Syringe Feeding...How Much and How Often?

stephanietx

TCS Member
Thread starter
Veteran
Joined
Dec 1, 2005
Messages
14,768
Purraise
3,489
Location
Texas
Tumbles threw up everything he ate Friday, including water.  Took him to the vet Saturday (yesterday) and he had x-rays, bloodwork, urinalysis.  X-Ray showed no blockage, but did show pockets of gas in his GI tract.  Bloodwork good, but slightly elevated white blood cell count.  Urinalysis showed no crystals.  He has a very low-grade fever that might've been caused by his extreme shivering (he doesn't like going to the vet).

Vet says he probably has gastroenteritis caused by a new food we introduced.  He has a history of a sensitive tummy, but it usually manifests as diarrhea or loose stools.  Administered a shot of Cerenia, 100ccs of IV fluids to keep him hydrated, and sent us home with SD i/d, Reglan, fluids, and Zeniquin in case there's an infection afoot.  We are to feed him about 1 t of food every 2 hours, give him fluids once today, give Reglan and antibioitic once daily. 

He ate about 1 teaspoon of food once we got home.  Offered another teaspoon 2 hrs later and he ate that.  Hasn't eaten anything since.  He is interested in food, but won't eat it.  He has had a few crunchies, about 5 or 6 this afternoon.  After that, he spit up about a nickle-size amount of clear, frothy liquid.

I know he needs to eat, so I'm going to syringe feed him.  He weighs 13.1 pounds.  How much do I feed him each serving and how often?
 

ruthm

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Jul 13, 2015
Messages
397
Purraise
95
Location
Washington State USA
Is your vet prescribing Reglan for nausea? There is research indicating that cats don't respond to reglan as they lack the receptors. I would ask your vet about a prescription for Ondansetron(zofran). . It is a human drug used to help combat nausea in chemo patients.  I know I'm not a vet but my Tiger struggled with nausea constantly. The combination of ondansetron and cerenia helped so much that I didn't even need an appetite stimulant. To me, it sounds like your kitty is nauseated. Cerenia acts to stop the vomiting, but does not address or help nausea. Also once you start giving the antibiotic, he could lose all interest in food; maybe ask your vet about a good probiotic. One other thing, clear or foamy vomit can signal early CKD. Sending healing vines for your boy. 

http://www.catinfo.org/?link=felineobesity#How_Much_Do_I_Feed
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #3

stephanietx

TCS Member
Thread starter
Veteran
Joined
Dec 1, 2005
Messages
14,768
Purraise
3,489
Location
Texas
Thank you for the information.  We know his kidneys are good based on the blood work.  He has done well today with the Reglan (metoclopramide).  We are going back to the vet tomorrow and I had already decided to ask for an appetite stimulant.  He is interested in his dry food, so that's a good sign.  We're still syringe feeding him and we've given him a little bit of fluids.
 

msserena

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Jun 20, 2014
Messages
764
Purraise
206
Location
Sacramento
how old is your kitty? Can you open a tin of tuna? anything he will eat, I would give it to him, but SMALL amounts. Syringe feeding is not fun, have you ever done it before?

If you recently changed food & he's yacking it up, can you go back to the old stuff? I had a cat who had a sensitive stomach & she was on special food her whole life.

I imagine he won't eat because he's nauseous. The reason why he's yacking up nothing is because there's no food in his stomach. I've thrown up just stomach acid before, that's what's going on I'm sure. If he normally doesn't yack then he obviously has  bug or something.
 
Last edited:

suzieeq

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Sep 3, 2016
Messages
27
Purraise
16
When I was syringe feeding my sick cat right before he passed away, my vet recommended small amounts at least 6 times a day.  He was about 12-13 lbs when he became very sick.  
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #6

stephanietx

TCS Member
Thread starter
Veteran
Joined
Dec 1, 2005
Messages
14,768
Purraise
3,489
Location
Texas
 
how old is your kitty? Can you open a tin of tuna? anything he will eat, I would give it to him, but SMALL amounts. Syringe feeding is not fun, have you ever done it before?

If you recently changed food & he's yacking it up, can you go back to the old stuff? I had a cat who had a sensitive stomach & she was on special food her whole life.

I imagine he won't eat because he's nauseous. The reason why he's yacking up nothing is because there's no food in his stomach. I've thrown up just stomach acid before, that's what's going on I'm sure. If he normally doesn't yack then he obviously has  bug or something.
He is 6 years old, neutered, indoor only.  He turns his nose at everything except his dry crunchies and then he will only eat half and spit the rest of the crunchie out.  The vet found no mouth ulcers. 

We mix his food together.  We have eliminated the new food and he's on the old food, but he won't even touch it, not even if we offer it on our finger. 

He hasn't really even vomited anything up since Saturday morning.

I took him to a different vet this morning. We have gone to him in the past with 2 of our other cats.  This vet is keeping him overnight to hydrate him and get some nutrition in him. He's also going to re-check his kidneys and also check his pancreas since Tumbles already has GI issues.  I'm waiting for the vet to call with news. 
 

msserena

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Jun 20, 2014
Messages
764
Purraise
206
Location
Sacramento
hmmm he's not old by any means. Well I'll tell you, if you want him to eat anything you put in front of him, get a box of Fortiflora. My 2 picky cats eat raw or whatever canned that has it on it. It's also a probiotic so that will help the gut. Read some reviews on that stuff, it's like kitty crack. Maybe your vet even sells it?
 

ruthm

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Jul 13, 2015
Messages
397
Purraise
95
Location
Washington State USA
I'm glad you took him to another vet, I was really worried.  I had meant to ask if the first vet ran a Spec fpl for pancreatitis, because that surely will cause inappetance and a variety of symptoms in our furbabies.  I am sending my strongest healing vibes and will look for updates on your guy.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #9

stephanietx

TCS Member
Thread starter
Veteran
Joined
Dec 1, 2005
Messages
14,768
Purraise
3,489
Location
Texas
The vet called earlier this evening.  The radiologist agrees there is no blockage, but he still has gas in his intestines.  His urine was more concentrated today, so the vet said he has CKD.  I'm not taking that too seriously since on Sat when his UA was done, his urine was fine.  It's more concentrated because he's dehydrated.  So, the vet is treating him for gastroenteritis, giving him fluids and IV nutrition, but Tumbles is being stubborn and is not eating for them.  Hopefully, he'll be able to come home tomorrow.
 
Top