Help Serious Situation With No Answer Yet

bab00nback

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Me and my girlfriend own a healthy 2 year old female Sphynx. She is negative for all diseases and is in excellent shape. This past Sunday we adopted an 8 week old orange male kitten. Of course they didn't get along so we separated them right away. My Sphynx stopped eating and the kitten hasn't been eating either. On Monday the Sphynx started vomiting white foam about 3 times that day. Yesterday on Tuesday they both vomited a few times so we took the Sphynx to the vet. They gave her some fluids and an X-ray and said they didn't really see anything and that if she doesn't eat to call back in 24 hours for an ultrasound. This past night the Sphnx vomited twice and it was orange liquid and the kitten vomited twice as well in the other room. I'm calling the vet back today and maybe getting some answers. It's been 3 days and nether cat is really drinking or eating and both are vomiting. Help I'm really worried about my cats especially my Sphynx!!!
 

blueyedgirl5946

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Have they been exposed to anything toxic By that I mean plants, cleaning products, people medicine or food.
 

catsallaround

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kittens go down FAST so kitten needs a vet check(even if already scene at the shelter-they tend to be a fast exam of just the very obvious and tests can be wrong that young)

No cat should stop eating for to long.  Look into A/D from Science Diet and if that is a no go syringe feeding. US is good if you have the money but may be jumping gun if the kitten was never examined by the same vet.  Was Blood taken from your cat to run tests?
 
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bab00nback

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Fecal sample for the kitten came back positive for Giardia. The Vet said that explains why both cats got sick. Got some meds prescribed so hopefully everything works out. Will keep updated.
 

princess123

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sounds like they got into something toxic maybe a plant maybe chemicals? Take both back right away to the vet  pleeeasse
 

catsallaround

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Does not sound like that is the cause.  Even if kitten has it I was under impression it took a few good days to spread.  I would have another vet look.

Just the fact they did xray and suggested US before doing blood work on both.   Both these cats MUST eat and be drinking or that alone will kill them.
 
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bab00nback

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Well the Sphynx was eating that night the kitten came home. He did use her litter box however and vet said that simply by sniffing the feces or coming in contact she could have gotten it. Especially because she is a Sphynx and her immune system is so different. She also has all the symptoms which would explain it and add in the stress of a new cat and that makes things worse. She's been given special food and a 5 day regimen of oral medicine. I was so stressed out I don't know what I would do if anything happened to her.
 
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bab00nback

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So the kitten seems to be responding well, he is more playful and is eating and drinking as per normal. The sphynx looks to be taking longer to recover. We started the mess yesterday and she has eaten sparingly twice in that span. There is no more vomiting that I am aware of but the vet said to wait the full 5 days of dosing until bringing her back. She seems to be acting normal she just doesn't show much interest in eating or drinking. Any thoughts on why this might be? Maybe her system takes longer to recover because she is a sphynx?
 

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How long has she gone without food? Is she eating yet? Normally?

FYI, I've worked in rescue and with feral cats for 12 years. I've never seen giardia cause vomiting or inappetence, just soft stools or diarrhea. If they're on flagyl (metronadizole) or panacur, that *should* take care of the giardia. That is... if you're in the U.S. In other places in the world, I don't know the name of meds that would be used.

But cats are not meant to use their fat as a source of energy. Their livers can become flooded with fat if they don't eat, and that is technically a form of liver disease (Hepatic Lipidosis, also known as fatty liver disease). This makes them feel unwell, and it becomes a vicious cycle. The ONLY "medicine" is food itself. So just for your future knowledge, if a cat doesn't eat for 24 - 48 hours, you must syringe feed them in order to avoid fatty liver from developing. If they cannot keep food down, then you need an anti-emetic/anti-nausea shot to be administered to your cat by the vet. The name of the medicine is Cerenia.

If your cat will eat a little bit, when going through something like this, it's best to feed something very easy to digest like plain chicken baby food, in many small meals throughout the day: like 1/2 an ounce at a time, every hour or so.

To avoid fatty liver, a cat needs at least 50% of the calories their bodies need daily.
 
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bab00nback

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She has eaten sparsely since Sunday. I'm trying to feed her Hillis A/D. Should I force feed her and can I expect her to start eating normally soon. She's been on meds for 2 days. And yes I am in the US
 

ldg

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Yes, I think you should absolutely assist-feed her if she really hasn't eaten since Sunday. Will she lick some of the a/d off your finger? Given she was vomiting everything up, I would see if you can get her to lick about 1/4 to 1/2 an ounce off a spoon or your finger (or even just get her to swallow the food by swiping it with your finger into the pocket of her cheek), and see if she can keep that down first.

Since it's been so long since she's eaten, you need to start small. I would target 50% of what she needs calorically for tomorrow, divided into as many meals as you can comfortably feed her.

Did the vet send you home with a syringe? If not, you can pick one up from any pharmacy - you need a baby feeding syringe.

If she can't keep food down tonight, you need to take her back to the vet tomorrow and have them give her a shot of Cerenia.

Poor baby really needs some food. :rub:

Given she feels so unwell, I don't think syringe feeding her should be difficult. You can google assist-feeding or syringe feeding for videos. This is pretty good for text instructions: http://www.mv.com/users/louise/thoughts/post8_syringe_feeding_cat.html

I never pointed the syringe in the mouth though. I put the tip between the teeth and the cheek at the back of the mouth. Less worry that you'll accidentally squirt it into her throat (which you don't want to do).

:vibes: :vibes: :vibes: :vibes: :vibes:
 

nccarol

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I too would get a second opinion what you described is not Giardia. I have had two pets that had Giardia and other than loose smelly stools those were the only symptoms.  Still sounds like they got into something especially with the vomiting. Hopefully things will turn around soon.
 
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bab00nback

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She has no interest in licking off a spoon or my finger. I've already spent almost $600 in vet bills in the past 3 days. I have no idea what to do. The kitten is eating and drinking normally. There's nothing I can think of that she would have gotten into. She started acting weird the night the kitten came home. They are in the same room now and are getting along for the most part. Is depression or stress a possibility?
 

ldg

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I too would get a second opinion what you described is not Giardia. I have had two pets that had Giardia and other than loose smelly stools those were the only symptoms.  Still sounds like they got into something especially with the vomiting. Hopefully things will turn around soon.
:yeah: That would be my concern, too. It was raised earlier in the thread, and better fits the symptoms (on top of the giardia).
 
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bab00nback

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I too would get a second opinion what you described is not Giardia. I have had two pets that had Giardia and other than loose smelly stools those were the only symptoms.  Still sounds like they got into something especially with the vomiting. Hopefully things will turn around soon.
The kitten stool sample came back positive for Giardia. Hers wasn't tested but the vet said it would explain her symptoms and X-ray. I really don't know what to do.
 
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bab00nback

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:yeah: That would be my concern, too. It was raised earlier in the thread, and better fits the symptoms (on top of the giardia).
How would the vet test for that? Blood work? She wanted to do an abdominal ultrasound but it's $400.....
 

ldg

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She has no interest in licking off a spoon or my finger. I've already spent almost $600 in vet bills in the past 3 days. I have no idea what to do. The kitten is eating and drinking normally. There's nothing I can think of that she would have gotten into. She started acting weird the night the kitten came home. They are in the same room now and are getting along for the most part. Is depression or stress a possibility?
At this point, the lack of food itself could be the problem. You need to syringe feed her, or as I suggested, use your finger to swipe some of the a/d into her mouth. Talk to her softly, tell her she needs nutrition to get better. Tell her what you're doing and why. Reassure her.

Again, I'm talking about just getting 1/4 ounce of food into her for now. That is literally a dollop of food, and should be able to be done with 2 to 4 finger swipes of food into her cheek. See if she keeps that down.

But she's also likely pretty dehydrated at this point in time, and that's not helping. :(
 
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bab00nback

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She got an injection into her back on Tuesday. She looked like a little hunchback. I've seen her drinking a little bit of water today. She ate for maybe a minute when I opened the Hillis A/D but zilch since then.
 

ldg

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How would the vet test for that? Blood work? She wanted to do an abdominal ultrasound but it's $400.....
Bummer. An abdominal ultrasound is "only" $235 here.

Right now, food itself will likely flush out her system. Wet food. Again - this is assuming she can keep food down at this point.

Blood work can indicate problems: the vet would look at kidney function. Right now, on top of that, the concern would be that fatty liver has developed. Blood work to check liver-related function is normally done.

The reason for the ultrasound would be to see if there was some type of blockage, or if any organs were inflamed.
 
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