- Joined
- Mar 31, 2020
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Hey everyone! Although I've passively used the forum as a resource for years, this is my first post.
My 9-year-old Nebelung, Bear, was diagnosed with severe IBD last month. We had every blood test done and then an ultrasound with a specialist to figure out why she was throwing up so frequently and losing weight. We were told she had severely thickened intestines.. so bad that it might be cancer :-(
She was prescribed Hill's gastrointestinal food, Orbax antibiotics, budesonide anti-inflammatory, cyproheptadine appetite stimulant and B12 vitamin tablets.
She stopped throwing up, but she's completely disinterested in food.. when she used to be obsessed with it. We are broken and feel like we're watching her waste away.
So.. I did my homework. I spent hours and hours trying to understand cat IBD - the causes, the symptoms, what she was feeling, treatment, everything. Nearly everything I read said that cats with severe IBD should take prednisolone for 2-4 weeks, then move to budesonide. And they can't absorb B12 vitamins so they need injections.
I called the vet and politely said that she's not eating and that I read prednisolone could help. I asked why we didn't try this three weeks ago and she said because of the side effects, which are long-term kidney problems if taken for an extended amount of time. The vet said that it won't hurt as she may only have weeks left to live! ... This doesn't make sense to me. And in the confusion and frustration, I forgot to ask if she should continue the cyproheptadine and if she should have B12 injections because the vitamins likely aren't working.
I've had a few odd experiences with this vet in the past (forgetting to give her medicine and chasing me on the way out, not having a record of teeth removal surgery).. and now I'm definitely feeling like I don't trust her. I know that vets get an unfair bad rap, but this is strange to me.
My question to you fellow cat people: Is this weird? Do you think I'm getting bad care? What would you do? Feeling desperate :-(
My 9-year-old Nebelung, Bear, was diagnosed with severe IBD last month. We had every blood test done and then an ultrasound with a specialist to figure out why she was throwing up so frequently and losing weight. We were told she had severely thickened intestines.. so bad that it might be cancer :-(
She was prescribed Hill's gastrointestinal food, Orbax antibiotics, budesonide anti-inflammatory, cyproheptadine appetite stimulant and B12 vitamin tablets.
She stopped throwing up, but she's completely disinterested in food.. when she used to be obsessed with it. We are broken and feel like we're watching her waste away.
So.. I did my homework. I spent hours and hours trying to understand cat IBD - the causes, the symptoms, what she was feeling, treatment, everything. Nearly everything I read said that cats with severe IBD should take prednisolone for 2-4 weeks, then move to budesonide. And they can't absorb B12 vitamins so they need injections.
I called the vet and politely said that she's not eating and that I read prednisolone could help. I asked why we didn't try this three weeks ago and she said because of the side effects, which are long-term kidney problems if taken for an extended amount of time. The vet said that it won't hurt as she may only have weeks left to live! ... This doesn't make sense to me. And in the confusion and frustration, I forgot to ask if she should continue the cyproheptadine and if she should have B12 injections because the vitamins likely aren't working.
I've had a few odd experiences with this vet in the past (forgetting to give her medicine and chasing me on the way out, not having a record of teeth removal surgery).. and now I'm definitely feeling like I don't trust her. I know that vets get an unfair bad rap, but this is strange to me.
My question to you fellow cat people: Is this weird? Do you think I'm getting bad care? What would you do? Feeling desperate :-(