My cat has pancreatitis and now has a feeding tube-please help

[portia]

Absolutely. I appreciate the concern. I will definitely keep a closer eye from now on!! She's having a blood work done on friday. Ill let you know how they look as soon as I find out!

 

[spencers mom]

How is Portia??? I'm glad to report Spencer is doing very well, back to eating normally and acting like his usual self hope Portia is better too!

 

[spencers mom]

How is Portia??? I'm glad to report Spencer is doing very well, back to eating normally and acting like his usual self hope Portia is better too!

 

[portia]

Hi Spencer's mom,

So so happy to about Spencer! Portia is back to normal in terms of her food intake. She's eating very well but her activity level is really low. She barely moves, except to eat and isnt really grooming herself either. She's still on all her medication. I've also noticed that shes hanging her tail really low and meows when I touch the base of her tail. Not sure whats going on. She had a blood test on saturday. Still waiting to hear the results but otherwise the vet seemed very happy with her progress!  Will let you know as soon as I get back the results on her blood work.

Again, so happy for you and Spencer. Out of curiosity, is he still on all his medication?

 

[finnlacey]

It may be time to get her off the appetite stimulants. Hopefully the blood work will show up clean.

 

[portia]

It may be time to get her off the appetite stimulants. Hopefully the blood work will show up clean.

We're waiting to get her bloodwork back. The Doc wants to only reduce one pill at a time to make sure that we dont cut everything to quickly. On saturday, she had suggested reducing her prednizalone first and then appetite stimulant. She's eating about 8-9.5oz a day. I think thats a fair amount seeing as how she barely moves. Ill revisit the appetite stimulant if her blood work looks good (touch wood). Im guessing you think her low activity and droopy tail is because of the stimulant? 

 

[finnlacey]

Yes actually. I'd reduce that before reducing the pred.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

I'm so happy to read about both Portia AND Spencer

.  Wonderful, wonderful news

 

[spencers mom]

Thanks guys Spencer is off all meds and that's actually what really started him eating back as usual. Perhaps that will do it for Portia too when her prescriptions are over.

 

[finnlacey]

That's GREAT news!!! 

 

[portia]

I just got off the phone with the vet. Portia's blood work doesnt look that great. Her pancreatitis is back. Her specfLP is at 11 and her liver values are looking better but are not normal (bilirubin is 0.5 and her liver enzymes are not significantly reduced from her last blood work 3 weeks back). The vet has decided to increase her predinsalone to 10mg/day (was giving her 5) and keep her on everything else for another 2 weeks. The vet is also going to be put her on a low residue diet from IAMS to see if that will help with pancreatitis. She was eating fancy feast and I dont know if the high fat content in that triggered her pancreatitis again. I have no idea. Im at my wits end here and I dont know what to do. She looks so tired and lethargic. I hate seeing her like this. Am I doing the right thing?

 

[finnlacey]

I'm so sorry to hear this. Yes, if she's got pancreatitis again you should follow what the vet recommends. FF is higher in fat and not a healthy fat. But it was important that she eat. I just hope she eats the low residue food. I know this is trying, we're all here for you. 

 

[portia]

 Portia wont touch the low residue. The vet only had the Hill I/D so I tried that first and she wont go near it (at least as of this morning). I mixed it in 1/2 and 1/2 with her regular BFF food (She's been eating BFF from weruva for about a week now). She smelled it and walked away but Im hoping the cyroheptadine will make her hungry enough to eat it. Im hoping that when I go home in the evening, the food will be gone. If not, then Ill ask the vet to order in the IAMS low residue food. 

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get a cat to eat food that she doesnt like? She has to keep eating to prevent HL again but I do want her to eat the low residue food.

I cant say for sure, but I think Portia is very senstiive to high fat, unhealthy food.Maybe a genetic predisposition. I started giving her temptations treats back in November to encourage her to exercise and a month later she developed pancreatits. I stopped giving her all treats and kept her on her regular BFF brand until she developed HL (we think it was HL and not hepatitis but we cant say for sure because we dint do a biospy). At the time she became jaundiced her fLP was normal. Then I started giving her FF because that was the only thing she would eat and now her pancreatitis is back. Her liver isnt completely normal either but I think thats just the slow recovery from HL. I could be wrong, but is there any connection between high fat food (like temptation treats, FF,etc) and pancreatitis?  I hope that's all it was and that by putting her back on good food will prevent any further episodes. Its like starting at square 1 again

Does anyone have any thoughts? I would love any input because Im feeling pretty helpless and desperate. I just want her to get back to her usual self. This isnt the life she deserves. She's such a sweet kitty that this is incredibly unfair. Is there something  Im missing?

 

[finnlacey]

I had a feeling she wouldn't touch that food, it's very, very bland. The problem with those foods you were feeding her before is it's not healthy fat. Cats should be on a high protein, low fat, low carb wet food. Can you go out and get some Natural Balance Limited Ingredients canned food? She may like that much better and it's a good food, especially for kitties that are sensitive. Never mind the Hill's or the Iams, try that first. It's tastier to kitties and has a good balance of healthy fats but low fats and higher protein which is what she needs and it's grain free. And as far as treats, try Pure Bite. They are freeze dried meat and nothing else. I give my cats only freeze dried meat treats and nothing else for treats. But the answer is no. A cat will not eat something they don't want no matter what you give them. They are stubborn and won't do it. So my opinion anyway is to either try the Iams or try the NB LID food. 

 

[portia]

I had a feeling she wouldn't touch that food, it's very, very bland. The problem with those foods you were feeding her before is it's not healthy fat. Cats should be on a high protein, low fat, low carb wet food. Can you go out and get some Natural Balance Limited Ingredients canned food? She may like that much better and it's a good food, especially for kitties that are sensitive. Never mind the Hill's or the Iams, try that first. It's tastier to kitties and has a good balance of healthy fats but low fats and higher protein which is what she needs and it's grain free. And as far as treats, try Pure Bite. They are freeze dried meat and nothing else. I give my cats only freeze dried meat treats and nothing else for treats. But the answer is no. A cat will not eat something they don't want no matter what you give them. They are stubborn and won't do it. So my opinion anyway is to either try the Iams or try the NB LID food. 

Hi Finnlacey. I will talk to the vet about ordering some IAMS. In the meantime, Ill see if I can find the natural balance limited ingredients. Is this the same as nature's variety?

I was under the impression that Weruva was a great cat food brand which is why I have been feeding her BFF since I found her a year back. Was I wrong about that?

 

[finnlacey]

I'm a fan of Weruva itself but not of their cheaper brand BFF. It has over 4 thickening agents in it and I don't care for that. These can cause GI distress in some cats. Natural Balance is somewhat like Nature's Variety. If you can't find the NB try Nature's Variety. They're both good brands. 

 

[portia]

I'm a fan of Weruva itself but not of their cheaper brand BFF. It has over 4 thickening agents in it and I don't care for that. These can cause GI distress in some cats. Natural Balance is somewhat like Nature's Variety. If you can't find the NB try Nature's Variety. They're both good brands. 

I dint know this about BFF. Since it was Weruva and she really like BFF and not the other Weruva stuff I thought it was ok. Good to know. Ill look around for Nature's balance if not Nature's variety.Thanks Finnlacey

 

[finnlacey]

You're welcome sweetie, I know you are so upset over this. Keep in mind that grains are not the only ingredients that kitties have issues with. She could very well have IBD which means she's got a lot to deal with. Her system does sound like it and the treatment she's been on is consistent with it. She may have issues for a long time. You need to find the right food to give, Iams is only a temporary food so consider trying the Natural Balance or Nature's Variety. 

 

[portia]

ok. Hopefully the IAMS will get ordered and will come in soon. Till then, I guess Ill keep her on the BFF.  I really appreciate all the advice and kind thoughts. This site has really been a life saver for me. 

 

[finnlacey]

Honestly if you can go and find the other food I mentioned, please do so and get her off this food asap. It's just not good for her.