at my wits end! I dont know what to do anymore!

[JustinD]

Hi Guys

First post I think ... Im at a loss for words and i dont know what to do anyore.

I have a great cat .. she is Siamese ... I have had her for about 8 or 9 years now. In that time I have spent ALOT on her. Prob close to 8 grand in blood tests and emergency care when she decided to stop eating and got lipadic hypadosis or whatever it is(had no idea it was even a thing) cost me 3 grand just to get her back to normal. She almost died.

Anyway... That was 3 years ago. Since then she has been chronically vomitting off and on. She also has developed some sort of lower urinary tract issue where she strains to urinate .. and it is causing her ALOT of pain ... it is chronic and comes and goes. Some days are good and others arent so good. She doesnt have any blockages... no infections... nothing the doctor can tell whats going on just from looking at her. She has an ultrasound appointment in 48 hours.

Shes been off and on clavomox and gabapentin and some other pain med Onsior off and on back and forth whenever these flareups happen.

Today she got super thirsty and started vomiting water. Shes been vomitting for most of the day. Her appetite is low ... shes losing weight everytime I bring her to the vet she gets thinner and thinner.

Between the vomitting and urinating and the amount of money ive had to spend and the possibility of many more thousands that i dont have ... my parents love me and try their best ... but they are not so quick to shell out thousands for a sick animal.. and i dont blame them.

Has anyone been tested like this? I am an a real bad time in life right now...and this cat is causing me to lose sleep and crazy amounts of anxiety to the point where im not sure how much longer i can take of this. I love her so much .. and physically she looks ok and is loving and i love her .. but she is a very sick cat and i cannot continue.

Please someone give me guidance.

I know that its either i go into more debt .. and maybe it works maybe not. Give her up..and they surely will put her to sleep.. or I put her to sleep myself. which would break my heart honestly. Im a 46 year old male.. and this is straight up breaking my heart. im never getting another animal ever. this sucks!

Thanks

Justin

 

[FriendofFerals]

Hi Justin,

I'm so sorry you're going through this with your poor baby. It's too hard to guess without seeing blood test results and the ultrasound results. I've had cats with blockages, ($$$), crystals, and chronic UTIs thanks to chronic diarrhea and CKD but Clavamox always cleared it up. If your baby has no blockages or infections, I would definitely get that ultrasound ASAP to see if there's a mass of some sort, or abnormal narrowing of the urethra or other urinary tract passages.

You said super thirsty and vomiting water...has her SDMA, BUN, and Creatinine levels been checked for CKD (Chronic Kidney Disease)? If tests come back confirming it, you need to her on a low-phosphorous diet ASAP to slow the effects of the CKD. Phosphorus taxes the kidneys.

Is she on prednisolone for anything or Depo Medrol or any other steroid that could also increase the drinking/peeing?

When she pees, does she just sit there a while and then finally pee, or does she go in there and just do a drop or two, even after drinking a lot?

So many variables. Don't give up yet. If she has inflammation somewhere higher up, steroids may help. If she's got CKD, total diet change and medications may help prolong her life. She is still young but it's not unheard of for cats to develop kidney/bladder issues that young. Genetics plays a role, too.

My Stage II CKD cats (two of them) were diagnosed two years ago and with aggressive diet changes, neither has progressed to stage 3 yet. One is 15 and the other is 20!

Hang in there...get the ultrasound and hopefully some targeted bloodwork results back and keep us posted!

 

[Margot Lane]

I think Friend of Feral’s advice is pretty thorough…would only just add that if you’re thinking of never getting another pet again in your lifetime b/c it’s expensive, that, I can understand. But please don’t give up on the idea of ever owning animals b/c it is just so hard emotionally. I know this seems insanely hard now, but the pain does pass, it really does ebb, and your love of your critter is permanent and gets you through the tough times. It does suck…but, just don’t give up. They need us. Good luck with everything— you’re not alone in this. Feel free to keep posting!

 

[JustinD]

Hi Justin,

I'm so sorry you're going through this with your poor baby. It's too hard to guess without seeing blood test results and the ultrasound results. I've had cats with blockages, ($$$), crystals, and chronic UTIs thanks to chronic diarrhea and CKD but Clavamox always cleared it up. If your baby has no blockages or infections, I would definitely get that ultrasound ASAP to see if there's a mass of some sort, or abnormal narrowing of the urethra or other urinary tract passages.

You said super thirsty and vomiting water...has her SDMA, BUN, and Creatinine levels been checked for CKD (Chronic Kidney Disease)? If tests come back confirming it, you need to her on a low-phosphorous diet ASAP to slow the effects of the CKD. Phosphorus taxes the kidneys.

Is she on prednisolone for anything or Depo Medrol or any other steroid that could also increase the drinking/peeing?

When she pees, does she just sit there a while and then finally pee, or does she go in there and just do a drop or two, even after drinking a lot?

So many variables. Don't give up yet. If she has inflammation somewhere higher up, steroids may help. If she's got CKD, total diet change and medications may help prolong her life. She is still young but it's not unheard of for cats to develop kidney/bladder issues that young. Genetics plays a role, too.

My Stage II CKD cats (two of them) were diagnosed two years ago and with aggressive diet changes, neither has progressed to stage 3 yet. One is 15 and the other is 20!

Hang in there...get the ultrasound and hopefully some targeted bloodwork results back and keep us posted!

Thanks F0F

yeah..the clavomox is for infections.. it helped with whatever was going on several times during her flareups.. but it did nothing for her this round. Shes 10 years old... so she is senior. Ultrasound was $680 and im going on Tuesday. I got insurance for her...but it was already too late.. and they arent helping with anything shes going through. (not really sure I should keep it at this point .. its $88 per month through trupanion..and they havent helped a lick).

Anyway.. her last bloodtest was like a year ago(vets kepts drawing blood everytime i brought her in to the tune of $570) The last bloods didnt show anything other than slight loss of kidney function...but it wasnt enough for them to do anything or be worried about it. So i dont know...

Shes not on steroids .. or any medication... other than what she was given due to her urinary flare ups. her flareups consist of her starting off in the box for wayyyyy too long .. then shell start doing a "spray" like motion.. but not spraying.. dropplets of urine come out.. then she will sit there in pain while urine dribbles out into a pool. The first time it happened i thought she was blocked... rushed her to the emergency ($500).. wasnt blocked cause shes female... they gave her pain meds and clavamox and she was on her way. she cleared up for a month or two .. but it came back. And its been reocurring with more frequency. I have no idea whether the two issues she has vomitting/low hunger/weightloss and the urinary thing are related.. or two different things.

Right now shes having a flare up of sorts.. where she vomitted all day.. super thirsty... and was crying.. and shes in my room in my closet just sitting there. Its Sunday.. and there is nothing i can do till i see the vet on Tuesday. Her not eating scares the crap out of me.. but there isnt much I can do for her right now. I cant syringe feed her.. just dont know how to do it...and she is the worst patient.

Thanks for listening and for the reply.

Ill keep ya posted on the outcome of Tuesdays Ultrasound and visit.

Justin

 

[JustinD]

I think Friend of Feral’s advice is pretty thorough…would only just add that if you’re thinking of never getting another pet again in your lifetime b/c it’s expensive, that, I can understand. But please don’t give up on the idea of ever owning animals b/c it is just so hard emotionally. I know this seems insanely hard now, but the pain does pass, it really does ebb, and your love of your critter is permanent and gets you through the tough times. It does suck…but, just don’t give up. They need us. Good luck with everything— you’re not alone in this. Feel free to keep posting!

I think Friend of Feral’s advice is pretty thorough…would only just add that if you’re thinking of never getting another pet again in your lifetime b/c it’s expensive, that, I can understand. But please don’t give up on the idea of ever owning animals b/c it is just so hard emotionally. I know this seems insanely hard now, but the pain does pass, it really does ebb, and your love of your critter is permanent and gets you through the tough times. It does suck…but, just don’t give up. They need us. Good luck with everything— you’re not alone in this. Feel free to keep posting!

Thanks !

Ive owned three cats. This will be the last. Perhaps some goldfish are in my future. Something that doesnt emotionally break me whenever they pass.

Thanks

Justin

 

[silent meowlook]

Hi.

The most common, in my opinion, for a female cat to have difficulty urinating, is bladder stones. Bladder stones are very painful and they can move around in the bladder, sometimes occluding or partially occluding the urethra. Of course there can be other causes, but this is the cause I have seen the most.
Depending on what the stones are, they are treated either with diet, or surgery. Bladder stones are diagnosed through either radiographs and/or ultrasound.

Hepatic lipidosis aka fatty liver disease is a life threatening disease that affects cats when they stop eating. It usually requires several days of hospitalization and a feeding tube. You must have done allot right since she survived that.

One of the most frustrating things, to me, in veterinary medicine, is when cats are not referred to a specialist when the regular veterinarian doesn’t have answers or results.

A board certified internal medicine veterinarian can, most times, not always, save allot of stress on the cat and finances and grief on the owner. A good one anyway. Just like with everything, there is good and bad. I have seen a specialist come in and take 7 minutes to do an ultrasound, and I have seen a good one take 45 minutes with much more helpful results.

It’s hard to know what veterinarian will be best for your cat because there is so much conflicting information out there.

If you read yelp and google reviews and see they have 5 stars and people write how wonderful they are etc. medical knowledge wise, you still don’t know. People write good reviews for the veterinarian that talks to them, is personable and smiles. The veterinarian could have no knowledge, but if they present themselves well, it gets them great reviews.

Veterinary costs have gone way up since COVID. This has happened because the equipment is so much better and the overhead costs have gone up as well as staff salary’s.There is also allot of burnout in veterinary medicine. Veterinary insurance companies are everywhere. I thought Trupanion was supposed to be one of the better ones as far as paying goes. I am sad to see this is not so.

It sounds like your cat has quite a bit going on and you have spent a ton of money without any significant results, except for the hepatic lipidosis issue.

I am surprised your cat is not on any medication for the vomiting and weight loss. But unfortunately some veterinarians are better than others with cats. The not eating is scary because you don’t want to get into another situation like before.

I can only tell you what I would do if she was my cat.

I would look for a feline only hospital with an experienced cat veterinarian. An internal medicine veterinarian would be great, but it can sometimes be hard to get in right away. I would bring or have emailed all the records from the other veterinarian and just go in for a consultation / exam.

I would not want to make any serious permanent decisions without getting another opinion from at least one other veterinarian that is not associated with the current hospital. Then I would be completely honest with the veterinarian, if a treatment plan is suggested, about what your financial limit is. Often times a veterinarian will present you with an estimate for the gold standard of care. That amount is usually high, but they can modify the treatment plan usually, until it is a more manageable amount.

I fear if you don’t do that, you will be second guessing yourself and have guilt for a lot and will will will never be at peace with whatever decision you make.

 

[JustinD]

Hi.

The most common, in my opinion, for a female cat to have difficulty urinating, is bladder stones. Bladder stones are very painful and they can move around in the bladder, sometimes occluding or partially occluding the urethra. Of course there can be other causes, but this is the cause I have seen the most.
Depending on what the stones are, they are treated either with diet, or surgery. Bladder stones are diagnosed through either radiographs and/or ultrasound.

Hepatic lipidosis aka fatty liver disease is a life threatening disease that affects cats when they stop eating. It usually requires several days of hospitalization and a feeding tube. You must have done allot right since she survived that.

One of the most frustrating things, to me, in veterinary medicine, is when cats are not referred to a specialist when the regular veterinarian doesn’t have answers or results.

A board certified internal medicine veterinarian can, most times, not always, save allot of stress on the cat and finances and grief on the owner. A good one anyway. Just like with everything, there is good and bad. I have seen a specialist come in and take 7 minutes to do an ultrasound, and I have seen a good one take 45 minutes with much more helpful results.

It’s hard to know what veterinarian will be best for your cat because there is so much conflicting information out there.

If you read yelp and google reviews and see they have 5 stars and people write how wonderful they are etc. medical knowledge wise, you still don’t know. People write good reviews for the veterinarian that talks to them, is personable and smiles. The veterinarian could have no knowledge, but if they present themselves well, it gets them great reviews.

Veterinary costs have gone way up since COVID. This has happened because the equipment is so much better and the overhead costs have gone up as well as staff salary’s.There is also allot of burnout in veterinary medicine. Veterinary insurance companies are everywhere. I thought Trupanion was supposed to be one of the better ones as far as paying goes. I am sad to see this is not so.

It sounds like your cat has quite a bit going on and you have spent a ton of money without any significant results, except for the hepatic lipidosis issue.

I am surprised your cat is not on any medication for the vomiting and weight loss. But unfortunately some veterinarians are better than others with cats. The not eating is scary because you don’t want to get into another situation like before.

I can only tell you what I would do if she was my cat.

I would look for a feline only hospital with an experienced cat veterinarian. An internal medicine veterinarian would be great, but it can sometimes be hard to get in right away. I would bring or have emailed all the records from the other veterinarian and just go in for a consultation / exam.

I would not want to make any serious permanent decisions without getting another opinion from at least one other veterinarian that is not associated with the current hospital. Then I would be completely honest with the veterinarian, if a treatment plan is suggested, about what your financial limit is. Often times a veterinarian will present you with an estimate for the gold standard of care. That amount is usually high, but they can modify the treatment plan usually, until it is a more manageable amount.

I fear if you don’t do that, you will be second guessing yourself and have guilt for a lot and will will will never be at peace with whatever decision you make.

ok

Theres a few .. but they are all far away. unless i want to travel into the city.. and i DONT!

Thanks for the reply

Justin

 

[stephanietx]

Gastro problems can cause inappropriate urination. With the frequent vomiting, I'm wondering if she may have pancreatitis or IBD. Has she had gastro tests done?

 

[fionasmom]

Definitely make sure that bladder stones are ruled out. Fiona had surgery for those when she was 9 after multiple urinary problems. At one time, I was also told that female cats don't block and that was the end of it, but it was not.

 

[lighthsecats]

Hi Justin,

I'm so sorry you're going through this with your poor baby. It's too hard to guess without seeing blood test results and the ultrasound results. I've had cats with blockages, ($$$), crystals, and chronic UTIs thanks to chronic diarrhea and CKD but Clavamox always cleared it up. If your baby has no blockages or infections, I would definitely get that ultrasound ASAP to see if there's a mass of some sort, or abnormal narrowing of the urethra or other urinary tract passages.

You said super thirsty and vomiting water...has her SDMA, BUN, and Creatinine levels been checked for CKD (Chronic Kidney Disease)? If tests come back confirming it, you need to her on a low-phosphorous diet ASAP to slow the effects of the CKD. Phosphorus taxes the kidneys.

Is she on prednisolone for anything or Depo Medrol or any other steroid that could also increase the drinking/peeing?

When she pees, does she just sit there a while and then finally pee, or does she go in there and just do a drop or two, even after drinking a lot?

So many variables. Don't give up yet. If she has inflammation somewhere higher up, steroids may help. If she's got CKD, total diet change and medications may help prolong her life. She is still young but it's not unheard of for cats to develop kidney/bladder issues that young. Genetics plays a role, too.

My Stage II CKD cats (two of them) were diagnosed two years ago and with aggressive diet changes, neither has progressed to stage 3 yet. One is 15 and the other is 20!

Hang in there...get the ultrasound and hopefully some targeted bloodwork results back and keep us posted!

 

[lighthsecats]

oh justin, we've all been there...so sorry, hope your ultra goes well....its never easy.prayer for you both.....you have much love and support in this forum,,,,,,

 

[Shawna87]

This is so hard. I feel you. I would really like to reflect what S silent meowlook suggested on vets. My sweet girl was taken to several vets, at least four, and none of them could figure out what was going on. They kept telling me I needed more tests and it cost more money and I was so discouraged. Someone on here suggested a cat only vet and although I couldn’t find one near me I did a lot of research and found a place that had someone that specialized in cats. She was the only one that figured out what was wrong. Even if you can’t find a cat only vet do some research on vets near you and see if any of them specialize in cats. It could save you money and time in long run!

 

[FriendofFerals]

Hi.

The most common, in my opinion, for a female cat to have difficulty urinating, is bladder stones. Bladder stones are very painful and they can move around in the bladder, sometimes occluding or partially occluding the urethra. Of course there can be other causes, but this is the cause I have seen the most.
Depending on what the stones are, they are treated either with diet, or surgery. Bladder stones are diagnosed through either radiographs and/or ultrasound.


^^^This, right here...bladder stones. Its a female thing and I currently have all males but have had females before. Make sure someone with experience with cats specifically can rule this out because it might be the culprit.

 

[FeralHearts]

How are things going for you both?

Did the results come back yet for her ultrasound?

How is kitties poop? One thing I learned a while back that if a cat is constipated, they can hold their urine too and vise versa which causes more issues. Like a cycle of back and forth.

You mentioned the urine issue being on and off - has the vet mentioned F.I.C (Feline idiopathic cystitis ) at all?