No appetide

Status
Not open for further replies.
luz

luz

Member Since 2016
Junior isn't eating. He has lost appetite. Doesn't really want to play just sleep. Bg was 109. Will be dropped off at vet in Am for monitoring and possible blood work testing. It's 9 pm right now. He has pee and poop ok. No appetide irregardless of food type. Will ask doctor for appetide stimulant. Any type suggestion better than other ?

I am reading a lot of people seem to have problems with their cat and appetide who have diabetes. I just don't get it. So confused.
 
Hi!
Yes many of us use things to stimulate appetite BUT I think we agree that is very important to rule out nausea.
signs are lick lipping-walking to food sniffing and walking away-sitting in a "meatloaf" position
Ondansetron/zofran are like a miracle !
it is a anti nausea pill and it works great-sometimes that is all you need without a stim.

The stimulates mainly used are cyproheptadine or mirtazipan
Most prefer cypro. Many cats become vocal on mirtz, my guy does very well on either.

ondansetron is given 1-3 x a day it lasts about 6 hours. (dose ranges as ECID rico gets 2/3 mg and he is 14 pounds Dre is 19 pounds and gets 4mg)

Mirtazipan dose is 1/4 or less of a 15mg tablet and it lasts 2-3 days.

Remember giving stimulates to a nauseated cat is going to cause more issues-
My boy gets ornasetron 2 x a day and cerenia 1x a day for vomit -- they are seniors so I don't wait for the nausea I act before it happens.

Starting out I would ask the doc for ondansetron and cypro....if was my call-
ondansetron and cerenia and cypro are good things to have in you "kitty kit"
good luck!
 
Last edited:
I find junior in the meatloaf position but I thought that's just how he always curls up. Also the lick lip. I see him lick food and then he does this thing like food stuck in teeth or something. So maybe he is nauseas. When I bring him to doctor I will ask about anti nauseas medication first and see if maybe that helps. t this point I don't care what he eats as long as he eats something. Thank you for the examples.
 
I think it's good that you are going to get Junior in to see the doc., we gotta keep these cats eating that's for sure. Good that you got some ideas about meds from jayla-n-Drevon too. Hope it goes well at the vets!
 
Hi Luz,

I agree that you need to get anti-nausea meds for Junior - today. I'd also ask for an Rx for an appetite stimulant. The anti-nausea may work on its own but it's better to have a supply of appy stimulant at home so that you don't have to delay giving it to Junior if he needs it (especially as it's the weekend).

IMPORTANT:

Ask the vet to check Junior's abdomen to see whether he's in pain (if yes, buprenorphine can help). Also ask for bowel to be checked and tell vet about whether Junior has pooped in the last 24 hours. If he has any constipation the anti-nausea med (e.g. ondansetron) will not be effective for the nausea. If any chance constipation is an issue treatment with metoclopramide (Reglan) - only for 1 or two days - can help. Metoclopramide helps restore normal gut motility to get things moving again but it doesn't help with nausea. You'll still need Cerenia and/or ondansetron for that. If a Cerenia injection is given it may help kick start things for 24 hours. It helps with vomiting, too. Ondansetron may take a little longer to show effect but I've found it is overall more effective for controlling nausea. (Saoirse's dose was 2mg every 12 hours - 10lb cat.)

There is a potential adverse drug reaction between ondansetron and mirtazapine (may increase risk of inducing potentially life-threatening serotonin syndrome). I used ondansetron and cyproheptadine for Saoirse; I found the combination worked well for her.

As a belt and braces measure also ask the vet to check for any possible respiratory problems: if Junior can't smell his food properly he won't want to eat it.

If your vet can do SNAP fPL tests it might be worth checking whether Junior might have any pancreatitis issues. His meatloafing behaviour and lethargy along with the nausea could point to such a problem (safest to check).

Try raising Junior's food bowls. Try offering food from your hand.

Sending prayers and healing thoughts for Junior.

:bighug:


Mogs
.
 
Junior was dropped of st vet b she called me to pick him up in a few hours. She told me she wants me to try dry food one of those letter hills food which I know can be the worst thing for him. She won't write me a prescription for appetide stimulant or anti nauseas medication. She told me I could use pepsin? Over the counter. not sure if I heard this right) will double check when I pick him up.

Any home remedy over the counter medication for nausea relieve. I feel like most vet are brain wash into these hills letter food
 
luz said:
vet [...] won't write me a prescription for appetide stimulant or anti nauseas medication.
Click to expand...

:mad: :mad: :mad:

This is not good on the part of your vet!!! A cat not being able to eat is a very serious problem and she doesn't seem to be responding to it appropriately.

That said, if Junior will eat kibble - any kibble - at the moment then if he won't eat anything else I suggest giving it to him. He has to eat.

If she has suggested an acid blocker you can get famotidine over the counter. I think the brand name is Pepcid AC. You need to make sure that the one you buy has ONLY famotidine as the active ingredient. (There are other products in the Pepcid range but they are NOT safe for cats.) Another acid blocker is ranitidine (Zantac 75). They may do something but I've found that with major nausea they're not much help. (I hope they will do something to help Junior.)

You can find information on these medications plus other treatments and helpful suggestions on this page:

http://www.felinecrf.org/nausea_vomiting_stomach_acid.htm

If you were able to get hold of some powdered slippery elm bark (the pure powder with nothing else added) you could make up a syrup of it to give to Junior. It can help with nausea issues. See the "Simple Natural Treatments" section on the page linked above.

Raise his food and water bowls up a few inches.

Try to hand feed him a little food very frequently. Sometimes if you can coax a kitty to eat very small, frequent amounts it can help reduce symptoms a little (helps against buildup of stomach acid).

More tips:

Persuading your cat to eat

Stimulating a cat's appetite

I hope something works. At the moment anything you can get Junior to eat is the right thing to feed him. Make a slurry from some wet food with a little water added and assist feed him with a needleless syringe if you need to. (Try to get him to lick the slurry from your fingers if you don't have a syringe.)

NB: did the vet check Junior for ketones? If not, I recommend you test his urine at home ASAP to be on the safe side.

Sending prayers Junior will eat for you.

:bighug:


Mogs
.
 
I ve been checking his urine st home. Will have to check tonight again. I feel helpless with these vet. Not a single one out there that seems helpful. Made appointments with a GI vet n attempted to contact dr lisa Pierson for online consult. Will see. Going to pick up junior now n will try pepsid
 
((((((((Luz))))))))

There is nothing worse than a vet who refuses to help when there are treatments which could make the world of difference. :( I lost my beautiful Danú because the vets treating her didn't respond to her needs fast enough. I am still angered and saddened about that to this day. The same practice failed to recognise Saoirse's diabetes when I first consulted with them about her (hallmark) symptoms. Having had experiences like that drives my wish to help other kitties and their humans here on FDMB.

Please keep us posted with what's happening, Luz: we'll do all we can to try to help you both.

:bighug:


Mogs
.
 
Doctors still doesn't understand that he is still diabetic even though he doesn't need insulin. His glucose and fructosamine were both over 509. His urine glucose was over a 1000. She says his not diabetic and she wants me to put him on hills prescription food. I feel so confused. I know I am a very stubborn person but my guts tell me I don't want him back on that food. Right now his in Young again 1/4 of a cup is about 150 calories and In 24 hours he eats just about that much. I notice he only takes a few kibble and doesn't eat again until he can't hold it anymore. I know it's not enough food but it's something. I plan on giving him the Pepsid tonight because I want to be able to be home to monitor any reaction to this. He has an appointment with a internal medicine vet. This place is the hospital you go to for emergency visit and major procedure/ surgery. Just hope they are open enough to understand junior situation. I also emailed doctor lisa Pierson. It's difficult to take care of junior when I can't even get a doctor to give me a prescription for something as simple as appetide stimulant. I notice the difference immediately with the dry food. He is drinking and pooping more cause it's dry. The wet food is a blessing If he will just eat it. Thank you ladies. Waiting for him to pee. His also stress cause he spend half the day in Vet office. Do you think the slippery elm bark powder will be good idea? How much? Plan on going to natural food store tomorrow to see if that helps. Will try the pepsin first as to not overwhelm him too much.
 
Forgot to mention glucose this morning was 91 and last week he was 10.5 pounds. Today at vet he was 10.3 pounds. Mind you at vet on 11/25 he was 11.5. He is dropping weight to fast.
 
Blood glucose 91. Young again for 3 days. Today he has eaten a few kibble. Not much. But like I said he was at vet for most of the day. He is drinking water right now
 
I have read that the Young Again (YA) food is very nutrient-dense and that cats only need to eat a small quantity of it to get their daily needs met.

I have also read here that switching to YA may cause digestive upsets. I spoke to their customer service department on one occasion (I'm in the UK) I found them quite helpful. Maybe they might be able to give you an idea of whether the food transition might be making Junior queasy? If it's a common issue they may be able to give you tips on transitioning which might minimise any potential digestive issues.

I am tagging Lucy (@Squalliesmom) because I think she may have tried feeding YA to her kitties. If I'm right about this, Lucy may be able to give you an idea of the quantity of YA a cat typically eats of this food. Also if she has used this food she might be able to comment on whether any of her kitties had GI issues when eating it.

Glad to hear that Junior has had something to eat and also that he's getting fluids onboard.

Re slippery elm bark, here's more info from Tanya's site about it (including dose suggestions and how to use SEB):

http://www.felinecrf.org/holistic_treatments.htm#slippery_elm_bark

It coats and soothes the digestive tract. Many members here have recommended it for GI issues, including nausea (though it's not as powerful as the medications for nausea management).


Mogs
.
 
Juniors urine was negative as of this morning. I gave him the Pepcid AC last night and he was mad at me. Ran away and hit for a little bit. I'm guessing it helped alleviate naseausness because I woke up to find an empty plate of food. 1/4 cup of YA food ~150 calories consumed.
According to everything I read junior should be consuming about 210 calories for his weight. His 10.5 pounds. The YA food recommends 3 tablespoon a day of food which seems like a lot less. A cup of dry kibble is 610 calories. Am I missing something? I may have to call company to verify.

His blood sugar was 80 this morning. His drinking a lot of water and peeing and pooping A lot like he used to prior to diabetes diagnosis. where I was changing litter twice a day. I assume is ok since his on dry food only for the time being. Will give him another 1/4 of a 10 mg Pepcid Ac tonigh. I think this was the suggestion 1/4 a day??? Thank you ladies. I hope he keeps eating because this is what he does. Eats one day starves the next. Will be monitoring him today.
 
Critter Mom said:
I have read that the Young Again (YA) food is very nutrient-dense and that cats only need to eat a small quantity of it to get their daily needs met.

I have also read here that switching to YA may cause digestive upsets. I spoke to their customer service department on one occasion (I'm in the UK) I found them quite helpful. Maybe they might be able to give you an idea of whether the food transition might be making Junior queasy? If it's a common issue they may be able to give you tips on transitioning which might minimise any potential digestive issues.

I am tagging Lucy (@Squalliesmom) because I think she may have tried feeding YA to her kitties. If I'm right about this, Lucy may be able to give you an idea of the quantity of YA a cat typically eats of this food. Also if she has used this food she might be able to comment on whether any of her kitties had GI issues when eating it.

Glad to hear that Junior has had something to eat and also that he's getting fluids onboard.

Re slippery elm bark, here's more info from Tanya's site about it (including dose suggestions and how to use SEB):

http://www.felinecrf.org/holistic_treatments.htm#slippery_elm_bark

It coats and soothes the digestive tract. Many members here have recommended it for GI issues, including nausea (though it's not as powerful as the medications for nausea management).


Mogs
.
Click to expand...
Sorry, I just saw this! Yes, I have used Ya before, but only as an occasional supplement or a treat. I know it is very calorie-dense, and I believe the recommended feeding is about 1/4 cup, not sure if that's per day or per meal, though. I can tell you that all four of my cats just LOVE the stuff, and would positively gorge themselves on it if given the opportunity! I have never noticed any digestive upsets, even with my IBD baby.
 
Hi Luz,

I'm very glad to hear that Junior has eaten something! :woot:

Without the wet food in his diet it is expected that his water consumption would go up but if it's excessive I'd be concerned about that. I suggest you post a thread on Feline Health asking members whether any of them noticed their cats peeing a lot more when eating YA food. Also contact your vet to let her know.

Regarding the weights/calorie content of the foods I think a call to the companies concerned is a good idea. Young Again's customer services may be able to give you more info on how their food affects water consumption.

Famotidine dosage info from Tanya's Site:

http://www.felinecrf.org/nausea_vomiting_stomach_acid.htm#famotidine_dosage

Fingers and paws crossed Junior's eating will become steadier. Be sure to keep us posted on how he's doing.

:bighug:


Mogs
.
 
Critter Mom said:
@Squalliesmom -

Hi Lucy,

Thanks for answering the tag. :bighug:

Did you notice any increase in water consumption and pee volume associated with feeding YA?


Mogs
.
Click to expand...
Hi Mogs. :bighug:
No, I didn't notice any change at all. But I almost never see my guys at the water fountain, they don't drink much as a rule; I didn't notice any difference when they ate the YA. I DO think it makes Squallie's BG go up a slight bit, but he is incredibly carb-sensitive. Also, if fed as a single diet ingredient it might not have that same effect.
 
Junior bg is actually at the lowest with this food. I get the ya zero carb. I will call the company tomorrow to get further info. Once he is eating regularly up try again with a little wet food mixed in. For how long should I give him the Pepcid ac? Will be seeing a internal medicine vet on Tuesday's and since his a specialist hope he can give me so information regarding diet. Hopefully open minded. Will keep you ladies posted. Thanks Lucy for commenting. Did you kitties eat the ya zero? Or another type of that brand
 
luz said:
will post new thread with question once I call company tomorrow so if they give me any useful info i can share it with everyone.
Click to expand...
That'd be great! :)

Sending lots of scritches for Junior and some :bighug::bighug::bighug: for you. Delighted he ate better for you today. :)


Mogs
.
 
There are 2 new threads I put up today.
1. Information i got from YA
2. Consultation with Dr lisa Pierson.

Update: Junior ate today. I gave him another 1/4 tablet of Pepcid AC last night and he was not happy, He scratched me pretty bad on my hand. He wasnst trying to hurt him just trying to pull my hand away from his mouth because he hates pills. May have to after all pick up slippery elm powder for him just to have in the house in case. Figure its easier to squirt a little fluid in his mouth then to shove a pill down. Any who! happy he ate.
 
luz said:
There are 2 new threads I put up today.
1. Information i got from YA
2. Consultation with Dr lisa Pierson.

Update: Junior ate today. I gave him another 1/4 tablet of Pepcid AC last night and he was not happy, He scratched me pretty bad on my hand. He wasnst trying to hurt him just trying to pull my hand away from his mouth because he hates pills. May have to after all pick up slippery elm powder for him just to have in the house in case. Figure its easier to squirt a little fluid in his mouth then to shove a pill down. Any who! happy he ate.
Click to expand...
Have you ever tried the pilling aid? The pill goes in the rubber end. You put that end into kitty's mouth near the back of the tongue and you push the plunger to deposit the pill. I find this device very helpful.
https://www.amazon.com/Mikki-Pill-Gun/dp/B00076HUB4?tag=felinediabetesfdmb-20
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top