IBD Questions

Hi, I'm going to try to keep this as short as possible. I did do a search for IBD on the site and haven't quite found what I am looking for. Kabou, my female who is 2, has for the past several months gone through spells of lethargy and not liking her food and taking only a few bites. It would last a day or 2, then she would perk up again. I have been to vet a number of times for this issue but her bloodwork and everything else was fine until her visit about 3 wks ago. I took her in again because the symptoms were occuring more often and she was keeping to herself in my closet and looked like she was in some pain. She had also started vomiting soon after eating for about a month. Not always, but about 3 times a week. She would also vomit sometimes in the early morning before eating. Her blood work came back good except that she had high amount fatty lipids (I think that is the word the vet used). We sent the blood work to be tested for pancreatitis and the test came back negative. The vet then prescribed anti-nausea meds and pepcid. About a day later she was obviously miserable and quit eating much of anything for two days, so back to the vet we went. They injected anti-nausea meds and something else to jump start her appetite. She was ravenous by that evening. They also prescribed 21 days of flagyl and told me to feed her only Hills ID. An x-ray indicated inflamation and gas in her intestines and stomach. The vet said it could be IBD, but see how she does with the meds. We are on day 10 of the meds and prescription food and although she has only vomited once, she still looses her appetite and sleeps much of the time. Then mysteriously, one or two days of the week, she returns as my fiesty-full of mischief kitty that I used to know. But it doesn't last.............

For those of you who have kitties with IBD, do Kabou's symptoms sound like it could be IBD? Any other thoughts?

Does IBD ever get controlled to where the cat is comfortable and symptom free? I want my little girl back and I am so worried she will never feel good. This is depressing me. Any insight you can provide would be very much appreciated.

Sorry to answer a question with a question, but how are her stools? Soft, firm, etc? How often is she pooping? Constipation can cause a lack of appetite, vomiting after eating, and general yucky feelings.

No problem. Bring on the questions! Her stools are generally fine. Firm and she goes once or twice a day. During the two day non-eating episode, her stool was loose a couple of times with a kind of greenish color.

what are you feeding her???

Canned Hills ID for past 3 weeks at vets direction (yuck). Before that I was rotating wet with Wellness, Eagle Pack, Evanger, NB Chicken and Liver. She would also get a small amount of CA Natural kibble. The vet suggested my switching her foods added to or perhaps caused the problem, which I suppose could be. When she refused or picked at her food, I would open a different one to entice her.

Originally Posted by Crt

No problem. Bring on the questions! Her stools are generally fine. Firm and she goes once or twice a day. During the two day non-eating episode, her stool was loose a couple of times with a kind of greenish color.

Click to expand...

Are there any plants she could be eating? What did the vet say about the stool color?

green is a gall ballder color in humans...

what test s have been run??

Can you do homemade or raw??

I don't have any plants in the house and she is indoor only. Actually, the last vet visit, when Kabou had quit eating was a "fit in basis". It was a different vet than I normally see. She was rushed and didn't say anything about the color of the stool, only that she wasn't surprised that it was loose considering the amount of gas in her stomach.

The tests so far have included basic blood work, blood was sent off and tested for pancreatitis, x-ray of abdomen and I guess of the intestines. Sharky, your comment about gallbladder is something none of the vets have mentioned but you got my attention.

Re homemade and raw: I tried homemade and she wouldn't eat it. Raw I did discuss with one of the vets at the office and her comment was "if I choose to feed raw to sear it first." I have not tried raw because I guess I'm afraid to at this point.

Debscats, oh my goodness, 3 cats with IBD. You obviously speak from experience and I really appreciate your input. Can I ask how your cats were diagnosed? Did they have an endoscopy or exploratory surgery?

Yes, whatever Kabou has is extremely frustrating. I start to doubt my gut feeling that things aren't right with her until she has a good day. Then I see how she used to be and it makes me so sad. I have usually liked the vet office I go to and they have an excellent reputation. But only one of the veterinarians there that I have seen has really taken her symptoms seriously.

My plan is to finish these meds and if she still exhibits symptoms or if they get worse, ask for more extreme diagnostic measures. Thanks everyone for your responses.

My cat has a form of colitis. Of course I'm not a doctor, but my instinct is that if this were IBD you'd see abnormality in the stool: either too loose or too firm, with blood or mucus. With absolutely normal stool, it might not be colon-related. It sounds like the cat's problem may be in the stomach, instead. Possibilities there could be allergies, sensitive stomach, ulcers maybe...

Kabou has not had an ultrasound, so that sounds like our next step. I came here asking for some speculative answers and I very much appreciate the feedback. The unknown scares me more than possible diseases and watching her not feeling well makes me miserable. I will follow up with the vet who took me seriously. You all are great.

Hi Everyone...I was reading what CRT was saying I have a few VERY good foods that may help you...My Baby Doll Scottie had IBD and she has been fine for over 2 years (knock on wood) I did not listen to what the Vet said and I did a great deal of research...I was told to keep chicken and Beef away from her...and Chicken is in even the natural foods ...even if it does not say Chicken on the front...Man, have I read allot of labels...
I would like to know what you are feeding your kitty now. I have had mine on Natures Variety Prairie The dry food I use is Lamb and Oatmeal...there are a few different ones to choose from one is called Raw Instainct. by the same company...and for canned they have, duck, rabbit, venison,etc.I also use Solid Gold...it's the ONLY fish product I have found with no chicken by products...I just discovered another relatively new food called Werova. they offer 5 or 6 different fish dishes that are almost identical as solid gold...and My Scottie girl LOVES it...there is also another food called Addiction...it's made in New Zeland it's Ell and seaweed but it actuallt smells quite good...
For treats I use Dehydrated Cod or kitty caviar...your baby will flip over these...I hope to hear back anyone that is having problems with this. Scottie also has Ashtma...This is conpletely under control. I have a Pet Sitting Company and I teach Pet First Aid...so I know a little bit...

Crt,

Please read this website immediately: www.catinfo.org. It's LOADED with valuable information, including about IBD. Dr. Lisa Pierson wrote this website and has helped my cat tremendously -- my cat got diarrhea brought on by me giving him Whiskas Temptations cat treats for only one week and the diarrhea lasted for 5 MONTHS even though I had thrown out the treats right away. I tried many different natural remedies first and nothing was a permanent solution. Finally took him to a vet who prescribed Flagyl and Albon (liquid form), which we had to force feed into his mouth and the trauma made his diarrhea far worse -- he ended up pooping diarrhea on our bed and in every room of our place! The medication did nothing!

Anyway, Dr. Pierson's advise and information solved the problem with just the right food that nature intended for cats -- we should know that cats are carnivores. The ideal food she recommends is raw food you make yourself, her recipe is on her website. But I opted for her plan B, which is commercially prepared frozen raw food, which my cat didn't eat at all, even though I tried mixing it with things he does like such as catnip, etc. So I had to go for her plan C, which is canned food. First I tried a brand she recommended, Nature's Variety canned chicken+turkey, and he DID have solid poop finally! But he ate less and less of it, so I panicked and bought a canned brand which wasn't on her recommended list, Pet Promise canned chicken -- I bought it because it had no hormones or by-products, but it did have rice, and my cat pooped diarrhea on our bed a second time. You will see in Dr. Pierson's website that she doesn't recommend giving cats any grains because it's not what nature intended for them to have. Then I tried Wellness canned chicken, which is a brand she recommends -- he likes it and has been having solid poops ever since!!!

I'm so happy and relieved that my cat's chronic diarrhea problem had a solution AND it turned out to be such a simple, healthy and inexpensive solution after all!

In case anyone's wondering what I was feeding my cat before being referred to Dr. Pierson, I was giving him Innova Evo dry food. The wierd thing is that he didn't have problems before I gave him the cat treats, but the treats had corn in it which may have been the culprit as I've heard corn can cause problems for cats. Dr. Pierson didn't know why the diarrhea continued long after the cat treats, but she concluded the problem to be IBD.

Crt, I feel for you, I know it's been really stressful for you and your cat. I know that your cat's problem is different than my cat's problem, but I hope Dr. Pierson's information about proper diet will help you! Do keep us posted!