Hepatic Lipidosis won't eat AGAIN

Poor Dylan, I hope his little tummy settles soon. It may be nothing, he could have eaten fast, but since your new vet has been so wonderful, maybe you could just call them and run it by them. Just in case it could be the softener he is on? Just to be on the safe side

Any MUST HAVE cat books that you guys can suggest? I am shopping around on Amazon right now...going through every thing from books on dealing with emotional stress of taking care of sick pet, to holistic cat care books, to just general cat books....

Any good books out there you can suggest for me?

The roller coaster ride begins again.

I got the phone call today from the vet and the blood chem results were back.

The vet said that dylan's levels were elevated "slightly" but she wasn't that concerned because his clinical exam showed such signs of improvement.

She is thinking at the next follow up that we will do another ultra sound.

This seems like such an expensive viscous cycle...and although she is the vet out of the four at the hospital who has treated the most HL cats, I am not sure that I don't want to follow Hissy's advice and research local experts and see what else can be done...because the clock is ticking.

And he may look better and act better...but aren't the numbers what count?

Advice?

Tonight my boyfriend has insisted that I leave the house since I have spent my week off "in" with Dylan, only leavin to take him to the vet and to go to the grocery store. (there are plenty of things to do at home right?)

But he bought "surprise" tickets to a jazz concert in NYC for 7:30 tonight and said it would be good for my mental health...and at this point, he is probablyl right.

I spent $50 on 6 cat books today from amazon (bought all used so I could buy more books) they should be here in a few days)

I got everything from holistic cat care, to dealing with jealousy with a partner and a pet, to dealing with grief of dying pet....to a book of poetry written about a beloved cat. (yes I was kitty obsessed as usual today)

I don't even remember all the books i bought. If any are great, I will certainly let you all know.

I am off for my last work day tomorrow...so will prob. check this when I get home tonight.

could use encouragement....am stressed to the max.

Am drinking a nice cold beer instead of getting ready for this jazz concert.

And I love jazz, especially live.

But, I hate to leave dylan at all lately.

I plugged feliway back in, since he has AGAIn, suddenly decided, new yummy food is not so interesting. He had midnite/ almost me waking up snack and hasn't shown much interest in anything since.

There might be a feeding tube in his future afterall.

firstly Dylan is was showing really good signs of getting better, so don't get discouraged!

If ssomething upset his stomach, he may not want to eat, this is expected in many cats... once his tummy is ok he should eat again..

I am not vet, just telling you from my expirience, when a cat is sick, and you got him eating the prescription dry food, I would try not to change foods to often, wouldn't even give dry and then soft, it can upset their tummies...try to just give him the prescription food...

but again, just a suggestion, cause I don't know much about LP in cats, and changing foods often is to help his condition, jsut forget what I said!

Oh, and I so understand how you have been feeling about Dylan, and I am just as cat obsessed as you are!!!

Oh, Susan, I'm sorry you're feeling so discouraged tonight. Please think about how much progress Dylan has made just this week! He's eating so much better than before. Maybe the numbers just don't reflect his improvement just yet. You are doing absolutely everything to give him the very best care possible! He loves you so much!
What books did you order today? Please remember to take care of yourself also, Susan! I'm so happy you're finally doing something for yourself tonight. Please let us know how the jazz concert was and how your sweet Dylan is feeling tonight!

Originally Posted by sbbeatnik

Do any of you have cat beds?

Dylan has a scratching post and millions of toys but no kitty bed...but I am thinking maybe he needs one to hide in MY closet.

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Sierra just loves her special new bed and it has become her favorite daytime sleeping spot! In your search for the perfect bed for Dylan, may I recommend this thread!
Tanya is so right! The best way to get him to like it is to place it in there and ignore it as if it is no big deal!
Stephanie

Tried posting this before...but site went down for a little while.

Last night was good distraction for me, both sets of Jazz were hour each...so was home by 11pm.

Dylan made me very happy by eating while I was out...and left a great big food art mess crunched up on the floor all around his bowl. I kissed him, and scooped him up and told him how proud of him I was.

I thought about what the vet said...and not only are you all right, but so is she.

She said that Dylan's levels were only "slightly" elevated...and since his clinical evaluation was so good(i.e. he has more meat on his bones now, his fur has more sheen, dandruff is gone, eyes are clear, gums are pink and his belly doesn't feel swollen), especially compared to his last evaluation 12 days ago(his fur was dull, and he had very bad dandruff because it had gotten so dry, his eyes were wattery, and he was really bony) So, she said he is physically improving, and that his levels were probably elevated because he didn't eat as much over the weekend (from thurs-tues last week).

But she also said that she has seen this happen in many of the HL cats she has treated, and they did go on to recover...and from the looks of how he is doing, he is getting better.

She wants to see him again in a few weeks and retest once he has been on this prescription diet for a bit...

If the numbers are still elevated, she wants to do another ultrasound and then we would discuss possibility of feeding tube. But she stressed that she didn't feel it would get to that point.

(It is hard not to keep that thought in your head though, when someone tells you this...and also knowing the seriousness of this illness.)

At any rate, I am being a very sensitive emotioned mother of a furbaby...and every little bit of news other than great news makes me nervous.

All of these books I ordered will help me deal with this more I think. I'll let you know if they are any good.

From everything you've posted lately about Dylan, I think you should be extremely optimistic. It really seems he's doing great.

Try not to worry so much. Your vet sounds great, Dylan's getting the best of care, and look how much he's improved since this all started. I know it's hard, but try to get out more. Everything will be fine.

today is the last day of my "vacation" then I am back to work and the real world on Monday...which I am sure will be very healthy for me. Socialization is always good when trying to be a normal person in the face of illness.

I have managed to drive myself only slightly crazy this week off, because I opted to stay in, because it has been so hot and muggy outside all week long.

Tonight however, I am going out to dinner with friends...so...step in the right direction

Dylan has really enjoyed having me home this week though. He hasn't had to share me with my boyfriend as much.

Susan-Getting back into the full swing of things is always tough. Poor thing, you need another vacation to recover from the last week

Originally Posted by dawnofsierra

Sierra just loves her special new bed and it has become her favorite daytime sleeping spot! In your search for the perfect bed for Dylan, may I recommend this thread!

Tanya is so right! The best way to get him to like it is to place it in there and ignore it as if it is no big deal!

Stephanie

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Stephanie,

I just spent about 20 minutes on the website where you got your cat bed. I want to get the Milo bed for Dylan. It is the turquoise on with little kitties all over it.

Here is a question for everyone...my b/f isn't too keen on all of the extra kitty "accessories" I have been buying lately....but, they make Dylan happy, and therefore, make me happy and I only keep one toy out at a time and store the rest in dylan's toy box the rest of the time-- So...if I want to get a kitty bed...which he would consider an "eyesore" since I already have a tree of a cat post...with place to sit, and dangling toys to play with...etc. and a kitty litter box that I call "Epcot Center" because it looks a little like Disney's epcot center...other than that though, I don't have stuff lying around for dylan....HERE"S the question...should I just get it and to H*ll with what he thinks? (this is what I think I should do!) What do you all think? I mean it wouldn't be like I was bringing home another cat! (not anytime soon anyways )

I pretty much do whatever I want when it comes to Dylan, but since my boyfriend and I moved in together almost 5 months ago I had to get a storage unit for a large chunk of my stuff...and he is still "adjusting" to having my things with his.

I did invest in a book about helping with JEALOUSY between your significant other and your pet. Because I certainly think that now that dylan is sick and getting so much more attention he is starting to have jealous tendencies towards dylan instead of the loving feelings that he developed for dylan in the beginning.

Dylan needs all of the positive reinforcement he can get...so, if any of you have experience with signicant other being jealous of your kitty...please share your experiences and how you got over it. (the book is a good starting point I think.)

Ok, I rambled a lot...and out comes dylan to say hello from his sleeping spot.

I must go love my baby!

I am afraid I have no advice, since dh was always into cats, one reason he became my dh
I think the cat bed is a great idea...the more "just for kitty" spots you have, the less often Dylan will be on furniture - in case that bothers your bf.

A cat bed can also be a convenient area where you store his toys next to or if a favorite soft catnip toy, right in the bed

I was sorry to read that the blood work wasn't totally clear, but glad to hear your vet feels things are going well, and that you can see the difference as well.

wishing Dylan all the best,

I say, make a deal with you SO.... tell him you are going to buy this bed for Dylan and then will take it easy on the extras for a little while. Explain to him how you think that sweet little Dylan needs a place of his own to be able to lay in and be comfy. Add in a little sad puppy dog eyes and a cute little face and make sure you are hold Dylan while you are explaining this and he will be sure to agree. I know exactly how you feel because I go through the same thing with my bf. The thing to do is, have so much stuff for Dylan that he can't notice when you do buy something new

Good luck, let us know how the bed goes over!

It is just an adjustment phase since b/f hasn't ever had a pet of his own before offically becoming dylan's daddy.

Mind you, dylan ADORES him...and I have plenty of photos of them snuggled up sleeping to prove that in actuallity my guy loves dylan too...

I think he is really just tired of my main topic of conversation for last month and a half being cat, cat cat and more cat.

He will adjust...and I will find a comfortable medium.

As I mentioned on someone else's thread...it took 3 years for us to move in together...BECAUSE I wouldn't until he was fully willing to welcome dylan--because we are a package deal.

So when he finally asked me to get a place with him, I knew he thought it through.

He is just learning first how to be a parent to a kitty, and second how to accept the unconditional love of a furbaby (and all that that includes, in this case illness and recovery...and my stress getting through it!)

I think my b/f is more of a wrestle with a big dog kind of guy--but is still adjusting to his secret like of cats, and hasn't yet learned to proudly tell his friends that he really likes kitty's too. (in time, he will be won over the same way my father was...I remember once when my dad said to me a LOOOONG time ago, "no cats, ever!" Now my dad has two of his own. because of my influence!!)

Originally Posted by squirtle

The thing to do is, have so much stuff for Dylan that he can't notice when you do buy something new

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Ooh I like this approach!

Originally Posted by squirtle

I say, make a deal with you SO.... tell him you are going to buy this bed for Dylan and then will take it easy on the extras for a little while. Explain to him how you think that sweet little Dylan needs a place of his own to be able to lay in and be comfy.
Good luck, let us know how the bed goes over!

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I will say this, my b/f was intrigued by the idea of a cat tent...because HE is an avid camper...and actually thought when I said it that it meant that we could take Dylan CAMPING with us (I wish)

So, I think I will get it, and make him feel important by having him "pitch" the tent for dylan!

Originally Posted by Pat & Alix

Ooh I like this approach!

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ME TOO!

You can never have enough stuff for the one you love!

Nope you sure can't

I think it's a good idea, the tent approach

Stool softener is certainly to blame for Dylan getting sick yesterday...

I just gave him his reduced one a day dose...and not 2 minutes later he threw up.

Poor little guy. I will have to call the vets office tomorrow and see what they say.

I obviously won't give this to him anymore...the last thing he needs is to get dehydrated from unecessarily throwing up.



He just has such a sensitive little tummy right now.

Aaaww, poor little tummy. Feel better soon, sweet Dylan!