Urgent - can anyone help? My cat is so sick and the vet thinks it's FIP

Hi everyone,

Apologies for the lengthy post, but my little boy is so sick and I am desperate. He's been sick for about four weeks. First he started eating less than normal, and was losing weight. Then one day he was really lethargic so I took him to the vet immediately - he had a fever. The vet gave him painkillers, but this didn't help much. Then he did blood work and it showed a high white blood cell count, but no other indicators. He was still eating little and lethargic so he went back to the vet and had an ultrasound. He had an enlarged gallbladder, so the vet put him on antibiotics. After still no improvement, then vet did some x-rays to check his heart and lungs, which seemed fine, but he noticed a mass in his stomach. He had surgery last Thursday and luckily it turned out to be a foreign object - the vet 'massaged' the tube and broke the blockage up a bit and then later he pooped it out - apparently it wasn't possible to identify what it was. We were so relieved and excited about him getting better. The day after surgery he was still at the vet's and they had him on a drip and managed to feed him a whole can of a/d. But once he was home that night he was really lethargic and down. I thought it was the recovery from the surgery, but that was 3 days ago and since then he's barely moved, will not eat at all (probably had about 10 tbsps in all that time), and I am having to feed him water through a syringe. It is utterly devastating, it's like he's disappearing before my eyes and there's nothing I can do. he is also wheezing occasionally, like a wheeze or a low groan, and his nose is twitching when he breathes. I took him back yesterday and he still had a fever. The vet gave him an injection (I don't know what it was called) that he said cats can have every 3-6 weeks and it should help him perk up, but that it really was a last chance. He said that we have tested and tried every avenue and the only diagnosis can be FIP (h isn't currently displaying any wet or dry symptoms - the indicators are the lethargy, loss of appetite and fever that won't go away). Since he came back from surgery and won't eat, it's like his throat or something hurts because he gets excited about food (well, he is alert to it at least) and then he tries a little bit but makes a gulping action and then won't touch anymore; then he starts purring really loudly (which is not normal for him at all)

I am going to talk to the vet today to discuss any other options. I cannot bear the thought of sending him to sleep, it breaks me into pieces. But I can't bear to see this suffering. If there's any way or chance of making him better I will do whatever it takes. I just can't let him go unless I know for sure that there's nothing more can be done for him; but I know I need to find out soon (i.e. within the next 24 hours), as I can't let him carry on like this. I am absolutely devastated. I was wondering if anyone had any advice at all about possible alternative diagnoses? I'd really appreciate it.

I;d just like to add that I really do trust my vet, he has been great. And he also consulted with an internal medicine specialist friend, and apparently she also came to the conclusion that it could only be FIP.

I'm so sorry your boy is so sick. I have no experience with anything like this, but I did want to suggest getting a second opinion. I would do that before putting him to sleep. Sometimes one vet can think of options another wasn't aware of. I would at least want to try medications for pain and nausea in case those are the reasons he won't eat.

I  don't know about the FIP, especially since he isn't showing any symptoms other than the fever, but have they tried giving him an anti-emetic?  It sounds to me from what you describe, that he's nauseated, since he gets excited about food, yet won't eat.  That gulping action you describe is classic nausea. 

Is that shot they gave him Convenia?  If so, that's an antibiotic, so would have nothing to do with helping his nausea, but some cats have side effects, one of them being loss of appetite, another being lethargic, however, you said he has been lethargic even before getting the shot.

I know you don't want him to suffer, but I, too, would definitely get another opinion, from a completely different Veterinary Hospital, before doing anything permanent.  Afterall, he has been through a pretty big surgery for removal of that  foreign object.  If he's wheezing now, could he have picked up a URI while in the hospital?  Does he seem stuffed up?  Maybe if he did get Convenia, it'll kick in soon.

Exactly how long has he had this fever, and has he been on antibiotics at all before what I am guessing is this Convenia shot? 

Thanks to you both for replying - very much appreciated.

I'm not sure exactly what the injection was; I will check with my vet. I know that it was going to help reduce his fever and also stimulate his bone marrow to release more red blood cells (he is clearly anaemic). He called it an 'end stage' treatment, and said that it's something he could have every three weeks.

I'm please to report that he's had two much better days (much better in comparison to how he has been). He's still extremely lethargic, but he ate an entire can of a/d yesterday, and has already eaten half a can today and it's only lunchtime. He has also visited the water bowl by himself several times and had a good drink - so amazing to see! His wheezing has stopped entirely and he seems to be breathing a lot easier (the vet said that the wheezing was probably caused by a lack of red blood cells and his body was having to work a lot harder to get all the oxygen it needs).

One issue, though, is that he is trying to eat his cat litter. I am trying to stop this but I can't see what he's doing 100% of the time so I am quite worried about the effect that could have (apparently it could be due to his anaemia).

He is still extremely sick, but his progress these past couple of days gives me real hope that he might be fighting whatever it is that's attacking him. I will not give up on him...never! I visited the vet not long after I posted here and we had a good talk. He assured me that he wasn't in pain, which is the most important thing. I asked if there was anything else we could possibly test him for, and he said that we have explored 95% of the possibilities that it could be. The other 5% would require highly specialized tests and the outcomes that they'd be looking for would also basically be fatal diseases. I don't want to put him through that.

I've thought long and hard about taking him for a second opinion, but I can't bear to put him through more stress and tests - I'm scared that he wouldn't survive it. I do really trust my vet, and I know that he is consulting with several specialist friends of his (including internal medicine specialists). Maybe if I just ask for his test results I can send those to a new vet?

Oh, and in terms of antibiotics/pills, over the past couple of weeks he's had several, including Doxoral, Metrobac, Prednoral. He's now on his second course of Metrobac. 

Hi

I can't stress enough the importance of having your cat actually seen by an Internal Medicine Specialist. They should have the initials DVM DACVIM after their name. Your vet should refer you to one.

This has nothing to do with how much you trust your vet or what you think of them. There is just no way any one person can have enough knowledge to know everything about multiple species, which is what a regular veterinarian is expected to know. Think about it. Would your dentist also be the same person that examined your eyes, delivered your sister's baby, did orthopedic surgery on your broken leg and counseled you if you were depressed? Never going to happen in human medicine. Vet medicine is even worse because the animals can't talk. If you truly want to try to help your cat you need a specialist.

As for stressing your cat out, while that is a valid concern, sometimes you have to. I am sure your cat is under stress being this ill and eating kitty litter.

They eat kitty litter when they are very anemic. Don't let him do it, replace it with shredded paper if you must but do not let him eat the litter.

Has an ultrasound been done since the surgery?

Was blood work done since the surgery?

Can you post the results of the blood work?

For anyone else reading that doesn't know the drugs he is on is Prednisolone, Metronidazole {flagyl} and doxycycline

I agree that eating litter is a classic sign of anemia.  That would certainly cause lethargy.  Now I don't think that shot was Convenia, not that I know about the RBC issue.

So happy he is eating the A/D and seeming to feel a little better.  Have you mentioned this litter eating to your Vet?  I just wonder if he is bleeding internally from the surgery or something, or if this was going on prior?

Thanks everyone for your help - it's REALLY appreciated.

I've changed the litter for shredded paper, as suggested (thanks!), and have explained the situation to the vet. Now we're wondering if the stomach blockage was actually caused by eating litter (suggesting that he had the anaemia a while before that)...or something unrelated. So the vet's looking into this.

I also asked my vet to send all of the details to an internal medicine specialist for a second opinion - he's at the vet having new blood tests today to send along with all the details of his case, so hopefully that will reveal a bit more.

In himself he's a lot chirpier, even escaped into the garden earlier while my back was turned (he came him back very quickly, but that was a nice sign that's he's feeling a bit happier).

Just taking each day as it comes  - will let you know what happens.

Thanks again everyone, this is the one of the hardest periods of my life and it's so great to have some extra support/ideas.