Shadow sick again

Hello all,

I've posted here about Shadow in the past. She's got terrible allergies (I think) She's been the vet for the same symptoms 6 or 7 times (three different vet opinions). She gets episodes where she throws up and has runny blood as fecal matter. Trust me I do take her to the vet and she has another appointment today. This last bout she expeled a mucus plug almost. It was solid blood/mucus.

The last x-ray of her abdominal cavity (9months ago) shows that her intestines are enlarged. The walls were much thicker than they should be. She got a shot of cortsone, an antibiotic and something to slow her system down. Also parasites have always been ruled out with the fecal exam. She also has respritory problems and breaths heavily as if she has asthma. The dr. wanted to put her under to do an x-ray of her sinuses, but I had to hold out on the cost at that time.

I changed her diet and thought I had narrowed her allergy down to wheat gluten. She loves Holistic Select by Eagle Pack and I just made sure the wet food I was feeding my other cats did not contain wheat gluten no matter the brand. I tried to stay away from the Friskie's even the solid wet food without gluten. I was feeding them the more expensive natural foods but can't think of the brand names at this time.

I was running late on night and was at the pharmacy and picked up Friskies minus wheat gluten. I only bought 6 cans ( I have three cats). But now Shadow is having a bad run of it again. Could it be that I didn't narrow the search of what's hurting her stomach? She stopped eating Holistic Select so I switched to Evo last night.

Do you think this is an allergy or worse? I gave her a small amount of benedryl in an eye dropper last night. It seemed to make her breath easier and her stool was more mucus, less blood. More like a snotty nose with old blood in it. She threw up on my bed last night and I checked on her at 5am. She was coherant, laying on her back with her belly in the air. I can tell her bottom is hurting because when she sits she puts her leg up like she's going to lick herself. This morning 7am, she knew I was looking for her before work to give her medicine so I couldn't find her. She somehow always knows these things.

Has anyone had any similar experience with thier cat? What should I ask the dr. to test to rule any diseases out. She's FIV negative, I know that much. What do you do for a cat with severe food allergies and has anyone had a cat this severe? It's like her digestive systme is so swollen that it's swollen shut and nothing can pass. Does this make sense?

Please, please help me figure this out.

Ok I guess I will just let you all know what the Dr. says today. I will probably still receive no answers and I am discouraged with the vets. They are so expensive but my kitty is on deaths door and they can only help through the symptoms and not give me an answer to what is causing this.

She's vomitted at least 10 times yesterday and tried to poop 6 with only bloody mucus. I don't know what to do anymore. I love her and want her to get better. When she does, this just keeps coming back. I want to know the cause so I can make her more comfortable. This can't be fun even before the severe sypmtoms take hold.

If I knew it was a terminal disease I could cope better. Every time she does this I think I am going to lose her and I get all worked up.

Anyone with suggestions would be helpful.

I'm sorry that you and Shadow are going through this.

What other diets have you tried? And for how long? I think in a case like this, it is important to do some trials with very simple foods ...with no other food or treats of any kind offered for quite some time (I think 6-8 weeks minimum).

I'll be honest...I wouldn't feed Friskies to a cat with digestive issues and/or allergies. There are too many ingredients, and too many that can vary (i.e. animal by-products). The protein source for those by-products can be different from batch to batch, can to can. With that food, there's no certainty that anything in particular has been eliminated from her diet. There are cats that allergic to things as common as chicken.

I agree with beandip. If you suspect food allergies you need to get her on very simple foods. You said you think wheat gluten might be the problem. Did you determine that from an elimination diet? If she eats wet, Natural Balance makes a Venison and Green Pea that would be a good start to an elimination diet.

How old is she and how long has this been going on?

Have the vets done bloodwork to determine her liver function?
Has she been wormed?
Have they treated her for irratible bowel disease/disorder?
How often does it occur?
Could she be getting into rat poison/warfarin?

I honestly don't think the symptoms you describe would be from allergies,but I may be wrong. It sounds much more like a blockage of some sort,IBD,or maybe something going on with her liver that is affecting her blood coagulation. But then..if she hasn't been wormed lately,she may be full of roundworms! I know how frustrating this has to be for you and her both. I hope you can find the answers!

After going back and reading your previous threads about Shadow I just wonder...you said the vets had checked for parasites and the tests were negative? Did they ever worm her? Many times tests will not show positive for parasites,and they will have them.

Have you noticed,when she vomits,if there are any spaghetti looking things? Please don't get upset for me asking you these questions...but sometimes the simplest thing can be the cause of some major symptoms. If your Shadow has not been wormed lately...get that done!

Check your mail. I've sent you a PM.

Thank you all for your responses.

The vet took another fecal and tested for FIV again. He gave her the same shot as last time, cortisone and the same brown liquid to "slow her system down".

Have the vets done bloodwork to determine her liver function?
NO
Has she been wormed?
Yes
Have they treated her for irratible bowel disease/disorder?

They said that's probably what she has but they won't treat her for it. I asked if she could be put on medication and they said try switching her food and see first if that will help even though I have tried many PX foods and now the more natural ingredient foods

How often does it occur?

It occurs at least twice a year so bad that I feel it may be her last days with me and I take her in to the vet.

Could she be getting into rat poison/warfarin?

No, I don't have a problem with rodents, bugs or anything else that I would put any posion down and she is an indoor cat.

HAve I tried Venison and Green Pea?

Yes, she threw it up immediately. She had more of an immediate reaction than most foods. Then she would no longer touch it.

Have you noticed,when she vomits,if there are any spaghetti looking things?

No just chewed up food, doesn't look digested yet, with mucus, nothing suspicious and trust me I would find it because I have to scrub it out of the carpet and she recently puked on my bed. She's thrown up on the bathroom floor and when I wiped it up there was only mushy food.

I spent 160 yesterday at the vet and they just called me she is FIV negative (I already knew that) and there were no parasites in her fecal. (knew that too). So I've learned only that the vet can help you reduce you bank account. I had to borrow the money to get her in. They didn't do new X-rays because they said that her intestines were inflammed due to the diahhrea irritation.

If anyone has any other suggestions, I will try them all or at least try to rule it out. Shadow's most recent food was holistic Select from Eagle Pack and she was on that for at least three months. She stopped eating it so now she's on EVO. it's supposed to have no grain in it.

I received your PM mschauer and would try the supplement that you suggested. Get back to me with what helped Coco, I am willing to try anything that doesn't further harm my poor Shadow.

Oh she is 5 and It's been going on ever since I adopted her at 1 year old from the shelter. She had already had a liter of kittens and they were adopted out first. She was fixed when I adopted her and she's had respiratory and stomach problems since I got her. She also was in false heat before if that has any bearing on things.

Thanks for caring about my baby. I want her to get well and the vets don't seem to help. Yes, I could change vets. BUT this would be the fourth time changing. They all seem to stop investigating at food allergies and leave it to me to find the correct balance of ingredients for Shadow. The px diets she doesn't like and she still gets sick on. She won't eat the px wet food at all.

Kindest Regards,

Jenkitty

I have to special order the probiotics, but I can get them and will try them with her food. Should I switch back to Holistic Select if I am going to use Holistic Solutions from the same brand? Shadow seems to like the EVO, but she's only been on it for a few days as she was ignoring the Holistic Select. That makes me wonder if it isn't a chiken allergy because I was giving her the chicken and Rice flavor.

Jenkitty

Originally Posted by jenkitty

I have to special order the probiotics, but I can get them and will try them with her food. Should I switch back to Holistic Select if I am going to use Holistic Solutions from the same brand? Shadow seems to like the EVO, but she's only been on it for a few days as she was ignoring the Holistic Select. That makes me wonder if it isn't a chiken allergy because I was giving her the chicken and Rice flavor.

Jenkitty

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I'm not sure it matters but it might be better to feed a simple food (few ingredients) to reduce the stress on her digestive system. California Chicken and Rice or any "sensitive stomach" formula would be good. Royal Canin Skin Care would be good for this purpose also. I'm talking dry foods here. I think they would be easier to digest than any wet although I'm not sure. The EVO dry is a pretty complex food. I'm not familiar with the wet if that is what you referring to.

If the problem is an allergy to chicken (or any allergy) I don't think the probiotic will help.

Originally Posted by mschauer

I'm talking dry foods here. I think they would be easier to digest than any wet although I'm not sure.

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Wet should be a lot easier to digest. That's what has come up in my reading, anyway. Leopold tries to prove it to me (about dry). He can handle almost any wet food, though.

Originally Posted by beandip

Wet should be a lot easier to digest. That's what has come up in my reading, anyway. Leopold tries to prove it to me (about dry).

He can handle almost any wet food, though.

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I meant the specific dry foods I called out might be easier to digest. I think this because they are formulated for "sensitive" systems and contain more protein "meals" rather than whole protein sources. I believe protein meals are easier to digest than whole proteins.

Shadow won't eat anything - wet or dry. I called the vet and explained that I took her in because I thought it was an emergency and they treated her as usual. I told them that I didn't have the money to spend 160 on the usual tests that she's received 6 months ago and they want me to bring her back in now. I don't understand how they are going to offer any solution that they couldn't the LAST THREE times I brought her in. Switching her food is the ONLY suggestion they have offered. I've tried the perscription diets and they are worse than the holistic diets that I've tried. I've tried venison and Green pea. I am at my wits end. Why would I take her back if they can't tell me anything? They are just wasting my money and they don't care about the health of my cat obviously. NOW they are going to treat it as an emergency? How are they goung to offer any more solutions if they hardly examined her last time?

Jenkitty

I've heard of force feedings if I cat won't eat. Maybe you could ask them (at the vet) about this.

As she ever stopped eating before?

She's never stopped eating before, but I think that she wants to eat. I think it's the food. EVO and Holistic Select Canned food. I don't think she likes it at all.

I think I will switch back to Holistic Select Dry and give her that option again because she was doing so well on it for so long.

Also Godzilla got the runs from the EVO and the new canned food. He has bad gas and his stool is like water. He doesn't seem sick, but I gave him some of the brown medicine that Shadow gets to firm his stool and slow his system down.

I am taking the Evo back to the store today and getting them what they are used to. I guess because Shadow got so sick and the vet recommends every time I am in there to switch her food, I did.

I cried all night last night because my friend told me I should put her down. I don't even want to think about her not in my life. She drank some water yesterday and ate a bite of the canned food this morning.

I am hoping if I bring home something she likes she will eat again and come back to her normal self. She wants to eat, she just doesn't like her chioces.

Thanks for the replies I will keep you updated.

Thanks for the update! I was worried that she had stopped eating because her condition was getting worst. I hope you are right that it is just that she doesn't care for the new food.

Thanks for your concern. I will keep you posted. She seems to be calming down a bit with her diahrea and throwing up BUT that may be becuase she's eating less.

Originally Posted by jenkitty

Thanks for your concern. I will keep you posted. She seems to be calming down a bit with her diahrea and throwing up BUT that may be becuase she's eating less.

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Has throwing up always been one of her symptoms? I mean back 3 years ago when this started?

Also, when she isn't having an "episode", what are her stools like?