wondering about blood test results for cat that was weak/barfing allot

[damac]

Got a 15 year old indoor siamest cat that started throwing up allot a couple months ago.  It got bad enough that every few days he would heave allot multiple times a day with lots of food and whatever liquid was in his stomach.  He would get very weak and go sleep alone at his worst.  Before this he was on dry food and once in a while might barf one in a while.

Read some forums and started feeding him only fancy feast classic and was using some recommended hairball digestive type stuff as well as combing him multiple times/day to help with hairballs which would come up on the barfs once in a while.

This didn't change anything thus taking him to the vet.  I scanned 3 pages and put pictures in this thread of the results.  He got some prescription food since they said he may be anemic, antibiotics for 10 days and he takes 1 denamarin pill/day.

I think they said they would try this and have him come back after 30 days which would be next week to see if bloodwork is better.  If we were lucky this would improve things or they would have to take it further to see if there is a tumour on his liver, etc. with ultrasound?

Anyway its been 3 weeks and for whatever reason it has been different.  He barfed up a little spot with hair after coming home and another a couple weeks later so no big deal.  But sometime last night after the pill fast he barfed all of his last food serving I assume because I found the pill casing in it.  Then it looks like he did it again after an early am feeding.  So dramatically different than the 3 weeks prior to seeing the vet but he also was acting a little goofy today with the pacing and meowing, down a bit on energy.  Not a terrible crash like I had seen before but obviously something is going on.

Also he has had diahrea since the day he came home from vet and started taking meds.  I have to assume its the denamarin.

Anyways I'm searching for cat forums and am going to try and read up a bit, any info would be great, I have no clue what I am looking at with this test.  Funny how we were just talking about what an amazing difference its been.  The diahrea is proving to be hard  to deal with and I'm concerned that if there routine isn't working now, it can't get better and I don't like seeing the poor cat run down like that.  Definately don't want to have him in pain.

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• damac
• Sep 13, 2014

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• damac
• Sep 13, 2014

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• damac
• Sep 13, 2014

 

[goholistic]

I'm so sorry that your kitty is not well. I'll preface by saying that I am not a vet and cannot diagnose your cat.

Based upon the blood work, it seems there's definitely something going on. 

 Is your cat jaundiced (yellowing)? With elevated ALP, ALT, AST, GGT, Bilirubin and low lymphocytes, I do wonder if this is a liver issue, possibly inflammation or cancer. Organs in close proximity to the liver can also be involved, such as the pancreas, gall bladder, bile ducts, and stomach. Some diagnostic imaging may provide some more insight as to what's going on.

Here are a few links that may be helpful:

From Idexx: Understanding Your Pet's Diagnostic Testing

http://www.idexx.com/pubwebresource...ient-education/understand-diagnostic-test.pdf

From Antech: Blood Analysis & Testing

http://www.antechdiagnostics.com/Uploads/Public/Documents/Blood Analysis and Testing Guide.pdf

From WSU: What Do Those Lab Tests Mean?

http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/cliented/lab.aspx

Sending lots of vibes for your boy... 

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Yes, these lab results show something is going on with his liver, but I think you already knew that, and that's why your little one was given a 30 day dose of Denamaren.  

Diarrhea is not normally a side effect of Denamaren, so I'm wondering if it's the prescription food they gave you that is giving him the diarrhea.  Did you happen to call your Vet when the diarrhea didn't subside and discuss it with them.  What food did they give you?  (just as an aside, my 14 year old girl cat is going thru almost exactly the same thing as your guy right now....she is on week 3  after being given a 30 day dose of Denamaren too 

,  however, she has had NO diarrhea, but also no change in food)  

I would hazard a guess that your guy might be run down from the diarrhea, if it's bad.  That may be causing him to be dehydrated.  Do you know how to check for that by checking for how well his skin goes back into place after you pull it up? If he appears dehydrated, you can try adding some water to his feed (assume he's eating canned food), or try giving him some pedialite, or just syringing extra water into him.  Worse case scenario, he may need some sub-q fluids.  (my girl had to get those twice now)   Are his gums pink or pale?  They should be pink.  If not, then he's getting anemic, which would also make him run down

.  Is he doing anything else odd, like licking at pottery, bricks, tiles, litter, clay type things?  That's also a sign of anemia, and could also make him vomit if he actually ingested some of it (like litter).   Has he vomiting subsided since you posted yesterday? 

I would definitely contact my Vet first thing Monday morning to discuss both the diarrhea AND the vomiting if that's still occuring.  They may want to see him earlier than that 30 day mark for a re-test.

Hoping this is just a little blip.  My girl as had a couple of random throw-ups, and a couple of bad eating days too.  Always worrisome

 

[damac]

Have to wait for vet on monday.  I must admit this is new to me with cats.  If it had not been for these vomiting fits that are violent and he seems to emptying his whole stomach I wouldn't have thought anything was wrong.

No jaundice or dehydration.

no throwup since yesterday.

i can't even remember this cat having diahrea in his life, it started the day of the vet visit.

also can't say i ever saw a sensivity to different foods, he would have a bad day, then good ones, then another bad one.

previous vet had us on dry iams for years before this started happening, after reading around it seems people don't like dry food.

i didn't even think about the vet food being a possibility, but they gave him dry food.  its called hills prescription diet.  i/d feline hepatic health

So I guess I will ask the vet.

 

[sarah ann]

It looks like some sort of disease of the liver or gallbladder. you may need imaging tests to examine that area.

 

[quiet]

You should really pursue an ultrasound with a board certified veterinary internal medicine specialist. That will be the best way to get some answers regarding what is going on with his internal organs. It could be many things. When they check the lab work again they need to test with a free t4. If your cat is vomiting he needs to be seen again. The reason for the boarded internal specialist is that ultrasound is very subjective. Only as good as the person preforming it. Much better to have a vet that does 300 ultrasounds a week check your cat than one that does 2 a week. Also most of the regular vets out there with ultrasound have not had specialized training in how to read one.

 

[zoneout]

With heavy vomiting AND diahrea it's for certain that your cat is suffering from dehydration and low electrolytes. At a minimum he needs subq fluids and possibly an IV. The dehydration is going to make him feel awful and cause more vomiting. At this point syringimg pedialyte probably is not enough especially if he can't hold it down. I would tackle the diahrea and vomiting first otherwise he is going to get weaker and lose a lot of weight. Cerenia might help with the vomiting - or try different food to avoid diahrea.

 

[damac]

I'm wondering if I should just go see another top rated vet on yelp.  They said to bring the cat in later this week after he runs out of the denamarin for a few days to do another blood test.  I guess they wanted to see if the supplements would help him first, otherwise its probably something serious and needs ultrasound?

Cat is lethargic the last couple days and the barfing fits have continued a couple times/day every few days.  There are hairballs with a tiny amount half the time.  The other half he seems to be emptying his stomach contents a couple hours after his last meal.

After I started this thread I took away the dry food and kept up with the wet and added a spoonfull of pumpkin a couple times/day.  I also started using fortiflora and vets best hairball relief digestive aid pills daily figuring I had nothing to lose.  3 days later his poop firmed up back to normal and has been since.

I am clueless about the process and was curious if anybody can give me feedback as far as how this might go down?

I'm not ok with keeping the cat around in this condition, even though he doesn't seem like he is in pain?

If they want to do an ultrasound and find no mass, I don't understand what else they would do to get to the bottom of the problem?

If there is some mass, do they poke a needle into the cat to take a sample and then test it?  At this point what does it matter if its cancer or not?

Thanks for any info!

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

I'm sorry your little furry friends doesn't seem to be getting any better.  Did you ever call your Vet back and discuss the diarrhea and continued vomiting (think you said you were going to do that a week or so ago).  What did they say to do at that time?  Did you check for dehydration as I mentioned?  My girl started doing so much better after getting fluids.  What about his gums?  Are they pale or pink?  (pink is good, pale is not, as I mentioned previously)

If nothing else, i would definitely  get his blood rechecked to see what the liver is doing.  If the numbers have improved, that gives you a place to start.  (that's where we are with our little one...she had her follow-up visit today, and we are now waiting for the results from the blood test).

As for what's next, I think all those questions can best be answered by a Vet, because each situation is different

  If you don't trust your Vet completely and want to see a different one, then by all means, do that.  Gather up the records from the one you saw last and take them with you.  If you think your existing Vet is highly competent and has you and your furry friend's best interest at heart, then keep going to them.

I'm hoping you can get to the bottom of this issue quickly and painlessly

 

 

[khayr]

My cat had very similar symptoms (I don't have his bloodwork on hand to cross-check it but some of his levels were definitely elevated like your cat's are) and after an xray my vet saw his gallbladder was filled with gallstones. An ultrasound the next morning showed that the stones had obstructed the gallbladder, which was why he was so sick. I'm not sure if that's the exact problem you have, but I would definitely get an ultrasound done at the least just to be sure. I originally thought it was his food as well, but I'm glad that I took him to the vet when I did.

Fingers crossed that you can figure this out! It's never easy to have a sick kitty.

 

[damac]

we took him to the vet again.  he had a hint of dehydration despite him drinking/urinating many times each day.  they did bloodwork again and a couple  numbers went down and they said less signs of anemia.

they say the denamarin routine showed positive signs so would like to continue with that treatment.  the cat weighed 4 more ounces than last visit.

i brought along a log of how the cat has been in the 5 weeks since the last visit and i don't really see this as a positive because its hard to care for him if he gets diahrea and is throwing up everywhere. 

i had thought the pumpkin routine and those supplements were doing the trick with the diahrea since it went away for a week.  but a few days ago it came back for 3 days straight and the cat was lethargic again, didn't eat as much.  today its solid again and i'm keeping the same feeding routine. when the diarhrea hits it lingers out of the bathroom and smells terrible.

he is still having multiple barfing fits every few days. half the time some fluid and hairball clumps.  the other half its like he empties his stomach.

is it possible that an older cat develops these issues and you just need to put up with it?  even if thats so shouldn't a good vet explain whats going on?

this place is one of top rated vets in area on yelp, but i'm really not liking the lack of answers. 

 

[goholistic]

From what you are telling us, I kind of have to agree with you on the lack of answers thing. I feel like they are taking a wait-and-see approach. But with diarrhea and vomiting like this, your kitty needs help now. You can only get so many answers with blood work, so I think diagnostic imaging (x-ray, ultrasound) would be your next steps to see what's going on inside. It is not normal for a cat to be vomiting like this and it's not just a result of old age.

Reviews online can be skewed in either direction. Are there any cat-only vets in your area? If you are considering going to another vet, be sure to get copies of all the lab results now so that you have them to take with you.

I do hope you get some answers soon. Your poor kitty sounds uncomfortable and this is surely taking a toll on you as well. 

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

 
From what you are telling us, I kind of have to agree with you on the lack of answers thing. I feel like they are taking a wait-and-see approach. But with diarrhea and vomiting like this, your kitty needs help now. You can only get so many answers with blood work, so I think diagnostic imaging (x-ray, ultrasound) would be your next steps to see what's going on inside. It is not normal for a cat to be vomiting like this and it's not just a result of old age.

Reviews online can be skewed in either direction. Are there any cat-only vets in your area? If you are considering going to another vet, be sure to get copies of all the lab results now so that you have them to take with you.

I do hope you get some answers soon. Your poor kitty sounds uncomfortable and this is surely taking a toll on you as well. 

Agree!  Just out of curiosity, did they give him fluids while you were there, since he was mildly dehydrated?  IMHO, at the very least that should have been done

 

It's good that his numbers are going in the right direction, but it's also obvious that something is still not right since he has continued diarrhea and vomiting.  It could be something as simple as his food...possibly he has developed IBD in his old age, possibly he has developed gallstones as Khayr mentioned.  But old age in and of itself does not cause this.

Are you new to your area, is that why you aren't really familiar with Vets where you are?  Do you have some friends or co-workers you could ask who might recommend someone? 

 

[damac]

i don't have any referrals, thus looking to yelp for vets.

we talked more with vet today about the results and he seems to think all of these signs with the bloodwork and his checkup that we should start up the denamarin again and keep him on it?  he was ok with keeping up with the other supplements and suggested we keep up with the dry food as a mix with wet consistently.

i told him he isn't normal for us and hes hard to take care of but he is the doc we aren't.   he said it might point to no tumor based on experience but they can't be positive.  he said hes not anemic. 

so i know something is obviously wrong, i guess i will get him on this routine and try it for a week or so and log what happens.  then take his paperwork to another vet.

i guess what i don't understand is, i didn't know it was normal to just jump to an ultrasound right away.  and if there was no mass showing up or blockage, then what other means do vets have to diagnose things except bloodwork considering symptoms show up for so many different illness?

does anybody have experience with the denamarin and fasting times?  so far and we told them this, we only fast him for about 5 hours, then wait an hour and feed again because he will drive us nuts with meowing and nose int he face for food.  the box just says overnight fast preferred and the vet wants 12 hours?  we are going to try it.

 

[denice]

After six years of IBD flares and vet hopping I tried yet another vet, a cat's only vet and he was hospitalized and had an ultrasound the next day.  I waited too long to try another vet and he was in fatty liver from not eating.  Inflammation can also show up on an ultrasound and the vet also did a needle biopsy of his liver while doing the ultrasound.  Going to a good vet that is a board certified specialist does seem to cost more initially but a good one can get things figured out quicker which saves money in the long run.  The vet that I went to worked at a clinic where the head vet is a certified feline specialist.

The liver numbers may be off and doing the up and down thing because of either not eating or the excessive vomiting.  

 

[damac]

ok thanks, i think i'm getting the picture here. i hurt myself last year and went to a foot doc who tried the conservative approach and ended up telling me try and rehab or deal with it after booting or surgery.  ended up going to a sports ortho and had to have surgery, rehab and am still recovering but there is hope.  the first doc did not refer me to somebody with more skill and didn't address the soft tissue injuries.

does anybody have a clue on what this body or title is for cats that i can look up vets i find in the phone book to do my own reviews?

 

[denice]

What would be good is if there is a certified feline specialist in your area.  There are only about 100 of them so there may not be.  http://www.abvp.com/diplomate  is a search for one.  There is also a canine/feline specialist but I think the preference would be the feline specialist.  The one at the clinic I take mine too uses the title diplomate after her name. 

If you have a vet school in your area that would also be a good resource.  I don't know how common it is but the emergency vet clinic in our area also has speciality clinics but they are by referral only.  

A cat's only clinic is a possibility.  Unfortunately any vet can have a cats only clinic and it doesn't necessarily mean they have any special expertise other than maybe more experience with kitties.

 

[goholistic]

My Sebastian has chronic pancreatitis. When he had his first pancreatitis attack last year, he was vomiting severely. They did blood work and an x-ray the very first day. He remained hospitalized and by day 4, our regular vet referred us to an internal medicine specialist for an ultrasound. Nothing major other than inflammation of the pancreas. But if either the x-ray or the ultrasound had found something more serious, such as stomach ulcers, gallstones, a tumor, intestinal blockage, etc., our course of treatment likely would have changed.

 

[khayr]

Yeah when I took Shylo to the emergency vet the night he started vomiting they did blood work and xrays on the spot, and then after they saw his gallstones they had us come back first thing the next morning when the ultrasound technician was there to get that done to confirm that the gallbladder was blocked. The place I went to was pricey (as emergency clinics usually are) but they've been nothing short of amazing with my cat and have been really good about keeping in contact with me, checking in, and discussing all possible options. The vet we've been working with primarily isn't a feline specialist specifically, but she specializes in gastrointestial diseases and etc for both cats and dogs.

I agree with everyone else that getting an ultrasound either there or at another vet should probably be your next step from here. Hoping you get some answers soon! Thinking good thoughts for you and your kitty.

 

[damac]

 
Yeah when I took Shylo to the emergency vet the night he started vomiting they did blood work and xrays on the spot, and then after they saw his gallstones they had us come back first thing the next morning when the ultrasound technician was there to get that done to confirm that the gallbladder was blocked. The place I went to was pricey (as emergency clinics usually are) but they've been nothing short of amazing with my cat and have been really good about keeping in contact with me, checking in, and discussing all possible options. The vet we've been working with primarily isn't a feline specialist specifically, but she specializes in gastrointestial diseases and etc for both cats and dogs.

I agree with everyone else that getting an ultrasound either there or at another vet should probably be your next step from here. Hoping you get some answers soon! Thinking good thoughts for you and your kitty.

what did you end up doing for treament and how is your cat now?

if the vets weren't so vague i would have search google more.  i just looked up some info on what you are talking about and it sure seems like what my cat is going through, allthough i wonder if he would have been maintaining for 5 weeks like my cat?

i am in sacramento,ca. and looked up crudentials on that website and was surprised to only find 5 within 50 miles, no feline specific.

one on that list, a specific woman seems to have glowing reviews on yelp so is that my best shot?

thanks for the info.  punk just had diahrea again after only a 3 day break.  and last night a few hours after his last feeding i was awoken by 3 little barfing fits within 5 minutes.  i jumped out of bed to watch what was going on and there was a small amount of brownish stinky fluid and it seemed like he was dry heaving for the most part, not hairballs.  not every time he barfs smell this bad, so i'm guessing thats bile.