My cat passed away Friday

Hi
Not sure if this is the right site to post this.If not perhaps someone could suggest a forum that would be able to possibly answer my questions.My cat has been sick since July-diagnosed with hepatic lipidosis and most recently pancreatitis.He was admitted a few days ago with a bowel obstruction and passed the next day.I have been going to the vet about every 2 wks and obstruction was never an issue.I am devastated and am really not getting answers from my vet as to what led up to his death.I had no choice but to euthanize as he aspirated on his vomit and was in distress.The vet told me today that I gave him the pancreatitis since I was feeding him Wellness Core canned food!The thought that I killed my beautiful 14yr old cat is just killing me.I feel so guilty.I'd like to share more history and details with SOMEONE so that I have a better understanding of what may have happened.Lots of confusion and diff of opinion between what my local vet said vs emergency vet said.I just am so confused and devastated to think I could have caused my baby to suffer.Thank you!

It was wrong of your vet to say you caused your cat's pancreatitis by feeding him Wellness Core canned food.  Wellness Core is recommended by some to help both dogs and cats with pancreatitis.  I did an internet search and found nothing that would indicate that Wellness Core would cause pancreatitis.  I would ask him where he read or heard such a thing!  I have to wonder why he would say such a thing to you.  

 First off, your vet is terrible for saying that!!! Pancreatitis is NOT caused by fat in catfood like it does for dogs (dogs will get pancreatitis due to diet, cats are not the same).

I know this because my late kitty Bandit was going through chronic pancreatitis and we tried all sorts of foods.

Pancreatitis is not the underlying problem for a kitty, but a symptom (and a VERY SERIOUS) symptom of a bigger issue. The vet explained it's a 'triad' of issues in the stomach/bowels and intestines. The fact your kitty had an obstruction is likely what caused the pancreatitis. Pancreatitis is very painful and, thus, kitty won't eat. Not eating for a kitty is what caused the hepadic lipidosis----the liver in a cat will turn fatty---cats don't use their stored fat like we do--if they don't eat, their stored fat is not metabolised properly.  All of this caused vomiting and it sounds like that's what was caused his passing.

Please, do NOT blame yourself for this loss. This was a sad, very heartbreaking situation and your vet was a horrible person to imply that you were at fault. You WERE NOT!!!!! Hugs to you and I hope your heart heals.

I should explain that pancreatitis is caused by the bile not exiting the pancreas. It then backs up and begins to 'digest' the pancreas. Sounds terrible!! Humans get this too when they have gallstones, but we as humans have far more tests and medications to stop this process.

This is why pancreatitis is a symptom of a bigger issue--which in your kitties' case was the obstruction. That stopped the bowel from working, which likely backed up the bile in the pancreas. There is nothing you could do----feeding your kitty that food was NOT the issue.

Thank you so much for responding!I beg of you to hear the whole story and let me know your thoughts.I am completely confused and devastated.I loved my cat very much and I'm on the verge of a mental breakdown,thinking that my judgement was so impaired that I may be responsible for his death.I can barely function.

Back in June,I took Buster in to be evaluated.I work FT and have a dog walker for my 2 dogs but was coming home to small amts of vomit prob on a weekly basis.I never saw them vomit but was sure it was my Golden as she scrambles on her walk to eat anything and everything.My cat Buster was never a vomiting cat.He loved to eat and was free fed dry food for the most part.I kept a watch on them all and they seemed ok.One night,Buster vomited immediately after eating and I realized it was him vomiting all along.I booked an appt with vet and noticed that he barely chewed his food,he ate it so quickly.I decided that once back from the vet,I was going to switch his food to mostly wet and put him on a diet as he was a little piggy and thought he may be vomiting due to eating dry too fast.

He was seen by the vet prob every month or twice a month from end June to end of Sept.They are a very popular vet in town,run by 3 vets and he was seem at different times by each of them.First visit,they couldnt really find any reason for the vomiting,gave him 2 injections,(an anti imflammatory and anti nausea)Fluids and labs,all normal.He started isolating,staying upstairs alot.This was VERY different behavior as he loved staying downstairs with me and cuddling with Golden.Around this same time,I took up his free feeding dish and started feeding him mostly wet.He did come down to eat but then right back uostairs again.He DID appear to be very hungry however.At first I thought he was just not used to not eating whenever he wanted but I quickly realized I had been underfeeding him!I felt awful and began feeding him more.But in a very short period of time,he had gone from hungry to eating very little.He always seemed to be starving and interested in food-he'd come downstairs the minute I got home or the second I woke up in the morning,and wait by the food dish.But it seemed no matter what I gave him,he'd sniff it and walk away.I would open up 9 different types of canned food,put down assorted dry food,but still very little interest.The only thing he loved was gravy.I would put down a can of gravy cat food and he would lick all the gravy and leave the meat.Thought maybe it was his teeth but he still loved his Temptation treats.I was back n forth to the vet with the above concerns.They gave him some appetite stimulants,IV fluids but really no improvement.Though he rarely vomited but again,was eating very little.I was very concerned because he appeared so hungry but would eat very little.He had never been sick nor had any problems with his bowels.I cant say I checked the litter box for a daily poop as that had never been an issue.I was always fighting with my Golden who loved the litter box eew...I beat myself up over not keeping vigil over his BM's.I may not have checked daily but in hindsight,there seemed to be adequate amts and he was eating so much less.Vet always said belly was soft and rectal exam ok.Finally,on Sept 30th his labs were taken and came back perfect as usual.Still isolating somewhat.Vet suggested it may be cancer and if I really wanted to know for sure,to get an ultrasound.He had lost a few pounds with noticeable muscle mass lost.In the meantime,I was googling and came up with hepatic lipidosis.Vet did U/S and said he had a fatty liver and needed either tube feed or syringe feeding.

I felt so guilty as I was the one who put him on a diet!I tried to choose a high calorie food so that I could give less volume.I researched online and found Wellness Core with 220calories a can.That,along with cat paste supplement and temptation treats would be enough to meet his calorie needs.I kept a daily calorie count and left work early to make sure he wouldnt miss a feed.We slowly worked up to his calorie goal.He seemed to enjoy the feeds and even started to eat small amts,mostly gravy,of the food I left out in the morning and night.He gained 6 oz first vet appt and then no change the second,but looked better.Not as much poop but hadnt really been eating much in a very long time till now.One thing I do feel awful about is that I do recall him let out a cry and run upstairs a few times in the past year or so..I never connected it to the litterbox.I would run upstairs and he would be on the bed,looking comfortable.Hindsight is 20/20 and I'm looking for every way I can beat myself up for missing something.

Everything changed on 11/4...he vomited fecal smelling vomit and I noticed two small flat pieces of poop in box.I immediately thought obstruction..Brought him in,along with vomit and poop.Belly soft,rectal negative.Told them maybe he had less BMs but she said that was to be expected as he really hadn't been eating too much.I did point out that that was true but he'd been eating more now that I was syringe feeding him.She assured me he wasnt constipated and told me the vomit was gastric or bile.I was a little unsure but he had his labs drawn and ultrasound next day...dx came back as pancreatitis!I asked if she checked the intestines,she assured me yes,no abnormalities.She gave me an antiemetic and told me to feed him less fatty food and not Wellness core.I felt so guilty that I AGAIN was responsible for not just hepatic lipidosis but now pancreatitis!The week of feeding didnt go well.He was nauseous and I finally realized that tube feeding was prob best.I went to a specialist/emergency care clinic as it was urgent at her suggestion on Sat.I was so relieved as I thought FINALLY he could get adequate nutrients and feel better.I picked him up later that same day and was given feeding instructions,along with Cerenia for nausea and he had a Fentanyl patch.Unfortunately,I had difficulty advancing his feeds as he was licking his lips in nausea,I felt awful.I was getting up at 3am to give him the cerenia,thinking perhaps it would work better if given a few hours before his 6am feed.He seemed more withdrawn and wasnt drinking any water,which he had been all along.Brought him to same energency clinic Tues nt-they assured me that the tube feeding was mixed with water so that he was getting hydrated.They removed patch as maybe making him too sleepy.I went to regular vet on Thurs.He had 2 small hard poops in his rectum they removed,gave some fluids and I demanded some pain med and different anti nausea.Reminded me pancreatitis can be difficult.Gave him Zofran and Buprenex when we got home with NO relief.He was just looking up at me,and was drooling from nausea.I was hysterical.Brought him back to emergency clinic where I had just been 2 days before and demanded he be admitted.

They tested and examined him and told me he was severely dehydrated,septic with bowel obstruction!!!!They tried unsuccessfully to disempact under anesthesia.They said he had no GI motility.But they were cautiously optimistic as they saw no masses.On Fri,they started Golytely viabtube with Cisapride.I recieved a call at 9pm.Ge had vomited and aspirated and was in resp distress.I had no choice but to euthanize him.I am heartbroken.He was my baby and am so confused.The emergency vet called me the next morning and told me I was a great mom and said that usually lack of GI motility,obstruction,etc is usually related to a much larger picture,such as lymphoma.I was distraught and dont remember much else but she did say I could call back with any questions.

I waited to talk to reg vet on Mon.She swore she saw no obstruction on ultrasound.Then said"He really didnt even have much of a fatty liver"???????When asked,she said he got obstruction from pancreatitis.When asked,well if he didnt have fatty liver,where did he get the pancreatitis from?Her answer was "Dont make me say it..he got it from the fatty diet you fed him"!!!In other words,I gave him the pancreatitis which led to the obstruction that killed him.I'M SICK.I can't sleep.It doesnt make sense.He ate dry fatty food his whole life.Wellness Core has 7pct fat-the Critical care tube feedings has 12pct fat.I've spent hours online and can't find anything that says high fat diet is related to pancreatitis.I'm so sleep deprived I can't think straight.I'm consumed with guilt.I loved him so much.What more could I have done??And after all this,he really didn't have much of a fatty liver??So what DID he have back in Sept?!!He had perfect labs then with periodic vomiting,brief period of starving for food to finicky and just licking gravy.He briefly perked up with syringe feeding.I keep going back and wonder what I missed all those months ago as she pretty much admitted he really didnt even have hepatic lipidosis!!

I may have added to his suffering and was completely unaware.I hope he knew how much I loved him.It breaks my heart remembering him nauseous,all the while I'm pushing food,unaware he had an obstruction.I can't stop crying.The only thing that comforts me is that almost to the very end,he slept on my chest and purred.I'm lost without him but am horrified that I possibly ignored signs,or caused this,or that they missed something all those months ago since it clearly wasnt hepatic lipidosis.

Sorry for this very long story.Its just me,confused and pouring my heart out.Perhaps some of you have thoughts of what may have happened to him.I can barely live with the thought that I harmed my beautiful 14yr old boy.

Thank you!


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This is disgusting. Because YOU did NOTHING WRONG!

THEY DID!!!!

Someone really, really effed up at your clinic or the emerg clinic!!!

Like I said, pancreatitis is a symptom of a bigger issue: In this case, your cat had an obstruction--likely small---was your kitty a 'big boy?" (chubby?). I know it's harder to feel the abdomen in fatter kitties. But any vet GOOD vet would have done an Xray to rule out obstruction!!!

Next, pancreatitis is very serious and needs to be monitored! Your kitty wasn't eating any more than my boy was when he was so ill, but my boy was very lean---which would explain why he didn't go into hepatic lipidosis--the fact your kitty went into that so fast again, would be a red flag to a vet that something else is wrong.(in this case, likely food was not moving due to the obstruction).

THEY made the mistake, NOT YOU!!! It is a known fact --at least any good vet---will say that diet does NOT play a factor in pancreatitis for cats. They do try a hypoallergenic diet, but cats don't have the same issues dogs do in regards to this and a VET should KNOW THAT!!!! To blame YOU??? I'd be bringing them up to the DVM medical board for such horrid treatment!!!!

Next, their care for your cat was the reason why he aspirated on his vomit. If they had been dealing with him properly to begin with, that should NOT have happened!!! Pancreatitis is very painful. Your kitty should have been left at the vet with IV fluids, pain meds, sedation if need be and feeding tube. I've worked with animals and still do, so I was able to do this all at home for my boy (ok, not the IV and he didn't need a feeding tube). But, I gave him bupernorphine, cerenia, pepcid AC(that really helped him!!), prednisone and a myrriad of other meds to help him stay comfortable.

Bottom line? They missed the obstruction. If they had caught that sooner, your kitty would not have gotten so sick. I would be seeing legal aid to sue them for vet bills. This should NOT have happened!

Hugs to you!!!!

Thank you so much for your quick reply.It's so easy to blame ourselves when our animals become ill but I agree,there is something VERY WRONG here.The thought that they missed something and he could still be alive,and seeing how he suffered,absolutely breaks my heart.

My boy WAS chubby-17 pounds.I absolutely think he had the obstruction when I brought in the fecal smelling vomit and hard stool on 11/4.How much more evidence did she need?Those two were classic symptoms of an obstruction!In hindsight,I cringe and wish I had taken him from there to another facility.However,she did the ultrasound the very next day and said NO obstruction.I specifically asked her and I have seen online that says an ultrasound can be used to determine if there is an obstruction.She found no obstruction but pancreatitis!

I was shocked at the dx,as it seemed to come out of nowhere.It was then that she first blamed Wellness Core.This was on a Tues and I did go home with Cerenia.She said treatment was supportive.It became obvious that he could no longer tolerate syringe feeding upon taking him home and I went to the VCA Animal hospital on Sat for tube placement.

Her blaming me for the pancreatitis is disgusting and very unsettling.The part that's so difficult to accept is that this vet practice is highly recommended in this community.All 3 vets saw him throughout my visits from June till now.She runs an animal emergency clinic in NY as well.She's very confident and experienced so I had no reason to ever doubt her.And the other two vets saw him throughout as well!

The only ones that have been decent have been the VCA.They have tiptoed around blaming my vet however,but did make it clear this obstruction was not new.THEY really tried their best I believe,but by the time he was admitted,he was septic.They don't know for sure that he aspirated.They had been infusing the Golytely for a few hours and called to say he was in resp distress.Due to sepsis,he was on pressors to maintain his BP,was in pretty rough shape,and she reported he had vomited a small amt and perhaps had aspirated.She told me he was in acute distress and euthanasia would be best....I am just horrified-my poor Buster!!

So,its pretty obvious he had that obstruction on 11/4.Whether she missed it or it didnt show on the U/S,I'll never know.But as you said,pancreatitis DID and that should have prompted her to look furthur.She didn't and blamed me for feeding him Wellness Core. I then changed the food for that wk till tube feed was inserted.This is so painful to think about,I can barely process it honestly.I was force feeding him and then inserted a tube feed into a cat with an obstruction!!My poor boy.

The part that I really don't understand is this...what was really the primary diagnosis back in Jun?According to her,"he never really had too much of a fatty liver"!!!!....I first brought him in June with complaints of small amts of vomiting for at least a month.Over the next 2 months,he remained hungry but would only eat treats and lick gravy.His labs were perfect throughout.He lost a small amt of weight but with noticeable muscle mass loss.I felt he was starving himself to death.I was bringing him twice a month from end of June to end Sept.It was on 9/30 she did an U/S and dx him with fatty liver.I'm only now finding out he prob didn't even have it!So,what DID he have??The specialist at VCA said she's not convinced there wasn't a cancer involved.He started vomiting probably in May.He couldn't have had an obstruction all those months ago,could he?The fact that I chose to decrease his intake at that same time confuses the details but certainly fatty liver made sense at the time.But it wasnt even that!What would cause vomiting,acting hungry all the time but then only licking gravy?Muscle mass loss?Sounds like she guessed at that dx for lack of finding real cause of his symptoms from May to Sept.

My biggest fear is that my cat had simple constipation way back then.That led to a partial obstruction and then to a complete.The specialist has been very compassionate.She said the fact that he had no GU motility and even an obstruction to begin with,speaks of a much larger picture,perhaps a GI lymphoma.That scenario is painful but at least I know that he likely would not have survived.

I do blame myself for not picking up the signs,such as possible decreased BM and not connecting his short little yelp to the litterbox.At the time,I had no reason to believe anything was wrong with his bowels and there seemed to be enough stool there.And he always seemed ok at the time.I'd hate to think he died from constipation,though specialist says no.

I am so heartbroken and angry.That awful vet actually told me that the pain from the pancreatitis caused the obstruction and of course,I caused the pancreatitis!What an absolutely awful thing to say to someone who just lost their cat!

Thanks for listening.Not sure if you have any ideas of what the real problem could have been way back in June?They are such gentle creatures and offer so much love.It's unimaginable that after 14yrs,he would die this way.
I don't know if I have the strength to fight them and I wouldn't know where to begin.I probably spent 2000 with her and the VCA bill for tube insertion on that Sat was 1200,plus 2nts in ICU and cremation was 4500.Not that it matters,I'd give anything to have him back home.

Ask for your cat's blood pannel. I got my boy's and they went through it with me. Ask to sit down with the vets and explain your disgust with their treatment and their missed diagnosis and blaming you. They screwed up.

It's a known fact that if a cat is chubby, and Xray is used to see if there is an obstruction. That is the FIRST thing my clinic did for my boy at age 2 when he was diagnosed with megacolon. The fact they did NOT do this angers me. If a cat comes in and vomited what looked like fecal matter (smelled!!) then I would have been on that!!!

While vets, doctors and other professionals make mistakes, it is up to them to own up to it and offer you no charge for their error (AT LEAST!), but to blame you???? No--I don't care how good their reputation is, I would be addressing this.

My boy passed away a week ago and we (my vet and I) felt he had GI Lymphona as well--I did not test him for it because Bandit was almost 17 and I did not want to put him through invasive testing to find out he had something we could not treat. Even if he had the small cell lymphoma, there is no guarantee the outcome would not have been the same. 

I am so so so sorry for your loss. I can't imagine how you feel. I've been in tears all day---seeing Christmas lights going up is not helping me right now