Cricket and Lipidosis - Feeding tube and fear

My 11 yr old baby cricket got a sinus infection 2 weeks ago and was placed on Clavamox twice a day.  She refused to eat with the pills but was eating.  About day 5 she quit eating and vomited green spit more than once.  By day 8 I took her to the emergency vet and they gave her sub-q fluids, a shot of antibiotics and an anti-emetic and sent us home.  An ice storm hit Monday so we did not get to the vet until Thursday last week.  By this time she had not eaten for a week and was not drinking much.  She was off the clavamox and the sinus infection was in full bloom.  She was given 150ml of fluids and medication to give her an appetite but had gone from 8 lbs to 7.  Nobody ever mentioned lipidosis at either vet.  Monday morning I took her to the vet as she looked tiny and sick.  We had tried to force feed her nutramax on Sunday but it was not easy.  Blood was drawn and her liver function was bad.  She was admitted into the emergency hospital.  Cricket was put on IV Doxicillin and prednisone along with Benedryl and nebulizer for her nose.  By Tuesday she had a feeding tube.  I never saw any yellow skin.

Wednesday (2 days ago) I brought Cricket home after only 2 days in the hospital.  I was given instructions to feed 15 ml 4x a day for 2 days, 20ml 3x a day for 2, 30 ml 3x for 2 more and down to 2x eventually with 40 ml each.  It seems we are feeding her a LOT of food.  Will she ever get hungry enough to eat on her own?  My poor baby just sits and sleeps.  She shows no interest in anything, which she did up to the minute I left her at the hospital.  One liver number was better and the other the same when I picked her up.  I feel like I am watching her sit miserably and wait.  The doctors feel like she should recover but watching her like this is very painful.  She comes to me in bed and climbs into my arms but during the day she just sits wherever she is or runs away.  She doesn't look forr attention and seems to not notice the other animals sniff her.  She fights some during the feedings but is wrapped up.  We also are giving her Doxi, predisone and benedryl through the tube 2x a day.  

I am wondering how long before she may begin to act a little like she is part of the family again.  I know she needs to heal but her personality seems to be hidden behind illness.  Knowing f this is the right thing to do is hard.  They said she was not a lost cause.  I don't mind the time it takes to care for her but can't help wonder if I am torturing her.  Will she eat again?  I am somewhat heartbroken.

Aww, poor Cricket! I had a similar experience with one of my cats many years ago, where antibiotics caused him to stop eating, he developed HL, and then needed a feeding tube. He ended up having the tube in for 3 months, but his liver was *really* bad and he DID have jaundice. He fully recovered though! It's normal for Cricket to be pretty tired and anti-social right now, so I wouldn't stress too too much at this point (I know, easy to say....not so much to do!). Give her some time to recuperate and for her liver to rebound. It might take a while for her appetite to come back, so be patient. Right now it's most important that she get good consistent nutrition in her to help with the healing and boost her immune system.

All the best to both of you....

My kitty had fatty liver and a feeding tube a little over 4 years ago.  Don't be concerned about her eating on her own now, the main thing is enough calories so that her body quits trying to use fat stores which will give her liver a chance to heal.  Patches was on the A/D which I diluted half and half with water, four feedings of 40 mls per day.  I did leave kibble out so that he could nibble if he wanted to.  Once he started to get his appetite back and was actually wanting to eat again then I began backing off on the tube feedings with the vet's approval.

Your kitty will not have any appetite until his liver begins to recover.

We are on day 4 home and the vet has us feeding Cricket 20ml 3x a day. It changes to 30ml x3 for the next couple of days. She sleeps mostly still. My husband questioned if we are doing the right thing. This question is a big concern as she acts so sad. I just want some sign that she is getting better and that we are not just torturing her during her last days. I do not see any decline in any way and she is using the litter and her poop looks normal. She does not seem dehydrated. I think Cricket is very tired. Keeping my fingers crossed for her to gain strength.

This can take a while to recover from and yes kitties that have it look very sick because they are.  With enough calories kitties can and do recover, my Patches did.  He had it a little over 4 years ago.  Does your vet have you giving any supplements or medications.  If not I would ask about a supplement called Denamarin.  I think it helped when Patches enzyme numbers were slow coming back down.

Cricket will get her blood tested tomorrow (day 8) and we will see if her numbers look better.  Today I was supposed to give her 30 ml instead of 20 and she started to moan at around 20.  I feed her slowly quantity seemed to make her a little nauseated as she started licking her lips. I will try 30 ml again at the second feeding today and if the same thing happens I may delay that jump to tomorrow.  She has not been throwing up.  

Cricket is getting prednisone, doxicillin and benedryl plus milk thistle.   The Doxi is done today.  She was out on the back of the couch this morning, which may be a good sign but is back in my office after feeding.  I am leaving town next Saturday and am worried but my friend works at the vet  and he is staying here to take care of her.  It's frustrating to feel like I can't do more.  

Cricket has not hidden the entire time she has been sick.  I am not sure if it is a good or a bad sign that she has become stealth kitty. I have to hunt for her to feed her now.  She has started to hide in places she has never been in before, like inside the couch with one of the other cats, Pinky.

Hiding is never a good sign, it usually means they don't feel well, and she probably doesn't .  Plus if she is fussing during her feedings, then she's doubly out of sorts .

Did you get new numbers after her latest blood draw?  Any better?  What about increasing the amount of food?  How did she handle it, or did she again seem nauseated?  Did you mention that to the Vet?  When my Bashful had HL, he didn't mind his feedings at all.  Are you warming her food?  You said you are going slowly, but may be you need to go even slower.  Maybe half the syringe, then wait 5 or ten minutes and do the rest, and even then go very slowly,..1 ml at a time.  My first time I just kind of shot it all in and the entire thing came right back out.  Oops! 

The Milk Thistle is good for her liver recovery.  Not sure why the Pred or Benedryl...must be for other issues.  She might have gotten nauseated from the Doxi, so perhaps it's a good thing that round is over with now. 

Just an FYI, my guy had his feeding tube in for four months.  Every cat is different.  And even when they start eating, it doesn't mean you're finished force feeding.  They can very easily stop eating again, or not eat enough, so you've got to stay on top of it for awhile.  Also, she may yet turn yellow.  Sometimes they appear to get worse before they get better.  Sometimes even their numbers get a little worse before they get better, even after they start eating.  I don't understand it, but I've seen it happen.  Especially so soon after it happens. ( Our Vet doesn't usually re-test for 30 days just to give the liver time to heal after starting on the meds.) 

Today is a better day. Cricket is moving around the house and even climbed into the new cat tree. She seems to feel better and is definitely stronger. I have been feeding 4 ml every 2-3 minutes but we have no throwing up. She moans when I get around 35 ml and she is supposed to be getting 40ml x2 then 50 ml x2 in a few days. She is a tiny kitty and was 8 pounds at her biggest. That's a lot of food. We may have to do 3x to get it all in.

Tomorrow we go back to the vet for a blood draw. Her initial sinus infection seems ok for now. The pred and benedryl is for the chronic issues there. She has taken antihistamines for years. I take her in the bathroom for steam when I take a shower too.

I am really hoping that I continue to see improvement. She even came and watched me feed the other cats from the doorway. No hiding. I will keep her feeding up and love on my baby and watch for signs she is getting better. I know there's a long road ahead but it helps to see a change in her like today.

SO glad she seems to feeling a little better. 

BTW, I don't see any reason why you can't break her feedings down into smaller feedings, 3 or 4, or even 5 times per day if that's what it takes.  The important thing is to get the amount of food the Vet suggests per day into her.  There is no medical reason that I can think of WHY it would need to be in only 2 feedings per day.  We were directed to feed our Bashful every 4 hours, which we did, dutifully, for those four months .  I never had any human kids, but boy did I feel like I had a real baby during those times .  Getting up in the middle of the night while working full time was no picnic, but I did it because he needed me I'd for sure mention to your Vet that she seems really uncomfortable with those large feedings and see if you should spread them out more

I am back from my trip and Cricket is doing ok. Her snotty nose is back but we are dealing with it using antihistamines. She is getting 50 ml twice a day without a lot of problems. Cricket is now playing with her pom pom and sleeping all over the house and anyone who will hold her. She is acting very close to normal. She will still not really eat but is showing interest. She licked a bowl that had vanilla yogurt in it and also licked some sauce from ravioli but only one lick. She sniffs the dry food a lot but not eating it. I have not seen her drink either. I am hoping the interest is a good step in the right direction. It has been about 3 weeks with the tube and I am hoping she starts to eat soon. She obviously feels better. Her liver numbers were much better than anyone expected. Biliruben was normal. The vet said he expected it to take weeks to get to this point and it had only been 8 days.

If she is stuffed up, that's could be just another reason why she's not that interested in food .  But at least she's feeling better otherwise

Cricket started to eat crunchies on Sunday.  She eats a few bites very hour or so.  I think this is a great sign.  She is due for another blood check in a couple of days.  The vet is considering an appetite stimulant.  She seems uninterested in wet food, even though that is what she ate the most before this all began.  It appears time may heal her, along with good care from us and the vet.  I guess she will be on the tube for a few more weeks, until she eats well for some time and has gained some weight.  Play is a daily thing now and she does not look as sick as she did.  The weight loss is the obvious thing along with the collar for the tube.   This is a big corner turned.

I want to thank the people who assured me on this site what to expect.  Cricket is eating normally now and the tube was removed yesterday.  She ate well for a week and because she was tearing at the tube site they decided to take it out.  Cricket has gained over a pound back and is acting normal.  We got through this.  All we have to do now is wait for her tube site to heal and we can remove the bandage/collar.  Cricket is going to be ok.  All of her blood work came back in normal ranges as well.  We caught it early and she did great!

I am so glad that Cricket is recovered.  You deserve a lot of credit for this, it isn't easy to get a kitty through this because of the slow recovery process.

Wonderful news about Cricket !!!!!!!!!!!!!