Liver Failure :-(

[myrockymeister]

Thanks for the advice, everyone. So sorry to hear about Dusty's passing.

Rocky is eating better. Been mixing the multivitamin gel with his food. He doesn't eat much at a time, but he is lapping it up faster, like his appetite is coming back. He ate about 4 tablespoons of wet food so far and I'm hoping he'll want another middle-of-the-night feeding later like he did last night. He's off the baby food and eating Friskies wet food, blended up. I saw him drink from his water bowl twice this morning.

Going to call the vet tomorrow morning since he didn't get back with me today. I'd like to know how far gone Rocky's liver failure is and what type of liver failure it is. All the vet told me was that Rocky's liver failure was due to old age. Hard to think of him as being old when just a couple of weeks ago he was chasing his stringy toy up and down the hallway like a kitten would.

 

[finnlacey]

Yeah, that's not very specific! Live failure due to old age? If Rocky is responding it doesn't sound like his liver is too far gone. Sounds like Rocky is not giving up! 

 

[myrockymeister]

Just an update: talked to the vet a few days ago and he doesn't know the cause of the liver failure. The only thing I can connect it to is the vaccination shot. I am seriously considering not having my cats get any more vaccinations or at least follow the vet association's schedule of every 3 years for indoor cats who don't come into contact with outdoor pets. I don't know what else beside the vaccination that could have triggered Rocky not eating. 

I've been giving Rocky a daily pill (Denosyl) that should help strengthen his liver. He's drinking water on his own and using the litter box (urinating, but not too sure if defecating because we have another cat). I still have to spoon feed him blended cat food. Once in a blue moon he'll eat on his own. 

Thanks for all your help. I read some of the other threads here and wish I was a cat expert to help them. 

 

[finnlacey]

Why can't your vet give you an appetite stimulant for Rocky to get him to eat? This would make things so much easier!!! Please ask for one and make sure it's NOT mirtazapine as that can send a kitty with liver failure into seratonin syndrome. Ask for cyproheptadine. And yes, vaccinations can do this! You can ask for a medical waiver from now on for Rocky or even get him a titer test to make sure the vaccine is still active before they give him another one. 

 

[myrockymeister]

Wow, can't believe it's been 9 days since I last posted to this thread. Time is flying! Just to give an update....Rocky is still taking the daily Denosyl pill (minus the two days where I found out later he puked it up). He got to the point again where he wouldn't eat from a spoon, so I started syringe feeding him a week ago. He can only take 8 or 9 cc at a time or else he pukes, so he gets fed several times a day (total daily food adds up to 3 tablespoons, give or take). He's drinking water on his own still. I'm giving him a daily sponge bath and he purrs a little during it. When I get down, I read stories of cats who had liver trouble and got better. Helps me feel hopeful for Rocky.

I don't know why the vet didn't suggest an appetite stimulant. I don't know if I could stand giving Rocky another daily pill. It's a struggle to give him the Denosyl. I'll stick with the syringe feeding for now and re-evaluate the situation in a couple of weeks. Thanks for the info about the vaccination waiver and titer test.

 

[blueyedgirl5946]

I had a cat that we gave Denamarin to to try to improve his liver numbers. He had never been sick, just high ALT when blood tested. I finally had to quit giving it to him as it made him vomit/ The milk thistle may be causing your cat to vomit. If so, there are other liver supplements you could ask your vet about. Also, a probiotic like Forti Flora sprinkled over the food might stimulate his appetite.

 

[minka]

I'm sorry Rocky isn't doing any better
Feeding him several times a day sounds good, but the amount needs to go way up. He needs at least 5.5oz per day. :nod:

Also its nice that's he's enjoying his bath, but I don't know if I'd keep doing it. Most cats don't need a bath once a month let alone every day; you may dry out his skin a lot if you continue.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

What are you syringe feeding him, and are you still adding the vitamin paste into it?  I you aren't already, I would ask your Vet for a prescription for Hill's A/D, which is really good for syringe feeding, and it's higher in calories and vitamins than regular food. 

Lots of cats with liver disease get better.  They just have to be helped along with TLC, which you are doing.  But he definitely will need more than 3 tablespoons of food per day.  Are you feeding him those 8 - 9 cc's slowly.  How long before you try to feed him again after that initial amount?  If you just wait a few minutes, can he take more, or will he then throw up? 

 

[brooklynp221]

I hope Rocky is feeling better!! 

 

[myrockymeister]

The vitamin paste still gets blended in with his food. Whenever I try to feed him more, he pukes. It doesn't matter if I wait an hour between syringes. Yesterday he puked up his Denosyl pill 4 hours and 2 feedings later. I'm surprised the medicine hadn't gotten digested yet. I'll keep trying to give him more feedings, though.

 

[finnlacey]

I'm getting very concerned at how long this is going on. Can you apply for Carecredit or something to take him to the vet? This is going on too long now. He needs appetite stimulants and maybe even something to take the inflammation down. 

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

The vitamin paste still gets blended in with his food. Whenever I try to feed him more, he pukes. It doesn't matter if I wait an hour between syringes. Yesterday he puked up his Denosyl pill 4 hours and 2 feedings later. I'm surprised the medicine hadn't gotten digested yet. I'll keep trying to give him more feedings, though.

Wow!  Is it possible to grind up the pill and mix it into his food?  That way it might stay down better. So what are you syringe feeding him (what food)? 

 

[denice]

Patches was also on a supplement to get his liver numbers back within normal range.  It wasn't the same one but the pills were really large I was afraid they would choke him.  The vet said they needed to be swallowed whole.  She said they had a coating on them to get through his stomach before they dissolved.  I don't know if it's the same with this supplement.  I wish they had made the ones he was given smaller and then give him two.

 

[finnlacey]

Correct, Denosyl cannot be crushed or cut up! To be absorbed properly it must be swallowed whole but as I remember, the pill is not that big.

 

[myrockymeister]

Rocky is getting really adamant about not swallowing the Denosyl pill. After a long struggle this morning I gave up. He's fighting that pill so bad I don't know if it's worth upsetting him.

I've been feeding him Friskies, just because it was on sale and a friend recommended it. I got in 6 syringe feedings yesterday so that was an improvement. He somehow caught a cold yesterday (just sneezing, no mucus seen). The idea of making an appt to put him down keeps going back and forth in my head, don't want him to die painfully but don't want to give up hope of recovery. He's still walking around and wanting to be petted. I don't know how he's managing as well as he is considering his lack of appetite has been going on for about 2 months.

 

[finnlacey]

Be careful with that cold, it could be that some of the food is getting into his lungs with all this syringe feeding. 6 syringe feedings is good though, better than before. Does he look like he lost weight? Instead of thinking about putting him down call the vet and ask for an appetite stimulant, they really work!!! This will help him to start eating on his own. I really recommend you try that and soon. If he's having a fit over that Denosyl pill then don't give it to him. It's only upsetting him more and right now food is more important than that pill. 

 

[myrockymeister]

I'm going to call about an appetite stimulant right now. Thanks.

 

[myrockymeister]

Vet only recommended milk thistle for an appetite stimulant. Still had some leftover from the first time around, so I gave it a shot again. Rocky spit out the little I gave him and then went on to puke. I'll try mixing it with his food later to see if that'll help him keep the milk thistle down.

 

[finnlacey]

Okay I need to tell you something. This vet is crazy! milk thistle is NOT an appetite stimulant it's for the liver, it's the ingredient in that Denosyl!!! Can you go to a different vet? This vet doesn't seem to ge that this is life or death and my vet would never in a million years let this go like this. 

 

[gussy14]

I just wanted to chime in and thank everyone for the guidance on syringe feeding in this thread. I'm fostering a sweet girl who is not eating - there are no acute signs of illness, the vet tech thinks she is just stressed out from all the changes in her life. The vet tech was super-busy and not able to give me a lot of time, but I knew just what to do thanks to all of you. (Like ask for some A/D, which I got.) And she ate like a champ, so I'm hopeful that this will remind her of how awesome food is.

I do hope Rocky is doing better with the syringe feedings. Keep us posted!