My Old kitties issues, chronic pancreatitis?

[mrsgreenjeens]

Oh dear.  I think there WAS one kitty here who got sick on Krill Oil (now who was it

), and of course those antibiotics can definitely wreak havoc on the digestive tract.  Probiotics are definitely a good idea.

My

Sven

always lost his appetite when on antibiotics, but didn't usually throw up...probably because he barely ate anything when he had to be on them, which, thankfully, was very seldom.  We would usually cut his dosage short (with his Vet's permission) because of his reaction to them.  (mainly was after a dental)

 

[ldg]

It was GoHolistic's Boo, I think! (That got sick on krill oil. It made him vomit!) Yes, try stopping the krill oil and see what happens. :nod:

!!!!!

 

[goholistic]

Yes, it was my Boo who vomited on krill oil. Once I stopped the krill oil, the vomiting stopped. It was very strange.

 
Working on researching the antibiotics and appetite loss.  She ate the rest of her breakfast (only had a few licks of it before I left for work), and ate 9/10ths of her dinner in one sitting.  She had pukeys this morning that I found in my barefeet, so will be talking to the vet about Cerenia.  It's like really?  Can't you just get better with no hitches?  I don't know if the krill oil is bothering her or not, she will lick it straight off the plate, she loves the taste of it.  Maybe I should try cutting it out for a day or two to see what happens.  I just started the rest of my kitties on plain fish oil  yesterday. 

When my vet and I were working through Sebastian's issues, first priority was getting the GI inflammation under control. He was on a special diet and meds for inflammation and that was it. He has other issues, sure, but we knew we could address them later. I didn't start any of the other supplements until we had the pancreatitis/IBD in check. Then I slowly started adding one thing at a time. I purposely didn't try to do too much. I felt sometimes people were getting frustrated with me because it would take FOREVER to introduce one little thing!  

  I know you're working closely with your dad and your vet to get DeeJay back on track. Maybe as a team you could take a look at all her issues, see where you are with the treatments, and re-evaluate. It can all be so overwhelming, and sometimes it helps to just stop and take another look. 

Continued vibes for DeeJay. 

 

[cprcheetah]

Holy cow, someone turned on her hunger switch.  She gobbled up her breakfast, gobbled up her dinner, then proceeded to my dogs dish and started eating my dogs food.  ROFLMAO.  Oh yeah as soon as I got her out of her carrier she made a beeline to Mini Dee's dish which had left over kibble in it and started gobbling it up too.  I guess this is a positive thing though.  No poops yet today to unsure if she still has diarrhea or not.

 

[cprcheetah]

Well DeeJay just threw up for the 3rd time this week.  A ginormous hair ball.  Seriously this sucker is huge.   She REFUSES to even attempt at taking the hairball remedies.  What did I read about egg yolks or something like that being good for hairballs?  Is it easy to administer? 

 

[mosimom]

I've read that coconut oil is good for hair balls.....and a lot more. I give it to Mosi to keep her coat shiny and healthy.

 

[goholistic]

 
Well DeeJay just threw up for the 3rd time this week.  A ginormous hair ball.  Seriously this sucker is huge.   She REFUSES to even attempt at taking the hairball remedies.  What did I read about egg yolks or something like that being good for hairballs?  Is it easy to administer? 

I tried egg yolk lecithin for Sebastian before his issues unfolded, but as it turned out, the throwing up of the hairballs was part of a bigger issue so the egg yolk lecithin didn't help much. But others have claimed that it really works and some use real egg yolks. Here are a few helpful threads:

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/250653/egg-lecithin-for-hairballs

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/266178/...using-egg-yolk-lecithin-to-dissolve-hairballs

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/270725/raw-eggs

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Yes, egg yolks are supposed to be good for hairballs.  As far as administering them, you need to get your cats to eat them.  Some like them, some don't.  But they ARE caloric, so if your cats are overweight, or the ideal weight, then you need to watch how many egg yolks you give the, or cut back on their other food when you feed them.  I think each yolk has about 60 calories.  Some cats like them just plain, raw, in their bowl maybe stirred up a little bit, some like them with a little water added, and some prefer them mixed into their food.  Then other avoid them like the plague

.    One or two a week is a good amount for supplementation and usually keeps the hairballs down.  (and going out the back end vs the front end).  Egg yolk lecithin is another option, and there are two brands that I know of...one is a very fine powder that mixes well with food.  The other looks and feels almost like actual hard boiled egg egg yolk, only it's in a capsule.  Two of my cats absolutely love that, one can't stand it and goes running from the room when I bring the bottle out of the fridge. 

Honestly, what I'm using right now is Vet's Best Hairball and Digestive Relief.  It has Slippery Elm Bark and marshmallow in it.  All 3 cats love it, and it does seem to help a LOT.  The are "pills" the size of a quarter, but you just break them up and either give them as treats or sprinkle them over their food.  Limit them to 2 per day per the instructions.  I went to this because I have a kidney cat and egg yolks are not good because of the phosphorus.  I'm deducing that the egg yolk lecithin is also high in phos. 

 

[cprcheetah]

She has thrown up 3 times this week 2 times it was huge hairballs.  I am starting to wonder if now that I can get pills into her without traumatizing her too badly, if I shouldn't put her on something for her Psychogenic Alopecia.  She has a bare belly and bare inner thighs, about 1/2 way down her belly is where it starts.  She is constantly chewing on herself which is why she has huge hairballs.  I mean her hairballs were larges than a tube of chapstick.  She is a short haired kitty.  She is itchy though too, so wondering if there may be an allergic component too.  She has been on allergy diets in the past with no real success so I really think it's the alopecia.  She also has certain spots on her back if you give her a scratch it makes her chew and lick on her front legs. 

 

[oneandahalfcats]

She has thrown up 3 times this week 2 times it was huge hairballs.  I am starting to wonder if now that I can get pills into her without traumatizing her too badly, if I shouldn't put her on something for her Psychogenic Alopecia.  She has a bare belly and bare inner thighs, about 1/2 way down her belly is where it starts.  She is constantly chewing on herself which is why she has huge hairballs.  I mean her hairballs were larges than a tube of chapstick.  She is a short haired kitty.  She is itchy though too, so wondering if there may be an allergic component too.  She has been on allergy diets in the past with no real success so I really think it's the alopecia.  She also has certain spots on her back if you give her a scratch it makes her chew and lick on her front legs. 

It sounds like it could definitely be hair-ball related but I wonder, is it possible that the vomiting is due to Zeel?

When I read that you were giving this to Deejay I looked into it for Maggie as she has issues in her back legs. The main ingredient of Zeel is Arnica Montana and some of the side effects with it are vomiting and diarrhea. For this reason it shouldn't be given on a long-term basis. According to the source I came across, Arnica can irritate the digestive system and so not good for cats with IBS or other digestive issue.

Here is a list of the common side effects :

If arnica is used for too long as a topical application it can cause:

Abrasion if dog or cat licks the area of application;
Irritation of skin:
Lesions;
Redness.

If arnica is ingested for too long or in higher than recommended dosages (excessive amounts) it can cause;

Diarrhea;
Dizziness;
Irritation of the throat;
Ulcers of the mouth;
Vomiting;
An extremely toxic dose can cause:
Depressed circulation, respiration and temperature;
Heart problems;
Nervous system paralysis;
Organ failure;
Collapse and may cause;
Death.

 

[cprcheetah]

Thank you for the information.  I have discussed the Zeel with a homeopathic vet who has quite a few clients on it and said she has only seen one dog have a problem with it, and he already had a plethera of problems prior to starting it.  I will do some more research on the Arnica Montana though.   I am not sure if it's the zeel causing the throw up or not cause she hasn't had any this week because I ran out and can't afford to get any till next thursday when I get paid.  The vomiting could be due to the 2 different antibiotics she is on right now as well, or it could be due to her pancreatitis acting up or her bowels.  She has been a lot more grumpy these past few days so I know something is up whether it be her arthritis acting up or something else.  She is also back to not wanting to eat well she maybe had 3 tiny little bites of her breakfast.   Hubby also reminded me she is getting a new food this week as well.  I bought some Sheba cans at Sam's Club, before she'd only had maybe 1 or 2 cans of it, so maybe something in them isn't agreeing with her too?  There are so many possibilities it's making my head spin lol.

 

[oneandahalfcats]

Aww, poor kitty. Hope she's feeling better again soon. Yes, if she hasn't had Zeel this week likely not this. It could be anything as you say or a combination of things. I just tried some weruva chicken with everyone for the first time and was quite impressed. This is 'hand-made' food for the most part, meaning not mechanically processed in a big factory but a small company. Anyway, 'real' white shredded chicken meat in a light sauce. Maggie gobbled this right up, so I might keep this in the rotation along with Wellness, which she has an inconsistent appetite for at the best of times.

 

 

[cprcheetah]

So no more vomiting, however she has been constipated, so that's not good either.  She was off of the Zeel for a week or so as I ran out and boy oh boy could I tell a BIG difference in her, she was so grumpy and onery, and is still getting back to her loveable self.  She continues to take her pills well in the pill pockets so that makes me happy, now if she could teach my chihuahua and Munchie that pill pockets are yummy too it would be nice.  My chihuahua is the SNEAKIEST bugger about pills even when I stuff them WAY down her throat she gets them back up.  Have to hold her mouth shut and rub her neck and make her swallow the stink.  DeeJay goes back to the vet on Thursday for a recheck urinalysis to make sure we have got this infection cleared up.  We shall see. 

 

[oneandahalfcats]

 
So no more vomiting, however she has been constipated, so that's not good either.  She was off of the Zeel for a week or so as I ran out and boy oh boy could I tell a BIG difference in her, she was so grumpy and onery, and is still getting back to her loveable self.  She continues to take her pills well in the pill pockets so that makes me happy, now if she could teach my chihuahua and Munchie that pill pockets are yummy too it would be nice.  My chihuahua is the SNEAKIEST bugger about pills even when I stuff them WAY down her throat she gets them back up.  Have to hold her mouth shut and rub her neck and make her swallow the stink.  DeeJay goes back to the vet on Thursday for a recheck urinalysis to make sure we have got this infection cleared up.  We shall see. 

Well that's really good that she is no longer vomiting, but unfortunate about the constipation. If its not one thing its another! Is she on probiotics? I just started Max on this and this mornings' BM was another record-breaking event. It seems that we either get a feast or famine when it comes to Max's BMs, but between the SEB and Probiotics, we may finally be turning the corner with the constipation. 

I had a chihuahua once - Her name was Bambi and she looked every bit the part. Long-legged and big ears!

  Hope everything looks good with the urinalysis recheck! 

 

 

[cprcheetah]

So DeeJay got the all clear on her bladder infection today.  My cat Mini Dee has a chronic low grade infection.  Joyous.  But DeeJay is doing pretty good.  Still really sore from her arthritis.  We are going to put her back on Tramadol (took her off because she was hallucinating....I think) and see if it helps.  We are also looking into other options such as Gabapentin and/or Amantidine, has anyone used those for chronic pain in your cats?

 

[oneandahalfcats]

I have not had any experience in giving either Tramadol or Gabapentin to cats but personally received both of these, post-surgery. The Gabapentin was wonderful in that it did the job of managing pain and left me with a nice sense of well-being. No dopey-ness. The Tramadol on the other hand left me feeling seriously out of sorts. It was awful. When I informed my surgeon, he took me right off of this. I later read of other similar experiences and now stay miles away from it.



The Gabapentin is an NSAID and so it would work to reduce inflammation and in turn the pain, would most likely be a very good choice.



That's great news re. Deejay's bladder.


EDIT : Sorry, I was mistaken. I had received Pregabalin (Lyrica) and NOT Gabapentin, post-surgery. Apparently Gabapentin is similar to Pregabalin, but may not be as expensive.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Well that's interesting, because I have been on Gabapentin, and it's nickname is MORONtin (because it's the generic for Neurontin)  And it lives up to it's name.  It made me a complete goofball, not to mention made me so tired I could hardly function.   My mom takes it and SHE is a complete goofball from it too.  But my Dad takes Tramadol and has absolutely no issues with it except it helps his pain.

I have no experience with it in animals though.  Sorry.  I do recall reason threads about folks who used it for their cats, but don't recall whether they seemed to handle it ok or not, and can't find those threads at the moment.

 

[oneandahalfcats]

 
Well that's interesting, because I have been on Gabapentin, and it's nickname is MORONtin (because it's the generic for Neurontin)  And it lives up to it's name.  It made me a complete goofball, not to mention made me so tired I could hardly function.   My mom takes it and SHE is a complete goofball from it too.  But my Dad takes Tramadol and has absolutely no issues with it except it helps his pain.

I have no experience with it in animals though.  Sorry.  I do recall reason threads about folks who used it for their cats, but don't recall whether they seemed to handle it ok or not, and can't find those threads at the moment.

Yes, quite. I guess it just depends on the individual/cat as to how certain meds are tolerated, the conditions for its use and if other medications are being taken as well. I have no experience with the Gabapentin but mentioned this in error - my experience was with Pregabalin. Tramadol while not being a true narcotic, it produces the same kind of effects and so I can see where some people/cats might have a sensitivity to it.

Info on Tramadol including Side Effects :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tramadol

Info on Gabapentin :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabapentin

 

[cprcheetah]

Quote:

 
Well that's interesting, because I have been on Gabapentin, and it's nickname is MORONtin (because it's the generic for Neurontin)  And it lives up to it's name.  It made me a complete goofball, not to mention made me so tired I could hardly function.   My mom takes it and SHE is a complete goofball from it too.  But my Dad takes Tramadol and has absolutely no issues with it except it helps his pain.

I have no experience with it in animals though.  Sorry.  I do recall reason threads about folks who used it for their cats, but don't recall whether they seemed to handle it ok or not, and can't find those threads at the moment.

I was on Gabapentin too, and I quit taking it (dangerously) as it made me literally high like I was on drugs.  So I do worry about DeeJay taking it.  I have my Munchie on tramadol right now and it seems to be helping him.

 
Yes, quite. I guess it just depends on the individual/cat as to how certain meds are tolerated, the conditions for its use and if other medications are being taken as well. I have no experience with the Gabapentin but mentioned this in error - my experience was with Pregabalin. Tramadol while not being a true narcotic, it produces the same kind of effects and so I can see where some people/cats might have a sensitivity to it.

Info on Tramadol including Side Effects :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tramadol

Info on Gabapentin :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabapentin

Thank you for the information.  I gave her some Tramadol last night and this morning and right now she is going bezerk in my lap, she is feeling quite happy and not as grumpy today so maybe it was a fluke that it was making her act weird before.  It could have been a combo of things though but she was acting all freaked out and hiding under my couch, which is not like her.

 
I have not had any experience in giving either Tramadol or Gabapentin to cats but personally received both of these, post-surgery. The Gabapentin was wonderful in that it did the job of managing pain and left me with a nice sense of well-being. No dopey-ness. The Tramadol on the other hand left me feeling seriously out of sorts. It was awful. When I informed my surgeon, he took me right off of this. I later read of other similar experiences and now stay miles away from it.
 
The Gabapentin is an NSAID and so it would work to reduce inflammation and in turn the pain, would most likely be a very good choice.
 
That's great news re. Deejay's bladder.


EDIT : Sorry, I was mistaken. I had received Pregabalin (Lyrica) and NOT Gabapentin, post-surgery. Apparently Gabapentin is similar to Pregabalin, but may not be as expensive.

I did not know gabapentin is an nsaid, so will it affect the liver like most do?  I know that it is used as an anti-seizure drug and for bipolar/depression.  I know that it affects nerves as that is what happened with me when I was on it.

 

[peaches08]

One of the classifications of gabapentin is analgesic adjunct (not NSAID), meaning it enhances other specific pain relievers like Tramadol. It's not metabolized much by the liver so it's deemed as safe for liver patients. Kidney function is what's watched since excretion is almost entirely by the kidneys in humans. Maybe your dad can give you some insight on risks vs benefits for Munchie?