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- Mar 1, 2015
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My cat hasn't been eating for about a week. All the tricks that normally work will work one time and then she ignores it (new food, baby food, Fortiflora, grass powder). She's getting maybe 50-100 calories a day, weighs 3.35 kg now (down from 4.5 in April). I started hand feeding her yesterday. She had a similar episode in April, the vet (a different one than the current one) gave her a dexamethasone shot that helped her appetite for a few days. (And then her appetite went back down again for a few weeks before coming back up to a more "normal" level. I also switched her food twice in this period.)
Her bloodwork is normal except high eosinophils and very slightly high creatinine. Her urine is fine except for slightly abnormal (I think low) specific gravity. I know her kidneys are in the early stages of CRF.
The vet gave me some steroids to take home, with the option of giving them to her if she doesn't start eating again in the next day or so. BUT. She's recommending an ultrasound, and if I give my cat the steroids now they can change the ultrasound (and probable biopsy) results. She wouldn't be able to do the ultrasound until I think Wednesday. Besides that, she gave me antibiotics (I thought it was a UTI at first because she was straining to go to the bathroom) and a dewormer (milbemax). She also gave my cat an injection of Cerenia, B-12, antibiotics, subq fluids, and something from one or two other vials I didn't get a chance to ask about--that was Tuesday, and my cat actually ate on her own when we got home. (Three times!! Only 30-50 cal snacks though.)
So my options:
1) Assume it's food allergy related IBD, use the steroids now to help her transition to a new protein, skip the ultrasound, maybe get her blood checked again in a couple months to see what her eosinophils are doing.
2) Start the steroids now and do the ultrasound next week
3) Hold off on the steroids and get the ultrasound
Is it even worth getting the ultrasound if I start the steroids now? I have a strong feeling it's allergy related, and that it's from the "improved recipe" in the food I've been feeding her adding salmon oil. But maybe there are other issues the ultrasound could uncover? If I get the ultrasound, I'll need a biopsy anyway, right? (unless it shows some obvious blockage type thing)
I'm on the verge of crying because she just came and sat in my lap even though I force fed her about fifteen minutes ago. She doesn't hate me!!
Her bloodwork is normal except high eosinophils and very slightly high creatinine. Her urine is fine except for slightly abnormal (I think low) specific gravity. I know her kidneys are in the early stages of CRF.
The vet gave me some steroids to take home, with the option of giving them to her if she doesn't start eating again in the next day or so. BUT. She's recommending an ultrasound, and if I give my cat the steroids now they can change the ultrasound (and probable biopsy) results. She wouldn't be able to do the ultrasound until I think Wednesday. Besides that, she gave me antibiotics (I thought it was a UTI at first because she was straining to go to the bathroom) and a dewormer (milbemax). She also gave my cat an injection of Cerenia, B-12, antibiotics, subq fluids, and something from one or two other vials I didn't get a chance to ask about--that was Tuesday, and my cat actually ate on her own when we got home. (Three times!! Only 30-50 cal snacks though.)
So my options:
1) Assume it's food allergy related IBD, use the steroids now to help her transition to a new protein, skip the ultrasound, maybe get her blood checked again in a couple months to see what her eosinophils are doing.
2) Start the steroids now and do the ultrasound next week
3) Hold off on the steroids and get the ultrasound
Is it even worth getting the ultrasound if I start the steroids now? I have a strong feeling it's allergy related, and that it's from the "improved recipe" in the food I've been feeding her adding salmon oil. But maybe there are other issues the ultrasound could uncover? If I get the ultrasound, I'll need a biopsy anyway, right? (unless it shows some obvious blockage type thing)
I'm on the verge of crying because she just came and sat in my lap even though I force fed her about fifteen minutes ago. She doesn't hate me!!