cat not eating but constantly swallowing

weebeasties

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I have had Jasmine to the vet the past 2 days trying to figure out what is wrong. I am hoping someone has some ideas. Monday night she was fine - eating/drinking/litterbox all normal - even begging for treats. Tuesday morning she was gagging. Sounded like a serious hairball but when I went to clean it up it was thick white mucus like stuff. She then kept swallowing once every few seconds. We got her into the vets on Wed. They saw nothing in her throat, did xrays that showed no obstructions said her lungs looked clear, did bloodwork  - IDX ADRChek with Spec fPL feline - said all was well except for slightly elevated blood sugar. No obstruction in her bowels but her stomach and bowels are full of air probably because she keeps swallowing. They gave her sub q fluids and injections of Cerenia and Famotidine. This morning she seemed to feel even worse and I took her back in because I thought I had actually spotted something stuck in her throat but vet said that I was just seeing her epiglottis. They have given her another round of Cerenia and Famotidine but aren't optimistic that it will help. She is just staying very still and constantly swallowing with an occasional cough/gag. She hasn't eaten since Monday night. Do these symptoms sound familiar to anyone?  My heart is breaking. We just lost our beloved Buster last month.
 

forrestmeows

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I'm so sorry that Jasmine is not doing well and that you recently lost Buster. It possibly sounds like an obstruction. A furball obstruction might not show up on an x-Ray. Is it possible that she swallowed something? Did she have an ultrasound? It would make sense that there could be air in her stomach if she is swallowing with a blockage.

My boy recently went through a huge ordeal. He had a furball blockage. He went to internal medicine vets. He had x-rays and ultrasounds. He was misdiagnosed as having a rare condition. I was afraid he was not going to make it. Finally, they found the furball when he went in for surgery. One of the specialists thought he might even have Lymphoma. He is doing much better now-aside from food issues.

Also, constipation can cause nausea. Has she been pooping and peeing normally?

I love your Avatar-such a beautiful cat! Sending lots of vibes. :vibes::vibes::vibes:
 
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weebeasties

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Thanks for your response. We thought she seemed to have something stuck in her throat but the vet saw nothing. We wanted to force feed her a little baby food but were afraid that if there was something in there we would be doing more damage. An ultrasound was not recommended because of all the air in her abdomen and intestines would stop them from seeing anything. She is not constipated. They said bowels are completely clear. (except for the air) I wonder if there was a blockage wouldn't it stop the air from even getting to her intestines? 

I am so glad they were able to help your boy and he is doing better. I am praying for a happy outcome for our sweet girl.
 

forrestmeows

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One thing I have learned is that you have to trust your gut. You know your cat far better than any vet. You also have to be an advocate for your cat. It does not sound like your vet is doing much of anything to help your baby girl. Do they have a plan of action to figure it out? Did they say she is fine? Something is wrong. If they don't have action, I would take her to another vet.

I don't know about the air. However, I would think it is possible depending on the location of any potential blockage. The hacking seems like it could be a possible furball or other foreign object that won't come loose. However, it could be something else.

Jasmine may need a specialist. Have they suggested an endoscopy? Or any other diagnosis / treatment plan? This is urgent if she is not eating. In the meantime, I would see if you could mix some pate or turkey baby food (no onions or garlic) with water and syringe it in her mouth. She needs food and water.

I'm sorry you're having a terrible time! I will keep you and Jasmine in my prayers. [emoji]128158[/emoji]
 

forrestmeows

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It is my pleasure to pray for you, Jasmine and your family! I am so sorry you have been going through such a trying time. It is so hard having our fur babies unwell. It sounds like the new vet is much better at trying to figure out what is going on and trying to help Jasmine. That makes me happy. :D. I hope she is doing better today. :vibes: Jasmine is a beautiful girl. I am praying for a full and speedy recovery.

Here is some info from Merk on esophagitis. It says in part:

"Inflammation of the Esophagus (Esophagitis)
Inflammation of the esophagus (esophagitis) is usually caused by foreign objects or acidreflux. Other causes include certain drugs, eating an irritating or caustic substance, or cancer. Calicivirus in cats may also cause esophagitis. Mild inflammation may produce no visible signs and often requires no treatment. If the problem is caused by acidreflux (a cause of heartburn in people), drugs that reduce stomach acid can provide relief. Your veterinarian may recommend feeding your pet a diet of soft food, low in fat and fiber, in small, frequent meals. If esophagitis is severe, a feeding tube may need to be surgically placed into the stomach, bypassing the esophagus to allow it to rest. Antibiotics are sometimes prescribed to prevent bacterial infection."


http://www.merckvetmanual.com/pethe...phagus_in_cats.html?qt=Cat acid reflux&alt=sh

Please keep us posted on how she is doing. :hugs:
 

forrestmeows

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I also wanted to say way to go for not giving up and finding a vet who wants to help. :clap::clap::clap:
 
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weebeasties

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UPDATE - Jasmine is doing so much better! She still has to be syringe fed but she has taken a few bites of treats and a few drinks of water! She has also started grooming herself again and seems so much happier. We have so much to be grateful for this Thanksgiving!

       
                         
                        
                        
                     
                            
                         
                  
 
 

forrestmeows

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Yay!!! That is awesome news weebeasties!

I'm so happy that Jasmine is making progress. Thanks for the update. I will keep you all in my prayers. Happy Thanksgiving to you, Jasmine and your family! :rub:

:clap: :heart3: :clap: :heart3: :clap:
 
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weebeasties

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UPDATE - In case anyone ever does a search for their cat with a similar problem. Jasmine has made a complete recovery!
 She eats on her own, plays, begs for treats, and has returned to her sweet, loveable self! The big question is what the heck happened...well, we don't know. Vet is stumped as well as us. Her throat was seriously inflamed and the skin on her nose turned dark and peeled. That made me wonder if she had gotten into a caustic substance somehow. That would be another mystery because she is strictly indoors and we are VERY vigilant about not letting anything dangerous into the house. I mostly clean everything with just vinegar and water or Dawn dish detergent.

Whatever the cause of her illness, finding a caring vet was her salvation. When I think how close I was to euthanizing her because the first vet gave us no other option, it hurts and makes me angry all at the same time!

So to sum up her treatment - cerenia, sucralfate, buprinex, Pepcid ac, sub q fluids, and syringe feeding baby food for 3 weeks brought about a complete recovery. I would also like to say again that getting a second opinion LITERALLY SAVED HER LIFE so if something doesn't seem right about what your vet is telling you, ask another vet. Another point a view could make a world of difference.
 

forrestmeows

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Yay! I am so happy Jasmine made a full recovery! I am sure she is extremely grateful to you for not giving up on her and taking such great care of her. [emoji]10084[/emoji]️
 

lavishsqualor

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Such great news.  You were a real champion for your cat.  She's awfully lucky to have you.
 
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