My 4 year old cat either has IBD or Lymphoma

[lynn01234]

Hi:

My 4 year old kittie was throwing up blood a week ago all night, so I took her into my vet the next day.

She hadn't been eating for a few days prior to that and had lost weight.

She gave her some sulfate to calm her stomach and an anti-nausea injection to get her eating again.

I took her home and she started eating a little bit over a few days

I then took her for an ultrasound a few days later and it showed thickening of the intestines.

The vet said she didn't know if it was IBD or lymphoma. She gave her a prednisone injection which lasts two weeks and a pill to increase her appetite.

She got her appetite back, but now I'm worried about her...what prognosis does she have? What do you suggest? Are there any supplements I can give her? She is only 4 - can she live a long time?

Thank you,

Lynn

 

[denice]

My kitty had his first IBD flare when he was only 18 months old.  He also had the anorexia with vomiting blood.  He is almost 13 now.  He has been on a steroid for 5 years now that he gets orally daily.

The only way to try to make the diagnosis as to IBD or lymphoma is with a biopsy and kitty has to have been off of a steroid for a period of time to get reliable results from a biopsy.  Some people choose to have the biopsy done others don't.  I didn't have one done.

Some people have had excellent results with diet changes others haven't.  My kitty was one that didn't, there seemed to be no rhyme or reason to his flares.  You could try a simple food, one that has very little beyond meat, liver and supplements in a protein that he hasn't had before.  The term often used for a protein that he hasn't had before is novel protein.  You will see novel protein a lot in threads here.  

This is an informative site about feline IBD http://ibdkitties.net/

A search here will also bring up a lot of informative threads.

 

[lynn01234]

Thank you so much for the encouraging news regarding IBD in your kitty - I sure hope mine isn't lymphoma.

She was just given prednisone on Feb 1st and it's Feb 4th now...it last two weeks the vet said. I'm not sure what to expect after that? I should have asked her...maybe she wants to see if she throws up again...any feedback or ideas would be much appreciated. I will look at that website you posted the link for.

Thank you,

Lynn

 

[missmimz]

I'm sorry 

 

I personally think that diet plays a big role in IBD issues and that the best thing to do with IBD kitties is to put them on a very simple diet of either a limited ingredient wet food (something like Merrick LID or Nature's Variety) or to make your own food (which is pretty easy). Cat foods just contain too many fillers and things cats (obligate carnivores) don't need, and I think (as does my vet) that it's pushing many cats into IBD. 

 

[lynn01234]

thank you - I will see where I can get those foods.

I tried feeding her some expensive wet food last night (no carrageen etc) but she didn't like it so I had to feed her Fancy Feast wet food again.

but I will keep trying...