Please send vibes

The last couple days of my trip have been crazy busy, but I'm back home now, and it's nothing but good news! Over the weekend, Grace has been increasing the amount she's been eating on her own. DH decided yesterday to see if he could avoid syringe feeding her...and she ate a whole cup of dry food and 1/4 can of A/D on her own!

He took her to the vet this morning for a recheck and the vet agrees that she's doing really well! We're going to stop the subQ fluids and we'll stop the syringe feeding as long as she's taking in enough food on her own. We're monitoring her intake very carefully. We're also going to stop the meds and see how she does.

So far today, she's polished off 1/3 cup of dry food and 1/8 can of A/D. And she's kept it all down. We're offering her as much A/D as we can get her to eat, but she still prefers Meow Mix dry. (In time, we'll get her on to a better quality food...preferably canned, but at least a MUCH better quality dry.) For now, though, I'm happy to have her eating again on her own.

She's still jaundiced, but it appears to be less so. The vet took bloodwork this morning so we'll should have a new set of liver values tomorrow. That will give us more definite info on how she's healing.

She's still scared of me, but she did come up to me for a pet after I sat on the floor for a few minutes. Hopefully soon all I'll have to give her is food and love.

I can't thank you guys enough for the advice, support, and vibes.

Hi Tari!
This is amazing news!!!
A word of advice, and I urge you to follow... Please please do not stop everything at once, you will risk going back to ground zero... Don't fool yourself, she is doing great- BUT- a LOT of it is because of the meds- if you take it all, you will risk a crash, and she might not return...
I know you trust your vet, but I beg you to please trust me on this... I know I am a "no one" on the internet here.... But...
Step one, take the force feeding off, and see how she does, still on the meds.
Step two. Take the nausea meds off and see how she does.
Step three: TAPER her off her appetite stimulant...
This girl is very sick and this is a long road Tari... I would not risk doing this ina a million years- from the bottom of my heart, I wouldn't.

You know, Carolina, I've been thinking the same thing for the last few hours. I know what the vet said, but it does seem like a pretty abrupt stop to the meds. Pat stopped the syringe feeding yesterday, and she hasn't had any of the Reglan today. But it feels a little too fast to stop the appetite stimulant to me. She gets them every three days...so she's due to get another tomorrow. I think I'll give her tomorrow's dose, then go to one extra day between doses for a few more times.

You're definitely not a "nobody". I know there are a lot of people on the site here that have a lot of experience with this. I trust my vet...but the vet I'm working with is not my favorite vet at the practice. She's nice and I believe she's doing her best, but she's young and inexperienced. (Unfortunately, the vet I like best is everyone else's favorite, too, so it's hard to get an appointment with her.) The fact is that if I had waited until she told me to start syringe feeding I really don't think we'd be where we are now. We're not entirely sure whether her problems were due to an infection or to fatty liver disease, but if we had waited any longer I think we'd be looking at a much sicker cat now.

Just FABULOUS news!!!! I'm so glad to hear you're not going to just stop everything all at once. We just left Lazlo's oncologist, and he just talked to us about tapering off the meds. Because the main problem with chemo is nausea, we're starting by tapering him off the appetite stimulant first. But stopping everything at the same time was definitely not something he recommends. Sounds like the particular vet you saw may be a little inexperienced.

Continued vibes for all of you! You've given this baby another chance!!!

How is she doing today Tari?

She's really chowing down today! She's eaten 1/4 can of A/D and 1/2 cup of dry so far, and I'm just about to serve dinner. She's much perkier and more curious and played with the Cat Dancer with me for a while. She's drinking water like crazy, too.

The vet called with the latest bloodwork. Her bilirubin is still high, but down from over 500 to around 300. Her liver values look better, but still high. All that is to be expected, as I understand it. I gather it can take a while for those numbers to improve. She also had one value for inflammation (ALT maybe?) that is still high. The vet decided to put her back on the Baytril to make sure that any infection is gone and a low dose of prednisolone for the inflammation. We're also going to continue the subQ fluids every other day for a week or two to help flush out more of the bilirubin. We discussed my decision to taper off the appetite stimulant. She doesn't agree with it, but understands my concerns.

So at this point, we're not out of the woods, but we can see the edge of the forest.

Originally Posted by Tari

She's really chowing down today! She's eaten 1/4 can of A/D and 1/2 cup of dry so far, and I'm just about to serve dinner. She's much perkier and more curious and played with the Cat Dancer with me for a while. She's drinking water like crazy, too.

The vet called with the latest bloodwork. Her bilirubin is still high, but down from over 500 to around 300. Her liver values look better, but still high. All that is to be expected, as I understand it. I gather it can take a while for those numbers to improve. She also had one value for inflammation (ALT maybe?) that is still high. The vet decided to put her back on the Baytril to make sure that any infection is gone and a low dose of prednisolone for the inflammation. We're also going to continue the subQ fluids every other day for a week or two to help flush out more of the bilirubin. We discussed my decision to taper off the appetite stimulant. She doesn't agree with it, but understands my concerns.

So at this point, we're not out of the woods, but we can see the edge of the forest.

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Tari, can you have a second opinion on this, or talk to your other vet? I am sorry to say, but truly, I don't understand your vet... Are her WBC elevated? Does she know for certain that Grace has an infection? Baytril has a common side effect: Raises liver enzymes.... IMHO, here is how I see it: Gracie was on death's door... You started doing something that IS working - her numbers are going down. All of them. She is eating, she is perkier... He liver enzymes went down by the hundreds. Why would she put her on anibiotics when she is not even certain that she has an infection to begin with? Especially one antibiotic that raises all these liver enzymes that you want to lower in the first place
If what you were doing was not working, sure..... If she was not getting better.... Sure..... But I don't know.... If her liver is already compromised, I would be scared to give her medication that is processed by the liver unless absolutely necessary - for example: if what you were doing was not working, which, clearly, is not the case.
MY honest opinion. This vet is failing a lot... In many different different ways. I don't know - now is when I would demand a consult with your main vet, or pick up and go. I did this for Bugsy, and I am surely glad I did - probably saved him

BTW, Grace's turn around is a testimony to the excellent care you and your hubby are giving her.... You are doing an amazing job, and I am so SO glad she is doing well.... Things did look grim, but now I see this Girl pulling through and being one happy healthy girl! And all because of you - you both are great kitty-parents

I had the same thought about the Baytril and actually, the steroids, too. It seems like giving her liver more to process wouldn't be a good thing. I work for a medical association for pathologists and talked today with one of the veterinary pathologists I know and trust about her test results. She agrees with our vet that the bloodwork doesn't really look like classic Fatty Liver disease. Her WBC is a bit elevated. She agrees that the source of the problem is likely to be an infection, possibly with a bit of fatty liver, too. She thinks the Baytril and steroids are probably the right thing to do, so long as they don't interfere with her eating. She says that continuing the subQ fluids will help the liver metabolize the drugs. So we'll give her the first dose tonight and see how it goes.

She's still eating on her own and seems sassy today.

Thanks so much for the advice and kind words, Carolina.

Tari, That's great that you have access to this person - I feel a whole lot better - guess you do too!
Quick question came to mind: Do you still have Reglan in hands? The antibiotics can bring back the nausea, and Reglan might come handy - consider giving Regan before stopping the antibiotics on its tracks if she lowers her food intake - remember that nausea for her was probably an issue that lowered he appetite...
Also, I don't remember the specifics of Baytril, but for Bugsy, since he started vomiting with antibiotics, my vet told me to always make sure to give him the medicine when he had his belly full, to prevent nausea and to prevent hurting his tummy.
Wonderful to hear she is doing well today - please keep the updates coming - she is a little fighter.... Powerful vibes going her way, hugs to meowmy and daddy

Yes, I'm feeling MUCH better about things in general after talking to the pathologist. I've still got plenty of the Reglan, and I always give the Baytril when I know she's just eaten. I gave her the first dose earlier, and so far so good. She's eating more than ever. She's definitely making up for lost time! She's up to 7lbs, 13 oz today...she's put on almost 1/2 lb in just the last few days! She's even starting to look a little less skinny.

She's feisty tonight, and we had a long play session earlier. (Gentle play...I'm reluctant to let her get too wound up. I feel like she needs to save her energy for getting well, but a little gentle play with the feather never hurts.) She even just flopped over for me and asked for a belly rub!

Oh Tari, this is all just wonderful news!!!!!! This little fighter has wonderful champions in her corner. Continued vibes! !!!!!

Originally Posted by LDG

Oh Tari, this is all just wonderful news!!!!!!

This little fighter has wonderful champions in her corner.

Continued vibes! !!!!!

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The antibiotics haven't slowed Grace down a bit! She's a total chowhound. She continues to eat really well and gets more active and sassy every day. This morning I was late for work because she demanded I spend some time playing with her. You can feel the difference in her weight when you pick her up now...you can still feel her ribs, but you can't feel every single one of them when you pet her. The change is really remarkable. I know that she's still got some healing to do here, but I can't tell you how relieved I am to see her doing so well. A week ago I was terrified that she might not pull through. Before I left to go on my trip I asked her to just keep fighting...and she DID.

She's still isolated from the other cats, but she definitely wants out of this room to explore. That won't happen until I know she's well enough to deal with the stress of introductions. Tailer did sneak in the room this morning, though. He's curious about her, but not at all agressive. (He never has been with any cat I've brought in.) She hissed and growled, but didn't make any moves to attack. Hopefully the introductions won't be too bad when it's time for that. I know I'm getting ahead of things here, but I'm finally allowing myself to look forward to integrating her into our family.

Oh Tari, I am just beaming huge smiles reading this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And certainly as good a reason to be late for work as any!

Keeping up the vibes... but I think you and your wonderful DH got her over that hump!!!!!!!

Grace went in for subQ fluids tonight. She's up to 8 lbs! The tech suggested I call the vet next week and talk about tapering off the free feeding and the A/D so she doesn't get too fat. I also want to get her onto a better food. She's eating Meow Mix dry now along with the A/D. I'd really like to get her onto a wet diet, or at the very least a MUCH better quality dry. I've started to mix a tiny bit of Blue Buffalo Wilderness in with her Meow Mix. We'll see if she'll eat any of it now that she has a better appetite. She eats the A/D on her own now, so maybe we can use that to transition her to a wet diet.

It's a good problem to have!!!!!! You and DH have done SUCH a wonderful job!!!!!!!!!!!

Keep up the good work, Grace!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Originally Posted by LDG

It's a good problem to have!!!!!!

You and DH have done SUCH a wonderful job!!!!!!!!!!!

Keep up the good work, Grace!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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I know, right? from skin to getting chubby? They must be scratching their heads at the vets office

Tari, just checking in to see how Grace is doing.

Grace was up another 3 oz today when we took her for her fluids. She's doing fantastic. This weekend she started getting really desparate to get out of the room, so we've started the introduction process. She doesn't seem stressed out by it, and she continues to eat well. I think that being cooped up all the time was more stressful for her. I've let her out three times now for about an hour at a time. She's met both of the boys, and it's going pretty well. We started exchanging scents a month ago, so they've had ample time to get used to each others' smells.

She growled and hissed when she first met both of them. Forest hisses back and runs away (my big, brave cat ). Tailer, though, stays calm. Last night, he went as far away as the table and just climbed up there and sat calmly and watched her. He just sat there and let her come and check him out. (He's just the BEST cat...he's so sweet. ) She's still not entirely sure about him, but she didn't hiss at him this morning. I'm going to let her out again tonight and see how it goes. When she's had enough she just retreats to her room, and the boys both seem to respect that. I'm not confident enough to leave them alone together yet, but I think it's going well. She calms down right away after every encounter and it hasn't slowed down her eating.

LOL, I'd say that's going REALLY well!

Aw, that makes me smile!