Hello, I am the parent to a sick 14 year old DSH. Except for the occasional hairball issues my cat has heretofore been the epitome of perfect health. Once a year check ups was the norm for him. His entire life his weight had hovered around 14 pounds and at one point he was even weighed at being 16! This all changed in approximately April of 2009. Prior to this change in April 2009 his weight went down to 12 pounds and he was coughing up hairballs more often then normal. My vet, who has been my cats vet for years told me that the weight loss was not abnormal for older cats and suggested we switch him over to hairball control food.
Then in April 2009 his coughing, turned into hacking then vomiting. We brought him into the vet and this is the start of a very long, emotionally draining and physically taxing period for my baby. Because he had been vomiting more than normal and not just hairballs, my vet switched him over to Eukanuba Low Residue GI and said to watch and see if he reacts better. He suspected IBD. We waited 3 weeks but my baby did not seem to be getting better. My vet then suggested a GI Barium (xray) test (May 2009) which he sent to a specialist to be confirmed. Results stated that there was thickening in the intestinal walls. Could be IBD or lymphoma. My vet gave him a shot of Depo Med (long lasting steroid). This is suppose to help both IBD and lymphoma. My cat did not improve. If anything he got worse. One week after the Barium GI my cat seemed to go down hill. I called my vet, in and out for subcu fluids and at one point he vomited 17 times in 2.5 days. my vet finally suggested I go see a specialist.
Latter part of May 2009 - We went to see an internal medicine specialist and was given the options of ultrasound, endoscopy or exploratory surgery. I opted for the ultrasound and endoscopy but did not do the exploratory surgery at that time. I was worried that perhaps my baby was too weak to have this procedure done. I wanted to find out what was wrong with him in the least invasive way possible.
Results for the endoscopy came back as being not lymphoma. But the specialist said that because he was given the Depo Med, she would feel more confident with the results if it came back as being lymphoma. He was given a slurry to help sooth his esophagus, cerenia for his nausea and prednisolone. Treatment as if he had IBD.
In the beginning, with him being on cerenia and prednisolone he was eating better. Got him up to 1 can of AD food a day. There was a period for about 1 week or so where no vomit occurred. He was a normal kitty. He was taken off the cerenia, because it was not suppose to be a long term solution, in June and then began to occasionally vomit again. His vomiting was maybe once every 1 to 1.5 weeks or so at this point. The specialist actually stated that I should reduce his prednisolone to half tablet twice a day instead of the full tablet twice a day. Called primary vet and he said hold off and continue with whole tablet twice a day until a bit later. So I didn't cut my baby's dosage until July 2009.
Vomiting continued and increased to about 3 times a week. Spoke with primary vet and he stated that with IBD its all about control and that he will never not vomit. So him vomiting occasionally was normal. Weight lost continued and then about 3 days ago my baby decided that he did not like the AD food. So now I've decided to change primary vets to someone who has a background with the Cornell Feline Health Center. Took my baby to the new vet on Sunday and spoke to him about what I should do. The new vet gave me ZD food and I have mixed it with the Eukanuba Low Residue GI food yesterday and today.
I also tried tube feeding him for the first time yesterday. 6ml of AD food. I was torn up about it but I know he has to eat. Yesterday during the day he ate hard kibble (less than a handful) and is passing bowel. Late last night I gave him a handful of ZD and the Eukanuba mix drizzled with Tuna Water and toasted in the microwave. He didn't eat it when I gave it to him but this morning I noticed that it was mostly gone! Today he has so far eaten about 1/3 a cup of the hard kibble. Which is more than yesterday! Plus no vomit!!
They don't know why the steroids are not working. My cat is not eating much and is continuing to lose weight. They don't have any definitive results of it being lymphoma or IDB. My cat is slowing starving himself to death. He keeps on getting worse and worse. Exploratory surgery seems to be the only option at this point. If I don't move forward with the exploratory surgery he will surely die. If I do move forward with the exploratory surgery he may die. I need to know what is wrong with him so that I can help him fight it.
Almost $4000 in vet bills/alternative foods/meds and etc later I am at wits end. What hurts me the most is the fact that he acts so normal. He still retains, for the most part, his inquisitiveness, his affectionate nature, and his personality. When I see him go by himself to his food bowl to eat it makes me feel like he wants to fight and be better. When I notice that he has eaten from his bowl it gives me so much hope. Misplaced or not I cannot help but feel that he hasn't given up and I would never forgive myself if I didn't feel like I did my absolute all in helping him. Even if he only lives for another half year to a year. I don't want to feel guilty that I didn't do enough.
Any advice and possible alternative diagnoses would be appreciated. Thank You so much in advance and I apologize for the long post.
Then in April 2009 his coughing, turned into hacking then vomiting. We brought him into the vet and this is the start of a very long, emotionally draining and physically taxing period for my baby. Because he had been vomiting more than normal and not just hairballs, my vet switched him over to Eukanuba Low Residue GI and said to watch and see if he reacts better. He suspected IBD. We waited 3 weeks but my baby did not seem to be getting better. My vet then suggested a GI Barium (xray) test (May 2009) which he sent to a specialist to be confirmed. Results stated that there was thickening in the intestinal walls. Could be IBD or lymphoma. My vet gave him a shot of Depo Med (long lasting steroid). This is suppose to help both IBD and lymphoma. My cat did not improve. If anything he got worse. One week after the Barium GI my cat seemed to go down hill. I called my vet, in and out for subcu fluids and at one point he vomited 17 times in 2.5 days. my vet finally suggested I go see a specialist.
Latter part of May 2009 - We went to see an internal medicine specialist and was given the options of ultrasound, endoscopy or exploratory surgery. I opted for the ultrasound and endoscopy but did not do the exploratory surgery at that time. I was worried that perhaps my baby was too weak to have this procedure done. I wanted to find out what was wrong with him in the least invasive way possible.
Results for the endoscopy came back as being not lymphoma. But the specialist said that because he was given the Depo Med, she would feel more confident with the results if it came back as being lymphoma. He was given a slurry to help sooth his esophagus, cerenia for his nausea and prednisolone. Treatment as if he had IBD.
In the beginning, with him being on cerenia and prednisolone he was eating better. Got him up to 1 can of AD food a day. There was a period for about 1 week or so where no vomit occurred. He was a normal kitty. He was taken off the cerenia, because it was not suppose to be a long term solution, in June and then began to occasionally vomit again. His vomiting was maybe once every 1 to 1.5 weeks or so at this point. The specialist actually stated that I should reduce his prednisolone to half tablet twice a day instead of the full tablet twice a day. Called primary vet and he said hold off and continue with whole tablet twice a day until a bit later. So I didn't cut my baby's dosage until July 2009.
Vomiting continued and increased to about 3 times a week. Spoke with primary vet and he stated that with IBD its all about control and that he will never not vomit. So him vomiting occasionally was normal. Weight lost continued and then about 3 days ago my baby decided that he did not like the AD food. So now I've decided to change primary vets to someone who has a background with the Cornell Feline Health Center. Took my baby to the new vet on Sunday and spoke to him about what I should do. The new vet gave me ZD food and I have mixed it with the Eukanuba Low Residue GI food yesterday and today.
I also tried tube feeding him for the first time yesterday. 6ml of AD food. I was torn up about it but I know he has to eat. Yesterday during the day he ate hard kibble (less than a handful) and is passing bowel. Late last night I gave him a handful of ZD and the Eukanuba mix drizzled with Tuna Water and toasted in the microwave. He didn't eat it when I gave it to him but this morning I noticed that it was mostly gone! Today he has so far eaten about 1/3 a cup of the hard kibble. Which is more than yesterday! Plus no vomit!!
They don't know why the steroids are not working. My cat is not eating much and is continuing to lose weight. They don't have any definitive results of it being lymphoma or IDB. My cat is slowing starving himself to death. He keeps on getting worse and worse. Exploratory surgery seems to be the only option at this point. If I don't move forward with the exploratory surgery he will surely die. If I do move forward with the exploratory surgery he may die. I need to know what is wrong with him so that I can help him fight it.
Almost $4000 in vet bills/alternative foods/meds and etc later I am at wits end. What hurts me the most is the fact that he acts so normal. He still retains, for the most part, his inquisitiveness, his affectionate nature, and his personality. When I see him go by himself to his food bowl to eat it makes me feel like he wants to fight and be better. When I notice that he has eaten from his bowl it gives me so much hope. Misplaced or not I cannot help but feel that he hasn't given up and I would never forgive myself if I didn't feel like I did my absolute all in helping him. Even if he only lives for another half year to a year. I don't want to feel guilty that I didn't do enough.
Any advice and possible alternative diagnoses would be appreciated. Thank You so much in advance and I apologize for the long post.
