My cat was having issues and I took her to a second vet for a second opinion. Had a GI blood panel run and from what the vet could see it is pancreatitis. She called it chronic pancreatitis I guess because this has been going on for a while. Does anyone have any information on this disease and will my cat survive it? Any suggestions on the food type and medication that they gave. My vet is suggesting I do either an abdominal ultrasound or an abdominal CT scan, which is quit a bit more money. From what I have been reading the GI blood panel test is a good test because they do the PLI test. Any suggestions? I need to get my cat turned around and fast. Is chronic pancreatitis something she will have the rest of her life? Any information I would appreciate. I do have to call the vet back tomorrow, so I will see what she thinks. Thanks
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Chronic Pancreatitis
- Thread starter buffy2011
- Start Date
I'm sorry, I do not. Hekitty have a bout with acute pancreatitis that I was warned could become chronic, but it did not. However, once one person answers a thread, it seems more people find it. I hope that will be the case here. Once they DO get over it, however, they seem to do fine.
I truly think you should ask your Vet why you need these additional tests since they did the PLI test. Maybe they are looking for the REASON for the pancreatitis?
Did they give her fluids and pain meds? I've never had a cat with pancreatitis, but I think it's usually pretty painful when an attack comes on, and from everything I've read, cats usually get dehydrated because they stop eating and drinking because of it.
Did they give her fluids and pain meds? I've never had a cat with pancreatitis, but I think it's usually pretty painful when an attack comes on, and from everything I've read, cats usually get dehydrated because they stop eating and drinking because of it.
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Pancreatitis does not occur in a vacuum. There is usually an underlying chronic illness like diabetes, hepatic lipidosis, cholangitis and inflammatory bowel disease. The fact that your vet has done the GI blood panel and recommended a GI ultrasound leads me to think that the underlying issue your cat has is gastrointestinal in nature.
Diagnosis and treatment of both pancreatitis and the underlying (GI) issue is key to a successful outcome. First, you and your vet need to determine WHAT that is Your vet is right in recommending a GI ultrasound. Start there.
Once you get a positive diagnosis, your vet can then determine proper treatment. You have to actively treat and carefully manage the underlying issue or the "chronic pancreatitis" can quickly turn "acute" and it can be fatal. There is no "cure" for pancreatitis. Treatment is commonly symptomatic with pain medications, antibiotics, anti-nausea medications and I.V fluids. You have to keep them hydrated and keep them eating.
Yes, it is likely your cat will have chronic pancreatitis for the rest of her life. Your goal is to prevent it from turning acute. In the chronic form, it will "smoulder". Cat may from time to time vomit, not want to eat, act uncomfortable and lethargic and then a few days later, will be fine till the next episode, or may get progressively worse and require hospitalization. Best thing you can do is be proactive and remain extremely vigilant.
On a personal note, I had one cat who had acute pancreatitis secondary to diabetes. Once the diabetes was under control, she never had another acute attack and it never turned chronic. Another cat had chronic pancreatitis secondary to IBD. He was successfully managed well over a year, but suddenly turned acute. He was immediately hospitalized with 24/7 round the clock care, but bacteria from the GI tract had crawled up the pancreatic duct causing a septic reaction and I lost him. Another cat presently has chronic pancreatitis secondary to IBD. She is very stable presently on medications. I remain very vigilant.
The best advice I can give you is work with your vet in getting a positive diagnosis for the underlying condition. The sooner the better. Ultrasound first, then follow your vet's plan for treatment and above all...remain vigilant!
Diagnosis and treatment of both pancreatitis and the underlying (GI) issue is key to a successful outcome. First, you and your vet need to determine WHAT that is Your vet is right in recommending a GI ultrasound. Start there.
Once you get a positive diagnosis, your vet can then determine proper treatment. You have to actively treat and carefully manage the underlying issue or the "chronic pancreatitis" can quickly turn "acute" and it can be fatal. There is no "cure" for pancreatitis. Treatment is commonly symptomatic with pain medications, antibiotics, anti-nausea medications and I.V fluids. You have to keep them hydrated and keep them eating.
Yes, it is likely your cat will have chronic pancreatitis for the rest of her life. Your goal is to prevent it from turning acute. In the chronic form, it will "smoulder". Cat may from time to time vomit, not want to eat, act uncomfortable and lethargic and then a few days later, will be fine till the next episode, or may get progressively worse and require hospitalization. Best thing you can do is be proactive and remain extremely vigilant.
On a personal note, I had one cat who had acute pancreatitis secondary to diabetes. Once the diabetes was under control, she never had another acute attack and it never turned chronic. Another cat had chronic pancreatitis secondary to IBD. He was successfully managed well over a year, but suddenly turned acute. He was immediately hospitalized with 24/7 round the clock care, but bacteria from the GI tract had crawled up the pancreatic duct causing a septic reaction and I lost him. Another cat presently has chronic pancreatitis secondary to IBD. She is very stable presently on medications. I remain very vigilant.
The best advice I can give you is work with your vet in getting a positive diagnosis for the underlying condition. The sooner the better. Ultrasound first, then follow your vet's plan for treatment and above all...remain vigilant!
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- #5
All of my cats test have come back ok. The vet said something about looking for an abscess or tumor that the other test would find. She is trying to find out what is causing the inflammation in the pancreas. I am not going that route right now. I want to give her medicine to treat the inflammation in the pancreas. Would inflammation in the pancreas come from vomiting? She only vomits when she eats dry food. And this is what started the problem. She would always gobble her dry food down and then vomit it up. It was never chewed up. To me that would cause a bad stomach, and all the vomiting would add to it. My cat has never quit eating, or drinking, but she did lose the weight because of all the vomiting, that is my opinion. Please give me feed back on what I just said. Am I wrong? You could spend a ton of money on anything if you wanted to. Vets will keep going till your broke. Don't get me wrong I will do everything I can afford in my will power to save my cat. This vet is my second one, because I wanted a second opinion. The first vet was treating her for food allergy's and she doesn't have that. Please respond.
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- #6
The vet said she has chronic pancreatitis, and she wants the other tests to see why there is inflammation. I think from what I understand you are describing acute pancreatitis, which is worse. These tests are getting more and more expensive. My cat is doing well right at the moment. I took all dry food off her. She would throw it up because it wasn't chewed. That's where the vomiting came in and the weight loss. She doesn't vomit now. I am feeding her a much better food. She never quit eating or drinking. Still a little laid back I think because of the weight loss. She still plays and acts normal. I could run every test they recommend and still never find the problem. So my thoughts right now are to treat the pancreatitis and take it from there.
Oddly, Hekitty's acute case came out of nowhere, and we were never able to find a root cause. All bloodwork was normal (other than what is expected with pancreatitis), ultrasound showed nothing...and it never came back, which I give thanks for daily! I hope that you find the cause and get it under control quickly. There is NOTHING more heartbreaking than to have a furbaby sick, with no way to tell you what is hurting.
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Your Vet is right in trying to find out what is causing the inflammation in the pancreas.
Until you find out what that is, you are only treating symptoms, not the disease.
It is your money, your cat...your choice.
Until you find out what that is, you are only treating symptoms, not the disease.
It is your money, your cat...your choice.
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- #9
This is one of my issues with the tests. I really don't think my cat is that bad. The main problem was the vomiting, which I think is why she lost the weight. She never had anything in her stomach. And all the vomiting effects your esophagus, stomach and intestines. I did the GI work up panel and the vet is saying her pancreas is inflamed. So now they want to run the ultrasound. And like you said it came back and showed nothing, so then it will be another test they want to run. It could be never ending. I do love my animal, and there are people that think because I don't refinance my house for my cat that I don't care about her. So my heart is telling me to give her the medicine and a change of food and watch her.
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- #10
That is very true
An abdominal ultrasound should give you some answers. It can see if there are irregularities in the liver, bile duct issues, thickening of the intestinal walls suggesting IBD, etc. Make sure you see someone who specializes in ultrasounds, they can "see" much more.
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