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JP
Member/DJ
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Posted: Mon Jan 7th, 2008 02:29 am |
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Miss Whitney (1992-2008)
I've been debating privately for ages if it would be interesting enough for members of perspectives or that I'd have time to methodically cover this thread research wise.
"I have more time to play with now and the motivation to offer a little advice based on more than a decade of working with all things four footed has arrived. I'd better set the rules & clarify the obligation on my part"
1. All advice given will be first hand experience or if necessary via veterinary friends & associates "personal" opinions.
2. If a prognosis based on your description is given by myself. IE: "Please take your pet to your vet" no further reply/PM/Skype* will be given on this inquiry until this advice has been followed out.
3. 2nd opinions of a medical nature are to be taken only as described (2nd opinions can and should only be used as an educated medical 'opinion', you can raise with 'confidence' with your trusted local vet if you personally feel inclined to do so.
(Questions you post about your cat/dog's behavioral problems/quirks will be answered based on your honesty in explaining 'even' when I ask the most off beat questions will be paramount..) please also consider/forgive my sometimes blatant & obvious answers which you might already fathom, to also be directed at future members/guests searching for a related subject & not just your particular crisis or joy..
There will be a pet square radio program segment created within my weekly presentations on Mediumrare.com ..so I can explain in person or hopefully have nothing relative to say & play tunes instead.. (I will bump this thread every 3 months.. he says optimistically speaking.
*Used only for rare or special situations at my personal/members discretion'.
Last edited on Mon Jan 21st, 2008 05:11 pm by JP
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mb
S. Moderator
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Posted: Mon Jan 7th, 2008 03:26 pm |
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Hi there and good day, JP. I had hoped to find you somewhere.
First of all... there is no vet. So squash that idea right there.
Miss Whitney is 17 years young, and has finally quit eating her food. I am guessing that she will die before too much longer. What can I do to ensure that she is not miserable during this time? She still purrs when I pet her, and enjoys snuggling. She rarely meows - never has much. She has touched neither food nor water in 24 hours. Last night she staggered a bit while settling down. I just want her to be happy.
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JP
Member/DJ
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Posted: Mon Jan 7th, 2008 05:57 pm |
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MB wrote: Hi there and good day, JP. I had hoped to find you somewhere.
First of all... there is no vet. So squash that idea right there.
Miss Whitney is 17 years young, and has finally quit eating her food. I am guessing that she will die before too much longer. What can I do to ensure that she is not miserable during this time? She still purrs when I pet her, and enjoys snuggling. She rarely meows - never has much. She has touched neither food nor water in 24 hours. Last night she staggered a bit while settling down. I just want her to be happy.
Hello MB..
Dehydration in combination with no appetite is lethal for dear old Miss Whitney.. or any cat of any age. something is always wrong if your animal displays this behavior.
Detection: Please put her on your lap and take the back of her neck and pull softly on her skin. If her coat returns to shape 'slowly' then she is dehydrated! and needs fluids! Please boil a piece of chicken breast, and once its baby warm.. present small pieces for Miss Whitney.. she might eat this.. the lady must eat! & perhaps you could puree her food to a soft pulp and pamper her diet at this time with boiled chicken. (or boneless fish) water needs to be mixed into her food.
If you suspect that she is in pain or in obvious discomfort today, I would strongly advise you drive to the nearest veterinary clinic and let a vet give his/her opinion & potential remedy. Miss Whitney needs your attention & if she eats your water-based food for now then her chances will be drastically increased. at 17yrs of age she really deserves a 'check-up' anyway, so think about booking a full day out for dear Whitney. having no local vet is only an inconvenience.. & quite possibly the sweetest gift of your long friendship & coexistence together might demand you do this soon.
Questions for you MB: 1. Have you observed her sneezing? 2. having trouble passing a hairball? 3. does she use a litter tray in the house? if so, can you describe what is presently on display in her box? 4. (if you can open her mouth) how does her teeth & also gums look like? & smell? 5. While she is sitting on your lap, if you feel (examine) over her entire body can you feel any lumps/bumps or going thin hair spots? 6. how sure are you that she has only stopped drinking in the last 24hrs.. could it of perhaps been longer?
Last edited on Fri Jan 11th, 2008 06:36 pm by JP
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mb
S. Moderator
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Posted: Mon Jan 7th, 2008 07:10 pm |
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I have come home to visit Miss Whitney. She is lying on the back of the couch - in the sunshine she loves. She was not tempted with the chicken but she did slurp up some broth from cooking the chicken. She seemed quite happy with that.
She's always been a finicky eater - preferring dried food to wet - unless it's a meat treat off my plate once a week or so. She's always been slender, but now she is truly too thin.
No sneezing, wheezing. No hairballs lately. She was vomiting after some of her meals. But that has been an intermittent thing, and of course, now that she quit eating, there is not that.
No lumps, bumps or strange fur things. She's beautiful as ever - although thin.
Her litter box holds no great surprises - except that it is not being used much. It appears that she is not digesting anything. Possibly just because she quit eating. Her mouth is pretty regular. No surprises there either.
And no, I am not sure when she quit eating exactly. I started really monitoring it yesterday. Often it's either Mr. MB or myself or a combination who feeds her - so we aren't always sure who did what and what she's been eating. So I got organized in order to try to help her.
She doesn't seem to be in discomfort at all, and purrs when I pet her. Quietly though. She's not curled up quite as tidily as usual. She seems happy at the moment from the chicken broth. I guess I will keep that up for a while.
I will call the vet and see what they can do. The last time I took an animal there, they said they'd keep her overnight to observe her. I specifically told them NOT to euthanize her until we'd spoken again. I drove all the way back out there the following morning to be told they'd euthanized her anyway. So they don't have a lot of credibility with me at this point. Although it's been years since that happened. It was a shock. If she was a horse or a cow, I'd have no problem getting her seen here.
Thanks for your insights.
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BlueGTO
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Posted: Tue Jan 8th, 2008 12:18 am |
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I would find another vet! I had a vet manhandle my 13week old kitten because he was terrified...I never went back to him! I thought they were going to break his spine! The hefty chick found it easier to hold him down with her elbow and I had his back legs...it was terrible.
My other cat has luxating patellas and the guy who did his surgery refused to give him pain meds because cats OBVIOUSLY don't feel pain...even though my little guy was screaming.
Last edited on Tue Jan 8th, 2008 12:21 am by BlueGTO
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BlueGTO
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Posted: Tue Jan 8th, 2008 12:34 am |
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| I can get your opinion on something. My DSH cat started out with a Grade II luxating patella on his right knee and a Grade IV on his left. We had surgery back in October to fix his left one and now his right knee has progressed to a Grade IV. Our normal vet thinks we should wait another 3 months before doing his other knee becuase the tendons are still tight on his post-op leg. Is this necessary? Also, is there something that can be given for 3 months to a cat for pain? He is getting Buprenex every 3 days for pain and he is soooo happy on those days, but in soooo much pain once it wears off and it takes him 2 days to recover. Is there something to take the edge off for him? He is also getting a Glucosamine supplement to hopefully helpwith stiffness.
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Sail_the_Web
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Posted: Tue Jan 8th, 2008 02:03 am |
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| Courtesy bump. So Freaks sees this column!
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JP
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Posted: Tue Jan 8th, 2008 10:14 am |
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BlueGTO wrote: I can get your opinion on something. My DSH cat started out with a Grade II luxating patella on his right knee and a Grade IV on his left. We had surgery back in October to fix his left one and now his right knee has progressed to a Grade IV. Our normal vet thinks we should wait another 3 months before doing his other knee becuase the tendons are still tight on his post-op leg. Is this necessary? Also, is there something that can be given for 3 months to a cat for pain? He is getting Buprenex every 3 days for pain and he is soooo happy on those days, but in soooo much pain once it wears off and it takes him 2 days to recover. Is there something to take the edge off for him? He is also getting a Glucosamine supplement to hopefully helpwith stiffness.
This type of joint dislocation problem is normally found mostly in small breed dogs but is sadly also found within cats. the biggest problem to recovery is your cats activity. I take it that you were instructed to keep him in a 'recovery cage' to reduce his opportunity to jump, climb etc. recovery from this kind of operation to pin the ligaments into place can take its time if your cat is not confined for at least 4 weeks+ in a cage! the pain factor is based on over extension of the repairing ligament & lets not forget the other leg also waiting for treatment.
2nd medical opinion: Your vet is correct to balance out the two operations if he/she considers the other knee joint could wait. consider the overall recovery factor including the pain if both joints need to recover with a normally 'active' cat at the same time! (16+ weeks recovery time is the norm)
Prognosis: I would restrict your cat to a recovery cage every night or even keep him confined for a week to help speed up the repair going on within the joint. I can not express enough how inactivity in your cats behaviour will help reduce the pain & increase the recovery times. the cage should be big enough to place a low sided litter tray, a comfortable sitting area. water & food bowls. a medium-small dog cage is perfect for the purpose. it is 'possible' to use regular Valium in "very small doses" (1/16th=less than a match-head size=tiny) of a pill. given direct or crushed in a drop of water & mixed into his food. this will calm all the muscle groups & reduce the chronic pain. this should 'only' be administered when pain is clearly evident and only given once in 24hrs+ & within a confined space (cage).
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JP
Member/DJ
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Posted: Tue Jan 8th, 2008 10:46 am |
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BlueGTO wrote: I would find another vet! I had a vet manhandle my 13week old kitten because he was terrified...I never went back to him! I thought they were going to break his spine! The hefty chick found it easier to hold him down with her elbow and I had his back legs...it was terrible.
My other cat has luxating patellas and the guy who did his surgery refused to give him pain meds because cats OBVIOUSLY don't feel pain...even though my little guy was screaming.
what was the reason for the original restriction of your kitten?
your 2nd statement is remarkable!! to clarify.. Cats do indeed feel pain.
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BlueGTO
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Posted: Tue Jan 8th, 2008 02:38 pm |
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JP wrote: BlueGTO wrote: I would find another vet! I had a vet manhandle my 13week old kitten because he was terrified...I never went back to him! I thought they were going to break his spine! The hefty chick found it easier to hold him down with her elbow and I had his back legs...it was terrible.
My other cat has luxating patellas and the guy who did his surgery refused to give him pain meds because cats OBVIOUSLY don't feel pain...even though my little guy was screaming.
what was the reason for the original restriction of your kitten?
your 2nd statement is remarkable!! to clarify.. Cats do indeed feel pain.
He was hissing and fighting them. I would have thought scruffing him would have been more appropriate than putting her fat elbow on him! My current vet just scruffs him when necessary. I don't mind. He was a bad vet anyway, he told me my cat was a skinny breed when you could feel EVERY bone in his back and his ribs were sticking out.
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BlueGTO
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Posted: Tue Jan 8th, 2008 02:45 pm |
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JP wrote: BlueGTO wrote: I can get your opinion on something. My DSH cat started out with a Grade II luxating patella on his right knee and a Grade IV on his left. We had surgery back in October to fix his left one and now his right knee has progressed to a Grade IV. Our normal vet thinks we should wait another 3 months before doing his other knee becuase the tendons are still tight on his post-op leg. Is this necessary? Also, is there something that can be given for 3 months to a cat for pain? He is getting Buprenex every 3 days for pain and he is soooo happy on those days, but in soooo much pain once it wears off and it takes him 2 days to recover. Is there something to take the edge off for him? He is also getting a Glucosamine supplement to hopefully helpwith stiffness.
This type of joint dislocation problem is normally found mostly in small breed dogs but is sadly also found within cats. the biggest problem to recovery is your cats activity. I take it that you were instructed to keep him in a 'recovery cage' to reduce his opportunity to jump, climb etc. recovery from this kind of operation to pin the ligaments into place can take its time if your cat is not confined for at least 4 weeks+ in a cage! the pain factor is based on over extension of the repairing ligament & lets not forget the other leg also waiting for treatment.
2nd medical opinion: Your vet is correct to balance out the two operations if he/she considers the other knee joint could wait. consider the overall recovery factor including the pain if both joints need to recover with a normally 'active' cat at the same time! (16+ weeks recovery time is the norm)
Prognosis: I would restrict your cat to a recovery cage every night or even keep him confined for a week to help speed up the repair going on within the joint. I can not express enough how inactivity in your cats behaviour will help reduce the pain & increase the recovery times. the cage should be big enough to place a low sided litter tray, a comfortable sitting area. water & food bowls. a medium-small dog cage is perfect for the purpose. it is 'possible' to use regular Valium in "very small doses" (1/16th=less than a match-head size=tiny) of a pill. given direct or crushed in a drop of water & mixed into his food. this will calm all the muscle groups & reduce the chronic pain. this should 'only' be administered when pain is clearly evident and only given once in 24hrs+ & within a confined space (cage).
Actually, we were told to confine him in a carrier for 48 hours and then he would be fine to beout and about with our other cat. We borrowed a 4'x4'x2' cage and kept him in it for 2-3 weeks (even though the vet actually told us not to). He was better since he could actually see our other cat. We are ditching this surgeon because of the "cat's don't feel pain" approach. He was the only surgeon in the area that had done this surgery on a cat before. We're going to drive the 3 hours to Dallas next time.
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BlueGTO
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Posted: Tue Jan 8th, 2008 03:00 pm |
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Okay, our OTHER cat (we do not seem to be having good luck with cats) has a heart defect. The left Atrium is mild to moderately enlarged and the left ventricle is mildly enlarged with subjective mitral valve regurgitation. He has had 2 echos and they haven't diagnosed him with anything. He is heart worm negative, his Tauring levels are fine, and the hemobartonella test came back negative. I think cardiomyopathy, they are not sure, lab tests show no damage to the heart muscle at all. The right side of his heart is normal. It makes no sense.
Anyway, I just took him to the vet because he has been vomiting and is dehydrated. He has also had a dramatic decrease in appetite. He usually eats a 13 oz can of food, free fed dry food, and gets a lot of treats (dehydrated chicken) because he is being clicker trained. Now I am lucky to get 1 meal into him a day. He is not drinking, so I syringed him some water to keep him peeing. I have been giving him boiled chicken to keep him eating something. Friday night, I tried to get water down him, he vomited about 2 minutes later. It's clear brownish yellow vomit. So I left him alone and got some chicken into him saturday morning and was able to get chicken mixed with canned food and water into him Saturday night. Sunday, he ate a few bites and threw up before we went to bed. Took him to the vet yesterday morning, she didn't give him subq fluids because he totally flips out with the vet and by yesterday he was only mildly dehydrated. Well, yesterday he did eat a few bites of dry food, a few bites of wet food, and an entire boiled chicken tender. I found that he threw up the chicken tender in the night...at least it was mostly digested. So we are worming him just in case (Panacur) and probably taking him in for an xray today. He seemed to feel better yesterday. He was running around and playing like a mad man.
FYI: Our vet bills suck lol.
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JP
Member/DJ
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Posted: Tue Jan 8th, 2008 05:09 pm |
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MB wrote: I have come home to visit Miss Whitney. She is lying on the back of the couch - in the sunshine she loves. She was not tempted with the chicken but she did slurp up some broth from cooking the chicken. She seemed quite happy with that.
She's always been a finicky eater - preferring dried food to wet - unless it's a meat treat off my plate once a week or so. She's always been slender, but now she is truly too thin.
No sneezing, wheezing. No hairballs lately. She was vomiting after some of her meals. But that has been an intermittent thing, and of course, now that she quit eating, there is not that.
No lumps, bumps or strange fur things. She's beautiful as ever - although thin.
Her litter box holds no great surprises - except that it is not being used much. It appears that she is not digesting anything. Possibly just because she quit eating. Her mouth is pretty regular. No surprises there either.
And no, I am not sure when she quit eating exactly. I started really monitoring it yesterday. Often it's either Mr. MB or myself or a combination who feeds her - so we aren't always sure who did what and what she's been eating. So I got organized in order to try to help her.
She doesn't seem to be in discomfort at all, and purrs when I pet her. Quietly though. She's not curled up quite as tidily as usual. She seems happy at the moment from the chicken broth. I guess I will keep that up for a while.
I will call the vet and see what they can do. The last time I took an animal there, they said they'd keep her overnight to observe her. I specifically told them NOT to euthanize her until we'd spoken again. I drove all the way back out there the following morning to be told they'd euthanized her anyway. So they don't have a lot of credibility with me at this point. Although it's been years since that happened. It was a shock. If she was a horse or a cow, I'd have no problem getting her seen here.
Thanks for your insights.
First reaction: 99.9% of Vets don't put clients animals to sleep for any other reason than medical ethic. I'm afraid our personal feelings and agenda can be put to one side when nature takes its unpredictable course. your experience with this encounter with a vet is testament to this sad reality. I admire you for taking your previous four footer to the vet in time and although you still fester a bad vibe because your authority was ignored, the sweet reality is your pet was offered a painless end to suffering. it was horrible you could not be present, I'm sorry & understand this completely but please understand any vet is obliged when all other options medically have been exhausted to put an animal out of its misery. I think all veterinary surgeon's will agree "this is the most perplexing part of the profession to employ euthanasia upon any clients pet"
Prognosis: Mr MB & yourself need to combine forces in observation terms. please fill a measure bowl with water for me & read off daily her consumption level. feed her with chicken pureed (liquidized) within the water you boil the chicken in. (or)
You can also use warm water & the dry food she likes to eat.. left to get soft and soggy before you present it too her.. (only if she turns her nose up at your special chicken treatment.. the point is water content which is absolutely vital. It is highly lightly that she is very very thin because her system is breaking down (possibly involving kidney) & subsequently susceptible to her present condition IE: Dehydrated enough to turn off the main driving forces which is Food & Fluid intake.
You need to know what she urinates in terms of amount & perhaps color.. ( I have a 1.2.3. on how to observe & understand body movements if necessary)
Her.. "Whitney the "pooh" is also relevant to her condition. (dry little rocks/perfect-soft endings/soft/diarrhea/slime-blood-diarrhea/or nothing & the cat seems to spend too much time on the john.. please watch her toilet activity. keep me posted on both.
I'm going to tell you to ignore everything I've said now MB.. if you don't acknowledge my deep desire for you to V.I.P. treat Miss 17yr old/young Whitney.. to a make-over-check-up ultra soon at 'another' veterinary clinic if need be.. but if not for 'Whitney's' long friendship.. then do it for this biased mod who is pleading with you on her behalf based on the behavior you have illustrated and her general lack of veterinary attention over her respectable & medically problem free existence to this point. she really needs a pitstop..
1 on 1: (I'd really love to see a few pic's of her present & adorable posture if poss?) for purrrly personal reasons.. cu's I'm a sucker for old cats just like Miss Whitney.![[love]](/forums/themes/default/love003.gif)
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Coyote
Member
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Posted: Tue Jan 8th, 2008 06:32 pm |
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I like this idea - great thread
I have a problem that I'm hoping others might have experienced and can offer some ideas for. I am fostering a dog which I may end up adopting as she has some issues both healthwise and tempermentwise that may make her tricky for the average home. The behavioral issues I can work with but the health thing requires some research on my part.
She is almost 2 yrs old and was diagnosed by her previous adopter's vet with protein losing enteropathy/lymphagiectasia after months of diarreah and weight loss. Parasites were checked for (positive for hookworm and clostridium) and treated for. The diagnosis was via laboratory stool sample testing at Texas A&M that showed protein leakage and bloodwork (though the bloodwork did not actually show low protein but did have low neu and wbc I think). He recommended two further tests to rule out a microvascular liver problem. Since she is due in March for check up and bloodwork, I plan to see an internal medicine specialist for a second opinion and follow up tests but in the meantime I have some questions.
Right now she is in good shape. She was stabilized by the vet, she's still a little thin but has a good healthy coat and energy level and I think she might be putting on a little weight. She is currently on SciDiet ID, supplemented with lowfat cottage cheese, pet tabs and eggwhites. She gets hypoallergenic treats and the vet said she can have small amounts of cheese and peanut butter. She needs large quantities of highly digestable protein and low fat, spread out in 3 or so small meals.
My questions are several:
I would like to get her off the ID - I don't care for science diet that much, and it's pretty pricey. I can supplement her with a home cooked diet but I would like to keep her on a certain portion of kibble and commercial treats. Any ideas on what might work in terms of digestability?
One of the anomolies is that she is kind of young to have this disease - it usually shows up in middle aged dogs, nor is she one of the breeds with a predisposition for it (she's an Australian Shepherd). Are there other things this could be that might not have as serious a management issue and prognosis as lymphagiectasia?
In terms of fat - if she has lymphagiectasia - she has to be limited to medium chain triglycerides (MCT's) as much as possible. Would peanut butter qualify as that? Are there other things that contain it that could be used?
She's really a neat dog - funny too
Attachment: Jessie-wave.jpg (Downloaded 171 times) Last edited on Tue Jan 8th, 2008 06:32 pm by Coyote
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mb
S. Moderator
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Posted: Tue Jan 8th, 2008 08:04 pm |
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Here is Miss Whitney perched on the back of the sofa this morning. The vet assistant told me that they would most likely either give her fluids via IV to fluff her up for a bit or simply "put her down". I am probably going home for a bit to visit her during lunch if I can.
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Coyote
Member
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Posted: Tue Jan 8th, 2008 09:44 pm |
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I had a friend with an elderly cat going into kidney failure. She gave the cat fluids at home via IV. It wasn't that difficult. The vet provided her with bags of solution and the needle and tubing, and cats have a lot of loose skin on the top of the neck. Her cat didn't mind it or fight it and being at home - she wasn't afraid. If she's not eating you could also try meat babyfood - it's highly digestable and they'll often eat it when they won't eat other stuff...
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JP
Member/DJ
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Posted: Wed Jan 9th, 2008 09:15 am |
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BlueGTO wrote: Okay, our OTHER cat (we do not seem to be having good luck with cats) has a heart defect. The left Atrium is mild to moderately enlarged and the left ventricle is mildly enlarged with subjective mitral valve regurgitation. He has had 2 echos and they haven't diagnosed him with anything. He is heart worm negative, his Tauring levels are fine, and the hemobartonella test came back negative. I think cardiomyopathy, they are not sure, lab tests show no damage to the heart muscle at all. The right side of his heart is normal. It makes no sense.
Anyway, I just took him to the vet because he has been vomiting and is dehydrated. He has also had a dramatic decrease in appetite. He usually eats a 13 oz can of food, free fed dry food, and gets a lot of treats (dehydrated chicken) because he is being clicker trained. Now I am lucky to get 1 meal into him a day. He is not drinking, so I syringed him some water to keep him peeing. I have been giving him boiled chicken to keep him eating something. Friday night, I tried to get water down him, he vomited about 2 minutes later. It's clear brownish yellow vomit. So I left him alone and got some chicken into him saturday morning and was able to get chicken mixed with canned food and water into him Saturday night. Sunday, he ate a few bites and threw up before we went to bed. Took him to the vet yesterday morning, she didn't give him subq fluids because he totally flips out with the vet and by yesterday he was only mildly dehydrated. Well, yesterday he did eat a few bites of dry food, a few bites of wet food, and an entire boiled chicken tender. I found that he threw up the chicken tender in the night...at least it was mostly digested. So we are worming him just in case (Panacur) and probably taking him in for an xray today. He seemed to feel better yesterday. He was running around and playing like a mad man.
FYI: Our vet bills suck lol.
The answer you require is pure medical. at first read I got an intestinal allergic/block reaction or/and when I see brown byle...well.. please update me on the vets optional results (and costs..![[eyeroll]](/forums/themes/default/sarcasm.gif) )
In the meantime please ensure you use your 'syringe' to induce water intake & puree all food with added water. (Tip) you can also force feed any kitten/cat 'wrapped in a bath towel 'just like an Egyptian mummy' to syringe water or food for even the most busy or pissed/me me cat "
Prognosis: Dehydration is more deadly than food denial in young/old cats & mammals generally. you are correct that lots of 'wet' food even vomited retains a water content for the kittens body to manipulate. it can even induce a false sense of well- being..
please keep me posted.
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JP
Member/DJ
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Posted: Wed Jan 9th, 2008 09:20 am |
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MB wrote:
Here is Miss Whitney perched on the back of the sofa this morning. The vet assistant told me that they would most likely either give her fluids via IV to fluff her up for a bit or simply "put her down". I am probably going home for a bit to visit her during lunch if I can.
Miss Whitney has a truly wonderful owner..!
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BlueGTO
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Posted: Wed Jan 9th, 2008 02:49 pm |
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JP wrote: BlueGTO wrote: Okay, our OTHER cat (we do not seem to be having good luck with cats) has a heart defect. The left Atrium is mild to moderately enlarged and the left ventricle is mildly enlarged with subjective mitral valve regurgitation. He has had 2 echos and they haven't diagnosed him with anything. He is heart worm negative, his Tauring levels are fine, and the hemobartonella test came back negative. I think cardiomyopathy, they are not sure, lab tests show no damage to the heart muscle at all. The right side of his heart is normal. It makes no sense.
Anyway, I just took him to the vet because he has been vomiting and is dehydrated. He has also had a dramatic decrease in appetite. He usually eats a 13 oz can of food, free fed dry food, and gets a lot of treats (dehydrated chicken) because he is being clicker trained. Now I am lucky to get 1 meal into him a day. He is not drinking, so I syringed him some water to keep him peeing. I have been giving him boiled chicken to keep him eating something. Friday night, I tried to get water down him, he vomited about 2 minutes later. It's clear brownish yellow vomit. So I left him alone and got some chicken into him saturday morning and was able to get chicken mixed with canned food and water into him Saturday night. Sunday, he ate a few bites and threw up before we went to bed. Took him to the vet yesterday morning, she didn't give him subq fluids because he totally flips out with the vet and by yesterday he was only mildly dehydrated. Well, yesterday he did eat a few bites of dry food, a few bites of wet food, and an entire boiled chicken tender. I found that he threw up the chicken tender in the night...at least it was mostly digested. So we are worming him just in case (Panacur) and probably taking him in for an xray today. He seemed to feel better yesterday. He was running around and playing like a mad man.
FYI: Our vet bills suck lol.
The answer you require is pure medical. at first read I got an intestinal allergic/block reaction or/and when I see brown byle...well.. please update me on the vets optional results (and costs..)
In the meantime please ensure you use your 'syringe' to induce water intake & puree all food with added water. (Tip) you can also force feed any kitten/cat 'wrapped in a bath towel 'just like an Egyptian mummy' to syringe water or food for even the most busy or pissed/me me cat "
Prognosis: Dehydration is more deadly than food denial in young/old cats & mammals generally. you are correct that lots of 'wet' food even vomited retains a water content for the kittens body to manipulate. it can even induce a false sense of well- being..
please keep me posted.
Okay, so my vet sent us to a specialist yesterday after he vomited a long black string. I got to the specialist and she wanted to keep him over night to give fluids, but wouldn't do so without another echo. She also said that she didn't think he was very dehydrated and just wanted to do the x-rays while the radiologist was there. Yeah, I found that unnecessary. So they went ahead and did x-rays and gave him Cerenia for nausea. As soon as we got home, he spent like 5 minutes drinking out of his little fountain and this morning he is eating a little bit of his normal food. The vet didn't think it looked like he had more string in his gut, but that what he vomited probably caused gastritis and he would be fine. She still wanted to keep him, but I didn't feel the need to spend $1000 for them to stare at him overnight. I mean, if he's not very dehydrate, is that really necessary?
Anyway, he's acting like his normal self today. He is starting to eat. He takes about 5 bites of his wet food and comes back about 10 minutes later and takes about 5 more bites. He's also drinking and running around here like a crazy kitty. Hopefully there's no more string. The radiologist will look at his x-rays today and they will call me with results.
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BlueGTO
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Posted: Wed Jan 9th, 2008 02:51 pm |
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| Also, what is your opinion on hydro therapy with the cat with luxating patellas. Just kind of training him to walk in a warm bath tub for about 5 minutes every few days. He is being clicker trained, so that would just be another step. I wonder if it would make his legs feel a little better.
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