I haven't been posting much, but i am looking at the updates on Bear
Lots of healthy for the biopsy!
Lots of healthy for the biopsy!
-
Too many ads? Join our community of cat lovers now to reduce ads by 90%! Click here to join for free!
Bear is at the vet. He's very sick, liver looks horrible.
- Thread starter katkisses
- Start Date
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2008
- Messages
- 9,837
- Purraise
- 197
I agree, I don't see much point in isolating him now, as he's been sick a long time. If the other cats were going to catch something from him they would have already. Isolating him is only going to cause him stress. That's my opinion, anyway for what it's worth.
Thanks for the update, Bear is on my mind a lot. If you can, let us know when the biopsy is.
Bear.
Thanks for the update, Bear is on my mind a lot. If you can, let us know when the biopsy is.
I understand the not giving up on him part honey! You're doing such a great job caring for this cat! Hugs and lots of love and vibes
I have a friend here in NC that keeps "reminding" me not to let Boo suffer when I talk about him to her, and I keep "gently reminding" her that he is in high spirits, eating, running around, etc. I agree with you on everything you said.
Thinking about you and Bear!!
Thinking about you and Bear!!
I wish Bear all the best and hope he pulls thru this. Sending good healthy vibes to Bear...
They believe my Yoshi had the dry fip but it was never proven.
He never had bad liver numbers though and last 8 months.
He also had kiidney stones that could not be removed that were everywhere.
How much money do you need for the biopsy and tests?
I am go to see if I can get you help.
He never had bad liver numbers though and last 8 months.
He also had kiidney stones that could not be removed that were everywhere.
How much money do you need for the biopsy and tests?
I am go to see if I can get you help.
This news is not what I was hoping for. But I agree with others that the other cats have already been exposed, and if they are not sick, then could it really be FIP? Oh, poor Bear! But since he's acting almost normal, what gives? I'm so anxious to learn when the biopsy is.
Ok, I need some help here. Last time I donated, I did it through Paypal, and now I don't see that link anymore on Bear's Blog, and I'm kind of technology challenged. Is my only option now to call his Vet? Is Highland Animal Hospital where they will be performing the surgery? And is that where Amelia is getting his meds and fluids (wouldn't they be cheaper to get via the internet?) Seriously, I want to donate again, but not sure the best way!
Vibes to all cats in the house, and ofcourse, to Amelia, the awesome caretaker!
Ok, I need some help here. Last time I donated, I did it through Paypal, and now I don't see that link anymore on Bear's Blog, and I'm kind of technology challenged. Is my only option now to call his Vet? Is Highland Animal Hospital where they will be performing the surgery? And is that where Amelia is getting his meds and fluids (wouldn't they be cheaper to get via the internet?) Seriously, I want to donate again, but not sure the best way!
Vibes to all cats in the house, and ofcourse, to Amelia, the awesome caretaker!
Dry FIP does affect each cat in different ways, just as wet can, it all depends on the cat, and that is why it is such an awful disease.
i keep coming back to this thread to check up on bear...
i just wanted to say, we lost a cat to the dry form of FIP in december. what you have been going through does NOT sound like FIP. they waste with FIP, whether you force-feed or not. they don't gain weight. they don't have energy. they are not playful.
our cats liver was affected by the FIP, to the point where it had enlarged enough that you could feel the lump through his side. it was a hard obvious lump. he never showed signs of jaundice though, and even though he wasn't anemic he was eating kitty litter.
our cat spent the last 8 weeks of his life being force-fed every few hours and sleeping, 24/7. the last sign of life i got out of him was a half-hearted pounce at my feet under the covers 6 weeks before he died. bear sounds like he is still pretty perky.
i will keep thinking good thought for your kitty...
i just wanted to say, we lost a cat to the dry form of FIP in december. what you have been going through does NOT sound like FIP. they waste with FIP, whether you force-feed or not. they don't gain weight. they don't have energy. they are not playful.
our cats liver was affected by the FIP, to the point where it had enlarged enough that you could feel the lump through his side. it was a hard obvious lump. he never showed signs of jaundice though, and even though he wasn't anemic he was eating kitty litter.
our cat spent the last 8 weeks of his life being force-fed every few hours and sleeping, 24/7. the last sign of life i got out of him was a half-hearted pounce at my feet under the covers 6 weeks before he died. bear sounds like he is still pretty perky.
i will keep thinking good thought for your kitty...
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #270
Sorry for the long absence! I finally have internet again.
Bear is about the same, if not better.
He did go back to not eating for a few weeks, but I finally got him eating about a cup a day on his own now. I still have to assist feed him though, a cup of food is great but a cup of grocery store crappy food is not the same as a cup of healthier food. Don't they have to eat twice as much? Anyway, the only food he will touch is 9 Lives dry... I have tried over a dozen different foods, and he refuses everything else.
I assist feed him 3-5 times a day now, which is about 1 & 1/2 cans of Hills L/D.
He still refuses to drink water so I still give him 100 units of fluids every day, but I give him a break from fluids once a week. I feel guilty poking him with that needle...
He is still on the same meds. I asked the vet if we could stop the 2 antibiotics because they should be working after 3 months, but he said that Bears liver is so compromised that we should keep him on them. I have to admit, something did help when this all started... He was in bad shape at the emergecy visit in April. I also tried cutting back on his stomach med... but Bear throws everything up without it. And I almost never got his meds to stay down again so he would stop barfing.
I am goig to try to answer everyone's questions, if I miss one let me know!
My vet faxed NC State all of Bears records; the ultrasound results, every blood tests, vet notes, treatmets we have tried, the meds he is on... all of it, I had him ask them if there was anything else we could do. All they came up with is a biopsy.
Yellowing of the skin is just a sign of liver (or gallbladder) problems. You know how you can't let a cat go without eating for more than 2 days? It is because of Hepatic Lipidosis (sp?) and a cat's skin can tur yellow from that. It is not just a FIP thing, it can happen with almost any liver problem. I learned about it on TCS, the cat had to be force fed for weeks/months.
and that it's not right to "force the cat to keep living."
He has not seen Bear since he was a kitten, so he has no idea what he is even talking about. Bear happy/playful/and full of LIFE and no, I am not in denial like some people do when an animal is sick. My cat acts the same as before except eating/drinking/bloodwork.
Keep your head up, some people are crazy.
The vet can't give me an exact cost, it depeds on what he sees when he opens Bear up. It will be between $300-500 total. The vet is going to do some tests before surgery (included in the cost), probably to make sure Bear has a good chance of waking up from surgery. I am guessing it will be $500 if there are complications or if another organ looks bad and he wants biopsies of that or something... $300 if everything goes smoothly? I don't know.
I will get it back up soon.
Highland is where he will have the surgery and it is where I get all of his meds/fluids except for one med, I get the Ursodiol from a compounding pharmacy and I get his needles online (cheaper than vet). Fluids are cheap at my vet, it's $16.50 for a bag that lasts 10 days.
It seems to be the least known about disease. I am sorry that you had to go through that with your cat
, to me FIP is the worst cat illness... no true test, no vaccine, and no saving the cat's life once it has FIP. At least with cancer, you are SURE it's cancer and sometimes they do recover...
Bear's liver is elarged, his sides do seem firm but I am not sure if it's his liver. His pacreas is enlarged too though. He still acts 100%. If I handed him to you and didn't tell you he is sick, you would never know it. He is very alert, bright eyes, plays (he was chasing his tail the other night), he is not sleeping more than normal, he has actually gained a little weight this last month too(not underweight at all). But the vet does not get to see this side of Bear, all he gets to see is Bear laying there looking concerned and his horrible blood test results. Maybe it isn't FIP, I pray it isn't...
---------------
Ok everyone, this thread is crazy long. I will make a new one when I get a chance.
Thanks for all of the support, prayers, and well wishes!
He is still going strong!
Bear is about the same, if not better.
I assist feed him 3-5 times a day now, which is about 1 & 1/2 cans of Hills L/D.
He still refuses to drink water so I still give him 100 units of fluids every day, but I give him a break from fluids once a week. I feel guilty poking him with that needle...
He is still on the same meds. I asked the vet if we could stop the 2 antibiotics because they should be working after 3 months, but he said that Bears liver is so compromised that we should keep him on them. I have to admit, something did help when this all started... He was in bad shape at the emergecy visit in April. I also tried cutting back on his stomach med... but Bear throws everything up without it. And I almost never got his meds to stay down again so he would stop barfing.
I am goig to try to answer everyone's questions, if I miss one let me know!
Everything I read sounds like most FIP cats die within weeks, the vet is puzzled too. He never said "this is certainly FIP" it is just his educated guess, he said we won't know for sure until we do a biopsy. The great thing about the biopsy is that it is sent out to NC State Vet School for them to test it, or whatever they do to biopsies. BUT! Cats with Dry FIP do kive longer than ones with Wet FIP. The difference is that with Wet FIP the cats abdomin fills with fluid, if Bear has FIP it is Dry FIP... FIP is verrrry confusing, I have spent hours reading about it and I am still cofused. Every website contradicts the others...
My vet faxed NC State all of Bears records; the ultrasound results, every blood tests, vet notes, treatmets we have tried, the meds he is on... all of it, I had him ask them if there was anything else we could do. All they came up with is a biopsy.
Yellowing of the skin is just a sign of liver (or gallbladder) problems. You know how you can't let a cat go without eating for more than 2 days? It is because of Hepatic Lipidosis (sp?) and a cat's skin can tur yellow from that. It is not just a FIP thing, it can happen with almost any liver problem. I learned about it on TCS, the cat had to be force fed for weeks/months.
He is not showing the signs of Wet FIP, he has no fluid in his abdominal cavity so far. I still have him seperated... I just don't want to keep exposing my other cats to it, whatever it is. The more they are exposed to it, the more likely they are to get it, if it is something contagious. I hate to seperate him, I really do. It breaks my heart, he seems to be ok with it though. There is just no way I would risk it though, I can't emotionally go through this again. When I wake up, the first thing I do is check to see if he is ok. I have had some scares, thinking that he did not make it through the night - just to find out that he is just sleeping.
I know how that feels, some people can't understand how a cat can be severly ill, but not in pain. A family member keeps telling me to pts Bear, that it's too much money "for an animal"Originally Posted by Snickerdoodle
I understand the not giving up on him part honey! You're doing such a great job caring for this cat! Hugs and lots of love and vibesI have a friend here in NC that keeps "reminding" me not to let Boo suffer when I talk about him to her, and I keep "gently reminding" her that he is in high spirits, eating, running around, etc. I agree with you on everything you said.
Thinking about you and Bear!!
Keep your head up, some people are crazy.
I don't think the liver is always involved with FIP, I am not sure though. Everything I read contradicts others. Some say FIP is contagious, some say it isn't... So little is known about it. Bear doesn't act like the stray we pts, the one that was dying and the vet said Wet FIP. That cat could barely stand (he would just fall over), he weighed nothing, his eyes were dialated like he was in pain, he cried alot, his abdomin was full of fluid. I could even feel it. It wasn't hard though, just very squishy like a bag with water in it. But he wouldn't eat either, we gave him food and he didn't want it.
The vet can't give me an exact cost, it depeds on what he sees when he opens Bear up. It will be between $300-500 total. The vet is going to do some tests before surgery (included in the cost), probably to make sure Bear has a good chance of waking up from surgery. I am guessing it will be $500 if there are complications or if another organ looks bad and he wants biopsies of that or something... $300 if everything goes smoothly? I don't know.
I think I accidently deleted it when I edited the page...Originally Posted by mrsgreenjeens
This news is not what I was hoping for. But I agree with others that the other cats have already been exposed, and if they are not sick, then could it really be FIP? Oh, poor Bear! But since he's acting almost normal, what gives? I'm so anxious to learn when the biopsy is.
Ok, I need some help here. Last time I donated, I did it through Paypal, and now I don't see that link anymore on Bear's Blog, and I'm kind of technology challenged. Is my only option now to call his Vet? Is Highland Animal Hospital where they will be performing the surgery? And is that where Amelia is getting his meds and fluids (wouldn't they be cheaper to get via the internet?) Seriously, I want to donate again, but not sure the best way!
Vibes to all cats in the house, and of course, to Amelia, the awesome caretaker!
FIP is aweful, even if it's not what Bear has.
Bear's liver is elarged, his sides do seem firm but I am not sure if it's his liver. His pacreas is enlarged too though. He still acts 100%. If I handed him to you and didn't tell you he is sick, you would never know it. He is very alert, bright eyes, plays (he was chasing his tail the other night), he is not sleeping more than normal, he has actually gained a little weight this last month too(not underweight at all). But the vet does not get to see this side of Bear, all he gets to see is Bear laying there looking concerned and his horrible blood test results. Maybe it isn't FIP, I pray it isn't...
---------------
Ok everyone, this thread is crazy long. I will make a new one when I get a chance.
Thanks for all of the support, prayers, and well wishes!
I hope you get answers soon and the results are good.
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2008
- Messages
- 9,837
- Purraise
- 197
Thanks for the update on our Bear!
Thanks for the great update. I'm guessing a cup of "crappy" food, at this point, is better than no food, or less food. My Sven, a CRF kitty, is currently ONLY eating Temptations. I know, I KNOW, this is not a good thing, but, to me, it's quality of life, at this point, rather than quantity. He is, after all, 15 years old, Anyway, back to Bear, so glad he's acting like there is nothing wrong with him. I think attitude is at least half the battle
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #275
I checked Bear's color today....
I couldn't even tell if his ears are yellow (I have to take him outside, the light bulbs have a yellowish hue and it make his color look normal when it isn't). His belly is slightly yellow, and his mouth is a little more yellow than his belly. That means his Bilirubin is going down some
, the fact that he is still yellow shows that it is still high though but it has to be better than before, now that it is fading some.
I don't think his other levels have improved deastically though, or he would e eating more. The high liver levels are making him too nauseuos to eat much. Of those will just go down, he would eat. He didn't eat much last night either.
So after I wrote a paragraph last night about "I am not doing bloodwork for a while..." I am taking that back lol! I am way to curious now, I need to know how much his Bilirubin has improved.
I am going to take him in for bloodwork in a couple weeks when I get his meds/fluids refiled. I know the vet will be supried when he sees Bear, he has gained some weight since his last vistit and his fur looks fantastic. His fur was greasy at the begining of all of this, but it may have just been from adding oil to his food and the food getting on him.
I did get some pics of him today, they kinda suck though. Apparently the lens was smudged up, so the pics are blurry.
I am working on uploading them.
I will keep everyone updated now that I have internet access.
A couple years ago I taught him 2 tricks, "gimme paw" and "Bear." The "Bear" trick is where he stands up on his haunches and reaches up for the treat until his front feet are off of the ground.
I guess the saying "things seem better when you have to work for them" is true.
You might want to try the Tuna Flakes for Sven, Petsmart has them. It is the Whisker City brand, they were on sale at my local Petsmart.
I also crumble them up over his dry, hoping he will eat more dry.
Ohhhh, we've been there too! All Bear would eat on his own for a while IS Temptations, he likes the Milk ones.
They should make those things nutritionally complete and sell them in bulk LOL!
I don't think his other levels have improved deastically though, or he would e eating more. The high liver levels are making him too nauseuos to eat much. Of those will just go down, he would eat. He didn't eat much last night either.
So after I wrote a paragraph last night about "I am not doing bloodwork for a while..." I am taking that back lol! I am way to curious now, I need to know how much his Bilirubin has improved.
I did get some pics of him today, they kinda suck though. Apparently the lens was smudged up, so the pics are blurry.
Me too, I just want an answer. I want to know what we are up against. It's not knowing anything for sure that really bothers me.
Your welcome!Originally Posted by otto
Thanks for the update on our Bear!
Yeah, it is the only thing he will eat right now besides fish flake treats. And even then, he will not just eat the treats, ohhh no... he will only eat them if I make him "work" for them.Originally Posted by mrsgreenjeens
Thanks for the great update. I'm guessing a cup of "crappy" food, at this point, is better than no food, or less food. My Sven, a CRF kitty, is currently ONLY eating Temptations. I know, I KNOW, this is not a good thing, but, to me, it's quality of life, at this point, rather than quantity. He is, after all, 15 years old, Anyway, back to Bear, so glad he's acting like there is nothing wrong with him. I think attitude is at least half the battle
Ohhhh, we've been there too! All Bear would eat on his own for a while IS Temptations, he likes the Milk ones.
Thank you for the vibes!Originally Posted by mizmelzy
I have been checking on this thread on and off. I'm so glad that bear is eating and is improving. I am sending lots of loveand healing !
btw - you might look in the asian section of your supermarket for bonito flakes - they are pretty much the same thing, & most likely cheaper! i found these 3 on amazon, to show examples: bonito flakes - nishimoto - katsubushiOriginally Posted by KatKisses
You might want to try the Tuna Flakes for Sven, Petsmart has them. It is the Whisker City brand, they were on sale at my local Petsmart.I also crumble them up over his dry, hoping he will eat more dry.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #277
I will look, thanks sooo much! The ones I got were 1oz on sale for $1.50. Orig price was almost $6 lol. I laughed when I saw "Gift-wrap available" option.
If they smell like the ones I have, I don't know how people cook with them ,they smells so much stronger/gross than tuna.
Thanks for taking the time to paste the links, I am going to look for those the next shopping trip!
Bear hasn't really touched much food today. I gave him an egg white and he seemed pretty interested, he pushed my hand out of his bowl before I was done "mushing" the egg up. But he ate less than a spoonfull of it.
He has been less tollerant with his SubQ fluids, for the last month or so he does wiggle a bit and gives me dirty looks (
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #278
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #279
In case some of you didn't check the new thread:
BEAR IS WAAAAY BETTER NOW! Only one level is high. ALT is 541 when it should be 100, but it was 1228 the last time!
BEAR IS WAAAAY BETTER NOW! Only one level is high. ALT is 541 when it should be 100, but it was 1228 the last time!
