Anemic cat?

Status
Not open for further replies.
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #101

cards222002

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Aug 16, 2014
Messages
91
Purraise
32
Location
michigan
Really never talked about a danger zone however Trust has lived the last 6 plus months at the range of 13 to 16 on a regular basis. He always looked good at that level our vet said it was his body had become use to being at that range so his color may not look as bad as if it were a sudden drop.
 

njs21

TCS Member
Kitten
Joined
Feb 16, 2015
Messages
9
Purraise
1
We have ruled out a parasite (i think) because he did not respond to the antibiotic doxyclicline, feline leukemia, and his initial test showed his organ functions were fine. So we are still not sure of the cause. One vet suggested a bone marrow biopsy to see if he has some type of bone cancer or Felv of the bone marrow. That is an invasive surgery I am not willing to put him through because if it is in fact in his bone marrow there is nothing that can really be done. I am really not sure what else it could be and the vet said they rarely identify the underlying cause.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #103

cards222002

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Aug 16, 2014
Messages
91
Purraise
32
Location
michigan
I felt the same way about the bone marrow biopsy. Seemed like it was a rough procedure just to either have us in the same place or knowing not anything we could do. It sounds as if you have already done it but getting a second vet to look at them is another idea. Like us cats are all different and respond different to treatments. I know now your feeling I was there. I really hope you can figure out some thing that shows improvement.
 

ldg

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Jun 25, 2002
Messages
41,310
Purraise
842
Location
Fighting for ferals in NW NJ!
Tuxie had low retics. Combined with low white blood cell count we did the bone marrow biopsy, but Tux was only just three years old. It isn't just to look for cancer, it determines whether or not the marrow is capable of working properly. He ended up needing both epigen and nupogen to boost both red and white cell production.

As to prednisolone vs prednisone, prednisone is converted to prednisolone in the liver: cats do not make this conversion efficiently, so most vets prescribe prednisolone now, as you can never be sure how much med the cat is getting otherwise. Main issue is it costs more. IMO if prednisone isn't working, go to depo. But I'm not a vet.
 

maureen brad

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Aug 18, 2013
Messages
957
Purraise
363
Location
San Jose, CA
My Remy is still doing badly. He cannot have any steroid again as he had prednisolone in Sept or Oct and is still in a very bad FHV flare up. His blood cell count is bad and for going on 4 months he has been miserable.My vet had said because he has now 4 chronic conditions ( FIV, FHV, Stomatitis and now non-regenerative anemia) she felt it was time to watch his quality of life. Last week he began eating less.I am wondering what I am looking forward to in the future for Remy.Is it fair to a cat to keep making him go through endless treatments and stress when there is little hope it will offer any cure? He only has 4 teeth left and they so badly need to come out as his Stomatitis is awful, they can't operate because everything else is going on.The vet feels that his FIV is in his bone marrow now and there is nothing left to do that will make a difference in the long run.

Poor Remy has had very little in the way of good times since I adopted him in May of 2013. I was hoping to give him a better life than he had been living. 
 

ldg

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Jun 25, 2002
Messages
41,310
Purraise
842
Location
Fighting for ferals in NW NJ!
Well, these are very interesting reading. @Maureen Bradley, I wonder if your Remy doesn't also have FeLV. It is possible for it to be sequestered in the bone marrow, and only diagnose it via bone marrow biopsy. :heart2:

These were very instructive and interesting reading:

The Differential Diagnosis of Feline Anemia. 2006 http://www.ivis.org/proceedings/wsava/2006/lecture11/Tasker1.pdf?LA=1

Feline Nonregenerative Anemia: Diagnosis and Treatment. Continuing Ed piece for vets, worth 3 CE credits. :lol3: https://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.pro...34c7ea987cf0544629584/filePV0609_white_p2.pdf

Discussion of FeLV in a book, "Hematology." Has short discussion of anemia in FIV vs FeLV: https://books.google.com/books?id=Z...eatment of aplastic anemia in FIV cat&f=false
 

maureen brad

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Aug 18, 2013
Messages
957
Purraise
363
Location
San Jose, CA
LDG- I suppose it is possible for Remy to have FeLV. Never-the-less FIV can do this too. I feel so sad for him looking in his eyes.We will be seeing the vet soon.I am going to read the above links. Thanks for those.
 

colliecollie

TCS Member
Kitten
Joined
Oct 27, 2014
Messages
14
Purraise
2
Location
South Chicagoland
I'm sorry I haven't seen this thread until now @Cards222002.

You can search this forum for "Tux anemi" and threads started by me - you will find our battle with Tuxedo's anemia. We had a bone marrow aspirate done to confirm his bone marrow was capable of producing red blood cells, but like your kitty, it wasn't functioning properly. He received epogen shots as well, until they stopped working.

Tuxedo was also on pred, until it stopped working.

You will see we were on a huge roller coaster ride for two years, and we were at the vet with Tux if not daily, then every-other-day or weekly. This is only because we weren't confident enough to give him shots ourselves. But for a long, long time we monitored his HCT and RBC at least bi-weekly. The hospital staff all amaze at him today - they were there with us all the way, cheering or crying, there to hold our hands, give hugs, and provide encouragement as possible or when needed. He was at the e-vet a number of times (same staff and hospital as where he was being treated), but his body only ever accepted one blood transfusion. After that, his body attacked the blood while it was mixing, causing it to clot, so no more transfusions as an option for him.

Now most vets know that the treatment for IMHA is DEPOMEDROL and I do not see that yet mentioned. I will never forget when the vet told us "I am out of bullets." Tuxie's HCT was something like 7, and the vet said at that level, we maybe had a week or two, depending on how fast he burned through them. Seizures were possible, in which case we were to bring him to be euthanized, otherwise he would just go quietly, slowly fading until he breathed no more.

As a "parting shot" he gave him the shot of depo rather than the pred - he'd called around to feline blood experts to find out their suggestions for Tuxie's treatment. This was in 2005, before the internet had much of a collection in organized methods to search easily. They all said "treat with depo."

So we were crying, wondering what to do to make him happy or comfortable. As you know, at that level of HCT, they aren't interested in much. And lo and behold, the next morning at breakfast, who showed up, hungry? Tuxedo.

The fight wasn't over. There were still ups and downs. We took him every week for his HCT at first, and he got very high doses of depo shots. But over time, he needed less and less - and less frequently - and we took him in monthly. Then every 3 months. Then every 6 or when he didn't look as pink as he should in the gums. Finally ... 8 or 9 years later, his last shot had been the hear before, and the vet declared him in remission. I now have him on a homemade raw food diet, and his HCT is consistently over 40%.

The two things that helped when nothing else did were IV doxy, Baytril pills at home, and in the end, it was the Depomedrol that saved his life.

I hope my experience helps you and your kitty.
Thank you for this response. I've got it saved and I'm also sending this thread to my vet. 
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #110

cards222002

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Aug 16, 2014
Messages
91
Purraise
32
Location
michigan
I just wanted to post Trust had another good test today, he was at 38. We have decided to start doing the b12 shot at home to cut down on the stress
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #113

cards222002

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Aug 16, 2014
Messages
91
Purraise
32
Location
michigan
So pcv was today had a little drop down to 32 so we gave another injection of the depo medrol gonna check him again in a few weeks
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #115

cards222002

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Aug 16, 2014
Messages
91
Purraise
32
Location
michigan
Everything seems to be good won't have another test until next week
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #117

cards222002

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Aug 16, 2014
Messages
91
Purraise
32
Location
michigan
So I have to be honest I was worried about today's vet appointment Trust has been a little stand offish and not playing that much and everyday for the past week had hid when I got home, however his blood work was great today a 38 so that makes 8 weeks in a row in the normal range. will recheck again in 3 weeks again thank you
 

evamilly

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Oct 11, 2014
Messages
325
Purraise
62
Location
London UK
That's fab news! Trust maybe hiding from you as he associates you with the vet! It's funny how they seem to know when an appointment is looming.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #120

cards222002

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Aug 16, 2014
Messages
91
Purraise
32
Location
michigan
Yeah I kind of figure that's why bit still worry we've come along way in the last 8 months and want to keep it up.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top