List of all Shadow's symptoms

Vets have determined food allergies - but they are not sure what she is allergic to or what food to give her. I've tried the perscription foods and many, many others. So I figured I would list her symptoms and see if any of you feel that I should have cause for immediate concern and if I should request certain tests from the vet: These symptoms occur on and off, but have troubled her all of her life (well since I adopted her at the age of one)

Diahrea - sometimes bloody sometimes with just blood and mucus
Vomitting
Infalmmed intestines - Vet said just due to diahrea
Swollen belly
Respritory problems - always hear her congestion through nose and mouth.
Always wants outside to eat grass
licks her lips and looks like swallows vomit in her mouth
drinks tons of water
very needy and wants attention
Lays with belly up in air



parasites were ruled out. Do you think it's her kidneys? They tested her blood several times but I am not sure what for. Should I be alarmed and seek more help. She's always in the vet and has had three opinions. They do the "normal" tests and send her home stating food allergies and POSSIBLE ibs, but she's not been formally diagnosed with it.

Thanks for any input. I just want to make sure that she doesn't need more tests for a disease that the vet is overlooking. She's FIV negative. (checked every few months) That's one of the few things that I know they do check.

Kind Regards,

Jenkitty

TRY a second opinion

How about a forth??? She's been to three different vets and I have explained my frustration that each vet says it's an allergy and sends me off with food she won't eat.

Anyone in Michigan know of a vet that can help me? I live in the Detroit area.

Thanks,

Jenkitty

Has anyone of the vets done a basic CBC and organ function blood panel??

I just called and NO - they have done neither.

With those symptoms you would think that would be the first thing they do. Instead they charged me a hundred for xrays and a dozen FIV tests that keep coming back negative.

I am getting those done right away!!! THANKS SO MUCH. Why aren't vets this helpful??? I really don't understand what they are trained to do other than give cats Reglan.

The next step they wanted to do was Xray her sinuses. I didn't see how that would help since her intestines were inflammed in the stomach X-ray and they didn't do anything about that.

I don't understand vets anymore I am soo frustrated.

If Shadow has something you may have just saved her suffering. I mean I am not a medical professional how is a lay person supposed to know what tests the vets SHOULD order? I love my cat dearly and will pay for the tests but shouldn't they know which ones to order?

Frustrated with my vet,

jenkitty

OK. Hmmm....my suggestion is probably not going to be well liked. Put her on Pred & see what happens. My Damita is 8 years old. Phantom symptoms...diarhhea, bloody stools, vomiting but nothing comes up, etc(general digestive upset, plus some mild wheezing & insanely high urine pH). I put her on Pred....and now she's not "barfy", formed stools, I mean, in really good health considering. Albiet, Pred isn't good long term....I opted for quality of life not quantity for her.

I did bloodwork, vet checked a multitude of times, FeLV/FIV test, the whole works.

I am not a test expert...lol.. I just ask after the fact for a duplicate copy of the tests ...

CBC is a basic blood test but I would ask the vet for organ function too ... say like a senior panel...

Yeah first thing is first I am getting her the full panel blood test and the CBC. It would be one thing if this just happened because I was feeding her low qaulity food. But she is always in constant danger of going through a rough spell.

The tests may be in vain, but they will give me peace of mind. I know they took blood so I just assumed they tested her for everything that might be malfunctioning. I was wrong because I didn't ask enough questions.

I know that if it's a food allergy it's something that I will have to deal wiht for the rest of my life. I have no problem with that. I am not trying to permantly fix her if it's not possible. But testing her major organs would seem like a pretty good idea. I don't know why the vet wouldn't have recommended it.

White cat lover - what is pred? I think I am going to get the tests first and if that doesn't work can you give me more details on what worked for you? Right now she is in an middle state. She's not the healthiest I have seen her but she's not knocking on deaths door. So I fear she may be in for another bout soon.

Anyone know of other tests that might be benefitial? I am going to start with the blood panel and I will give you the results.

Thanks,

Jenkitty

Prednisone, it's a steroid. Damita started out on 1 pill every day for 5 days, then down to 1 pil every other day for 5 treatments, then 1/2 pill every other day for 5 treatments, & that's where we're at.....1/2 pill every other day. I highly suggest you read up on the effect of steroids in cats, do the research yourself before hand.

Have you tried a specialist? I live in the same area as you and the only two good ones that I know of are in southfield and auburn hills. See the following website: http://www.michvet.com/. I'm dealing with either allergies or an immune disorder with my 4 year old cat Lola. It's been three weeks and I've taken her to about 4 different vets and everybody has been stumped by her symptoms. Finally this week I got a referral to the michigany vetinary specialist in auburn hills. So far I feel like they actually know what they are doing and have some ideas about her condition. Right now I'm waiting on biopsy results to get the final diagnosis. They are a little more expensive then your average vet, but it probably would have been a lot cheaper overall if I had just taken her to them from the start. Good luck.

Thanks Celiablue! I will look into that vet since I already told my old vet where to go.

I was going to start searching again and didn't want to pick a vet by lottery.

I will get her in ASAP.

thanks,

jenkitty