Espresso had a bad night.

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ettevyva

ettevyva

Member Since 2013
This is the email I sent to the vet about 3:30 am this morning:
" Yesterday when I tried to give Espresso a dried, broken up, chicken treat that he always liked, it got caught in his throat and he kept trying to get it back up. Then he wouldn't eat any treats that he used to love at all. Things getting "caught" in his throat has been happening often the past couple of days. His throat or lungs whistles when he breathes and it's strained. I don't know if he's aspirated something into his throat or lung the other day?.

I just woke up (3:00am) to Espresso chocking and coughing. I tried to rub his throat when he was done chocking (nothing came up) to help but he walked away.

Then he walked into the room. I went petted while he was laying down and he tried to start to purr but couldn't. It sounded like liquid gurgling and he didn't continue because he couldn't.. (He is our "purring" cat and all you would have to do is pet him and he would purr up until a couple of days ago; but he hasn't purred or meowed at all lately and his breathing sounds like strained whistling.. It sounded like a strained gurgling when he tried and quit like it was painful.

He doesn't want me near him and walks away and hid. I reached in and tried to pet him some more and he softly bit me to let me know to leave him alone. (this isn't like him at all).

I'm anxious for Tuesday to come for you to check his breathing because something is wrong.

PS: He still has liquid diarrhea."

The vet replied that "it definitely sounds like something is wrong and that she will take Xrays and more testing when he comes in Tuesday. (tomorrow morning)."
 
I sure wish you could take him in today. It does sound like he has a blockage or foreign object in his throat or windpipe and it may develop into pneumonia
 
I was hoping her email would say she would see him today, also, but she said she would check him at his appt. I'm worried it will be another tough night. The vet commented to only give him liquids in her email, so I watered down some kitten Fancy Feist turkey (which Shellie verified is low carb). I was glad when he eats it . He has always thrown up a lot, and he had thrown up after his first meal this morning. At the last vet appt. last week the vet said only to feed him twice a day and pick up the food, but since he has severe diarrhea and not drinking water, I've been leaving the food out more after I water it down so he can eat when he wants to except a period of time before his shot. When I first didn't keep food down, he throws up bile. I'd rather he throw up food than bile from his stomach being too empty. He just lays in his bed all day in the bedroom, and doesn't even want to look outside anymore. He use to always be at the door looking out, but when I take him there, he walks right back into the bedroom and just lays in his bed all day. I'm praying a lot !
 
I would call the vet and ask them to call you if there are any cancellations today.
Tell them the symptoms again. They may find an opening for him today. Praying for Espresso.
 
I did, and they said I could go there and wait since there were no openings...which I did. The vet seemed a little "irritated" this visit. She had said in an email that she wanted to take Xrays and do some tests when I got in to her (incase he had an obstruction in his throat or lungs - which I think he does !!!) . When I got in today she said she wasn't going to do Xrays or testing because there is nobody to pay for it! Venita's help is for diabetes and not this, and even if she did find something...like a tumor....there would be nothing she could do about it. She asked if I have an inhaler (which I do because I'm astmathic). Then she squirted 3 times for him to breath it all in (which worried me since I'm only allowed to have 1 squirt). I feel NUMB. She said...there he sounds better doesn't he. I told her it's more of a problem after he tries to eat, but she insisted he suddenly must have asthma (which just started this weekend after he inhaled the liquid drops and piece of treat). I'm so confused ! Got him home and he "tried" to purr - but it sounds like "gurgling" instead of purring. Then he ate and is chocking again :( I want to cry !!!
 
I am hoping that Venita will be able to call and perhaps some of the $$ can go for an x-ray since the vet said that would be a good idea.... any help from others is I am sure appreciated from Dianna.
Hang in there, see if you can get a test from him. I know it is hard to do right now! Sure wishing I lived by you right now.
Please keep your vet appt. for tomorrow and see if she can get that x-ray!
How much has he eaten today? and how much before you shoot? You are shooting 1 unit right of lantus?
 
If it is the solid piece of treat stuck in his throat (not his airway), that could cause some choking. Liquids may help soften it up so it can dislodge.

If the problem is asthma, treatment can be a small amount of steroid and is an inexpensive prescription at some pharmacies. Yes, it will probably hike his glucose levels up; you adjust the insulin around the asthma management.

If something else is causing an esophageal obstruction, only an x-ray or endoscopy is likely to show what that is.

What other vets are around you and have you checked their pricing?
 
I guess the vet is pretty irritated at me because I'm so emotional. I need my cat to be okay. I do have Post Traumatic Stress and that's not helping the situation. I panic when things like this happen, and I guess people don't understand panic attacks. My cat ate and is chocking again. :*(
 
I'd be upset at being dismissed by the vet, too.

If it is asthma, she could have given you an inexpensive Rx for prednisone. Those small tablets dissolve in water, so can be administered with an oral syringe.

Keep going with liquidy food, small amounts, spread out over time. If its a piece of treat, it'll soften up. If its something else, at least some food is going in.
 
She said, today, she can't give him steroids because of his diabetes. I'm going in tomorrow to get blood sugar tested since she told me last visit to quit testing him (I guess since I was having so much problems getting blood.) I told her I was worried about that since this group said always test. She replied "No cat ever died from 2 units of insulin". Apparently she is fed up with me not getting blood and my being worried about it, but she tried 4 times before she could get anything last visit.
I'm doing the best I know how and so scared at losing my kitty :(
 
i hate to say this but you need a new vet. Cats can and do die from even less than 2 units of insulin if you shoot when they are too low. You can give steroids - just need to adjust insulin dose.Your vet doesnt know enough about diabetes in cats.

I dont like either the way she is handling the choking. Can you google a new vet and start calling? From a diabetes perspective you want to ask what their feline diabetes experience is, what insulin they recommend (ie lantus, levemir or prozinc) , how many cats they have had go into remission, and if they support home testing.

Wendy
 
I hope you can find a new vet.
One that will help you better with Espresso, be more compassionate, and supports your home testing so you don't have to pay the vet to do it. Keeping Espresso in my prayers.
 
I just emailed the vet and told her that I'd rather Espresso can breathe than get his rotted teeth out. (The breathing struggling is extremely urgent right now) and that he doesn't have asthma because this only started 2 days ago (after he inhaled the antibiotic liquid he wouldn't swallow or the chicken treat he chocked on afterward). I told her if she's irritated at me and wants me to get a new vet, to let me know.
She wrote back a very short note and said she would do an Xray tomorrow and it would or would not show anything.

I'm still worried about him having a hard night like he did last night and the few times he tried to purr it's gurgling. I'll take him but I will be calling other vets to do a recheck of if anyone supports testing at home. NONE were supportive when I called around before trying desperately to find a vet to help with cat diabetes, not even this vet office. It took Venita calling that this office was willing to see him.

I just need our kitty to be okay !!! Thank You for your caring and support. I can't even express how much that means !
 
ettevyva said:
I'm still worried about him having a hard night like he did last night and the few times he tried to purr it's gurgling. I'll take him but I will be calling other vets to do a recheck of if anyone supports testing at home. NONE were supportive when I called around before trying desperately to find a vet to help with cat diabetes, not even this vet office. It took Venita calling that this office was willing to see him. (my bold)

I just need our kitty to be okay !!! Thank You for your caring and support. I can't even express how much that means !
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It's been awhile since I've had a diabetic kitty, but this is crazy, a vet clinic not willing to see a diabetic cat because the owner home tests! I'm sorry you are going through so much and have very unsupportive vets in your area. I hope that you find one that will work with you to help your kitty. My prayers are with you and Espresso. ((((((((HUGS))))))))
 
I did ask that. I told the vet the problem I was having giving him the liquid and asked for pills instead. she insisted liquid is easier. I took the drops to her and told her it's not easy for me. So she grabbed the drops and squirted down his throat. He didn't swallow it and spit it back out all over the place. Instead of saying I was right, she said: "Well at least he got a tiny bit in his throat". She's not willing to say the drops may have caused a problem. My son and I are having problems blood testing even after warming the ear, massaging the ear, poking the ear 8 to 10 times with the highest setting. We went into the vet and she had the same problem. She poked his ear 4 times before finally getting some blood. Before that she told us to test him only once a day for blood. After she had problems she told us to quit testing his blood sugar until we see her again. I told her my concerns of not being able to get blood and she got irritated and said "No cat ever died with only 2 U of insulin!". She was supportive at first, but since then has been very irritated and not very supportive. When I try to tell her my concerns that the drops or something must of gotten in his throat or lungs, she ignores me. I'm really upset that she gave him 3 inhalations of my albuteral inhaler (when I'm not even allowed to have more than one because of the side effects). She insisted his chocking must be asthma and would not hear me that it started 2 days ago with the drops and chicken. After we got home and he was so happy to be home - he tried to purr but it gurgled so he stopped. Then when he ate a little bit he was chocking again. I'm so frustrated and concerned.
 
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