My cat may only have a day or two to live and vet can't diagnose what is wrong

[lauriannem]

Below is her information - As of tonight the Cerenia isn't working to stop her nausea and she won't eat at all, she is drinking a little bit. If the Cerenia doesn't work then I don't know what to do.

Sasha Bella - 14 year old DSH tabby


Health History - regurgitates food frequently, has done this most of her life (at least 10 years), no other symptoms
Recently lost 1 lb and is drinking water more and peeing more

Wednesday - November 22, 2023

Arrived home and Sasha had vomited all over the house. She did not want to drink or eat at all. Started her on Cerenia (Maropitrant Citrate) once a day to alleviate nausea. 2 hours after she takes the Cerenia she is able to eat and drink for about 10-12 hours.

Vet Visit - November 27, 2023

Blood Tests, Xrays

X-ray showed some white shading in the lungs, the vet thinks she may have a mild case of asthma. She had to be sedated (gas sedation) for testing because she was so nervous. The sedation was very light, about 10-15 minutes but she had trouble breathing so they could only do some of the testing.

X-ray showed swelling in her intestines but nothing else remarkable.

Blood tests were all within normal limits. No issues with kidney function or diabetes.

The vet does not know what to do next. The vet prescribed Prednisolone 1.25 mg twice per day and Doxycycline Oral. Two tests were sent to Texas and should come back on Thursday. Those are for Cobalamin Deficiency and Thyroid.

As of today, Tuesday, November 28th - she is not responding to the 16 mg dose of Cerenia. She will not eat and is drinking very little. She has been peeing and having some normal bowel movements along with diarrhea at times.

 

[MoLa]

I'm so sorry.. my boy had the same barfing issue.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I am not familiar enough with Cerenia to offer much of anything, other than to say that it seems a lot of cats experience lethargy as well as inappetence with it. I presume the higher the dose the greater chance of an increase in both. Get the vet to give you Mirataz - a transdermal gel rubbed into a cat's ear to stimulate appetite. It isn't uncommon for this to be given concurrently with Cerenia. If that is not helpful, then ask the vet about using another anti-nausea med in lieu of Cerenia.

As is the case with many meds, they should be administered with some food, especially with most antibiotics. So, if nothing else, see if she will eat baby food meat (Gerber Stage 2 or Beechnut Stage 1). A lot of cats who reject other foods will often eat these. I've included an article (see link below) about other possible foods to try as well.

You might want to talk to the vet about a feeding tube if you can't get her to eat otherwise, which would help with both nutrients and water. If not that, then she could at least be given sub-Q fluids for dehydration.

Cobalamin and thyroid are good things to have checked, and they may reveal the need for some corrective action. A low cobalamin can indicate malabsorption of nutrients and can often be corrected through B-12 shots. Thyroid, if high, would confirm hyperthyroidism, and that can also be treated. Your cat, should she be hyperthyroidic, is not demonstrating the typically signs, but there are always exceptions.

Pred and antibiotics seem to be the standard 'go to' in attempt to get results when a cat is experiencing conditions with yet-to-be determined causes. They often work, so let's hope that is the case with Sasha.

How To Get Your Cat To Start Eating Again - TheCatSite

 

[stephanietx]

This sounds a lot like pancreatitis, inflammation of the pancreas and can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea with general malaise. There is a test for it and treatment usually includes Prednisolone (anti-inflammatory), antacid (we give Ondansetron), and perhaps an appetite stimulant. Nausea causes kitties to drink more and eat less, which can lead to weight loss.

 

[Firejade1111]

I'm so sorry this is happening to your baby. Have they checked her teeth? We had a cat with severe inappetence and couldn't pinpoint anything, and then realized too late it might be her teeth. If she has tooth decay, an infection, or impacted teeth, this could contribute. I'm not saying this is the problem, but it's worth looking into. It might keep your cat from eating, and any infection or pain could cause vomiting.