URGENT: Rory has had explosive Diarrhea and is now vomiting

I’m concerned about his hydration level. If he will drink more on his own, that’s good. But if he won’t drink enough to catch up with his dehydration, then he needs fluids from a vet.
 
He likely isn't having diarrhea because there is nothing TO diarrhea.

Can your partner check for dehydration? Tacky gums, the "scruff snapback" test. I would also feel his ears and see if they feel unusually warm/hot to the touch (fever).

Dehydration is my main concern. Secondary to that is a missed infection, which then also leads to ketones concern. Have you checked ketones recently?

I would try to assist feed (and water) at this point if he won't on his own. But if he has the signs of dehydration I mentioned above and/or ketones in urine I would take him in. Or if he starts acting very lethargic/off.

You can only give Cerenia once a day.

The ER vet would likely run bloodwork (probably similar to what your vet has already done but hard to know for sure, like CBC, chem panels), check for dehydration, check urine, give fluids, possibly prescribe metronidazole like Suzanne said (it's really good for GI infections). Plus they'll probably try to oversell you some stuff like FortiFlora (don't do it, many better probiotics out there for less money).
 
FrostD said:
He likely isn't having diarrhea because there is nothing TO diarrhea.

Can your partner check for dehydration? Tacky gums, the "scruff snapback" test. I would also feel his ears and see if they feel unusually warm/hot to the touch (fever).

Dehydration is my main concern. Secondary to that is a missed infection, which then also leads to ketones concern. Have you checked ketones recently?

I would try to assist feed (and water) at this point if he won't on his own. But if he has the signs of dehydration I mentioned above and/or ketones in urine I would take him in. Or if he starts acting very lethargic/off.

You can only give Cerenia once a day.

The ER vet would likely run bloodwork (probably similar to what your vet has already done but hard to know for sure, like CBC, chem panels), check for dehydration, check urine, give fluids, possibly prescribe metronidazole like Suzanne said (it's really good for GI infections). Plus they'll probably try to oversell you some stuff like FortiFlora (don't do it, many better probiotics out there for less money).
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Already ordered the Fortiflora...tried to use it with some wet food to see if he would try and he didnt even want it..walked straight out the room...he hasnt peed today to test so i think it might just be best to take him in
 
Okay. So he took the Cerenia last night and ate a little and drank some water. This is good. I do totally understand about trying to keep away from the ER vet. In fact, I have frequently been in that position lately (sigh.) Please update me when you can on how things are with Rory this morning (well it’s the middle of the night for you!) I am on Eastern time so three hours later than you. And if you can get those labs and share them, it would be good. Has he urinated, pooped, vomited, eaten? Hopefully he just had a serious gastric upset and is getting over it — but there are many possibilities such as an infection (which would put him in danger of DKA) or even pancreatitis. Anyway, I will wait to hear your update later on this morning.
 
Suzanne & Darcy said:
Okay. So he took the Cerenia last night and ate a little and drank some water. This is good. I do totally understand about trying to keep away from the ER vet. In fact, I have frequently been in that position lately (sigh.) Please update me when you can on how things are with Rory this morning (well it’s the middle of the night for you!) I am on Eastern time so three hours later than you. And if you can get those labs and share them, it would be good. Has he urinated, pooped, vomited, eaten? Hopefully he just had a serious gastric upset and is getting over it — but there are many possibilities such as an infection (which would put him in danger of DKA) or even pancreatitis. Anyway, I will wait to hear your update later on this morning.
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So he slept through the night, he woke up just now and drank a good amount of water...he ate a bit more last night before bed but hasn't eaten much since he woke up and I am about to pick the food up as he does his testing at 6am. He hasn't peed yet but he just started drinking more and he hasn't pooped since 2pm yesterday...i have a motion camera on his litter so nothing from him yet.
 
This is great news! I’m really happy to hear it. If he’s drinking and eating, then he should be using the litter box soon.
 
Rory and Melissa said:
Not sure if image is attached
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That’s too blurry for me to see except it looks like they took a urine sample via cystocentesis so it’s good they checked that. Also I don’t know what is meant by a Diabetic Monitoring Profile. Hopefully its a panel of bloodwork including a CBC and Chemistry. Well, for right now I am just taking the good news that he’s feeling better and being happy. You should have results tomorrow.
 
Okay, because “inquiring minds want to know” (and I am impatient) I did a little searching about the diabetic monitoring profile. IDEXX labs has a blood panel by that name and it includes a CBC and Chemistry panel, an SDMA and a fructosamine test. They really only needed to do the CBC, serum chemistry and the urinalysis but… it is what it is, right? It takes 1-3 days for results.

Diabetic Monitoring Profile (21559999)
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1 test selected
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Diabetic Monitoring Profile(21559999)

Diabetic Monitoring Profile(21559999)
Chem 11 with IDEXX SDMA® Test, IDEXX CBC®, fructosamine

1-3 days | 2 mL serum (no hemolysis), 1 mL LTT
 
My vet messaged me this today: He came back negative for chronic pancreatitis as his value was 2.2 with the high end of the test at 3.5...so I still have no idea why he got so sick, paid so much money to still have no answers..so frustrating
 
Rory and Melissa said:
My vet messaged me this today: He came back negative for chronic pancreatitis as his value was 2.2 with the high end of the test at 3.5...so I still have no idea why he got so sick, paid so much money to still have no answers..so frustrating
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Well, let’s take a look at the bloodwork tomorrow. Ask her about giving him a 1/4 of. Regular strength 10 mg Famotidine (Pepcid AC) to Rory when he gets the acid tummy. I’m glad things are getting better.
 
@Suzanne & Darcy so rory had a bowel movement around 4pm today and when I came home to test and give his shot he had explosive diarrhea again!! he wont eat now, he was perfectly fine earlier today...i don't understand what is happening
 
i read somewhere that this is a common reaction to food allergy...i am wondering if he's allergic to the high-protein foods...i mixed some high carb with his dr elseys (which he didn't seem to have an issue with before) to see if would eat and he did...also gave him another vomit pill to be on the safe side.
 
I'd probably bring in a stool sample at this point. Could be parasitic or GI infection like giardia.

Could also be food allergy. It wouldn't be to high protein foods, it would be to an ingredient in the foods. Luckily you're already feeding fairly limited ingredient stuff, so it would be fairly easy to rule out.

I know one of the companies (drawing a blank on YA or Elsey's) had some supply issues and ended up using more egg? Or more flax? Than usual so it could be that as well
 
He's peeing and seems to be acting completely normal except for that episode...i don't think he'll need to be rushed to the er but I am so worried that its something bigger and the vet keeps missing it and its costing us more money and we have to find a new place to live by Dec 1st...to say I am panicking is an understatement.
 
Did you get the bloodwork back? Has he had a normal bowel movement recently? Or is it always explosive diarrhea?

Cats do have bad timing when it comes to being ill (although there is never a good time.). I am going to make a few suggestions that are going to cost money. I am very sorry about that. I have quite a few cats so I basically run a constant tab on my Care Credit account or at my vet’s office. So I am just saying that I do understand.

Now, having said that, I think that (1) we need to take a look at that bloodwork, (2) take a stool sample to the vet as Melissa suggested (that’s usually not super expensive and you would not have to bring Rory in for an office visit.) There are more expensive stool tests that can be run but not before bringing in a regular sample to the vet to check for parasites. Honestly, my vet would probably put my cat on a course of Metronidazole at this point to help clear up anything. Metronidazole (Flagyl) is antimicrobial, antiprotozoal and anti inflammatory in the GI tract. It is used as an adjunctive therapy in inflammatory bowel disease as well as other conditions. I have seen it bring relief very quickly in my own cats.
Anyway, back to what else can be done for Rory — and here’s where it can get a little more expensive… these are only things to be considered for the future and not yet — (3) run a GI panel (Texas A&M GI panel) that’s a blood panel that can tell you a lot about what’s going on in the gastrointestinal tract. It can point toward inflammatory bowel disease or other conditions. I’m not saying to do this now - I am just saying that, down the road, it’s something that you may need to consider. Of course there’s also an abdominal ultrasound, but you are definitely not near needing that yet, from what we can tell.

These problems did seem to begin with the food changes, right? I don’t know how rapidly you made the food switch, but it is generally advisable in cats to make any food changes slowly so as not to upset their tunnies. He’s had quite a few new foods thrown at him lately due to needing lower carbs.

It would also be a good idea, if you are not already doing it, to start Rory on a good probiotic such as Proviable DC. That’s a small capsule. I give one to my inflammatory bowel disease boy every day. There are some kinds of probiotics designed to be mixed with food. Also, and I think this has been mentioned before, s. Boulardii is a type of yeast used as a probiotic. Some people have great luck using this in their cats with diarrhea (and it can’t hurt him.). I have purchased the human formula before (Jarrow or NOW brands.). There are a lot of different things out there for cat diarrhea but watch out for those containing any type of sugar.

If Rory were my cat, I would take in the stool sample, ask for a course of Metronidazole, start some probiotics and play around with the food to see if it’s the food. If necessary as a last resort, I would go back to the old food and reintroduce the new food very gradually. I know you don’t want to do that since it will raise his numbers. If you can get some metronidazole from your vet, it may not be necessary at all.
 
Rory and Melissa said:
forgot i am adding some of his high carbs to the food so I went with the 1.25 also adding some fortiflora to see if that helps
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I think you should be fine with the 1.25 especially with HC in the mix. What is your work schedule like? I mean, what time do you usually have to leave in the cycle and when can you test? I don’t think I have ever asked you that before.
 
I’m off today, though we might go look at homes not sure but today I will be mostly packing so illl be able to test him. It’s Thursday-Saturday that are hard as I have work 3-930 but I’m allowed to run home to test and give shot, so that helps but I can’t really monitor.
 
I had a similar experience back in February. Multiple trips to the vet, 2 courses of metro and still had diarrhea. I thought food allergy as well and started buying all sorts of limited /novel protein foods. We never had to try them. The S Boulardi recommended here quelled the diarrhea quickly and since then she’s been on a probiotic that also has a prebiotics combined. No further issues. Have you tried the S boulardi?
 
Yes, the s. Boulardii is worth a try. As I said above, other people I know have had good luck with it, although I have used it on a couple of my cats and it did not work for them - but they had other problems that needed different, less common meds to resolve (as I later found out with more testing.) But it is reasonable to try the s. Boulardii first. You should know fairly quickly if it will help. It can even be purchased at a local health food store. I bought mine from Amazon. Hopefully he has been fine today and eating well.
 
I got both the S boulardi and the pro/pre biotic combo from vitamin shoppe. For the probiotic I researched the ones that were mentioned here and got the equivalent from vitamin shoppe.
 
That sounds great. The Vitamin Shoppe brands are usually less expensive and seem to be good quality when I have tried them. Which probiotic are you using? I use the Proviable DC (dog/cat) and purchase it from Chewy, but I give it in capsule form and do not sprinkle on food since my IBD boy (Bingley) is a sweetheart and lets me do anything. :-)
 
So it appears my other cat just had diarrhea, he's been fine to me but then again I've been so focused on rory I have been watching him when he poops...this has me a bit more freaked out if both are having runny poops!!! Im waiting for the vet to call me back..shes been in surgery all day so its taking longer but this has me a bit worried
 
Okay, so it's probably not food related because they aren't eating the same food? or are they? They could have Giardia or something else that could have passed to each other via the litter box. Time for that stool sample(s) to go to the vet. She may insist on it, in fact.
 
Kobe will sometimes eat the food rory eats, but he's more of a wet food eater...but I don't know if this is the first one or not he's acting completely normal...I'm so stressed out I don't know how Im going to catch a stool sample with them with it being both so damn watery and i have school tomorrow and work...i feel like the so much is stacked against us right now
 
Suzanne & Darcy said:
That sounds great. The Vitamin Shoppe brands are usually less expensive and seem to be good quality when I have tried them. Which probiotic are you using? I use the Proviable DC (dog/cat) and purchase it from Chewy, but I give it in capsule form and do not sprinkle on food since my IBD boy (Bingley) is a sweetheart and lets me do anything. :)
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Tried to upload picture of the probiotic but it wouldn’t let me. It’s Solaray super multidophilus 24 strain 30billion CFU. I split 1 capsule a day in her mid AM and mid Pm snack. So far so good. Since I don’t really know why she had issues back in Feb I now also wash off all my cat food cans as the only thing I could come up with was maybe some sort of bacteria from a can?
 
Rory and Melissa said:
Kobe will sometimes eat the food rory eats, but he's more of a wet food eater...but I don't know if this is the first one or not he's acting completely normal...I'm so stressed out I don't know how Im going to catch a stool sample with them with it being both so damn watery and i have school tomorrow and work...i feel like the so much is stacked against us right now
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You can grab a stool sample out of the box. Try to monitor when she goes - grab a plastic utensil and take from the top into a ziplock. My vet says even a bit of litter in it is ok as they only use a small amount.
 
Rory and Melissa said:
Kobe will sometimes eat the food rory eats, but he's more of a wet food eater...but I don't know if this is the first one or not he's acting completely normal...I'm so stressed out I don't know how Im going to catch a stool sample with them with it being both so damn watery and i have school tomorrow and work...i feel like the so much is stacked against us right now
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Well when you get time in the next day or so you can scoop a small amount into a ziplock bag. A lot of times the vets will give you little plastic cups to put some in (free of charge.). I would take a sample from Rory and take it in. If they find something just mention that both cats are affected and they’ll most likely want to treat both cats. This would also save money. Sorry this is happening. Just do it when you or your partner can. Did vet call back?
 
So we ended up rushing Rory to the ER vet cause he was pooping and crying we had blood work and ex rays done…They found he has a slight enlarged heart which she said she noticed a small murmur, also found he has arthritis in his back left leg, they aren’t sure about why he’s shutting and said I’ll have to do a poop test with his primary vet. They gave meds to help with the diarrhea and gabapentin for the pain and stress.
 
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