My 13-year-old cat stopped eating 9 days ago. I took him to the vet last weekend and they said he had a serious infection and needed to be hospitalized. I paid $1500 for evaluations and 1 day of intravenous fluids and a general antibiotic (Amoxicillin). They said he was very sick and needed to have an ultrasound and biopsies to determine what was infected and which antibiotic to give. They said he would need at least 3 days of hospitalization and the bill would exceed $4,000. I love my cat, but I really can't justify $4,000+ for him and an uncertain outcome in any event.
I took him home after he had 24 hours of fluids and they gave me the amoxicillin to keep giving him. I've been doing that for 2 days and he still doesn't eat or drink. He's doing a lot better since he had the fluids, and I get him to drink water by syringe, but I fear he will get worse. He's actually fairly stable at the moment. I'm getting him to drink by syringe. Is there any trick to getting him to eat? What can I try? I take him to his food and water and he has no interest - he just climbs back up into his bed.
Please give me suggestions for feeding him by syringe or some other method. He hasn't eaten in 9 days. I want to help him now while he has the energy to eat and drink.
Thanks.
I took him home after he had 24 hours of fluids and they gave me the amoxicillin to keep giving him. I've been doing that for 2 days and he still doesn't eat or drink. He's doing a lot better since he had the fluids, and I get him to drink water by syringe, but I fear he will get worse. He's actually fairly stable at the moment. I'm getting him to drink by syringe. Is there any trick to getting him to eat? What can I try? I take him to his food and water and he has no interest - he just climbs back up into his bed.
Please give me suggestions for feeding him by syringe or some other method. He hasn't eaten in 9 days. I want to help him now while he has the energy to eat and drink.
Thanks.
