My cat Barney is almost 16 and is suffering with pancreatitus, having had several visits with the vets I am still struggling to get him to eat, any suggestions as to what i can tempt him with that is going to be ok for him? Also anyone also prescribed antacid and painkillers for their cat... struggling with this too , he absolutely hates the antacid, which is zantac syrup, makes him gag and the painkiller stuff makes him high and he will not settle - any helpful suggestions welcomed
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My cat Barney has Pancreatitis
- Thread starter emsyg1972
- Start Date
hi and welcome to TCS!
i'm so sorry your Barney is struggling with pancreatitis. my little snick
have you tried stage 1 jar baby food (gerber or beechnut), the kind that has only meat, water, and some have a bit of cornstarch in them? it's pureed very smooth, and is very easy on an upset kitty tummy as well as being easy for them to digest. my snick liked the gerber chicken and gravy and turkey and gravy, but her favorite was the gerber ham and gravy. snick didn't like it as thick as it was from the jar, so i'd add a little lukewarm water to it for her -- mixed into the baby food. many/most cats really like or love the jar baby food.
i've also syringe fed my little snick
there's also simply pureeing until smooth in a food processor some of your Barney's favorite canned cat food, though this won't be as easy on his tummy or as easy for him to digest.
how long has it been since your Barney has eaten? has he been given any sub-q fluids, by you or your vet? i'm asking because cats are susceptible to developing hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver disease) from not eating or not eating enough -- even within 24-48 hours, depending on the cat and his/her condition/health.
have you discussed trying OTC (bought over-the-counter) pepcid AC with your vet? i always used pepcid AC, and though i know it's not effective for every cat it's pretty easy to give. pepcid AC original strength was what my vet recommended, and i'd cut them to proper dosage for snick with a pill cutter (bought at most any pharmacy/drug store). i most times used a pill shooter with snick, because she was just so easy to pill. but i've also dissolved pepcid AC in a little warm water and then mixed that into canned cat food -- or the stage 1 baby food would be fine too. i think it's easier on their tummy if the piece of pepcid is dissolved in water, not a solid piece.
in these kind of situations, it's very important to work closely with your vet. i would call your vet and ask him/her to return your call. i'd discuss the problems you're having with the zantac and ask what the vet thinks about you trying pepcid AC instead, with the thought that at least the pepcid can be dissolved in water and mixed into canned cat food or the stage 1 (meat) jar baby food. i would definitely consult your vet before trying anything different than what he/she recommended. i'd also discuss with the vet how long it's been since your Barney has eaten and how much/little he's eaten over a period of time -- and whether the vet thinks some sub-q fluids should be given. subcutaneous fluids can, in some cases, help prevent hepatic lipidosis from developing as quickly. i know this because my little snick
i'm not sure where you live, but where i live it's Sunday. most vet's here in the US aren't available on Sundays. if it's the weekend or night time where you live, i'd give your vet a call first thing monday morning, leave a message asking for him/her to return your call.
