[Reg]

Hi Tiggy2:

Sorry to hear you are still having problems with Tigger. I've had some experience feeding raw using a syringe. I found that pork seemed to break down more into a slurry that was suitable for a syringe.

I have some questions for you.

What are you using presently for recipe for raw food? Is it the one that SCM suggested back in June of 2013?

Do you have your own grinder? And have you been doing the bone grinding as well with the raw food - ie, chicken or turkey, or even rabbit?

What are you using for a syringe? Is it the medical type or something like the farmers' Co-op or feed store sells for force feeding?

In regards to Tig's bowel movements - are you able to observe any blood or mucosa in them? I haven't noticed any reference in past articles or postings.

The suggestion is that it could be IBD, but it might be IBS, which is a lot more difficult to deal with, and there is a difference in the two.

I dealt with Missy for years under the impression of IBD and really not being able to get a handle on it. It wasn't until about the last 6 months of her life, that we realized that we were dealing with the Syndrome and not the Disease. In short - the syndrome is an allergic reaction to certain protein - like chicken. The disease seems to be more of a reaction to manufactured foods.

I'm more in Marko's ballpark when it comes to putting him down. There isn't enough information - to my way of thinking - to put him down at this point. It's more of getting a handle on his present problem to see if you can get him back to more comfort.

In regards to stress. From my experience with cats, we as humans have no conception of what they go through and how long the situation causing the stress will affect them. We just went through a lot of it before parting with Missy and then to loose Shadow a few days later - specifically due to the stress of Missy being gone - and we were in the midst of a major move. We really had no idea what was going on in their minds. Had his situation been classed as human - it could have been called a type of suicide.

Anyway, back to Tig. If you can answer some of my questions, I can send you the web site for the pork recipe and how I work with it to make it syringeable - if there is such a word?

One last question - have you ever contemplated an integrative vet or alternative medicine for Tig ? I have looked into that e-tube feeding too. I have not used it, but it looks good for long term. It really cuts the stress level way back for the animal.