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Hello! I am a first time poster, having only discovered this site recently. I am hoping for some guidance, advice, or any suggestions on how to proceed with my 15 year old tabby cat named Tyger.
About two years ago, Tyger was diagnosed with what my vet suspected was IBD, initially diagnosed as pancreatitis. Early symptoms were frequent vomiting (mostly food but also clear bile occasionally in the morning) and coughing up hairballs. Then he began pooping outside the box in strange places, like on the recliner or on the rug by the door. My vet said it was likely due to a food allergy so advised me to switch him from all dry food to some canned, avoiding fish and beef.
He would do better for awhile, then have a flair up and symptoms returned. I tried different canned foods but they either caused symptoms or he wouldn't eat them. When he began losing weight, I brought him back to an internal vet specialist, who did an examination and blood work and said he likely had IBD. Suggested trying other foods like duck, venison, or rabbit and prescribed Prednisolone. We discussed doing an endoscopy and possibly a biopsy, but agreed to try the Prednisolone first. Also put him on Mirtazapine and Tumil K for low potassium levels.
Tyger's symptoms improved for several months and he gained back a little weight, but then became diabetic. :-( So we took him off the Prednisolone and started insulin. His diabetes went into remission after about 3 months and we took him off insulin. But he continued to lose weight, down from his normal weight of 10 lbs to about 7 lbs.
Vet did an ultrasound along with blood work and confirmed intestinal thickening, along with mild renal issues. Tyger's weight dropped to 6.4 lbs and vet suspected lymphoma. I also found a few drops of blood on the floor on occasion from Tyger straining in the litterbox.
Due to his weight loss, age, and similar treatment regardless of whether a biopsy would show IBD or lymphoma, we decided to forgo a scope/biopsy and instead start him on Lukeran, Mirtazapine, Budesonide (in the hopes it wouldn't trigger his diabetes) and Tumil K.
That was 2 months ago. He showed some improvement in his mood and his appetite, but his weight did not improve. I brought him back to the vet this morning and he is diabetic again. :-( She said based on this and his continued weight loss, that lymphoma is likely and I should seriously consider putting him down. She said we could try taking him off the Budesonide and starting insulin again, but she does not think his health will improve enough to give him a good quality of life, especially since we were not able to successfully manage his digestive issues. She also said this was the first time she has seen him look different, not as responsive as in the past.
I brought him home for the weekend to have time with him and make a decision. I feel she is right but at the same time I look at him sleeping peacefully, purring when rubbing against me, and eating and going to the bathroom normally. He does not appear to be in pain,though he does show some difficulty lying down, which she thinks could be due to arthritis. He still greets me at the door every day when I come home from work, though he stopped sleeping upstairs with me months ago. He does not play or run around, but spends most of his time sitting under his cat tree by the slider door during the day and sleeps by himself on the couch at night.
I guess I'm wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience and whether there is anything left to try that might turn this around, or if it would only buy him more time, but not quality time. I am heartbroken and feel so much guilt that I didn't research his condition more thoroughly to learn how to manage his diet better to avoid this. I don't want to add the guilt that I put him to sleep prematurely without doing my best to help him, but I also don't want to wait until he is suffering.
I should add that this all started even earlier when he became hyperthyriod about 5 years ago. He was on medication for a year until he had the iodine radiation treatment that cured him, so he has been through a lot, my poor little guy. :-(
Michelle
About two years ago, Tyger was diagnosed with what my vet suspected was IBD, initially diagnosed as pancreatitis. Early symptoms were frequent vomiting (mostly food but also clear bile occasionally in the morning) and coughing up hairballs. Then he began pooping outside the box in strange places, like on the recliner or on the rug by the door. My vet said it was likely due to a food allergy so advised me to switch him from all dry food to some canned, avoiding fish and beef.
He would do better for awhile, then have a flair up and symptoms returned. I tried different canned foods but they either caused symptoms or he wouldn't eat them. When he began losing weight, I brought him back to an internal vet specialist, who did an examination and blood work and said he likely had IBD. Suggested trying other foods like duck, venison, or rabbit and prescribed Prednisolone. We discussed doing an endoscopy and possibly a biopsy, but agreed to try the Prednisolone first. Also put him on Mirtazapine and Tumil K for low potassium levels.
Tyger's symptoms improved for several months and he gained back a little weight, but then became diabetic. :-( So we took him off the Prednisolone and started insulin. His diabetes went into remission after about 3 months and we took him off insulin. But he continued to lose weight, down from his normal weight of 10 lbs to about 7 lbs.
Vet did an ultrasound along with blood work and confirmed intestinal thickening, along with mild renal issues. Tyger's weight dropped to 6.4 lbs and vet suspected lymphoma. I also found a few drops of blood on the floor on occasion from Tyger straining in the litterbox.
Due to his weight loss, age, and similar treatment regardless of whether a biopsy would show IBD or lymphoma, we decided to forgo a scope/biopsy and instead start him on Lukeran, Mirtazapine, Budesonide (in the hopes it wouldn't trigger his diabetes) and Tumil K.
That was 2 months ago. He showed some improvement in his mood and his appetite, but his weight did not improve. I brought him back to the vet this morning and he is diabetic again. :-( She said based on this and his continued weight loss, that lymphoma is likely and I should seriously consider putting him down. She said we could try taking him off the Budesonide and starting insulin again, but she does not think his health will improve enough to give him a good quality of life, especially since we were not able to successfully manage his digestive issues. She also said this was the first time she has seen him look different, not as responsive as in the past.
I brought him home for the weekend to have time with him and make a decision. I feel she is right but at the same time I look at him sleeping peacefully, purring when rubbing against me, and eating and going to the bathroom normally. He does not appear to be in pain,though he does show some difficulty lying down, which she thinks could be due to arthritis. He still greets me at the door every day when I come home from work, though he stopped sleeping upstairs with me months ago. He does not play or run around, but spends most of his time sitting under his cat tree by the slider door during the day and sleeps by himself on the couch at night.
I guess I'm wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience and whether there is anything left to try that might turn this around, or if it would only buy him more time, but not quality time. I am heartbroken and feel so much guilt that I didn't research his condition more thoroughly to learn how to manage his diet better to avoid this. I don't want to add the guilt that I put him to sleep prematurely without doing my best to help him, but I also don't want to wait until he is suffering.
I should add that this all started even earlier when he became hyperthyriod about 5 years ago. He was on medication for a year until he had the iodine radiation treatment that cured him, so he has been through a lot, my poor little guy. :-(
Michelle