Theodore has taken a turn for the worst, advice please?

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elise1030

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I had a lightbulb go off! Right after the first time he vomited, he started sneezing and coughing. I just assumed it was because some of it went up his nose and into his lung somehow. While he's been keeping quiet here, he has been sneezing and mouthbreathing. I'm wondering if my poor Theodore doesn't have a cold?? He is an indoor cat and my other cat is fine.
 

goholistic

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@elise1030, I'm so, so sorry that Theodore is having another setback. This is certainly not what I wanted to read since he was doing so well after the second PU surgery. 
  I agree that we'll just have to see what the rest of the results say.

For what it's worth, when Sebastian was very ill with his first attack of pancreatitis back in July 2013 and was hospitalized for several days, his glucose was 211. He was neither diabetic nor in renal failure. It was likely a combination of general illness, stress, and the fact that his pancreas was not quite in working order. 
  It has since returned to normal.

Did you mention meloxicam (also known as Metacam) because Theodore is, or has been, on that medication? I wasn't sure.  
  I ask because there are reports of serious side effects of Metacam in cats, including acute renal failure. A high temperature and high glucose, to me, do not immediately point to renal failure, so I am interested to know why your vet mentioned that first...unless he is aware of the effects that Metacam can have. 


Sending lots of vibes for your boy... 
 
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elise1030

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Yes he has been on metacam periodically throughout the entire ordeal. It was only low doses for a few days a time then we'd have to use it again when he flared up again. I'm really trying to not get too worked up over this and I really hope he's not in RF. He's a tough boy, I know he is.
 

jodiethierry64

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Yes he has been on metacam periodically throughout the entire ordeal. It was only low doses for a few days a time then we'd have to use it again when he flared up again. I'm really trying to not get too worked up over this and I really hope he's not in RF. He's a tough boy, I know he is.
Ok elise, I just read this entire thread. Took me awhile. I'm so sad for you and Theodore!!
I have no answers and I'm praying for good results on his test!!
Only you and you alone know Theodore and should those test come back with R.F. Are you going to fight or let him go. You know your boy and he is a fighter but even fighters know when it's time to hang up the gloves and retire! I always fight with mine until I see those signs!
I think right now he feels crummy and so he's depressed that doesn't mean he's done fighting. You'll know elise!! My heart is with you and Theodore!!
Love and Hugs
 
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elise1030

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Thanks jodie, your prayers mean alot. I'm not religious but man I've been praying all day that he will be ok! I've been putting bits and pieces together and now I really think he has a cold or flu or something similar. I've been crying on and off, trying to prepare for the worst but I'm not getting anywhere(who does?)

When I think about it, the flu seems like a good possibility. See, when he vomited a few days ago, we thought he was blocked again, so we took him to the vet to figure it out. It turned out to be a mucus plug that could be "flicked away". He has had no trouble physically weeing, he's just not going often, but when he does it's a good amount with an empty bladder left afterward.

Anyhow, at the same time as all of this going on, we've had a bad flea infestation so hubby decided to bathe him and Mango to try clear the fleas. It was the next day that he REALLY went downhill and then vomited each time he had food a few hours after eating. Now, when I think about it, yes he's gone downhill fast and lost weight but to me I'm not so sure he's on death's doorstep. We stopped feeding him, so he lost energy and weight, but he has periods of being alert.

This morning the Vet saw him and declared that he  is a very sick cat and to take him home and leave him be and wait for results tomorrow. I don't know whether to interpret that as yes he's going to die and he doesn't have the heart to tell us. On the other hand, he has his lips firmly sealed so even he isn't willing to declare the cat unsavable. I'm not willing to just leave him be, so we are feeding him warm water at 20cc at a time. He's quiet but sitting up at least.

I'll share a photo i just took before I wrote this post. His eyes are big and black but they don't appear "sick".
 
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elise1030

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Flea shampoo for cats. We bathed our other cat with the same stuff and she is fine.
 
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elise1030

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Oh my Goodness!!!! I've really had a brainwave and I'm so hoping I'm right. This goes back in history and current state but this also makes alot of sense! Please tell me if I have this one wrong or if it is a plausible thing.

When we got Mango, she was from a council pound, found down a drainpipe. I remember when she came home, she looked a tad bit yucky around the nose and eyes and I just figured it was a kitten thing. She was happy and healthy and bouncing around like any other kitten.  She was in a smally enclosure with around 20 other kittens and cats that were there.

Theodore, we've had since birth here in our home.

Fast forward to now, Mango has ALWAYS had bad stinky breath and she builds a bit of black goo around her nose and she has odd breathing but she is otherwise a happy healthy active cat who loves her food. When I did some reading into catflu today, I found that catflu  can lay dormant and healthy cats can be a carrier but shed the virus asymptomatically causing no issue toi the carrier cat. However, because Theodore has been under stress and has an imapired system thanks to the bladder issue, I'm thinking now that it is entirely possible that he maybe have caught FHV or FCV from Mango.

Mango has always had bad breath, and I examined her mouth just before and she has a thin red line along her gums and tiny blisters on the inside of her lips. I will get a photo pf this and post it.

Am I clutching at straws or is this a real possibility?
 

jodiethierry64

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Oh my Goodness!!!! I've really had a brainwave and I'm so hoping I'm right. This goes back in history and current state but this also makes alot of sense! Please tell me if I have this one wrong or if it is a plausible thing.

When we got Mango, she was from a council pound, found down a drainpipe. I remember when she came home, she looked a tad bit yucky around the nose and eyes and I just figured it was a kitten thing. She was happy and healthy and bouncing around like any other kitten.  She was in a smally enclosure with around 20 other kittens and cats that were there.
Theodore, we've had since birth here in our home.

Fast forward to now, Mango has ALWAYS had bad stinky breath and she builds a bit of black goo around her nose and she has odd breathing but she is otherwise a happy healthy active cat who loves her food. When I did some reading into catflu today, I found that catflu  can lay dormant and healthy cats can be a carrier but shed the virus asymptomatically causing no issue toi the carrier cat. However, because Theodore has been under stress and has an imapired system thanks to the bladder issue, I'm thinking now that it is entirely possible that he maybe have caught FHV or FCV from Mango.
Mango has always had bad breath, and I examined her mouth just before and she has a thin red line along her gums and tiny blisters on the inside of her lips. I will get a photo pf this and post it.

Am I clutching at straws or is this a real possibility?
Elise over the counter flea treatments can make some felines extremely ill. Not all but it has given some bad reactions even if used before. Also 2 weeks ago my senior took real ill with some virus. I was preparing myself for the worse. He was vomiting. I was stringing
him food and water. He pulled through and is just fine.
You don't have to be religious to pray!
He does look like he doesn't feel well but not bad. I can see the weightloss in his face. (((Hugs)))
 

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It is certainly a possibility and you need to think of everything. Please read up on the possible effects of metacam/meloxicam before you let the vet prescribe any more. It has been associated with some very bad effects in cats.
 
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elise1030

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We had Theodore sleep in our bedroom last night. Good news, he is still with us and he dooesn't look any better or worse than he did yesterday morning. Perhaps a little better if anything. He used his litter for a small amount of wee. When I got up, i patted him and he sneezed and goo came out. Lets hope he just has a flu or something.

Fingers cross the blood work comes back ok. He hasn't vomited for the last 2 days even with us giving him small amount of food and a fair amount of water!
 
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elise1030

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THANK THE LORD!!! Blood test results came back just a few minutes ago! Theodore's kidney function is fine but he has a very high white blood cell count which points to infection. So our boy has the flu or some type of infection. The vet is going to admit him over the weekend over a drip on some antibiotics and nurse him back to health. When hubby mentioned to him over the phone about our other cat Mango, he agreed that she probably made him sick even though she is healthy. So she's going to get a trip to the vets for a check-up also soon.

I am so freaking excited!
 
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elise1030

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He's at the Vet clinic now, in the best place he can be. We get to call later in the day and see how he's going but he definitely won't be coming home tonight. The Vet also wants to see our other cat tomorrow morning so try piece together what happened.

I'm so excited, and thankful I had this forum to give me the strength to hold onto hope that Theodore would be ok.
 
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