http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=70689
Just wanted to give everyone an update. Skipper continued to vomit and have diarrhea on the Reglan last week. We had our previously scheduled monthly checkup Monday with the internal medicine specialist. We had already planned to do bloodwork and urine tests, but based on his vomiting, she wanted to do either an abdominal ultrasound or an endoscopy. I agreed to the ultrasound as they could do it right then and there. The ultrasound showed enlarged lymph nodes in his abdomen/intestines. The technician was able to get some cells from the lymph nodes for cytology. Those were not there at his last abdominal ultrasound in January. The vet said that meant either lymphoma or severe inflammatory bowel disease, but that the bloodwork would confirm. We were sent home with metronizadole, which I'm supposed to cut into fifths. (How do you cut a round pill into fifths?)
I heard back from her last evening with the results. No definitive lymphoma diagnosis, but severe inflammatory bowel disease. She told me I needed to make some decisions -- whether to do further studies, tests and/or surgery or to give him prednisolone and see if it improves. She said it he doesn't improve in a few days then our decision is essentially made. I told her that I could not put him through an endoscopy. She said that he's already been through a lot, and so have I, and although I love him and want to do what I can for him, sometimes I have to do the humane thing. So we started prednisolone last night, and I hope that it will boost his appetite and his spirits, as he has essentially been lying on the dog bed since we got home from the vet. Except for at night, when he has been sleeping next to me, literally nose to nose. I know that he knows what I've done for him and that makes me feel a lot better.
What I love about this vet is that she understands that I've been doing everything in my power to get Skipper better -- from doing curves at home to trying every canned food on the market. So when she tells me I need to make a decision, she's not being cold and clinical about it. She's not only taking care of Skipper, but she's taking care of me, too.
Just wanted to give everyone an update. Skipper continued to vomit and have diarrhea on the Reglan last week. We had our previously scheduled monthly checkup Monday with the internal medicine specialist. We had already planned to do bloodwork and urine tests, but based on his vomiting, she wanted to do either an abdominal ultrasound or an endoscopy. I agreed to the ultrasound as they could do it right then and there. The ultrasound showed enlarged lymph nodes in his abdomen/intestines. The technician was able to get some cells from the lymph nodes for cytology. Those were not there at his last abdominal ultrasound in January. The vet said that meant either lymphoma or severe inflammatory bowel disease, but that the bloodwork would confirm. We were sent home with metronizadole, which I'm supposed to cut into fifths. (How do you cut a round pill into fifths?)
I heard back from her last evening with the results. No definitive lymphoma diagnosis, but severe inflammatory bowel disease. She told me I needed to make some decisions -- whether to do further studies, tests and/or surgery or to give him prednisolone and see if it improves. She said it he doesn't improve in a few days then our decision is essentially made. I told her that I could not put him through an endoscopy. She said that he's already been through a lot, and so have I, and although I love him and want to do what I can for him, sometimes I have to do the humane thing. So we started prednisolone last night, and I hope that it will boost his appetite and his spirits, as he has essentially been lying on the dog bed since we got home from the vet. Except for at night, when he has been sleeping next to me, literally nose to nose. I know that he knows what I've done for him and that makes me feel a lot better.
What I love about this vet is that she understands that I've been doing everything in my power to get Skipper better -- from doing curves at home to trying every canned food on the market. So when she tells me I need to make a decision, she's not being cold and clinical about it. She's not only taking care of Skipper, but she's taking care of me, too.
