Loss of Appetite After Surgery

Originally Posted by batgirl2good

Thank you, everyone. You have great ideas and help me feel a lot better.

I am going to get Humble this afternoon, late.

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I'm glad he's coming home, good wishes for a speedy recovery. I think you did the right thing by taking him in. It is better to have the vet observe him and tell you that all is as it should be, rather than leave it, just in case.

I am going to get Humble after school. I will keep a close eye on him all weekend.

How is Humble doing? I hope he's eating well. Jake was on clavimox IV in the hospital for 3 days and came home on Amoxicillin and he wasn't eating much either until he was off the antibiotic. I think it made him nausiated.

Originally Posted by mzjazz2u

How is Humble doing? I hope he's eating well. Jake was on clavimox IV in the hospital for 3 days and came home on Amoxicillin and he wasn't eating much either until he was off the antibiotic. I think it made him nausiated.

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He is home and is doing a lot better. They gave him antibiotics lasy night along with the fluids, so he does not have to take any more clavamox. I am like you, I think it made him sick.

He has to be on Eukaneba (spelling_ multi renal dry food for the rest of his life, and he has to take nenazepril (1/4 tablet) once a day for the rest of his life as well.

I have him and Shenandoah trying to lose a pound or two.

Hang in there Bobbie. It is hard but it sounds like he is picking up.

Originally Posted by katachtig

Hang in there Bobbie. It is hard but it sounds like he is picking up.

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Thank you! The vet says the incision looks really good, so that is encouraging.

Hi Bobbie, it really sounds like Humble is doing better to me.

Keep getting better, sweet Humble!

Humble's appetite has not returned yet. He is not under 13 pounds. Should I be concerned? Before the surgery, he was 13.9 or so.
Since I am not home, I cannot really tell, for sometimes Shenandoah will eat a little of the dry stuff.

Should i be concerned? Am I being paranoid about this?

Surgery was Friday, November 10. I took him back to the vet on Thursday, November 16 because I was worried. They said he was fine, the incision was healing nicely, and they kept him overnight to administer fluids and antibiotics so they could make sure he was urinating. I got him last Friday; he had a clean bill of health.

It seems to have gone on for a bit now, so I would give the vet another ring.

One of the possible side effects of Metacam is loss of appetite. Is your cat still receiving doses of this? For pain relief my understanding is that it is to be a one time injected dose at the vets, though it is also prescribed orally for arthritis...there are risks in its use with cats (as I understand it of kidney damage, increased liver values).

There is information on this medication here:http://www.persiancats.org/nss-folde...isksInCats.pdf

I stopped the metacam a week ago.
Maybe he is eating more than I think. I watched as much as I could last night, and I think he nibbles during the day, but much at a time. he has lost about 8 ounces since the surgery.

I figure the stone had to weigh a few ounces.
Am I right?

Am I just being paranoid?

The vet did not seem too worried. I may call again and ask about it.

I am hoping you are just over reacting or worrying too much. Humble is probably hiding his eating from you just cuz you made him go to the vet! (ok, far shot but hey!!) I think a call to the vet would be fine, but as long as he's going potty and drinking, eating a little less isn't a big thing. I know when Kitters switched food, she eats a lot less of it than the other. I think it's a ton better for her and she doesn't need as much! Also, after her emergency spay she went down almost a 1/2 lb to a 1 lb and that's a lot for a 6 lb cat! She did gain it back and then some when she went in last month, now she's 7 lbs. I think the surgery just takes a lot out of them.

Kitters and I are sending you huge VIBES for you to be at ease, and know that your baby is Ok very soon!!!

I don't think you are being paranoid, just a loving cat mom's caution

I would try to feed him his favorite wet food, seperately, maybe sit with him in a room you can close off, and see how much he eats of it. If he does well with it, maybe sit with him and feed him wet food twice a day until you feel he's regained/is eating normally again.

C'mon Humble..get chowing down!

The vet gave him some fluids/ he is a little dehydrated. The vet says to give him some pedialyte.

Has anyone heard of this?

Originally Posted by batgirl2good

The vet gave him some fluids/ he is a little dehydrated. The vet says to give him some pedialyte.

Has anyone heard of this?

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It is an electrolyte drink to help kids stay hydrated (check this link). Just keep in touch with the vet and keep an eye on his intake.

He had a fluid treatment at the vet. The vet said maybe some pedialyte or gatorade thru an eye dropper. Bloodwork is normal.

He is at 12.9 pounds, down 9 ounces.
I am to call the vet in the morning, the vet wants himto eat something, but how can I get him to?

Originally Posted by batgirl2good

He had a fluid treatment at the vet. The vet said maybe some pedialyte or gatorade thru an eye dropper. Bloodwork is normal.

He is at 12.9 pounds, down 9 ounces.
I am to call the vet in the morning, the vet wants himto eat something, but how can I get him to?

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Does it matter what? If not, try some roasted chicken or some KFC chicken with the skin removed. Mine will usually be a pain in the tail-end when we have roasted chicken.

I got him some tuna in oil, and he ate a little tiny bit, not even half a spoonful. Roasted chicken did not appeal to him at all.

Vet says he has to stay on the renal food; he could still have kidney failure, and that is why he has to have benazepril every day for the rest of his life.
Dr. Morgan says he is not worried, that Humble will be ok.

I am to call in the morning.
Y'all, I am afraid my cat will die from dehydration or from loss of appetite, etc.
I told the vet, who reassured me.

ANY IDEAS, just to get him eating some more?

How much gatorade or pedialyte to give? I got cherry flavored and plain.
I also got a bottle of gatorade.

Is half an eye dropper full too much? That would be maybe 1/4 of a teaspoonful.

Originally Posted by batgirl2good

I got him some tuna in oil, and he ate a little tiny bit, not even half a spoonful. Roasted chicken did not appeal to him at all.

Vet says he has to stay on the renal food; he could still have kidney failure, and that is why he has to have benazepril every day for the rest of his life.
Dr. Morgan says he is not worried, that Humble will be ok.

I am to call in the morning.
Y'all, I am afraid my cat will die from dehydration or from loss of appetite, etc.
I told the vet, who reassured me.

ANY IDEAS, just to get him eating some more?

How much gatorade or pedialyte to give? I got cherry flavored and plain.
I also got a bottle of gatorade.

Is half an eye dropper full too much? That would be maybe 1/4 of a teaspoonful.

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I don't know how to say this. I am not a vet, it is not my place to criticize yours, but on the kidney failure support list I am on, from folks I respect, we all know that no food = no cat, and there are times when you must do whatever it takes, to get your cat eating, or you risk losing them.

There are prescription diets, there are homecooked diets, there are foods that are comparable in at least the phosphorous content levels of various renal foods. There is much discussion re when lower protein is necessary, versus feeding really good quality protein.

I realize you do not know for sure if Humble has chronic renal failure, but I know you'd find this site - www.felinecrf.org helpful as it discusses renal diets, hydration, controlling the cats phosphorous levels etc...so much, in so much detail (including meds such as the benzepril).

I can recommend an assist-feeding support group for you, I would say if this is all Humble is eating currently, it is way too little, and you MUST get some more food into him. One method is to make tiny meatballs of wet food, and gently pop that into the side of his mouth - so he will have to chew - being careful not to pop it towards the back of the mouth where he might simply try to swallow.

Or, you can use a blender to blenderize canned food w/a bit of water, and then use a feeding syringe to gently and slowly, give some to Humble several times per day.

You can test Humble for dehydration by gently pulling up on the loose skin between his shoulder blades (just past base of neck)..the skin should snap back as soon as you let go. If it stays "tented" or slowly goes back, that indicates he is dehydrated.

I would not use the flavored pedialyte, but the plain.

I am going to pm you the address of the assist-feeding group - many of them have cats with kidney or liver issues, I really believe they can give you specific advice on amounts to feed, best method.

Off to send you that address (and for the crf list as well).

Oh no! Eat, Humble, eat!