Krista's Care

[mrsgreenjeens]

I agree completely.. I didn't realize she was already used to Rawz. Sorry, I thought she was strictly a raw fed kitty. Sometimes I "speed read" through these threads and apparently miss some pertinent info . One of my cats is raw fed, and he HATES Rawz (figures). I do try to get him to eat good quality canned as one meal every few days just in case of emergency, like when I need to get some meds into him. Or when he gets tired of raw, as he seems to be doing currently. I swear he doesn't like chicken, turkey, lamb, rabbit, liver or fish. OR pork. Makes it kind of hard to feed him. I guess you know what that's like with an IBD cat. Anyway, he's getting quite tired of beef now, but I don't really know where to turn next. I tried some wild game like Elk, and he immediately upchucked that Anyway, glad to know you already have something that will work!

Here's hoping that her teeth were the main problem with her not eating and the tube won't be needed for long

 

[daftcat75]

She looks better at the evening visit. She’s still very unsteady on her feet. She tried to stand and stumbled over. That’s maybe her inner ear? Less drool. She climbed into my lap again. She shifted a little. Then I shifted. Then she started to growl at me for shifting. She never growls. I called the front desk from my cell phone and asked them to collect a grumpy Krista from me so she could rest up.

They have been feeding her Purina CN. I can’t argue with the calories. I can’t do better with H&G or Rawz. But there’s a few questionable ingredients in there. If it agrees with her, and the techs say she’s doing alright, then alright. That’s where we build from. She can eat something else by mouth as she’s ready. Tonight I offered a few fish flakes which she readily consumed. Obviously this isn’t food, but it brings her joy and it’s easy on her mouth.

So now we’re pretty much on cruise control: bed rest, calories, fluids, medicine, someone to check and change her bandages, and the cat rock iPod to chillax. I’d like her steadier on her feet, and at least a poop or two to see how the CN is treating her. No sense in squirting that in if she’s just going to squirt it out. I’ll try to meet with one of the Drs either tomorrow or Sunday to see how they think her ataxia and refeeding are progressing.

Tomorrow morning, I sleep in. I don’t work, and they have my alarm clock.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

That ataxia is probably her inner ear. What has me concerned is that they already said she has a perforated eardrum and there is a lot of "gunk" in there, but they didn't clean it out? And they aren't sure what that "gunk" is, whether or not it's simply an accumulation of blood, or it could possibly be puss and other stuff, no? With perforated eardrums, it's very easy for infection to get way into the deep inner ear, and this definitely can cause what she is experiencing, including the Horners. Plus it's very painful for them. My understanding too is that they need to be on antibiotics for from 4 to 6 weeks after it's all cleaned out. I don't have first hand knowledge of this, just what I've read.(in more than one article). Here is one article where I got my info: Tympanic Membrane Rupture and Middle Ear Infection in Cats

Poor baby. Hope she gets to feeling better soon. So glad you have that music for her. Hoping the C/N doesn't mess up her system.

 

[daftcat75]

The Drs did attempt to clean her ear out. That may have been what perforated the eardrum. I know they are careful and I don’t blame them. They both said there’s a lot of angry going on down there that they don’t want to touch anymore. They want to give it a chance to settle down before they go back in there. I will ask them again what the plan is for the ear. I didn’t give the ear nearly as much thought as how her mouth was recovering and when they were going to get food in her again. But now it looks like we’re waiting on her ear (and the first CN poops) before she comes home. I’d love to bring her home sooner and I know she’d love to come home. But she’s still in better hands for where she is right now in her recovery.

There are two cat docs that split the week. Her regular Dr returns tomorrow. It’s like having a second opinion in the same office.

 

[daftcat75]

I don’t like that eye. She’s a little more steady. But not enough.

She’s just using my hand like a pillow. No big deal.

 

[daftcat75]

She ate, by mouth (!), a few bites of ground boneless rabbit I received from HT yesterday. I ordered 10 lbs before this all started so that’s a relief. I’ll mix up a balanced batch and bring in a few grams with each visit.

 

[Furballsmom]

I just wanted say that for devoted cat support, you are an awesome, wonderful person and I'm so glad that she has you on her team!!

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

It's a good sign that she's eating a little on her own AND good also that she's getting more steady on her feet.

Is her third eyelid complete covering that eye? Is that why no pupil is showing at all? (a least that I can see in the pic) How's her temperment today? Did she growl at you? Is she still on pain meds? What's the update from the Vet?

You can tell she's very happy to have you there with her

 

[daftcat75]

It's a good sign that she's eating a little on her own AND good also that she's getting more steady on her feet.

Is her third eyelid complete covering that eye? Is that why no pupil is showing at all? (a least that I can see in the pic) How's her temperment today? Did she growl at you? Is she still on pain meds? What's the update from the Vet?

You can tell she's very happy to have you there with her

The third eyelid is pretty much fully covering the eye now. . They are keeping it lubricated and cleaning the area three times a day. They really are giving her better care right now than I can give at home.

Since her mouth is getting better (she stopped drooling it seems), they’re going to switch some meds to oral or down the tube to save me cost on the injections.

Dr says it’s pretty much food, meds, fluids, care for eye and tube, and rest. Day by day she’s getting better. I’ll talk with her regular Dr tomorrow to see what she thinks the exit criteria should be. I visited with her this afternoon rather than the morning. I returned a charged up battery pack and she will have music for the day, overnight, and beyond. I’m going to let her rest and not visit again until tomorrow.

No growling this time. I did call the staff again on my phone and told them I wanted someone else to be the villain that removes her from my lap.

 

[daftcat75]

I felt a pang just now skipping the evening visit. But she's got her cat rock and could use the extra rest. I don't have anything more for the Drs or techs today. I told them about the few grams she ate on her own, asked that a probiotic be added to her regimen, and told them to watch for her poops to make sure what they're squirting in isn't merely squirting out the other end. Antibiotic poops are pretty bad so better them than me!

 

[daftcat75]

Not much to report today.

She switched to her regular Dr today who is more familiar with Krista and her history. I heard Krista ate some kibble earlier and her regular Dr understands why I prefer she didn’t. They won’t be feeding her kibble again. Aside from that, I dropped in between feedings so she didn’t eat anything for me and I didn’t push it. I left a can of Rawz, several baggies, and told the tech that leftovers should be warmed up. I sure hope they don’t microwave it. I’ll mention this when I return this evening to learn how to use the tube.

She’s still unsteady on her feet. I expect this will take time.

I let her walk a few uneasy steps on the floor and then she came to me and wanted lap time. Oh alright. If I must. There she laid down and purred her head off with the occasional happy meow. I even got a few licks. Sweetheart!

Even though she’s still unsteady she’s improving daily. I expect she’ll be coming home sometime next week. I hope so. Even switching from injections to orals, her daily regimen is still adding up.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I am glad things seem to be headed in the right direction! She doesn't look extremely 'pleased' but that is actually a good thing. She's getting ready to tell you "get me the H--- out of here"!

 

[daftcat75]

I am glad things seem to be headed in the right direction! She doesn't look extremely 'pleased' but that is actually a good thing. She's getting ready to tell you "get me the H--- out of here"!

It's hard to get a good picture these days because she just wants to sit in my lap and doesn't want a camera in her face.

She was really cuddly and purring her head off during that visit.

A few hours later I returned to do my first feeding by tube. It went smooth enough with the vet tech holding her. Let's see how this goes when it's just me and she's feeling perky from all the TLC from the staff this past week. During the lap sitting session after her meal, she started giving me the tail slaps that were telling me she would prefer time to herself after her meal. The staff still get confused that I call them on the phone from the exam room. I want them to be the villain that removes Krista from my lap.


I'm told her poop was voluminous and multi-featured (formed parts and loose parts.) She probably had some dry crusties building up in there while she wasn't eating. She has a probiotic (Proviable) in her regimen now. Let's see how the next one or two go once the backlog is cleared.

 

[Furballsmom]

Oh my, multifeatured and voluminous LOL!!
I'm so glad to hear she's becoming a bit more herself, thinking of the tail slaps

 

[daftcat75]

Amazing how quickly she’s recovering. I set her down and let her walk around a bit. She can kind of get around. But she’s wobbly! Still. At this rate, she could maybe come home in a day or two. That level of wobbly isn’t too likely to hurt herself unless she tries to jump. I have a cat gate and may gate off half the home until she’s moving better. I can make the office easier for her and we’ll sleep in there until she’s ready for her trees again.

I might also get a large soft crate for her to hide out in while we are confined together.

 

[daftcat75]

Nap. Purr. Mew! Where’s my head scratches. I’m sleeping in your lap. Put your phone down and give me loving!

 

[daftcat75]

I ordered her Kitty Kollar. I have it being sent overnight directly to the vet’s office. They tell me she’s eating really well on her own and that they’re just feeding her the Rawz I left. That’s probably not enough food. I just left one can. I’ll leave another couple of cans tomorrow and ask on the morning visit if they have calorie targets for her. I’d like her eating at least a can a day. Though senior kitty with health to regain, she should be getting between 6 to 8 oz.

They all seem to think I won’t need the feeding tube when she comes home. We’ll see. That’s an expense and a procedure I don’t want to repeat any time soon. As long as she tolerates the daily antibiotic on the insertion site, I’ll probably leave it in for at least a month of her meeting calorie targets by mouth.

Her liver numbers were re-tested today and the ALT and GGT have improved since Friday. They are almost back in range. Normal range for ALT is 12-130. She was admittted last Monday with an ALT over 1400. Friday it was down to 270. Today it’s 170. GGT was 10 on Friday. It’s 6 today. High end of normal range is 4. Her Dr wants to re-test the bile acids test. Better them than me that has to fast that cat now that she’s rediscovered the joys of eating.

 

[daftcat75]

I spoke with her Dr this morning. We’re taking out the catheter so she’ll be going off IV. Most everything is going by mouth or tube anyway. She’s been eating well by mouth so I’ll probably just use the tube for medicine.

We’re getting ready to bring her home tomorrow!

I’m nervous and excited. Nervous because I don’t know how hard the tube maintenance and medicine by tube will be once she’s home and it’s just me. She’s getting feisty again. They bupe her for blood draws (bile acids test today.). I may have to do the same since I had bupe compounded to transdermal. She doesn’t seem to need it for her teeth anymore judging from the way she’s biting at her catheter. She sleeps with a cone at night while she has the catheter in.

I’m also nervous because she is starting to get more active. She believes she’s more coordinated than she is. She’s jumping now. But she can’t stick any of her landings. The jump up turns into a belly flop. But the jump down is a somersault. I got her a crate in case I need to confine her for a few more days or if I have to leave the house and can’t supervise her.

But of course I’m excited because she’s finally coming home. And because I can finally put a cap on her bill.

 

[daftcat75]

Taking suggestions on how to make the home safer for her while she gets her coordination back.

I’ll be looking at stairs and ramps and maybe a new litterbox.

 

[8kitties]

Some products I found:

https://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3261+10345+3484&pcatid=3484

https://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3261+10345+1386&pcatid=1386

https://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3261+10345+14947&pcatid=14947












Geriatric Litterbox

https://www.catsplay.com/decorative-sloped-kitty-litter-box

Sorry, I love finding links.