hepatic lepidois

Turtlelove313

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Sep 19, 2021
Messages
11
Purraise
13
I have a cat that was diagnosed with hepatic lepidois on Friday. He was severely constapated which is why I guess he stopped eatting. They gave him an enema, subq fluids, a antibiotic shot and and appetite stimulant shot, and sent me home with an appetite stimulant that I put on his ear. He seems to be doing mostly ok. I was also given a surenge and some high calorie food. he is nibbling on his own but not drinking water. I have been surenge feeding him and feeding lots. but no one seems to be able to tell me how much to feed. I have made it a point to feed him every 4 hours 2oz of water and food mixed.. and offer food and treats between. we have made it through half a bag of temptation treats, half a can of kitten food, 1/4 c dry food, both cans of ad, 1 can of friskies. he is a 22lb cat. he has not thrown up, mainly wants to sleep but is alert and will come when he hears food, no yellowing. had a few goes of diarrhea last night. Change of food/enema? Anyone have any experience with some tips and tricks? I will call the vet when they open about the diarrhea.
 

fionasmom

Moderator
Staff Member
Moderator
Joined
Jun 21, 2014
Messages
13,125
Purraise
17,362
Location
Los Angeles
Welcome to The Cat Site! Was there an underlying cause for the constipation that the vet was able to determine? That is very important as HL is not the cause of whatever is happening, but the end result. Were you not given specific syringe feeding instructions from the vet? Don't take that the wrong way; I am just surprised that you were not given very specific amounts to feed and times to feed.

Hepatic Lipidosis in Cats (Fatty Liver Syndrome in Cats)
This article gives some information about syringe feeding in cats with HL, but the blanks in the instructions presuppose that the individual vet has filled those in.

TBH I am not sure that the half bag of Temptation treats is a good thing right now. He was given mirtazapine more than likely to increase appetite and in some cats that does set off a craving for almost any cat food, but he needs more nutrition than that right now. Don't withhold food, but try not to let him work his way through the entire bag of treats.

This is a serious condition and it takes a lot of effort to help cats regain their health after this....along with helping them to fight whatever the underlying cause was. Tell the vet that you need very specific feeding instructions when you call. What to feed, how often, how much water in the syringe, etc.

Change of food can certainly cause the diarrhea, especially the mix that he is eating. It does not sound as if he needs an enema if he is having diarrhea.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #3

Turtlelove313

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Sep 19, 2021
Messages
11
Purraise
13
So far no underlying condition the vet was able to determine. he told me to feed him however much he would eat I brought up that he was interested in treats he said great give them to him. was given no instructions even when I called a 2nd time and said the appetite stimulant did basically nothing. and the reason he was seen to begin with was severe constipation he had very small dry pebble like poops. they told me they wanted to do blood work. which came back with hepatic lipidosis. he was still eatting. so it was a shock to us both.
 

tarasgirl06

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 19, 2006
Messages
24,708
Purraise
64,894
Location
Glendale, CATifornia
I have a cat that was diagnosed with hepatic lepidois on Friday. He was severely constapated which is why I guess he stopped eatting. They gave him an enema, subq fluids, a antibiotic shot and and appetite stimulant shot, and sent me home with an appetite stimulant that I put on his ear. He seems to be doing mostly ok. I was also given a surenge and some high calorie food. he is nibbling on his own but not drinking water. I have been surenge feeding him and feeding lots. but no one seems to be able to tell me how much to feed. I have made it a point to feed him every 4 hours 2oz of water and food mixed.. and offer food and treats between. we have made it through half a bag of temptation treats, half a can of kitten food, 1/4 c dry food, both cans of ad, 1 can of friskies. he is a 22lb cat. he has not thrown up, mainly wants to sleep but is alert and will come when he hears food, no yellowing. had a few goes of diarrhea last night. Change of food/enema? Anyone have any experience with some tips and tricks? I will call the vet when they open about the diarrhea.
Hello T Turtlelove313 and sweet cat, and welcome to TCS! fionasmom fionasmom has provided excellent information and suggestions, but like her, I am mystified as to why his vet has not given you any idea of feeding. Like her, I would not recommend working through a bag of treats. That particular brand has been suspect to many of us, myself included, for a long time, although the corporation that manufactures them stubbornly refuses to address the issue. I stopped buying that brand long ago. We like Feline Greenies, but in moderation - a few each night before bedtime. I buy the tuna, chicken, and salmon varieties, as those are what is available through petco.com where all of our cat supplies come from. As for food, a change in diet can definitely bring on diarrhea. Kitten food is high in calories and quite rich, and might also cause this. Though I'm not a fan of Science Diet, I understand he needs to be on special food for his current health problems. I would definitely ask his vet specifically about a feeding schedule and what foods to feed, as soon as possible. Let us know how he is doing, please!
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #5

Turtlelove313

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Sep 19, 2021
Messages
11
Purraise
13
Thank you. I will keep you updated. they open at 8 am and I am stuck with nothing but friskies to feed him tonight which is what he was eatting before. Is this possible with out a feeding tube. he doesn't mind the forced feedings. talks a lot during but we just take it slow. I feel so lost right now.
 

fionasmom

Moderator
Staff Member
Moderator
Joined
Jun 21, 2014
Messages
13,125
Purraise
17,362
Location
Los Angeles
Did they do any bloodwork? I am not saying that your cat does not have HL, but your vet is leaving a lot open ended. Bloodwork would show certain levels to be elevated if the liver were in question.

https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951913

This article is much more specific than the first one. Both articles talk about feeding tubes and their use, although you might be getting enough into him with the syringe if he is not fighting you.

Try to read each article and make up a list of questions for your vet based on them. I would also ask how the vet determined this aside from the fact that he is a big boy and he stopped eating. How long was he not eating when you called the vet? I think that your vet has strung together some anecdotal pieces, and while he may be right, that is what he is basing his judgment on.
 

mrsgreenjeens

Every Life Should Have Nine Cats
Staff Member
Advisor
Joined
Aug 13, 2009
Messages
16,391
Purraise
7,129
Location
Arizona
If your Vet said to feed him how ever much he will eat, then I would try to feed him the same amount of calories he was eating before he stopped eating, and those calories should be cat food, not treats, spread out over several feedings. Every four hours is what we did with our HL cat. You can leave out a little kibble or wet food for him to see if he's interested though. It's perfectly fine for him to get all his nourishment from your syringe feeding him right now vs from any treats, since he's such a good boy about the syringe feedings. (lucky you!!!) Many people find a feeding tube is easier, but it isn't necessary if you have a willing cat.

He's probably not drinking because you are thinning out the food with water. Did your Vet give you any liver medications or discuss liver supplements with you? There are a few out there that most HL patients get to assist in their recovery. If you don't have them, I would add that to your list to discuss. And normally when talking about how much to feed with a syringe or feeding tube, it's done by milligrams vs ounces since you use a syringe. For instance, 30 mls per meal, or 60 mls per meal, that sort of thing. Hills A/D is probably the best food to use as it's made for syringe feedings. Nice and smooth and has extra nutrients. It's a recovery food.

If he doesn't normally eat wet food, I would transition him to it after he fully recovers. It helps prevent constipation issues, which are fairly common as cats age. Not sure how old Loki is, but being extra large adds to those issues as large cats tend to not exercise as much either, adding to constipation problems. An all wet diet, preferable with more water added (but not as much as you need right now), can help prevent future problems.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #13

Turtlelove313

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Sep 19, 2021
Messages
11
Purraise
13
May sweet Loki receive the best of care and recuperate quickly! How old is Loki, just wondering? He is very fine.
He came to us sick with worms. we found his owner the first time but he came back and walked through the front door like he owned the place. We tried to find the owner again. we were in an apartment complex. 2 weeks go by and we never saw them again. during that time we went and got the worms taken care of. then he just became one of our clan of 4.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #14

Turtlelove313

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Sep 19, 2021
Messages
11
Purraise
13
He came to us sick with worms. we found his owner the first time but he came back and walked through the front door like he owned the place. We tried to find the owner again. we were in an apartment complex. 2 weeks go by and we never saw them again. during that time we went and got the worms taken care of. then he just became one of our clan of 4.
forgot to add that was 6 years ago and the best we can figure he is somewhere around 9
 

tarasgirl06

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 19, 2006
Messages
24,708
Purraise
64,894
Location
Glendale, CATifornia
forgot to add that was 6 years ago and the best we can figure he is somewhere around 9
Baby Su (tuxedo), born feral and found wandering on our land in the Mojave, just turned 17. Elvis (blue/cream), adopted at age 9 five years ago, is coming up on 14. They love their fountain. Good on ya for providing one for your furmily, and for adopting Loki and taking good care of him. *Prayers* for his return to good health!
IMG_1998.JPG
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #16

Turtlelove313

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Sep 19, 2021
Messages
11
Purraise
13
Loki is doing much better today. He is eatting and drinking on his own! Hunting bugs in the garden with me this morning. I got a hold of the vet. They instructed me to feed 30 mls of the ad 2x a day and see how he does and to call them with updates daily for more instructions as needed. I pray he continues to get better we go in for blood work in a week.
This has stressed out his buddy my 12 year old cat who is naturally anxious. So I really hope everything calms down now.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #17

Turtlelove313

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Sep 19, 2021
Messages
11
Purraise
13
Baby Su (tuxedo), born feral and found wandering on our land in the Mojave, just turned 17. Elvis (blue/cream), adopted at age 9 five years ago, is coming up on 14. They love their fountain. Good on ya for providing one for your furmily, and for adopting Loki and taking good care of him. *Prayers* for his return to good health!View attachment 395756
They are so cute 😍. I love when they sleep like that. I have a tuxedo too. Chester He's the 12 year old cat. Then Door (baby) who is 13. She has stomatitis poor thing. I've definitely picked up some ways to get them to eat when they are picky.
 

tarasgirl06

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 19, 2006
Messages
24,708
Purraise
64,894
Location
Glendale, CATifornia
They are so cute 😍. I love when they sleep like that. I have a tuxedo too. Chester He's the 12 year old cat. Then Door (baby) who is 13. She has stomatitis poor thing. I've definitely picked up some ways to get them to eat when they are picky.
That's great news about Loki! *PRAYERS* and hoping he continues to improve and to thrive! I know all about "anxious" so I empathize bigtime with Chester. Poor Door. Is there treatment she is getting for that?
 

mrsgreenjeens

Every Life Should Have Nine Cats
Staff Member
Advisor
Joined
Aug 13, 2009
Messages
16,391
Purraise
7,129
Location
Arizona
I'm guessing that 30 ml of A/D twice per day is because he is also eating on his own? If he stops eating again, that amount would definitely need to be increased. But how great that he is eating on his own again, and even hunting bugs. He MUST be feeling a lot better :hugs:
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #20

Turtlelove313

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Sep 19, 2021
Messages
11
Purraise
13
Still eatting on his own I'm doing 30mls 3x a day now. I did the 2x and he wasn't as perky and happy later in the day. looked like he wasn't feeling the best. He's gained a little weight and still acting mostly normal.
Door there's not a whole lot they can do. she seems to be doing ok with 1-2 teeth cleanings a year. and they told me if or when it gets worse they will remove her back teeth. she's been on steroids and antibiotics. but honestly they don't seem to do a whole lot. She does better with the teeth cleanings. She's a very happy and healthy old lady otherwise.
 
Top