I am at my breaking point here - posting here is my very last resort. I have no other options left.
I have a 7 year old DSH male kitty. Perfect health his whole life. On Christmas, I got the call every pet owner dreads when they are on vacation - the pet sitter called to tell us that kitty was hiding and very lethargic. We got home as quickly as we could, and had to rush him into surgery for a blockage in his stomach - he had cysts in his stomach and pancreas. Luckily, the biopsy came back negative for cancer. Hi GI tract seems good, all blood work is clean, breathing and heartrate is normal, and other than his mild cold he has picked up this week, the vet says she cannot find anything medically wrong with him. Even his incision is healing quicker than expected.
Since the surgery, he has refused to eat. Syringe feeding him is no longer an option - it is too much of a fight, even with 2 people holding him down, and he vomits it all up anyway. I'm afraid he's going to pull out his staples with the struggle he gives when we try to feed him. I've had to take him back to the hospital 3 times. As soon as he is in the hospital, he willingly eats food, and shows his normal personality. The vet sends him home almost right away, saying he is fine. I get him home, and he won't even smell the food and returns to a lethargic state. I've spent thousands of dollars I did not have on him this week and taking him to the emergency vet every time we need to get food into him is not something I can afford to do any longer. He's on antibiotics, which he's supposed to take with food twice a day. He is keeping those down. The vet gave me an appetite stimulant, which he threw up. I was told to discontinue use. He has not eaten since early yesterday, which was the last time he was at the vet.
Here is what I've tried:
- 28 different types of canned food (yes, that is correct, I've bought one of every brand I can find). I've even brought home the stuff that he willingly eats at the vet. He won't smell any of them.
- Tuna water
- Tuna fish
- Boiled chicken breast
- Popeye's fried chicken - he usually smells that within a 5 mile radius and starts begging. He did smell that, but wouldn't do anything
- His favorite treats
- Baby food
- Warming up all food
- Putting food on my finger for him to lick off
- Rubbing food on his gums to stimulate his appetite - he just spits it out
- Milk (don't lecture me on this, I know it isn't good, but I'm desperate)
- Chicken broth
- Mixing tuna water into his regular water
Not one of these has anymore effect than the other. My vet insists he is fine. I just don't know what to do, as I don't think I'm getting a lot of help from my vet. I've called another vet the next town over, and she was not particularly helpful or interested in helping me with our problem. I don't want to sit here and watch him get hepatic lipidosis.
Is there ANYTHING at all someone can suggest that I haven't already listed above?
Thank you so much.
I have a 7 year old DSH male kitty. Perfect health his whole life. On Christmas, I got the call every pet owner dreads when they are on vacation - the pet sitter called to tell us that kitty was hiding and very lethargic. We got home as quickly as we could, and had to rush him into surgery for a blockage in his stomach - he had cysts in his stomach and pancreas. Luckily, the biopsy came back negative for cancer. Hi GI tract seems good, all blood work is clean, breathing and heartrate is normal, and other than his mild cold he has picked up this week, the vet says she cannot find anything medically wrong with him. Even his incision is healing quicker than expected.
Since the surgery, he has refused to eat. Syringe feeding him is no longer an option - it is too much of a fight, even with 2 people holding him down, and he vomits it all up anyway. I'm afraid he's going to pull out his staples with the struggle he gives when we try to feed him. I've had to take him back to the hospital 3 times. As soon as he is in the hospital, he willingly eats food, and shows his normal personality. The vet sends him home almost right away, saying he is fine. I get him home, and he won't even smell the food and returns to a lethargic state. I've spent thousands of dollars I did not have on him this week and taking him to the emergency vet every time we need to get food into him is not something I can afford to do any longer. He's on antibiotics, which he's supposed to take with food twice a day. He is keeping those down. The vet gave me an appetite stimulant, which he threw up. I was told to discontinue use. He has not eaten since early yesterday, which was the last time he was at the vet.
Here is what I've tried:
- 28 different types of canned food (yes, that is correct, I've bought one of every brand I can find). I've even brought home the stuff that he willingly eats at the vet. He won't smell any of them.
- Tuna water
- Tuna fish
- Boiled chicken breast
- Popeye's fried chicken - he usually smells that within a 5 mile radius and starts begging. He did smell that, but wouldn't do anything
- His favorite treats
- Baby food
- Warming up all food
- Putting food on my finger for him to lick off
- Rubbing food on his gums to stimulate his appetite - he just spits it out
- Milk (don't lecture me on this, I know it isn't good, but I'm desperate)
- Chicken broth
- Mixing tuna water into his regular water
Not one of these has anymore effect than the other. My vet insists he is fine. I just don't know what to do, as I don't think I'm getting a lot of help from my vet. I've called another vet the next town over, and she was not particularly helpful or interested in helping me with our problem. I don't want to sit here and watch him get hepatic lipidosis.
Is there ANYTHING at all someone can suggest that I haven't already listed above?
Thank you so much.