Anyone use digestive enzymes?

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JenM

JenM

Member Since 2013
I was just curious... given that Tink is being slow to regulate this time around... would digestive enzymes help his body absorb the nutrients he's eating? I know being in the higher ranges cause absorption issues and was just thinking that enzymes MIGHT help him get more out of his food - at least until he's regulated (but maybe even long term).

Then again... it might not make any difference at all since it's not a digestive issue causing the malabsorption. Any thoughts or experiences? Obviously I'd have to find something without sugars or carbs... but we have a "pet health food" store that would likely have something. Or even just a little plain yogurt??

This is more a curiosity / prevention question than anything. Despite high numbers, Tink is maintaining his weight pretty well. However he's ALWAYS STARVING and his scavenging behavior is getting really hard to deal with. I'm going to have to get childproof cabinet locks if he gets any worse! He's taken lids off pans, knocks dishes around in the sink, and steals food from anything that will let him (he was stalking the dog!). Yesterday he managed to eat two slices of tomato off a plate on the counter in the five seconds I had my back turned to tend to the food on the stove. :shock:
 
The unregulated diabetic may need up to 50% more food due to difficulty using the glucose. Digestive enzymes won't help with glucose use, only insulin helps with that.
Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency usually comes with voluminous, pasty-colored, foul-smelling stools. EPI can be helped by digestive enzymes. The vet should diagnose and advise.

Adding some water to the food increases the volume which may help some.
Using 1/8 teaspoon of plain psyllium in the food to further provide bulk may help slow transit time and leave him fuller, longer. There will be more fecal output from this.
Spreading the food thinly on a plate can slow down the eating.
Spacing out the food across the day in mini-meals may keep him from getting too hungry.

Unless specifically tested for hyperthyroid disease, that should be ruled out.
Diarrhea and inflammatory bowel disease may push fod through so fast it can't be properly absorbed.
And cancer may cause initial hunger as it takes up whatever it can.
 
I'm already adding a considerable amount (about 1/8c) to each of his 4 meals. This has at least helped slow down his eating so that the other cats USUALLY get to finish theirs before he starts trying to steal it.

What is psyllium and where could I get it?

His blood work actually showed somewhat LOW thyroid levels, which the vet was very UNconcerned about.

His stool has been normal - fairly small, firm, dark brown. He was actually starting to seem mildly constipated for a short bit, but the extra water (or maybe the zucchini) seems to have fixed that.

I'm not sure how cancers would be ruled out, but his blood panel didn't show any odd cell counts, other than some mild blood LOSS (doc asked if he'd been having diarrhea, which he had not - when I said no, he moved on). I wonder if that could be related somehow...
 
'Psyllium fiber husk' - found in about any store that carries vitamins and meds. Look in the area where things like 'Benefiber' are located. They're one of the cheaper ones - the label will tell you 'Psyllium Fiber'.

We had to use digestive enzymes for KT when his EPI was acting up - got ours at a human health food store.

HUGS!
 
We use digestive enzymes for Noodle and they help tremendously, however he has IBD. The IBD was brought under control with a diet change, removing the foods an allergy test showed he was allergic to. The vet said IBD sometimes co-exists with pancreatitis which he also had. This information probably isn't pertinent for your kitty but my vet thinks Epizyme helps a lot with nutrient absorption.

Christi
 
Ok thanks. He does have pancreatitis (based on the SNAP fPL at least), but I'm assuming it's mild as he's been asymptomatic. I doubt if IBD or EPI are issues as he has no fecal symptoms...

Someone has been leaving me a lot of hairballs, but I'm pretty sure that's Tarzan (I've seen him do it a time or two).

I guess it can't hurt to try it and see if it makes any difference.
 
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