Cat Issues Redux

[BrianL]

Well, here I am again facing some health issues for my kitty. I've noticed that she hadn't been eating well maybe, so I took her in. She has lost almost two pounds, which is a point of concern. We have to wait on the blood work, but she does have some slightly dilute urine. Blood pressure was good, though they had to sedate her a bit to get that number. Apparently she is now listed as "will bite!" Anyway, the kidney's are suspect, though, again, we don't know. Nothing else on the urinalysis looked concerning, so for now I just have some nausea meds. She is MAD after spenidng three hours (and 600 bucks) at the vet! This ones gonna be tough I think, and I'm trying not to go crazy, but here we are....

 

[Micca]

Sorry to hear about your cat Brian, I hope it's something fixable. It's always a trying time to take cats to the vet, and never mind getting them to take meds. Good luck to you and your kitty.

 

[BrianL]

Sorry to hear about your cat Brian, I hope it's something fixable. It's always a trying time to take cats to the vet, and never mind getting them to take meds. Good luck to you and your kitty.

Oh yeah - and I have to give her nasusea medication, and she was MAD when I got her home. She's relaxing now. It was an ordeal today and may have to go back. I am expecting kidney issues and manageable is about what I can hope for. There were lots of good signs in the tests so far too, but I think the points or concern are going to add up.

 

[VGCgroupie]

I had a kitty who had recurrent UTIs and other things. Finally a vet did an X-ray and she had one kidney that was very small and malformed and that was the reason behind her always getting sick. She went on a strict wet kidney diet and it helped alot. I had always fed higher end more natural foods but we ended up putting her on Royal Canin.

Good luck to your kitty and I hope she gets back to feeling well again soon.

Edit to add this was my Torti, so mine also had a record with vert for her tude.

 

[BrianL]

I had a kitty who had recurrent UTIs and other things. Finally a vet did an X-ray and she had one kidney that was very small and malformed and that was the reason behind her always getting sick. She went on a strict wet kidney diet and it helped alot. I had always fed higher end more natural foods but we ended up putting her on Royal Canin.

Good luck to your kitty and I hope she gets back to feeling well again soon.

Edit to add this was my Torti, so mine also had a record with vert for her tude.

Yes - last time I had her in he took an x-ray and did notice that one kidney was smaller than the other and that it may not be working. Still, at reduced capacity, all her tests came back normal, so we weren't too concerned. I did start giving her some Pro Plan kidney health food (not the prescription KD stuff). She seemed to like it a ton, so there's that.

On the plus side, after getting her home and jamming some nausea meds down her throat, she has been eating a good bit. She is calm, but still kinda mad at me.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Do you live in a cold climate and is there any way salt from street treatments could have come into your home on shoes or something?

I ask because right before leaving for Ft Lauderdale our young cavalier started drooling a ridiculous amount and it seems this is from salt we couldn't see that was on the street which looked clear. I knew this stuff is highly toxic but a thing I didn't have experience with because in our old home our pets never got near it. We had a fenced in yard, i controlled what we put down where plus pets were older by the time we moved and past the tasting stuff stage, $900 and an anti nausea shot that reduces inflammation so it sounds like a similar treatment. Vet couldn't say for sure what it was but this is the only thing possible Now lil princess gets carried everywhere or wears her booties, it is easy enough to keep ALL SHOES outside but I didn;t know it could be enough to make a pet sick if people couldn't see it.

 

[BrianL]

Do you live in a cold climate and is there any way salt from street treatments could have come into your home on shoes or something?

I ask because right before leaving for Ft Lauderdale our young cavalier started drooling a ridiculous amount and it seems this is from salt we couldn't see that was on the street which looked clear. I knew this stuff is highly toxic but a thing I didn't have experience with because in our old home our pets never got near it. We had a fenced in yard, i controlled what we put down where plus pets were older by the time we moved and past the tasting stuff stage, $900 and an anti nausea shot that reduces inflammation so it sounds like a similar treatment. Vet couldn't say for sure what it was but this is the only thing possible Now lil princess gets carried everywhere or wears her booties, it is easy enough to keep ALL SHOES outside but I didn;t know it could be enough to make a pet sick if people couldn't see it.

Well, I don't live in a very cold climate, though we do use some road salt at times (not this year so far though). I wouldn't think that is the issue. I'll just have to wait for the tests. She definitely has nausea and has not been eating, though better today after the medicine.

 

[BrianL]

Well, the vet called with the bloodwork results. They are maybe not what was expected. Kindey function seems okay, but elevated white blood cell count. We are going to some anibiotics as there could be some kind of gastrointestinal infection. We may be having chronic IBS or similar. We are still going to do some more tests next week - a very fancy ultra-sound. Anyway, that's maybe not the worst news, but there is still something going on with her and I just want her to feel better!

 

[Micca]

Good kidney function results is encouraging. I hope they can source the infection and get that cleared-up

 

[BrianL]

Good kidney function results is encouraging. I hope they can source the infection and get that cleared-up

It's definitely better than it could be. I am trying not to celebrate yet, but it's good. I did pick up the antibiotic - they are apparently the "big" ones since they were so expensive! I guess they are better for the tummy, since she's already not eating that well. I do hope they help!

 

[mom2rtk]

Glad the kidney function is good. Hopefully the antibiotic will help with whatever is going on. Good luck with the meds! Our cat had hyperthyroidism and I had to medicate ever day, twice a day. They're worth it though!

 

[BrianL]

I came home and gave the antibiotic, but she didn't touch her wet food dinner - that's unusual! Just when there's some hope.... *sigh*

 

[mom2rtk]

Did your blood panel include thyroid function?

 

[Dan Murphy]

Wi9shing your cat well and better days, Brian. And you also.

 

[BrianL]

Did your blood panel include thyroid function?

I would think so. It wasn't specifically called out by the doctor. Everything looked normal except elevated wite blood cell count.

Also, she has now been eating a bit of dinner.

 

[LuvOrlando]

I came home and gave the antibiotic, but she didn't touch her wet food dinner - that's unusual! Just when there's some hope.... *sigh*

Antibiotics hurt the belly so I would expect more nausea before improvement.

Is there anything you can coax your cat to eat before the medication just to have something in the belly before the medication and at meals to help keep it healthy? Cooled fresh boiled chicken? Cooled fresh boiled ground beef (strained to reduce fat)? A cooled scrambled egg? I also sneak a little extra water in the food if I notice water consumption is a bit down.

 

[BrianL]

Antibiotics hurt the belly so I would expect more nausea before improvement.

Is there anything you can coax your cat to eat before the medication just to have something in the belly before the medication and at meals to help keep it healthy? Cooled fresh boiled chicken? Cooled fresh boiled ground beef (strained to reduce fat)? A cooled scrambled egg? I also sneak a little extra water in the food if I notice water consumption is a bit down.

This is the different antibiotic that shouldn't cause much nausea, You are right though that I should have had her eat first - I was in a hurry to get it on board, since I also have to do the anti-nausea every 12 hours and that was coming up too. I'd say water consumption is up now. She ate a bit and some treats too. Hopefully we do see some improvement though.

 

[mom2rtk]

Did they give her any fluids? My experience is that usually perks them up and helps make them feel better enough to eat.