Hello everybody, I'm new to the forums so I figured I would say hi first of all. I debated whether or not to make an account and post, but I'm so emotionally overwhelmed I decided to give it a shot. I'm about to break down and cry again because I feel helpless and don't know what to do. I guess I decided to post for some possible advice and maybe to find support.
It started when I took one of my cats in on Monday because I felt a small lump on her belly. The vet couldn't tell what it was and he suggested I have her spayed and at the same time he will remove it and send it out for a histopath. (She's 8 years old). I was so upset over finding the lump on Pumpkin's belly, I failed to notice one of my other cats wasn't eating (I don't know how long this has been going on). I realized he had been hiding, he felt very thin like he had lost weight and he was peeing outside the litter box. He has not been acting like himself.
I took him in today and they took x-rays and did a blood test ( I can't remember what they call it) to send out to get checked. I won't get the results til tomorrow morning. The vet didn't say much, gave me two prescriptions for antibiotics and an appetite stimulant. He ate a very tiny bit of food when I got home but after that he wouldn't touch any food. I think he has hepatic lipodosis. The problem is I don't know what to do now. I went out and bought a syringe feeder and clerk at the pet store recommended Bio Active Care (Replacement Milk for Kittens). He's down to 15 pounds, he was at 19. I'm not sure how quickly he lost that much weight and I feel horrible for just noticing recently.
I know I have to get him to eat something, I can't just leave him like that. I started with about 10 mLs of the Replacement milk, not even sure how much I should give him and force fed him that. A couple hours later, I did about 15mls (whole syringe) of canned Wellness mixed with room temperature water and force fed him. I repeated the same thing again about 2 1/2 hours later. Its been about 1 hour since I fed him that. I'm not sure if I should continue force feeding him and what I should feed and how much. I feel so guilty looking at him and I feel so helpless. All he wants to do is lay down and sleep. I'm scared I'm going to lose him. I feel terrible putting him in the other room away from me. I'm trying to keep the other cats away from him and minimize his stress, but is this the best course of action? If anybody has any experience force-feeding cats that were suffering from hepatic lipodosis, is there any advice you can offer?
My other problem is I have to go out of town for the weekend, I'm leaving Friday Morning and I won't be back til Monday Night. I cannot cancel this trip and it's tearing me apart. I had to schedule Pumpkin's surgery for Tuesday of next week instead of this week. I feel like I should try to get it done before I leave and board her at an overnight vet/emergency clinic, but that's going to be extra money. I'm so paranoid about the small lump that I want it removed as soon as possible. Will putting it off til I'm back from my trip make too much of a difference? I really don't know what to do .
As for Oreo, if it is Hepatic Lipodosis, I wanted to have a feeding tube put in and have him boarded at this same place for the entire trip since they have medical boarding. I have nobody reliable to watch him and monitor his feeding. I'm really worried about him and don't know what else to do.
I tried to word my post as clearly as possible, but when I'm upset it's hard for me to focus and type coherently. I'm having a hard time eating and sleeping and I can't concentrate because I'm so worried. This is all very expensive and I really don't have the money for it, but I'm trying to do the best I can. I don't know what else I can do. I don't want to lose either of my cats, but I don't even know If I'm making the right choices and it scares me.
It started when I took one of my cats in on Monday because I felt a small lump on her belly. The vet couldn't tell what it was and he suggested I have her spayed and at the same time he will remove it and send it out for a histopath. (She's 8 years old). I was so upset over finding the lump on Pumpkin's belly, I failed to notice one of my other cats wasn't eating (I don't know how long this has been going on). I realized he had been hiding, he felt very thin like he had lost weight and he was peeing outside the litter box. He has not been acting like himself.
I took him in today and they took x-rays and did a blood test ( I can't remember what they call it) to send out to get checked. I won't get the results til tomorrow morning. The vet didn't say much, gave me two prescriptions for antibiotics and an appetite stimulant. He ate a very tiny bit of food when I got home but after that he wouldn't touch any food. I think he has hepatic lipodosis. The problem is I don't know what to do now. I went out and bought a syringe feeder and clerk at the pet store recommended Bio Active Care (Replacement Milk for Kittens). He's down to 15 pounds, he was at 19. I'm not sure how quickly he lost that much weight and I feel horrible for just noticing recently.
I know I have to get him to eat something, I can't just leave him like that. I started with about 10 mLs of the Replacement milk, not even sure how much I should give him and force fed him that. A couple hours later, I did about 15mls (whole syringe) of canned Wellness mixed with room temperature water and force fed him. I repeated the same thing again about 2 1/2 hours later. Its been about 1 hour since I fed him that. I'm not sure if I should continue force feeding him and what I should feed and how much. I feel so guilty looking at him and I feel so helpless. All he wants to do is lay down and sleep. I'm scared I'm going to lose him. I feel terrible putting him in the other room away from me. I'm trying to keep the other cats away from him and minimize his stress, but is this the best course of action? If anybody has any experience force-feeding cats that were suffering from hepatic lipodosis, is there any advice you can offer?
My other problem is I have to go out of town for the weekend, I'm leaving Friday Morning and I won't be back til Monday Night. I cannot cancel this trip and it's tearing me apart. I had to schedule Pumpkin's surgery for Tuesday of next week instead of this week. I feel like I should try to get it done before I leave and board her at an overnight vet/emergency clinic, but that's going to be extra money. I'm so paranoid about the small lump that I want it removed as soon as possible. Will putting it off til I'm back from my trip make too much of a difference? I really don't know what to do .
As for Oreo, if it is Hepatic Lipodosis, I wanted to have a feeding tube put in and have him boarded at this same place for the entire trip since they have medical boarding. I have nobody reliable to watch him and monitor his feeding. I'm really worried about him and don't know what else to do.
I tried to word my post as clearly as possible, but when I'm upset it's hard for me to focus and type coherently. I'm having a hard time eating and sleeping and I can't concentrate because I'm so worried. This is all very expensive and I really don't have the money for it, but I'm trying to do the best I can. I don't know what else I can do. I don't want to lose either of my cats, but I don't even know If I'm making the right choices and it scares me.