Hi everyone,
Apologies for the lengthy post, but my little boy is so sick and I am desperate. He's been sick for about four weeks. First he started eating less than normal, and was losing weight. Then one day he was really lethargic so I took him to the vet immediately - he had a fever. The vet gave him painkillers, but this didn't help much. Then he did blood work and it showed a high white blood cell count, but no other indicators. He was still eating little and lethargic so he went back to the vet and had an ultrasound. He had an enlarged gallbladder, so the vet put him on antibiotics. After still no improvement, then vet did some x-rays to check his heart and lungs, which seemed fine, but he noticed a mass in his stomach. He had surgery last Thursday and luckily it turned out to be a foreign object - the vet 'massaged' the tube and broke the blockage up a bit and then later he pooped it out - apparently it wasn't possible to identify what it was. We were so relieved and excited about him getting better. The day after surgery he was still at the vet's and they had him on a drip and managed to feed him a whole can of a/d. But once he was home that night he was really lethargic and down. I thought it was the recovery from the surgery, but that was 3 days ago and since then he's barely moved, will not eat at all (probably had about 10 tbsps in all that time), and I am having to feed him water through a syringe. It is utterly devastating, it's like he's disappearing before my eyes and there's nothing I can do. he is also wheezing occasionally, like a wheeze or a low groan, and his nose is twitching when he breathes. I took him back yesterday and he still had a fever. The vet gave him an injection (I don't know what it was called) that he said cats can have every 3-6 weeks and it should help him perk up, but that it really was a last chance. He said that we have tested and tried every avenue and the only diagnosis can be FIP (h isn't currently displaying any wet or dry symptoms - the indicators are the lethargy, loss of appetite and fever that won't go away). Since he came back from surgery and won't eat, it's like his throat or something hurts because he gets excited about food (well, he is alert to it at least) and then he tries a little bit but makes a gulping action and then won't touch anymore; then he starts purring really loudly (which is not normal for him at all)
I am going to talk to the vet today to discuss any other options. I cannot bear the thought of sending him to sleep, it breaks me into pieces. But I can't bear to see this suffering. If there's any way or chance of making him better I will do whatever it takes. I just can't let him go unless I know for sure that there's nothing more can be done for him; but I know I need to find out soon (i.e. within the next 24 hours), as I can't let him carry on like this. I am absolutely devastated. I was wondering if anyone had any advice at all about possible alternative diagnoses? I'd really appreciate it.
I;d just like to add that I really do trust my vet, he has been great. And he also consulted with an internal medicine specialist friend, and apparently she also came to the conclusion that it could only be FIP.
Apologies for the lengthy post, but my little boy is so sick and I am desperate. He's been sick for about four weeks. First he started eating less than normal, and was losing weight. Then one day he was really lethargic so I took him to the vet immediately - he had a fever. The vet gave him painkillers, but this didn't help much. Then he did blood work and it showed a high white blood cell count, but no other indicators. He was still eating little and lethargic so he went back to the vet and had an ultrasound. He had an enlarged gallbladder, so the vet put him on antibiotics. After still no improvement, then vet did some x-rays to check his heart and lungs, which seemed fine, but he noticed a mass in his stomach. He had surgery last Thursday and luckily it turned out to be a foreign object - the vet 'massaged' the tube and broke the blockage up a bit and then later he pooped it out - apparently it wasn't possible to identify what it was. We were so relieved and excited about him getting better. The day after surgery he was still at the vet's and they had him on a drip and managed to feed him a whole can of a/d. But once he was home that night he was really lethargic and down. I thought it was the recovery from the surgery, but that was 3 days ago and since then he's barely moved, will not eat at all (probably had about 10 tbsps in all that time), and I am having to feed him water through a syringe. It is utterly devastating, it's like he's disappearing before my eyes and there's nothing I can do. he is also wheezing occasionally, like a wheeze or a low groan, and his nose is twitching when he breathes. I took him back yesterday and he still had a fever. The vet gave him an injection (I don't know what it was called) that he said cats can have every 3-6 weeks and it should help him perk up, but that it really was a last chance. He said that we have tested and tried every avenue and the only diagnosis can be FIP (h isn't currently displaying any wet or dry symptoms - the indicators are the lethargy, loss of appetite and fever that won't go away). Since he came back from surgery and won't eat, it's like his throat or something hurts because he gets excited about food (well, he is alert to it at least) and then he tries a little bit but makes a gulping action and then won't touch anymore; then he starts purring really loudly (which is not normal for him at all)
I am going to talk to the vet today to discuss any other options. I cannot bear the thought of sending him to sleep, it breaks me into pieces. But I can't bear to see this suffering. If there's any way or chance of making him better I will do whatever it takes. I just can't let him go unless I know for sure that there's nothing more can be done for him; but I know I need to find out soon (i.e. within the next 24 hours), as I can't let him carry on like this. I am absolutely devastated. I was wondering if anyone had any advice at all about possible alternative diagnoses? I'd really appreciate it.
I;d just like to add that I really do trust my vet, he has been great. And he also consulted with an internal medicine specialist friend, and apparently she also came to the conclusion that it could only be FIP.