Update on Katie

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So, Katie has been in remission for almost a month now, wahoo! Except she started having diarrhea yesterday. I put forti flora on her food last night, and she had a good appetite, but she refused to eat this morning. She was still acting okay, and readily accepted her treats. But I just got home from work, and all does not look well. She was curled up on my pillow instead of coming to greet me, and I had to practically beg her to eat her favorite treats. And her breath doesn't smell good. There is also some vomit on the floor, just some bile, but that could easily be from my other cat. So the question I have is, can a cat in remission get DKA? If so, are the symptoms I gave the signs on DKA?

And I just tried to feed her again, with forti flora on the food. She licked her lips, but didn't touch it!
 
Re: Questions about DKA

yes, I suppose they could, but I'd be wondering about pancreatitis as well. I'd be getting her into the vet tomorrow if she doesn't improve, as complications can come up pretty quick. Good luck!
 
Re: Questions about DKA

Agree with Jen. Time for the vet. You can test her urine for ketones using ketostix. Have you tested her BG level recently?
 
Re: Questions about DKA

What is pancreatitis?

BG was in the 90's an hour ago. A little high for her, but not bad.

Also, I just offered her some cooked chicken she just about took me down for yesterday. She ate a couple bites, but doesn't really seem to enthusiastic. :YMSIGH:
 
Re: Questions about DKA

Do you have any Pepcid AC? The regular strength 10mg is often used for cats' nausea.

Cut the tab in 4 pieces, and give 1/4 tab in a pill pocket or a bit of soft cheese or anything else similar.
You may see some improvement in the nausea in an hour or so.
You can give a max of 5mg/per day to a cat.

Pepcid is the first thing I give as soon as I see any lip licking.
You'll treat pancreatitis with fluids and pain meds in addition to the pepcid.
The test for pancreatitis fPLI should be done when the cat is ill, not later on.... it's like taking your temp after your fever is gone.... you need to test at the time of the problem if it's pancreatitis.
 
Re: Questions about DKA

Apparently I can't wait for morning. Katie just had the runniest stool I've ever seen, and there was blood in it. Guess I'm making a night time trip to the vet ER.

(This is Jennifer's sister, I'm going to stay on the site while she's gone.)
 
Re: Questions about DKA

Jennifer and Katie said:
Apparently I can't wait for morning. Katie just had the runniest stool I've ever seen, and there was blood in it. Guess I'm making a night time trip to the vet ER.

(This is Jennifer's sister, I'm going to stay on the site while she's gone.)

thanks for the update. better safe than sorry, and hope the vet can sort out the problem.
 
Re: Katie's having a problem...

Back from the vet. -_-; They gave her fluids, gave her a new food to be put on for a couple of days, and basically said whatever. They said blood in the stool "isn't a problem in cats" and not to worry about it. They had no clue why she wasn't eating, why she had loose stool, why she was running a fever (by their measurements), and they just generally didn't seem to be worried about any of it. :/ Hmm, really?
 
Re: Katie's having a problem...

Wow, blood in the stool isn't a problem for cats????
Was it bright red or dark? Color determines "where" she's bleeding from in her digestive track. The brighter red it is, the closer to the "exit" the problem exists.

You might have to find another vet to get a 2nd opinion tomorrow.

Jennifer, a pancreas in a cat does basically two things. It produces insulin, and it produces digestive enzymes. Pancreatitus is when the pancreas become inflamed. It can be very painful, and causes them to not want to eat. Symptoms include loss of appetite, diarrhea, lethargy and weight loss and dehydration. It can cause less insulin to be produced, which you definitely DON'T want to happen with a kitty that is OTJ. The pain would also cause BG to go up. If she does have it, you definitely want it to get fixed, and quickly. If her digestive enzymes get really messed up, not only will she not eat, but you'll end up have to syringe feed her possibly.

Did they test her for it?

In cats, it also tends to be a chronic illness, so it could come back again in the future. Hasn't Katie had diarrhea issues and loss of appetite in the recent past as well?

Carl
 
Re: Katie's having a problem...

It was kind of a mucousy red. It was hard to tell a lot about the color, since it was so runny, but I could tell enough to know it was blood. The doctor told me that a healthy cat can have perfectly normal stool with blood on it. He said vets don't know why it happens, just that it does. Considering Katie hadn't had blood on her stool until she became diabetic, and since they didn't mention such a thing in vet tech school, I am disinclined to believe what he told me.
"Symptoms include loss of appetite, diarrhea, lethargy and weight loss and dehydration." Try all of the above. She also cried when I touched her abdomen. The doctor talked a lot about the pancreas, but he didn't say anything about running a test to check it. He did do a comprehensive blood test. Would that have shown anything regarding the pancreas?
It worries me, because Katie was a sixteen pound cat before she became diabetic. When she was diagnosed with diabetes, she weighed 12.125 lbs. Now she weighs 10.2 lbs. Should I invest in a scale for checking her weight?
She did eat the wet food they gave me, which is W/D. But she still wasn't interested in her treats. And she positively loathes the Flagyl they gave me. Talk about foaming at the mouth!
This is the fourth time she's had diarrhea since she was diagnosed with diabetes. Last time's wasn't bloody, but the time before was, as was this time's.
The fluids seemed to make her feel a little better. She was purring during the night, and did her morning ritual of trying to get mommy up too early. Now she's taking a nap on my bed.
 
Re: Katie's having a problem...

If she cried when you touched her stomach it could be pancreatitis. Not sure about that. Could be another condition causing it. By chance did the x ray her to make sure there are no masses in the abdomen? Also could have them run the fPl test for pancreatitis.

Terri
 
Re: Katie's having a problem...

Jennifer,
There is a test they could have done, and Gayle and Terri mentioned it - "fPl". If the fluids seem to have worked, that is great, but you may have to get them done again, or ask that they send you home with some so you can administer them yourself. As long as she has diarrhea, especially that bad, she's going to continue being dehydrated.
Is she any better today?

Carl
 
Re: Katie's having a problem...

Well, she did eat some of the W/D wet food they sent home. That was this morning, and she hasn't eaten since. She's been sleeping the rest of the day, preferring areas that are darker. Still really runny diarrhea, still bloody. And I just found vomit on our dark tile. When I wiped it up, the tissue turned pink. Could that be from the Flagyl, or do I need to worry that the vomit held blood?
I'm going to at least call her normal vet tomorrow. If Katie isn't better in the morning, I'll get her an appointment, and ask about the pancreatitis test.
 
Re: Katie's having a problem...

if she is having bloody vomit and stool I'd be asking for an ultrasound or something similar. I'm sorry, this must be scary for you. Sending good vibes !
 
Re: Katie's having a problem...

Jennifer,
I have no experience with flagyl, so I am not sure. It does sound like she's got some sort of intestine or tummy issue going on. I'm just hoping that it is only one thing causing all of the problems at once. Sounds like pancreatitus can cause all of those things. At least by asking or visiting her normal vet tomorrow, you'll know one way or another if that is the case.

Hope she gets better soon,
Carl
 
Re: Katie's having a problem...

Katie didn't eat last night or this morning. I have an appointment with the vet at 4:30pm today.
I feel like I'm failing her somehow, since I have to take her to the vet again.
 
Re: Katie's having a problem...

Cats are very good at hiding illness from their humans and since we aren't omniscient, we find out when things have become more intense.

Please don't beat yourself up over this.

Good luck at the vet visit.
 
Re: Katie's having a problem...

Jennifer,
So sorry to hear about Katie. I don't know anything about pancreatitis, but my cat, Missy is just finishing up a course of flagyl (metronidazole) for diarrhea. It has taken a while to work. She actually got a bit worse before she started improving. She hates it too. I have had to take it, myself, for diverticulitis, and it is one of the worst tasting pills I have ever had to choke down. :sad: Don't give up on it too soon, though. I think it took close to a week before I saw improvement. I actually was going to stop using it and have a stool culture done, since it didn't seem to be helping and she hated it so much. Then the weekend came and she started to improve.
The vet was going to try a course of DiaGel on her before the flagyl started to work. You can get that online, if you want. I figured if the vet was going to use it, I could, too, and for less. ;-) It's an option, anyway.

Good luck with your kitty. I hope she is feeling better very soon!
 
Re: Katie's having a problem...

Jennifer and Katie said:
Katie didn't eat last night or this morning. I have an appointment with the vet at 4:30pm today.
I feel like I'm failing her somehow, since I have to take her to the vet again.

Glad you brought her in, and please let us know how the visit went.
Jennifer, what you are doing isn't "failing". Failing would be just ignoring it when she has problems. Failing would be NOT calling the vet, or asking questions here, when something like this comes up. Hell, failing would be what the ER vet did by not going far enough to figure out what is really wrong with her.

They gave her fluids, gave her a new food to be put on for a couple of days, and basically said whatever. They said blood in the stool "isn't a problem in cats" and not to worry about it. They had no clue why she wasn't eating, why she had loose stool, why she was running a fever (by their measurements), and they just generally didn't seem to be worried about any of it.

You and Katie have been through a pretty tough year. Give yourself just a little bit of credit, ok?

Carl
 
Well, the vet at the normal clinic sure knows how to do her job, unlike the one at the ER clinic. She did suggest another ER clinic that I can use in the future, because it's the one they trust. Anyway, Katie had a fever, higher than the one on Monday. And she's much more dehydrated than she was on Monday, to the point where her skin stayed tented. So, the vet is keeping her overnight to give her IV fluids, mixed with Baytril, Flagyl, and Buprenex. She also got a urine sample and blood to send to the lab for more extensive diagnostics. And she checked Katie's fecal matter, and found a proliferation of the normal flora. It's not the problem, but it's a side effect of whatever the reason is. So, she's going to call me tomorrow morning with the lab results. If no diagnosis is found with them, Katie will have an ultrasound tomorrow.
I am crying right now. I know I'm doing what I can for my cat, but it doesn't feel like enough. She's going to be so scared being at the clinic tonight, and all I can think is that I hope she doesn't think I abandoned her. I left one of my blankets with her, but still... She's my baby! What if I've waited too long, and she dies??!
 
Jennifer,
Take many deep breaths, ok? Did the vet say anything that leads you to believe that Katie is really bad off? It sounds like she knows what she is doing, and that Katie is being well cared for. Please, try to focus on tomorrow rather than yesterday. You have done the right thing and the best thing for your little girl. I understand completely the feeling that you are worried that she's there at the clinic and you aren't with her. I had to leave Bob for 3 nights. It was only supposed to be for 2, but he hadn't improved enough after the 2nd night, so I went all the way there, only to find out he couldn't come home yet. I was crushed. Bob though, he didn't seem to care. Most of the time he was sleeping, and the only thing he did in 3 days to make them know he wasn't exactly happy to be there was repeatedly overturn the little litter box and then pee on the litter. Like he was telling them "what, you want me to pee right next to my bed? What is wrong with you people?" Other than that, he did okay. Katie is probably going to sleep a lot when the place is empty at night. They will keep an eye on her and do everything they can to make her comfortable and feel better. Yes, she'll miss you, but just wait until you see that look in her eyes when you go to bring her home. That'll make you cry, but happy tears.

Hugs to you and healing vibes to Katie,
Carl
 
Jennifer,
You have done all you can to make things better for Katie. You are supposed to be able to put your trust in vets. That she is now with someone who seems to GET it is great. Many people would not go to the lengths that you have...you have not 'failed' your girl. You kept at it until you found someone whom is competent with her care. That is the opposite of failure!
I hate leaving my kitty at the vet's but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. It is all in the spirit of love. You should be patting yourself on the back for caring for Katie so well, not castigating yourself!
All the healing vines and prayers for you and Katie.
 
Not a whole lot new to report. The vet called this morning, and Katie STILL hasn't eaten anything. Her fever has responded to the fluids, dropping to 102.4, which is better than it was. The test results for blood and urine can back spotless, except for the hematacrit being high due to dehydration. So, on the the ultrasound. I will update more once I hear back on that.

EDIT: Just heard back from the vet. The ultrasound showed that her pancreas, liver, and kidneys are all fine. The only thing they really noticed was major upset in the interstines. She is hoping it is just a simple infection, since Katie is responding to the fluids and the antibiotics. So, 2what is going to happen now is they are going to keep Katie overnight again, hooked up to the iv fluids and antibiotics. The tomorrow, provided her fever stayes down, she will get to come home, with enough antibiotics to last a month. Providing Katie doesn't get worse during that time, she will have a recheck and it will be written off as an infection. If she stayes the same or gets worse, they will do a biopsy to rule out intestinal cancer. So, I am keeping my fingers crossed. And I am saddened that she can't come home today, but at least they said I could come in and see her. I'm going to bring some wet food with me to see if I can get her to eat.
 
Jennifer,
Thank you for the update, and glad to hear that they are at least ruling things out! I am happy they are letting you go to visit. I am sure that will make both you and Katie feel much better. Crossing my everything, fingers, toes, eyes, that you can coax her into eating!

Carl
 
Got to see Katie tonight. She's very scared, and hating to be there. But she responded well to my visit, licking my hand and rubbing against it. She did eat just a little bit for me, which was more than they had gotten, and she used the litter box while I was there. Also, her fever has dropped again, so she's now at 101.9, which is MUCH better. If all things go well, I'll pick her up after work tomorrow.
 
Great! Happy for both of you, and hope you get her home tomorrow,

Carl
 
As I sit here and type, Katie is lying on the pillow next to me. It's obvious she's happy to be home. She's been cleaning like mad, and she did eat when I got her home. Not her usual amount, but enough that I felt happy about it. And she didn't vomit the food back up, which is a plus. I have meds to give her, so hopefully, this problem will stay cleared up. I'm soooo happy she's home! :-D
 
So happy to read this, Jennifer.
I know that "kitty is finally home" feeling, and you can't beat it,

Carl
 
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