Possible IBD :(

Introducing Grayce Popcorn (its a long story).  Grayce is 5 mos old.  I adopted her from a high kill shelter in my area when she was about 9 weeks old.

Background:

Grayce had spent 3-4 weeks at the high stress shelter environment.  Her intake papers said "friendly but very nervous".  She came in with a dermal wound on her neck.  She was treated with antibiotics.   When I adopted her - she was finished with the antibiotic and the wound healed with hair growing back.  She had been wormed at the shelter.

She had some diarrhea the night I brought her home.  I had not had a kitten in 16 years so I was not alarmed by her "pudding poo" over the next few weeks.  she always used the litter box.

2 weeks later it was time for more shots. And, she had started to vomit early in the morning.  Vet gave her shots, examined her and wormed her.  We could not get poo for a fecal.  Vet put her on SC ID wet for 5 days.  Vomiting stopped but poo stayed soft.  

A few weeks later - vomiting starts again.  I took poo to vet and he found she still had round worms !   Wormed with panacure and a few more days of SD ID wet.

On Labor Day, she got sick (vomiting) about 3 AM.  She is vocal when she does this and seems so pitiful.  Felt bad that day, a little lethargic but no fever.  Didn't eat much.  Next day we go to vet.  I am fanatical about keeping dangerous stuff put away and I felt it unlikely that she had a blockage.  We did blood tests that were overall ok.  Vet put her on metro (something) and albon.  He said if that didn't work we would have to do xray. 

Over next day or so, she felt better and would eat a little wet SD ID but then be sick.  Vet didnt respond to my telephone call all day.

I took her to my old vet in town.  We did xray.  No obstruction but gas in her large intestine and enlarged small intestine. 

He told me to put aside the meds from the other vet.  He gave her cerina for 7 days.   Vomiting stopped immediately.   She stopped eating the wet SD ID (which she never liked anyway).  Vet said it was ok to try the SD ID dry. She loved it and was eating well.   By the second day, her stool became normal and firm. !  YAY.  No vomiting.  High energy level.

I finished the cerina on Sunday 9-20.  Yesterday (Monday) her poo is soft again and again this morning.  No vomiting - good appetite.

I have been sprinkling some fortiflora on her food every few days.

I contacted my old vet - he is disappointed that she is regressing.  He wants me to use the metro (?) that I already have for 5 days and see what happens.  He originally wanted me to keep her on the SD ID for 60 days before transitioning her to something else.  He advises against changing food at this time.

These are my questions:

If this is IBD is this a death sentence ? She is only 5 months old !  -   I  don't have thousands to spend .

I want to work with my vet to help her (even though I hate SD food).  I cant tell if his advice is valid if I don't follow it for a while.

Anyone have any similar experiences - did your kitten "grow out of it " whatever it was ?

My long term goal is to get her stable and on a good grain-free dry/wet food plan.

Thanks Charlotte

While my cat has the opposite of this (he has megacolon), he's now showing signs of IBD (go figure I would have a cat with conflicting issues)

IBD is inflammation of the bowel, so obviously predinsone would help, but also when they have massive diarrhea, they need fluids too (metronitzole also helps). I would also ask about b-12 shots as any kitty with GI issues have troubles absorbing b-12.

No condition is a death sentence other than the outwardly known illnesses. IBD is managable and there is a good line of food from Royal Canin or Hills for cats with IBD. I would look into the gastrointestinal line---I think it's Royal Canin, in the 'vet' section or ask your vet. Also, look into trying hypoallergenic foods as well because diarrhea can be caused by the worming etc. I would try to find a balance of medications, get her system stable (that includes keeping her on a diet that works right now) and then reassess to see if she is settled in to a new routine. 

My cats are littermates--brother and sister. My boy can eat anything he wants and has zero issues, but his sister? Just the slightest change in diet can bring on vomiting and diarrhea. Gotta love them  

before you go the prescription route, can you pick up some Nature's Variety food. Even the limited ingredient. 

I know 5 months old is very young to come down with IBD, but I guess it does happen. 

My guy is much older, now 12, but he has IBD. He is allergic to chicken and has IBD. I am feeding him rabbit, just rabbit. I am also giving him a probiotic, Proviable..ask your Vet about this one..it is really good. 

IBD is not definitely a death sentence. You just have to try to get it under control..wondering if the antibiotic could have started this off, along with the worms. I am wondering if she still has worms or could even have coccidia instead of IBD....

can you get another stool sample over to the Vets, for a through test.. for coccidia and such. Sometimes these do not show up on the first tests.. 

Good Luck...

Thank you both. I too wondered if the injury, high stress shelter environment and antibiotics could have started this. I may have not said so in my narrative but we did do 3 different fecals . The first one was clear. The second one showed round worms and the third one was clear.

No blood in the puddin poo.

I was feeding her Royal Canin kitten dry for several weeks until the vomiting started again. Her stool was never firm until last week. she had been on the SD ID several days and stool got firmer.

Vet really doesn't want me to change food until we get her stable. He said it sure could be diet related but he wants to finish our current course of treatment first. I won't leave her on SD food but I feel I need to consider his advice as long as it's feasible.

Open to using Pred but want to exhaust other options first.