Have you tried Delectable Lickables in the stew flavors? my cats have survived weeks on only a few licks a day of this, they have leukemia and can totally stop eating.
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Would appreciate feedback re: my cat starving himself
- Thread starter cataan
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Do a search here for Cerenia. I think you will see quite a few posts relating to it and lack of appetite.
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Hi. I am sorry your cat is so ill.
Pancreatitis hurts allot. He needs a good pain medication such as buprenorphine. Gabapentin won't work on that kind of pain. If the pain meds knock him out, that's okay. At least he will be comfortable.
With syringe feeding. you cannot syringe feed a cat enough to sustain life without causing food aversion or causing the cat to aspirate the food. The baby food is great in a pinch to try to jump start the appetite so to speak, but it doesn't work long term. If he didn't start eating on his own by now, you have to consider a feeding tube. It is easy to get the number of calories and nutrients into a cat that way and it is minimally invasive and only requires a 2-minute procedure if you use a vet that knows how to do them.
Really for everything that is going on with your cat, you need referral to a specialist. Specialists can usually place a feeding tube very quickly without hardly any anesthesia time.
Why did you decrease the amount of fluids? Was it per your veterinarian?
I would get a second opinion if you want to continue to try to help your cat. I say that for the reasons above, but also that you said your vet recommended euthanasia. Usually when a vet is suggesting that, it is a good time to see a different vet. Unless you agree with the vet and that is entirely up to you. You know your cat better than anyone and are the only one who can make that horrible gut-wrenching decision.
Other things to consider is famotidine, Vitamin B12 injection, Midazolam injection. (through your vet of course) I would talk to your vet about discontinuing the appetite stimulants if they aren't working. What is the point to additional medications if they aren't doing what they should. I would continue with the Cerenia. It is a good medication for nausea and also has some anti=inflammatory properties. I would also check what the potassium levels are as I have a feeling they might need to be supplemented and if they are low he will feel horrible.
I hope your cat is feeling better soon. I am sorry you and he are going through this.
Pancreatitis hurts allot. He needs a good pain medication such as buprenorphine. Gabapentin won't work on that kind of pain. If the pain meds knock him out, that's okay. At least he will be comfortable.
With syringe feeding. you cannot syringe feed a cat enough to sustain life without causing food aversion or causing the cat to aspirate the food. The baby food is great in a pinch to try to jump start the appetite so to speak, but it doesn't work long term. If he didn't start eating on his own by now, you have to consider a feeding tube. It is easy to get the number of calories and nutrients into a cat that way and it is minimally invasive and only requires a 2-minute procedure if you use a vet that knows how to do them.
Really for everything that is going on with your cat, you need referral to a specialist. Specialists can usually place a feeding tube very quickly without hardly any anesthesia time.
Why did you decrease the amount of fluids? Was it per your veterinarian?
I would get a second opinion if you want to continue to try to help your cat. I say that for the reasons above, but also that you said your vet recommended euthanasia. Usually when a vet is suggesting that, it is a good time to see a different vet. Unless you agree with the vet and that is entirely up to you. You know your cat better than anyone and are the only one who can make that horrible gut-wrenching decision.
Other things to consider is famotidine, Vitamin B12 injection, Midazolam injection. (through your vet of course) I would talk to your vet about discontinuing the appetite stimulants if they aren't working. What is the point to additional medications if they aren't doing what they should. I would continue with the Cerenia. It is a good medication for nausea and also has some anti=inflammatory properties. I would also check what the potassium levels are as I have a feeling they might need to be supplemented and if they are low he will feel horrible.
I hope your cat is feeling better soon. I am sorry you and he are going through this.
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Hi everyone,
Regarding the various medications, my cat was taking prednisolone and famotidine regularly. Cerenia also but it didn't seem to do much, and neither of two appetite stimulants worked. I was giving him 100 ml sub-Q as well as syringe-fed water and syringe-fed wet food and/or baby food. Hills A/D and K/D pate, with a little extra water, worked well via syringe. Admittedly, all any of this stuff does is ameliorate symptoms - none of it actually fixes the problem.
Unfortunately, a couple days ago his creatinine jumped to 6.7, and today it remained at 6.7 while his BUN jumped to over 100. His anemia values also worsened. I planned to increase his sub-Q and syringe-feeding with the goal of lowering the kidney values, but as I kept an eye on him I could see he was deteriorating, laying with his face in a pillow in a weird, twisted posture, so I decided I'd have a mobile vet euthanize him tomorrow. I did not want to make that decision but could see it had to be done, though at least I'd have one more night holding and petting him on my chest.
But as time went on today I could see his breathing looking worse, it seemed to require more effort and the rate increased, and for the first time ever he whined (not a meow). My gut told me he probably wouldn't survive the night, and dying by what would effectively be asphyxiation would be a horrible death, not to mention he surely already felt like crap. A friend would not let a friend die like that, so I drove him back to the vet and he was euthanized this evening (sedative, then the euthanizing agent). Beforehand, I spent about 15 minutes in the lobby area with the cat carrier open, talking to him, asking him to give me a sign that he wanted to go home, but he was so tired. Just so tired. In fact, if you held him steady on all four paws, then removed your support, he would just flop over. He couldn't even stand anymore. I know it needed to be done, kidney disease is a losing game, all I could get for him were two additional weeks, and he probably would have been happy giving back half of the second one.
I've appreciated everyone's messages - thank you again. I guess when you adopt a pet you know this day will come, whether it's in one year or in 17 years, no one lives forever, and we know this going into it. I also know my cat had a wonderful life and that he loved me dearly (especially when he would shove his head under my chin or plant his face on mine and drool on me), just as I loved him - and he knew I loved him.
Regarding the various medications, my cat was taking prednisolone and famotidine regularly. Cerenia also but it didn't seem to do much, and neither of two appetite stimulants worked. I was giving him 100 ml sub-Q as well as syringe-fed water and syringe-fed wet food and/or baby food. Hills A/D and K/D pate, with a little extra water, worked well via syringe. Admittedly, all any of this stuff does is ameliorate symptoms - none of it actually fixes the problem.
Unfortunately, a couple days ago his creatinine jumped to 6.7, and today it remained at 6.7 while his BUN jumped to over 100. His anemia values also worsened. I planned to increase his sub-Q and syringe-feeding with the goal of lowering the kidney values, but as I kept an eye on him I could see he was deteriorating, laying with his face in a pillow in a weird, twisted posture, so I decided I'd have a mobile vet euthanize him tomorrow. I did not want to make that decision but could see it had to be done, though at least I'd have one more night holding and petting him on my chest.
But as time went on today I could see his breathing looking worse, it seemed to require more effort and the rate increased, and for the first time ever he whined (not a meow). My gut told me he probably wouldn't survive the night, and dying by what would effectively be asphyxiation would be a horrible death, not to mention he surely already felt like crap. A friend would not let a friend die like that, so I drove him back to the vet and he was euthanized this evening (sedative, then the euthanizing agent). Beforehand, I spent about 15 minutes in the lobby area with the cat carrier open, talking to him, asking him to give me a sign that he wanted to go home, but he was so tired. Just so tired. In fact, if you held him steady on all four paws, then removed your support, he would just flop over. He couldn't even stand anymore. I know it needed to be done, kidney disease is a losing game, all I could get for him were two additional weeks, and he probably would have been happy giving back half of the second one.
I've appreciated everyone's messages - thank you again. I guess when you adopt a pet you know this day will come, whether it's in one year or in 17 years, no one lives forever, and we know this going into it. I also know my cat had a wonderful life and that he loved me dearly (especially when he would shove his head under my chin or plant his face on mine and drool on me), just as I loved him - and he knew I loved him.
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I’m so sorry to hear this. I understand. I just went through this a couple years ago with my avatar kitty Krista, that beautiful tortie up there. I probably didn’t recognize her time soon enough and she passed in a cage alone at the vet waiting for intervention that wouldn’t be enough. She definitely looked willing to go the night before but I still had too much hope.
Yours sounded like a wonderful companion. I hope you’ll post a tribute in Crossing the Bridge forums whenever you’re ready.
Yours sounded like a wonderful companion. I hope you’ll post a tribute in Crossing the Bridge forums whenever you’re ready.
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I am so sorry for your loss. As you know, it was the right decision. Kidney disease is horrible. I am sorry.
I am so sorry for your loss. You absolutely made the hardest and bravest decision that you could for your friend and spared him any further complications.
Please try to keep your last sentence in mind...he had a wonderful, amazing life with you and knew how much you loved him.
Please try to keep your last sentence in mind...he had a wonderful, amazing life with you and knew how much you loved him.
When a cat passes on, we lock the thread out of respect. You are welcome to post a tribute in our Crossing the Bridge forum.
Crossing the Bridge
Once again, I am very sorry for your loss.
Crossing the Bridge
Once again, I am very sorry for your loss.
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