Musiaka's journey with IBD and liver issues

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Musiaka

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Musiaka doesn't want to eat today at all :( won't even come near his food bowl
 
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He is asking for something, scratching the sofa and trying to get my attention, but won't eat. Took him out on a leash today and he wanted to eat grass really badly (usually he isn't that eager), so it's definitely a hairball. I didn't allow him to eat the grass, but thinking about bringing some so he can empty his stomach...
 

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Might be a good idea to grow cat grass indoors, or buy some pre-grown from a pet store. I wouldn’t trust the stuff grown outside, as you don’t how clean it is, or whether there are fertilisers in the soil, or if pesticides were used on it.
 
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There is a patch of grass that should be clean...
Musiaka just threw up but no hair came out! It is probably stuck!! :(((
 
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Should we get him some cerenia or wait until the hair comes out?
 

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He is asking for something, scratching the sofa and trying to get my attention, but won't eat. Took him out on a leash today and he wanted to eat grass really badly (usually he isn't that eager), so it's definitely a hairball. I didn't allow him to eat the grass, but thinking about bringing some so he can empty his stomach...
Are you brushing him? It would be a good idea to do that daily at least when things are sensitive. You can use your damp hand to wipe too, it takes some hair. If you can, get Furminator. If it's not available in your country there are similar products. Brushing is probably the most effective method to avoid hairballs. Wet food and small meals throughout the day instead of big meals are the next I would say.

I would speak to the vet and ask for a hairball paste. I like GimCat Extra Soft malt paste for its simple formula. The brand's other pastes are reviewed well too.
 
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Are you brushing him? It would be a good idea to do that daily at least when things are sensitive. You can use your damp hand to wipe too, it takes some hair. If you can, get Furminator. If it's not available in your country there are similar products. Brushing is probably the most effective method to avoid hairballs. Wet food and small meals throughout the day instead of big meals are the next I would say.

I would speak to the vet and ask for a hairball paste. I like GimCat Extra Soft malt paste for its simple formula. The brand's other pastes are reviewed well too.
I brush him everyday or even twice a day with Kong Zoom Broom, every second day with Furminator, feed him many small meals of wet food during the day, give him egg yolk, we tried all the anti-hairball pastes that have the best reviews and the ones vets have told us to use, tried butter, salmon oil, coconut oil. Nothing works for Musiaka long term. Maybe we should just stick to giving him grass and letting him throw up like he is used to...
 
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I gave Musiaka grass but he just threw it back up and had some more acid throw ups. But no hair comes out. Maybe there isn't any...
 
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Went in to the vet today, Musiaka got Cerenia and some anti-gass medicine as a shot, dimeticone maybe? The vet said there's lots of gass bubbles in his stomach. This was a few hours ago, but he hasn't gotten his appetite back yet. Will go and get another cerenia shot tomorrow as well
 
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There has also been an unfortunate misunderstanding which makes me very worried...
I wanted to ask for a sub-q shot, but the vet misunderstood and gave some mite drops, the ones that go on the skin (the misunderstanding happened because I said it in weird way probably...). When I realised whats happening, the drops were already on. With his recent history of liver failure, can the drops harm his liver again?? :(
 

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There has also been an unfortunate misunderstanding which makes me very worried...
I wanted to ask for a sub-q shot, but the vet misunderstood and gave some mite drops, the ones that go on the skin (the misunderstanding happened because I said it in weird way probably...). When I realised whats happening, the drops were already on. With his recent history of liver failure, can the drops harm his liver again?? :(
I don’t think so. Can you ask the vet about it?

Those topical drops usually spread through oils in the skin. But they don’t cross into the body where the liver might get involved.
 
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I don’t think so. Can you ask the vet about it?

Those topical drops usually spread through oils in the skin. But they don’t cross into the body where the liver might get involved.
I somehow didn't ask immediately, as I was so dumbfounded by what happened :( then they got closed. I will ask tomorrow. Hope you are right...
He is trying to groom that place, doesn't get to it directly, but has licked quite near it
 
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Should I maybe wash it off?
 
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You could end up spreading it around. But then it is supposed to spread around in the oils in the skin. I would let it be.
I will let it be then. Thanks for answering!
 
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We went in for another cerenia and anti-gass shot, got a hepagen shot as well. The vet said there's still some gas bubbles in his intestines, but it feels much better today, also his stomach is less tense. Musiaka started eating again, but isn't back to his happy active self, still a little bit down. Also, she said that if there are no signs of poisoning after Musiaka licked around the medicated area, he will be fine.
 
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Musiaka is still a bit down today and has pooped two times within 5 hours, not diarrhea. He eats, but isn't super enthuisiastic about it, I have to encourage him. We are down to almost no kibble.
I think Musiaka is a bit depressed as well. Last week we've been taking him out on a leash and he was miaowing a lot, acting hyped up, asking to go outside, getting zoomies. He stopped completely after the two last vet visits and it seems like one of the shots he got there was extra painful, because he was trembling and climbing up on my shoulders. Now he doesn't look forward to going outside anymore and is very visibly down in his spirits, as if his happy memories have been overriden by the recent unpleasant ones.
 

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Musiaka is still a bit down today and has pooped two times within 5 hours, not diarrhea. He eats, but isn't super enthuisiastic about it, I have to encourage him. We are down to almost no kibble.
I think Musiaka is a bit depressed as well. Last week we've been taking him out on a leash and he was miaowing a lot, acting hyped up, asking to go outside, getting zoomies. He stopped completely after the two last vet visits and it seems like one of the shots he got there was extra painful, because he was trembling and climbing up on my shoulders. Now he doesn't look forward to going outside anymore and is very visibly down in his spirits, as if his happy memories have been overriden by the recent unpleasant ones.
It might be all the Vet visits, and Musiaka having enough of them in a short span of time, ...(similar to what Daftcat75 wrote about his angel cat Krista, and her behaviour at the vets changing, from having to see the vet often...see post #75)

Also definitely what you said about one of the shots being painful...so Musiaka may need some extra time...to forget about that whole experience.

(Time of year, and weather outside,...also affects my cats, ..and how much they will eat. As does their activity, and amount of daylight, and night hours, too.)

Has Musiaka been eating the same food for the past month?
Sometimes cats do get bored with one flavour of food, so rotation of other flavours is good to try.
Have you noticed any patterns, yet,...with which foods tend to make Musiaka more gassy?
(and recording food eaten, supplements, and treats, too.)

Cerenia is a very small pill. Is it too hard to disguise it in some treat that Musiaka likes...so you don't always have to go to the vets.
I do remember you saying that Musiaka is so very smart,...and spits up whatever you try to disguise in the tuna water, and soft lickable treats, too,...so it was very messy.
Cats are extremely smart...when it comes to giving them pills.
Like they know you are trying to help them...but if they taste anything...that is out of the ordinary...then it must be an instinct to just spit it out.

I hope he starts to feel better today.
 
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It might be all the Vet visits, and Musiaka having enough of them in a short span of time, ...(similar to what Daftcat75 wrote about his angel cat Krista, and her behaviour at the vets changing, from having to see the vet often...see post #75)

Also definitely what you said about one of the shots being painful...so Musiaka may need some extra time...to forget about that whole experience.

(Time of year, and weather outside,...also affects my cats, ..and how much they will eat. As does their activity, and amount of daylight, and night hours, too.)

Has Musiaka been eating the same food for the past month?
Sometimes cats do get bored with one flavour of food, so rotation of other flavours is good to try.
Have you noticed any patterns, yet,...with which foods tend to make Musiaka more gassy?
(and recording food eaten, supplements, and treats, too.)

Cerenia is a very small pill. Is it too hard to disguise it in some treat that Musiaka likes...so you don't always have to go to the vets.
I do remember you saying that Musiaka is so very smart,...and spits up whatever you try to disguise in the tuna water, and soft lickable treats, too,...so it was very messy.
Cats are extremely smart...when it comes to giving them pills.
Like they know you are trying to help them...but if they taste anything...that is out of the ordinary...then it must be an instinct to just spit it out.

I hope he starts to feel better today.
Thanks! Yes, I think it will take him some time to forget the last visit... The way he came to me for comfort makes me think it was extra painful. Musiaka doesn't mind Cerenia, even though it's supposed to be painful as well, but the thing they injected for his gassiness was definitely traumatic for him.

He's been eating the same food the whole month - I tried giving him another ibd friendly canned food, but that is when he started developing gassiness. Switching to another food has always been a bit problematic for Musiaka. If he eats the same thing for a long time and suddenly gets a bite of something else, he becomes gassy and gets acid reflux.

Cerenia is not available in pill form in my country at the moment... If it's a small pill that doesn't need to be crushed, then it wouldnt be a problem - I can open Musiaka's mouth and throw it into his throat. Giving prednisolone was never a problem. It's mostly those that need crushing. Our vet says Cerenia might soon become available in pill form, so I am holding my breath for that!
 

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He's been eating the same food the whole month - I tried giving him another ibd friendly canned food, but that is when he started developing gassiness. Switching to another food has always been a bit problematic for Musiaka. If he eats the same thing for a long time and suddenly gets a bite of something else, he becomes gassy and gets acid reflux.
That is so difficult, then, in trying out different foods...or even different flavours...in the same food brand.
(I think that many cats have problems with switching foods...but it must be especially hard for you...to find ibd friendly foods.) :frown:
Do you have to only add a small amount...like a teaspoon...of the new food...to the older food? :idea:
Or...do you just put down a plate of the new food?
I wonder if it would make a difference...for Musiaka...if only a bit of new food was introduced ever so slowly?
Maybe that would not cause him so much gas.

In your country...are there any antacid meds...for cats...transdermal?
Famotidine Transdermal Gel
That would be so helpful for you...in giving him...his meds.
Cerenia is not available in pill form in my country at the moment... If it's a small pill that doesn't need to be crushed, then it wouldnt be a problem - I can open Musiaka's mouth and throw it into his throat. Giving prednisolone was never a problem. It's mostly those that need crushing. Our vet says Cerenia might soon become available in pill form, so I am holding my breath for that!
(Here, in canada, it is a small pill...but for my own cat...I had to give her one quarter of the tablet...and the pill cutter...would split the pill not evenly...so I was left with small crumbs...or small pieces. I had to find a way to hide them in a treat...and my female cat...also didn't like taking it. I think our cats do this...because they want us to think more...and probably it does taste strange.)

I sure hope your country gets the pill form, soon. I think it might help.
But then knowing what you wrote about your Musiaka...it may be better to try and find it in 'treat form' ...or 'transdermal'.

If you do have to give 'crushed up pills'...or 'powered pills'...then like other members have mentioned...getting the smallest gel caps...and filling those...(without touching the sides of the outside of the gel caps with the medication powder)...might work.

I guess the finding the 'ibd friendly food'...would be the most challenging, right now.
It's like you only know...after you've tried the foods.
Or if you see something in the foods...that might cause Musiaka problems...allergies, or flare ups.
 
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