Panleukopenia Recovery Inquiry

[ray7667]

Hello. Pablo is a 5 months old british shorthair mail. he was diagnosed with severe pnleukopenia (distemper) the first 5 days he was throwing up about 20 times a day with severe diarheoa and fever. he also lost his sense of smell in that period. after 2 weeks of iv,injections, and medical veteranary care we got him home. pablo now occasionnaly plays, he started eating (not much but its something). 3 weeks have beens and he stopped vommiting and his metabolism was good again and the fever has gone. on the 4th weeks pablo started throwing up again once a day and cant eat properly as food falls from his mouth. he purrs sometimes but preferes to sit quitly most of the time. we are really worried and would like some advice/more info about panleukopenia recovery and whether this throwing up is normal in this time of recovery. thank you in advance.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi!
Have you talked with your vet again, regarding the food falling from his mouth and being so disinterested? Can they give him an appetite medicine?

Along with that, ask your vet if these things below will be ok, but maybe something here will entice him to eat again, or you may need to syringe feed.

Also, try feeding in different locations - really, completely different, and utilize different heights. For example put a couple of books underneath the dish, next time use two thick phone books, or a small-ish box so the heights are varied....

Maybe there is something that might help here;

Sit with your cat and scoop some food on your finger or a spoon and hopefully your kitty will lick it. Or gently tuck some food inside the cheek.

Try some raw egg yolk. Egg white must always be cooked, and some people cook the white and make a slurry of sorts by adding in the raw yolk.

Also you could try some Nutri-cal or similar product.

Try making the homemade recipes here, from a TCS member;
Kitten-Rescue.com

These below can be used on their own or combined with food. Also, if you heat the food a little - stir it so there aren't any hot spots from the microwave.

Or you could heat some water, about a tablespoon, and add that to canned food. A small glass works to stir it all up.

• Chicken, beef or ham flavored (pureed) baby food such as Gerber Stage 2 - make sure there is no garlic or onions in the ingredients

• Tuna and/or the juice, a low mercury/low/no sodium brand is called SafeCatch

• Salmon, mackerel

• Sardines (make sure there are no bones)

• boiled cut up chicken or turkey with no seasonings

• canned kitten food any brand

• Try mixing in Kitten Milk Replacer - there are recipes on the internet or store bought

• Fish, tuna or BBQ flavored canned wet food (I personally have never seen BBQ flavors, but...)

• Lickable cat treats or pouch treat 'gravy' poured over the food

• kitten glop (recipes in website link above)
• Bonito flakes
• fortiflora
• fish oil
• green beans, or asparagus mushed up and also the liquid from canned vegetables
• whipped topping such as reddiwhip

• goat milk, or no lactose cow milk
• whole cooked eggs (the white must always be cooked) or raw egg yolk now and then
• broth with no salt and no garlic or onion or seasonings of any kind
• There are also commercial toppers, Applaws is a brand that can work well as a topper
  
• Some good treats would be freeze dried Purebites, Orijen, Meowtinis, Meowables, Only Natural Pet, Primal

• There are also Lickimats that you could spread types of soft food onto, even plain unflavored yogurt, and even freeze it. Licking something can help a cat to feel better emotionally The LickiMat - Food Puzzles for Cats
• shredded cheddar cheese

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. I am sorry, but I have no direct experience with panleukopenia/distemper and I found nothing on the internet that talked of the issues you are having as part of the recovery process.

I think it would be best if you call the vet and ask about what Pablo is now experiencing and see if they think it is cause for concern, or typical from their experience of the recovery process.

I also hope other members who have more first hand knowledge will come along soon and offer their experiences.

 

[ray7667]

Hi!
Have you talked with your vet again, regarding the food falling from his mouth and being so disinterested? Can they give him an appetite medicine?

Along with that, ask your vet if these things below will be ok, but maybe something here will entice him to eat again, or you may need to syringe feed.

Also, try feeding in different locations - really, completely different, and utilize different heights. For example put a couple of books underneath the dish, next time use two thick phone books, or a small-ish box so the heights are varied....

Maybe there is something that might help here;

Sit with your cat and scoop some food on your finger or a spoon and hopefully your kitty will lick it. Or gently tuck some food inside the cheek.

Try some raw egg yolk. Egg white must always be cooked, and some people cook the white and make a slurry of sorts by adding in the raw yolk.

Also you could try some Nutri-cal or similar product.

Try making the homemade recipes here, from a TCS member;
Kitten-Rescue.com

These below can be used on their own or combined with food. Also, if you heat the food a little - stir it so there aren't any hot spots from the microwave.

Or you could heat some water, about a tablespoon, and add that to canned food. A small glass works to stir it all up.

• Chicken, beef or ham flavored (pureed) baby food such as Gerber Stage 2 - make sure there is no garlic or onions in the ingredients

• Tuna and/or the juice, a low mercury/low/no sodium brand is called SafeCatch

• Salmon, mackerel

• Sardines (make sure there are no bones)

• boiled cut up chicken or turkey with no seasonings

• canned kitten food any brand

• Try mixing in Kitten Milk Replacer - there are recipes on the internet or store bought

• Fish, tuna or BBQ flavored canned wet food (I personally have never seen BBQ flavors, but...)

• Lickable cat treats or pouch treat 'gravy' poured over the food

• kitten glop (recipes in website link above)
• Bonito flakes
• fortiflora
• fish oil
• green beans, or asparagus mushed up and also the liquid from canned vegetables
• whipped topping such as reddiwhip

• goat milk, or no lactose cow milk
• whole cooked eggs (the white must always be cooked) or raw egg yolk now and then
• broth with no salt and no garlic or onion or seasonings of any kind
• There are also commercial toppers, Applaws is a brand that can work well as a topper
  
• Some good treats would be freeze dried Purebites, Orijen, Meowtinis, Meowables, Only Natural Pet, Primal

• There are also Lickimats that you could spread types of soft food onto, even plain unflavored yogurt, and even freeze it. Licking something can help a cat to feel better emotionally The LickiMat - Food Puzzles for Cats
• shredded cheddar cheese

I really appreciate this information. im convinced that there is an underlying issue other than the appetite. i tube feed him and most of the time he asks for tuna . he does show interest in good specially after throwing up. my major worry is why is he throwing up.


The vet said there is nothing we could do as we gave him all the needed treatments and he highly doubts that more injections would make him any better...

 

[FeebysOwner]

The vet said there is nothing we could do as we gave him all the needed treatments and he highly doubts that more injections would make him any better...

That kind of sounds like a really pathetic response from your vet. Is there another vet that you know of that could provide a second opinion? Did your vet even suggest that Pablo's symptoms are consistent with recovery? I do know that they generally talk about 6 weeks or so for full recovery, but I am not sure if that means they can have semi-relapses during that time.

The dropping food from the mouth could be a neurological result of the distemper, but I am not sure of the affiliation of that with the reoccurrence of vomiting. If he is not eating much, you stand the risk of his electrolytes going back out of whack (as, I am sure you already know).

I really think he needs to be checked out by another vet, with all possible records from your current one.

Is there a vet university hospital nearby that you could call and talk to?

 

[ray7667]

That kind of sounds like a really pathetic response from your vet. Is there another vet that you know of that could provide a second opinion? Did your vet even suggest that Pablo's symptoms are consistent with recovery? I do know that they generally talk about 6 weeks or so for full recovery, but I am not sure if that means they can have semi-relapses during that time.

The dropping food from the mouth could be a neurological result of the distemper, but I am not sure of the affiliation of that with the reoccurrence of vomiting. If he is not eating much, you stand the risk of his electrolytes going back out of whack (as, I am sure you already know).

I really think he needs to be checked out by another vet, with all possible records from your current one.

Is there a vet university hospital nearby that you could call and talk to?

i strongly agree with your opinion about the vet. yes the food falling from his mouth is due to neurological issues related to distemper. Vets here are money hungry and wouldnt give any data without beig paid (30$+ per checkup). I want to ask you though , you said it takes up to 6 weeks for full recovery, is vommiting once a day normal during this recovery phase at week 3? i have read that distemper has no ups and downs its either a straight inclije of recovery or a fatal decline.

 

[FeebysOwner]

you said it takes up to 6 weeks for full recovery, is vommiting once a day normal during this recovery phase at week 3?

I could NOT find any information that addressed the reoccurrence of vomiting once it stopped, but that doesn't mean it is not possible. That is why I asked about a vet university you could call and to talk to. I would think they could offer you data/documentation about various cases, preferably including ones where off-n-on vomiting has been noted.

Also, it might be helpful to put him back on some anti-nausea meds if he is not on them still?

I also found this comment in an article I found earlier:
It is possible for a cat to appear to be on the road to recovery and then suffer a setback. If your cat’s vomiting, diarrhea, or overall condition worsens at any point, call your veterinarian.
Treating Feline Distemper in Cats - Panleukopenia Treatment | petMD | petMD

 

[ray7667]

I could NOT find any information that addressed the reoccurrence of vomiting once it stopped, but that doesn't mean it is not possible. That is why I asked about a vet university you could call and to talk to. I would think they could offer you data/documentation about various cases, preferably including ones where off-n-on vomiting has been noted.

Also, would it be helpful to put him back on some anti-nausea meds if he is not on them still?

I will call a pet care organization tomorow morning but im oretty sure there are no universities here as pet services are poor.
your response is extremely appreciated

 

[FeebysOwner]

I was editing my previous post - did you see the edits?

 

[ray7667]

I was editing my previous post - did you see the edits?

i just checked them thanks. he has been off nausea medications for a week i will start taking him again for the nausea medications again.

as for the setback after recovery i hope its not the case but i have to take precautions i will check with a new vet tomorow as well.
i have been force feeding him vitamin fluids and kitten yogurt with a syringe is it possible that he is throwing up because of this? i gave him 3 CC of water 1 hour ago and he threw up 10 minutes later, right after throwing up he immediately went off to his water bowl and had a drink.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. I wish I could definitively one way or the other, but I can't. The yogurt could upset his stomach, and even have caused him to throw up water shortly thereafter - that is, as you know, only a guess.

I hope when he got his own drink that he kept that down, yes? It would not be helping matters any, but he could be upset by the syringe feedings, exacerbating his vomiting.

If any of the products that Furballsmom suggested are acceptable foods (because I think he supposed to be on a bland diet, correct?), then try some of them. Perhaps, even see if he will lick them off your fingers.

Please oh please keep us posted.

 

[ray7667]

Hi. I wish I could definitively one way or the other, but I can't. The yogurt could upset his stomach, and even have caused him to throw up water shortly thereafter - that is, as you know, only a guess.

I hope when he got his own drink that he kept that down, yes? It would not be helping matters any, but he could be upset by the syringe feedings, exacerbating his vomiting.

If any of the products that Furballsmom suggested are acceptable foods (because I think he supposed to be on a bland diet, correct?), then try some of them. Perhaps, even see if he will lick them off your fingers.

Please oh please keep us posted.

uptil now he still didnt vomit the water he drank but i can tell he was feeling a bit nauseous after drinking it, he also often stays seated next to his water bowl after he drinks. oh and btw he started vommiting again on thursday, noticed hairballs saturday and sunday so i gave him anti hairball licking cream now he still vomits but no hairs in it.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Well, at least you got rid of the hairballs; that was certainly not helping matters for him!

 

[catlover73]

I do not have experience with this issue. I did find a link to a Kitten Lady Video dealing with treating this issue. She is an experienced kitten rescuer. Perhaps there are some tips in this video that would be helpful to you even though your kitten is older. There may be some information that could help you come up with more things to ask your vet. I am going to post a link to this video below.

 

[ray7667]

I do not have experience with this issue. I did find a link to a Kitten Lady Video dealing with treating this issue. She is an experienced kitten rescuer. Perhaps there are some tips in this video that would be helpful to you even though your kitten is older. There may be some information that could help you come up with more things to ask your vet. I am going to post a link to this video below.

i have watched all videos about this and specially this video it has been really good to watch in terms of quarantine since we have 3 cats.

 

[ray7667]

update :

i stopped force feeding monday and he didnt throw up since, he drinks water , eatd a couple dry food pebbles through out the day but his main interest seems to be tuna as he eats it and ignores his beef wet food, i boiled some of his dry food and placed the resulting gravy in a bowl, he showed no interest so i went to sleep, next morning i checked and he downed the whole bowl.
buuuut i noticed major problems chewing and swalling food, food often falls out his mouth and he has to work his head alot to get the food down...

 

[FeebysOwner]

I am glad that he stopped vomiting! Wish he weren't having chewing and swallowing issues, but if he is eating that's good, and he will probably find a way to work around those difficulties. Cats (and most animals for that matter) are much more capable of adapting to their situations than us humans.

Continue to keep us posted. I've got my fingers crossed...