What Could be Wrong With my Meezer? :(

[amythyst]

He never eats dry food - once in a blue moon.   And he only vomitted when he was hungry and his tummy was basically empty.  Vomit was always stomach acids mostly.

 

[amythyst]

Yay!  We had a great visit at the vet!  Finally found a vet we like... we went to the "just cats" vet and she was really great.  Stayed in with her for well over an hour and she answered all our questions and really took the time to explain a lot of stuff.

She also addressed the issue of him vomitting for so long and then stopping after his dental surgery.  She asked me if they put him on antibiotics after his tooth removal and I said yes... he was on them for a quite a long time because he had a lot of teeth removed and they really wanted to make sure he didn't get any infections.  She thought perhaps he has always had some sort of stomach issue and/or IBD and that the antibiotics probably helped clear it up a bit.  It certainly could be a coincidence still, but it did make a lot of sense.

She looked over all his records and recommended exactly what everyone has been saying here.  She said they take a much more "aggressive" approach to this issue and put him on cerenia, metro, and prednisolne.

She also made a good point and said that he could be so picky because he is remembering what foods are making his tummy upset and then doesn't want to eat it again the next time I feed him which is why I have to keep such a variety of food.

She didn't want to do an appetite stimulant yet and just see how he does for the next 24 hours.  She also brought up that fortiflora might be good to put on his food to make it tastier.  But, we'll see how things go and if his diarreah clears up.  She did give him a shot of B12 and told me to keep giving him fluids like every other day.

We just gave him some dinner and he seemed much more enthusiastic to eat it.  So, thanks for the good support... I knew based on a lot of your comments that I didn't think he was getting the right treatment.  What she recommended was all in line with the Idexx document you guys had me read.

 

[goholistic]

 
Hmm, I didn't think to take the plunger out and stuff it in there.. lol.

LOL...I did the same thing when I had to syringe feed Sebastian. I thought to myself, "Duh!"

He was a chronic barfer up until we had his teeth cleaned last year... so I dunno why he suddenly stopped barfing.  I'm suspecting maybe he's had some intestinal issues for a long time but maybe it was just not obvious?  Everytime I had him checked out for the barfing they kept telling me nothing was wrong with him and he was just "a barfer" and that siamese have sensitive stomaches.

Sebastian chronically thew up hairballs and I thought nothing of it because a) he's a long-haired kitty and b) he likes to groom. Turns out that chronic vomiting of hairballs is NOT normal and he probably had some underlying issue the whole time. Then he started getting picky about his food and I thought he was just being fussy. It wasn't long after that that he had the first bout of pancreatitis.

Anyway, I'm SO glad to hear that he's feeling better! AND that you like the new vet! 

Sebastian is still currently on that trio of meds, as well. The Cerenia will really help with the nausea.

 

[maewkaew]

I am SO  glad that Fievel is feeling better and that you had a good vet appointment.   Sounds like she is recommending the same things as Louis's vets did. ( he had his usual cat-only vet and also an internal medicine specialist).

With Louis, attacking flare ups with medicines as well as fluid helped him feel pretty well and happy most of the time for the last 5 year of his life.

I love the picture of Fievel and his red point buddy! 
 

 

[roxie]

I'm so glad you got a good vet that was willing to take time to explain things and answer your questions. That makes a world of difference. It's great that he's eating on his own too.

 

[amythyst]

Thanks! Yea he is doing really good. I think he has even put a little weight back on. I think the steroids or something are making him super hungry though. He begs for food like every couple of hours. And it's annoying cause he is a nibbler and eats a few bites walks away goes back and then wants fresh food not long after. I'm still giving him vitamin and mineral supplements. It seems like his poo is better too. He isnt running to the box constantly anymore and it seems to be firmer.

Also saw him drink water today, which was really good to see. He still cries at me in this sad pathetic manner and whines a bit but he isn't being 24/7 clingy. The kitten drives him a little crazy though... He wants to play with Fievel but he gets mad and hisses at him ... The kitten acts like he didn't even notice him hissing though.

 

[roxie]

That's great! Steroids do make them hungry. Unfortunately it works the same way in people! I gained weight when I had to take them. The kitten just wants to play, but doesn't realize that Fievel doesn't feel like playing! Keep doing what you're doing. It seems to be working!

 

[goholistic]

Thanks! Yea he is doing really good. I think he has even put a little weight back on. I think the steroids or something are making him super hungry though. He begs for food like every couple of hours. And it's annoying cause he is a nibbler and eats a few bites walks away goes back and then wants fresh food not long after. I'm still giving him vitamin and mineral supplements. It seems like his poo is better too. He isnt running to the box constantly anymore and it seems to be firmer.

Also saw him drink water today, which was really good to see. He still cries at me in this sad pathetic manner and whines a bit but he isn't being 24/7 clingy. The kitten drives him a little crazy though... He wants to play with Fievel but he gets mad and hisses at him ... The kitten acts like he didn't even notice him hissing though.

Eating is excellent! And glad to hear his poo issue is resolving! Increased hunger, increased thirst, and increased urination are all side effects of pred. What dose of the pred is he on? And, yes, the excessive hunger can get annoying. But face it, it's certainly better than the alternative! I feed Sebastian in 1/8 can increments, so meal times take like 3 hours. 

 

[stewball]

Someone mentioned Recovery. That is a wonderful food for him. It's called recover for a reason. It's very tasty. Mine loved it. It's very watery so you don't have to worry too much about dehydration. My Lotto only ate that in the last few months with me hand feeding him. If he managed more than half a tin that was a good day. He should have been having s tin

 

[stewball]

Sorry.
He should have been eating a few tins a day.
He was diagnosed twice with pancreatitis and those happened once when my dog died. He was very badly affected by that and again when his sister died only it wasn't as bad. He loved the dog more. She said she didn't understand why or really if but he had an infection and everything else was okay
so this is what she thought. It took 10 days for him to heal with saline transfusions daily, antibiotics and force feeding from a tube.
I wonder if he swallowed something that she couldn't feel. You'd have to have exrays for that. More money.
It maybe lodged somewhere that makes him heave and won't let him do his business.
You want to know why he's a fussy eater? You made him like that my love. You kept changing his food when he was a kitten. That's the only reason. Don't do it with the kitten. Give her one sort and stick to it. In the 20 odd years I've had cats I only fed them the best dry food and I let them graze.
Anyone have anything to say about he may have swallowed something? Anyway,
Hugs.

 

[peaches08]

Sorry.
He should have been eating a few tins a day.
He was diagnosed twice with pancreatitis and those happened once when my dog died. He was very badly affected by that and again when his sister died only it wasn't as bad. He loved the dog more. She said she didn't understand why or really if but he had an infection and everything else was okay
so this is what she thought. It took 10 days for him to heal with saline transfusions daily, antibiotics and force feeding from a tube.
I wonder if he swallowed something that she couldn't feel. You'd have to have exrays for that. More money.
It maybe lodged somewhere that makes him heave and won't let him do his business.
You want to know why he's a fussy eater? You made him like that my love. You kept changing his food when he was a kitten. That's the only reason. Don't do it with the kitten. Give her one sort and stick to it. In the 20 odd years I've had cats I only fed them the best dry food and I let them graze.
Anyone have anything to say about he may have swallowed something? Anyway,
Hugs.

Cats aren't cows; they don't need to graze. And food variety is needed by cats just like humans. Variety will broaden the nutrients taken in. Because cats have a low thirst drive it's better to give them a wet diet, but as a former owner of a kibble head I can appreciate a cat being fed period.

 

[stewball]

That's great! Steroids do make them hungry. Unfortunately it works the same way in people! I gained weight when I had to take them. The kitten just wants to play, but doesn't realize that Fievel doesn't feel like playing! Keep doing what you're doing. It seems to be working!

I blew up. It was awful. Face all puffy. Body all fatty.

 

[stewball]

Cats aren't cows; they don't need to graze. And food variety is needed by cats just like humans. Variety will broaden the nutrients taken in. Because cats have a low thirst drive it's better to
give them a wet diet, but as a former owner of a kibble head I can appreciate a
cat being fed period.

Well we all have our different thoughts about this. My cats have done very well on how they're being fed. They don't overeat. They drink well and never lost a tooth because they crunched.
You say they need different food like a human? Well they're no more human than they are cows. A lot of professionals in England even advocate 'grazing'.

 

[stewball]

Thanks! Yea he is doing really good. I think he has even put a little weight back on. I think the steroids or something are making him super hungry though. He begs for food like every couple of hours. And it's annoying cause he is a nibbler and eats a few bites walks away goes back and then wants fresh food not long after. I'm still giving him vitamin and mineral supplements. It seems like his poo is better too. He isnt running to the box constantly anymore and it seems to be firmer.

Also saw him drink water today, which was really good to see. He still cries at me in this sad pathetic manner and whines a bit but he isn't being 24/7 clingy. The kitten drives him a little crazy though... He wants to play with Fievel but he gets mad and hisses at him ... The kitten acts like he didn't even notice him hissing though.

I'm very glad he's on the mend. I'm sorry I couldn't help you as much as the others but I've never had a cat so ill that he needed all those meds.

 

[peaches08]

Well we all have our different thoughts about this. My cats have done very well on how they're being fed. They don't overeat. They drink well and never lost a tooth because they crunched.
You say they need different food like a human? Well they're no more human than they are cows. A lot of professionals in England even advocate 'grazing'.

I didn't mention crunching, overeating, or that there was anything wrong with your cats...? Professionals in England advocate grazing for cats?

Cats get most of their moisture from what they eat, which is why wet diets are preferred. Here's a site written by a vet about it www.catinfo.org.



Amythyst, a common side effect of steroids is hunger. Glad to hear he's feeling better!

 

[dan32]

Glad things are working out.  Cerenia, Metro & Pred is the key, eh?

 

[amythyst]

So, wanted to give an update on my old boy.... he is doing much better!!!  Yea, cerenia, metro and Pred did seem to do the trick.  Much better than that "lets wait it out" and then hospitalize method my other vet was trying to make me do.  But he seems almost 100% better now.  He has even gained weight back.  He was down to 9.8 pounds and now he is back up to almost 11.  I'm only giving him the prednisolone now every other day.  He had some blood work taken again last Thursday and I'm supposed to hear back tomorrow just to make sure everything looks good now.  

The only thing he's doing now that annoys me to death is he is back to his picky self.  He wants to eat all the time but he will eat like 5 bites of food and then be like OK what else you got?   I go through so much cat food... most of the time I end up washing out the bowl cause they don't eat it all and want something different.  He also seems to want to eat about every 2-3 hours.  It has gotten better since he isn't on the pred twice a day though.  I'm also still giving him that vitamin and mineral high calorie past stuff every now and then.  Oh, and I got some of that probiotic everyone was talking about and I give my kitties that 1-2 times a day.  They seem to want to eat the food more if the probiotic is on it... heh.  

 

[maewkaew]

 Thanks for the update.  I am so pleased to hear that FIevel is doing better. 

 Do you mean the Fortiflora?  heh heh,  the powder it comes in has the same stuff that pet food companies coat cheap dry food with to tempt the cats to eat the stuff.     It's a handy way to get some picky cats to eat more.  

 

[goholistic]

I'm so glad to hear your boy is feeling better and gained weight! 

  It's great that you were able to bring down the pred. When we tried to bring Sebastian down to every other day, he had another flare.  I will say that sometimes there is a blurred distinction between pickiness and nausea/not feeling well. But you know you're cat better than anyone. 

 

[cprcheetah]

So glad to hear he is feeling better.  That is great news.