Possible Hepatic Lipidosis - Advice requested

Hey, y'all I stumbled across a thread thread on this site looking at more calming personal stories and suggestions regarding Hepatic Lipidosis ... everything I've seen before this site it super scary to read and I really need some positive support.

My cat was just given a "possible" diagnosis the other day. We had just had him in for close to a week a month and a half ago for crystal build up and once we had that taken care of for the time being we were told to change his diet to the urinary support foods made by either prescription diet or royal canine. Well, he did not like that one it. I talked to the vet several times about how he wasn't eating it or just picking at every once and a while. We tried several methods to make it more appealing but none of them worked and he became anorexic. That is what they believe led to this. I was told that since I was going to bring him home and hand feed him myself that I needed to give him at least 4-5 jars of baby food or one 8oz container of Rebound Liquid Diet. When the vet tech was handing the carrier, meds, and food to me she said that she seemed like that sounded like a lot and wen't to check with the vet. She came back out saying that what was stated before were the correct instructions. Well, that was on Monday and our check-up is tomorrow and I haven't been able to get myself to give him that much food. He wasn't eating this amount before, lost weight, and was just becoming weak. The most that I gave him was on the second day and was 152ml. He's thrown up a few of times. A couple of those times were due to the bitterness of the meds and the others were, in my opinion, from binging on these foods and liquids. I understand that they need the proteins and to be hydrated as well, but does this amount of food seem like a bit much? The vet said that he seemed hydrated enough on Monday but put him on fluids until I picked him up later in the day. He's drinking from the bowl and going to the litter box for the most part. The second day he urinated on himself unknowingly, but it wasn't much. He's letting me feed him just fine and has become a bit more mobile, but not too much. His levels were at the beginning of the high mark or in the medium-high portion of his blood work. I don't know exactly because they didn't send any of that home with me. I have made an appointment with another and more holistic vet this coming Monday for a second opinion on what I should do but thought I ask from others that are or have gone through this as well.

Thanks tons, y'all!!! This is my sweet guy and I just hate that he is having to go through all of this within such a short amount of time

Court

You might see the other new thread on Hepatic Lipadosis. The feedings have to be spaced apart and done slowly so the kitty doesn't throw the food up. If the cat throws the food up, you have to try again.

I'm surprised that baby food was the only recommended food. Most of the time it is Hills A/D

http://www.hillspet.com/products/pd-feline-ad-caninefeline-critical-care-canned.html

Folks mix the A/D with enough water to make it smooth for the syringe feedings. I'm not familiar with the rebound liquid diet. And then there is a specific amount of food that you must get into the cat on a regular rotation.  Kitties can and do recover from this. You have the added challenge of not contributing to the crystals issue, but mixing water with the A/D should help.

Thanks, Laura  

I'm def feeding him small amount every 15-30 minutes everyday. The vet that I saw isn't the one we usually see in that office and she didn't know that I have my own business and make my own hours with most of my work being from home anyways. When I told her that and that I'd rather him be at home and have someone watch him 24/7 and in his home environment as opposed to 7am-7pm she told me that that would be completely fine. I took him in the following morning because she wanted to give him more fluids and try feeding him there and when I called to check on him she said that he seemingly got more and more sad the longer he was there and she asked me to pick him up. The vet tech said that she couldn't really get him to eat but that that might have had to do with him being in a top kennel and her being on the shorter site, which totally burned me up. I feel like if you want me to pay you to take care of my cat when I can do it myself you should maybe put a little more effort into it, ya know? 

I do expect the blood work to be done and for them to talk to me about what methods of treatment should take place to make him better, but I'm totally getting a second opinion this time around. Even if we have to go as a walk-in right after this appointment to the other vet instead of continuing to hand feed and waiting until Monday.

And the crystal issue is making me nervous as well. She gave us a can of A/D and I just started giving him some today. I didn't think to mix it with water and it was a bit of a pain to get into the syringe. I'll try that method before bed. The vet really insisted, though, that I do the Rebound, though. After the first day I decided that slow and steady was the best was to make this work. I mean, you don't treat an anorexic human by making them eat 3 full meals because their bodies can't handle it.

I'm so tired and sad and frustrated. Hopefully the blood work will have gotten at least a little by better tomorrow.

Definitely try the a/d and mix it with some water it makes it easier to load and get into them.  I have dealt with this disease a few years back with my hyperthyroid cat but unfortunately she lost her battle with it.  I hope that your kitty gets feeling better.  Have they considered adding an appetite stimulant?  I am dealing with my own anorectic kitty right now (not hepatic lipidosis yet though) and the appetite stimulant has helped immensely with her.

He is on 2 stimulants (one of which is an anti-nausea med as well) and a separate anti-nausea med. I mixed 30 ml of a/d with 30 ml of the liquid diet to feed him. One of my concerns is that he's becoming a bit more lethargic and I don't know if that may have to do with me feeding him so much food and liquid as well as the meds and me waking him up from his catnaps every 15-20 minutes.\. Did you guys experience this? Going to ask the vet when I go in in about an hour. Fingers crossed there is some improvement!!!!!! 

When Patches had it I was feeding him 60 ml four times a day.  He had a feeding tube so the A/D had to mixed half and half with water so it was actually 30 ml of the A/D each time.