Should I be worried about ketones?

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Squalliesmom

Squalliesmom

Member Since 2015
Squallie has not seemed himself this afternoon, and has had a couple of bouts of serious diarrhea. I gave him a little bit of food with some warm water mixed in to help him try to stay hydrated, as I have not seen him drink today (but that doesn't mean he hasn't), he lapped up the liquid but wasn't interested in the food. I checked his breath and to me, it just smells like regular fishy cat breath. I'm concerned about ketones, because I haven't seen him in the LB today to test him. Are these symptoms even consistent with raised ketone levels?
 
Critter Mom said:
That sounds a bit like Squallie might be nauseated. Have a look at this page about nausea symptoms from Tanya's site. Is Squallie showing any of the symptoms? How whiffy is the diarrhoea and what colour is it?


Mogs


EDITED TO ADD:

Do you have any food for Squallie without salmon in it, Lucy?
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He doesn't really seem nauseated, no lip licking, at any rate, but I will definitely check out the page you recommended. Hi diarrhea is pale brown, tan-ish I and guess you'd say, but not really whiffy at all. Yes, I have lots of food that is fish-free altogether; a while ago (several months, now) I thought he was havng digestive issues with fish but it seemed to clear up.

I just gave him the consomme broth from a can of Tiki Cat and he lapped it up with great interest. He seems uncomfortable sitting , acts like his bum hurts and it probably does, looks red and irritated. he was dragging his bum on the carpet earlier, that was my first indication that there was an issue.
 
Methinks a trip to the vetty bean is in order, Lucy. If there's something up it may possibly raise his BG a bit so don't panic about that. If the vet decides to do any blood tests, I'd suggest asking about a Spec fPL test for pancreatitis, if only to rule it out (suggestion based on pale brown/tan-coloured bowel motions and possible nausea - sore bottie not so much).
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Another possibility is he's constipated. Have the vet check for that, too.

Edited to say: I'm a dummy - you said he has diarrhea! Forget what I said!!
 
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Critter Mom said:
Methinks a trip to the vetty bean is in order, Lucy. If there's something up it may possibly raise his BG a bit so don't panic about that. If the vet decides to do any blood tests, I'd suggest asking about a Spec fPL test for pancreatitis, if only to rule it out (suggestion based on pale brown/tan-coloured bowel motions and possible nausea - sore bottie not so much).
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Oh dear, I'm alone here and have no car at the moment-my son has it at his workplace. Does this sound like an immediate emergency or do you think it will be okay to take him in a couple of hours?
 
Can you call the vet to make an appointment for later? You can tell them what is happening.

The red, sore bum is probably just from the diarrhea. Is there any possibility he's eaten something that might upset his digestive system? A bug? Any plants? If not, maybe it's just a plain stomach upset. We'll hope for the simple solution!
 
Maggies Mom Debby said:
Can you call the vet to make an appointment for later? You can tell them what is happening.

The red, sore bum is probably just from the diarrhea. Is there any possibility he's eaten something that might upset his digestive system? A bug? Any plants? If not, maybe it's just a plain stomach upset. We'll hope for the simple solution!
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Yes, I hope so!
 
He's snoozing quietly at the moment. I think he feels a little warm, to me, anyway. But at least he's stretched out, not curled up in a tight ball, so I think if he had tummy pain it may be diminishing. Or it could just be wishful thinking on my part, too.

I'm not entirely sure what is meant by "meatloafing" but I did notice earlier when he sat down he kind of tucked his bottom underneath him, I figured because his bum was sore. But I started to worry about ketones and thought I'd better check and see if this is "meatloafing"?
 
Also, I don't know why I didn't think of this before, but yesterday evening he had a little bit of Young Again Zero Carb kibble (maybe an eighth of a cup, at most) and some of their zero carb treats. Another member here who use that food told me it could possibly give him less-than-solid poops for a day or so, maybe that is contributing?
 
Squalliesmom said:
I'm not entirely sure what is meant by "meatloafing"
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Comfortable, relaxed cat:

iu



Meatloafing, tense and uncomfortable cat:

iu

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Critter Mom said:
It's a possible factor, Lucy.
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He seems much less distressed now, thankfully. My son should be home fairly soon, so I can get him to the vet if need be. If he continues to improve I may take him to his regular vet first thing in the morning.

Thank you for the pictures of meatloafing! That's kind of what he was doing, but not entirely. He just had his butt tucked under him like it hurt him to sit on it. At one point he kind of sat on one "cheek" with one of his legs cocked out to the side. But he was definitely not a comfortable cat!

I keep checking him for dehydration, too, and so far he seems okay on that front.
 
Squallie never ceases to amaze me. He just ate a small bowl of food with great delight. Go figure. I was sure he wouldn't want to eat tonight.
 
Squallie is currently eating dinner, FF Classic chicken with water added, and his appetite seems good. He has not had any more bouts of diarrhea since I started this thread. Is it okay to give him his shot tonight? His PMPS was 338.
 
My son got home with my car and I started calling around to other vets. No one will see Squallie tonight and I am just beside myself with worry. He ate his dinner but he still just doesn't seem himself to me. My son is going to the 24/7 Walmart in the next state over to get a blood ketone test kit, but I don't really know what good it will do me to find out, if no one will see him.
 
Also, that will only rule out one possibility, and there are certainly many other things that could be wrong with him. I'm terribly concerned because he hasn't had a drink in quite a while and I'm afraid he's starting to become dehydrated.
 
Hi Lucy, I'm new here, so can't really offer advice, but since Squallie has had diarrhea today he may just need some time to feel better, just like us when we're sick. Dehydration is something to watch for, but since you mixed water in with his canned food, he may have gotten enough to prevent that. You also mentioned he lapped up some broth earlier, maybe try that again. I would definitely keep an eye on him tonight and call your vet in the AM. Please let us know how the ketone test comes out. Wish I could be of more help
 
@Squalliesmom do you have some pefialite you can give squallie? The unflavoured plain stuff is ok to give him & you can feed it to him with a syringe if need be. That could be an option of squallie is getting dehydrated. It's also good for him if he does happen to have the start of keystones.

Hopefully someone with some more experience can chime in & give you some suggestions.

@Critter Mom @julie & punkin (ga) can either of you help?
 
Vegetable said:
@Squalliesmom do you have some pefialite you can give squallie? The unflavoured plain stuff is ok to give him & you can feed it to him with a syringe if need be. That could be an option of squallie is getting dehydrated. It's also good for him if he does happen to have the start of keystones.
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No, I don't, but that's good information to know. I will make sure to get some to keep on hand. I used it years ago for my kids, always worked like a charm!
 
Pinch his nape. If it tents up and stays that way, he's dehydrated. You can also check his gums. If they feel tacky, that's a sign of dehydration. Unflavored pedialyte alone won't resolve the dehydration issue if he is quite dehydrated but it can help till you get him to the vet. If he continues to not act like himself, can you get him to the ER?

Bonnie had a severe bout with diarrhea awhile back and became quite dehydrated. She needed subQ fluids from the vet. I gave her unflavored pedialyte till I got her in.

The fact Squallie ate his dinner is a good sign. The water you added to his food was a wise idea.
 
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Vegetable said:
@Squalliesmom do you have some pefialite you can give squallie? The unflavoured plain stuff is ok to give him & you can feed it to him with a syringe if need be. That could be an option of squallie is getting dehydrated. It's also good for him if he does happen to have the start of keystones.
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No, I don't, but that's good information to know. I will make sure to get some to keep on hand. I used it years ago for my kids, always worked like a charm!
 
Cat Ma said:
Pinch his nape. If it tents up and stays that way, he's dehydrated. You can also check his gums. If they feel tacky, that's a sign of dehydration. Unflavored pedialyte alone won't resolve the dehydration issue if he is quite dehydrated but it can help till you get him to the vet. If he continues to not act like himself, can you get him to the ER?

Bonnie had a severe bout with diarrhea awhile back and became quite dehydrated. She needed subQ fluids from the vet. I gave her unflavored pedialyte till I got her in.

The fact Squallie ate his dinner is a good sign. The water you added to his food was a wise idea.
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Thank you! I have been checking by pinching his nape, I will also check his gums. He ate a great breakfast (with a lot of water added) and he seems better today, he's sitting normally, now, but he still isn't crazy about using his back end; he will stand up if I make him but will immediately sit/lie down again. He is very alert, I've gotten him to purr a bit, but he hasn't been in the LB for over 18 hrs.

Just checked his gums, they don't feel tacky but they're not real wet, either (just compared them to another cat's gums, his are a little drier but not dry). He goes to see his vet today at 4:00, thankfully!
 
Critter Mom said:
Hi Lucy,

How is Squallie doing today on the poop front?

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Hi Mogs, thanks for asking. No more diarrhea, but he hasn't been in the LB for about 18 hrs now. He ate a great breakfast, seemed to be hungry, I mixed a lot of water in with his food because he hasn't been drinking. Over all he seems better, but he's still going to the vetty bean this afternoon. He acts like he doesn't want to use his back end; he will stand up if I make him, but will immediately sit or lie down again. He started out doing the butt-tucking thing again today but he's not doing it as much, now.
 
Does your vet know that?


EDITED TO ADD:

Has he been near the litter box at all? Also, could he have peed somewhere else?
 
Critter Mom said:
Does your vet know that?


EDITED TO ADD:

Has he been near the litter box at all? Also, could he have peed somewhere else?
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I guess the vet knows, I told them he hadn't been in the LB. I have not seen him near the LB since his last bout of diarrhea yesterday afternoon. He could have peed somewhere else, or gone at night when I was sleeping, but I don't really think he did.
 
It might be worth corralling him in a bathroom with a freshly-changed litter box just after he eats so you can watch his behaviour around the box and also get an idea of what fluids he's passing. Sometimes cats go very shortly after eating, so you might not need to coop him up for very long.
 
Critter Mom said:
It might be worth corralling him in a bathroom with a freshly-changed litter box just after he eats so you can watch his behaviour around the box and also get an idea of what fluids he's passing. Sometimes cats go very shortly after eating, so you might not need to coop him up for very long.
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He's been lying here next to me since I woke up this morning, so I can guarantee he hasn't been in the box this morning. I honestly don't think he''s left the bed since last night.
Edited to add: I just called my vet to make sure they understood that he is not drinking or peeing. I have to say the receptionist girl didn't seem too fussed about it but she's a moron anyway, just hope she relays the info to the vet.
 
This sounds somewhat similar to how the issues with my kitty started, although I really hope that Squallie's issues resolve much, much sooner than ours have. My kitty will scoot (smearing muck all over the floor) when he has poo on his bum and it hurts his tummy too much to curl himself enough to be able to reach it. I have no doubt his bum is sore after all the poo issues over the last month, but he won't let me clean the area.
 
SpecklesandMe said:
This sounds somewhat similar to how the issues with my kitty started, although I really hope that Squallie's issues resolve much, much sooner than ours have. My kitty will scoot (smearing muck all over the floor) when he has poo on his bum and it hurts his tummy too much to curl himself enough to be able to reach it. I have no doubt his bum is sore after all the poo issues over the last month, but he won't let me clean the area.
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What was the diagnosis for your kitty?
 
Squalliesmom said:
What was the diagnosis for your kitty?
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Oh dear! What a question... Two full blood panels (CBC and chem) later, we still don't have a real answer. We are waiting on the Spec fPLI test b/c we're suspecting pancreatitis. He got super dehydrated last Fri even though I was adding water and a little Pedialyte to his canned W/D (which is the only thing that helps the diarrhea so far). The dehydration made his BG spike way higher than it's ever been. Now we're doing subQ until he gets fully rehydrated. W/D is not recommended for dehydrated cats but if we try to change the food, the diarrhea gets worse. I think it was Mogs who nailed the diagnosis over a week ago when she said that it might be pancreatitis possibly brought on by Xanax, but we will find out for sure once the test is back.

I have my fingers crossed for Squallie that this is something that will resolve much more quickly than what I've described above. Sending positive thoughts! :)
 
SpecklesandMe said:
Oh dear! What a question... Two full blood panels (CBC and chem) later, we still don't have a real answer. We are waiting on the Spec fPLI test b/c we're suspecting pancreatitis. He got super dehydrated last Fri even though I was adding water and a little Pedialyte to his canned W/D (which is the only thing that helps the diarrhea so far). The dehydration made his BG spike way higher than it's ever been. Now we're doing subQ until he gets fully rehydrated. W/D is not recommended for dehydrated cats but if we try to change the food, the diarrhea gets worse. I think it was Mogs who nailed the diagnosis over a week ago when she said that it might be pancreatitis possibly brought on by Xanax, but we will find out for sure once the test is back.

I have my fingers crossed for Squallie that this is something that will resolve much more quickly than what I've described above. Sending positive thoughts! :)
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Oh, no, so sorry! I hope your kitty gets well, soon. I think Mogs is pretty good at knowing pancreatitis when she hears about it. Crossed fingers and positive thoughts for your kitty, too!
 
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