Pancreatitis

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jorda1re

jorda1re

Member Since 2013
Spider was diagnosed with pancreatitis this week after a trip to the emergency vet at 3 am while visiting family for the holiday. His vomiting had gotten worse and he was crying in pain. I rushed him to the vet and they discovered the pancreatitis with his blood work. They gave him an antibiotic shot as well as a painkiller and sent me home with antibiotics and more pain killers. Wednesday, around lunch time, he was asking for food, and ate a little bit of his boiled chicken. I felt better. However, he refused food any time after his pain killer. Luckily, they only had me give it to him for two days. I suspect it made him sick to his stomach. He seems exceptionally hungry in the morning. Today, we started to add back in a little FF, as instructed. He ate some of both the chicken and the FF.

My concern now is that he still hasn't had a bowel movement since he started eating again. He's urinating ok, but now BM. I called the emergency vet back today to see if his meds could cause him to be constipated (the painkiller is a morphine derivative and I know morphine can cause constipation in humans), and they told me that's not a common side effect in cats. The vet didn't seem too concerned about this, she just told me to keep an eye on him. We are now back at home from our holiday trip, but our vet isn't open on the weekends, so I couldn't get a follow up until Monday for him.

I should also mention... while he isn't acting "normal," he did eat dinner, he's not hiding under the bed like he tends to do when he is sick, and he was playing with Cora (his new little sis, who is 4 months old) when we returned home this evening. He's had no vomiting since Tuesday.

Does anyone have experience with pancreatitis? Am I expecting a full recovery too quickly (I am impatient when he is sick because I hate seeing him like this)? Anyone have experience with constipation in your cats? Any suggestions for any of the above? I would like to avoid another trip to the emergency vet because Tuesday's trip was VERY pricey, but I will take him back if I have to.

TIA,
Becky
 
(((Becky & Spider)))I am so sorry this episode happened while on your visit to your family- my kitty Tiger had her first pancreatitis attack this past November, it is a horrible disease- so painful!

Was the pain med called Bupe? (buprenorphine) If so, it can be constipating, and also, it made Tiger very sleepy, she did not eat normally and almost fell asleep in her litter box! What was the antibiotic given? Tiger was given Metronidiazole, she had diarrhea, plus Clavamox pills for a week. The Metronidiazole was constipating for Tiger. Ask your vet about giving a 1/2 tsp of canned pumpkin?

Also, I would say watch carefully for signs of nausea- the cat may sniff food, lick their lips and walk away! An anti-nausea drug called Cerenia worked for Tiger, there is another one called ondansetron , that is effective as well. It took a good 2 weeks before Tiger felt really good again, I had to hand feed some mornings, so be patient! Do you have Forta Flora around? It is good for making the food more appealing. Please keep us posted!
 
Thanks, Ruth! He did get Buprenorphine, an injection at the hospital and the oral ones I gave him. It's been over 48 hours since his last dose of Buprenorphine. He is taking clavamox suspension for the antibiotic. He is a terrible pill taker so I am lucky it's a liquid.

He was showing signs of nausea before but not really now. He wants to eat. He follows me into the kitchen and sits and stares at me like he does at mealtime. Just a little while ago he ate a few chunks of chicken. I guess I am just getting super worried that he keeps eating and isn't pooping!

Spider was clearly in pain on Tuesday when I went to the ER vet with him. Tonight he just seems so uncomfortable. However, he did play a little bit with his dangling toy and has even tolerated Cora pouncing all around him (she's been so calm around him the last two days but I think she's ready to have her play mate back now). She has been pawing at him and he is pawing back a little. Two days ago, he would walk away from her. I assume this is good.

I can try a little pumpkin. You are the second person to mention it. I just didn't know if it was ok for his diabetes.
 
Just be sure is is only canned pumpkin, I actually favor organic pumpkim myself- make sure you don't buy canned pumpkin pie filling. also, only give 1/4 tsp to start, build fiber up slowly so as not to upset his tummy. What kind of food is he eating? Tiger did better with Purina EN that I slowly mixed with increasing amounts of her Wellness Core. The EN was not diabetic friendly, but I just watched Tiger's BG closely and increased her lantus. Her BG actually stayed fairly low, I have no idea why that was.

Clavamax oddly, can be irritating for many kitties, but it doesn't sound like it is a problem for Spider, good thing!
 
Spider usually eats Fancy Feast classics. He is in remission right now, no insulin for over a year! This week he's been eating boiled chicken since Tuesday. Cora is also taking Clavamax for a runny nose and it doesn't seem to be affecting her diet, either, thank goodness!

I only buy canned pumpkin because when I cook with it I like to add my own seasonings, so we will be good there! Should I give him pumpkin at his normal mealtimes? So 1/4 tsp twice a day? Or just once per day?

I wish I were more patient, but I hate seeing my kitties in pain and uncomfortable. Before he was diagnosed with the diabetes, it nearly killed me to watch him losing weight, refusing food, etc. I just want him to get better!
 
Congrats on being in remission- I did not realize that- go Spider!! I mix the pumpkin into Tiger's food at AMPS and PMPS. I would suggest only once a day to start and watch to see if Spider will tolerate it. I was going to say, if you can't use the whole can, you can freeze it into an ice cube tray and only take one cube at a time. and I hear you on not wanting to see them suffer- like diabetes isn't bad enough!! Sending healing vines!
 
Apparently my cat takes after me and loves pumpkin. He had no problem eating it. I served him a heaping 1/8 tsp. I just hope it works soon because I feel so bad that I can't do more.
 
Thanks so much for both links. I love this message board because the members are so friendly and full of knowledge and resources.

This morning, Spider was asking for breakfast and ate a little bit of his Fancy Feast and some chicken. Still no BM but I am trying to be patient. He is still not trying to hide out under the bed, has no vomiting, and while he isn't his usual self, I wouldn't describe him as being lethargic by any means. I am considering these good things. But, I can tell he doesn't feel well.
 
See if you can get him to move around a bit. Sometimes that helps with GI motility in humans, so maybe it will with him.
Also, be sure to add 1-2 tablespoons of water to the food if he will eat it that way. It helps provide moisture for the feces, to keep them less hard.
 
Hi Becky,
My cat Tennesee just went through pancreatitis, and is slowly on the mend. I too, had the same problem with him not having BM, and having what seemed like constipation once he started eating again. The vet suggested that it may have been because he was eating significantly less. I started adding canned pumpkin to his meals, mixing in additional water and also giving him some coconut oil after his meals. It has seemed to help. The vet also told me I could add a little metamucil to his food, or about 1/8 tsp of miralax.
Hope that helps!
Andrea
 
BJM said:
See if you can get him to move around a bit. Sometimes that helps with GI motility in humans, so maybe it will with him.
Also, be sure to add 1-2 tablespoons of water to the food if he will eat it that way. It helps provide moisture for the feces, to keep them less hard.
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As I was reading this, Spider bolted across the room to chase Cora up the stairs. He played with her for a few minutes, and batted at a few toys. I hope it helps. After he ate last night, I thought to myself that I should've added water to his food because he rarely drinks water. He used to drink water, but once he stopped eating dry food, he stopped drinking water much, too. He was given fluids at the emergency vet, but she did say he wasn't too dehydrated.
 
Andrea&Tennessee said:
Hi Becky,
My cat Tennesee just went through pancreatitis, and is slowly on the mend. I too, had the same problem with him not having BM, and having what seemed like constipation once he started eating again. The vet suggested that it may have been because he was eating significantly less. I started adding canned pumpkin to his meals, mixing in additional water and also giving him some coconut oil after his meals. It has seemed to help. The vet also told me I could add a little metamucil to his food, or about 1/8 tsp of miralax.
Hope that helps!
Andrea
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Thanks, Andrea! I added a little pumpkin to his food last night. Did Tennessee seem uncomfortable or like he was in pain when you were dealing with constipation? Sometimes he seems almost like normal, but then sometimes I think he is feeling really uncomfortable. I agree that we could be waiting on at BM because he was hardly eating anything for a few days.

I am hoping he doesn't start showing pain during today and I can have him see his regular vet tomorrow. I will ask about the Metamucil or miralax when we go in!
 
You need to be patient with constipation. If you attempt to push a blocked area through, you could wind up with tears in the GI tract, which are very serious. If he is playing some, that is a good sign he isn't in much pain.
 
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BJM said:
You need to be patient with constipation. If you attempt to push a blocked area through, you could wind up with tears in the GI tract, which are very serious. If he is playing some, that is a good sign he isn't in much pain.
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I was so happy to see him playing this morning. Knowing that he's not in too much pain and is more likely just uncomfortable is huge for my piece of mind. As long as he still wants to eat, and keeps being active, I will not worry (too much). Thanks, BJM!
 
When Aurora went through a bout of major constipation I added docusate Sodium(I forget the brand name) to go along with her lactulose to help get things moving, based on the cat dose. Lactulose draws water into the colon. The docusate Sodium breaks up the surface grease of the stool to allow water to be able to soak back into it. Both are cat safe meds and don't stimulate them to go just makes it easier to pass by softening the stool. You may want to ask the vet about them.
 
The first thing to try for constipation is usually pumpkin for me. I always add water to Max's food. Since becoming diabetic his stool got hard to he gets 1/8 t miralax in his baby food gel cap chaser most morning and it does the trick. Pancreatitis is not usually treated with antibiotics. Was the anitibiotic convenia? It lasts in the body for several weeks so it is important to watch for any side effects from it. Sounds like your kitty is already on the mend.:)

My cat was diagnosed with p'itits five years ago. If I suspect a bout I immediately give him cerenia or more often ondansetron as he loses his appy really quickly. Nausea and pain are the most common symptoms. I'm wondering if perhaps the shot was cerenia which is for nausea and not an antibiotic. I hope so and if that is correct and the appy starts to disappear you need more cerenia. You can get it in pill form or as an injection. It is usually the first thing vets try now.
 
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Spider was given injections of an antibiotic (only lists it as Level 1), buprenorphine, and an antiemetic. Then he was sent home with more buprenorphine and a Clavamox suspension which he has been taking since Wednesday morning and has 2 days left.

I've given him a small bit of pumpkin the last two evenings and he's getting back to eating more of his regular food and less boiled chicken. I added water to the Fancy Feast tonight. He ate all of the pumpkin, chicken and most of the FF. He's also been more active today than yesterday but he still doesn't want me to pick him up much and while he is tolerating Cora's kitten games, he has had no problem telling her to "get lost" when she gets too active with him. (He let her sleep on top of him on the couch all afternoon, though. It's the first time I've seen them sleep together like that, and it made me a happy kitty mom!)
 
jorda1re said:
Thanks, Andrea! I added a little pumpkin to his food last night. Did Tennessee seem uncomfortable or like he was in pain when you were dealing with constipation? Sometimes he seems almost like normal, but then sometimes I think he is feeling really uncomfortable. I agree that we could be waiting on at BM because he was hardly eating anything for a few days.

I am hoping he doesn't start showing pain during today and I can have him see his regular vet tomorrow. I will ask about the Metamucil or miralax when we go in!
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Becky,
Tennie didnt seem like he was in much pain, although he was getting pain meds for the pancreatitis. I just kept seeing him go to the liter box and make noises like he was straining to go. It took a few days, but he is back to regular BM now. Now I just have to get his numbers back down!
 
Ugh, now Spider is sneezing. A lot. When Cora came to live with us, she was sneezing a lot and the vet put her on antibiotics (clavamox). She's been taking it for about a week and hasn't improved much.

Good thing the vet is open tomorrow...
 
Stress can bring on herpes which can sometimes go away with pure l-lysine given twice a day. I used it successfully with Tiffany. She started sneezing and her eyes were tearing. It also could be a cold which would go away in about five days or so on its own. What does your vet say?
 
Andrea&Tennessee said:
It took a few days, but he is back to regular BM now
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The vet wants to do an enema Wednesday if he hasn't had a BM by then. The office closes early Wed and is closed Thursday and I think she wants to make sure he doesn't make another trip to the ER vet if it can be helped.

Otherwise, she said he seems to be recovering from the pancreatitis very well. His BG was fine. Today, he ate his normal diet- all cat food (no boiled chicken) and his normal amount for the first time. He doesn't appear painful. I am grateful for all the help, encouragement and support from everyone while We have been going through this!
 
I could not get on the forum last night but I am sure glad to hear that Spider is feeling better and eating normally. As I said before, I've had to hand feed Tiger some mornings and even now occasionally, her tummy will be upset in the morning and she is slow to eat. I watch her very carefully and keep the cerenia and bupe on hand like Elise has said.

I am sending additional Pooping Vines for poor Spider- you are wise to take him in tomorrow if there is no action- having the anal glands is no fun! Thanks for keeping us posted!
 
Tiger and Ruth said:
I've had to hand feed Tiger some mornings
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The first few days after the trip to the ER vet, I would feed Spider one piece of boiled chicken at a time by hand. He is back to asking for food around breakfast and dinner but sometimes it still takes him awhile to eat. He doesn't appear nauseous (licking lips and walking away), just slow to eat.

Still no BM, so I guess it's back to the vet in the AM. :(
 
Tiger and Ruth said:
Anything new to report?
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Spider went to the vet this morning for an enema that was successful. The vet said his colon was very full. He came home VERY smelly. (The vet tech said it was a smelly event there). I gave him a quick bath as best I could by myself and that helped with the smell. He's still eating fine and chasing Cora- and right now he's curled up in my lap, more relaxed than he has been in days.

Oh, and BG was still great today! Thanks for all of the help and suggestions from everyone! I think he will finally be on the mend now!
 
So it's been a few days since the enema at the vet and Spider still hasn't had a BM. The vet said not to be too concerned for a few days because they totally cleared out his colon. Can't help but worry about my kitty, though.

His behavior still isn't back to normal yet, either. Typically, Spider eats one can of food twice a day. Right now he's eating between 1/2 and 3/4 a can at each meal. Usually, I have to coax him a little to go back to his meal as he will eat a little and walk away. Spider has typically been a little bit of a grazer so he isn't used to having a set mealtime, but Cora will swipe his food if I leave it out. So, during most evenings, I will put his food back down and take her to another room to give him a chance to eat a little more. I am still giving him a heaping 1/8 tsp of pumpkin with his dinner, which he eats right away.

Until this evening, I haven't heard him purr in days. I am assuming he is mad at me. 4 vet visits in 3 weeks AND a bath when he got home. He has been sleeping on the bed with me again, even if Cora is there.

I am always trying to be diligent with his health, but I try not to over-analyze and worry too much. I know he needs time to heal, and his tummy may not feel back to normal. He hasn't had any meds in a few days, and he is eating pretty well so I'm hoping I have nothing to worry about. :)
 
His GI tract could be a bit sensitive right now.
See if you can get him to play a little bit. That can perk up the appetite. (hunt-catch-kill-eat behavior cycle)
A pinch of catnip may incite him to some play, too.
 
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Aw, so sorry Spider isn't back to normal, but I'm not surprised in the least after p-titis-it is a horrible thing to have happen. Hang in there, it took weeks and honestly, we still have mornings where Tiger's appetite isn't there until I get cerenia into her system. I wonder if a little forta flora sprinkled on his food would make it any more appealing? Or Parmesan cheese or even oregano may work? Healing vines and hugs being sent! :bighug: I just remembered something else someone told me about- adding homemade broth(no onion or garlic of course!) It sounds like you already serve boiled chicken, maybe you could save the stock and try mixing some into the food to prevent dehydration.
 
BJM said:
His GI tract could be a bit sensitive right now.
See if you can get him to play a little bit. That can perk up the appetite. (hunt-catch-kill-eat behavior cycle)
A pinch of catnip may incite him to some play, too.
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I suspected that his tummy might not be totally settled yet. He has been acting with Cora some and I can get him to bat at an old shoelace. Most afternoons, she gets him all riled up and he chases her around. I hope it helps!
 
Tiger and Ruth said:
It sounds like you already serve boiled chicken, maybe you could save the stock and try mixing some into the food to prevent dehydration.
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The vet said he wasn't dehydrated and that he suspects that Spider is getting enough moisture from his canned food which is great. I am adding a little water to each meal but if I add too much he won't eat.

I'm sorry your fur baby isn't back to normal yet but I am happy to know spider may be responding on a "normal" timeline.
 
Those of you who've dealt with pancreatitis in your kitties: I feel like Spider is improving but slowly. How do I know if Spider's pancreatitis is "better" or if he still needs meds? He is eating pretty normally, finally had a BM, and is occasionally playful, plus we have had no more vomiting. However, I can tell my cat isn't acting normally. He rarely purrs (very unusual for him), sometimes he looks up at me and gives me a meow that's not his normal "voice," and he looks so tired. Does this sound like being on the mend? I don't want to overreact and take him to the vet if I don't need to because that stresses him out so badly. But, I have no experience with pancreatitis and the vet indicated that the enema could even make him feel crummy (though better than when he was all compacted!) on top of recovery from pancreatitis.
 
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