Pancreatitis recovery

[Rachmichelle47]

Hi, fellow cat parents! My sweet tabby, Solomon, was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis and hospitalized for three days for treatment. We were discharged yesterday and the vet said his pancreas looks much better now on ultrasound. Since being hospitalized, he has not experienced vomiting, anorexia, or diarrhea.

This experience has of course been hard on Solomon most importantly, but I must admit has been very mentally hard on me, too. I’m having trouble shaking the anxiety and worry as he recovers. I’m hoping I can get some opinions or reassurance on a few things:

-How long might it take for Solomon to be truly recovered? He is on pain meds (opioid), antibiotic, and new food. He’s of course sleepy from the whirlwind days he’s had.

-The opioid he’s on is Tramadol. It makes him very, very chill and very lovey. He’s purring constantly, including in his sleep. Is this normal? His breathing seems on and he does not appear to be in pain, as he is loving belly rubs.

Thanks so much for any thoughts and reassurances. I haven’t been sleeping much at all because I’m so focused on him.

 

[fionasmom]

Welcome to The Cat Site to you and Solomon! Acute pancreatitis leaves a cat very tired, but in the case of cats, as opposed to dogs with the same condition, it is important that they eat. According to the Cornell Feline Health Center:

Early nutritional support is key in the treatment of feline pancreatitis. Studies have shown that the earlier a cat gets back to eating, the better the prognosis for a good recovery. If anti-nausea and pain medications do not improve appetite, appetite stimulants such as mirtazapine, which is available as a pill and a transdermal preparation applied to the inside of the ear, may be used. If this therapy is not successful, a feeding tube may be placed by the veterinarian to allow delivery of food directly into the stomach. Proper nutritional therapy not only helps cats recover more quickly from pancreatitis, but prevents other complications of prolonged anorexia, such as hepatic lipidosis. Other treatments, such as steroids or antibiotics, are not generally indicated in most cases of pancreatitis, but may be used if there is another concurrent disease present.

Tramadol is highly sedative along with being a pain reliever. It sounds to me as if Solomon is very relaxed, which is good, and comfortable.

If Solomon is not eating, or stops eating, call the vet right away. Of course, same for the vomiting and diarrhea. How old is he? An older cat may take long to return to normal, but in any cat you should see a steady progression of improvement and comfort.

Pancreatitis can become a chronic condition so be sure to ask the vet about preventing this if possible, or if he thinks that Solomon could begin to have recurrent attacks. In cats, the triggers for pancreatitis can be very vague and hard to determine. In dogs, it is often fatty food but that is not the case for cats.

 

[Rachmichelle47]

Welcome to The Cat Site to you and Solomon! Acute pancreatitis leaves a cat very tired, but in the case of cats, as opposed to dogs with the same condition, it is important that they eat. According to the Cornell Feline Health Center:

Early nutritional support is key in the treatment of feline pancreatitis. Studies have shown that the earlier a cat gets back to eating, the better the prognosis for a good recovery. If anti-nausea and pain medications do not improve appetite, appetite stimulants such as mirtazapine, which is available as a pill and a transdermal preparation applied to the inside of the ear, may be used. If this therapy is not successful, a feeding tube may be placed by the veterinarian to allow delivery of food directly into the stomach. Proper nutritional therapy not only helps cats recover more quickly from pancreatitis, but prevents other complications of prolonged anorexia, such as hepatic lipidosis. Other treatments, such as steroids or antibiotics, are not generally indicated in most cases of pancreatitis, but may be used if there is another concurrent disease present.

Tramadol is highly sedative along with being a pain reliever. It sounds to me as if Solomon is very relaxed, which is good, and comfortable.

If Solomon is not eating, or stops eating, call the vet right away. Of course, same for the vomiting and diarrhea. How old is he? An older cat may take long to return to normal, but in any cat you should see a steady progression of improvement and comfort.

Pancreatitis can become a chronic condition so be sure to ask the vet about preventing this if possible, or if he thinks that Solomon could begin to have recurrent attacks. In cats, the triggers for pancreatitis can be very vague and hard to determine. In dogs, it is often fatty food but that is not the case for cats.

Thanks so much for the reply! Good to know that this cuddly reaction to Tramadol is normal. Luckily, Solomon (who is 14) has been eating. The hospital reported normal eating and he has taken both hard and soft food today, more of the soft. His new food is lower in fat content.

 

[cylon.descendant]

My 12 (almost 13) year old boy has chronic pancreatitis. It started last December, and when the symptoms first presented it was so scary (he stopped eating and would just lay in one spot not wanting to move; the poor little guy must have been in so much pain). I know how worrying it is, and how in the aftermath you become hypervigilant about everything going on with them. Sending you both lots of love in this stressful time.

While Smaug's pancreatitis has turned out to be chronic (he's actually in a flare-up right now), I know another kitty who had it a couple years ago and after treatment and a diet change it hasn't come back. So hopefully your Solomon is in the latter camp!

For Smaug, he has remained on gabapentin since the first bout, and that has worked well for controlling his pain. It doesn't have any major side effects for him; just some sleepiness and loopiness in the beginning before he had adjusted. It didn't take very long to adjust, and since that point I don't really notice side effects. It is quite safe for cats to be on long-term. Just mentioning this in case your kitty ever ends up needing pain control on a more ongoing basis. It could be worth asking about in that case.

Now that Smaug is in a flare-up again, we are starting a course of prednisolone to hopefully clear up the inflammation. Once he is feeling better, we're hoping to be able to wean him off. But if things flare up again once we try that, he may end up on it for the longer term, at the lowest dose that works to control his issues. Both my vet and I would prefer to avoid that, but ultimately if it's what he needs in order to do well, that's what we'll do.

In addition to the meds, over the past year we have also been trying to adjust his diet to see what works for him. He has IBD and allergies/intolerances to certain things, so it has been a bit of a journey trying to find what works.

Anyway, just sharing my experience with this so far in case it is of any help. I completely understand and relate to your description of how all your focus has been on Solomon and how you're hardly sleeping. It's really tough going through this with our kitties, and it sucks to see them in pain or not feeling well. You're not alone!

 

[fionasmom]

My 15 year old GSD has chronic pancreatitis to the point where the vet lets me keep all the meds at home and start them at the first sign. It is certainly something that requires constant attention.

 

[Rachmichelle47]

My 15 year old GSD has chronic pancreatitis to the point where the vet lets me keep all the meds at home and start them at the first sign. It is certainly something that requires constant attention.

That’s helpful to know! What medicines do you have for chronic pancreatitis for your baby? A complicating factor is we are currently living in a country with decent, but not super modern, vet care.

 

[fionasmom]

Pancreatitis in dogs can be different than in cats, but I have metronidazole, sulcrafate, Cerenia, ProPectalin, famotidine, tramadol or gabapentin. We tried and NMDA antagonist but it did not agree with him.