? Help! Should I take him to the hospital?

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Amanda and a Loudogg

Amanda and a Loudogg

Member Since 2017
Hello all!
So my buddy Lou's appetite has decreased the last few days. I am not 100% certain what is causing this, but I have a sinking suspicion he may be getting sick of his wet food. Lou has never been a picky eater, but apparently wet food is a whole other thing. He had gotten sick of seafood flavors of Fancy Feast, so I had gotten other flavors (two multi-flavor boxes worth). I use a different flavor for every mealtime to give variety, but it seems like he may be sick of Fancy Feast altogether. He still eats enough to allow me to give him his insulin, but not enough (or like he used to) to keep me from worrying. I literally just bought FOUR new multi-flavor boxes of Fancy Feast, and I'm really annoyed that he's being so finicky all of a sudden. He will eat a little, but then leave it. He won't always come back to finish it (which he usually does). The weird thing is he isn't really eating a whole lot of his dry food (Young Again Zero) to compensate. He'll frequently sniff and walk away, but he's not licking his lips, which I think is a sign of nausea. Unfortunately, he has been vomiting more frequently, and I haven't the foggiest if it's related or caused by something like hairballs. At this point I wouldn't even be surprised if he's figured out that he could get more/different food by not eating. :rolleyes:

I've seen others talk about flavor enhancers on here, but it seems to correlate with a sick kitty or one who's not eating anything. Lou does eat a bit at least (I gave him some Fancy Feast Naturals this morning and he scarfed it up like a starving man). Do you think it would be worth trying some flavor enhancers to see if it gives him more interest in the Fancy Feast? Or do you think it's time to jump off the Fancy Feast sinking ship and try some other kinds of wet food? :banghead: :(

Thanks in advance!
 
i use fortiflora as a flavor enhancer too but, not all my cats like it though, for those cats, i smear a tsp of one of the nasty looking & smelling IAMS purrfect delights seafood wetfood flavor on top of their good wet food when they are being picky. i don't know what nastiness attracts cats is in those IAMS seafood flavors but, it is the only thing that every single cat will not past up when they are sick and/or not wanting to eat.

since your kitty seems to be having tummy issues however (you said he is throwing up more often), sounds like fortiflora may be a good choice for you.
 
Amanda and a Loudogg said:
If it was, what symptoms should I look for?
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When Zimmy had it he had a diminished appetite, and laid on his bed most of the day. Just looked like he was feeling off. He looked nauseated. He wanted food but would walk away from it. By the third day of that I brought him to the vet.
 
JanetNJ said:
When Zimmy had it he had a diminished appetite, and laid on his bed most of the day. Just looked like he was feeling off. He looked nauseated. He wanted food but would walk away from it. By the third day of that I brought him to the vet.
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That's basically Lou. At first he was just being a dick about it, so I thought it was because he was snubbing his food. He barely ate last night, even when I gave him Friskies, which he likes but hasn't had in weeks. This morning, it's taken him 25 mins or so to finally take a bite of his YAZ, and even then he ate for literally no more than a minute. I am thinking I can't give him his insulin if he's eaten almost nothing. Is it worth trying to bring him in to the vet clinic, or do I bite the bullet and take him to the emergency animal hospital???
 
Okay he's still only eaten the few bites and it's now been 45 minutes. He's never not eaten like this, and I'm no longer sure he's being a jerk about his food choices. I have not given him insulin and at this point I'm waiting for the vet clinic to be open at 8 to see what I should do.

I think I'm passing worried into terrified at the moment... am I overreacting?? I've changed the title of the thread to get more eyes. I apologize in advance to those of you on here, but I need to know if I'm just having vapors or if I need to act now.
 
Amanda and a Loudogg said:
Okay he's still only eaten the few bites and it's now been 45 minutes. He's never not eaten like this, and I'm no longer sure he's being a jerk about his food choices. I have not given him insulin and at this point I'm waiting for the vet clinic to be open at 8 to see what I should do.

I think I'm passing worried into terrified at the moment... am I overreacting?? I've changed the title of the thread to get more eyes. I apologize in advance to those of you on here, but I need to know if I'm just having vapors or if I need to act now.
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I wouldn't panic, but calling the clinic at 8 is a good idea. Do you have any keytone strips? What was his BG this morning?
 
If his issue is Ketones, that's very serious. high bg, no food, and no insulin is the recipe for keytones, so if you have test strips I'd test him. Anything above a trace bring him immediately to the vet. Pancreatitis can be serious as well if it is severe. I can tell you for pancreatitis the treatment is daily sub q fluids, cerenia for nausea, and a painkiller (I used bupe).
 
Well I fed him some rotisserie chicken, and he ate a bit of it. Then he left the dish and promptly threw up. Called my vet, who brushed me off - we're not open (even though their website says they are). She wouldn't even let me give symptoms so she could help me go to the right place.
 
Amanda and a Loudogg said:
Well I fed him some rotisserie chicken, and he ate a bit of it. Then he left the dish and promptly threw up. Called my vet, who brushed me off - we're not open (even though their website says they are). She wouldn't even let me give symptoms so she could help me go to the right place.
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wow. strange to not be open on a saturday... sunday I can see, but saturday? If it is pancreatitis I wouldn't wanna wait until monday. he could get dehydrated and if he stops eating all together, fatty liver. I'm glad he ate but throwing it back up does sound like it could be pancreatitis.... many cats do vomit when they have it. anywhere else you can go today?
 
JanetNJ said:
wow. strange to not be open on a saturday... sunday I can see, but saturday? If it is pancreatitis I wouldn't wanna wait until monday. he could get dehydrated and if he stops eating all together, fatty liver. I'm glad he ate but throwing it back up does sound like it could be pancreatitis.... many cats do vomit when they have it. anywhere else you can go today?
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It's ridiculous how few places are open around here on the weekend. You'd think we're a small cow town instead of the biggest city in the state. We do have an emergency animal hospital that is open 24 hours a day on the weekends. I was trying to avoid them for obvious cost reasons, but I'm going to give them a call now.
 
I'm glad the ketones are negative. I think you should find another vet that is open and take him in. Tell them you want them to test him for ketones as well (some vets don't listen very well, unless you tell them). I wish you and your kitty the Best Of Luck getting treated. Also, when you go, I always have No Metacam and No Convenia written on my cat's charts at every vet.
 
Amanda and a Loudogg said:
It's ridiculous how few places are open around here on the weekend. You'd think we're a small cow town instead of the biggest city in the state. We do have an emergency animal hospital that is open 24 hours a day on the weekends. I was trying to avoid them for obvious cost reasons, but I'm going to give them a call now.
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yeah, that's frustrating. I'm fortunate that my vet is open on sat and sun. They used to just be open every other sunday, but in the last two years they expanded their hours. My vet is expensive though... although with all that I go there (a ridiculous amount of times in the last two years between CC and Zim before he passed... as well as a few other random things with other cats) they give me a small discount and chocolates at christmas! hahahahaha
 
Okay, I got through. They said to bring him in, especially since he's diabetic. I'll let you all know what the vet says. I hope whatever it is they catch it early.... the only other cat I brought there I had to PTS, so I am terrified of going there. Wish us luck.
 
Amanda and a Loudogg said:
Okay, I got through. They said to bring him in, especially since he's diabetic. I'll let you all know what the vet says. I hope whatever it is they catch it early.... the only other cat I brought there I had to PTS, so I am terrified of going there. Wish us luck.
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Good luck. Specifically ask for a pancreatitis test. Let us know how it goes
 
Amanda and a Loudogg said:
Okay, I got through. They said to bring him in, especially since he's diabetic. I'll let you all know what the vet says. I hope whatever it is they catch it early.... the only other cat I brought there I had to PTS, so I am terrified of going there. Wish us luck.
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Was this at your regular vet or the er vet?
 
JanetNJ said:
yeah, that's frustrating. I'm fortunate that my vet is open on sat and sun. They used to just be open every other sunday, but in the last two years they expanded their hours. My vet is expensive though... although with all that I go there (a ridiculous amount of times in the last two years between CC and Zim before he passed... as well as a few other random things with other cats) they give me a small discount and chocolates at christmas! hahahahaha
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You are blessed to have a great vet!!
 
Well, no pancreatitis, ketones, or DKA thankfully, but he does have a UTI and struvite crystals. We have him home and he almost immediately ate the rest of the rotisserie chicken with some water (wahooo!!). Now I need to figure out the best way to give him his two liquid meds without stressing him out further. :confused:
 
Amanda and a Loudogg said:
Well, no pancreatitis, ketones, or DKA thankfully, but he does have a UTI and struvite crystals. We have him home and he almost immediately ate the rest of the rotisserie chicken with some water (wahooo!!). Now I need to figure out the best way to give him his two liquid meds without stressing him out further. :confused:
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Oh good! I’m glad it is something relatively easy to treat.
 
JanetNJ said:
Oh good! I’m glad it is something relatively easy to treat.
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Oh me too!! The ER vet was the best I've ever been to. He was super knowledgeable and data oriented. I am thankful he wanted to do a UA to rule that out, and I didn't have to twist his arm to run the pancreatitis test or a serum ketones test. And he tested logically. He also gave Lou anti-nausea meds and subQ fluids to help him pee. I wish the man had his own practice. I'd see him in a heartbeat! So thankful it was nothing worse.
 
Amanda and a Loudogg said:
Oh me too!! The ER vet was the best I've ever been to. He was super knowledgeable and data oriented. I am thankful he wanted to do a UA to rule that out, and I didn't have to twist his arm to run the pancreatitis test or a serum ketones test. And he tested logically. He also gave Lou anti-nausea meds and subQ fluids to help him pee. I wish the man had his own practice. I'd see him in a heartbeat! So thankful it was nothing worse.
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oh that's great! Keep the leftover anti nausia meds on hand... you never know when they will come in handy. I'm glad you got him checked out and didn't wait. did you start antibiotics or are they waiting on a culture to come back?
 
JanetNJ said:
oh that's great! Keep the leftover anti nausia meds on hand... you never know when they will come in handy. I'm glad you got him checked out and didn't wait. did you start antibiotics or are they waiting on a culture to come back?
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Me too, definitely. Unfortunately, they didn't give me any extra doses of the anti-nausea meds (sad face). They started him on antibiotics right away, although he is sending out a culture. He also gave him buprenophine and an urethral antispasmodic to hopefully avoid any urinary obstruction. I almost wish we would have gone with the pill form of the meds, but he actually handled the liquid medications fairly well, considering.
 
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