a few tricks initially to get him to take his supplements, but after some time he tolerated and ate them well. Ensuring compliance with cats is very important to ensure that there is minimal stress in getting products into our beautiful feline companions. 🐾 

Owners Feedback: 

“Our elderly cat, Bruce, moved in with us later in life. He often threw up on traditional dry food. We put him onto a grain free, natural ingredient diet and things improved. However, when he was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD) our usual vets recommended a dry food renal diet. I was sceptical because of the suboptimal ingredients and especially the grain, but they told me it was the only way to manage his condition. Of course he began throwing up again and also began losing weight because of the low protein levels. This didn’t sit right with me as I have a holistic and inquisitive philosophy about my own health… so after much searching for something more holistic for Bruce, I found Jacqui. 

Jacqui helped us to properly understand the processes behind CKD and that there were indeed options we could try beyond buying the ‘prescription’ diets, which too often fail our fur babies. It was a huge relief to be given this knowledge. It was so amazing and empowering to have ways of helping him that felt ‘right’. We kept him on a healthy grain free food and added a phosphorus binder, and did other things to support his gut health. No more dry food. He stopped throwing up with no need for medication! His energy came back and he is a completely different cat 😊 His weight has stabilised and his CKD has not progressed too much despite being on a reasonably high protein diet. Thank you SO much Jacqui!”

Charlotte Cudby, May 2021