Urgent! Cat won't eat. Is Convenia to blame? Please help

[concernedcatlover55]

I replied to the vet again and mentioned the Convenia injections and recevied a unusually quick reply. The senior RVN wrote and strongly feels my cat should be examined by the veterinary surgeon which will also enable me to ask any questions I have "such as the query with Convenia."
No doubt the surgeon would tell me Convenia is very safe, they use it every day and have never had an issue with it. Plus they don't seem to understand when I keep telling them my cat probably wouldn't survive another visit and no way can I afford all of the tests they would want to do, never mind any subsequent treatments.

 

[concernedcatlover55]

Been chatting all day on Whatsapp with the vet (who insists Convenia is perfectly safe and not to believe anything I read on the internet) followed by a lengthy phone call and I've had to relent and book an appointment for Monday. I'm praying that they don't finally find out that what's wrong with him is serious, but I suppose at least then I'll know for sure

 

[fionasmom]

The vet will probably continue to insist that Convenia is safe and in many cases it is. It is commonly used by feral colony keepers who could never do more than get a cat to the vet one time and most do find it "convenient" and safe. It is controversial, but even if this were to be a reaction, the fact that the vet will see your cat again should mean that steps can be taken to help. The Convenia discussion will probably become a moot point, but I would ask for clarification about an appetite stimulant and ask for reasons if one is denied. I certainly hope that nothing else is found; keep us posted.

 

[concernedcatlover55]

I didn't get the impression an appetite stimulant would be denied, just that she wouldn't prescribe something to any animal she hadn't first examined. She told me not to believe anything I read on the internet and that Convenia is out of the system in 2 weeks and so the side effects would end then. I said the manufacturers website says 2 months but she interrupted me and changed the subject.
I'm not saying Convenia is to blame but i am right in what I say, even the drug insert says 65 days, I'm looking at it right now on the manufacturers website! And the vet/medical profession wonders why people don't trust them

 

[FeebysOwner]

I'm not saying Convenia is to blame but i am right in what I say, even the drug insert says 65 days, I'm looking at it right now on the manufacturers website!

Take that information with you to the vet and show them. Not saying anything of value will come from it, but perhaps they can give some reasoning for the difference.

 

[Kflowers]

In our experience it took more than two months. (our cat kept eating but pulled out all her fur. Since this isn't on the list of possible side effects is was considered a co-incidence, despite it happening all three times she got that shot.) Go to your vet, collect copies of all your cats records, right then, don't let them put you off, and go to another vet. There is no excuse for her saying it was cleared out in 2 weeks then ignoring your response. That is NOT good on so many levels.

 

[concernedcatlover55]

This is what concerns me - there is obviously something wrong with him, they don't know what, but they won't even entertain the idea that it might be the Convenia. They're probably right, but it could be. Sadly I doubt I will find a vet who thinks differently. I don't live in a big city so choices are limited.

Very sorry to hear about your cat. I hope she's okay now

 

[Kflowers]

Thanks she is. The itching lasted three months, a month after the convenia was supposed to be over. Maybe she kept itching maybe pulling her hair was habit by then. Since she did stop with no retraining I think she continued to itch. Medicines effect individual animals and people differently, some shake off a drug in half the time expected, some take longer. I wrote no convenia on tape on her carrier and asked them to put it on her chart. I don't know whether or not they believed me, but they do know I'm the one that decides what gets paid for, so, at least they are humoring me.

 

[concernedcatlover55]

Yes I will be saying No Convenia for any future cats. Even if it wasn't responsible for what's happening right now I don't like the idea of injecting something that can't be removed if there is a bad reaction. Especially when there are other antibiotics. I just wish I'd known about this before. Injection that lasts for weeks and can't be removed or an oral solution/pill you can hide with a lick-e-lix and stop at any time. Not a difficult choice!

 

[fionasmom]

You can have your vet attach a notation to his file that Convenia is not to be used.

 

[concernedcatlover55]

Update: I took my cat for an appointment today, late because I'm feeling ill so stressed when I arrived. A different vet examined him but couldn't find anything wrong but said it was probably cancer even though she couldn't feel any growths. Something like lymphoma. She did say he was now anaemic and wanted to do bloods, which I can't afford, so I said if this is just to find out what he's going to die of what's the point?
I then mentioned Convenia being the cause of his appetite loss and anaemia. She said it's only in his system 2 weeks and they aren't side effects anyway. I said yes they are and it's 65 days not 2 weeks. She looked online and said, oh yeah, but it's 1 in 10,000. I said my cat might be the 1 in 10,000 though. She said it's possible but she's been a vet many years and never heard of it, far more likely it's cancer or FIV virus (I think that's what she said).
Basically I decided against bloods and will continue with him as I have been and hope it's Convenia and that if it is its affects wear off soon. He still seems fine in himself other than not eating, though he has nibbled a bit this week, besides lick-e-lix.

Totally forgot that the reason I went was for an appetite stimulant so I've just rung the vet and left a message asking if that now she's seen him she can prescribe it!

 

[Kflowers]

Hugs and here's my bag of swear words, feel free to use them any time you like.

 

[concernedcatlover55]

Thanks.
The vets may well be right, it might be nothing to do with Convenia, but it's strange that he has enough appetite to maintain an okay weight after 7 weeks (was originally 5.5kg = 11lbs and is now 4.5kg = 10lbs) even if it is with junk treats and is currently sitting in the sunshine looking very happy.

Oh and they also suspected something to do with his pancreas because he was sore there last visit but as hard as she prodded she couldn't find anything and he didn't complain.

I'm baffled, the vets seem baffled, my friend is a senior NHS nurse (one of the good ones) in palliative care and cat lover and she's baffled.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Anemia can be caused by cancer, but that isn't necessarily the only thing that can cause it. I am sure she wanted to do blood work to see if that might shed any light on the anemia, as well as showing up any other deficiencies/problems, especially with his poor eating habits. Did she say anything about treating his anemia, or was that contingent on getting the blood work done in order to better understand what might be behind it? Eating deficiencies can prompt pancreatic issues as well. That is probably another reason she wanted to do blood work.

Glad you remembered about the appetite stimulant! I hope the vet agrees to give it a try. A one-pound loss isn't horrible for 7 weeks but is no surprise with the way he is eating. Ideally, he will stop losing any more if you can get him to start eating better!

 

[concernedcatlover55]

It's closer to 2lbs but still not terrible for 7 weeks.

Any treatment was dependent on blood results in case she gave him something for an issue he didn't have and made him worse. That was £200 alone, but I've just spent £2000 on him for his original operation so I can't afford more just to see what he's going to die of. The appetite stimulant I will find the money for as this might save his life if we're looking at a convenia issue.

 

[concernedcatlover55]

Also the cat treats clearly have far more calories in them than it says on the packet otherwise no way would he weigh as much as he does!

 

[concernedcatlover55]

The vet has finally replied and sent my a very long message stating all the reasons why an appetite stimulant without bloods to find out what the problem is is a very bad idea, but she will do it if I sign a waiver. At this point my big beautiful cat is now a shadow of his former self and I don't see an appetite stimulant achieving anything. I'm just spending as much time as I can with him while he's still around

 

[FeebysOwner]

While I don't condone your vet's methodology, I think she is hoping to convince you that the blood work is necessary. It may not resolve your cat's issues, but it could help.

Any chance you can borrow the money from a family member or friend and get the blood work done?

 

[concernedcatlover55]

Update: It's now Friday and my puss has gone from not eating anything but lick-e-lix for a month to eating a packet of cat food, a couple of lix and the odd small piece of meat (chicken, beef) every day. It's 25 days since his second convenia injection and about 55 days since his first and his appetite started to return slightly about a week ago and then really picked up on wednesday. I even left his cat flap open last night so he could go out, for the first time in 55 days. Hopefully the vet(s) were wrong and I was right, Convenia was responsible for his anorexia and anemia and not a terminal illness (for which he has no other symptoms).

I realise he could just be having a good period and may regress, but I'm so glad I didn't listen to the vets (who at the last visit were talking of euthanasia) and I will not give up hand feeding him at all hours of the day and night until he's better.

Also, he will NEVER be taking Convenia again, or returning to his current vets.

 

[concernedcatlover55]

I thought you might appreciate an update so here goes. It's day 55 since the second Convenia injection. About 30 days ago my "terminally ill" cat started nibbling actual cat food again, despite the vet refusing to give him an appetite stimulant. About 20 days ago I found a probiotic/prebiotic paste, since when he has improved daily. He is now eating regularly, though still not quite as much as I would like, but improves every day. I am in no doubt that the 2 convenia injections he was given (neither of which had my informed consent) were to blame. The vets refused to even entertain the idea that this was the problem and wanted to euthanise, but I refused to give up on him and I was right.

My cat is currently sunbathing in the garden having already had a couple of packets of food today