3/30/23 Charlie update

Sarah & Charlie-cat

Sarah & Charlie-cat

Member Since 2022
For those not following along on Facebook... Charlie had an ultrasound today and sure enough, intestinal thickening and a diagnosis of IBD. We already started him in raw rabbit food, freeze dried and frozen patties. We're going to add B12 and increase his prednisolone back up to 5mg.

Hopefully, his BG numbers will start coming back down. It was so frustrating to see pinks and yellows after all those nice blues and greens.

I'm frustrated it took this long, and a very expensive emergency vet visit, but I'm glad I knew to insist on an ultrasound. I was like ahah, I knew it when the vet told me.

I'll have to link the previous thread after I go get him and get my laptop out
 
Just the ultrasound for now. If meds and diet help that hopefully will save having to put him under for a biopsy. Do vets normally go straight for biopsy or do they treat and see first?

They also said his poor pancreas was inflamed again.

I think his tummy is doing better on the raw rabbit but it hasn't been very long yet.
 
Sarah & Charlie-cat said:
Do vets normally go straight for biopsy or do they treat and see first?
Click to expand...
Depends on several things. One is the willingness/ability of the client to do a biopsy, and whether the cat can handle the anaesthesia. For example, Neko couldn't have a biopsy because her heart condition meant no anaesthesia. Also, what they see in the biopsy, and where the bowel is thickened, can determine if biopsy can be done via endoscopy or has to be surgical biopsy. Endoscopy can be easier on cat, but can't reach all regions. "treat and see" isn't really a good option, because both conditions will respond, at least initially, to steroids. But SCL will be brewing in the background and getting worse if untreated. But if he does improve on the novel protein (and I hope probiotics too), then that is a good indicator of IBD.

Pancreatitis is unfortunately a common side effect that seems to go with GI disease. Was his B12 levels low too? If so, those shots should help him feel better.
 
Sarah & Charlie-cat said:
For those not following along on Facebook... Charlie had an ultrasound today and sure enough, intestinal thickening and a diagnosis of IBD. We already started him in raw rabbit food, freeze dried and frozen patties. We're going to add B12 and increase his prednisolone back up to 5mg.

Hopefully, his BG numbers will start coming back down. It was so frustrating to see pinks and yellows after all those nice blues and greens.

I'm frustrated it took this long, and a very expensive emergency vet visit, but I'm glad I knew to insist on an ultrasound. I was like ahah, I knew it when the vet told me.

I'll have to link the previous thread after I go get him and get my laptop out
Click to expand...

Sarah, how is Charlie?

My kitty had similar symptoms and an ultrasound. I was told GI Lymphoma and pancreatitis. Weekly B-12 shots and 5mg prednisolone, which has triggered diabetes.

I've been trying to reduce the pred, but she's clearly not feeling comfortable; I believe I'm going to push it back to 5mg tomorrow.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top