Two intestinal surgeries + abscess draining in the span of a week

[silent meowlook]

How’s he doing?

 

[gabicards]

I visited a vet with him yesterday and asked them to do an ultrasound of his belly. They can already see an inflammation at the site of the surgery, unsure whether it's another abscess already, but his prognosis is grim. According to the vet, it could mean there's some bacteria in his intestines that he can't fight.

She collected blood from him, put him on meloxicam and we'll collect blood again next week. If there's no change in the white blood cells count (at least that's what I understand) it means his body isn't fighting it, so it will only get worse. If that's the case, I'll ask them to put him to sleep... I don't want him to suffer more. He was given stronger pain medications and now he's out and about as if he was perfectly healthy, which feels strange after crying so much for him last night. He's eating, too, so I guess the pain meds are working.

Thanks S silent meowlook for the support on this thread. I'm grateful.

 

[silent meowlook]

I am so sorry you both are going through this. I am glad he seems to be feeling better right now. Please keep us updated. You both are in my thoughts.

 

[gabicards]

Bebe Louie update

Still seems to be feeling okay. Once again curious, playful and moving a lot more than in the past two weeks. Eats a tiny bit every once in a while, accepts treats, and drinks his usual amount of water. I'm force-feeding him Purina's Pro Plan Delicate wet food with a syringe, because I don't think he's been eating enough and I don't want him to feel even worse.

I was surprised when I took his temperature last night and it was 38.2c, even though we already know he has an internal inflammation. I guess the anti-inflammatory (meloxicam) is helping keep his temperature down? It didn't do that on the first day he took it, as I gave it to him at 10am and at 6pm at the vet he was at 39.2. That was the first day he had a fever, and seemingly the only one after his 2nd surgery so far.

He left the vet clinic on Wednesday and I took him to another vet for an ultrasound on Friday, so if what the vet saw really was already an abscess I'd be shocked at how fast it developed... unless they didn't see it in the original clinic, which would baffle me. Then again, they did release him after the 1st surgery and told me he had an inflammation, and that was it. No anti inflammatory meds and within a week it became an abscess that required another surgery. Still completely confused about that.

Also very frustrated that apparently no medication exists to prevent an abscess from forming if the inflammation is still at the early stages. I didn't get the impression that the vet was hopeful about meloxicam

Still trying to make sense of it all... and to enjoy his company while I can. I'm doing my best to make sure he's given the best chance I can provide.

 

[silent meowlook]

He is on antibiotics right?

 

[gabicards]

He is on antibiotics right?

Yes. Two antibiotics + anti-inflammatory + something stronger for the pain.

He didn't want to eat today again, his temperature is at 39.7. I'm taking him to the vet tomorrow... trying to prepare for the worst. I can't, of course, but I've been crying for him for over a week now... this is just like 04/12 again, right before surgery #2. I figure it will be the same drill: I'll go there, they'll do an ultrasound, tell me there's an abscess at the site of the surgery, offer to do a 3rd surgery - which would likely have the same outcome as the previous two.

If they tell me they could drain the abscess with a simpler surgery, I'd let them try. But, given the first experience, I figure there will be tissue death and they'd need to cut another part of his intestines again. I won't let them do that, Louie has been through enough. I can't believe the pain I keep looking at him in disbelief. He's so loved.

 

[gabicards]

Here's a pic of my baby at the peak of his health. First and only pet I've ever had, and I've enjoyed every second he's been with me. The love is just immense. I had always wanted a pet, so he's literally a dream come true for me.

I wish I could have done more to help him. I'm trying to console myself by making sure he feels no pain. <3

 

[silent meowlook]

He is a beautiful cat. I am so sorry this is happening, has happened to him. I wish he was near where I work. Try to stay positive around him. Don't dwell to much on taking his temp or anything like that. Just enjoy the time you and he are together. It sounds like you are doing everything you can for him. Have any of the Veterinarians mentioned FIP to you? It is a feline disease Feline infectious Peritonitis. Do you know it they did any viral testing on him? I know they did the blood work but this would be a specific test for FIV and FELV. Not that I am thinking it is any of those and I am not trying to scare you. I just wish they could figure out what is going on and explain it to you.

 

[silent meowlook]

I am sure you have already read everything available but in case you haven't this is a fairly easy to understand article

Intussusception - American College of Veterinary Surgeons

www.acvs.org

 

[gabicards]

He is a beautiful cat. I am so sorry this is happening, has happened to him. I wish he was near where I work. Try to stay positive around him. Don't dwell to much on taking his temp or anything like that. Just enjoy the time you and he are together. It sounds like you are doing everything you can for him. Have any of the Veterinarians mentioned FIP to you? It is a feline disease Feline infectious Peritonitis. Do you know it they did any viral testing on him? I know they did the blood work but this would be a specific test for FIV and FELV. Not that I am thinking it is any of those and I am not trying to scare you. I just wish they could figure out what is going on and explain it to you.

Louie is FCoV positive. I brought this up with his new vet on Friday and she didn't think it's relevant in this scenario...

With my poor French, what I understood is that his body isn't able to fight this specific bacterial infection, and it's killing the tissue where he was previously sutured. I figure that's why they're not proposing to just drain the abscess... during surgery #2, they did a 2nd enterectomy. I figure they wouldn't have if it hadn't been needed.

After surgery #1, I waited 7 days after his discharge to take him to a vet. After surgery #2, the vets told me if I noticed he wasn't eating I should see them again. I asked if they could prevent an abscess from forming if they saw an infection, the vet said "the earliest we notice what's wrong, the better it is to treat it" which gave me some hope... so I took him to his new vet TWO DAYS after his discharge this time around (the clinic that performed the surgery is too far away), the vet called the original clinic and they talked (vets knew each other). And he likely already had an abscess.

So I'm thinking that, once again, he was discharged when the infection was already there. I honestly can't understand why. On the 1st time, they told me he had inflammation at the site of the surgery. On the 2nd, they didn't. He stayed an extra day at the clinic and I figured they were monitoring him for that... it's all so confusing. I've been trying to read all I can about it, but my hands are tied. I'm gonna try to take his temperature again before we sleep because he was given antibiotics about 1 hour ago... yesterday, when his temp was at 38.2c, it was after antibiotics. Today, it was at 39.7, but before the medication (he was given it in the morning, though). I have no idea if it matters but I'd like to see.

I've emailed the clinic and asked about what's left for me to do now... also asked about how I should proceed if the only solution is to let him rest. I have no idea how it's done and I'm terrified of the experience.

 

[silent meowlook]

Any updates?

 

[gabicards]

He’s resting in peace now I’m grieving while watching the videos I have of him on my phone. I’ve been missing him so much in these past few weeks… it hasn’t been the same. I hope he’s feeling better, wherever he is.

 

[silent meowlook]

I’m so sorry.