Foster civvie with a history of vomiting

Status
Not open for further replies.
B

Byt2luv

Member
Hi all,

I have a quick question or a long detailed one... I foster a lot of special needs kitties for a rescue group. About a month ago I was asked to take in this very sweet and affection cow kitty (black and white) girl named Paws. She has only been fostered by one other person because she is that "special". She has a history of chronic vomiting for at least the last 6 months. She is 8 years old and we have taken her to the vets several times trying to find out why this is happening. She has had a complete CBC and x-rays and an ultrasound. Remember we are a rescue group so this is MUCHO EXPENSIVE but we really care about our kitties and try to do whatever it takes. She is very active and has lots of energy. Her stool is nice and firm. She is a little under weight, obviously. I have tried about every food under the sun... It doesn't help that she is a finicky eater. I have tried grain-free I have tried only one meat group. I have tried commercial, I have tried Raw foods of all sorts of meat groups. I have tried adding slippery elm bark to her food. I have now resorted to giving her boiled plain boneless skinless chicken which she seems to like (more than anything else I have tried). I know she needs Taurine and other suppliments so I tried adding that to the chicken in which I noticed she immediately began licking her lips and looked to get nausious. So then I figured okay maybe it is something in the suppilment that doesn't agree with her so I tried various single suppliments and got the same effect. I have tried only hard food (major regurgitation and no digestion of the food) and she loved to eat it but bad bad so no more hard food. She also drank a LOT before but now with the boiled chicken not as much. I really thought I made some real progress but then this morning I saw a small amount of vomit (I think that is good it was small since at least it was somewhat digested and it wasn't nearly as much as the food she had to have eat). She has begun to slowly gain some weight now on the boiled chicken. I can't keep her on this though because if I don't get the vitamins she needs in her other issues are bound to happen. The vomit had some bile in it though so that has ame concerned. Plus this morning when I went to feed her she seemed to act a little nausious from it too.

I don't know I am running out of ideas and I was hoping you all might be able to give me some more or if you can let me know of any website that might help I would gladly go there. I know here is focused on one but I just feel a little lost. I would love to be able to take her to a feline food allergy specialist or something but again RESCUE.

Any help you all could give I would be SO GRATEFUL :(

Ronda
Ginger's Foster Mom
Fancy Cats Rescue Team Foster Mom and Volunteer
 
Hi Ronda,

I'd like to put you in touch with someone I work with in rescue, she also writes a blog called Covered in Cat Hair. She started her own rescue group, Kitten Associates, for which I'm on the Board. One of our own fosters has been going through much of the same, her name is Cara. It might be interesting for you to see everything that has been done for Cara so far and maybe you two could trade notes and find something in common that both kitties have.

We thought Cara was out of the woods, but just yesterday she got sick again. Let me know if you're interested.
 
Vinney, my hulk of a big boy, used to throw-up any wet food and some dry. He hasn't since I started mixing his wet food with an equal amount of water, as a way to convert him with the rest of the crew.
 
I will let others who have more experience with raw diets or allergy diets advise you on those. Dr. Lisa has an extensive site on feeding cats and making food at home (including info on supplements).
http://www.catinfo.org/?link=makingcatfood

I just had a couple of thoughts. I assume that with all of the extensive testing that has been done, that you have dewormed and rechecked a fecal sample to rule out parasites?

If there is some inflammatory bowel disease process, you could possibly ask the vet about trying a course of Metronidazole (Flagyl) which has an anti-inflamatory effect in the gut. This might help while you are trouble-shooting diet issues.
 
OMKITTY... This is comical. I actually (about a month ago???) began checking out Covered in Cat hair because the plea and story of Cara caught my attention. Then just yesterday I signed up for and got approved for the actual Covered in Cat Hair blog. Is this luck?

I will have to go back now and really focus on all the stories she posted about Cara and what all has been done and maybe I can try to find a clue of what is going on with Paws.

Thank you
 
Oh YES Linda... she has had all sort and has been dewormed three times just in case. She had also been on Flagyl a couple of times too. But thank you for the suggestions. I did check out the raw foods stuff before I tried it. My biggest problem with the Raw Food is that she doesn't much care for it... SO no matter how good the food is it is no good
 
TuckersMom: Would love to talk to Robin... She is a funny lady and I will take any help I can get with this kitty.
 
Paws situation sounds so familiar to Neko's, who has inflammatory bowel disease. When she first came to us, she would throw up every other meal but there was no issue with her stool and her bloodwork was always normal. Then she just started to throw up every time she eats. We tried Flagyl but that didn't help.

She is now on Budesonide, which is helping tremendously. It seems like we have stabilized her and she has gained some weigh back. We arrive at this after some very expensive procedures and a year of prednisolone which resulted in her getting diabetes. Maybe explore the Budesonide option with the vet, it's a lot safer then Prednisolone.
 
My kitty had the same problem. Moe ended up having surgery and was diagnosed with an ulcer in his small intestine which is apparently very rare according to my vet. He was placed on prescription cat food (green peas & duck) and we give him a 1/4 pill of over the counter prilosec once a day. This seems to be working. We've been doing this for over a year now. He's off the prescription cat food now that he has been diagnosed with diabetes. I still give him the prilosec but not daily as I was. I'm concerned this medication may be messing with his diabetes.
 
Thank you all for your help and suggestions. I have also been in contact with the lady that writes the Covered In Cathair blog. It seems some times overwhelming of all the possiblities and really no real tests to give conclusive results. I sure wish vet medicine would catch up a bit. Heck what I really wish is that I could read a cat's mind or have them be able to talk so I can understand them. Wouldn't that be a wonderful world.

I have also been reading about Eshpoigal (sp?) conditions and think I would like to make sure I rule them out as well. Boy it sure is some expensive testing for this poor little creatures.

Oh if only I ruled the world. Or even better if only kitties ruled the world instead of only our homes. Wouldn't the world be a better place.

I still have her on just the boiled chicken and she has been gaining weight. There was a very very minimal amount of vomit today and she is drinking normal. To me this means that a majority of what she is eating though is actually being digested. I did try to put some suppliments into her food but again she started licking her lips and shaking her head. Something in there has got to be making her feel icky. I know I get that way when I even just think about penicillin simply because I was given to much once. I think as a short term solution I might also talk to the vet about possibly being able to give her a vitamin shot that would bypass her tummy (eating) and maybe I can get it in her that way until we find more resolve. It might take us (FCRT) a good long time to find things since we really don't have the money adoption are down terrbily and we are getting more and more returns. We just havemore coming in then going out.

I know it isn't the best but I know that I can't afford it all on my own. I will do what I can though. I will let you all know how it goes. Thanks again

Ronda
Gingers Foster Mom
 
Ronda,

Have you ever thought about using an animal communicator? I had Dawn Allen talk to Maxwell when he was having problems with my siamese boys. It was simply amazing the things she knew about the cats that only the cats could have told her, because I certainly didn't. Several others here have used her, she is very very good.

Mel, Maxwell and The Fur Gang.
 
I have heard of people that offer those services to animal guardians but that is not something I think the rescue could afford. But thank you for the suggestion.
 
Are you giving Pepcid AC? You can give 1/4 of a 10 mg tablet of regular strength Pepcid AC twice daily. You could try that out and see if it helps.
 
Yes I have the Pepcid in both injectable and pill... That is like a requirement when you foster the kinds of kitties I do. I really just don't think that would help though. Of course it would help with nausia but not in getting her to eat it even if she isn't icky feeling. I also don't know if I want to give her I made a vet appointment for her next week... Here comes another roller coaster for both she and I.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top