Help!! Beloved Cat Just Diagnosed with Pancreatitis/Kidney Failure

[krashballz]

How's Tigger today?

 

[iloveprincess]

Thank you SO much for the comments and concern about Tigger. I wasn't able to post yesterday because I'm dealing with grad school, in addition to Tigger. 

I'm pleased to report that Tigger is still doing really well!!  He is laying in my lap now, purring away. He has a monster appetite, too . I'm not going to breathe a sigh of relief just yet, but I can't believe how much the difference of a few days makes. 

One minor thing I noticed was that his poop was a light color today (it's always dark). I'm hoping it's just a one-time thing, and nothing to be worried about.

Thank you for your continued support!

 

[iloveprincess]

I'm not sure if anyone is still following, but Tigger's still hanging in there. He did dry heave the other night, which scared me, but seems okay since then. At times, he does lay in the hallway on the cold floor, which makes me wonder if his belly still hurts. Otherwise, he is doing well!

My prof was kind enough to find a vet that was willing to do pro bono work for me and Tigger. I am still awaiting a reply, but I really hope she will work with me if things take a turn for the worse.

 

[nwfn]

I'm glad to hear that Tigger is doing okay so far and that you've found a vet who can help. Please continue to keep us posted. Me and my kitten Miss Chloe are wishing you and Tigger all the best. 

 

[krashballz]

Of course we're still following! Still thinking of you and Tigger every day. So happy to hear he's doing ok still
That was super nice of your prof to help you find a pro bono vet. I didn't know that kind of thing existed. You must be so relieved.

 

[iloveprincess]

Thank you so much, ladies!!

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Of course we're still following! Still thinking of you and Tigger every day. So happy to hear he's doing ok still

That was super nice of your prof to help you find a pro bono vet. I didn't know that kind of thing existed. You must be so relieved.

  We may not always make a written response, but we're definitely still following!  And wishing you and Tigger the best

 

[maureen brad]

I am certainly still following this thread. I hope so much that Tigger does well. It is very exciting that your prof may have a vet that will help you out. Be careful with the high fat content of foods. I know you do not want carrageenan BUT Natural Balance is easier to digest because of the limited ingredients. I am trying to remember which of the science diet foods I finally had to get from the vet because he just couldn't really eat anything much for awhile. I honestly am not a fan of SD but at that time there was one of their foods that was okay for him ( on and off0 he was sick for about 6 weeks. Ziggy didn't do well on the raw when he was sick I had tried instinct medallions but they made him sick. I have heard that vitamin B-12 injections are helpful. Fingers crossed that all goes well. I so hope that vet will help you.

 

[goholistic]

Yep! Still here! 

   I hope Tigger continues to feel good!  

I know exactly what you mean by being scared when they vomit or dry heave or throw up a hairball. Sebastian threw up a little bit of black hair with bile in the middle of the night and it freaked me out. I immediately thought, "oh no...not again." Luckily, he just needed to get the hair up and out because he was hungry and wanted breakfast this morning.  Whew.

 

[iloveprincess]

Thank you for the replies!  I was starting to feel like I was talking to myself and wasn't sure if I should update or not, lol.

I'm so glad Sebastian is okay!! 

Thanks, Maureen, maybe I will look at Natural Balance, I think it's cheaper

I have been playing catch up in grad school, but will have to read updates about your fur babies tomorrow. I'm hoping they are doing well.

New problemo, Tigger is scooting and he has blood on his stool. Does anyone have experience with squeezing anal glands? It sounds disgusting, but I don't have money to pay a vet. I may have to start a new thread about it.

I will check back and write more tomorrow.

Hugs to you and your kitties!

 

[goholistic]

 
Thank you for the replies!  I was starting to feel like I was talking to myself and wasn't sure if I should update or not, lol.

I'm so glad Sebastian is okay!! 

Thanks, Maureen, maybe I will look at Natural Balance, I think it's cheaper

I have been playing catch up in grad school, but will have to read updates about your fur babies tomorrow. I'm hoping they are doing well.

New problemo, Tigger is scooting and he has blood on his stool. Does anyone have experience with squeezing anal glands? It sounds disgusting, but I don't have money to pay a vet. I may have to start a new thread about it.

I will check back and write more tomorrow.

Hugs to you and your kitties!

Don't ever feel like you shouldn't update! Sometimes we just can't respond right away.  

As for the scooting, is he constipated or straining? Has he had problems with his anal glands before? Someone I work with has to take her cat to the vet every 2-3 months for anal gland issues. I've never really heard of anyone doing it themselves at home, and I would not recommend just giving it a try. If not done properly, it could do more harm than good. Perhaps someone with more experience with this will respond.

 

[maureen brad]

I am glad you were pro-active with your vet. When Ziggy was sick I blindly trusted my vet and I will always wonder what would have happened if I had known some thing earlier. I didn't learn about B-12 injections until afterward. The appetite stimulants I read about 1 month into his sickness. By then his liver was in trouble. I am now so vigilant with my animals care. I think I have read everything ever written about cats since Ziigy died. About your cats anal glands. I used to do this for my dogs. It hasn't come up with my cats so I am not sure about accurately advising you. I would suggest you actually search 'expressing cats anal glands" on you tube. That sounds strange I guess but I will bet anything that you can find footage there of exactly how to do it. Some vets post video's about different aspects of animal health.

 

[iloveprincess]

Hello kitty friends!

I finally have a free moment to update. Thank you, as always for your comments and feedback. it's funny you mention the youtube videos about expressing anal glands. I felt totally confident about squeezing his butt, UNTIL I watched youtube videos. Ack, is all I can say. They showed black crumbly stuff coming out of one cat's anal glands, in another video, a dog literally sprayed some nasty substance out of his anus. Ugh, that freaked me out! I had purchased gloves and was prepared to squeeze away, but have not been able to do so since watching those videos.

I have been communicating with the pro bono vet. So, my hunch was kind of right about my vet. The new vet used to work at the clinic Tigger went to. She said that my vet simply bought the cat-only clinic, he doesn't necessarily have experience with cats. What's even funnier is that I called into the radio show and the pet communicator actually told me that I needed to find a new vet! She didn't think he was necessarily bad, she just felt I needed a second opinion and he didn't have much more to offer us. The pro bono vet contacted a lady that SPECIALIZES in cats regarding weaning TIgger off the pred, like my vet had recommended. They both disagreed with my vet and felt it would be risky to take him off the pred. So, it looks like Tigger will be staying on a low dose every other day, indefinitely. The new vet said if he stops, he will flare up (her kitty died from pancreatitis, ugh). I ordered Tigger more needles, fluids, lines, and enzymes from thrivingpets.com, the price was definitely more reasonable than the vet's office!

The new vet asked that I get my lab work and email it to her so she can see what might be causing the bloody stool and scooting. She thought it could be related to intestinal issues. He actually hasn't been scooting lately. I wonder if his stool is just too big/dry/hard. Holistic, he does tend to get constipated and strains when he poops, so that could be the issue. I wonder if cats can get hemorrhoids... 

Ah, Maureen, I'm so sorry about Ziggy. It's really easy to blame yourself, but please don't. It's natural to trust your vet. In fact, I went through the same thing when Princess died. it took losing her to make me so proactive with Tigger. I definitely wish I hadn't waited and ignored signs when things were wrong with Princess. Had I started fluid treatment, pred, and B12 injections on her, perhaps she would still be here, but perhaps not. I guess I will never know. She had all the symptoms, but the vet NEVER bothered to run the fPLI pancreatitis test on her, and I believed him that it was some mystery illness and nothing could be done. As much as it hurts, take it as a learning lesson. You are already more educated now, so you can do better next time. Ziggy's loss wasn't in vein. Hugs.

 

[dan32]

Keep a copy of that bloodwork so you can monitor Tigger's kidney disease.  If you can get the pancreatitis under control, you can string his kidney disease along with sub-q.  What amount of fluids are you giving currently that you are mail-ordering supplies?

 

[goholistic]

I hate to say it, but I agree about the vet. I don't like the way he handled Tigger's pancreatitis AT ALL. 

Sebastian is still on the pred. He had a flare as soon as we tried to lower the dose.

There was another TCS member who mentioned that her cat got constipated on pred. Are you giving Tigger probiotics (sorry, I forget)? If not, they may help. Or, try adding more water to his food for added moisture. I typically recommend fiber and/or Miralax for constipated kitties, but with Tigger's GI issues, I'd try the probiotics first. Fiber and/or Miralax may aggravate other issues. I stopped giving Sebastian fiber after his pancreatitis.

 

[denice]

Patches got constipated with IBD.  I think that is why it took so long to find a vet that started treating him for it IBD.  I think a lot of vets think that chronic digestive problems like IBD involve diarrhea rather than constipation.  I thought the same thing and most of what I found on the internet while I was trying to get his flares under control talked about diarrhea.

I still follow these threads its just if I don't have anything to offer I don't respond.

 

[iloveprincess]

Thanks, guys. I was able to get a copy of Tigger's lab work and will definitely send it to the new vet, and keep it on file. Tigger is getting 100ml of fluids. Prior to starting the fluids, Tigger was very constipated. He would poop just once or twice a week. I tried Miralax, pumpkin, probiotics, and adding excess water to his food, nothing worked. Since starting fluids, he is pooping around every other day. My hunch was he was dehydrated because of his kidney failure (which causes him to pee a lot), which was contributing/causing the constipation. I wouldn't necessarily classify him as constipated now since he is going every other day, but his poop is still hard and SMELLY. I always do the scruff test to check if Tigger is dehydrated before doing the fluids, and even though he is getting fluids almost daily, he still seems dehydrated 

. I asked the vet if the radiologist felt Tigger also had IBD, the vet said he didn't mention anything about it, do you know if IBD is visible on an ultrasound? 

Tigger has probiotics in his supplement and I just started him on Prozyme (digestive enzymes). So far, so good. Holistic, what is Sebastian's maintenance dosage? 

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

 
There was another TCS member who mentioned that her cat got constipated on pred.

 Yes, that was @Raintyger, sadly, she lost her Poppy last week to lymphoma, I believe

 
Thanks, guys. I was able to get a copy of Tigger's lab work and will definitely send it to the new vet, and keep it on file. Tigger is getting 100ml of fluids. Prior to starting the fluids, Tigger was very constipated. He would poop just once or twice a week. I tried Miralax, pumpkin, probiotics, and adding excess water to his food, nothing worked. Since starting fluids, he is pooping around every other day. My hunch was he was dehydrated because of his kidney failure (which causes him to pee a lot), which was contributing/causing the constipation. I wouldn't necessarily classify him as constipated now since he is going every other day, but his poop is still hard and SMELLY. I always do the scruff test to check if Tigger is dehydrated before doing the fluids, and even though he is getting fluids almost daily, he still seems dehydrated 

. I asked the vet if the radiologist felt Tigger also had IBD, the vet said he didn't mention anything about it, do you know if IBD is visible on an ultrasound? 

Tigger has probiotics in his supplement and I just started him on Prozyme (digestive enzymes). So far, so good. Holistic, what is Sebastian's maintenance dosage? 

I would think the extra fluids would certainly help with his constipation issues, and think that's probably why he was scooting and you saw blood, rather that it being his anal glands, he was just having major constipation issues, which is so very common in kidney cats.  My kidney cat got sub-q fluids AND miralax, and that kept him with good consistency stools (daily).  How much miralax were you giving him.  My guy was up to 1/4 teas. twice a day.  If Tigger seems dehydrated giving him fluids every other day, can you  not give them to him every day, maybe just lower the amount of something.  Not sure how much you are giving him, but of course you don't want to ever give too much at one time either

.  It's a fine line there. 

Have you tried Slippery Elm Bark for the pancreatitis?  I wouldn't give it to him at the same time as other supplements or meds, as it can block their absorption, but it might help sooth his pains.  (sorry if it's already been discussed 

)

As far as detecting IBD with an Ultra Sound, I'm not sure if anything would show up or not.  I know for a definitive diagnosis, they have to get a biopsy. 

 

[dan32]

Well, I have had five cats with CKD and never had any problems with constipation - or wasn't I paying attention?  I have never been a big one for food additives, I'll have to admit.

I thought that IBD was characterized by rotating bouts of diarrhea and constipation both - at least that is what it is in the human condition.  I think when the IBD is chronic, there is "thickening" of the intestines that shows up on ultrasounds - but maybe not in all cases.  I always thought of the "thickening" as something like scar tissue.

It is quite a balancing act you (and others on here) are doing with multiple conditions.

 

[goholistic]

 
Holistic, what is Sebastian's maintenance dosage? 

Sorry...for what?