Angus - suspected IBD or lymphoma - long, sorry

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Karen & Angus(GA)

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Angus has been having digestive issues since the end of January. It started with pooping outside the box and what seemed to be mild constipation. I took him to the vet on 2/2 and she suggested a diet change from Royal Canin Urinary SO to ProPlan Urinary formula (he had significant amounts of blood and struvite crystal in his urine in Oct), adding 1/8 tsp Miralax and 1/4 tsp Metamucil to his food. He was still pooping outside the box, though the poop was normal. I tried throughly scrubbing the litter boxes, starting with completely fresh litter, and moving the boxes to the spots he was using. No change. Finally, I bought a couple of underbed storage boxes and put them in a room that hd never had a litter box. He started using the box normally and I thought everything was resolved.

About 5 days (2/23) latter, he had his first bout of diarrhea. I called his vet and we stopped the Miralax and Metamucil. His stools firmed up, though not quite normal. On 3/3, he was back to liquid stools. I transitioned him back to Friskies and FF and again, things seemed to improve, though never quite reached normal. Finally, I tried four days of probiotics (Culturelle).

I took him in Monday and we did blood work, urinalysis, and a fecal. He has lost 1 1/2 pounds in the last 6 weeks and has hind end muscle wasting. Blood work and urinalysis show CRF, which he has had for about a year, but nothing else really abnormal (neutrophils, lymphocytes, and monocytes are off). A link to his lab work is here.

We started a bland diet (chicken baby food and plain, boiled chicken) and a7 day course of metronidazole on Monday. Last night was back to gassy liquid. He doesn't want to eat this morning and is hunching. We have an appointment with an internist for an exam and ultrasound Friday.

Is there anything else I should be doing? What other bland foods can I try to stimulate his appetite?
 
Prayers to Angus. I feed Thomas with poached chicken breast when his inappetance is acting up, (which happens too frequently for my liking).
Dana
 
Just a couple of thoughts. One is that some cats are very sensitive to diet changes, so he may need a few days to get used to the "new" bland diet. The other thought is that if it is IBD, he may need a novel protein - one he has never had before to prevent the immune response that other proteins are causing. Also, how old is he? Did the vet check his thyroid levels? Remember that basically the older they are the lower in the normal range they should be.

Paws crossed and healing prayers for Angus.

Beau lost a lot of weight recently also. He is 11-1/2 and has hyperthyroid, but he was over medicated and his blood work showed hypothyroid, so no realindication of why he was/is losing weight. I have been "nagging" him to eat, following him around with food dishes, warming his food, adding tuna flakes just to get him to not be losing more weight.
 
Sheila & Beau & Jeddie said:
Just a couple of thoughts. One is that some cats are very sensitive to diet changes, so he may need a few days to get used to the "new" bland diet. The other thought is that if it is IBD, he may need a novel protein - one he has never had before to prevent the immune response that other proteins are causing. Also, how old is he? Did the vet check his thyroid levels? Remember that basically the older they are the lower in the normal range they should be.

Thanks Sheila. Angus is 14. His thyroid levels were checked and were in low normal range. Angus has never been sensitive to diet changes before, however I have never changed so frequently before.
 
Sorry to say it but lymphoma does sound possible,.though it may also be food sensitivity _ a late-developing allergy to some kinds of meat.

Either way these wasting problems may soon begin to cause vitamin deficiencies. Ask your vet for the occasional b12 injection and any other vitamins that are normally absorbed in the small intestine.

Also ask about tests for lymphona that won't break the bank, thouhg I don't know any like that.
All the ones Minivan had seemed to keep doubling in price but never gave conclusive answers till it was way too late to treat.

Hoping it is something easy!

Steve
 
Been there with my McKaela. Your baby could have developed a food allergy. Good that the ultrasound is happening soon. Typical allergens: wheat, corn, fish, beef. Prayers it is something simple for your Angus. Donna
 
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