Vibes for Mia Please

Mia could really use some TCS vibes and prayers right now, I know they can work!  

First, she was at the vet all day yesterday (Monday).  On Saturday I noticed she didn't eat as much as normal, and on Sunday she ate very little.  On Monday morning, she wouldn't eat anything, and when I put a little dab of wet food at her mouth, she vomited food, hair, and bile.  So on Monday morning we went to the vet, who ran all kinds of tests.  Mia is 10 years old and last went to the vet earlier this year (everything was normal then).  

Her pancreatitus test came back negative, and the prelim blood test results showed borderline kidney disease (Urea Nitrogen at 36, normal level is 14-36).  All other prelim blood test results were normal.  X-rays showed no blockages, but did show abnormal kidneys (one was much smaller) and some small kidney stones.  The vet insisted on giving her a rabies shot - she said she couldn't legally treat her without it.  She also gave Mia a cerenia injection for nausea, as well as fluids.  She also said that Mia was very constipated (showed me on the x-ray) and gave her an enema.  In hindsight I don't think this was a good idea.  Mia has been drooling since she came home last night.  The vet thinks the enema caused the drooling?  I read that they use a soap solution and she could've been licking that or a lubricant.

The last time Mia ate was Sunday evening around 7pm.  I gave her 100ml subq fluids this morning (my other cat Chessy has kidney disease so I know how to do this) and a dose of oral cerenia, as the vet instructed.  I've tried to feed her 3 different canned foods, chicken, tuna...she won't eat at all.  I just picked up an appetite stimulant at the vet so we're going to try that.  The vet's other suggestion was more x-rays and an ultrasound to look for a blockage, but I really don't think she has a blockage, she hasn't gotten into anything.  She seems very stressed out from the vet visit yesterday.  

Please send some vibes and prayers that Mia starts eating soon.  I'm very worried about her.  The vet wants to talk to me twice a day, but isn't as concerned about her not eating as long as she is getting fluids.  I know she needs to eat ASAP.  Thanks in advance

Um, my vet treated my cats without rabies shots. Lucky did not have one since we got him, and that was the only one he ever got in his life. Sara had it at the shelter she had been from, but I got her from the person that adopted her, and stupid me at the time didn't ask for the paperwork. So I couldn't even say that I knew for sure she got it. And they treat her. I'm in IL though so maybe it's a state rule?

Sending lots of healing vibes. It definitely sounds like kidney disease just going by my own experience, and I tend to go with my gut also (like you seem to be). Have you tried to syringe feed her yet? Human food? Baby food (without onions or garlic)? I had to have a smorgasbord for Lucky, and pretty much anything was a go (but his kidney disease was quite profound when diagnosed, nothing borderline about it).

Sometimes I had to play with the food with my finger, move it to another location, anything my tiny little brain could think of at the moment. Sometimes it work, sometimes not. Are you trying the pate kind of food? And has the vet offered Hills a/d at all? If not, perhaps you could ask for it. He definitely softer over chunks, which I've read is pretty typical with kidney cats.

Oh, and if the vet doesn't seem concerned about her not eating, make sure she understands that YOU are concerned and that YOU want to make sure it's addressed. Because a cat not eating can cause a whole host of other problems (as you probably already know).

I think it's a MD state law. I'm going to try syringe feeding her soon. Any advice or tips? I've never done that before. She eats a pate type canned food. Thanks!

I'd probably start by asking your vet for the Hills a/d. And then in the meantime, keep trying to get her to eat on her own. Offer her pretty much anything that is safe for her to eat. Or perhaps puree the canned food along with some tuna juice to make a slurry. Kidney cats seem to like slurry. Just offer little bits at a time (like, a teaspoon). And don't make a lot until you know the kitty likes it.

Or perhaps try boiled chicken (in plain water). They seem to like that a lot even though as far as canned food goes, they prefer pate.

If you syringe feed, get the highest-calorie food you can find and thin it down as little as possible, just enough to suck up into the syringe. The easiest syringe to use (in my experience) was a 10ml. It's not easy, fun, or clean, but sometimes needs to be done to get them eating again. If you don't have a syringe on hand, you can also scoop up the pate on your finger and then put it along the roof of his mouth. It's easier to do that though with some cats than others.

Ok I am alternating between syringe feeding and finger feeding right now. She's not too happy but she's tolerating it, slowly.

Jenny82 said:

I think it's a MD state law. I'm going to try syringe feeding her soon. Any advice or tips? I've never done that before. She eats a pate type canned food. Thanks!

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Hi

See these links

https://virtuavet.wordpress.com/2010/03/15/how-to-syringe-feed-a-cat/

This next youtube video calls it force feeding but they are still talking about syringe feeding:


I agree with @Donutte about getting A/D. Cats love it, high nutrients and its syringe ready!  Don't try and suck food up via the tip of the syringe, pull out the plunger and stuff it from behind, much easier.

Another vote for the a/d, which she might even eat without it being syringed. Mega for her and for you.

Thanks for the suggestions and links!  The video was helpful.

I think I got about 1/4 - 1/3 of a 3 oz. can into her.  Here's what she's eating:

http://www.nutro.com/natural-cat-food/nutro/canned/senior-soft-loaf-chicken-recipe.aspx

I'll ask my vet about A/D next time we talk, if Mia hasn't started eating on her own yet.

You might want to ask about having a/d anyway, because kidney cats seem to go back and forth with their appetite. That way you'll have it on hand for those times. I kinda want to get some for Sara for when she goes through that phase again. 

Oh, and another thing I've tried, which sometimes they seem to eat on their own when they won't eat cat food, was Fancy Feast Appetizers. It's not nearly enough but at least it gets them eating some on their own. So I have a stash of that as well.

Ok thanks!

Sending prayers and positive energy to Mia...

(((hugs)))

I went to the store and got a 10 ml syringe which was a million times easier than the 1 ml syringe I used earlier today!! Mia didn't seem to mind the second time. I just hope she starts eating on her own again soon.

Hugs for you and Mia, hope she gets better soon. It is good that you got on top of this quickly. 

Oh my goodness, I remember when I first started syringe feeding Lucky, I was using the 1ml syringe that came with his antibiotic to feed him. I just remember thinking how long it would take - ugh! Unfortunately the special one I ordered didn't get here until after he was already gone, so it's still sitting here on my table in its package.

Donutte said:

Oh my goodness, I remember when I first started syringe feeding Lucky, I was using the 1ml syringe that came with his antibiotic to feed him. I just remember thinking how long it would take - ugh! Unfortunately the special one I ordered didn't get here until after he was already gone, so it's still sitting here on my table in its package.

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I'm so sorry

I just always wonder if the one with the silicone tip would have made a difference in feeding him because he hated the other ones I had. I had several different size (up to 35ml). 35ml wasn't bad, but the tip of it was too big for his little mouth.

Does she seem to be getting more of an appetite for eating on her own yet at all?

Donutte said:

 
I just always wonder if the one with the silicone tip would have made a difference in feeding him because he hated the other ones I had. I had several different size (up to 35ml). 35ml wasn't bad, but the tip of it was too big for his little mouth.

Does she seem to be getting more of an appetite for eating on her own yet at all?

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No not at all.  I put her food in front of her again this morning and she sniffed it and walked away.  She doesn't seem to mind the syringe feeding though.  Could she become dependent on that?

Jenny82 said:

 
No not at all.  I put her food in front of her again this morning and she sniffed it and walked away.  She doesn't seem to mind the syringe feeding though.  Could she become dependent on that?

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Going by my personal experience, no, but my cats that I've had to do that with hated it. Or maybe I was doing it wrong, not sure. But there seems to come a point where they usually want to eat by themselves. Do you know what Mia's creatinine levels were? That seems to tie directly to the appetite, though I'm guessing it's low as you said it was just borderline. And you said you had appetite stimulants, yes?

I think when Sara was in her "I'm not eating and you can't make me" phase, it took a good week before she got interested again.

Donutte said:

 
Going by my personal experience, no, but my cats that I've had to do that with hated it. Or maybe I was doing it wrong, not sure. But there seems to come a point where they usually want to eat by themselves. Do you know what Mia's creatinine levels were? That seems to tie directly to the appetite, though I'm guessing it's low as you said it was just borderline. And you said you had appetite stimulants, yes?

I think when Sara was in her "I'm not eating and you can't make me" phase, it took a good week before she got interested again.

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I can't remember her creatinine level (at work now) but it was within the normal range.  I do have appetite stimulants, she had one yesterday morning (only supposed to give her 1/4 pill every 3 days).

The vet wants to see her again...said Mia is acting like she has pancreatitus even though the test was negative.  Also wants to try an ultrasound in case there's a blockage that the x-rays didn't show.  The vet also suggested morphine because Mia looks really uncomfortable and I haven't seen her sleep.

I don't know what to think.

That all does sound very weird. Is she using the litter box normally? Poor little Mia, just wish they could talk to us sometimes.