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Vomiting and Lethargy

post #1 of 16
3/2/10 at 7:34pm
Thread Starter 
I first noticed symptoms yesterday, when my kitty (Ursa) started vomiting. Not too unusual, I thought. Must be a hairball.

By last night, she was lying around, clearly not feeling well, and this morning she was positively lethargic. Then she threw up a clear/yellow rotten-smelling liquid.

I took her to the vet. They gave her some fluids and drew blood to test for hyperthyroidism and diabetes (She has dropped considerable weight in the past year.)

A little while ago, she threw up again, this time there was some blood in it. -Not much, but it was there. -I called the vet, and she said it's probably due to Ursa's esophagus being irritated.

I don't mean to be bother anyone being an anxious "parent", but I'm still really worried. Is there anything else i can be doing while I wait for the test results?
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post #2 of 16
3/2/10 at 7:38pm
Has she eaten anything? how lethargic is she? Is she using the litterbox?
If she hasn't eaten anything yet, and is really lethargic, I am sorry to say, but I would put her in a carrier and take her to the ER vet... This does not look good to me.
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post #3 of 16
3/2/10 at 7:41pm
Thread Starter 
She isn't eating, but she did get up to use the litter box a little while ago to urinate. She's very lethargic, though.
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post #4 of 16
3/2/10 at 7:54pm
I would take her to an ER. I am surprised your vet did not take an X-ray, and didn't give anything for the vomiting...
It sounds to me that something happened yesterday, as that's when you noticed the symptoms (besides the weight drop). If that was sudden, I am not sure if it is all related to HT and diabetes... I think something else might be going on here...
I don't know, I can't tell you what to do, but if it was my cat, I would be taking her to the ER, and asking for an X-ray.
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post #5 of 16
3/2/10 at 8:26pm
How very worrisome! Could she have gotten into anything such as a plant or something else in your home? I second a trip to the ER vet.
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post #6 of 16
3/3/10 at 8:22am
Thread Starter 
I did take Ursa back to the vet. I got the impression that they thought I was being a bit silly, but I still felt much better knowing that they would be keeping an eye on her.

There aren't any plants inside the house, and I don't think there are any poisons she could have gotten into. With four cats roaming the house, we're pretty good about keeping those things out of reach. I was initially thinking she might just have an enormous hairball that she is unable to pass, or that she could have swallowed some other foreign object.

I'll just have to be patient and wait for word from the vet.

-Thank you for your kind replies!
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post #7 of 16
3/3/10 at 8:38am
Quote:
Originally Posted by cjs233 View Post
I did take Ursa back to the vet. I got the impression that they thought I was being a bit silly
If they thought that, IMO, maybe it is time to find another vet... Your cat sounded very sick... And you should be respected as a concerned parent...
I hope she is doing better today!
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post #8 of 16
3/3/10 at 10:12am
I agree about getting a new vet. They are supposed to treat the animals as if they were as important as human patients. If they won't take you seriously when you are concerned, especially when it's something as serious as this, I don't think they're a good vet for you to keep seeing.

Do you have other vets in the area? Are you able to find a new one through any friends' recommendations or anything?
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post #9 of 16
3/3/10 at 11:02am
Cats are stoic. They will do everything they can to conceal illness, this is a survival instinct. So by the time they reveal illness it is already pretty bad.

Unexplained weight loss is ALWAYS a reason to see a vet immediately. I know this is hindsight now, but just for the future, so you know.

Your kitty is showing some scary stuff here. Best wishes for her, and yeah, I'd find a new vet. Like there are good and bad human docs, same goes for vets. It's worth it to keep hunting till you find a good one.
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post #10 of 16
3/3/10 at 11:29am
How long do you have to wait for the tests results. I pray for your cat that all will turn out okay. Hugs and peace to you.
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post #11 of 16
3/3/10 at 11:39am
My two cents is also, find a new vet. What is with these vets that take cat health so darn casually. It makes me absolutely furious. And the office staff should not be giving their opinions on whether you are being overly concerned or not.

I was at the vet with Tolly yesterday because I thought he seemed thinner, and has had some behavior changes. As it turns out, he has not lost any (more) weight (he lost some when his illness-liver damage first started)

My vet did not tell me I was silly, or make me feel silly for being concerned. She spent a half hour with us (and we were a squeeze in) and gave him a thorough top to bottom exam, asked many questions,and talked with me at great length. The front desk ladies all asked how he was doing, and the vet tech fussed over his sweetness as she usually does.

If more people would complain and refuse to accept this kind of poor treatment from these places, maybe there wouldn't be so much of it.

I hope your kitty is doing better and getting the care she needs. Even if it is a hair ball they can cause serous problems.

Please let us know how Ursa is doing.
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post #12 of 16
3/3/10 at 1:46pm
Have you heard anything from the vet yet? How's Ursa doing?

My vet always tells me that I know my pet best and if I sense that something is wrong, it usually is. Hope they're able to figure out what's going on with her.
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post #13 of 16
3/4/10 at 6:56am
Is there an update on this cat.
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post #14 of 16
4/6/10 at 11:56pm
Thread Starter 
I want to apologize fervently for not replying for so long, after everyone went to the time, trouble and worry to reply to my thread. It was a great comfort to know you were all out there, thinking of Ursa as everything was happening.

After looking at Ursa's blood work, the Vets determined that she had hepatitis. Where she would have encountered this, as an indoor cat, I have no idea... -After treatment with antibiotics however, she rallied almost immediately.

She is safely home again, and is been eating and drinking normally. -She's putting weight back on, slowly but surely, and her litter-pan habits are normal again. She's essentially back to her old playful self. I'm sure I don't have to tell you what a relief this is. -When he was looking so listless, she scared me half to death.

I want to thank -everyone- for their advice. I -am- shopping for a new Vet. I haven't settled on one yet, but I've been referred by friends to one in particular.

Again, thank you all!

Cory
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post #15 of 16
4/7/10 at 12:14am
I am glad she is ok.
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post #16 of 16
4/7/10 at 10:09am
I am glad your cat is doing better. I hope she continues to improve. You were very wise to give her such prompt treatment. Sometimes people wait and things only go downhill. Keep us posted on how she improves.
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