Pancreatic Insufficiency Symptoms

The B12 was an injectable that I got from my vet. I'd give her a shot once a week. The supplements were specifically for animals, though you can give human Pancreatic supplements at a different dose. The plant enzymes were Animal Essentials brand Plant Enzymes and Probiotics. I also tried pancreas specific supplement called Pancreatin until her test results for that came back normal. Sadly I lost my sweet Bear in May at the age for 14. I hope your kitty continues to improve.

It's so hard to lose a pet that one has had from a very early time. Hoping the good memories of her is helping you to recover. Thank you very much for sharing your information. It's such a trial and error challenge, but will continue to do what I can for my 2 babies . Hang in there...  (p.s. when you're ready to share it, does the vet know what caused your kitty's passing?) Blessings to you.

The vet thinks it was some sort of digestive system cancer. She was very sick at the end. Good memories do help, along with the 8 other little, and not so little, furries running around my house.

Thanks for taking the time to respond! From my earlier research, I was sorry to learn that cancer is a risk for cats with IBS and pancreatic issues. But, it sounds like you are coping well and in good company! Best to you .

[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <woNotOptimizeForBrowser/> </w:WordDocument></xml><![endif]At first it sounded like IBD.

I’m glad you took her to the vet.

I’m glad you got a blood test done.

It sounded like EPI.

Thank you for keeping us updated.

It sounded like the pancreatic enzymes were working.

! Cries!

Cats are given plant enzymes because their stomachs can’t break down plant matter.

It sounded like things were going well.

I’ve just read this thread today.

I’m so sorry for your loss.

Thanks again for keeping us updated.

Seven years ago, I had a cat die of EPI: unconfirmed because my vet steadfastly refused to believe that cats get it.  I asked him to check the internet, because I was finding information about EPI in cats and comments by veterinarians there that cats did get it and the problem was largely misdiagnosed.  His opinion did not change, however, even after I later printed for him a compilation of such comments and information. I doubt he even read it.  I did not know there was a test for EPI or I would have insisted he try it.  Dogs, yes, but cats, never, according to him.  However, the symptoms in my cat were classic: the extreme hunger, the weight loss despite the amount eaten, the tan, unformed, smelly fecal material. The day she finally became so weak she was unable to get up, he gave me enzymes for her to try simply because of my insistence.  Her appetite decreased to what I'd assume to be normal, considering her condition, and the diarrhea disappeared.  It was just that bit too late, however.  She died the next week.  But the turnaround was so dramatic once she obtained the enzymes that I am convinced that EPI was what she had.  To this day, my vet still does not believe that EPI occurs in cats.  I foster cats from time to time, and we had an elderly cat who was losing weight despite an increasing appetite.  I wanted to try an enzyme supplement but was refused.  I asked a pharmacist to recommend some OTC enzyme supplement for a cat with pancreatic insuffiency: he gave me CoQ10.  I bought it and tried it, though I didn't think that enzyme would work in this case.  And it didn't.

Will someone recommend something available over the counter that is an actual blend of digestive enzymes suitable for a cat?  I'd like to keep such a thing on hand.

It hasn't been that long ago that the general thinking was that cats don't get this.  They actually found out when they did necropsies on a fairly large number of kitties.  They found that a sizable percentage of those kitties either had pancreatitis when they died or had signs of having had it.

I no some people here uses ones from Animal Essentials that is actually a blend of enzymes and probiotics.  http://www.onlynaturalpet.com/products/Animal-Essentials-Plant-Enzymes-Probiotics/148017.aspx

Thank you!  I'll try to find the Animal Essentials product ... it sounds good!  I'm a bit shocked at my vet.  I like him a lot, but he just is unwilling to believe that cats can get this.  I swear my cat had to have it, though: her symptoms were classic.  And when I gave her the enzymes that I had finally talked him into, the change in her condition was dramatic.  No diarrhea, appetite normal.  It was just too late to save her.

Thanks again!

Kitty

PS: I do have a question .. .  I found the site, and the blog, when I was chasing the best price on Adequan and Google pulled up a post on arthritis in cats.  I responded and got a question back that I wanted to answer on MSM dosage.  Haven't been able to find the post with the request again.  How do ya do it?

Hi,

I have a cat with a definite diagnosis of EPI - Lab results from TAMU. I buy animal based enzymes from enzymediane.com. She sells them a lot cheaper than buying them from the vet. Unfortunately my Cira has something else going on, either IBD or lymphoma. She went from 13 pounds (overweight) to 7.4 pounds (scrawny) and I am struggling to keep her at 7.4 and can't get her any higher than that. She is almost 15 years old so I am not going to subject her to any invasive tests. She is also on prednisolone and cerenia.

I'm so sorry to hear about your kitty.  I've been reading this thread and was hoping she would pull through.  I am on here because I have a good friend whose kitty was just diagnosed with pancreatitis.  (He's had IBD the last few months)  Her vet diagnosed it through a blood test.  Is that right?  Doesn't a PLI or EPI definitively diagnose it?  She didn't send away for a lab test. It was a regular blood test.

He won't eat.  He walks to his food bowl, sniffs, maybe takes a lick or two, then walks away.  He was given pain meds and an injection for nausea yesterday afternoon.  My friend says he's still acting weird like he's still affected by the pain meds. When does that wear off?  He ate 1/4 can of Fancy Feast classic ocean whitefish early this morning but won't touch any food now.

He apparently had the same symptoms last summer but the vet wasn't sure it was pancreatitis and eventually came to a conclusion he had IBD.

Here's what's weird. She took him to the vet Saturday and had more blood work done. The vet said he looked fine. (he had blood work a month ago that turned out okay)  But he was still acting weird and being extremely picky with his food.  Comes out to kitchen crying for food, takes a few licks and then walks away.  She took him to the emergency vet Sunday night because he stopped eating and they said it was his teeth.  They were very bad.  How did her vet miss this?  When she took him back to her regular vet the next morning she was told it WASN'T his teeth and that the blood test was positive for pancreatitis.  What the heck is going on here?  How can the emergency vet get it wrong? 

I'm just trying to help her.  Do you think she needs a different vet?  Or a second opinion?  How much is a PLI test?

I used to be her pet sitter until she moved to Ohio (I live in Texas) but I still really care about her kitty.  His name is Kitty but we call him "K".

Where in Texas are you? I am in Houston. There are so many possibilities and I really don't know much about the other diseases, just the EPI. It was diagnosed from a special blood test that was sent to Texas A and M. From what I have learned a lot of vets don't consider EPI because either they don't think it happens to cats (It does but it's rare) or they don't know how to diagnose it so the blood tests they run don't show it. My act has EPI but she doesn't have pancreatitis. My cat is now on an antidepressant which is supposed to increase her appetite, mirtazapine. She definitely wants to eat, whether that is from the drug or not I don't know. She gets 1 mg. a day, compounded at a special animal pharmacy. Feel free to contact me directly at [email protected].

There are special tests for pancreatits and pancreatic insufficiency. Has the cat been showing other symptoms consistent with IBD? Vomiting or loose stools? Have you tried an appetite stimulant?

MewCatMew said:

There are special tests for pancreatits and pancreatic insufficiency. Has the cat been showing other symptoms consistent with IBD? Vomiting or loose stools? Have you tried an appetite stimulant?

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Yes, he has vomited hairballs and his stools are very loose. He is eating better now but I think it's because of the appetite stimulant. Is it safe to take mitazipine indefinitely?

Calibali said:

Where in Texas are you? I am in Houston. There are so many possibilities and I really don't know much about the other diseases, just the EPI. It was diagnosed from a special blood test that was sent to Texas A and M. From what I have learned a lot of vets don't consider EPI because either they don't think it happens to cats (It does but it's rare) or they don't know how to diagnose it so the blood tests they run don't show it. My act has EPI but she doesn't have pancreatitis. My cat is now on an antidepressant which is supposed to increase her appetite, mirtazapine. She definitely wants to eat, whether that is from the drug or not I don't know. She gets 1 mg. a day, compounded at a special animal pharmacy. Feel free to contact me directly at [email protected].

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I live in Dallas but my friend is in Ohio. I used to pet sit for her.

I am not sure for long term. My cat was on a different appetite stimulant, cyproheptadine, for an allergy issue for a couple of months and was fine. (It was a small dose). Cerenia is an anti nausea drug that can be used long-term with short, intermittent breaks.

My friend is stopping the Mirtazapine.  Her cat started stumbling, yowling, falling over and has dilated pupils.  She took him to Evet.  I looked up this drug and came across a forum for Mirtazapine and a lot of comments were about how their cats took 1/4 pill and died a day later.  This is frightening.

Her vet did not warn her of the side effects and knew nothing about Serotonin Syndrome, which sounds like what he has now. I'm very upset.  I was her pet sitter and loved this kitty dearly!