Over the course of many years I have come here for advice with my beloved cat Silly and I have always gotten great support here along with his regular veterinary advice. At 18 years and 7 months old, I think his beautiful chapter is coming to a close.
While I’m accepting of this, I’m still wondering if this ending has anything to do with a 3-year non-adjuvanted rabies vaccine he got recently (PureVax), and if I have reason to bring it up to his veterinarian in thinking that it might help him in some way.
This will be long
April 30th he got the non-adjuvanted 3 year rabies vaccine in the tail at his annual. I live in a bat-infested area so it was a must.
Aug 28th a bat got into my home. Not knowing if it had rabies or had bit him, Silly was revaccinated with the 3 year non-adjuvanted (PureVax) rabies vaccine in the hind paw.
Around 1-3 days later, he urinated outside the litter box for the first time in his life. I now know between then and now he has gotten weaker and has had more trouble getting into his box, but at the time I thought was related to his arthritis.
September 30 he falls out of his box. I bring him to his vet. Blood test comes back that he is just borderline anemic. I don’t investigate too much still thinking he fell due to arthritis, and he seems to be better after falling within a few days and is walking normal for him again.
November 20 he tumbles on floor pillows, poops a regular bm after tumbling and vomits at the same time. Vomit looks like coffee grounds. He has labored breathing for about 5 mins. Then normalizes. He shortly thereafter has another bm that is black and tarry. (After bringing samples to the vet I now know the stool and vomit were very bloody.)
He is hospitalized for severe anemia for two days. Day 1 hematocrit is 19. Day 2 after fluids is 16.
Ultrasound finds an “incidental” liver tumor meaning not likely having to do with current gi bleeding. He is treated for gi bleeding. More ultrasound testing is possible. Radiologist says best case scenario is they find an operable mass. Due to risks associated with his age, I will not pursue surgery for him.
Plan for now is palliative care. We put a “bandaid” on to stop bleeding and he is on steroids. I’m not sure which steroid. Only med I have given since he is home is Sucralfate and his regular amlodipine/gabapentin.
He is home. Eating and drinking great (steroid induced I’m not sure?), using litter box, same level of lethargy maybe slightly improved.
Sadly, i think he smells metallic-y like blood. He had a bm yesterday that was at first black, soft formed then became much more light-brown normal looking at the end. Maybe the bleeding is stopped for now?
He has not purred once since he vomitted blood. Too weak to purr? In pain?
Planning for in-home euthanasia depending on how he does over next few days.
Could this be Vaccine associated Immune‐mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA) or the like? Does it matter at this point? Is it too late? Is it even realistic to mention this without wasting my vets time? any knowledge re the treatment?
Of course I want a miracle and I want him better, I’m heartbroken but accepting that he is an old sick kitty and I still have the chance to give him a kind goodbye.
What are your thoughts?
While I’m accepting of this, I’m still wondering if this ending has anything to do with a 3-year non-adjuvanted rabies vaccine he got recently (PureVax), and if I have reason to bring it up to his veterinarian in thinking that it might help him in some way.
This will be long
April 30th he got the non-adjuvanted 3 year rabies vaccine in the tail at his annual. I live in a bat-infested area so it was a must.
Aug 28th a bat got into my home. Not knowing if it had rabies or had bit him, Silly was revaccinated with the 3 year non-adjuvanted (PureVax) rabies vaccine in the hind paw.
Around 1-3 days later, he urinated outside the litter box for the first time in his life. I now know between then and now he has gotten weaker and has had more trouble getting into his box, but at the time I thought was related to his arthritis.
September 30 he falls out of his box. I bring him to his vet. Blood test comes back that he is just borderline anemic. I don’t investigate too much still thinking he fell due to arthritis, and he seems to be better after falling within a few days and is walking normal for him again.
November 20 he tumbles on floor pillows, poops a regular bm after tumbling and vomits at the same time. Vomit looks like coffee grounds. He has labored breathing for about 5 mins. Then normalizes. He shortly thereafter has another bm that is black and tarry. (After bringing samples to the vet I now know the stool and vomit were very bloody.)
He is hospitalized for severe anemia for two days. Day 1 hematocrit is 19. Day 2 after fluids is 16.
Ultrasound finds an “incidental” liver tumor meaning not likely having to do with current gi bleeding. He is treated for gi bleeding. More ultrasound testing is possible. Radiologist says best case scenario is they find an operable mass. Due to risks associated with his age, I will not pursue surgery for him.
Plan for now is palliative care. We put a “bandaid” on to stop bleeding and he is on steroids. I’m not sure which steroid. Only med I have given since he is home is Sucralfate and his regular amlodipine/gabapentin.
He is home. Eating and drinking great (steroid induced I’m not sure?), using litter box, same level of lethargy maybe slightly improved.
Sadly, i think he smells metallic-y like blood. He had a bm yesterday that was at first black, soft formed then became much more light-brown normal looking at the end. Maybe the bleeding is stopped for now?
He has not purred once since he vomitted blood. Too weak to purr? In pain?
Planning for in-home euthanasia depending on how he does over next few days.
Could this be Vaccine associated Immune‐mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA) or the like? Does it matter at this point? Is it too late? Is it even realistic to mention this without wasting my vets time? any knowledge re the treatment?
Of course I want a miracle and I want him better, I’m heartbroken but accepting that he is an old sick kitty and I still have the chance to give him a kind goodbye.
What are your thoughts?
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