08/06 Butters AMBG N/A - At Vet again, not eating. Having Abdominal Ultrasound

Butters & Lyla

Butters & Lyla

Member Since 2020
Last post

Wow, I can't believe it has been so long since I posted a Butters condo. I am under some pressure with my job as Canada lifts COVID restrictions, so between that and Butters I've had to let posting totally slide.

Everything had been status quo per my last post until last week, when she started to feel a little better! She began chasing me around the house for treats again:woot:. I started to feel SO hopeful that she was turning a corner finally, but she squashed my hopes by not eating anything Tuesday overnight. On Wednesday she ate a little here and there but it was clear she wasn't feeling well, my thought was pancreatitis flare, so I started bupe, gabapentin and cerenia. Unfortunately I had to wait 12 hours for her cisapride to clear before I could start ondansetron but then I gave that too. But there was no change.

She spent most of Thursday at the vet getting IV fluids and getting her meds. She was dehydrated and the vet thought maybe constipation so she took xrays but they were clear. We added in an appy stim, zyrtec, yesterday but even that didn't get her eating. Butters refused all food at the vet and when she came home last night. I syringed some AD and brought her back to the vet today.

She is there now, receiving more fluids and meds while they try to figure out what is wrong. She still refuses to eat anything. She is getting an abdominal ultrasound today in the clinic because she isn't responding to the meds like she has with previous pancreatitis flares, so the vet seems at a loss as to what else to try for her. Two of the clinic's vets have been trained to do imaging but the images are sent out to a boarded radiologist who reads them and writes the report.

She is currently getting bupe, gabapentin, ondansetron, zyrtec (appy-stim), and cerenia...possibly additional stuff at the vet's. I'm not sure. I asked for a stronger pain med for her. Not sure they have anything. Her regular vet is on vacation so I'm dealing with a vet I don't know.

Oh, and I forgot to give her any insulin this morning before taking her back to the vet:facepalm:. I gave a half dose last night. I'm tired. I've had three nights straight of staying up cooking for her and trying to get her to eat something, anything.

I was hoping that when I posted next it would be to let anyone who is interested know how nutritional consult went, which is next week. Sorry to post with such a crappy update in the interim.

If anyone has any thoughts or ideas that they're willing to share, I'd be so grateful.

Hugs to all:bighug:
Lyla
 
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Thank you Adrienne for your kind thoughts:bighug:.




One thing I forgot to mention: the xray yesterday showed her stomach was full, intestines dehydrated and possibly inflamed. Her stomach should not be full given how little she had been eating so that concerned the vet. Vet did a repeat xray at the end of the day and her stomach was less full, but the vet said this could still be a problem but to see if the fluids and meds help resolve things. She doesn't think that it is a blockage or tumours.
The xray also showed a clear outline of the pancreas, which made the vet decide that if pancreatitis, it would likely be just mild. But hopefully I'll know more soon from the abdominal ultrasound.
 
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Thank you Lyla for responding. So happy to hear they don't think it is a tumor or blockage. I will keep a watch for any updates. Prayers that it can be resolved and nothing serious is going on. If you posted it, I must have missed it, did you get the ECHO results?
 
I was hoping no news meant good news. Did they run a test for pancreatitis? If it’s a flare they don’t always respond the same way with each flare. No masses seen so that’s good. Try feeding her without the supplements and see how that goes. If it works you cam syringe them. Chasing you for treats and then this sure sounds like a flare. :bighug:
 
Poor Butters. Hopefully her BGs will hold despite not feeling well and the skipped shot. Keep us posted. Sending her healing white light and you some big hugs, Lyla. :bighug:
 
I've been giving butters only lightly cooked venison with EZComplete...stopped all of the supplements a while back just in case one was irritating her. Except dasuquin because it was actually helping her arthritis! I thought that was the reason why she was running around last week: she stopped limping and bunny hopping.

It has been a long day. The vet who did the imaging had a lot of theories that I was regaled with throughout the afternoon and which I'll spare you the details of.

The vet just spoke with an IM vet at IDEXX, who said:
-could be either inflammation or lymphoma.
-upper intestine is distended but there is no evidence of a mechanical obstruction.
-the stomach is still too full to really commit to what is going on there. Maybe thickening of the walls or maybe a tumour. Or maybe just generalized inflammation that is causing a problem with delayed emptying. Maybe gastritis. He wants her on fluids for 24 hours straight and then wants the ultrasound repeated to see if the stomach is empty and he can make a diagnosis.
-pancreas is inflamed as are intestines.

The vet is thinking she will be on prednisolone, which I think is a wonderful idea, tbh, given the chronic pancreatitis. She also thinks Butters could use a promotility agent for the delayed emptying, but won't start anything until there is something more definitive from a repeat ultrasound.

That's it. She still won't eat on her own. So the vet is calling every ER in the city to find a place for her to go. My first choice was the OVC hospital, but they are full right now.

This is all....a lot.
 
Hi Lyla, thanks for the update although no real answers, a lot of could be’s. Poor beautiful Butters, and Lyla. I hope the repeat ultrasound after the fluids show something concrete, a diagnosis with a plan of care. Something simple would be nice. Sending healing prayers and praying Butters starts eating again. I hope she is not too scared, strange people poking at her, strange environment. :nailbiting:
Big hugs :bighug::bighug::bighug:​
 
Butters & Lyla said:
I've been giving butters only lightly cooked venison with EZComplete...stopped all of the supplements a while back just in case one was irritating her. Except dasuquin because it was actually helping her arthritis! I thought that was the reason why she was running around last week: she stopped limping and bunny hopping.

It has been a long day. The vet who did the imaging had a lot of theories that I was regaled with throughout the afternoon and which I'll spare you the details of.

The vet just spoke with an IM vet at IDEXX, who said:
-could be either inflammation or lymphoma.
-upper intestine is distended but there is no evidence of a mechanical obstruction.
-the stomach is still too full to really commit to what is going on there. Maybe thickening of the walls or maybe a tumour. Or maybe just generalized inflammation that is causing a problem with delayed emptying. Maybe gastritis. He wants her on fluids for 24 hours straight and then wants the ultrasound repeated to see if the stomach is empty and he can make a diagnosis.
-pancreas is inflamed as are intestines.

The vet is thinking she will be on prednisolone, which I think is a wonderful idea, tbh, given the chronic pancreatitis. She also thinks Butters could use a promotility agent for the delayed emptying, but won't start anything until there is something more definitive from a repeat ultrasound.

That's it. She still won't eat on her own. So the vet is calling every ER in the city to find a place for her to go. My first choice was the OVC hospital, but they are full right now.

This is all....a lot.
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Oh my gosh. That IS a lot! I would be beside myself with all that info. I have been looking for a post from you for a while, and thinking of you and Butters. Man! To go so quickly from her seemingly feeling so well to THIS! It is frightening. I am so sorry. I hope she gets the help she needs in the short teem (the 24 hour fluids) and will start feeling better. I just feel so sorry for her. Poor baby. Hang in there. I’m looking forward to you telling is that she’s doing better soon! I agree the pred is needed, especially with all that inflammation.
 
Her vet found one hospital that had space and I've dropped her off there. It is unfortunately my last choice hospital....it probably is everyone's last choice and that's why they had space! Sigh. They're already not listening to me and not properly reading all of the information that the vet from her clinic sent over. I'm waiting for a vet to call me. Hopefully the vet is better.

Her vet said she did not eat anything all day though they left a buffet of foods for her.

So about this hospital, there is a boarded IM vet who comes in on Saturdays if there is an unstable case that needs an ultrasound. If he comes in, he would also do an ultrasound for anyone else (ie Butters) who needs one. Otherwise, no matter where she is she wouldn't get the ultrasound until Monday. If the IM vet is not coming in tomorrow, her vet is going to call around to my first choice hospital and try to get her a transfer there tomorrow morning. If a patient gets discharged overnight, then she may get in there.
 
tiffmaxee said:
:bighug::bighug::bighug:Can you try to call the internist you liked or too late for that?
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I can't remember where the one I liked is. Was there one I liked? I'm having problems remembering. The one who did her last ultrasound who was at the hospital she stayed at for four nights...that one no longer works there or anywhere in the city. Literally every hospital in my region is full. She called everywhere that was within a one hour drive of me...that covers a lot of ground. It's just crazy.
 
Olive & Paula said:
Poor baby. Poor you. Are you getting any rest? Hopeful some more definitive answers soon.
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I'm not getting any rest at all. I have been up every night trying to get Butters to eat something. Tonight I imagine I'll just be up worrying about her, and waiting for updates!
 
Butters & Lyla said:
I can't remember where the one I liked is. Was there one I liked? I'm having problems remembering. The one who did her last ultrasound who was at the hospital she stayed at for four nights...that one no longer works there or anywhere in the city. Literally every hospital in my region is full. She called everywhere that was within a one hour drive of me...that covers a lot of ground. It's just crazy.
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It’s the same here. Not enough help they say.

I thought you liked one of the internists but I guess just your vet who is on vacation.
 
Thank you everyone for your support:bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug:. Honestly, it means so much to me and to Butters too. I've been so busy lately I just wish I had posted when things were good. It's crazy how well she seemed to be doing last week. I'm in shock at how lousy she is doing this week.

Suzanne & Darcy said:
Oh my gosh. That IS a lot! I would be beside myself with all that info.
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I was beside myself! I could hear my voice getting higher and higher pitched as I was speaking with the vet:facepalm:. I made a point of telling her that I'm just in shock and not upset with her. I just don't know what to make of all of this. And neither did she, really. Butters was already complicated and now even moreso.
 
PerfumedCatMom said:
Poor Butters. Hopefully her BGs will hold despite not feeling well and the skipped shot. Keep us posted. Sending her healing white light and you some big hugs, Lyla. :bighug:
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That's two skipped shots now:banghead:. I didn't think to bring a tiny token dose when I picked her up. And the hospital I'm sure won't give her any and they won't allow me to give her any either.
 
Oh boy I'm sorry, so much to process!

The hospitals really are a pain about insulin and it drives me nuts. I'm paying you $$$$ and it's that hard to do a BG check or give a shot? Gonna charge me $50 for each? My blood pressure is raising just typing this :mad:

I hope they get it figured out soon. X rays around lungs were clear?
 
I'm so sorry that Butters isn't feeling well and that you're having to go through all of this. Fingers crossed that you're able to get her to a better facility, and that the pred helps. :bighug::bighug::bighug:
 
I certainly haven't forgotten about you and Butters. The people here and their kitties are the reason I stay here, even though my baby is gone. I care about you and your kitties. It's kinda weird, isn't it? We really care on this board! It's a beautiful thing. We can't really do for each other what we would like to do if we lived closer together, but we try to love and support each other as best we can "virtually." I'm probably going to lose sleep tonight over Butters. I wish I wasn't like that, but I can't help it. I can't wait for the positive update... I know it's coming... they vets just need to figure out what's going on and it sound like they're not there yet... :bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug:
 
I guess I will just change my prayers from before for a cancellation at her cardiologist and her dental to praying a patient will get discharged tonight or tomorrow am at the other hospital. I can’t remember when you weren’t losing sleep. We are all sending prayers foe beautiful Butters and for you Lyla. Huge virtual hugs wrapped around both of you from all of us here. :bighug::bighug::bighug:
 
Oh Lyla, I'm so sorry to read of all this drama you and Butters are enduring. It's crazy how difficult it is to get pet care right now, on top of just what's to be expected when the babies get sick. I suppose at least the vet was calling round to find a hospital and that was not on your plate. Hopefully you are able to get some decent rest tonight as it's always easier to handle things with some sleep and food behind you. :bighug::bighug:
 
Poor Butters baby, hoping you get answers soon. Keep us posted and get some sleep so you can think clearly for making decisions!
 
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