My Cat's Urinary And Liver Problem Advice Needed Please

imissyou

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Hello,

I'm Rob from the UK. My cat Tom one of 10
who is now 13 had to go to the vets Monday and was hospitalized until today.

I will give a little background in the hope any other people on here who may of had a similar health problems with their cat can advise on different foods ect.

He also suffers from full epileptic fits which he has had now for a good 7 to 8 years. He used to only get 1 to 3 big ones in a year, but at the vets he had two in one day which they did get under control. That is not the big problem though and I know how to deal with that at home if it happens by just letting it go it's course and make sure no objects are in near him and try to cushion him while the fit is happening.

He suffers with urinary stones for over 10 years and the only food he could have we were told by my old vet was he needed to be on royal canin veterinary diet feline urinary so for life. There is only two flavors chicken and beef and he hates the beef and the chicken he eats but gets so he is hating that.

Now getting back to this week and what happened. He started with a bout of not eating and this went on for 2 days. I usually give it a day or so because this is usually how long it takes before he comes out of it and starts to eat again. His stools were jellified so it was infections like he had a bad one years ago.

I decided he needed to go the vets as he was still not eating, but I made sure he had water as best I could syringe it for him.

The vet said he was dehydrated even though I had been giving him water, it was him being sick made him that way he said. Now because we were told by my old vet (we go to a new one now) that we can't give Tom any other foods but the urinary so he has lost a lot of weight because he just hates the food and so unlike our other cats we can't give him any treats etc which is just heart breaking.

Anyway he took him and hospitalized and said he would be in touch once he had him on a drip and done bloods etc.

He phoned and said that he had a seizure one of two he ended up having that day but was okay after them.

The bloods must of been okay except the liver which he said showed very high levels , not sure if what but I take it he meant everything was elevated in the liver.

He said to rule out anything like a tumor he would do a biopsy but only when he stabilized him. The next day he took more bloods and thankfully he said the levels had dropped a little but he said he now thought the biopsy would be risky with him being so underweight and how he was. He mentioned that because he was so thin that he wanted to consider taking him off the urinary so food and start him on normal food for his weight because he said at that moment it was the lesser of two evils. Anyway they started him later that day on a liver food which I belive was from Hills.

He phoned again said he was eating that fine and would contact me today Wednesday to see how things stand.

Today I get a call that he can come home which he has been home now a little over 8 hours.

He talked with other vets he said and they decided that they would put him back on the urinary so
and treat the liver with tablets.

I was worried because he is so thin and was hoping from what he first said that Tom could go on normal food with tablets for the urinary problem, but I suppose the vets were weighing what was needed most him getting stones and blocked or his weight and liver.

Anyway the tablets I have come home with are:

Amfipen 50mg Twice a Day

Destolit 150mg Quarter Tablet Daily

Doxion 1 Daily

I had a talk with the vet when I went to pick Tom up and talked about how worried I was about his weight and how I had thought he was going to change him to normal food to gain some weight I hoped. He said that they may change it but wants me to watch Tom over the next few days to see how he does on the medications he is on now and how he is with his eating the urinary so food.

I gave him some of his urinary so food this evening and he did eat it all up but also has had Diarrhea 3 times which after looking at the tablets came to the conclusion it might be the Amfipen which is just an antibiotic.

So my question is to anyone here who may of had a similar problem with their cat and could advise on any appropriate foods if there are any for him that would not hurt him other than the urinary so which he hates after eating it for a while and is the reason I think he is so thin.

So if you could name any foods like urinary so in different flavors and maybe some food for his liver problem if that will not give him urinary stones.

It's just heartbreaking seeing him wanting normal foods at times and he can't have them. I will make sure I let the vet know of any foods you think he might be okay with and the vet did mention a Hills I might be okay.

Thanks Everyone

Rob
 

darlili

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I can only tell you that my eight year old boy had struvite crystals last fall - since then, he's been eating Hills C/D your vet mentioned, wet and dry (he's not a big fan of wet food). Dante did have some soft poo problems when I was feeding him the fish wet C/D - but the chicken one seems to be fine. The dry kibble comes in one flavor - at least here in the States. So far, all has been good - he had his senior panels done at the end of May and all was normal.

This is heartbreaking - the urinary foods do seem to work very well for most cats in avoiding crystals, but if kitty just hates them, doesn't make much difference how well they work. I'd keep in close touch with the vet - call them and let them know how he's doing and diarrhea (yes, the meds can probably have the effect, as well as the stress of having been hospitalized).

What other lines of prescription food can your vet order for you? Does he think it might be ok to alternate the Hills with the RC to tempt your boy's appetite?

Sharky is very knowledgeable about foods, and Otto, and others, also have cats that have had crystals. I'm sure they'll be along soon with advice. You and your boy will be in my thoughts - I hope you both feel better very soon.
 

sharky

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having three cats with liver issues and two of those with urinary ... My advise is a second and possibley third opinion...

My liver kitties are far younger 3,3 and 6... the 3 yr olds also have minor urinary issues...

I control it via natural medicine... they are on a GRAIN containg mid level dry and mostly grain free grocery wet...

Keep in mind you kitty is a senior( when liver issues are more common) and senior formulas are usually more urinary friendly
 

farleyv

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I have had 2 crystal cats. My Beeba now eats Hills C/D dry. I don't know if it is available in the UK. But Beeb loves it and has never turned up his nose.

This might be something to ask your vet about.

I know how stressful this thing is. I hope you can find the right food for your guy.
 
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