Question about FIP? Please help!

I have just found this forum (I'm a member of the Chins & Quills forum) to try and get some input about our cat.

He is normally a fine, healthy cat; very beautiful, easy-going and no problems up to now. He is almost 4 years old; neutered.

The last few weeks, we noticed that he would sometimes not use his sandbox, but pee on strange places. We always clean his sandbox, as he showed from early on that he prefers it that way.

This afternoon, about 5pm, we noticed that Patches was behaving strangely. He was straining on his sandbox, and then started vomiting. It was an angry sandy-green colour, almost like a paste, and smelled horrible. He vomited a few times more; every time getting thinner, but the smell is just terrible; like something is dead inside.

He strained several times more, but nothing happened. We thought he was constipated, and gave him some hairball remedy, as well as a small piece of glycerine suppository. It came out a short while later.

He kept straining, without success.

By 10 pm, we took him to an emergency vet. He has a fever, and the vet also found a huge mass in his abdomen. He talked a lot, and spoke about a myriad of tests to be done. He wouldn't answer my simple question of what can be done for the cat right now to make him more comfortable.

I told him to stop talking tests and big names and to just say what he thinks is wrong, and what the symptoms are. He found the cat is dehydrated (about 3%); his eyes are turning yellow (jaundice); there is the mass in the abdomen, he is vomiting due to an obstruction or something; and by then, Patches was also starting to just leak fluid from behind. It smells awful.

He is depressed - he crawls into his sandbox, something he has never done before. He also doesn't clean himself off, and he is a very proud and pretty kitty.

I just found this article on the forum, about FIP: http://www.thecatsite.com/health/fip.html

All the symptoms are there. The vet wants to run the tests the article speaks about.

We have just given Patches a 1/4 tablet the vet gave us, to help the vomiting, but it came back out, along with a lot of foul-smelling foam and slime. We put it back in, and will try to give him some water in a few minutes.

He didn't eat or drink anything for the last 8 or 9 hours. It is now 1.30am here near Toronto.

I love my cat dearly, but I can't stand his suffering. I would rather have him put down now, than force him to hang on for our sake.

My beautiful, proud cat was reduced to a stinking mass of dull fur in the space of a few hours. He looks at me for help, and I can't do anything for him. He hurts when we pick him up or try to hold him.

Input, please, anyone?

Sorry for the long message as a first introduction. I can hardly see the screen anymore; I'm crying so hard.

Meerkat

I am so sorry you and Patches are going through this. My own Missy is very ill also, and I know how you feel. I don't know if I can give advice because I don't know your situaton, I don't know how much Patches is suffering.

They thought FIP was a possibility with Missy, and it took a lot of tests to find out exactly what's going on (and we're still not sure). All I can say is that I hope the vet can relieve some of his suffering. It hurts so much to see them suffer so. My thoughts and prayers are with you and Patches.

HI, Missycat
Thanks for your input. Yes I read about your cat, and my heart goes out to you.

Here is the latest update - and I have to say, I am so angry at the vet from last night! Back then I thought I was just upset about my cat, but he did mess up big time, according to a second opinion we just had. Also, he did nothing for Patches last night; didn't even listen to his heart. Only took temp, and felt the abdomen and checked the eyes and teeth. He wanted to run all those tests, but wouldn't relieve the cat's pain right then.

10 am:
We just took him to another vet, who was very kind and saw Patches
immediately. He said Patches is critical. It is definitely a blocked
bladder. The vet last night said it is for sure NOT the bladder! I am so upset. The vet last night did nothing, nothing at all to relieve the situation or give Patches anything to make him more comfortable. If I didn't insist three times that he gives us something for the pain at least, he wouldn't have done so.

This morning, the other vet said the blockage is so severe that by now, even running any of the expensive tests the other vet wanted to do, he can tell us the heart is compromised, the blood gases are upset, the potassium levels are sky-high and the toxins in the body must be extensive. He told us he will give Patches a chance by trying to unblock him. He will put him under anaesthetic - but that is dangerous in itself because of the fact that the cat's heart is compromised already - and try to put in a catheter to flush his bladder and unblock him.

He promised that if it takes half an hour or is difficult, he will go to euthanasia. I am waiting for his phone call now.

Meerkat

I am so sorry that you Patches has had to go through all of this. It never ceases to amaze me what some vets *don't know* or how they just forget about the creature under their care. I have a horse that many years ago had these puzzling symptoms and my vet at the time misdiagnosed him not once but 3 times! Then he gave him an injection that almost killed him and I had to get really tough and yank my horse out from under his care and demand that he refer us to a teaching university vet hospital. It came out okay, even though Race had to spend a week in isolation and another week in general wards.

About Patches, the symptoms you describe does not sound like FIP. There are two forms of this disease wet and dry. The dry comes on slowly and your cat will have chronic weight loss, fever, loss of appetite, lethargy. If the disease has advanced to the brain you will see neurological signs such as paralysis, disorientation, loss of balance, drooling, tremors, convulsions, incontinence. In the wet FIP you will see similiar symptoms like the weight loss and lethargy but the cat will become severly anemic and you can check this by looking at the gums to see if they are red, or pale pink. Fluids will begin to build up in the abdomen making the cat look like it has a pot-belly. The fluid continues to gather inside, spreading to the chest and making breathing difficult.

So please let us know the outcome as soon as you can, and don't worry about crying. Most of us have been there at one time or another and know full well what you are dealing with. We will wait for that phone call along with you.

Oh, Meerkat - that is so agonizing to have the first vet misdiagnose. I've heard of misdiagnoses too many times. I'm glad you got him into another vet who will treat his immediate symptoms, and I'm hopeful that the catheter is successful. Poor baby. Missy sends face-licks too.

Thank you very much for the updates, and sharing your stories! Much appreciated to know that there are others who understand. Isn't the Internet wonderful?

The second vet called a while ago. He said it was easy to unblock, and then he put a catheter in to flush the bladder. It got blocked within minutes. They cleaned it and tried again. Same thing. It seems there are sandy crystals in the bladder, so much that it keeps blocking the catheter.

However, he feels that we should give Patches 24 hours to see how it is going. He is replacing fluids and also giving him antibiotics to curb any infection.

He said he got the papers from the vet from last night, and "they were definitely barking up the wrong tree."

I phoned the vet hospital where we were last night, insisted to speak to a manager or someone and got the head vet or something like that. A very kind lady. I explained very calmly to her that I wasn't happy with the fact that we had to wait 2 hours last night with a clearly very sick and moaning cat; and that the vet would stand with his hands to his sides half the time, then spent 5 minutes checking the cat and talking about lots of tests. I told her I had to ask three times that he give Patches something to relieve his pain. I also said he told us that it was definitely not the bladder, and yet this morning the other vet said Patches was by now critical and that he was able to unblock the bladder.

I said I wouldn't want anyone's cat to go through what Patches did, just because of an incompetent vet. That we took him there to get relief, not a list of possible procedures. I said we paid $50 for nothing. She agreed and promised to phone me back in a few hours.

Thanks for listening to my long moan!
Hopefully Patches will be ok. I just wonder what caused it in the first place, and hope we can stop it from happening ever again if he comes through it ok.

stupid vet from last night - hope they give him heck!
Meerkat

But keep on the incompetent vet, some offices will just sluff it under the table and not do anything about the incident. Write a letter to the owner of the vet clinic, kick your feet, scream and holler and demand your $50.00 back! Make a fuss so they will listen- if only for the benefit of the next animal that is coming the way of this man!

Once kitty comes home,try adding some cranberry juice in the water, not a lot unless Patches will willingly lap up the juice. Some cats like it, some don't. good luck and I hope this turns out well for you.

Just minutes ago, the other vet phoned. He said Patches woke up after the sedation of this morning, he pulled the catheder out by himself and drank some water on his own. He said Patches looks a whole lot better than this morning. He wants to keep him overnight to make sure Patches can urinate on his own, and that there are no more blockages. He will phone us again tomorrow morning at around 10am.

The vet told us we could pay him back over time, so that should be all right. He also did not do costly tests or anything unneccessary, it sounds like. He really cares for the animals; not like that twit of last night who told me (a) it was definitely not the bladder; (b) that Patches was dehydrated but I should not give him water and (c) to come back in 3 days if the matter wasn't resolved, so he could put on an IV!
My cat would have been dead, and died a horrible death by now if I took him at his word.

I'm so glad he is feeling better! Can't tell you how relieved I am. This morning was terrible; and I have never cried so hard in front of a perfect stranger in my life. Shame; wonder what they thought! But then, I'm sure they see that too often.

Thank you, everyone, for your input, for reading and for praying, thinking, sending kitty-licks and good vibes. I'm glad I found this forum last night, and will certainly stick around to help out someone else in my turn next time.

Will update you again tomorrow morning.
Meerkat

I know I am not alone when I say I am so relieved for you!

YAY!

10 am here
Up and down on the emotional roller coaster.

The vet just phoned.
Patches was kept overnight. His temperature is sub-normal. He is too cold,
due to too much toxins that built up in his blood because the bladder was
not unblocked in time..
His bladder lost the ability to let him know he has to empty it. They have
to squeeze him every hour. It could come back over time, but the doctor said
the prognosis is not good. He would advise we put him out of his misery.

I have sent email to DH at work to find out when we can go say our final
goodbyes.
Meerkat

Meerkat....I am sooo very sorry for your loss. Having to make a decision like this is one of the most painful and horrific experiences us cat lovers can have. Just know that you did everything possible and that you gave your sweet guy a good life.

My thoughts are with you.

My celebration was to early, I am so sorry. When we lost our wonderful shop cat, it was due to blockage as well. It came on suddenly and we made the decision to put Bravo out of his misery. The vet, bless his soul made a house call and put him down on the table he loved to sprawl on. I am sorry that your path turned like it did, and I will offer you all the support and hugs and prayers I have. This poem has always helped me to find perspective, perhaps it may comfort you as well...

The Calling
God looked around His garden
And found an empty place.
He then looked down upon the earth,
And saw your tired face.
He put His arms around you
And lifted you to rest.
God's garden must be beautiful
He always takes the best.
He knew that you were suffering
He knew you were in pain
He knew that you would never
Get well on earth again.
He saw the road was getting rough,
And the hills were hard to climb.
So He closed your weary eyelids,
And whispered "Peace be thine."
It broke my heart to lose you
But you didn't go alone
For part of me went with you
The day God called you home


__________________

Meerkat...I am so sorry. I was really hoping Patches would pull through. I know how hard it is to say good-bye. My thoughts are with you.

Meerkat... I'm so sorry you and Patches had to go through such pain, and then having to lose her at the end. My heart is with you.

JoJo and Dani Night Stalker

Meerkat, I am so sorry to hear about poor patches and I'm so angry at that first vet! I am no vet, but as soon as I read your first post, I said to myself, what a classic case of FUS (Feline Urological Syndrome) . The lump that vet had felt was the full bladder. He must have been extremely inexperienced not to realize that. I think any vet should have suspected FUS immidiately based on your description alone (peeing outside the box and then straining and not peeing at all! - a classic!).

I know it is too late for you and your poor precious Patches, but honesly if there was ever a case of veterinarian malpractice this is it! I would not only demand the 50$ back but would sue them for all the extra expenses with the other clinic and also for all the agony they put the poor cat through!

Again, I'm really really sorry for you and I hope and pray that my post won't bring you more pain. This is totally not your fault and is totally the fault of the first vet!

Oh, Meerkat - I am so sorry! My celebration was premature also. It's just to hard - you're hoping and hoping that the news is good, and you and grab onto any positives, even small ones. I think I know how you feel. I am so very sorry. I just gave Missy an extra pat for poor Patches. You did everything you could for him and I'm sure he knows that.

Thanks everyone for your kind words. I can't believe how sad I was over that cat. Every time I see his sandbox, or come to the top of the stairs where he would usually sprawl so you had to step over him, or find a pipe cleaner somewhere, I started bawling again.

We buried him tonight while the sun was setting, on a friend's farm. They have five cats themselves. They made a little corner available for Patches. It is a lovely spot, and I felt it was so fitting that the sun was setting in pure gold while we were covering his box.

One of their cats came wandering by and sat down looking at us. It was as if he was attending the funeral for one of his own.

While we were driving back home, there was this huge, very creamy moon in the sky. Like a gently smiling face or something.

Maybe you think I'm nuts, but these natural things always make an impression on me, and when I see them again in future, I remember the situation or the person with as much feeling as the first time.

Thank you again for your notes. I really appreciate them.
Meerkat

We have all unfortunately been in your position. If it will help there is a forum called Crossing the Bridge that is set up for memorials to your pets. If you want to post something there, all will welcome reading it I am sure. Hugs for your loss

Thank you again, everyone, for your support. Much appreciated.

I'm following up with the vets and am busy getting things ready to lay a complaint about the vet. However, if anyone wants to share in that up-and-down, I'm willing to tell the story, but I suppose it should be continued as a different thread elsewhere.

Any suggestions as to where to take it, please? I am new at this forum after all, and don't want to mess up things. But this experience shows again how important the choice of a vet can be. I should have trusted my gut instinct; I didn't trust the vet from the moment we walked in with Patches, and said as much to my husband before he even touched the cat.

Meerkat

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Fly free, Patches; and watch over little Hannah
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