Atkins diet and your liver
There is a very strong and extremely logical connection between the way that we are currently feeding our obligate carnivores and many of the life-threatening diseases that afflict them. There are several diagnostic tests that are used to diagnose this disease. Humans and dogs can take the pieces of the puzzle in the plant protein and, from those, make the missing pieces. Dry food only contains 5-10 percent water whereas canned foods contain. It allows the grain fractions to be broken up into smaller components which places them lower on the list since ingredients are listed by weight. Please see Feline Urinary Tract Health for a more detailed discussion. On the contrary, we have plenty of evidence to show that feeding water-depleted, high carbohydrate, plant-based diets to carnivores does not honor their carnivorous make-up but, instead, promotes disease in this species. Nonalcoholic liver disease is by far the number one cause of this condition. The extensive cooking required to remove most of the water from the food (70% moisture reduced to 5-10% moisture) significantly alters the biological value of the protein sources and damages other vital nutrients. In other words, these diets contain no ingredient that actually requires a prescription. This is not a painful procedure for the cat and this method is the only way to obtain a sample for accurate information in order to properly treat with antibiotics. ). Please click on the links below to read more about optimal nutrition for cats. However, understand that pet food companies can change their formulations at any point in time so if you desire the most up-to-date information, you will need to call the individual companies. Non-clumping litters do not allow you to remove all of the urine and are not sanitary litters. This dry food is 29% carbohydrates on a dry matter basis and is, of course, water-depleted. Of course, the same deterioration can occur in any cat that is not consuming enough protein, but the level of protein in these diets is not only at an extremely low level, it is in an incomplete form for a carnivore. Cystitis is an extremely common and very painful problem in the cat. , canned options. Keep in mind that a large marketing budget does not equate with the manufacturing of high quality or healthy products. However, please understand that there are no studies showing that restricting protein to this level will prevent further deterioration of kidney function. This label originally started out in the dry food market but it has now made its way to canned food labels. The higher priced canned foods that I referenced above, have a muscle meat listed as the first ingredient. When reading this section, two words need to be firmly in your mind. There is no doubt that dry food is responsible for far more intestinal problems, and other diseases, than most veterinarians and cat owners realize. Royal Canin was one of the first companies to come out with these breed specific diets as a marketing gimmick. I would have to be stranded on a desert island with no other food source before I would ever consider feeding these diets to any cat in my care. For more details regarding pet food ingredient labels, see Commercial Foods. This is one reason why it is so important to use a clumping (scoopable) litter. However, the low carbohydrate level (3-5%) tells us that the amount of fruits and vegetables is very low. Over time, it can lead to liver cancer, liver damage and failure, or liver related death. Diet is not the only issue involved with cystitis but it is an important one and one that we can control. Cats did not stop being obligate carnivores just because we put a roof over their heads. Stones are also very common and can lead to a life-threatening urinary tract blockage. If you are tempted to write to me to ask what food you should feed to your cat, understand that specific advice cannot be provided via email. To get around this problem, your veterinarian can give the your cat a dose of subcutaneous (just under the skin) fluids. You would never see a wild cat chasing down a herd of biscuits running across the plains of Africa or dehydrating her mouse and topping it off with corn meal. Stress is also thought to play a very significant role in cystitis and even cats that are fed a 100 percent canned food diet may experience bouts of cystitis. Taurine deficiency will cause blindness and heart problems in cats. Unfortunately, pet food labels are not held to the same standard as human food labels. No matter the breed, the cat is still an obligate carnivore. Cystitis will often recur in these patients and this painful health problem can be very frustrating to deal with. It must be kept in mind that even with a low USG, most cases of cystitis are not due to an infection. This makes it impossible to accurately evaluate the food in terms of composition. By-products are not necessarily low quality protein sources. With regard to the overall protein amounts contained in dry versus canned food, do not be confused by the listing of the protein percentages on the packaging. Taurine is one of the most important nutrients present in meat but it is missing from plants. Most canned foods, when figured on a dry matter basis, have more protein than dry food. This is why humans and dogs can live on a vegetarian diet but cats cannot. In cats over 10 years of age, infections are more common but that still does not mean that older cats with cystitis should automatically be put on antibiotics. In addition to the issue of carbohydrates and how they affect the blood sugar level of some cats, dry food is very calorie dense, is very palatable, and is usually free-fed. Feeding Your Cat: Know the Basics of Feline Nutrition. Please note that not all canned foods are suitably low in carbohydrates. Most cats under 10 years of age produce a very concentrated urine (USG greater than 1. These diets are often very high in carbohydrates and, of course, all of the dry versions are water-depleted. In other words, they are not the result of an infection and the patient should not be placed on antibiotics. There is nothing fresh about this source of food and it certainly does not come close to resembling a bird or a mouse. People often overestimate what it takes to make a nutritious meal for their cat and assume that it means slaving away in the kitchen every day. Pour the water into covered ice cube trays. Of course, in order to be on board with the preventative nutrition argument, a person has to understand the following facts. This means that pet food labels are seriously lacking in usable information when compared to a package of food for a human. These are also usually the same people who are advising general practitioners on all matters of nutrition. In fact, it has often been said, jokingly, that a cat with cystitis will often stop exhibiting clinical signs within seven days with antibiotics and in one week without antibiotics. This type can lead to serious problems as it may cause scar tissue in the liver, called cirrhosis. There are several situations that can lead to a diet being deficient in taurine but one of them is using a diet that relies heavily on plants (grains, etc. However, if these high carbohydrate ingredients are listed, you have no idea of the amount in the food and, therefore, no knowledge of the carbohydrate level. Learn How To Read a Pet Food Ingredient Label. One problem, however, is that a sample may be difficult to obtain without waiting a couple of hours since cats with cystitis urinate frequently and often do not have enough urine in their bladder to get a good sample. This is a very frustrating disease to deal with and one that the veterinary community does not have all the answers for. Fat cells produce a substance that makes the other cells in the body resistant to insulin. Put another way, a cat on a canned food diet consumes approximately double the amount of water consumed by a cat eating dry food when all sources (food and water bowl) are considered. Fortunately, there are treatments, both medical (lots of drugs) and homeopathic (natural diet), where you can reverse and eliminate fatty liver disease. A diet of canned food will keep a proper amount of water flowing through the urinary tract system and help maintain its health. What You Need to Know to Keep Your Liver Healthy. It is important to note that most of these diets do not have robust clinical feeding studies supporting their safety for long-term feeding or even for use in treating the various diseases they target. However, they can become a problem if Man continues to insist on feeding the cat a water-depleted diet. It is very important to understand that crystals will often form once outside of the body within a very short (30-60 minutes) period of time. However, this perception of quality is undeserved and this incestuous relationship jeopardizes the integrity of our profession. There are two basic ways to meet our nutrient needs. Given this fact, and given what we know about how the cat processes carbohydrates, it is not a stretch to say that high carbohydrate diets could very well be a significant factor in causing diabetes in some cats. The first paragraph of that page is as follows. I sincerely hope that these pictures of Opie make a huge impact on anyone who is still not convinced that dry food causes significant suffering in many cats. Preservatives are important ingredients that we need to pay attention to. By-products are discussed in more detail on the Commercial Foods page in this. An increasing number of nutrition-savvy veterinarians, including board-certified veterinary internists, are now strongly recommending the feeding of canned food instead of dry kibble. Buprenex is superior to Torbugesic which has been used for pain management in the cat in the past. When this happens, the abuse of antibiotics continues. Fats can easily become rancid, and bacteria will proliferate, in this type of environment. In addition, other factors that may cause an enlarged liver are. It is troubling to think about the role that chronic dehydration may play in causing or exacerbating feline kidney disease. Some of the cheaper dry foods contain even higher levels. If someone wants to discuss the information contained on this site in more detail, an appointment for a phone consultation needs to be set up. Please keep in mind that a cat has a very low thirst drive and is designed to get water with their food. The base ingredients and composition mirror those of many dry foods found in pet stores and supermarkets. Unfortunately, many veterinarians overlook pain medications as a very important part of the treatment of this common feline problem. Because of this increase in urine production, litter boxes need to be scooped more frequently or more boxes need to be added to the home. I strongly suggest that all caretakers of diabetic cats home-test to monitor blood glucose levels using a standard glucometer as a matter of routine. Cats are obligate (strict) carnivores and are very different from dogs in their nutritional needs. However, when all of the grain fractions are added up, their contribution to the diet (including the protein content) often greatly outweighs the first ingredient. This type of unhealthy diet is consumed under the assumption that humans know exactly what was destroyed or altered during processing and what needs to be added back and in what form and amount. Without knowing the actual amount of each ingredient, we have no indication of the impact of the ingredient on the nutritional profile of the food. This web page lays out some often-ignored principles of feline nutrition and explains why cats have a better chance at optimal health if they are fed canned food (or a balanced homemade diet) instead of dry kibble. Common Feline Health Problems and Their Ties to Diet. Please also be aware that many veterinarians underestimate the favorable impact that a low carbohydrate diet has on the insulin needs of the patient and they do not lower the insulin dose enough. If you have this condition, also called steatosis, you might develop diabetes which, over a period of time, can cause cardiovascular complications. The first four columns show the caloric distribution which is the best way to analyze food. Important: I often see too much clinical significance placed on the identification of crystals in the urine without regard to how the urine sample was handled. For the past 11 years, I have spent a few hours in the kitchen 4-6 times a year making food for my cats which is a very small price to pay for the control that I have over what goes into their food bowls. Try not to drive yourself nuts when picking out a canned cat food. Cystitis can lead to inappropriate urination (urinating outside of the litter box) and stones can cause a fatal rupture of the bladder by blocking the outflow of urine. It is normal if you have a small amount of fat in your liver. Many readers of this website have kindly donated their valuable time to translate this important information into various languages. Water intake of cats on dry vs canned food. IBD can also present with weight loss as the only clinical sign. Given how common hyperthyroidism is in the cat, soy has no business being in cat food. I feel very strongly that this common therapeutic regimen dismisses the very significant role that a proper diet plays in our IBD patients. With regard to dry food and urinary tract health, aside from the lack of water in this type of diet, there is also a correlation between the consumption of a high carbohydrate diet and the formation of struvite crystals as shown by this study.
Instead of lowering their profit margin and going back to nature by adding more meat to the diets, the pet food companies simple started supplementing their diets with synthetic taurine. An estimated 20% of all adults have some form of this the condition, and approximately 6 million children. Cats have no dietary need for carbohydrates and, more worrisome is the fact that a diet that is high in carbohydrates can be detrimental to their health as explained below. Also note that synthetic taurine is manufactured from a chemical reaction and all taurine (at least that I know of) comes out of China. Proteins derived from animal tissues have a complete amino acid profile. Plus, the labels never list the carbohydrate amount which is very frustrating because we are trying to stay under 10% carbohydrate calories. If the insulin is not lowered accordingly, an overdose of insulin will occur which can be life-threatening. This includes Friskies, 9-Lives, Fancy Feast, etc. It is also thought that the highly concentrated urine may be very irritating to the bladder wall in some cats, predisposing them to painful cystitis. In addition, dry food is very heavily processed which includes being subjected to high temperatures for a long time resulting in alteration and destruction of nutrients. The average dry food contains 35-50 percent carbohydrate calories. What are the symptoms of NAFLD, or Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. A good example of the above issue is a food like canned Wellness. Cats have a physiological decrease in the ability to utilize carbohydrates due to the lack of specific enzymatic pathways that are present in other mammals, and they lack a salivary enzyme called amylase. Make your own tuna water by taking one can of tuna and mixing the contents into 3 cups of water. He is 18 years old and still runs around like a kitten. Couple this with the fact that cats do not have a very strong thirst drive when compared to other species, and you will understand why it is critical for them to ingest a water-rich diet. At first glance, this food may be dismissed as inappropriate for a carnivore because it contains several high carbohydrate ingredients in the form of fruits and vegetables, including potatoes which are very high in starch (carbohydrate). Putting a little thought into what you feed your cat(s) can pay big dividends over their lifetime and very possibly help them avoid serious, painful, and costly illnesses. , listed on the label, it is a safe bet that the food is low in carbohydrates. Many of the often-prescribed feline lower urinary tract diets are formulated to make the urine acidic but it is thought that these low magnesium, acidifying diets may actually exacerbate painful cystitis. This is a crucial point when one considers how common kidney and bladder problems are in the cat. Please see this paper discussing the elevated blood glucose in cats after eating a high carbohydrate meal. It has been cooked at very high temperatures for a long period of time. Some cases may lead to serious health problems from complications of this condition. It means that cats lack specific metabolic (enzymatic) pathways and cannot utilize plant proteins as efficiently as animal proteins. Antibiotics are NOT harmless drugs and they need to be used with more critical thought than is currently happening in both human and veterinary medicine. On a good note, most cats will have their clinical signs spontaneously resolve even without any treatment. Many canned foods, on the other hand, contain approximately less than 10 percent carbohydrates. Chronic kidney disease is probably the leading cause of mortality in the cat. If you do not want to read this entire webpage, please review this shortened version. Needless to say, if you are showing any yellowing of the whites of your eyes or skin—which is jaundice—you should see a doctor immediately as this can be a sign of serious liver failure. Before you get too confused and frustrated when reading this section, I will say at the outset. It is very important to understand the impact that a low carbohydrate diet has on the insulin needs of a diabetic cat. Brewers rice, corn gluten meal, chicken by-product meal, pork fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), chicken, chicken liver flavor, fish oil. Plant-based proteins do not contain the full complement (puzzle pieces) of the critical amino acids required by an obligate carnivore. Urine pH is also often considered when discussing urinary tract problems but we really need to stop focusing so heavily on pH. Also, this is a very good example of the ingredient splitting. Taking it even one step further, there are many reports of cats with IBD that improved tremendously on a balanced homemade diet. To repeat, crystals are not necessarily an abnormal finding in cat urine. Please keep in mind that when your cat starts eating a more appropriately hydrated diet of canned food, his urine output will increase which is a very good thing for bladder health. Blood tests, including liver profiles that test enzymes. What are the possible diet and lifestyle changes you should make. Regarding hydration, I must say that I find it truly amazing when I hear about the very large numbers of cats receiving subcutaneous fluids while being maintained on a diet of dry food. This increases the chance of these crystals forming life-threatening stones. I would much rather see a cat eating an all-by-product canned food than any dry food. This is NOT the diet that Mother Nature intended for your cat to eat. However, nothing could be further from the truth. After recognizing this situation, you will see an obvious and very significant conflict of interest. Heredity may play a part in it by predisposing a person to alcoholism. For instance, if you do not see high carbohydrate ingredients such as grains, potatoes, peas, etc. Studies have shown that Asian and Hispanic children are more at risk. These companies make it very easy for us. Crystals in cat urine are as normal as the leaves that fall on your driveway. ) as its source of protein. Therefore, do not shy away from the more economical foods like Friskies or 9-Lives if you cannot afford the more expensive canned foods without by-products. Too often these cats are treated with a high level of steroids and a prescription grain-laden dry food diet. Careful monitoring is especially important when implementing a diet change. Stay away from food with gravy and sauces because they usually use high carbohydrate thickeners. Also, these acidifying diets often end up promoting calcium oxylate stone formation and can also lead to hypokalemia (low potassium in the blood) which can cause or exacerbate kidney disease. Use covered trays to keep the water tasting and smelling fresh. These diets represent an area of the commercial cat food industry that is very misleading and, quite frankly, a source of embarrassment for this profession. Please do not allow that drug to be injected into your cat without reading my Convenia webpage first. This is why it is important to not just consider the list of ingredients but to also look at the Cat Food Composition chart, or call the company for the information. By-products are always a controversial subject but it makes much more sense to feed animal-based by-products to a cat than it does to feed grains or potatoes. Learn about a great health tracker for FLD patients. However, contrary to what is often believed by both the veterinarian and the client. Urine pH varies throughout the day and using one pH measurement from a single urine sample is very misleading and is not terribly helpful information. The fox is definitely guarding the henhouse and the FDA shows no interest in remedying the situation. The reason that an older cat is more prone to urinary tract infections is because kidney disease is more common in this age group and so these cats will have a more dilute urine which is not as hostile to bacterial growth. There are far better options available that are healthier and not as expensive. While by-products can be very nutritious (and this really is the least of my concerns regarding these diets), they are cheaper than muscle meat so one would think that as much as these diets cost, the companies could use a more consistent source of high quality protein. This is an extremely illogical and unhealthy practice and every attempt should be made to get these cats on a diet that contains a higher moisture content. 035) and bacteria do not grow well in concentrated urine. And remember, even if this was not the case, the percentage numbers do not tell the whole story. Liver biopsy, a tissue sample done by inserting a very long needle into your liver and obtaining a bit of the organ for lab examination. So why are we continuing to feed our carnivores like herbivores. Within a couple of hours (or less), the bladder is usually full enough to obtain a urine sample via cystocentesis. Cystitis can be extremely painful and it is very important to address pain management in these cats. If the veterinarian does not examine the urine right away and either sends it to an outside laboratory or uses a free-catch sample that the owner brought from home, an erroneous diagnosis of crystals may be made. Both types of the nonalcoholic forms of this disease are becoming more and more common. Clumping litter allows you to see just how much, if any, urine is being voided. It is very important to remember that not all proteins are created equal. Chicken By-Product Meal, Brewers Rice, Corn Gluten Meal, Whole Grain Corn, Pork Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), Powdered Cellulose, Dried Chicken, Chicken Liver Flavor. I can assure you, it is much easier than that. You might also have a significant risk of end stage liver failure. The protein in dry food, which is often heavily plant-based, is not equal in. The protein in dry food, therefore, earns a lower biological value score. It was discovered in the late 1980s that cats are exquisitely sensitive to taurine deficiency and our cats were paying dearly for humans straying so far from nature in order to increase the profit margin of the pet food manufacturers. The less expensive foods like Friskies, 9-Lives, and Fancy Feast are also fine to feed. Again, we would like to stay under 10% of calories coming from carbohydrates. In addition, they are simply not necessary and do not optimally address the problems they claim to treat. The importance of animal proteins, versus plant proteins. When a cat is on a diet of water-depleted dry food, they produce a more highly. They will then claim that these missing elements are added to their diets to make it complete and balanced to sustain life in an obligate carnivore. However, there is more variability when quality is being considered when compared to muscle meat. Brewers rice, chicken by-product meal, corn gluten meal, pork fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid),chicken liver flavor, taurine, preserved with BHT and BHA. Brewers rice, corn gluten meal, pork fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), chicken by-product meal. You should aim for a diet that derives less than 10% of its calories from carbohydrates. Soy contains phytoestrogens and soy also negatively influences the thyroid gland. If you have been diagnosed with fatty liver disease, you might be feeling afraid and somewhat bewildered and would appreciate more information about all aspects of this condition. Not all that long ago (1980s) cats were going blind and dying from heart problems due to this arrogance. A very important note on antibiotic usage in these cases. The three key negative issues associated with dry food are. Because plant proteins are cheaper than meat proteins, pet food companies will have a higher profit margin when using corn, wheat, soy, rice, etc. This is the kind of arrogance that has led to fatal errors in the past. Also keep in mind that dry foods are not refrigerated and they sit in warm warehouses, on pet store shelves, and in your cupboards for weeks or months before your pets consume them. The patient is then put into a cage without a litter box. With regard to overall kidney and bladder health, I cannot stress strongly enough how important water is in both the prevention and treatment of diseases involving this organ system. At first glance, it might appear that the dry food has a higher amount of protein than the canned food—but this is not true on a dry matter basis which considers the food minus the water. Water is an extremely important nutrient that contributes to overall health in every living creature. BHA, BHT, and ethoxyquin are extremely questionable in terms of safety. This field of study is not emphasized in veterinary schools and the minimal course work that is required, is often taught by people who have strong ties to the pet food industry. My questions about the quality and composition of their prescription diets are always met with dead silence. Diabetes and hyperthyroidism are also more common in cats over 10 years of age and both disease render the patient more prone to urinary tract infections.
