14 y/o cat with pleural effusion, advice?

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amandag1

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Didnt read through all of this but wanted to say maybe have ur cat examined by a cardiologist
My kitty has severe HCM and hes been going on over a year with furosemide2x daily And cardiology visits every 3-6 months.
I prayyyy he stays with us! Much love to your kitty too
 
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Ravynn

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I realize you may not have a backyard, but can you take her for walks as she becomes stronger? Go gently at first though, as I think I may have mentioned, have her follow you around the house while you hold her food dish to entice her along for a little while, and place her food dish partway up the stairs for a few days, before you ask her to start going all the way up and down the stairs more frequently. It's not so different from us humans - it's not good to go from sedentary to doing 5 miles on the treadmill and lifting 10 pound weights all at once :)
I just saw these replies, so sorry. I guess I should have been more clear with her activity levels.. she goes up and down the stairs multiple times a day by herself and she usually runs down them and has a scratch at the carpet on her way down. I do have a backyard and I used to take her out all the time on her leash but i've been putting her in her cage on the back deck to get some fresh air in the evenings. Maybe i'll try taking her on the leash again soon. She's been coming out more now that the heat has backed off but she's probably still not active enough.

Thank you!
 

Furballsmom

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Try one of those supplements that are mentioned in the article about how to get your cat to gain weight. Unfortunately it doesn't mention specific brands of cat food although I think Royal Canin, including their babycat variety, could be useful as maybe a food to add into a rotation menu for her?

There might be something here that's helpful - they give a good nutritional breakdown of their top choices a little further down the page.
CatFoodDB's Best Wet Cat Foods
 
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Ravynn

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Around Wednesday night Kitty started peeing within 2 inches of her litter box. I have yet to see if she is squatting outside the box or standing in the box and peeing out of it. There are paw prints in the litter but pee on the floor. I had changed her litter to a different brand so thought it was that and switched back to her old stuff and she peed outside of it again.

I'm going to try and follow her today to see what she's actually doing but i'm worried about her. Going to call the vet to see if I can bring in a urine sample to get tested if she's actually outside the box peeing. :(
 
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Ravynn

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Okay so, progress. I think she's having trouble with the high sides of the litter box since it's a high sided one that I had from a while ago when she had the habit of getting pee over the litter box. I carried her upstairs and she peed in the litter but she jumped up from the high side and that's probably hard on her, considering.

Going to pick up a short disposable litter box to try upstairs/downstairs (haven't decided yet) and see if that helps.
 
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Ravynn

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Keeping my fingers crossed!
I'm worried about her because she's a little more lethargic than she's been previously but i'm scared her breathing is going to get too labored or she will go into cardiac arrest if I bring her in again even though I want to. I'm not too confident on what my next move is going to be at the moment.
 

Furballsmom

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I apologise, I don't know where you're (generally) located but check and see if there are any vets in your area that will do in-home visits. I'm in Denver CO and was able to find one last month for Poppycat's wellness check.
 
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Ravynn

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I apologise, I don't know where you're (generally) located but check and see if there are any vets in your area that will do in-home visits. I'm in Denver CO and was able to find one last month for Poppycat's wellness check.
I'm in a rural area in Canada and there are 3 vet clinics I can go to (realistically 2, the other one is farther away) and I haven't seen on their websites that they offer in home visits (as they do list their services). I'll email one of them that I know will actually answer me to see if they do or have any contacts.
 
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Ravynn

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Keeping my fingers crossed, and sending tons of hugs and love!
They are all so busy that the lines are always busy and can't get through to anyone and exams are booked weeks in advance unless it's an emergency. The one I usually go to has had to combine 2 clinics into 1 because of COVID. I don't think they even check their email but I emailed them too just in case.

Thank you for the virtual hugs!
 
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Ravynn

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Kitty has declined which is why she must've been peeing next to her litter, she didn't want to get up and waited too long to do so. I moved her litter into the living room where she's been staying. Her respiratory rate hasn't increased but her respiratory effort has-- she has been like this for quite some time though, just more noticeable now.

I've been tracking how many times a day she pees since March and since we had to switch her to furosemide pills instead of liquid a few weeks ago due to a shortage she hasn't been peeing as much everyday as she used to (even though this probably doesn't have anything to do with it, i'm getting more liquid).

I called the vet about switching to torsemide since maybe she is getting resistant to the furosemide from being on it for 7 months but they called back and the receptionist said he doesn't think switching medications now is a good idea because she might not react well to the change and he recommended increase her furosemide dose to 3x a day and if she doesn't improve in 48hrs to call them but call them regardless.

I'm scared for her because she's still eating wet food, drinking, taking her meds, using the litter if i'm with her, and walking around a couple times a day so I know she wants to do these things. She's just getting exhausted very easily like she was before we took her to the vet for the first time.

Please keep her in your thoughts.
 

FeebysOwner

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I've been tracking how many times a day she pees since March and since we had to switch her to furosemide pills instead of liquid a few weeks ago due to a shortage she hasn't been peeing as much everyday as she used to (even though this probably doesn't have anything to do with it, i'm getting more liquid)...She's just getting exhausted very easily like she was before we took her to the vet for the first time.
I am sorry to hear this, but are you sure she is actually getting all of the pill form (for example, spitting some out)? If not, that could explain the changes as it is not clearing as much fluid from her system. I hope now that you are back on the liquid form you will see an improvement. :crossfingers::crossfingers::crossfingers::crossfingers:
 

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Hi everyone, i'm coming here for advice from anyone that has dealt with something like this before or just any well wishes you can offer my girl, Kitty.

It all started, maybe, around October-December 2019 with Kitty getting very picky with her dry food. She's been picky her whole life with dry food and treats. She's never touched anything else, other than wet food. I thought maybe she was getting a sensitive mouth so tried her with easier to chew kitten chow (she needed the extra lbs, very small cat, around 5lbs). She ate this 2-4x a day, when she wasn't eating much other than treats/wet food.

Then came along February 2020. Honestly, this could have started back when I got her a new heated bed November 2019 and I would see her lay on the tile floor because I thought she was cooling off from being too warm. Who knows. :( In February I noticed her sides going in and out more than i've noticed before. Never thought too much of it because she's small. Then I started noticing her sitting in the "sphinx" position and she didn't have as much energy. February 29th 2020 I noticed her breathing through her mouth after physical exertion. I wasn't able to get her to the vet until March 6th 2020 due to the weekend/work.

Vet told me her lungs sounded clear and that it doesn't sound like she has a heart murmur. Immediately I was told to bring her to the other vet that had diagnostics. She got an xray. The vet showed me the xray and there was fluid in her chest cavity going down into the abdomen, mostly in chest. Couldn't see her heart or stomach. Her lungs were completely clear.. no abnormal growths in the areas you could see. I asked if furosemide would do anything and he said he wouldn't be against trying it. He didn't really tell me what he thinks it could be and told me if the furosemide doesn't work in 3-4 days then I should put her to sleep. Doesn't think a chest tap would be a good idea because she's too worked up (she will bite/scratch if she's scared) without sedation and doesn't think it's a good idea to put her to sleep to do a chest tap because she might not wake up.

So basically I have no idea why this happened, what caused it, and no one told me to do any follow up to see how she's doing. :( The visit was rushed as well since they were really busy. I feel kind of hopeless with not a lot of info from the vet.

The good news: she's been eating lots (even if it's only temptations and wet food), drinking lots, still cleaning, coming down the stairs to see us, peeing/pooping. She started furosemide yesterday, the 6th, at 4pm and by 4am she had peed 10 times and has peed 5 more times since 5am this morning (7th) on her second dose of 0.5ml of furosemide twice a day. Her breaths per minute were 36 while resting before the vet and today they are 28-29 per minute while resting and she is no longer open-mouth breathing after physical exertion.

I've ordered Rutin since I have no idea what kind of fluid is in her, so maybe it's heart related build up or chylothorax? The only weird thing today is that after doing certain activities she has small sneezing fits with nose twitches like something is tickling her nose, which didn't happen before the vet yesterday.

Most of this is just venting... but would love if anyone could give me some well wishes for my little girl or any suggestions to make her more comfortable. Thank you.
Hi, so sorry to hear about you beautiful Kitty and so glad to hear she is doing so well ! When I started reading this it sounded like my cat Gem who died on August 5th- I'm still reading looking for answers because I feel like so much escaped me. She was 13 1/2 - had somewhat been diagnosed with lymphoma- I say somewhat because she was too small to biopsy. Her only symptom was weight loss- even though eating. She'd had numerous blood tests for hyperthyroid and kidneys which always came back ok. Everything with her started at age 12 in 2018- after having 4 teeth pulled. I wasn't going to put her through treatment for the lymphoma because the stress of the vet was the worst thing for her. Her weight was a roller coaster - from 9 lbs down to 7 -6- the 5 in June- I started feeding her Ahi Tuna Tiki cat - she constantly changed what she would eat- and she was eating non stop so I thought great shes getting better! She had gained 2 lbs between June and July. Never thinking that she was sick and had been- that this had been going on- because it had been going on for so long. I was told she had a slight heart murmer but that that doesnt always mean anything. July 20th - I took her in for her eyes- which were running- she also stumbled sideways. I was told it was perhaps a herpes flare up- the vet felt her didnt feel any lumps or bumps- her eyes were tested and fine. She was laying on the tiles in the bathroom- I thought she was hot - laying more on flat surfaces. Then August 3rd I noticed her breathing was labored and thought it was stress or the heat- the second day I thought she might have a respiratory infection and called the vet- she could not lay on her side- was laying in the sphinx position- or on the window sill with stretching her neck out. Still eating, drinking, jumping up on the bed- jumping up to be petted. I took her in and because of covid had to wait outside and talk on the phone with the vet. She xrayed Gem and said she had fluid around her lungs and in chest cavity. Of course the stress of the visit was making her breathing worse so she was given a sedative. She didnt make it her heart gave out and she died. I got to say goodbye to her and was in shock- never having even considered fluid anywhere - or heart disease because the lymphoma supposedly was the issue, and was always told the heart murmer wasnt that bad- no mention of heart disease by anyone.In hindsight the sudden weight gain could have partially been fluid. But no one said anything about that- on July 20th they didnt find anything so within two weeks it must have happened. I was so focused on her weight and it had been going on for so long that it was my focus and way of life. She had no other symptoms- weight loss- weight gain- congestion in July. I was told they wouldnt have heard it listening to her chest on the 20th. Throughout her illness- supposedly gi lymphoma I brought up that there were no other symptoms- so was that the real diagnosis- or heart disease all along- or both?
Im writing you this because in hindsight why didnt I know to ask- what any possible signs would be -why did I find this out through reading that sometimes the only symptom in heart disease is weight loss- and not the vet. What to look for when your cat is sick- because they always say- not eating not drinking- hiding away- that didnt happen. Why no counseling on possible signs. I'm devastated that I didn't know the possibilities and what to look for. It sounds like you are on the right track with your Kitty and I hope she continues to be her playful self -love to her.
 

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Ravynn

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I am sorry to hear this, but are you sure she is actually getting all of the pill form (for example, spitting some out)? If not, that could explain the changes as it is not clearing as much fluid from her system. I hope now that you are back on the liquid form you will see an improvement. :crossfingers::crossfingers::crossfingers::crossfingers:
I can't say that it isn't possible. I just thought last night to check every day I recorded and it's just weird that her not peeing as much started with the pills. We had a heat wave where it was 39 Celsius while she was on the liquid form and she was still going upstairs to pee 5 times a day.

The liquid medication will be in my hands in 20 mins! Poor girl, her litter is in the living room but she came out before to go upstairs because she didn't see it.
 
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Ravynn

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Hopefully she's aware now of the new location - that's so compassionate of you to help her out like that:hugs:

I'm sending you tons of hugs and loads of good thoughts!!
She had a good night last night. She went to the litter twice on her own without me showing her where it was at. She ate treats, rubbed the treat bag, looked for fresh water, and this morning she scratched the ottoman and stared at me until I got her wet food. I hope she feels a little better.
 
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Ravynn

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I'm still so confused as to why she started to pee next to her litter box the other day (even after walking in the litter!) when she's going in it fine now. She's gone in it a few times today without me getting her out and showing her again. She ate 4 times already today as well, about to eat for a 5th time.
 
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