Last post Figured it was about time for another update! Overall he's good, wouldn't really know anything is wrong just by looking at him. We'd decided to hold his cab dose at 0.1mL q60h(down from 0.25mL full dose q48h). We're hoping that's enough to still slow the progression of acro side effects somewhat, while not potentially causing the effusion (or a slow enough effusion that his body can process and get rid of). Still have the 5 Ps...although maybe it's 4.5 because he keeps going outside the litterbox/middle of the floor. He's a pretty happy hungry guy still, so I'm happy for that. I suspect the litterbox issues are tummy upset/diarrhea...our food shipment was delayed so he got some MC It was supposed to be just one can...today we finally went out and scavenged for some LC to hopefully get us to whenever the shipment actually shows up. Water intake is up, hoping that's just from diarrhea He's a smidge less social and there was blood in the diarrhea...hoping that's just tummy upset too, but there's just a few too many things off-kilter. Blood sugar still hanging in there surprisingly. Oh, and his fur is shedding like crazy and also turning brown. And some dandruff again. Vet is at a complete loss on what to do, so we're kinda flying in this no-man's-land of trying what we think may help. If he somehow makes it to next year, I'd like to schedule a cardio consult and echo...and possibly a respiratory specialist or whoever handles lungs. Curious if effusion is heart related, lung related, or what. I can't think of who to tag, but @Suzanne & Darcy @Wendy&Neko with some of these things combined...should I be considering potential thyroid, liver, or kidney issues? Like the brown fur, shedding, water intake? They can all be innocent enough on their own but it's the combo plus everything else he has going on that makes me feel something just isn't quite right
Overall sounds pretty good. The liver tests are normal as are the kidney. It doesn’t look like thyroid was part of your panel or didn’t you list it?
If it was included I would have put it in, so guess not. That was back in March though, couldn't have things changed since then? Or do they usually take more time.
Hi Melissa, thanks for the update , I'm happy to hear he's a happy hungry guy. Always sending prayers for Mr Kitty, the pic of him on your SS and those big eyes make my heart just melt. Give him kisses for me.
Thyroid could have changed since March I suppose. Numbers are too food to be water consumption caused by diabetes. Thyroid problems can cause excess shedding. And you say dandruff? as for a black cat turning brown…. Hmmm…. Has he been sunning himself? I have read about excess zinc in cat food causing copper deficiency. It’s Zinc toxicity. I find that one unlikely. I have also read about tyrosine deficiency causing less melanin production and hence the lighter, brown fur. It could be age related as well. Sorry this isn’t much.
Has he been eating dry food? My cats drink a noticeably greater amount of water when they (rarely) eat dry food. Just a thought. I didn’t think you fed dry. What about meds? Any meds that could make him more thirsty? Rutin?
No, no dry. I also read about the zinc/copper/tyrosine, and age, and sunning ha not much sun around here lately :/ No change in meds, other than the spaced out cab. It's an extra half a bowl of water a day which is quite a bit, each time I go to test I feel like I'm going see 300 pop up because of it lol I'll give the vet a call sometime this week, I really hate to take him in, it's understandably a bit traumatic for him. I had bloodwork scheduled for December but maybe I'll bump that up.
Yes. I’m afraid I would be checking in with the vet too if he were my kitty. Things can change pretty quickly when they’re older — I don’t even think of 11 as being that old… but that’s senior for a cat (7 they say.). I hope it’s not his kidneys. Any you say this didn’t happen before with the Rutin? I’m sure you would have noticed it/mentioned it.
No did not happen with the Rutin first time. When he was having the fluid build up he was drinking slightly more, but not this much. But he also wasn't peeing or pooping what he should have been ..this time input seems to match output so to speak. No other kitties! Just the dog, but their meal spaces stay separated.
Ruby's coat has gotten tawnier or more orangey since she started pred, or at least I think it's the pred doing it. Hope the GI stuff resolves itself. Slippery elm and George's aloe can do wonders for coating and soothing the stomach. I take ¼ tsp aloe juice and ⅛ tsp SEB and mix them into a ball and pop it into Ruby's mouth. I also will mix SEB into her food. Seems to also help with preventing morning pukes.
And dog doesn't drink Mr. Kitty's water? Anyway, I hope it's going to be okay! I have tried to think of everything that's not bad (even about the brown fur). I have a friend who had a cat go into DKA and his coat went from a lighter coffee with cream color to very dark brown in a very short period of time -- while he was in the vet hospital. This, of course, has nothing to do with Mr. K... it just made me think about it.
If she were getting the water, the food would also be gone bottomless pit. But the door stays closed almost all day while he's sleeping, then we let him roam at night. It may be the sunning after all...check out SS. He found the smallest sliver of sun ever, and that's exactly where his fur is turning brown
The black cat turning browner is not uncommon in cats with GI issues. So in Ruby @PerfumedCatMom it's probably not the pred, but the small cell lymphoma doing it. Neko's hair turned towards brown and was not on pred, but rather budesonide. Current SCL girl is in remission from SCL, but still has IBD on her plate and hair is a bit lighter. Tummy upset/diarrhea/pooing outside the box can also be indicators of GI issues, which are unfortunately not all that uncommon with acros. Blood in diarrhea is concerning. Has Mr. Kitty ever had his B12 levels tested?
Would appear not... What should I be asking for at the vet? Imaging and endoscopy out of the question, pretty much limited to lab work for now. Blood seems to be gone, but also hard to tell when it's covered in litter sprinkles
Usually a GI panel, or separate B12 blood test is an add on, and not part of routine blood work. Schedule it next time he goes in for blood work. To help figure out if it's IBD, try a novel protein diet for a while, and some probiotics. I liked giving Visbiome. Good news the blood appeared to be a one off.
One thing about the GI panel though is that it doesn't always tell you that something is wrong. Ruby had one done in March, I believe, of this year, and it showed her cobalamin, folate, and fPLI to all be within reference ranges, though we all know now that she is not all right even though her ultrasounds were all pretty consistently showing thickness in her intestines well before her diagnosis of SCL in June. I hope that if you do decide to do the bloodwork that it tells you something that is helpful.
Low B12 can tell you if there is malabsorption. A good percent of kitties with GI issues need supplementation. So far, none of mine have.
Hugs to you and your kitteh. He looks like such a sweetie. Like I said on the other thread, I don't log in much here. I've been there. Mr. Kitty has the best champion in the world - you. You are taking such great care of him. I hope the intestinal and poopage issues taper down. Hugs to your and your sweet black kitteh.
