Bear's Liver Issues Thread. (part 2)

[mrsgreenjeens]

OH, Oh, Oh, I'm SO excited with this news!!!! All your hard effort is paying off. Go Bear, Go Bear, Go Bear. I remember months ago when we were all chanting that! This is just the best news I've read in awhile, especially since we lost BooBoo after his long fought struggle. And now Coco is doing poorly. I think we ALL needed this victory.

Keep eating on your own, sweet Bear

 

[mbjerkness]

I am so happy Bear is improving. Keep on eating Bear

 

[katkisses]

Originally Posted by laureen227

great news about Bear! y'know, MM makes some non-fish flavors - i used to get them because of Chip's prior bout w/crystals... just read the labels, i know there's a couple of them.

He will only eat fishy stuff right now, and it seems like he doesn't like chunks now either. He completly refused the other MM cup today, it had huge chunks. The first cup was not as chunky. I did get him to eat some dry c/d last night tho!

Originally Posted by Carolina

He is eating wet food AND getting fluids... chances are, he will not be drinking water on his own, as he really doesn't need right now.
I would definitely talk to the vet about cutting back the fluids to get him to drink water.
My cats who eat wet only drink not water - and I am saying not at all

I mix a little extra water on their food as they like it a little softer, but that's all they get... And really, when it comes down to it, in ounces, that's all they should be getting.
Cats will drink when they are thirsty, and sounds to me Bear is just not getting thirsty. Just wanted to throw that out there

I thought about that, but he is still mainly eating dry. Last night he ate about 1/2 cup of dry c/d

, and so far today he ate about 1/3 can of FF (3oz). I force fed him once yesterday, and once so far today. If he doesn't eat a little more today then I will have to force feed for a 2nd time today. I am terrified of his liver shuttng down again, if it is Chlorangiohepatitis then he can relapse again at any time.

That said, he was on a 100% wet diet most of this time (the l/d crap I force feed him) and he still needed the fluids. He is getting alot less wet food now (only what I force feed and the little bit I got him to eat). It really is a balancing act, I am way more paranoid after Boo got heart failure from too many fluids. I kinda go day by day, if he pukes I give him a little extra fluids. If the fluids take longer than normal to absorb into his body (you can tell, it leaves a bulge of fluids until they absorb) then I skip a day. The days I skip fluids he doesn't show any extra intrest in water (or food).

Today he only got 75 units of fluids because I am trying to wean him off of them. If I can get him to eat 50% wet (or more) then I will try cutting the fluids back, maybe in half, I will ask the vet.

Thanks for bringing it up, I was posting about it in my update but the page refreshed before I pushed "submit reply" and it got lost. I forgot about it after that lol.

Originally Posted by mrsgreenjeens

OH, Oh, Oh, I'm SO excited with this news!!!! All your hard effort is paying off. Go Bear, Go Bear, Go Bear. I remember months ago when we were all chanting that! This is just the best news I've read in awhile, especially since we lost BooBoo after his long fought struggle. And now Coco is doing poorly. I think we ALL needed this victory.

Keep eating on your own, sweet Bear

I love the "Go Bear" chant lol, I believe that everyones well wishes and prayers helped us alot too. Your right, a lot of people on here have not been so lucky, or are battling their own battle right now.
Thank you!

Originally Posted by mbjerkness

I am so happy Bear is improving. Keep on eating Bear

Thanks, it's been quiet the battle!!

 

[snickerdoodle]

I absolutely echo mrsgreenjeens, we do need this victory now, and I am pulling for Bear so much!! Go Bear!!

 

[Ms. Freya]

Wow! Go Bear!

I'm so glad to hear he's doing better and he looks much better in his new pics.

 

[katkisses]

Thanks everyone, it really does mean alot to me!

He didn't eat much of anything yesterday on his own so I had to force feed again. BUT he ate a CUP of dry c/d on his own last night!!!

He hasn't eaten much today either, but maybe he will do like yesterday & eat at night. If not, I will have to force feed again. He wouldn't eat the wet food, and he picked at some tuna but didn't eat over a spoonful, and he ate a small amount of dry so far.

I still have hope, he did eat the cup of dry last night.

 

[katkisses]

Took Bear to the vet today!!!!!!! His bloodwork is almost normal!!!!!!!!!!!!

All of the levels are perfect except for ALT. It is 541 when it should be 100. That is still great because it was 1228 the last time!!!!

My regular vet was not there, but the 2 vets that saw Bear & his bloodwork results today were FLOORED. They both have seen Bear since he has been sick. They can't belive he made it, one said "Bear came back from the land of the lost." He said that cat's usually die when their liver gets that far gone. They both remembered how yellow he was too, before even looking at my record one vet said Bear's color is fantastic! Both vets were smiling from ear to ear, lol. They told me over and over how amazing this is.

He weighs 10.5lbs now, he was under 9 last time. The vet said Bear is not fat, that he has alot of muscles. He also said Bear's fur was the sofest fur he had felt.

He took Bear off of the antibiotics too. He said I should keep on doing the fluids every few days, as needed since Bear is not drinking water still.

Yesterday Bear only ate 1 Meow Mix cup, it is 1.75oz of wet food (compare that to a 5.5oz can of food...) so I had to force feed him. I just go day by day, some days he barely eats and once in a while he will pig out. But we are getting there!!!

Iam going to find a "thank you" card tomorrow and send it to the vets, they all are so awesome at my office! I am going to call Bear's regular vet Monday & let him know about Bear's new bloodwork. Apparently he doesn't work on Fridays, it is the same office though.

If I had enough "thank you" cards & stamps you all would be getting cards too

, lol! I got pretty down in the dumps for a while.... I remember a while back, thinking Bear was getting better, but when I took him in for bloodwork it turned out that he was a little worse. I went home that day and just had a total breakdown, I was doing my very best and he was worse. I felt so helpless. But you all really helped keep my spirits up & keep trying.



This is such a breath of fresh air, it feels like I've been holding my breath forever & now I can breathe.

I have to be the HAPPIEST cat mommy ever!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[mews2much]

That is great news.
I am so happy for you and new it could not be FIP.

 

[jenwales]

That's wonderful news! Go Bear!

 

[darlili]

Such happy news - I'm so glad for you and Bear - and I think the card for the vets is a great idea. Here's hoping for lots of good updates for many years to come - he's such a beautiful boy, and so blessed with his mommy. There's certainly a special place in Heaven for you.

 

[otto]

Oh that is just wonderful news to wake up to!

Congratulations to Bear for his improvement, and to you for all your loving care to him. All paws crossed that ALT continues to drop.

How's his jaundice?

Well done getting better for your mama, Bear!

PS I can't speak for everyone, but I don't need a thank you card. Knowing I helped a little is thanks enough. But getting one for the vet office is a wonderful idea. I've done that before too, and they do appreciate it.

 

[farleyv]

Oh WOW!!!!!

What a road you two have travelled!!! It is so heartwarming to read this post. We have gone on the rollercoaster ride right along with you.

I think you need to write Bears story somewhere....it is a good lesson in never giving up..

I don't know if you have children or grandkids who would appreciate down through the years how you tended your buddy, down in the valleys and up on the hills, and triumphed.

God bless you both many, many times over!!!!

 

[snickerdoodle]

So so so happy for you and Bear

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Oh My God, this is SO WONDERFUL!!!!!!!!! I'm so happy for you and Bear. Yippee!!!

I mean, seriously, this is the best news I've seen in a long time. I am just so thrilled. I'm actually crying I'm so happy

 

[katkisses]

Thanks everyone!

I still can't belive it lol. When I was waiting on the blood work results (in the waiting room with everyone else) the vet came in smiling and sat next to me and said "I have some great news!" I was thinking to myself: "Ok, so his levels are a tiny bit lower..... " Then he showed me the levels,

Originally Posted by otto

Oh that is just wonderful news to wake up to!

Congratulations to Bear for his improvement, and to you for all your loving care to him. All paws crossed that ALT continues to drop.

How's his jaundice?

Well done getting better for your mama, Bear!

PS I can't speak for everyone, but I don't need a thank you card. Knowing I helped a little is thanks enough. But getting one for the vet office is a wonderful idea. I've done that before too, and they do appreciate it.

Jaundice is completely gone, it's been gone for a few weeks!

I am pretty sure I posted that, at least I hope I did!

Tolly takes Denosyl right? Is it safe to keep giving them once their levels get normal? I haven't been able to call my regular vet yet (weekend) to ask, but I am calling tomorrow.

Originally Posted by farleyv

Oh WOW!!!!!

What a road you two have travelled!!! It is so heartwarming to read this post. We have gone on the rollercoaster ride right along with you.

I think you need to write Bears story somewhere....it is a good lesson in never giving up..

I don't know if you have children or grandkids who would appreciate down through the years how you tended your buddy, down in the valleys and up on the hills, and triumphed.

God bless you both many, many times over!!!!

No kids yet, Iam 21 lol. But one day....

That is a great idea tho! Thanks!

Originally Posted by mrsgreenjeens

Oh My God, this is SO WONDERFUL!!!!!!!!! I'm so happy for you and Bear. Yippee!!!

I mean, seriously, this is the best news I've seen in a long time. I am just so thrilled. I'm actually crying I'm so happy

Awwww, thanks so much!!!! I would have been crying right there in the vets office if I wasn't so darn SHOCKED! I had to look at the vet to make sure.... like "really?!?!" I was even tinking "no way, that is someone elses cat's bloodwork."

Sept 17th will be 5 months since he first got sick!! Not a good aniversary, I hope he is better before then LOL.

I plan on taking him in for bloodwork again in 2-3 months unless he gets worse.

He is snoozing on my pillow right now, I will get some new pics of his this week for you guys.

 

[otto]

Yes Tolly is on Denosyl and will be for life. Tolly takes phenobarbital so his liver is always going to be compromised. He will be getting blood work every 3-4 months now, forever.

I missed the post about the jaundice being gone, or it's quite possible I read it and then forgot.

Keep it up Bear.