Jim the kitty w amputated tongue another update

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Birdi

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Hi,

heres an update on Jim the Kitty with the amputated tongue.. briefy, Jimmy went into spontanous remission from diabetes while boarding at the vets, had a hypo and bit his tongue so badly most of its been amputated. He had a feeding tube put in that got infected, so it had to be removed and another one placed on the other side of his neck.

So... Jim started to eat little bits of food. On friday night he vomited up his feeding tube so we rushed him to after hours and they removed it. We decided to not get it replaced, as we knew he could eat and felt another sedation or anasethic would really weaken him. (he had a rough recovery from the 2nd feeding tube insertion.) And he might just barf another up anyway. The vets were really keen to replace it but we really felt it was just postponing the point were he would have to start feeding himself.

On Saturday, he started to drink out of his water bowl... he has worked out a way of moving his lower jaw and using whats left of his tongue. Over the last two days he has starting eating more little bits, and this morning hustled me for food and ate a bit more than yesterday.

He is grooming - sort of. lots of cat spit gets every were and he tends to pull on his fur. I'm sponging and grooming him to help out.

He looks a bit rough - bandage round his neck, bald bits, droopy ear from a hematoma and pretty skinny... but he is in good spirits. He is at work with me today, smooching, sharpening his claws on his favorite racks and getting in the way when I'm trying to cable things up.

Still don't know whats going to happen long term - as we have to monitor his diabetic state as well. Will be learning to home test thats for sure.

Birdi
 
Thanks or keeping us updated. I wish the very best for Jim.
If you need any help learning to hometest, just ask.
 
So glad to get an update on Jim. Good to know he is trying to eat on his own and succeeding at it.....baby steps but better than the tube that doesn't seem to want to stay in. Hope he feels better soon and looking forward to more updates.
 
What a super update. Will continue to pray Jim finds his way. Thanks so much for keeping us updated. Cats have a way of confounding us. Lets hope Jim keeps doing his part ;)

Prayers and many blessings,
jeanne
 
Jim and his humans are an inspiration. I'm sure that you have thought of it, but thought that I'd mention Janet and Binky's food list again. There are some higher calorie but still low carb foods on the list that might help him. Continued good wishes.
 
Jim thanks you for your good wishes!

Went the vet today and he has gained weight. He has a probable allergy to beef - which makes him itchy and his skin flares up. His neck were the bandage has been is raw and scabby, and the beef product we had been feeding him, has of course, been the only thing he has been keen on eating. I just tried him on a tiny bit of wild venison and he was keen - and ate it up.

He has never been keen on canned food unfortunatly, and I think the pate style texture wont work with his tongue.
So will do a slow transition to venison, and will eventually make a complete home made venison (or other novel protein) cat food for him.

And being the closet hippy that I am, have been giving him Bach flower remedies. I like to think they are helping his appetite...

Birdi
 
Hi,

not sure if many of you will remember Jimmy the kitty with the amputated tongue - I thought I would update as my husband pointed out when I was searching for info on cats with tongue injuries there was very little and Jim's story may be useful to someone in the same situation one day.

Anyway: Jim is currently sitting on my knee, purring like a mad thing & and making it really hard to write!

Briefly.... Jimmy went into spontanous remission from diabetes while boarding at the vets, had a hypo and bit his tongue so badly most of its been amputated. He had a feeding tube put in that got infected, so it had to be removed and another one placed on the other side of his neck. I tube fed him up to 6 times a day until he finally barfed up the second tube. We didn't know if he would survive. He then slowly started to eat and drink..

So we are now a few months on. He has remained in remission, and we have slowly sorted out his diet (he has a beef allergy and gets itchy and mucky ears). He is now happily eating sardines and venison, occasionally a little cooked egg (usually stolen off my plate! )and I have finally found a vit and mineral supplement to round out his diet. Getting food sorted was tricky because of the beef allergy, and the difficulty of eating with no tongue.

It is amazing how he has adapted. He has worked out how to extend the base of his tongue (the back surface and the tiny bit remaining) forward into his mouth. As time has gone on we have noticed this extention of the tongue has developed - when he licks us you can now actually feel more of the back surface rather than just a tiny touch. And he can now push whats left far enough out of his mouth to lick to some degree - as evidenced by the suspisious marks found in butter left on the bench and verified by butter on his hairy little muzzle.....he couldn't remove the evidence of his crime of his face!

I think he extends his tongue and sucks to drink - have not quite worked out what he is doing. Drinking works best out of a lowish wide bowl. He prefers to suck / lap water residue left in the shower / bath and will stand in the bathroom howling until you come in and run the shower a little for him.

He eats chunked up food - grabs it with his mouth and makes a jerking motion to get it in his gob. He can't manage jelly or mushy styled foods, and cannot pick up dried food. (as much as he and the vets would like him to...I'm not keen on feeding a hi carb food to an ex - diabetic cat. Myself and Vet have differing opinions on diet).

Grooming isn't the best - initually when he tried he would spit alot, then moved onto using his teeth and pulled out alot of fur. He has improved - still has bald patches, but fur slowly growing and pulling less fur during grooming. Scabby bits all healed. He gets dirty so I bath him (under some protest) once a week. You can actually see the dirt on his skin. I also clean round his mouth regulary as he can't keep his chops clean.

He is full of energy, a good weight and bright eyed. he is now chasing a fly up and down the hall with great zest! Still looks a bit rough with his patchy fur and bung ear. Probably not a candidate for the cat version of best in show.

So thats were Jimmy is at. He is an amazing creature. Fantastic seeing him adapt.

Birdi
 
I think he's the perfect candidate for best in show!!! What an amazing spirit Jim has. He can teach us all a lot about how nothing's impossible if you just try!!! What a great cat!!!
 
So glad to hear that Jim is doing just great!!! What a wonderful kitty, with so much to teach us all that it isn't what you have lost but what you have left to work with! As my one nephew with birth defects always tells people "I'm not handicapped...I'm handicapable!" I just have to do somethings differently. Jim is living proof if you want to do something bad enough you figure out a way to do it.

Give Jim extra scritches from all of us.

Mel, Maxwell, Musette & The Fur Gang
 
What a wonderful post to read today!
I wonder if you serve raw, from Dr. Lisa's site, and grind medium, if he would be able to eat that better than the pate style?? I feed my 2 girls raw and I can set the grind to medium, fine or large size?? Then you could add whatever kind of meats you wanted, omitting the beef all together. I mix chicken leg/thigh, chicken liver, hearts, gizzards. I also purchased some frozen quail from Whole food store. I found some rabbit but have not added yet. I also found some trial size samples of the Primal raw that they like: they were served phesant yesterday and loved it.... the samples have different kinds in them. If you are interested the site is primalpetfoods.com.
It is sooo good to hear that Jim is doing good, adapting and what an inspiration! :dizcat
 
What a wonderful, heart tugging story. Go Jim!!! Thanks to everyone who have been giving Jim the special care and love that he needs. You guys are wonderful!
 
I wanted to mention that the cat I resuced in September is missing a piece of his tongue, although it sounds like he has more than your Jim. Dallas is a sloppy eater but eats all of his canned food (the edges of his dish get s little messy). When he's done, his nose is light brown from the food and he sometimes has bits of food on his chin. He apparently has had this missing piece for awhile as he steps away from the dish and licks his paw then wipes his face. He cleans his chin up pretty good but it takes a little while for his nose to turn back to pink (lol)! He also had a hematoma in one ear so he looks a bit floppy. He had no grooming issues and likes to groom my FD Cedric (who is in remission as well). Cedric loves for me to "brush his coat" and I use this:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/p ... catid=8251
Note both cats are DSH - I am trying to see if Dallas will let me use this on him...I was able to use it a little bit last night.
 
The old saying, "where there's a will, there's a way", really holds here! Jim, you inspire us all to do our very best. Thanks Birdi, for posting Jim's story!

Ella & Rusty
 
Wow, such an incredible update and I am so pleased to hear that Jim is doing just fine, TUVM!

Big pats for Jim.
 
Thank you all for all your good wishes!

Firstly, thanks ohbell for your suggestion regarding Lisa's raw diet. I read about the raw diet and have decided that all new feline arrivals in my house will eat raw! My mum has got a grinder, and I'm thinking I'll have a go. Jims on novel proteins due to his beef allergy, and we suspect he is sensitive to chicken as well. I can get wild venison from the deli supermarket, but it's illegal to sell deer innards and bones etc to public in NZ. He also likes goat and ostrich, but not rabbit. The chunks of venison are good and chewy so hopefully will keep his teeth clean. The vit & mineral supplement I think will balance things, except for calcium. Although he might be getting some from the soft bones in the sardines. (they are human grade tinned ones in spring water).

We even had a calorie, vit and mineral calculated venison based meatloaf recipe prepared by a vet specialising in small animal nutrition - but - it had rice in it and also recommended an antacid for calcium. The antacid would have been fine, but then I read the label and discovered it had artifical sweetener in it. I felt disappointed by the specialist - he didn't take into account textural requirements for kitty no tongue, and included carbs and sweetener for a diet for a diabetic in remission. Hmm. Also Jim's reg vet (who has been great with him) is still keen to try commercial buy- from- the -vet foods, but they contain higher carbs than recommended. If I can find a suitable calcium supplement, calculate the right amounts of every thing, we then should be sorted.

I don't get why so many vets are so stuck on dried & high carb foods?

doombuggy.... whats the chances of two kitties with hematoma'ed ears and tongue injuries?! Jim's ear is also floppy and cabbage-y like a rugby players. He also gets a black nose from food and a mucky mouth.

One last thing: the specialist who has been looking after Jims ears and skin issues said that 'they' are now seeing that cats who develop diabetes from steroid use and are then treated with lantus more often than not do go in remission, and blood metering is very nessasary. Good to hear blood monitoring endorsed by a vet.

cheers

Birdi
 
What an awesome story. I love hearing about Jim. I had one thought, though -- try raising his food dish. Place the dish on a turned-over tupperware. That way the cat doesn't have to fight against gravity so much. It's more of a straight line into the mouth and down the throat.

good luck,
laur
 
Birdi, I had not seen the original post about Jim. What an amazing story. I am so glad that he and you are doing so well!!
 
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