hemorrhagic pancreatitis- pain med question

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SpecklesandMe said:
Cat Ma, can you recommend a particular brand? I've tried some that didn't help but could be that they didn't have the same things in them as the ones you use.
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What a rough time for Speckles and you. Keeping fingers and paws crossed for good results tomorrow. Bonnie has a history of diarrhea and vomiting. Flagyl works for her. It's been a combo of diet change, meds and B12 shots and she's doing very well now. The minute she gets into CJ's food, there's a mess everywhere.

I use GNC Relax calming chews for Bonnie and CJ. I also spray their carriers with Pet Rescue Remedy. I believe the ingredients in Pet Naturals calming chews for cats are the same or similar to the GNC chews but I haven't used Pet Naturals yet. Both are found at pet store chains like Petsmart and Petco plus online. If Bonnie and CJ are sick and can't eat the chews, then I give them Licks Zen via syringe. I found that at Petco.

People always comment on how sweet and relax my cats are at the vet. Without the calming remedies, CJ turns into a solid bowling ball and Bonnie shakes constantly. The instructions say to give 1/2 hour prior to a stressful event but I give it at least an hour before.

Keep us posted on Speckles.
 
Cat Ma said:
how is Speckles?
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Thank you for asking! A couple hours ago we had a normal color, fairly formed poo (as opposed to yellowish) and it smelled a little less than it has for the last several weeks. He is still a bit dehydrated. We are trying to wean him off the 2x/day subQ and only do it once in the mornings, but if he doesn't start drinking more, we won't be able to yet. I've been adding water/Pedialyte to each meal. I am hoping he's on the up swing now. Fingers & paws crossed!

Edited to add: Thank you for the calming product info! Cannot wait to try them before the next vet visit!
 
Hi AJ,

Very glad to hear that things are improving for Speckles in the litter box department. :) Saoirse had bad diarrhoea last year during a major pancreatitis flare. I'd never had a cat with diarrhoea before - so scary! :nailbiting: It went on for weeks, and I started worrying she'd never ever have a solid poop again. :( I just wanted my baby to get better so desperately. I'm sure it must have been a relief for you to see better-formed poop yesterday. Fingers and paws crossed that Speckles will start drinking more very soon.

:bighug:


Mogs
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Critter Mom said:
It went on for weeks, and I started worrying she'd never ever have a solid poop again
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Sounds very familiar! lol
Another poo last night at 3am. (He must think I'm insane, waking up in the middle of the night and running to the LB every time he goes!) It was slightly more yellowish again and smellier than the last two. What a rollercoaster!
 
Critter Mom said:
Yellowish poop is better than no poop at all.
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So, true!
In any case, we got the fPLI back, and although he wasn't fasting when they drew the blood, I think it's high enough (>51) to indicate pancreatitis. Mogs, you were right several posts ago on that! So, not sure what the plan is. I am meeting with our regular vet on Fri. I suppose in the meantime I have to keep him on the W/D, although his interest in it is fading very fast and I've been coaxing him more and more to eat. Any additional advice would be much appreciated.
 
Hi AJ,

Very sorry to hear that the Spec fPL came back positive for pancreatitis. >50 is high but from what I've read here and there the numeric value and symptom severity aren't completely correlated. When Saoirse was at her worst last year her test came back in the high teens. I was wondering when you said Speckles' poop was yellow. The poop discoloration and whiffiness is due to lack of pancreatic enzymes for digestion. Hopefully this will resolve when the right treatments are in place and the colour and consistency of the poops should go back to normal. If not, then consult your vet about pancreatic enzyme supplementation.

If Speckles is finding it harder to eat it that may be down to nausea and/or pain. Here's the nausea symptom checker from Tanya's Site that I found very helpful (for both pancreatitis and CKD). There's a page on pancreatitis at that site, too.

First up, elevate Speckles' food and water dishes so that he doesn't have to bend down to eat. If he'll take some water mixed up with the food that will help with hydration. If not, you need to get vet input on this.

Vetty Bean Checklist for Friday:

- generic ondansetron for nausea (Zofran, the branded version is crazy expensive) - a must-have. (NB: for the UK the Bristol Laboratories generic ondansetron is recommended for cats by experienced caregivers. Try Boots or Morrisons if your vet can't get it from their wholesaler.)

- cyproheptadine for appetite stimulation (small doses can work better (e.g. 1/8 4mg tablet 2-3 times a day for 10lb cat) - larger doses can cause too much sedation and somewhat depressed mood) - also a must-have.

- famotidine or ranitidine for stomach acid (may not be needed but very good to have on hand).

- Course of weekly VITAMIN B 12 injections - once a week for several weeks (check IDEXX pancreatitis treatment guidelines for how many weeks initially and also maintenance) - another must-have.

- buprenorphine for pain relief. (Saoirse does better on small doses - <0.1ml for 10lb cat ad hoc, max 2x per day suited her at height of flare - higher doses disagreed with her in a big way and made her very lethargic, but ECID).

- Flagyl or Stomorgyl 2 for the diarrhoea (antibiotics - both contain metronidazole). Our vet prescribed the Stomorgyl for Saoirse because apparently it's not quite as foul-tasting.

- Pro-Kolin for diarrhoea - kaolin paste with probiotic (not sure what products might be available in the states).

- Nutramed (UK Only) - anti-inflammatory herbal supplement (boswellia, milk thistle, maritime pine bark).

- Liver support - check the IDEXX guidelines on supplementation with Denamarin or similar and discuss with your vet. The liver and pancreas are side by side and inflammation in the latter can irritate the liver also. (I give Saoirse Hepatosyl 50.)

Note: ondansetron and buprenorphine can cause a little constipation.

I can't emphasise strongly enough how valuable it is to keep a stock of ondansetron and cyproheptadine at home from now on so that you can address any reappearance of nausea symptoms quickly.


Food and Water:

- Fluids (preferably through adding a little to each meal), else consult vet about alternative methods.

- Feed small, frequent meals - something highly digestible helps. I fed Saoirse chicken breast gently poached in water, minced finely and served with a 50-50 mix of the poaching broth and water. At the height of her flare last year I fed her 1 tbsp minced chicken with 1 tbsp water and 1 tbsp broth every hour, 24/7. I bought several timed feeders to dispense her meals while I tried to get some rest. Even if appetite improves, keeping to mini meals (not necessarily as frequently as 1 every hour) during the height of a flare puts less strain on the pancreas. Gradually I managed to wean Saoirse onto Liquivite liquid recovery food and that helped keep her hydrated as well as getting the full complement of nutrients she needed. (Not sure which are similar products in the US - maybe ask your vet or members here for suggestions.)

- Slightly warming food, or sprinkling it with crumbled up freeze-dried protein treats helped Saoirse.

- Going forward, any changes to diet should be made cautiously; ideally only one slow change at a time.

Hope some of the above helps or gives you some ideas to try for Speckles. I hope he feels better soon. If there's anything else I might do to help in the meantime, just tag me. Pancreatitis sucks to the high heavens.

:bighug:



Mogs
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Thank you! I am printing out the "Vetty Bean Checklist" to bring with me tomorrow. It's very helpful. Mogs, how long has the longest episode been for Saoirse? I can't believe he's had these issues for about a month already.
Last night at 8pm, he pooed and it looked brown again. He was acting weak and sleepy- so I was really worried and up half the night monitoring him. It was the first time in a long time he didn't poo in the middle of the night and he also peed only once (weird b/c we gave him subQ right before bed). I swear it's like he knows we got the fPLI back... he didn't want to eat this morning, and we had not had that issue before! I've coaxed him into eating and am following the tips above. I stayed home today watching him. I am trying not to stress out so that he doesn't feel my stress but it's super hard not to!
BJM, thanks for the primer. I read it and printed it too. Cat ma, thanks for the support!
 
SpecklesandMe said:
Thank you! I am printing out the "Vetty Bean Checklist" to bring with me tomorrow. It's very helpful. Mogs, how long has the longest episode been for Saoirse? I can't believe he's had these issues for about a month already.
Last night at 8pm, he pooed and it looked brown again. He was acting weak and sleepy- so I was really worried and up half the night monitoring him. It was the first time in a long time he didn't poo in the middle of the night and he also peed only once (weird b/c we gave him subQ right before bed). I swear it's like he knows we got the fPLI back... he didn't want to eat this morning, and we had not had that issue before! I've coaxed him into eating and am following the tips above. I stayed home today watching him. I am trying not to stress out so that he doesn't feel my stress but it's super hard not to!
BJM, thanks for the primer. I read it and printed it too. Cat ma, thanks for the support!
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Hoping that you get the help and meds you need tomorrow. Keeping on sending good and healing vibes! :)
 
Lethargy is a very common symptom, AJ. I'd like to be able to tell you that I sailed through Saoirse's bad flare last year without a bother but I would be lying through my teeth. I was frantic with worry. Saoirse was frighteningly lethargic at one stage. She was really bad for two months - BUT - that was probably because our vet was a little reticent about prescribing ondansetron for her as he had not used it before. Instead she was on Reglan (metoclopramide) for nausea and it's frell all good for cats because they have frell all of the receptors it targets. (See the IDEXX guidelines for more on this.) From the time I finally secured the ondansetron Rx she progressed in leaps and bounds after that, and she was much improved within a few days. It's a wonderful medicine for nausea.

Brown poop is good. We want to see more of that. It's very helpful to use secondary monitoring during a pancreatitis flare, including time between poops. You'll drive yourself nuts wondering whether or not something else is up otherwise. By keeping a log of time between poops you'll get some idea of Speckles' typical transit time. Monitoring poop characteristics is valuable, too. In particular it can help you identify foods that do and don't agree with Speckles. I did fecal exams of every poop Saoirse produced for many months before I finally found a food she could tolerate.

Sending some get-better-soon scritches for Speckles, and many :bighug: for you. Flares can be tough, but they do pass. Remind yourself of that when you're worrying. We'll all be here to support you through it. The right meds make all the difference in the world.



Mogs
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Critter Mom said:
very helpful to use secondary monitoring during a pancreatitis flare
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I noticed last night that he was breathing harder. It's 2am here and he's breathing even harder now. I will get him to the vet asap in the morning, but usually in the car, on the way, he starts panting. In combination with his current breathing issues, is that dangerous? What I can do? I have an albuterol inhaler that's for people, but I just don't know what to do if he hyperventilates in the car.
 
Is there any way to get him to the ER now? That heavy breathing isn't a good sign.
Perhaps you should start a new thread and add a 911 to the prefix so someone will see your message right away. But I'd just rush him to the ER if you can. That may be the best place for him right now.
 
((AJ)) :bighug:

I second Cat Ma's recommendation to get Speckles to the ER as soon as possible. Phone them before you go for advice about the panting. Be sure to tell them that he pants in the car at the best of times.

If you are travelling with him, maybe partially cover his carrier with a blanket or a large towel. Keep talking to him and make sure he can see you for reassurance.

This is pure conjecture but sometimes when cats are stressed they pant. If Speckles is in pain from the pancreatitis perhaps that might be making him pant?

We're here when you need us. :bighug:


Mogs
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I've just had a scoot round the web. I found an article on pancreatitis and it states that 74% of cats with severe pancreatitis exhibit rapid breathing as a symptom. (Obviously no guarantee that the pancreatitis is the problem but it is a definite possibility.)

Let us know when you can what's happening. We'll be worrying about you both. :bighug:

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Back from the vet. He thinks the breathing thing was related to too much subQ fluid. We're only going to do once a day from now on. He said if he won't eat the w/d, we should give him whatever he wants... better to eat and have diarrhea than not to eat, I guess. We have Cerenia (if it doesn't work, I'm going to ask for Zofran) and an appetite stimulant (will post the name in a bit- can't remember right now). He has ascites. Sent a sample of the fluid to the lab. We are supposed to start Marin. He also got a pain patch (smaller than what would usually be used for a cat his size so that he doesn't get more wobbly, given that he's limping already). He ate a little W/D mixed with Tiki Cat salmon when we got home. I am going to do mini-meals as Mogs suggested b/c he seems to tolerate that better. We are very worried. He's supposed to have an ultrasound on Wed to make sure nothing else is going on. Also, waiting on results from a fecal pcr just in case.
Thanks so much for all your support! Will continue to update...
 
Just reading this now so, hoping all is ok and sending good and healing energies! :bighug:

ETA: Your post update came as I posted mine.
It sounds feasible that there's too much subQ fluid and that could be an issue that causes heavier breathing.
 
Hi AJ,

Relieved to hear back from you, and that Speckles was cleared to come home after the vet visit. I'm glad the vet did something for pain relief.

Try to make the meals a bit soupy with added water, AJ. I always measured the amount of water with a tablespoon so I could keep track of what was going in. I used to weigh her litter clumps to gauge what was coming out the other end). That's how I managed to keep Saoirse hydrated when I was home nursing her. That said, I wasn't giving her sub-q fluids so you'd need to balance the two.

Keep an eye out for nausea symptoms after the salmon. It can be a trigger for some cats.

Does Speckles like chicken? If he does then skinless chicken breast poached in water then finely minced and served with some of the poaching broth and a little water would make some easily digestible meals for him. Our vet recommended the chicken; it helped me to keep getting some nourishment into Saoirse at the height of her bad flare last year.

Sending more :bighug: and prayers for Speckles to feel better soon. Try monitoring and feeding him in shifts so that you'll be able to get some bit of rest.



Mogs
 
SpecklesandMe said:
He said if he won't eat the w/d, we should give him whatever he wants... better to eat and have diarrhea than not to eat, I guess.
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Glad you got him to the vet quickly. If necessary, force feed. @Critter Mom suggests Liquivite liquid recovery food. I am assuming you are in the States and wonder if something comparable is available. See also the other tips for feeding @Critter Mom suggests. Getting food down is important but if you can avoid diarrhea, even better because diarrhea causes dehydration. It's a tough juggling act but hopefully you will find the right balance to help Speckles on the road to recovery.

What a very rough time for you and Speckeles. Hope you can get some rest today.
 
Critter Mom said:
Does Speckles like chicken? If he does then skinless chicken breast poached in water
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Thank you for the idea. I tried it and he wouldn't go for it. :(

About 1.5hrs after he got his meds (Cerenia & mirtazapine), he ate a can of Fancy Feast Classics Beef. That was 5 hrs ago. I can't get him to touch anything else. I've opened literally 14 cans of different brand/flavors food and even tried 2 kinds of kibble. He's being stubborn. I think part of the problem is that he is still gagging when he tries to eat. I called the vet's office, and the other vet said I can go get Zofran tomorrow. Is the consensus that the Zofran might work better or is stronger? I read that you can use Zofran and Cerenia simultaneously (or alternate) for cats, but I don't know if Zofran is safe with mirtazapine. If anyone knows, please let me know. I'll also be trying to look that up.

Edit: So, he's eaten 1 can FF beef pate and about 3tbs w/d with salmon Tiki today. I am thinking this is not enough?

Also, how does the mirtazapine compare to the cyproheptadine? Should I ask for the cyproheptadine instead?

I'm not sure how to know if he needs a famotidine, but I have some of that on hand. I got some liquid meal replacement stuff. It's Catsure. No one sells Virbac's Rebound near me. I think I can find Clinicare tomorrow. I am planning to force feed before bed if he still won't eat then. The vet said this is "hemorrhagic pancreatitis". His birthday is in 11 days. We are building him a windowbox. It's almost ready, but now I'm so scared he won't get a chance to use it. I'm willing to try anything if anyone has more ideas.

We appreciate all the support and positive thoughts.
 
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Oh AJ I'm so sorry to hear what's going on. I had better luck with Zofran (Ondansetron) than Cerenia, so it's worth a shot. The Cerenia made her lethargic and didn't seem to help her nausea as much as Zofran. I also tried Pepcid (famotidine) but it didn't seem to do anything. If it did, I couldn't tell. I also had better luck with Cypro than Mirtazapine. The Mirtazapine made Marshmallow spacey and weird but she's very sensitive to meds, so it could just be her. You could also ask the vet if a shot of Zofran is stronger than the pills. Marshmallow was given a shot a little while ago and it seemed to last longer than the pills but it could have been a coincidence.

I think you can give Pepcid at the same time as either Zofran or Cerenia (but double check with the vet) so it might help him to get both.

I'm not sure if he'll eat this, but here is a recipe for a liver shake that cats apparently like:
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/the-liver-shake-for-sick-cats.30432/

If he resists being force fed, ask the vet about a temporary feeding tube. A friend of mine had to get one for her cat for a couple of weeks when the cat had extreme dental work and didn't want to eat.

Sending healing vibes and hugs for you both.
Shane
 
Thanks, Shane! We really appreciate it.
I just read on Tanya's CRF that there is an interaction between ondansetron ↔ mirtazapine and that they shouldn't be used together. So, I need to completely switch him to cypro if I want to start using the ondansetron. I need to figure out how long the "wash out" period is for the mirtazapine. For those of you who have switched from one to the other (if there's any of you out there), how long did you wait in between?
 
Bearing in mind it's the weekend, AJ, I'd ask the vet to give you BOTH cyproheptadine and ondansetron (not least of all because cypro is the treatment to counter serotonin syndrome - see below). You may need to let the mirt dose peter out before giving cypro. Note: cypro and ondansetron seemed to enhance each others' action in Saoirse's case.

NB - Zofran costs an arm and a leg. Generic ondansetron is cheaper.

If your vet doesn't have the meds in stock, ring round local pharmacies to see who has them in stock. They're human meds so your vet should be able to give you a written Rx for them. Saoirse benefitted straight away from the meds but I've read that it can take a little while in some cats for them to become really effective. Ask your vet if you can start the ondans with the Cerenia: might give it more of a chance to kick in.

Cypro is gentler in action. Mirt should only be given once every three days. Cypro can be given at 1/8 4mg tab every 8-12 hours (for a 10lb cat) so it's more controllable. Mirt has a stronger kick to appetite initially but it carries risk of serotonin syndrome (see Wikipedia and peteducation.com for more info). Saoirse turned into a saucer-eyed, ravenous kitty Cujo on mirt. It was not pretty. She only got one dose.

Cerenia can be better for nausea. I believe it can be co-administered with ondansetron but check with your vet. I've not done that with Saoirse. (@tiffmaxee - Elise, if you're around can you advise on this?) Standard dose here for ondans is 1mg BID, but our vet Rx'd Saoirse up to 2mg BID. The larger dose helps when she's more symptomatic. Cerenia may be better for nausea when vomiting is present.

Cypro, ondans and famotidine can be co-administered. Leave a gap between famotidine and the others so that it won't interfere with absorption of other meds (according to my vet's instructions).

I gave famotidine for a few days - didn't look for any cues as to when to give it. (Threw everything I could at the flare.)


Sequence I used: (Saoirse weighs c. 4.5kg)

AM
- Ondansetron 2mg / small meal or broth / wait 30 mins then cypro 1/8 4mg tablet (better to get nausea dampened down first).

Mid-afternoon
- Famotidine (SID).

PM
- early evening - more cypro if appetite stalling.
- later evening: same drill as AM for ondans and cypro.

Micro meals - c 1 tbsp chicken 1 tbsp broth 1 tbsp water every hour round the clock.

NB - as Elise recommended to me, I kept to the small meals even when the appy stimulant had Saoirse looking for more. I had to get timed feeders to dispense one small meal every hour in case I would pass out (I have PTSD - sleeping is very unpredictable).

Eliz recommended Liquivite. She said it worked wonders for her kitties when they were sick. It's like a chicken and liver soup. I was very relieved when Saoirse ate it for me. I cut across quite slowly from the home cooked chicken and broth. Many people here swear by the liver shake.



(Sorry this post is such a mess.)
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He's not been vomiting and now I am wondering if Cerenia is the right thing for him to be on. He's still gagging when he tries to eat- my sense is that he wants ot eat but is nauseated. I called the vet about the cypro and am going to get the ondans today, but if I'm goiong to use the ondans, I would have to wait for the mirtazapine to clear his system first, which might be til Mon.
I am wondering if it's really so wise to drop the subQ down to once a day. This morning he was dehydrated. We were told to ease up on the frequency of the subQ b/c the ascites is probably what's causing the labored breathing. I've noticed the breathing is a little worse at night and he has a fever. I need to get him through to Mon so that we can get the rest of the labs back and hopefully have more options. We are doing mini-meals through syringe feeding b/c the only thing he touched on his own today was some chickenbroth. I can't find the Clinicare or Rebound liq diets. We're really worried.
 
Hi AJ,

Worrying about how things are going with Speckles. Is he managing to eat a little for you? Did you get the ondansetron? And are you managing to get any bit of rest at all?

:bighug:


Mogs
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Critter Mom said:
Worrying about how things are going with Speckles. Is he managing to eat a little for you? Did you get the ondansetron? And are you managing to get any bit of rest at all?
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Mogs, thank you for asking. That's very kind of you, esp when I know you have your own worries to deal with (so glad Saoirse's lump's not serious).

Stress and anxiety levels are very high for us right now, but we are trying to stay calm for our kitty, which is really hard. We are going for an ultrasound tomorrow and crossing our fingers that nothing crazy will be found. The mirtazapine was driving him nuts- he couldn't sleep- so I am advocating for cypro tomorrow, but that means the fentanyl patch will also have to be replaced. Does anyone know the laws in the US for prescribing injectable buprenorphine for home use?

He is pretty weak but seems a little better wihtout the mirt. It wasn't working anyway- we've been syringe feeding since Fri. I have the ondan already but can't use it safely with the fen patch. So, we really need the buprenorphine shots. I am scared. Please keep us in your thoughts.
 
Hi AJ,

I have been meaning to give you a very valuable tip about food but my PTSD-addled pate could not hang onto the thought long enough for me to get to the computer. :rolleyes: Anyways, here it is now. I'd suggest you avoid feeding anything containing carrageenan like the plague. In general it's a highly questionable ingredient. There is a growing body of research evidence that indicates processed carrageenan can cause injury to the GI tract and is also carcinogenic. (It's used to induce inflammation in experiments to test IBD medicines.) I think it is what triggered Saoirse's flare last year. Recently I gave a new food to my civvie. LĂşnasa has an iron constitution but she had a really bad digestive upset after eating it. I checked with the brand owners (Sainsbury's). They emailed me a detailed recipe for the food, and I discovered it contained carrageenan, but it was not listed as an ingredient on the pouch itself.

SpecklesandMe said:
Does anyone know the laws in the US for prescribing injectable buprenorphine for home use?
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I suggest starting a new thread on Health asking that question: you'll probably get answers faster.

I gave Saoirse buprenorphine sub-lingually. (Very strict dispensing restrictions over here.) Also, because I was observing her more closely I noticed that she would hover over a catnip toy after eating. I looked on the internet and learned that catnip is a traditional remedy for digestive upsets and apparently it targets opiate receptors. After this I would encourage her to 'nurse' on a toy filled with good quality nip (Yeoww organic catnip). She would lick the toy and shortly after she seemed to be more comfortable; a lot of the tension seemed to leave her body and she was less inclined to meatloaf. On a regular basis now I watch Saoirse for signs of crouching after she eats. I spend a little time giving her long, soothing strokes after meals. She then comes out of the crouch and purrs. It definitely makes her more comfortable. I am assuming that it helps release endorphins. I don't know whether similar might help Speckles, but it may be worth a try.

SpecklesandMe said:
The mirtazapine was driving him nuts- he couldn't sleep-
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I've been prescribed mirtazapine myself. It's a very powerful psychotropic; and is what my doctor brother would prescribe as "a very dirty drug" in that it messes with an awful lot of bodily systems. My whole system went completely haywire on it. I only let Saoirse have it because I was desperate to get her eating and it's all the vet had in stock on a Friday evening. I was shocked and distressed by the effect it had on Saoirse; it really wasn't pretty. Things were much better for her on her small doses of cyproheptadine, which she started the following week.

SpecklesandMe said:
He is pretty weak ...
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I have a good idea of how scared you are right now, AJ, because I was in bits when Saoirse was bad last year and other members have shared their pancreatitis worries here in the past. Bodily Saoirse was in tatters - losing weight and shedding like there was no tomorrow - and she was absolutely poleaxed at the height of her severe flare last year. At one stage she was so ill that I was petrified I might lose her. I managed to keep food going into her and that allowed time for the meds to kick in and do their stuff. Initially progress was very slow - at some stages I feared she might never recover - but I think that was because she was initially prescribed Reglan (metoclopramide) for nausea and it was of limited benefit (and which I discovered with hindsight when reviewing her secondary monitoring notes was dehydrating her). The B12 injections gave her a bit of a boost and the highly-digestible Liquivite recovery food did a lot to nourish her (coat and body condition improved enormously - our vet was stunned at her progress).

Saoirse was really bad for about three weeks (felt like a lot longer) but it took about two months for the major nausea to disappear (ondansetron 2mg BID, 10lb cat). It was the introduction of ondansetron for the nausea that really helped her the most.

At the height of the flare Saoirse was extremely depressed, had no energy and spent day after day lethargically flopped on the floor. Six weeks later, when she had mostly recovered, she looked pretty much like this:

Saoirse the Workshop Supervisor JPG 50pc.jpg


It was harrowing to go through for both of us. It was beyond worthwhile. I hope that in sharing a little of Saoirse's story it may help you to know what's possible even when our little ones get very poorly, and that recovery is possible. Frankly I've been astounded many times since I joined this community to hear stories of the astonishing resilience and capacity for recovery that cats possess.

I am wishing very hard that Speckles will be feeling a lot better soon. I will keep you all in my thoughts and prayers. If you need me, just tag me.

:bighug::bighug::bighug:



Mogs
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Critter Mom said:
she was absolutely poleaxed at the height of her severe flare last year. At one stage she was so ill that I was petrified I might lose her. I managed to keep food going into her and that allowed time for the meds to kick in and do their stuff. Initially progress was very slow - at some stages I feared she might never recover
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Oh Mogs, you are ALWAYS so kind and helpful! Reading Saoirse's story gave me some more hope. The vet was somewhat negative on Friday and it really got me nervous. (He didn't really give a detailed prognosis, but the ascites is worrisome to him.) I don't think I can get Liquivite here. I will definitely keep trying to locate something similar.

And thank you so much for suggesting starting another thread about the pain med! You really go above and beyond. Thank you so, so much!!!!
 
Hi Mogs, thanks again for being so attentive to us!
We had a rough morning. Two of the vets at the clinic were pessimistic about his prognosis given how much fluid was in his abdomen. They drained it, and sent it out for cytology again (it was negative for cancer when they sent it out on Fri- this is a bigger volume of fluid). The ultrasound showed an inflamed pancreas and some "bright spots" on the abdominal lining, which could be due to severe pancreatitis, or something worse. I was feeling horrible, but need to keep calm until the tests come back again (tomorrow or Wed).

I do now have both cypro and ondans. How long does cypro usually take to make kitties hungry? Does it work on the first dose or does it take effect over multiple days? We are still syringe feeding and really want him to start eating soon!

I was told that even if the results do show just pancreatitis, that I need to think about his quality of life. The vet said that we would need to see improvement over the next week. I am hopeful that the new meds, along with the pancreatic enzymes we got to put in his food, will improve things. Please continue to keep us in your thoughts and prayers. I am worried but need to hope for the best.
 
Hi AJ. I'm glad to hear you have the meds on hand. Cypro worked on the first dose when I used it. I'm sorry to hear things are still so rough but hopefully now that you're armed with more meds and enzymes, he'll pull through. Keep hoping for the best. Sending healing light, hope, love and hugs.
Shane
 
granadilla said:
Sending healing light, hope, love and hugs.
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Thanks, Shane! That means a lot to me. And I hope Marshmallow is feeling better.
I feel like most people around me, including the vets, are starting to think I'm crazy for trying so hard to get him better. Yet, I think most people on here have had emergencies over the years that their cats bounce back from.
This forum seems to be only place where people truly understand. This is so incredibly hard, but I have to hope that the tests come back okay and that we can beat the pancreatitis. I don't know yet if the cypro is helping b/c we syringe fed him after giving him a dose since we were behind sched on feedings today. Hoping it works for tomorrow's breakfast!
 
The Cypro took less than an hour. Maybe even less than half an hour.

Thank you for asking about Marshmallow when you're dealing with so much yourself. She is still sick but I have another vet appointment tomorrow.

Please keep hoping for the best. If you need to make a hard decision, you'll know. In the meantime, keep remembering to breathe and you'll see what tomorrow brings. Big hugs. We're all on this site because we're all crazy cat lovers and our kitties mean the world to us. We get it. Keep us posted.

Shane
 
Critter Mom said:
I don't know whether or not this might be helpful to you but a few months back Saoirse had a minor pancreatitis flare triggered when a specialist put her on a buprenorphine pain relief trial to see whether it would help reduce the inflammation in her pancreas. Saoirse is very med-sensitive. Prior to the start of the trial Saoirse had been fairly perky and in pretty good form. On the first day of the trial, I gave her two of the higher doses of buprenorphine prescribed. I woke the following morning to find I had a very, very poorly cat. Needless to say I stopped administering the bupe. It did take her a while to recover.

I wonder whether other meds might irritate the pancreas? I'd suggest discussing whether the Xanax might have been a trigger of some sort with your vet.

Mogs
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This is interesting. Ollie had a visit to the ER a few weeks ago and the vet there gave him a hefty injection of bupre for his legs. Bad idea! He didn't sleep for days and it just made the situation so much worse. That was not necessary for him as I don't think he was experiencing pain, just weakness, which increased with the shot.
 
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