Rexy has anemia that is of concern

[cat nap]

@Scarlett 001  ,  Honestly, you are doing everything humanly possible for Rexy.  So make sure to take care of yourself too, with getting enough sleep, food, exercise or relaxation.

 With Rexy's  WBC counts being high, it has to be her 15 yr old body is fighting off some infection, which they cannot pin down yet.  You also said it probably is auto-immune which makes it harder to treat. 

One of the meds or supplements that may have helped my cat's liver at the time was called "Zentonil Advanced", one of the other posters mentioned something similiar in sam-E and milkthistle.

I just had to re-post that photo of Gryffin and Rexy, again.  It is beautiful.

 

[cat nap]

 
Thinking about things since last night. I now wonder if these recurring annual flareups can be acute pancreatitic attacks (??). I did not realize until now but a small percentage of cats can display fever with acute pancreatitis. I am doing the best things for this inadvertently - at-home care (she is terrified in vet clinic which would exacerbate attack), antibiotics (incl. metro), fluid therapy as much as I can given heart issues, we increased the steroid dosage slightly, syringe feeding to keep things moving (no vomiting thank goodness). We just have to hope that this can pass if it is this.

When I read through your posts, I originally thought Lupus because of it being cyclical,.....but she does not have any skin involvement...so the vets would have ruled that out.

The pancreas is so close to the liver and tied with the functioning of insulin.  But you already have her on a good nutritious food.  I will have to read up more on "acute pancreatitis".

Is there any way that vets can diagnose this without a biopsy?  I wonder.

 

[scarlett 001]

Her ultrasound in late December did show some pancreatic inflammation, and 2 of the vets who have seen her most recently have commented on a very sore abdomen upon palpitation - that is what is making me think pancreatitis (forget to mention that in last post). Her glucose values are somewhat elevated which I think could indicate an acute pancreatitis attack.

I want to put her on some buprenorphine for the pain but her liver issues mean even that has some risk so I have hesitated.

 

[goholistic]

Pancreatitis can cause fevers, but usually occur in more severe, acute attacks. Chronic, lower grade pancreatitis doesn't normally cause fevers, based on my research.

Sorry if this is a repeat question...was Rexy tested for FIV and FeLV?

I don't know if this is going to be of much help, but perhaps understanding how and why fevers come on would help pinpoint the issue. 

Fever of unknown origin in cats

http://veterinarycalendar.dvm360.co...eedings/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/567316

 

[cat nap]

 
Her ultrasound in late December did show some pancreatic inflammation, and 2 of the vets who have seen her most recently have commented on a very sore abdomen upon palpitation - that is what is making me think pancreatitis (forget to mention that in last post). Her glucose values are somewhat elevated which I think could indicate an acute pancreatitis attack.

I want to put her on some buprenorphine for the pain but her liver issues mean even that has some risk so I have hesitated.

Yes, I hate it when there is a dilemma as to what drug and side effects will affect the cat.  You want to treat her and make her better but not worsen her status.

Did the vets tell you how long the change in antibiotic and dosages would take to be seen?  Is she still wanting to eat on her own?

 

[scarlett 001]

I just talked to vet and we have a sort-of strategy for the next day or so. Not really up to talking much about it, as my hands are so tied by possible drug interactions with the triaditis and (long-standing) heart murmur that I have to worry about everything I give to her but have to make tough decisions.

Thank you for support.

 

[scarlett 001]

Her fever broke!! 3 hours ago, she was a few degrees above normal and now she is in the normal range!! Okay, we are not out of the woods and the temperature needs to stay down (she has some nausea I think) and I need a better management strategy, but her wee body is not giving up yet!! Was it the antibiotics, the steroids - I just gave her some Cerenia but too soon for it to be that. Strange how quickly her fever can go down during these episodes. Fingers crossed for my wee Rexy!!

I was so happy to see this improvement in her appearance, that I took these photos just a few minutes ago (her "baby" brother Gryffin - my 11 pound 8 and a bit month old kitten is in the photo with her) - I caught her looking cute on the kitchen table. The photo that I put beside her is Rexy on the same table about 14 years ago (same table, different house). She was a pudgy wee thing back in about the year 2000 with quite an attitude on her face (hard to see her face as the photo in the photo is small, but that is one of my favourite photos of her)!! A few hours ago she did not look so alert and was just laying down like one would with a fever.

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• scarlett 001
• Mar 4, 2014

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• scarlett 001
• Mar 4, 2014

 

[scarlett 001]

 
@Scarlett 001  ,  Honestly, you are doing everything humanly possible for Rexy.  So make sure to take care of yourself too, with getting enough sleep, food, exercise or relaxation.

I just had to re-post that photo of Gryffin and Rexy, again.  It is beautiful.

Thank you for the reminder. Given the vet visit late last night, I went to work today on 2 hours sleep. Sigh.

You might like the new photo I posted a few minutes ago. Thank you for reminding me of happy times with that photo that you reposted.

 

[cat nap]

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• scarlett 001
• Mar 4, 2014

@Scarlett 001,   I have to be the one thanking you.  Because you are posting such details with your Rexy, you are helping so many people, you just don't know it.  In writing your posts and your updates, it gives the rest of us who don't know as much some very useful information.  I wish I could offer more concrete options, like @LDG, @cprcheetah, @Denice , @GoHolistic, and the other members have offered, but I only know very basic things when it comes to what my vet has explained in a different situation.

That is another thing I do not really like about certain vet care, in they don't really offer a "plan management" like you spoke of.  I think that you,in voicing your opinions and observations, know more about this cycle than even they do.  I wish they had a plan A to E instead of just offering a "wait and see". Yet, maybe some diseases are like this, in that they also don't follow any real line.  

Don't ever feel that you have to answer questions or respond to posts.  You may not even have the time to read them or skim through them.

Still I appreciate your updates.   And I love that your cat Rexy and for that matter so many cats are just fighters, their bodies try to maintain and sustain their lives.  Stay strong cat friend.

ps. the new photos are cool too, I like how you took Rexy with flowers in the small photo and flowers in the new one.  But that other one where she taps Gryffin on the shoulder, he kind of looks like "yeah, I know I'm all that!"

 

[scarlett 001]

Thank you.

One thing that I did learn that I can share is this. If a cat is showing some decline with vague symptoms and one takes them into the clinic and nothing obvious is staring one in the face, as a next step if one has the money I would do not only a full blood panel but soon after do a specFPL test for pancreatitis as part of the initial sleuthing/screening. Inadvertently, I had two cats that had developed pancreatitis and was so surprised and knew nothing about it - yet it seems very common. And my father took a cat into the vet last week for inappetance etc. - at first, the bloodwork was not showing up the reason for his cat's inappetance, so I said to do the specFPL test, and lo and behold, his kitty had pancreatitis and proper treatment was instigated. Some time ago, my father lost a cat to pancreatitis that was diagnosed too late.

 

[cat nap]

Is your dad's cat responding to treatment for the pancreatitis?

And remember, only answer if you have time, and have gotten more than two hours sleep.  If not,  just IGNORE.

 

[scarlett 001]

Yes, she is doing well. The vets where he lives (another city) gave her a good protocol (she was in emergency overnight) and she is back home and doing well. I warned my father not to take her off every treatment just because she seems totally fine as setbacks could happen again if not careful. She also is hyperthyroid and has a type of skin cancer (not metastasizing thank goodness) so the poor kitty like Rexy is fighting a lot of things. But she is holding her own.

 

[goholistic]

How is Rexy?

 

[scarlett 001]

Not stable yet. The fever seems to come back every 4-5 days very suddenly, and within 12-24 hours it disappears just as quickly as it comes. The days without the fever, she is doing as well as could be expected given all of her issues. The days with the fever, she looks like someone sick with a fever. This is not easily explained (infection vs. inflammation causing fever??), and the regular vets have given me all the arsenal that they can right now. We just await our appointment with the new highly recommended internal medicine vet on Monday.

I am also struggling with Murchie and his pancreatitis issues.

It is proving to be a very difficult time. I am having to strategize better how to take care of me in all of this. Dealing with these issues is taking a huge toll on me now, and I realize that if I step back and do something for me (go for a swim or something to release my mind from this for just a few hours), I come back better able to take care of them and in a more cheery frame of mind, which can only help their healing vs. if I get too stressed.

 

[cat nap]

 
Not stable yet. The fever seems to come back every 4-5 days very suddenly, and within 12-24 hours it disappears just as quickly as it comes. The days without the fever, she is doing as well as could be expected given all of her issues. The days with the fever, she looks like someone sick with a fever. This is not easily explained (infection vs. inflammation causing fever??), and the regular vets have given me all the arsenal that they can right now. We just await our appointment with the new highly recommended internal medicine vet on Monday.

I am also struggling with Murchie and his pancreatitis issues.

It is proving to be a very difficult time. I am having to strategize better how to take care of me in all of this. Dealing with these issues is taking a huge toll on me now, and I realize that if I step back and do something for me (go for a swim or something to release my mind from this for just a few hours), I come back better able to take care of them and in a more cheery frame of mind, which can only help their healing vs. if I get too stressed.

thanks for the update @Scarlett 001,  I wish it were stable, too.  Here's hoping that Monday proves helpful.

Its good that you are trying to take better care of yourself first,((going for that swim, or anything physical so your mind can have a break for awhile)(even a good comedy show) so that you come back refreshed and stronger.

Do you  have a duo-tang, with each of their files, and just write notes in it, when you get some ideas?

take care. Rexy, Murchie and Scarlett 001

 

[goholistic]

I'm so sorry for all that you are dealing with @Scarlett 001. I was really hoping for a better update. I do hope that the internal medicine specialist can be a fresh set of eyes on all this and offer some solutions.

Continued vibes for you and all your furry babies....   

 

[scarlett 001]

Thank you so much for your thoughts and wishes.

Rexy's issue is so strange - earlier today she had that fever and had me worried sick about her - now her tail is up in the air and she is walking about the house and eating as if nothing had ever been wrong (fever is gone).

 

[cat nap]

LOL....she better just keep it up.....I mean the tail and the improvement....lol

Sometimes, I think that cats know we worry too much, so they try to give us a break, too.  

 

[scarlett 001]

Finally we got in to see that new internal medicine specialist vet. And this vet is AMAZING. She lived up to all the great things that people had said about her. Obviously very talented in terms of technical expertise and personal interactions are wonderful with both the kitty and myself. Perfect vet to work with.

We had a second ultrasound today (Rexy had first ultrasound at another specialist clinic). The good news is that most things are notably better inside of her, and nothing is worse!! And this vet let me be there with Rexy during the ultrasound, so I got see everything. Rexy placed her head in my hand during the entire thing which must have made it less scary for her (she was a perfect angel during the u/s). The bile duct issues are much better - less distension of bile ducts and other ducts, partial blockage is much improved, lymphnodes near abdomen (btw these are not cancer) were less inflamed, liver a bit better etc. Pancreas was about the same - not the worst inflammation but it was the only thing that had stayed the same and not improved. Great news is that her heart murmur appears to have no heart disease associated with it!! Xrays showed a better lung xray than the ones taken a few years ago - still signs of asthma but some issues in one lobe were no longer there. So her heart and lungs were much better than they could have been. Rexy is "very stable" in the vet's words. She is not as perky since the fever episode but it may take time for her to recover as that was tough on her. The specialist thinks that the fevers are probably not infection but are likely auto-immune related. We are doing a few adjustments to her medications (changing one thing at a time and slowly). Her WBC are still a bit elevated so the likely auto-immune response is still active but not as bad as it was a few weeks back and we are hoping it will settle in the coming weeks.

So my main hope now is that Rexy can gradually perk up a bit more so we can enjoy a fabulous spring/summer lazing on the blanket in the sunshine (she is an indoor cat with access to cat run and we have supervised garden outings in the warm months).

 

[goholistic]

I'm so glad to hear that you had a good experience with this vet! And also that Rexy is not worse. This is hopeful news.