GA DIDNT GET GOOD NEWS, UPDATE!!

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Irish Pat

Irish Pat

Member Since 2020
Hello everyone....

We really need some help, our cat Brady is not eating...He just had blood work done and his white count is a little low, my vet actually called me from home to discuss, she feels it is pancreatits...Still waiting on pancreatitis results, should be another day.....We are struggling right now and dont know what to do...I havent really been able to give Brady insulin but a few times in the last couple days because of not eating. Right now his sugar is 418 on the alpha trac, I was able to give him a reduced dose of 1.5 today at noon. I cant get him to eat and not sure what to do about giving him insulin without eating.

Ketones are negative
White blood count is low
Still waiting on pancreatitis results
All other blood work is normal

Tried baby food, tried boiled chicken, tried dry food, tried all kinds of food and he isnt eating.

Brady is on prozinc insulin

Any thoughs or opinion on any of this would be helpful....Hoping its not cancer, but I guess low white blood count, that could be a possibility.
 
Ugh, that is so hard, when they don't eat.

I guess you only have a day to go to get the pancreatitis result, but if it were me I'd want to ask the vet if we could start presumptive treatments to see if it helps. Those treatments are, chiefly:

-pain meds (pancreatitis is extremely painful)
-anti-nausea meds

Signs of pancreatitis pain include sitting in the "meatloaf" position, and abdominal tenderness. If he is acting in this way, and/or if the pancreatitis test comes back positive, he will definitely need pain meds before he feels like eating.

Brady may be helped by anti-nausea meds regardless of the pancreatitis answer. How does he act when you offer food? A nauseated cat will often act interested in food, approach it and even sniff it, but then turn away.

I worry that he's been like this for a couple days. Hope things improve very soon, you don't want this to go on much longer.
 
Hi Pat,

Look for symptoms of nausea and report any you see to the vet, as that may be enough for the vet to prescribe anti-nausea and appetite stimulant meds. Also, assess whether Brady might be constipated. Anti-nausea treatment for the pancreatitis may not work very well if the constipation is not addressed first. If it is pancreatitis then pain relief and a course of vitamin B12 will also help (and potentially fluid therapy). The key document you need as a guide is:

IDEXX Pancreatitis Treatment Guidelines

Here are links to some of my recent posts with information and links that might help you:

https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB...istina-kitty-cat-9-13-20.235222/#post-2633871

https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB...ronic-pancreatitis-kitty.235190/#post-2633466

It's great that you're checking for ketones. I hope that Brady starts eating soon.


Mogs
.
 
Thank you all for the replies...I should have added he is on a 1/4 tablet of cerenia, just started today...they gave him fluids yesterday at the vets....Yes he does show interest in the food....he goes up looks at it licks it and walks away...today he ate about a 1/2 a can of food, enough to give him 1.5U, he normally takes 2.5 U but to scared to do that in case he does vomit. He really hasnt thrown up...we did have two hair balls in two days, Tuesday sometime and Wednesday early early morning....I asked the vet about appetite enhancement meds, she said try baby food first and let me know what he does...he did eat a little of it but not much....he had an excellent bowel movement today as well....in fact everyday he goes is good.....other than the hairballs....he is fine

My thing is about giving him insulin as well....if he is high and doesnt eat is it ok to give insulin....

you guys are awesome for the help....we are very scared and worried....
 
Also looking for any ideas on how to help him eat, any off the wall suggestions that may work.....or if it is panc, maybe eating isnt the best thing from what i gather....
 
Irish Pat said:
My thing is about giving him insulin as well....if he is high and doesnt eat is it ok to give insulin....
Click to expand...
There have been multiple discussions about this over the past 15-20 years and, although it might be a difficult read given the stress you’re feeling, this post on Think Tank forum had a lot of good “food for thought.”
https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/some-bad-advice-for-newbies.9070/

In a nutshell, yes, insulin is important for a cat who isn’t eating. The fact that you’re hometesting will allow you to monitor closely.

I assume they’ve ruled out any type of obstruction? I believe @Olive & Paula and @hailey & oscar both had cats earlier this year with obstructions. Maybe take a peek at this thread and see if anything sounds familiar.
https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/mystery-sickness-headed-to-the-vet.227416/#post-2547056
 
JL and Chip said:
There have been multiple discussions about this over the past 15-20 years and, although it might be a difficult read given the stress you’re feeling, this post on Think Tank forum had a lot of good “food for thought.”
https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/some-bad-advice-for-newbies.9070/

In a nutshell, yes, insulin is important for a cat who isn’t eating. The fact that you’re hometesting will allow you to monitor closely.

I assume they’ve ruled out any type of obstruction? I believe @Olive & Paula and @hailey & oscar both had cats earlier this year with obstructions. Maybe take a peek at this thread and see if anything sounds familiar.
https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/mystery-sickness-headed-to-the-vet.227416/#post-2547056
Click to expand...

I will read both of these tomorrow....now trying to head to bed to hopefully get some sleep...

again thank you all
 
My civvie had obstruction earlier this year. He wanted to eat, would luck then walk away. 2nd day he started projectile vomiting. Took to ER, they xrayed and took him into surgery.

Ollie started as high doses kitty. Insulin was never skipped. Even when she didn't eat. If needed I syringe fed, although it was rare. We used different insulin though and that can make a difference.

Pancreatitis, Ollie was chronic so it was ongoing. Surprised vet didn't give some meds while waiting. If test comes back positive definitely get bupre for pain, cerenia (dose can be higher than 4mg) appetite stimulate, ask about subq fluids to do at home.
 
I totally agree with @Olive & Paula the meds can make a world of difference and no need to suffer waiting for results . The meds won't harm him. Fluids can do wonders (assuming no heart issue) and well as the other meds for nausea/vomit/stim/etc...

Some cats stay on it to do a "pulse" rotation to prevent another episode as in my experience it is often something that comes and goes but comes more and more as a cat ages and fd seems to increase frequency.:bighug:
 
Look at the threads I posted above, Pat. They contain heare suggestions on how to persuade a cat to eat.

Two of the simplest things to try tonight are raising the food and water bowls up a few inches so Brady doesn't have to stoop to eat, and warming the food slightly.

Ask the vet about ondansetron for the nausea. It can be used in conjunction with Cerenia if required. It's a human medication so you can fill the Rx at a regular pharmacy if your vet doesn't stock it. Ondansetron can start to work within 2 hours but it may take a day or two to build up to a stronger effect. Depending on the size of the dose it can be given every 8-12 hours. If it is pancreatitis then pain relief (buprenorphine) should make it easier for Brady to eat.

Try feeding very small amounts very frequently. Add a teaspoon or two of water to each feed to help with hydration.


Mogs
.
 
Critter Mom said:
Hi Pat,

How's Brady doing? Any word from the vet?


Mogs
.
Click to expand...


Thanks for checking.....so the results are in:

Brady is back in the hospital, his fpl test was 8.1, with normal range being 0.0-3.5, so it was pretty high, he is diagnosed with pancreatitis again, he didnt have it this bad the last time....he is in the hospital for 24-48 hours getting meds and fluids. This cat is something, they say pancreatitis is painful, my cat showed absolutely no signs of pain whatsoever.....just wouldnt eat.....He wanted to eat, badly...just wouldnt chew food, only lick the gravy....anyway.....His lymphocytes (white blood cells) are pretty low too...they say that can happen from the panc, hopefully thats what that is....I worry so much about cancer.....

I am feeding him friskie low carb pate food.....Not sure what to feed a diabetic/pancratic cat that looks like he is going to have bouts with pancreatitis....hopefully this is it, he is turning into the million dollar cat.....but im not sure if friskies is the right food....I know there is food out there that is very expensive but looking for something in my budget.....any ideas? Or is friskies a good choice? Gonna ask the vet as well....
 
Food isn't really the issue with p'titis. It is common with diabetics. Cats hide pain so well.

So now you know Brady will be prone to flare ups as this isn't the first time. If your vet will work with you on this, you can keep future flare ups minimal. Ask to have supplies of cerenia (also helps with inflammation), Buprenorphine, ondansteron, appy stimulant, bag or 2 (I kept small bags) of lactated fingers iv fluids at home. As soon as Brady shows signs of flare up, start meds to keep it from becoming severe. And don't stop meds to soon. Sometimes it can take a week or longer of treatment. Ollie's worst case lasted 6 weeks. Cerenia can be given higher than 4 mg dose. Ollie got 15 mg when at the worst. Smokey started at 30 mg. Once they started feeling better, started lowering the dose.

Any food to keep him eating if necessary. I used rx a/d as my go to. Kitties seem to like it when sick and not eating the best. And they can use the higher calorie. Thins easy for syringe feeding if needed. Try not to miss dosing insulin.
 
Panic had a low white blood cell count too when she got pancreatitis if that's any help. It was also a lot worse the second time for her (didn't realize she had it the first time until I saw the same thing happen over a year later and got diagnosed ... can't believe she survived the first time without food, fluids, or meds).

I know there's Critical Care food, a few brands I can't think off of the top of my head that are high-calorie. Purina and Royal Canin I think, maybe you can buy a few cans off the vet.

Prayers for Brady :bighug:
 
Olive & Paula said:
Food isn't really the issue with p'titis. It is common with diabetics. Cats hide pain so well.

So now you know Brady will be prone to flare ups as this isn't the first time. If your vet will work with you on this, you can keep future flare ups minimal. Ask to have supplies of cerenia (also helps with inflammation), Buprenorphine, ondansteron, appy stimulant, bag or 2 (I kept small bags) of lactated fingers iv fluids at home. As soon as Brady shows signs of flare up, start meds to keep it from becoming severe. And don't stop meds to soon. Sometimes it can take a week or longer of treatment. Ollie's worst case lasted 6 weeks. Cerenia can be given higher than 4 mg dose. Ollie got 15 mg when at the worst. Smokey started at 30 mg. Once they started feeling better, started lowering the dose.

Any food to keep him eating if necessary. I used rx a/d as my go to. Kitties seem to like it when sick and not eating the best. And they can use the higher calorie. Thins easy for syringe feeding if needed. Try not to miss dosing insulin.
Click to expand...


Brady was on cerenia for quite a while, he was tested several times for p'titis and he counts were in the range of 4.4-5.9 so the vet indicated he really wasnt at a p'titis level...We stopped the cerenia at that point per the vet......So my question here is, does he need to be on cerenia all the time....thats a nasty drug...he foams at the mouth terribly....We actually have someone getting us empty capsules to put the pill in.....I will ask the vet about other meds for him to try to control this.....cant keep going to the emergency room or I will need to win the lottery.....Im really not sure im happy with prozinc, if I go higher than 2.5U he comes down way to fast no matter what i do then shoots up above 500, not good.....at least with 2.5 he pretty much stays steady, not good numbers but we avoid those high numbers all the time......
 
Panic said:
Panic had a low white blood cell count too when she got pancreatitis if that's any help. It was also a lot worse the second time for her (didn't realize she had it the first time until I saw the same thing happen over a year later and got diagnosed ... can't believe she survived the first time without food, fluids, or meds).

I know there's Critical Care food, a few brands I can't think off of the top of my head that are high-calorie. Purina and Royal Canin I think, maybe you can buy a few cans off the vet.

Prayers for Brady :bighug:
Click to expand...


Thank you Elizabeth
 
Irish Pat said:
Brady was on cerenia for quite a while, he was tested several times for p'titis and he counts were in the range of 4.4-5.9 so the vet indicated he really wasnt at a p'titis level...We stopped the cerenia at that point per the vet......So my question here is, does he need to be on cerenia all the time....thats a nasty drug...he foams at the mouth terribly....We actually have someone getting us empty capsules to put the pill in.....I will ask the vet about other meds for him to try to control this.....cant keep going to the emergency room or I will need to win the lottery.....Im really not sure im happy with prozinc, if I go higher than 2.5U he comes down way to fast no matter what i do then shoots up above 500, not good.....at least with 2.5 he pretty much stays steady, not good numbers but we avoid those high numbers all the time......
Click to expand...

But numbers are enough to be inflammatory and irritating. Ollie's vet said it was okay to give cerenia daily long term. I have not read anything contradicting it. I did give every other day, sandwiched it between 2 dabs of delectable squeeze up treat. Small dabs, Ollie ate it right up. When she got fluids I gave injectable cerenia through the port on the line.
 
Olive & Paula said:
But numbers are enough to be inflammatory and irritating. Ollie's vet said it was okay to give cerenia daily long term. I have not read anything contradicting it. I did give every other day, sandwiched it between 2 dabs of delectable squeeze up treat. Small dabs, Ollie ate it right up. When she got fluids I gave injectable cerenia through the port on the line.
Click to expand...


So you actually put the pill in between treats....good idea....vet said to disolve it in water and use a syringe and give it to him that way....Im not so sure about that idea....any ideas on how to take that cerenia would be good....he hates it....and i hate giving it to him....He doesnt foam all the time, just when that darn pill doesnt go down right.....
 
Right now...Im very very scared and typing with tears in my eyes....The hospital just called and they saw something on the xray they didnt like, Brady may have cancer of the liver, they need to do an ultrasound on his liver....im literally in tears right now, wont know the results until tomorrow......God please pray.......
 
Well for those following along...the news wasnt good it was cacner and they feel that was what caused Brady to have diabetes in the first place and why he was so hard to regulate. I cant thank all of the people who have cared and got us through some of the tough times with this disease. Right now I dont even know what to say to any of you. My mind is so absent right now.....I know I loved my Brady more than anything, I am going to miss his so much....I only wish and pray that all of you with diabetic cats can get through the tough times and enjoy the time you have with your precious kitties. This disease sucks in so many ways and the toll it takes on us humans and our loved pets. I just knew there was more to it with Brady than just the diabetes, I could just tell. Everyone again thank you so much.....

Brady-09-07-2009 to 09-19-2020....I love you buddy...and will miss you more than you will ever know!!!!!
 
I am so sad and so very sorry :(. You will be in my thoughts and prayers today and the coming days as you grieve such a profound loss. Buddy was so very fortunate and blessed to have a loving home with such a caring family. Fly free from illness & pain dear Brady cat_wings>o:rb_icon:.
 
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