Patches Staying at the Vets Tonight

Patches had done well the last 3 years or so but he got sick again with dry heaves and not eating and he wasn't getting over it on his own like he has recently. I took him to a different vet, one on the other side of town, this time. Tomorrow this vet is doing an ultrasound which the other vets didn't do when he stayed with them before. I signed for the whole range of the estimate so if she sees something suspicious she's going to go ahead and do a needle aspirant biopsy. She is also sending blood to Texas A&M for the definitive blood test for pancreatitis. She said his behaviour of going to his food and acting like he wants to eat then walking away from it is typical for pancreatitis but she is going to get the blood workup done for it. The other vets just said that was what it probably was. She said his intestines felt ropey which means he probably has IBS even if it did start as pancreatitis. She said he will probably be on a minimal steroid dose for the rest of his life. I know long term steroid use has side effects in humans so I assume it does in cats also. The one thing I am grateful for is that at the moment I have the money to pay for everything he needs and I made the drive across town to a vet that has the resources to do all the testing that he needs to have done. He hadn't had all the right tests done before.

I'm so sorry you and Patches are going through this. I hope you get some answers soon.

You are a good, good, good cat parent!



Robin

Sending lots of get well vibes for Patches!

Get well prayers and vibes for your sweet Patches. He is so lucky to have you!

Patches

I'm glad he's getting the care he needs though I know how lonely it can be when they are away in hospital.

Please keep us posted on Patches.

PS while long term steroids can have some undesirable consequences, quality of life is more important than quantity, I hope the steroids help him.

I hope everything turns out ok with Patches!

The vet just did the ultrasound on Patches and he has thickened inflamed intestines but there weren't spots that looked worse than others so she didn't think it was lymphoma. She didn't see any spots on his liver. She didn't have any bloodwork back but when they spun his blood sample the plasma was slightly yellow which she said was consistent with pancreatitis. She said they would have his general blood work results back late this afternoon and the ones from Texas by Friday. She said she thought the general bloodwork would probably be a little off from not eating. When she gets those results back she will give him a steroid shot and an appetite stimulate and he can come home tomorrow afternoon on an oral steroid and an antibiotic.

Patches is still at the vets. Even though his liver looked okay on the ultrasound his liver enzymes were high. He is on an IV and given something for the inflamation, appetite stimulant, and something for nausea. He ate a little yesterday and wouldn't eat today. She is sending out another blood sample today and will have the results tommorrow. If his enzymes still aren't coming down then she wants to put in a feeding tube. She got the results back from Texas and he doesn't have pancreatitis so they don't have to restrict the foods tried. Everytime he has went through one of these episodes it has been a struggle to get him to eat again.

Feel better soon, Patches.

Patches is getting a feeding tube put in this morning. She is also doing a needle aspirant biopsy of the liver. If there is no cancer he will come home Monday on the tube feedings until he starts eating right again. She says that cats tolerate them well and it won't interfere with getting him to eat again.

This is very upsetting for you, I'm sure. I can feel your angst through my computer monitor. I'd feel the same way.

I hope you get some answers and I hope Patches recovers soon from this round of problems. It's great he's coming home soon.

I don't have any advice to offer. I'm just giving what support I can.

These things are troubling.

Robin

Patches came through getting the feeding tube put in. He bounced back from the anesthetic quickly. The vet said that was a really good sign because often cats with liver disease are slow coming back from anesthetic. Hopefully he will get to come home Monday, I can get him started eating again and we can find a low steroid dose that will control this.

I got Patches back from the vets but I still don't know for sure if he has cancer or not. She got the results back from the needle biopsy she did when she put in the feeding tube. He has two types of hepatitis, one from inflammation and fatty liver. She said the fatty liver was caught very early so he will make a full recovery from that. There were some atypical cells in the sample though. I am taking him back next week for another liver panel. He will have a little over a week on the tube feedings, anti-inflammatory, and antibiotics. If his liver enzymes aren't coming down he will need a regular biopsy to find out for sure.

He's on Prednisone, 2 antibiotics and an anti-nausea medicine. I am mixing a can of Hills A/D with a can of water and giving him 60 ml four times a day. They have been building up the amount on the tube feedings. The last two have been 40ml so she said to go ahead and go to 60 on the next one and keep him there. She said not to force food by mouth just let him eat if he wants to but not to force the issue.

Oh Denice, what an ordeal... Good thing the HL was caught in the beginning, and great that he now has a feeding tube... This will give him great chances...
Huge vibes for a clean biopsy, and for him to turn around really quickly to you....

How is Patches doing? Any updates?

He acts like he feels a lot better. He has started eating a little and he looks and feels like he has gained a little weight. I'm trying to not get my hopes up until we get the blood work results back. He goes back Monday morning so she will get the results back on Tuesday.

yey! That's Great Denice! It is a long road, so don't get discouraged if the blood work doesn't show much improvement on Monday... It can take a few weeks to start showing changes.... But he is feeling better, starting to eat, and looking like might have gained weight - that is awesome!!

We just got back from the vets and Patches has gained 7 oz since last Monday. He is eating much better and is acting real close to his normal self. She took blood and the results will be back tomorrow afternoon. She changed the bandage around his tube and checked it and she said it looked good. There was some crusty food around the end but no signs of infection.

That's progress! And that's wonderful!



Robin

The liver panel results are back and they aren't good. The two enzymes that are the most important are still rising even though he is eating well on his own and has gained weight. His bilirubin count has dropped. She is going to do another needle aspirant using a little larger needle to get more cells and another liver panel next Monday. She said it is normal for enzymes to rise, plateu than drop but it has been long enough that they should've started dropping. He acts like he feels good and is eating well, maybe it's just the effect of the steroid.