It's been a while since I've been here but I need to pick your brains and see what you all think.
I work in a veterinary clinic. My cat Napolean will be 7yrs old this year. He has severe food allergies and eats canned food only due to crystals in his urine. The canned food diet has entirely cleared his pee of crystals. His food allergies are so bad he reacts the list to fish only foods. He's been eating Fancy Feast Fish & Shrimp primarily, figured I would feed the cheap stuff until he reacts to it. He also gets Evanger's mackerel, as well as Evanger's Canned Salmon. About a week ago he started eating less, I bought him some cans of Tiki Cat and it would take him all day to eat a 5oz can. I talked to a coworker and she suggested his teeth might be bothering him. He definitely has some tarter build up, we drew a big panel and here are all of the "high" values. Nothing was seriously alarming but I thought I would share:
Creatinine - 2.4 [0.6-2.4]
Na/K Ratio - 42 [32-41]
Cholesterol - 299 [75-220]
Lipase - 234 [0-205]
WBC - 19.4 [3.5-16.0]
Neutrophils - 9506 [2500-8500]
Lymphocytes - 8730 [1200-8000]
My vet thinks we should biopsy his intestines while he is out because he suspects IBD. Napolean's poop is normal and he hasn't been vomiting - generally speaking.
I went out and bought a bag of Nature's Domain kibble last night. I offered him a 1/4 of a cup and he ate it right away [after only eating half of his breakfast from yesterday.]. I offered another 1/4 of a cup and it was gone. Today I gave him 1/2 cup and he ate one kibble and walked away from the dish. About an hour later there was puked up water in the hall and I know it was him because the dogs I have are not allowed in that part of the house. I offered him some canned salmon a little later, maybe 2tbsp. It took him all day but most of the salmon is gone and I'd say he's eaten 3/4 of the kibble I offered. This is very much not like him, he's a chow hound and goes crazy at breakfast and dinner time. Tonight he hasn't been begging for food at all.
I'm really concerned about taking him in Wednesday to anesthetize him. Unfortunately regardless of what procedures we do or don't do he will have to be put under anesthesia because he is horrible at the clinic. We drew his blood at my house and he was amazing for it. I can do anything to him at home, but take him to work and he hates me and hates the clinic. I'm really concerned that he will potentially die under anesthesia because something is wrong and we don't know what it is. Three years ago on the 20th of this month my cat Pause died under anesthesia, the circumstances were slightly different - he gave blood for a transfusion, but he was having ongoing bladder issues and before he died had an x-ray taken which revealed a bladder stone so he was essentially sick when he was put under. A lot of factors came in to play that day but given that it is so close to the anniversary of his death I'm really, really worried about Napolean.
I realize that he will have to go in [we're planning for Wednesday] and we need to do something. I guess I'm just wondering - does this really sound like IBD? Any other suggestions? I also ran an FIV/FeLV snap test and he was negative. Right now the plan is to clean his teeth, take biopsies, and do x-rays. If anyone has anything else to add I would SO appreciate it.
I work in a veterinary clinic. My cat Napolean will be 7yrs old this year. He has severe food allergies and eats canned food only due to crystals in his urine. The canned food diet has entirely cleared his pee of crystals. His food allergies are so bad he reacts the list to fish only foods. He's been eating Fancy Feast Fish & Shrimp primarily, figured I would feed the cheap stuff until he reacts to it. He also gets Evanger's mackerel, as well as Evanger's Canned Salmon. About a week ago he started eating less, I bought him some cans of Tiki Cat and it would take him all day to eat a 5oz can. I talked to a coworker and she suggested his teeth might be bothering him. He definitely has some tarter build up, we drew a big panel and here are all of the "high" values. Nothing was seriously alarming but I thought I would share:
Creatinine - 2.4 [0.6-2.4]
Na/K Ratio - 42 [32-41]
Cholesterol - 299 [75-220]
Lipase - 234 [0-205]
WBC - 19.4 [3.5-16.0]
Neutrophils - 9506 [2500-8500]
Lymphocytes - 8730 [1200-8000]
My vet thinks we should biopsy his intestines while he is out because he suspects IBD. Napolean's poop is normal and he hasn't been vomiting - generally speaking.
I went out and bought a bag of Nature's Domain kibble last night. I offered him a 1/4 of a cup and he ate it right away [after only eating half of his breakfast from yesterday.]. I offered another 1/4 of a cup and it was gone. Today I gave him 1/2 cup and he ate one kibble and walked away from the dish. About an hour later there was puked up water in the hall and I know it was him because the dogs I have are not allowed in that part of the house. I offered him some canned salmon a little later, maybe 2tbsp. It took him all day but most of the salmon is gone and I'd say he's eaten 3/4 of the kibble I offered. This is very much not like him, he's a chow hound and goes crazy at breakfast and dinner time. Tonight he hasn't been begging for food at all.
I'm really concerned about taking him in Wednesday to anesthetize him. Unfortunately regardless of what procedures we do or don't do he will have to be put under anesthesia because he is horrible at the clinic. We drew his blood at my house and he was amazing for it. I can do anything to him at home, but take him to work and he hates me and hates the clinic. I'm really concerned that he will potentially die under anesthesia because something is wrong and we don't know what it is. Three years ago on the 20th of this month my cat Pause died under anesthesia, the circumstances were slightly different - he gave blood for a transfusion, but he was having ongoing bladder issues and before he died had an x-ray taken which revealed a bladder stone so he was essentially sick when he was put under. A lot of factors came in to play that day but given that it is so close to the anniversary of his death I'm really, really worried about Napolean.
I realize that he will have to go in [we're planning for Wednesday] and we need to do something. I guess I'm just wondering - does this really sound like IBD? Any other suggestions? I also ran an FIV/FeLV snap test and he was negative. Right now the plan is to clean his teeth, take biopsies, and do x-rays. If anyone has anything else to add I would SO appreciate it.
