My cat is almost 15 years old. About a month ago he started getting really picky about his food. I figured his teeth must have been hurting, or he was just old and being picky. For about 2 weeks I bought dozens of different canned foods, dry foods, treats, you name it. Then he started the classic 'I've got a hairball cough, and throwing up here and there' so then I figured THAT had to be the reason he didn't want to eat.
He had slowly lost a little weight, he was initially fairly overweight, and I was starting to be able to see his back bones.
I took him to the vet 2/13/14 and told him everything that was going on. He felt his neck and said he didn't think he had a hairball. They did x-rays and there were 2 masses found, 1 in his throat, and one in his intestines with a lot of gas behind it. The vet was talking VERY fast, but he said he was unsure what the masses were and told me there was a little fluid in his lungs and some arthritis in his spine.
He talked about how he was going to do some blood work and that he would be out of town for a few days. I assumed after the blood work results were in we would discuss the masses.
After a few days, the blood work results were not good. His liver enzymes were elevated and they said they wanted to hospitalize him for a few days. I asked about the masses in the x-rays, and he again he dismissed my question and said there was a little fluid in his lungs, but nothing to worry about.
I brought the cat in that day, and was told he would be there 2-3 days. I was really nervous about him staying there, but I just wanted him better. Over those couple of days they said he chewed through his IV line during the night, and that he would only eat at night after everyone left. The 3rd day was a Friday. They said they checked his liver values and they were even higher than before. They said they could keep him over the weekend but it would be really expensive (it was already $600+ just for the 3 days.)
After thinking about everything I decided it would probably be best for me to try to treat him at home, (he was doing worse there anyways.) They sent him home with a case of Hill Hepatic prescription cat food, some syringes to force feed him in case he stopped eating and a bottle of S-Adenosyl 100mg. Again I asked about the masses. The receptionist went back and asked a different vet, she said 'there isn't anything that can't wait until his next appointment (in 1 week).' I was mad, but I just wanted to get the cat home, so I left.
The first 2 days were ok, he ate a tiny bit of the food. Then he stopped eating it, so I tried giving him regular wet cat food. He ate pretty good, but he started throwing up constantly. I tried the hepatic wet food again but he wouldn't eat it. I ended up having to force feed him the hepatic food. They said he needed to eat 1 and 3/4-2 cans a day. When every bite is a fight, that's a LOT of food. I would feed him 2 full syringes (about 2 TBS) every hour to 2 hours during the day. All that was only probably 1 can consumed a day.
Between all the force feeding and pilling every night, my best friend was terrified of me and didn't want me around at all.
I had bought some liquid milk thistle from the health food store and was giving him 100mg every morning, I ordered a $40 bottle online, and I'm still waiting for that to arrive.
I also bought some GNC super food complex powder that I added to the hepatic wet food for extra nutrients. I couldn't get a diagnosis from the vet, but I've been doing extensive research online about liver disease in cats. I ordered some Denamarin because I read it was highly recommended by vets. About 3 days ago he started throwing up the hepatic food and the supplement from the vet as well, so I switched from the vet's supplement to the Denamarin (i read the SAMe could cause vomiting, the vet's supplement contained 100mg, and the Denamarin has 90mg.)
The next morning he threw up the food and undigested pill, along with a little cat nip (I read it could stimulate his appetite, so I gave it a shot.)
I don't remember exactly what day, but a few days ago he FINALLY threw up a hairball! I was SOO excited btw! I KNEW he had a hairball, I was 100% certain about that.
Yesterday he became very jaundiced in his ears. I was terrified to force feed him and have all the stress and tension from that make him throw up, so I ran to the store and bought a bunch a different kinds of cat food, and meat baby food. Since the SAMe could cause vomiting, I didn't give him either medicines last night. All of yesterday and today he has been eating about 1/8 of a can and all the juice every 2 hours. He has not thrown up once since the day before yesterday (Saturday.) I couldn't get him to his vet appointment for today (Monday,) but I'm going to reschedule it for some time this week.
Since he's started to jaundice, I know how his lab work is going to turn out anyways. I'm hoping that since he's been eating fairly well and not vomiting that maybe he's on the very beginning on the road to recovery.
He's been acting pretty weird today, wanting to lay in weird places, and he's not very responsive to anything, he just wants to sleep constantly. I don't know what's I should do from here on out. I don't know if I should give him one of the medicines with the SAMe in it and risk him throwing up, or just keep doing what I'm doing.
I don't know if I should trust that vet's office after the whole hairball thing, and the fact that they did NOT force feed him while he was there. He didn't come home eating almost 2 cans a day, and they said he ate a little bit at night. I thought they were going to put in a feeding tube and get him better, but he leaves there with his liver values even higher.
I can't lose my best friend just yet, so any advice anyone has would be appreciated more than you know. (I'm sorry this is so long, I wanted to give all the information I have in case it's relevant to his recovery.)
Before I was able to post this online I had to take my cat back to the vet. He stopped eating and was vomiting like crazy.
Now Today is Friday 4/7/14, I took him to the vet on Tuesday. The vet felt his abdomen and said his liver feels harder and he thinks he might have cirrhosis. He wanted to hospitalize him again for a few days, I agreed and he's been there all week. Yesterday when I called the vet tech said he still wasn't eating on his own, he wasn't vomiting and his liver enzymes had gone down a little, but they were still high.
I called them this morning and a different vet tech said he still isn't eating on his own, he's still jaundiced and the vet wants to keep him another night. I asked if they were force feeding him, and she said yes, 3 times a day.
If anyone has ANY information that could help me help my cat I will forever be grateful.
He had slowly lost a little weight, he was initially fairly overweight, and I was starting to be able to see his back bones.
I took him to the vet 2/13/14 and told him everything that was going on. He felt his neck and said he didn't think he had a hairball. They did x-rays and there were 2 masses found, 1 in his throat, and one in his intestines with a lot of gas behind it. The vet was talking VERY fast, but he said he was unsure what the masses were and told me there was a little fluid in his lungs and some arthritis in his spine.
He talked about how he was going to do some blood work and that he would be out of town for a few days. I assumed after the blood work results were in we would discuss the masses.
After a few days, the blood work results were not good. His liver enzymes were elevated and they said they wanted to hospitalize him for a few days. I asked about the masses in the x-rays, and he again he dismissed my question and said there was a little fluid in his lungs, but nothing to worry about.
I brought the cat in that day, and was told he would be there 2-3 days. I was really nervous about him staying there, but I just wanted him better. Over those couple of days they said he chewed through his IV line during the night, and that he would only eat at night after everyone left. The 3rd day was a Friday. They said they checked his liver values and they were even higher than before. They said they could keep him over the weekend but it would be really expensive (it was already $600+ just for the 3 days.)
After thinking about everything I decided it would probably be best for me to try to treat him at home, (he was doing worse there anyways.) They sent him home with a case of Hill Hepatic prescription cat food, some syringes to force feed him in case he stopped eating and a bottle of S-Adenosyl 100mg. Again I asked about the masses. The receptionist went back and asked a different vet, she said 'there isn't anything that can't wait until his next appointment (in 1 week).' I was mad, but I just wanted to get the cat home, so I left.
The first 2 days were ok, he ate a tiny bit of the food. Then he stopped eating it, so I tried giving him regular wet cat food. He ate pretty good, but he started throwing up constantly. I tried the hepatic wet food again but he wouldn't eat it. I ended up having to force feed him the hepatic food. They said he needed to eat 1 and 3/4-2 cans a day. When every bite is a fight, that's a LOT of food. I would feed him 2 full syringes (about 2 TBS) every hour to 2 hours during the day. All that was only probably 1 can consumed a day.
Between all the force feeding and pilling every night, my best friend was terrified of me and didn't want me around at all.
I had bought some liquid milk thistle from the health food store and was giving him 100mg every morning, I ordered a $40 bottle online, and I'm still waiting for that to arrive.
I also bought some GNC super food complex powder that I added to the hepatic wet food for extra nutrients. I couldn't get a diagnosis from the vet, but I've been doing extensive research online about liver disease in cats. I ordered some Denamarin because I read it was highly recommended by vets. About 3 days ago he started throwing up the hepatic food and the supplement from the vet as well, so I switched from the vet's supplement to the Denamarin (i read the SAMe could cause vomiting, the vet's supplement contained 100mg, and the Denamarin has 90mg.)
The next morning he threw up the food and undigested pill, along with a little cat nip (I read it could stimulate his appetite, so I gave it a shot.)
I don't remember exactly what day, but a few days ago he FINALLY threw up a hairball! I was SOO excited btw! I KNEW he had a hairball, I was 100% certain about that.
Yesterday he became very jaundiced in his ears. I was terrified to force feed him and have all the stress and tension from that make him throw up, so I ran to the store and bought a bunch a different kinds of cat food, and meat baby food. Since the SAMe could cause vomiting, I didn't give him either medicines last night. All of yesterday and today he has been eating about 1/8 of a can and all the juice every 2 hours. He has not thrown up once since the day before yesterday (Saturday.) I couldn't get him to his vet appointment for today (Monday,) but I'm going to reschedule it for some time this week.
Since he's started to jaundice, I know how his lab work is going to turn out anyways. I'm hoping that since he's been eating fairly well and not vomiting that maybe he's on the very beginning on the road to recovery.
He's been acting pretty weird today, wanting to lay in weird places, and he's not very responsive to anything, he just wants to sleep constantly. I don't know what's I should do from here on out. I don't know if I should give him one of the medicines with the SAMe in it and risk him throwing up, or just keep doing what I'm doing.
I don't know if I should trust that vet's office after the whole hairball thing, and the fact that they did NOT force feed him while he was there. He didn't come home eating almost 2 cans a day, and they said he ate a little bit at night. I thought they were going to put in a feeding tube and get him better, but he leaves there with his liver values even higher.
I can't lose my best friend just yet, so any advice anyone has would be appreciated more than you know. (I'm sorry this is so long, I wanted to give all the information I have in case it's relevant to his recovery.)
Before I was able to post this online I had to take my cat back to the vet. He stopped eating and was vomiting like crazy.
Now Today is Friday 4/7/14, I took him to the vet on Tuesday. The vet felt his abdomen and said his liver feels harder and he thinks he might have cirrhosis. He wanted to hospitalize him again for a few days, I agreed and he's been there all week. Yesterday when I called the vet tech said he still wasn't eating on his own, he wasn't vomiting and his liver enzymes had gone down a little, but they were still high.
I called them this morning and a different vet tech said he still isn't eating on his own, he's still jaundiced and the vet wants to keep him another night. I asked if they were force feeding him, and she said yes, 3 times a day.
If anyone has ANY information that could help me help my cat I will forever be grateful.
