Hepatic Lipidosis won't eat AGAIN

I just found out two weeks ago that my 10 year old cat, Dylan, has Hepatic Lipidosis. At first he was responding well to the amoxicillan and started eating regularly again...and without my coaxing...but on friday, he fell back in to his finicky ways...what on earth can I do when he doesnt want to eat, to help him gain calories? I read somewhere that giving lactose free milk with honey in it helps...and it did kick start his appetite a week ago...but, now, we are back to that again..and he barely eats half a can of cat food a day...leaving his crunchy food untouched.

Ok. I am not trying to alarm you here.

Hepatic Lipidosis is relatively fatal in cats...They can survive it and be just fine, but it is a critical condition that needs constant attention until they get through it.

You need to talk to your vet ASAP if he has stopped eating again.

Basically the animal stops eating, and the body starts processing fat for energy, if this continues for more than a short period of time, the liver cloggs up and basically stops functioning. No cat can survive without a functional liver, so you need to get your kitty eating again.

Please don't give up on this guy, he'll pull through this, but he needs all the help he can get.

Please find out what your vets experience is with this illness. It is a very hard illness to treat because it depends your kitty wanting to eat again.
If your vet hasn't dealt with Hepatic Lipidosis much in cats, please also consider consulting a second vet who has.

I've had friends lose a kitty to this, but I've seen just as many respond to treatment and pull through just fine.

The one other thing to note is that when he gets better, he will be somewhat prone to a reoccurance.

One last question for you, is your kitty a big kitty, would you say he's a little overweight?

Hang in there, he'll get through this.

Spotz

Merck Veterinary Manual on Hepatic Lipidosis in cats

Spotz

Spotz has given you great advice, let your vet know this has happened and over the holiday, because you MUST get something in him, try homecooked plain chicken (meaning don't use garlic or onions to flavor the broth) and it's broth, try a bit of tuna juice, baby food sometimes is appealing - turkey, chicken, beef or even lamb (just check the label for onion which you do not want as one of the ingredients). If you cat is into beef, try boiling some ground beef, blending it with the broth, and giving the puree.

Another tip, some cats will respond to a bit of catnip sprinkled atop their food.

Remember that it really isn't that your cat is being finicky, the lack of appetite(anorexia) is due to the illness.

Another option is seeing if your local pet store carries nutrical which is very palatable and as a thick gel, easier to give to your kitty...if they won't lick it off your finger or a paw, you can gently swipe some across their lips so they must lick it off. Nutrical is a high calorie supplement that would help boost intake a bit.

Please let us know if any of the tips work, and how your kitty is doing...I'm sure we can come up with more tips for you.

Also try rubbing some acidolpholous powder on his gums. That will sometimes jump-start an appetite. Be sure he is not coming down with an URI because if a cat can't smell, he won't eat. Nuking the food a few seconds in the microwave will also help to wake up a stalled appetite

One last question for you, is your kitty a big kitty, would you say he's a little overweight?

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Last summer he was nearly 19 pounds...but he is a very large (tall and long) kitty...but since he has been sick he has gone down to 14.4 lbs. So although most would consider his current weight big...he isn't any longer.

He is a long haired big floppy black cat....closest body type would be ragdoll (although coloring is not correct).

Currently, I am chasing him around almost every other hour and getting him to eat in tiny amounts. Also vet gave me Lixotinic (which I found I have to mix with lactose free milk and honey) in order to get him to drink without foaming at the mouth. Apparently he isn't so fond of this stuff by itself...but the vet says it will also help stimulate his appetite.

Vet also gave presciption diet, but he won't touch the stuff. So, I am going to the store shortly to pick up as many other options as possible.

I am not going to let this illness get him.

I will keep you posted. Thanks for advice...it is very helpful

Originally Posted by hissy

Also try rubbing some acidolpholous powder on his gums. That will sometimes jump-start an appetite.

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Where do you get this? I'll give anything a try.

Originally Posted by sbbeatnik

Last summer he was nearly 19 pounds...but he is a very large (tall and long) kitty...but since he has been sick he has gone down to 14.4 lbs. So although most would consider his current weight big...he isn't any longer.

He is a long haired big floppy black cat....closest body type would be ragdoll (although coloring is not correct).

Currently, I am chasing him around almost every other hour and getting him to eat in tiny amounts. Also vet gave me Lixotinic (which I found I have to mix with lactose free milk and honey) in order to get him to drink without foaming at the mouth. Apparently he isn't so fond of this stuff by itself...but the vet says it will also help stimulate his appetite.

Vet also gave presciption diet, but he won't touch the stuff. So, I am going to the store shortly to pick up as many other options as possible.

I am not going to let this illness get him.

I will keep you posted. Thanks for advice...it is very helpful

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You're welcome.

Once you get past this, which you will, what I would heavily suggest is consulting with your vet, and determining a healthy weight for this guy. It may be 16lbs...or 12lbs...or anything around that range. Your vet will be able to give you the best advice, because every single kitty is different.

If he gets overweight, he will potentially slip back into this again. But you also have to be very careful getting his weight to a "healthy" weight. If you make too drastic of a change, again he might revert back to this. And you have to start all over again.

It's a PITA disorder to treat, it takes a lot of trial and error, and even more patience. But if he's eating, even if only a little, you're making progress.

One last note, Prescription diets are almost always designed for short term treatment, I would hesitate to change his diet over to a prescription one for a long term. Instead figuring out a diet that is balanced and palatable to your guy.

Hang in there, and please keep us posted

Spotz

Vet also gave presciption diet, but he won't touch the stuff. So, I am going to the store shortly to pick up as many other options as possible.

I am not going to let this illness get him.

I will keep you posted. Thanks for advice...it is very helpful

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Try kitty kaviar, or if the pet store you go do doesn't carry this, there is also a version by Cat in the Hat and by Cosmic - these are simply dried bonito flakes...very strong in odor, about 75% of cats will go nuts for it. I use it atop food to get one of my off and on again appetite kitties to eat.

Also excellent..Rosie's Rosedust...you can go to their website Rosie's to see if they list a retailer in your area of your state. It may be expensive but I've *never* had a cat, no matter how ill, turn this down.

Rooting for your guy to feel better fast,

You can buy acidolopholus at any decent drug store or health food store. Get the capsules, break one apart and sprinkle the contents on a small plate. Wet your finger, dip it in the mixture gently pry open the kitty's lips and rub the wet powder on her gums.

Best of luck, this disease can be beatable if caught early enough!

I'm unsure if syringe-feeding would be good in this situation - ask your vet. Our Sasha was 21 lbs before the coyote mauling and that is what is helping get through it as our vet explained his extra weight and muscle mass -because he is so muscular - is boding well for recovery from any infection due to the depth of the wounds. Large cats sometimes do better w/infectious invaders in their bodies. He is unable to eat on his own, and for the first week was so traumatized, he had no appetite and, like you, we had to keep his weight up, we just had to. We now mix a/d diet from the vet with his favorite chicken broth as Pat and Alix said to do, as well as he gets low-sodium tuna juice and a dab of mayonnaise 2x per say. If you can swing syringe-feeding to get food in him, you can get a large, easy to handle plastic syringe from your vet's office, maybe this might help. Just a suggestion because we had no choice, we had to make Sasha eat. You're doing great and you care so much for your furbaby it's very powerful what that kind of love will do!!

He is actually eating about 3/4 a can of fancy feast a day...in addition to the extra nutrients that I have to give via liquids in small childsized eyedropper. He isn't (thankfully) on a strictly liquid diet...and is still somewhat interested in eating with a great deal of coaxing, and in many small meals per day.

I just returned from the store and did additionally pick up several small jars of chicken and beef flavored babyfoods...was able to get him to lick that off his mouth...so that will also supplement his diet and get him back on track (and he didn't seem to mind too much).

Hopefully, the variety that I bought, in addition to the vitamins and antibiotics will get him back up to speed. At this point I expect he will be eating 6-8 tiny meals a day just to get what he needs in calories.

But, I'll do anything to get him back to health!

Originally Posted by Pat & Alix

Try kitty kaviar, or if the pet store you go do doesn't carry this, there is also a version by Cat in the Hat and by Cosmic - these are simply dried bonito flakes...very strong in odor, about 75% of cats will go nuts for it. I use it atop food to get one of my off and on again appetite kitties to eat.

Also excellent..Rosie's Rosedust...you can go to their website Rosie's to see if they list a retailer in your area of your state. It may be expensive but I've *never* had a cat, no matter how ill, turn this down.

Rooting for your guy to feel better fast,

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I will stop off at the petstore tomorrow in NYC..I am sure one of the stores nearby will carry these...and this would sure make dinner time easier!

He is currently into fancy feast oceanwhitefish & tuna...but only if slightly heated...and again, I am really lucky if by the end of the day he has eaten 3/4 of the can. (and those are small cans!) So, can't wait to try the Kitty Kaviar.

Thank you everyone for your support...this has been so amazingly difficult.

You're so patient and creative. I'm sure it will pay off very well. BTW, the syringe isn't liquid, the a/d super-food diet is from the vet and chock full of good stuff. It's very soft, almost runny and we also beat w/a hand held mixer his fancy feast too! he likes the chopped grill and then we load that into the syringe.

Last night was very difficult, didn't sleep at all. When I was patting Dylan, I realized just how skinny he has become...and that he is not even close to the little meatball he was before. I cried myself to sleep. This is just so hard.

Then, this morning, he fought me on eating again. Only ate 1/4 can of beef in gravy fancy feast. (I suppose I should be happy he ate at all) He won't let me give him anything via eyedropper...now he spits everything out and foams and drools when I try to force any liquids on him. He hates the taste of the Lixitinic...and unless I dilute it in something like milk he will foam at the mouth heavily and basically spit it all out. And now, he isn't even letting me get this milk mixture in him. I just don't know what to do.

I am watching my baby get sicker and sicker before my eyes...and know that all he has to do to get well, is EAT. And he is starting to HIDE from me now too.

I am back at work today after taking 6 days off to nurse him...that is part of this guilt...I feel like I should be home.

Originally Posted by sbbeatnik

Last night was very difficult, didn't sleep at all. When I was patting Dylan, I realized just how skinny he has become...and that he is not even close to the little meatball he was before. I cried myself to sleep. This is just so hard.

Then, this morning, he fought me on eating again. Only ate 1/4 can of beef in gravy fancy feast. (I suppose I should be happy he ate at all) He won't let me give him anything via eyedropper...now he spits everything out and foams and drools when I try to force any liquids on him. He hates the taste of the Lixitinic...and unless I dilute it in something like milk he will foam at the mouth heavily and basically spit it all out. And now, he isn't even letting me get this milk mixture in him. I just don't know what to do.

I am watching my baby get sicker and sicker before my eyes...and know that all he has to do to get well, is EAT. And he is starting to HIDE from me now too.

I am back at work today after taking 6 days off to nurse him...that is part of this guilt...I feel like I should be home.

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I'm sorry. I do know how hard it is to do things for your cat that they don't understand is to help them feel better. Take a deep breath...take it one day at a time. Make sure, if your vet has not already done so, that you have a food goal for each day, that you know exactly how much your guy needs to have for intake right now.

One technique with pate/ground type canned foods is to try making little meatballs that you can pop one at a time into his mouth. Discuss with your vet what options exist if you can not get enough food into him (I've read that stomach tube's work well). I've been doing some research on hepatic lipidosis, to be sure I understood what you are dealing with and the key thing I read is that aggressive feeding is required, and that with this, 90% of cats do recover and go on to live normal lives.

That's an awesome stat, so...whatever it takes, come here to blow off steam, to cry, to share...but do what you have to do for your boy...and if you can't get the food into him, let your vet know asap, as there are options such as having a stomach tube placed. Make time for feeding before you go to work, when you come home and pre-bed time...plus leaving out food for him during the day.

If you haven't tried this yet, get some Hill's a/d from your vet as one food to try that is high in calories and nutrients.

I hope to hear that tonight went better and that tomorrow is an even better day, to your fellow,

I decided not to trust the opinion of one vet, so after work today...took him to the vetrinary hospital by my house... boy am i sure glad that I did now!

He has only lost .2 lbs since friday, so is down from 14.4 to 14.2 not as bad as I'd originally thought. *guess those 8 meals a day have helped.

This new vet was so aghast that they had told me his condition based solely on a blood test...and nothing else. She said that it could be any number of things causing his liver to be at such a high number and for evrything to be out of whack.

She said that whatever I have been doing for him has been really good, since I have managed to keep the jaundice away...and it has only very mildly started to come back.

It did make me feel better to know that it had helped and that even though the quantities I got him to eat each day seemed small, they were greatly responsible for him staying alive over the course of this mess.*and I might add, until I finally got him to a vet willing to take the necessary aggressive course of action.

She gave him some sort of injection to help him rehydrate...as he was a bit dehydrated...and tomorrow morning he checks into the hospital for the day for Ultrasound, more intesive bloodwork, urinalysis, and more nutritional treatment, plus iv drip for getting him back up to speed.

He just jumped up on the bed next to me and is purring like crazy...GOD how I missed that.

When we got home from vet tonight...the rehydration had worked wonders, in one sitting he ate almost an entire can of food...more than he does in an entire day! (and kept it down)

He has been alert, out of bed (where he has been curled up since friday), walking around the apartment and coming back and forth to me for attention.

It is amazingly wonderous to have HOPE again!

So here is the current...having his entire file sent over tomorrow...and from now on he will go to this doctor.

Good for you! I'm so happy to hear this better news Keep us updated,

I'm so glad to hear that your furbaby is eating! I'm praying for a full recovery (=

Well, last night Dylan crawled up by my pillow to sleep, purring softly all night...(rather than curling up quietly at the foot of the bed as he has done in recent weeks) it was nice to have him showing that he felt a little bit better, if even for a little while.

I just took Dylan to the Hospital and checked him in for the day. I managed to get him to eat about a quarter of a can of food before we left...but don't feel as bad about that, because he finished off the other plate I put out for him in the middle of the night...and made me oh so happy to find it empty this morning!

Poor little boy was such a nervous wreck in the car going back to the doctor. I know he is much more upset when he stops meowing...than when he is talking at his loudest.

When I told the vet how well the subcutaneous fluids had worked for him last night, she decided to go ahead and add that to the list of his treatments today, and give him another round of that too since he responded so well.

By tonight I will know what the ultrasound shows, and will know the reuslts of several in house blood tests and the urinalysis....but won't know everything until tomorrow--as there will be several tests that have to be sent out to another lab.

But, I will atleast know difinitively if he actually does have Hepatic Lipidosis (which, again, is what the other vet told me after nothing but a blood test! And was treating him for with a high protein diet.)

So, the good thing in all of this is that once I know what is wrong, I can better take care of him...and so can the vetrinarians.