Cat Is Very Ill-clear He Feels Awful

[laura mae]

We took our cat to the vet yesterday because he didn't eat his supper the night before, or breakfast. They didn't find anything on physical exam but his blood test showed that he was hyperthyroid--really high too. So we started him on 1/2 a tab every 12 hours, the first dose last night, 2nd this AM and 3rd just a few minutes ago. This AM he ate 1/2 a jar of baby food. I had also provided some of his favorite canned food, hoping the baby food would spark his interest in the other food. It was untouched.

I gave him the other 1/2 of the jar, mixed with some water and heated. He wanted nothing to do with it. Not even the nibble of butter (which he always loves) was going to get him interested. I'm pretty sure it's not just the thyroid. He's a hearty eater and he suddenly stopped and he looks terrible. His mother and two litter mates died from some sort of tumor/cancer but the vet was unconcerned about that and didn't think that was what was up with him.

He's a difficult cat and there's no chance of pilling him, so I've had to crush 1/2 a tab and give it to him in a syringe with a bit of water. I'm pilfering some of the stash of my other hyperthyroid cat while I wait. If nothing else, I should be able to get more tabs tomorrow. I doubt the compounding pharmacy will have the medication ready before Christmas. He isn't open to syringe feeding. I put some food on his mouth and he was most definitely not interested. This inappetence started before the medication, so I don't think it's that. In fact it was after the medication that he ate this AM and last night.

I'll be surprised if Jeffery is not sick with something else in addition to the hyperthyroid and that this is the end for him.

 

[laura mae]

Taking Jeffery back to the vet this AM. Probably will have to hospitalize him. I'm absolutely certain that the hyperthyroid diagnosis is not the cause of his ill-feeling. I mean, clearly, that is getting addressed, but that's not why he feels terrible. He ate a bit of baby food yesterday and then nothing since. He won't drink water and sits hunched and drools. When he ate the food, he extended his neck like it was hard to get down. Is it because of nausea or that he physically can't swallow? He's acting very much like his litter mate Charlie when it was her last day.

He's barely tame, and slept on my legs all night.

 

[gaogier]

Poor boy not feeling good, I don't know much about nutrition but do about cat behaviour.

Have you tried smelly food, my eldest won't eat let's say ham, unless it's been smoked as the smell is there. He won't touch wet food, so we feed him a very smelly premium dry and real meat and fish. Have you tried fish, if so, try smelly fish, example go smoked, go for tuna.

As of drink our vet said milk, tuna water (not brine).

What did the vet say?

 

[basschick]

if it's a thyroid problem, perhaps the medication is upsetting his stomach. our cat is on transdermal methimazole for his thyroid that we rub on the inside of one of his ears, and it's been very effective. btw, i don't think thyroid medication takes care of the issue in a single dose - i believe it takes a couple to three weeks to be fully effective, so you wouldn't be seeing any difference yet.

 

[laura mae]

I'll report back after the appointment. Still 45 minutes before she sees him. He's definitely got an upset tummy but it was upset before the methimazole was started. If he survives whatever is going on, and once he gets on the proper dose, I'm definitely going with the transdermal. This is not a cat that I'll be able to dose by mouth once he's back to his normal self.

 

[gaogier]

Funny enough, I suffer from my thyroid issues myself. I can report some foods, drink and including smells don't taste right, as if they are off...

You can google this in humans, if you need a it explained better and why with personal opinions from humans

 

[laura mae]

The Vet's will keep him in their hospital overnight at least, and maybe until Tuesday. He's going to get IV fluids and nutrients. They took an x-ray because of our concern that he'd inherited the abdominal tumor issue that affected others in his kitty family. They looked okay. His intestines are clear, but he has a lot of gas throughout but no obstructions. Heart looks a little small, but probably from dehydration. Kidneys look okay, tummy looks okay. No explanation for the drippy nose, excessive drool at this point. Jeffery's stress response tends to be drooling so that could be it.

So I'll get a call later today to see how he might be responding, and if he's doing really well, then we get him back tomorrow. I told the vet that once we get the thyroid medicine right, I want to try transdermal and she was for that. But the compounding pharmacy makes the cisapride taste good for Booberry, so maybe they work some magic for thyroid meds.

Gaogier, I can well imagine that thyroid troubles would make certain things taste off.

Well, here's to hoping.

 

[gaogier]

I am please tests look positive, or at least normal.

I don't visit these forums often, but I am very concerned about your boy, and if I drop back off for a while (normally months), I hope you can let us know how he is, but I am trying to be here around for a while as I have questions of my own that needs me to query ideas on.

 

[laura mae]

Jeffery is still at the vet hospital but grumpier and less drooly. His care is now in the hands of the holiday on call vets. Still not consistently eating on his own. I imagine it's a little unnerving for him to eat in an unfamiliar place, but he is normally an enthusiastic eater.

 

[gaogier]

Poor boy... is there any improvement even small?

 

[laura mae]

Poor boy... is there any improvement even small?

There is. It's not a massive improvement, but any improvement is good. I know he wouldn't have improved here. He's barely tame, super skittish and at the same time a sweet boy. He's a humbling reminder that I can't handle all cats. There's no way I could have successfully syringe fed him. And I've been down the road of hepatic lipidosis in the mid 80s with a cat. I didn't want that to be the case with him.

 

[thecatlady3]

Poor boy. Hope he feels better soon!

 

[gaogier]

At least the small improvement is something that could ease your brain a little and give a little hope.

 

[laura mae]

At least the small improvement is something that could ease your brain a little and give a little hope.

True enough. Just got an update from the vet. He takes the syringe feeding okay and seems to act like the food in his mouth is a pleasant thing, but still not eating on his own. She's leaving for the night, and so will put some kibble out to see if he'll help himself.

"Holding steady" is the phrase she used. And that it might take longer. I figured that. Cats are going to do what they are going to do, when they are good and ready to do it. She's worried that he hasn't pooped yet. I am encouraged though that there was no blockage on the x-ray but if his intestines were just filled with gas here and there, my guess he doesn't have anything to poop yet.

He had lost a 1/2 pound between Wed and Friday, but that may be because he was also refusing water.

 

[gaogier]

Even better news, that's great.

 

[laura mae]

More good news update: The vet just called and said he ate all of the kibble left for him overnight. And pulled out his catheter. The latter does not surprise me. Anyway, she wants him to poop, which he hasn't done. If he continues to eat and drink on his own, he gets to come home. I just hope I remember to ask for the thyroid medicine because the compounding pharmacy won't have the liquid version ready until Tuesday.

Honestly, I was worried he wasn't going to survive this.

 

[gaogier]

I saw your post again and with other posts you post here, I always fear the very worst...

I am so glad for you, even when home, keep an eye on him as he could revert back to being very ill.

 

[laura mae]

Jeffery is home. He's on the bed, with a snug cozy towel beneath him. I gave him a mug of water and he drank a bunch of it. So good---because he was rejecting water Friday. They gave him canned food by syringe to get him eating again and he was enjoying some kibble too.

I showed him where the water mug was after he was done drinking and I just spotted him taking a good long sip just now! Yay! He got an antibiotic shot, lots of appetite stimulant but I think the IV fluids and food did the trick. He hasn't pooped yet. When he got his X-Ray Friday, he had nothing but gas in his intestines. Vet said this AM that he has some stool forming but "maybe he's an at home pooper." ha. So I think I'll hold off on the special Christmas kitty dinner for today and pick a different day when he's feeling better.

 

[gaogier]

I am so pleased he is home, especially on Christmas.

 

[mservant]

How's Jeffery doing today?
It was so good to see that he made it home for Christmas day.