Smokie Threw up Again.....

Since the last time at the vet when the vet gave him a shot of something to stop him throwing up...it usually lasts about two and half days and it starts again. This time I found what looks like a gloppy blood chunk. It was really small maybe 1mm or less. I almost didn't see it. I don't know what's going on or what's irritating his stomach. I've kept giving him the antibiotic, and the pro-biotic. The doc said I should see a difference in a few days but I'm not seeing any change. He still acts normal otherwise.

I wish I knew what was going on. Can cats get bleeding ulcers? I asked the vet if changing the food would help in case it is the food...but he advised against it. I don't know what to do. I'm running out of money and at my wits end.

Anyone have any other ideas?

Oh my goodness. I am so sorry to hear about this, and I'm sorry I can't offer any advice... vibes and he is in my prayers

The vet said he would give smokie something to stop him vomiting. But my fear is that giving him that medication is just masking a deeper problem.

I've been doing research on the internet and yes cat's can get ulcers. They are usually caused by stress, or eating something they are not supposed to. It can also be caused by stomach cancer. Which I didn't want to hear. But the vet said he didn't feel any masses or anything when feeling his stomach. But the vet hasn't done any x-rays yet either. I don't know if X-rays will show an ulcer or not.

This is frustrating and depressing me. I can't eat or sleep. I've lost 9lbs in the last week. I'm crying on and off all day. I can't concentrate. I'm praying. I have a friend praying for me to her church for Smokie. I've been posting to prayer forums asking people to pray.

I'm just tired of all this. Not just with smokie but dealing with being in helpless situations like this. My parents, grandmother, peaches. I can't take it anymore.

Got back from getting his new meds. Poor cat is getting so many meds to try to help his tummy. He's on the antibiotic, the pro-biotic, and now an anti-vomit medicine. I am going to ask my old vet and pick her brain. Maybe she may have some other ideas.

Mel

Just curious has it been discussed as a possible cause being something blocking his stomache-cat toy, string....? Also antibiotics have always made my cats puke-a bit less tho with the pill forms. I am trying to catch up all your posts on poor smokie so sorry if its been posted already. I would go back to the original food you were feeding if that didn't give issues

also what does it look like when he pukes? slime or food. if food is it partially chewed or more whole looking(like it jsut was swallowed) My first kitten used to puke food up whole and vet told us put the dish on a phone book. Another cat has FREQUENT slimy pukes no food-but if you look at his stool you understand...he swallows his hairballs-I am not sure why he gets them so much as you never see him cleaning himself. I got a grass eater who seems to find it funny to run outside then back in to puke up the grass(he only gets out as the door gets opened for the dog.

What kind of household do you have-just you living there? Any loud music/fights/lots of guests. I would start a log to see if theres a trigger

Talked to my old vet and they wanted me to make an appointment for a second opinion and send records etc. So, no help there. I'm not driving him an hour and a half away to a vet.

The food is mostly chewed looks mushy maybe some undigested particles in there but few. A couple of times it was a little slimy. But usually just mushy food. Usually a little red tint. Then like 20 minutes later or more he'll throw up again just brownish red fluid. I did take a picture I could post here so you guys and see what it looks like. The picture I took was the second time he threw up not the first though.

I live out in the country. None of my cats get outside. We do however have some bugs in the basement. Water beetle, Asian beetles, and some funky bug that comes from the pipes and our ceptic.
We do have water softener for our water though. Not sure if that would make a difference. And if it does why isn't it affecting the other 5?

I live with my fiance, no fighting or anything very quiet.

So I'm unsure. He probably does have Gastritis when I looked up the symptoms the only one he has though is the throwing up with blood.

Sadly I even looked up stomach cancer and he's got only one sign of those symptoms too throwing up with blood.

He doesn't seem to fit anywhere AARRG. Not that I want him to have any type of cancer at all or some major illness but at least we'd know what's going on. It's the "I don't know what's going on" that is getting to me the most. They know it's a stomach irritation but that's it. Not what's causing it.

Next step would be an x-ray with barium and that's $300 I don't have. So I don't know what to do.

Here's the link.
http://picasaweb.google.com/MisMelzy/Smokie#

The picture of the blood is kind of blurry but it gives you an idea.

He's been throwing up on the previous food too. If I went back to the original food Eukanuba I'd have to do it slowly. I don't think I could do an abrupt change on him it might make it worse. I did try moist cat food, but he threw that up too.

Hmm... I don't know your entire history, but an opinion from a different vet and definitely an x-ray would be the next step. I'm surprised that the one vet you took him to didn't pursue anything further. I would think throwing up blood would be an indicator to something.

Have you tried an all wet diet? Looking online there are a few posts(ones I found were not on here) of cats improving after eating more/all wet. a few posters also said stay away from cornmeal which eukanuba contains -or at least does in the formula i brought up.

here is one of the posts i found

http://www.pets.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=16618

if you search google you will find others saying more wet

Well I think the vet thinks that it's an irritated stomach and feels that the meds he's giving now will help. I don't have much more money to have him brought in to another vet. The x-rays that he needs cost around $300. I'm trying to go through my things and see what is valuable that I can sell. I don't have a whole lot left because when one of my other cats needed to go to the vet I had to sell things to bring them in.

I called the vet again because someone mentioned that I could give 1/4 of a tablet of Pepcid AC that would help reduce the amount acid in his stomach to aid in healing. I called my vet and asked if he thought that this was needed. He didn't think that Pepcid AC was good. He said that they have other medications that would work better. I then apologized for calling him so much. I think I've been calling him twice a day sometimes three. I didn't want him to think I was this pain in the tush customer who didn't have anything better to do than call him all the time. He reassured me that I could call him whenever I had a question. He said he doesn't feel it's anything life threatening. His blood results were good. He feels that his throwing up could have been going on a lot longer than I had thought being that I have 6 cats and several of them throw up from time to time. I could have missed it. His stomach is just really really irritated and unhappy. As long as we keep him from throwing up he said his stomach will heal itself on it's own. It may take a bit but his stomach will heal itself. It made me feel a little bit better.

A friend also told me something that made sense. If I am full of anxiety and fear, he can sense that and it won't help him get better. He's always been the sensitive one with me. Whenever I was hill he'd be right there next to me (they all were. They wouldn't let me move until I got better LOL) My friend has had cats before. And said to be calm keep yourself occupied with stuff to do. Give him the medication the doctor prescribed. Don't worry unless you have to. Somethings take time to heal. He's happy right now. Eating Drinking. Not suffering or in any pain. He's okay so don't worry until I need to be.

Made sense. It's just hard not to worry. With two cats who died of unknown causes..it tend to panic

I'm going to work on being calm.

Yesterday evening he threw up again and this time it was more brighter red. Not so dark though. I gave him some more of his anti-nausea medication after that. I had called an ER vet because my vet wasn't open at the time (9pm). I wanted to ask if I could give him one whole tab of his antinasuea meds. I called them and they said that I would be able to give him a whole tab so I did. Then called my vet in the morning. Smokey threw up his food this morning. There wasn't too much blood there which was good. This time it was just mostly food with a little pink. I called the vet and the vet said that he recommended that I give him two of those any more. The vet sounded really frustrated that he couldn't figure out why he was still throwing up. The only thing that helps him to stop throwing up is the injection he gives him and it lasts two days. But I don't have $100 a week to be taking him into the vet. So he gave him something that was an antibiotic with something that would settle his stomach. I absolutely HATE giving it to him. It makes his mouth foam and him drool. It lasts for a good 20 minutes and he'll hide in the basement for a while. He's not happy with me when I give it to him. I called the vet when I saw that happen and he said it was normal because it tastes really badly and it can make some cats drool and foam.

His stomach was looking like it was healing the Thursday he threw up two times really little amounts and NO blood. So I was happy thinking that it was healing itself. Then he started throwing up again. He'd throw up the food and then the second time he'd throw up would be the fluid and the blood. I've permanently switched him to moist cat food hoping that maybe it's something in the dry foods that's irritating his stomach. The vet doesn't think so. But he said it was a good idea to make sure he's getting the fluids that he needs.

I talked to him and told him that I didn't want to give him the meds but it was to make his tummy feel better. That I wanted him to get better. I wasn't ready for him to leave me yet. He was my best friend and he's been the only one who helps me through the hard times by being there for me and purring by me. I still need him especially since I think Sassy is not feeling well either and may not be here much longer. I'd need him to help me through that tough time. I told him that Mommy can't go through loosing both of them at the same time. I also told him he's too young. He has more life in him.

I am so sorry for all you are going through. I understand the panicking and the worry and the fear. I cried on and off constantly for the first week or so after Boo's diagnosis of CRF. I have no experience in what you are going through, but I am so sorry and thinking and praying for Smokie, and you.

Thank you. I need all the prayers I can get. I just want him to get better so badly. I love him so much as I do all my cats. I hate having to lock sassy and smokie in a room by themselves. But I have to keep reminding myself that it's for their good. Sassy seems to be doing good so far so hopefully in a day or so she can come out. I try to visit her as often as I can. Smokie I visited and gave him his anti-nausea meds. Held him and cuddled with him

MY 7 year old Neutered boy Ben has been doing the EXACT same thing.

I had a bloodtest on him and an ultra sound, and then I gave him some slippery elm syrup but nothing helped.

Is your cat shedding? Ben's problem at first was hair in his stomach causing it to be inflamed.

Have you had blood work done? THAT should be first and if you can afford it an ultra sound.

I did the same as you I switched Ben to his original food. He still vomits but not as bad and if HE continues I am going to take him to a Veterinary internal medicine doctor. YOu might want to do that or go to a Veterinary teaching school.

There are also some groups on the internest Vet to Vet on aol and petvetcale on yahoogroups that you can join and ask questions of. AND if you can afford $15.00 you can always go to ASk A vet and see what they say!

To help yourself out so as not to be so upset you might see if you can find Arizona Teas RX Stress, as it can help calm you down. It helps me and I also get all the calm and sleep teas I can find and brew them and add them to the RX Stress as well as a drink called Blue Cow relaxation drink (NO alcohol) and they REALLY help!

Good luck to BOTH of us and our beloved babies

I've had his blood tested. The doc did a basic blood pannel and everything came out good. He said a few numbers were off but it could have been because he was a little dehydrated.

I don't have the money to have an ultrasound or the x-rays right now. I'm trying to see if there is something I can sell to get the money or if there are online places that could help.

We've been feeding him wet. But because during the day Saturday and Today we've been gone all day we've put him in the small bathroom with some wet food so he'd have food and a litter box. This way he couldn't get the dry that I left out for the others. Well each day we've come home and he's gotten out. So I'm pretty sure that he's been eating the dry.

Early this morning I found some fluid that was puked up couldn't tell if the hair that came up which was a few strands was from him or the other cats. But there was also some clear fluid on the floor looked like stomach contents. But really no blood this time. I don't know who made the two spots. I can only assume it was him but I've been taking the dry food up at night so he can't get into it. Hoping that with the meds and just trying to feed him wet we can get him back on track.