Hi there. I've been a lurker on TCS since my cat Zia was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism two years ago, and I've found a lot of helpful information here. You guys are great.
Zia is now going on 13 and is cured from hyperthyroidism, but unfortunately today she was diagnosed with "early/mild" IBD via ultrasound (I know ultrasounds aren't 100% accurate, but I'm on disability so my funds are limited). Last year, after many hairballs and a bad vomiting spell, she was put on Royal Canin HP. For a while it seemed to help, but then this year she started getting reoccurant bad diarrhea, and late last month a decreased appetite until last week she stopped eating entirely. Cue a trip to the vet where everything came back normal. She was given appetite stimulants and Metronidazole for diarrhea, which I stopped giving to her because she kept drooling/spitting it out, and she wasn't eating even with the stimulants.
Right now she's on small but frequent meals of Tiki Cat chicken and egg, with a little bit of hard-boiled egg mashed in. I know chicken is a trigger food, but right now this is the only thing she'll eat. I've been wanting to get her off the HP and onto something healthier for a while, but anytime I've tried changing her diet in the last year, she refused and only wanted the HP. She's been on kibble for her entire life, so wet food and the concept of timed meals is new to her.
My usual vet should be calling on Monday to discuss things further, but the vet I talked to today mentioned steroids, B-12 shots, and more Metronidazole, as well as a full GI panel and a test to rule out pancreatitis. I'm nervous about the steroids and if I'm even able to afford all this. I'm incredibly drained, physically and mentally exhausted, and while Zia seemed a little perkier at times today (I let her nibble on some cat grass and that seemed to cheer her up), she's not herself and very obviously doesn't feel well. I'm feeling very overwhelmed by all this. My main questions currently:
Thank you for reading all this. I hope all of you and your cats are doing well.
Zia is now going on 13 and is cured from hyperthyroidism, but unfortunately today she was diagnosed with "early/mild" IBD via ultrasound (I know ultrasounds aren't 100% accurate, but I'm on disability so my funds are limited). Last year, after many hairballs and a bad vomiting spell, she was put on Royal Canin HP. For a while it seemed to help, but then this year she started getting reoccurant bad diarrhea, and late last month a decreased appetite until last week she stopped eating entirely. Cue a trip to the vet where everything came back normal. She was given appetite stimulants and Metronidazole for diarrhea, which I stopped giving to her because she kept drooling/spitting it out, and she wasn't eating even with the stimulants.
Right now she's on small but frequent meals of Tiki Cat chicken and egg, with a little bit of hard-boiled egg mashed in. I know chicken is a trigger food, but right now this is the only thing she'll eat. I've been wanting to get her off the HP and onto something healthier for a while, but anytime I've tried changing her diet in the last year, she refused and only wanted the HP. She's been on kibble for her entire life, so wet food and the concept of timed meals is new to her.
My usual vet should be calling on Monday to discuss things further, but the vet I talked to today mentioned steroids, B-12 shots, and more Metronidazole, as well as a full GI panel and a test to rule out pancreatitis. I'm nervous about the steroids and if I'm even able to afford all this. I'm incredibly drained, physically and mentally exhausted, and while Zia seemed a little perkier at times today (I let her nibble on some cat grass and that seemed to cheer her up), she's not herself and very obviously doesn't feel well. I'm feeling very overwhelmed by all this. My main questions currently:
- What are IBD cats' quality of life like? Will she be herself again, happy and comfortable, or is she going to feel sick and lethargic for the rest of her life?
- Is it possible to treat IBD without steroids and with just a diet change and something like probiotics, or are steroids necessary?
- How bad are steroid side-effects? Do IBD cats need other medicine that have other side effects?
- How costly is it to care for a cat with IBD? I'm in Canada and normal vet visits can be anywhere from $300 - $600, depending on what (if any) tests are done. I'm extremely limited with my funds and can't afford frequent vet visits like this.
Thank you for reading all this. I hope all of you and your cats are doing well.
It took a lot of trial and error, and definitely a lot of tears and frustration, but we have been in a good routine for a while now. I used to chart everything he ate but that hasn't been necessary, now that I know his sensitivities. I still chart all of his episodes (hairballs, vomiting/regurgitating) and also note any changes (new foods, new supplements, even the weather!). It helps me identify issues because it may take a few days or a few weeks for him to react to something. He eats mostly wet food and a small amount of dry food. His wet foods are a lot of Rawz varieties, NutriSource and PureVita, Dr. Elsey's, Essence, and a few others.
