Hey, and HELP!!!

[chrystal]

Hey, I'm new to all this stuff, but really needing advice for one of my cats. He is 8 yrs old, and hasn't eaten in 4 days. He has had some water, but his poop is more like water and he can't make it to the litter box, just to the bath mat in the main bathroom. He has lost weight, too. Any ideas on what this might be???

[Winston]

Welcome to the forum...I think you need to see a vet immediately...Cats that dont eat for that many days can decline at a quick rate...We are not vets here so something this serious needs to be looked at quickly!

Please let us know how you make out!

Would love to see some pics of your kitty!

Cindy

[SARAH]

Yes yes yes ... run to the vet and see what's wrong with your and then run back with good news and post some pics for us!

Main concern: vet!

[rainbow]

Welcome to the forum and I agree......get your cat to the vet right away as he is seriously ill. :sad: Good luck and keep us posted.

[phoozles]

Good luck - hopefully everything will be okay!

[14+kitties]

Yes, I agree. Something is seriously wrong. Vet first, pics later. And welcome!

[chrystal]

Hey Everyone,

Thanks for all the good wishes, Harley is still at the vet... He is jaundiced, and hepatic, so I don't know when he will be able to come home. :sad:

The vet is closed tomorrow, but at least he will let me go there to see my baby at 10:15.

Phoozles, I know how you feel about a pleasantly plump . My Harley bear was 23 lbs at last check up, he is now 17 lbs. So this is just breaking my heart!

The other 2 s now know that he isn't here and seem to be looking for him. Rotten (the queen mit meow at 12 yrs old) not as much as Alaska (the baby girl mit meow at 4 yrs old).

Of course, my daughter, Cassandra (18 mths), is also asking Ha-lee? Ha-lee? Too cute, but sends me into another wave of tears....

Anyway, that is the update for now. Will keep you all posted. I have photos of all 3, but don't know how to get them on here. Can anyone help?

Love, Chrystal

[growler~GateKeeper]

for your Harley, great vet you have there to let you in to see him when they are closed

Has he had a full blood panel & urinalysis done? It is recommended to have them done every 6 months or @ the least every year after they turn 7 years old.

For the pics they each must be smaller than 100kb (various photo editing software will help w/this), when you click the reply button in a thread & get the reply box when you scroll down the page you will see "manage attachments" click that & type in or browse for the location of the pics on your computer, click upload, then post reply

[rainbow]

Sending lots of good wishes for Harley

[sugarcatmom]

Hi Chrystal,

Sorry to hear about Harely and his liver problems. I'm assuming he's developed hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver). How is he today? Do you know what the vet is doing to treat it? I'm a little concerned that he isn't at a 24 hr clinic. Do you know if the vet has someone check on him in the night? He must be on IV at this point and I'd be very leery about leaving a cat on an IV unattended for very long.

While HL is very serious, most cats do recover if it's treated aggressively. That may mean placing a feeding tube to make sure he gets the nutrition he needs. Sounds scary but it's very doable. Here are some links for you to check out:
http://www.sniksnak.com/cathealth/hep-lipidosis.html
http://www.vet.uga.edu/vpp/clerk/turner/index.php
http://www.catinfo.org/feedingtubes.htm

Let us know how Harley is doing. for his recovery.

[StumpsMom]

Sorry to hear about Harley...sure hope he feels better soon. And welcome to Pets.ca

[chrystal]

Hey All,

Thanks again for the well wishes, links, and to you growler for how to attach photos... (it won't do it, but thanks!) When I tried to upload, it told me I had an invalid post. (Don't know what that means) I may try again at the end of this message.

So, (amidst a river of tears) vet doesn't know if it is hepatic lipidosis without a biopsy or ultrasound, and I just can't afford those tests, so Harley may not be coming home. At least not in the recovery sense. :sad:

I did go see him today, and he tried to get out of the cage they have him in. He drank some water, and ate 1 of the treats I gave to him. I took the shirt I wore yesterday to put in with him, told him I loved him, gave him cuddles, and cried my heart out.

He is not on an IV, and the vet is really good. My hubby, Jaret, has been with him for years with all of the animals he has had. The Dr. checks on all of the animals regularly as he lives on property.

Anyway, kids, I have about 3 hours worth of work to do to finish my work day, so I will say night night. Love you all for all your and words of hope, but I fear it may be hopeless .

Thanks again.

Chrystal

[growler~GateKeeper]

I'm not a vet by in my opinion it does sound like hepatic lipidosis.

Has the vet been able to get Harley to eat?

What Harley really needs right now is a high quality high protein food (raw would be best) to allow the liver to clear out the excess fat & resume moving it through the body. Fluids are also very important to help flush the toxins from his system.

The feeding tube suggested by Sugarcatmom is a great idea, this will ensure Harley gets the protein nutrition he desparately needs. High quality protein pureed food can then be syringed directly into his gi tract.

Some supportive supplements good for the liver are milk thistle and SAM-e

Also you can look into Standard Process Feline Hepatic Support I'm using their Feline Renal Support & Whole Body Support supplements with great success for my cat.

HL is not the death sentence it once was, if treated in time & aggressively, many cats will go on to make a complete recovery.

Many continued & for Harley

[rainbow]

I'm really sorry to hear about Harley.

Sugarcatmom and Growler are very knowledgable about cats and any information they give you is definitely worth following.

Sending lots of good wishes and keep us posted.

[chrystal]

Ok, first of all, thank you again to growler and sugarcatmom for their wonderful knowledge. I am doing some research on all this stuff that is cramming my noggin! I want to bring him home so bad.... How long would I have to tube feed him for??? I also am wondering if this will happen again? His glucose is high because of stress, and I don't want to stress him out anymore! Is it the other 2 cats? Is it Cassandra? There are just so many things that I just don't know about. Which is why I am turning to you wonderful people for advice and support. Will go to see him in a while, will keep you posted.

Chrystal

[SARAH]

Poor Harley :sad:
Why are all these tests so darned expensive all the time? With all the technology they have available, you'd think it'd be just an affair of a simple click on a machine, no? Yes, the machine costs money, but ... can't several vets in one area pay one together and send the samples to where this machine is, rather than having one each? slightly but not a lot!

for Harley and for you, and a big to all your furry and non-furry family.

[amatazes]

I have a big fat cat too at age 15. If anything happened to him I would cry as much as you.
Good luck.

[chrystal]

Thanks, Sarah, appreciate the thoughts. I agree about the cost of tests, and the machine etc. I hear ya sister! Thanks so much to sugarcatmom again and to growler, their info is beyond helpful. I haven't gone to see him yet... evasion??? Anyway, will keep you all posted when I know more.

Chrystal

[phoozles]

chrystal, I feel your pain. Jake was suspected of having fatty liver a few months back, but I think he didn't end up having it. He was dehydrated and had an IV put in - it was expensive, so I feel your pain on that one too!

I agree with the others, it definitely sounds like Harley's has fatty liver, and the good news is that they can rebound quite nicely from this. I know you're worried about it happening again, but as long as you monitor his eating habits, he should be fine in the future (your vet will probably prescribe an appetite stimulant if it looks like he's not eating - had one for Jake and it worked like a charm!).

Hopefully Harley can come home soon and be back on the mend!

[chico2]

chrystal,I am glad you came here for advice,even though none of us is a vet,many have the experience and knowledge to help out.
I hope you and the vet can figure something out and that Harley can come home to be treated,away from the stress at the vet.
for Harley

[sugarcatmom]

Originally Posted by chrystal

How long would I have to tube feed him for???

That tends to be individual to the cat and the circumstances. I believe the average is 6-8 weeks but I've heard of some cats eating on their own 2 days after going home, and in my own case (I had a 3 yr old come down with HL many years ago), it was 3 months before we were ready to pull the tube out.

Originally Posted by chrystal

I also am wondering if this will happen again?

It doesn't usually. Once the liver has recovered, most cats live out the rest of their lives as normal. Having said that, it becomes vitally important to make sure the cat maintains a healthy weight and that it doesn't go without food for more than 24 hrs.

Originally Posted by chrystal

His glucose is high because of stress, and I don't want to stress him out anymore! Is it the other 2 cats? Is it Cassandra?

He's probably stressed from being at the vet. Infection and illness (other forms of stress) can also cause temporary hyperglycemia. This should resolve once he's home and feeling better (you can always check it yourself by picking up some Bayer diastix from the pharmacy and dipping one in his urine).

Originally Posted by chrystal

There are just so many things that I just don't know about. Which is why I am turning to you wonderful people for advice and support. Will go to see him in a while, will keep you posted.

Chrystal

Hang in there! I know it's hard, but when you visit him try to think positively so that he doesn't pick up on your despair. Do you have any idea what the vet is trying to do to make him better? I'm curious to know why Harley isn't on an IV because without eating for this many days and having had diarrhea, dehydration is a major concern. Not to mention that his electrolytes must be way out of whack. Is he force-feeding him at least? Giving him appetite stimulants? (which can be hard on an already compromised liver, but not eating is going to be much more detrimental). I don't mean to second-guess your vet and obviously I don't know all the details, just wondering.

If money is the issue, perhaps you can apply for Care Credit, which is like an interest free medical credit card to be paid back over the course of a year or so. It's also possible that you could qualify for assistance from IMOM, if your vet is willing to work with them. I would just hate to see Harley pass away from something treatable.

Good luck! Keep us updated, we're all pulling for you guys.

[chrystal]

Oh, Sugarcatmom, if I could give you the world right now I would! I am just about to read those sites you sent me. Hopefully I can get some assistance that way

From what I read up on about HL, he stopped eating because he was stressed out. And what I thought was diarrhea was his urine, because it was so orange, I thought it was poop, but that just brings on a whole other barrage of questions and concerns....

I haven't gone to see him yet, but hopefully soon. Just waiting for my best friend to call back, so she can come with me. (I hate going alone) and maybe with her there, I can be stronger. Although she is as bad as me! She recently had to put her 19 yr old cat Opal down (August) and she is just as devastated about Harley.

Again, thank you thank you thank you!

Chrystal and Harley

[sugarcatmom]

Originally Posted by chrystal

From what I read up on about HL, he stopped eating because he was stressed out.

Well, maybe or maybe not. A lot of the time there is no identifiable cause (idiopathic), or it could be the secondary result of some other disease like diabetes, pancreatitis, hyperthyroid, etc. My cat that developed it 12 yrs ago became anorexic from antibiotics, and because I free-fed dry food I didn't notice he'd stopped eating for several days.

Do you have reason to think Harley is stressed out? How's his attitude normally? Has he taken to hiding or hissing, acting unusually cranky or mopey? There are some things you can do to help him, such as get a Feliway room diffuser or some Rescue Remedy, but we can get into that later if needed.

Originally Posted by chrystal

And what I thought was diarrhea was his urine, because it was so orange, I thought it was poop,

All the more reason for him to be getting intravenous fluids! And no doubt he needs his electrolytes monitored and balanced. I really really hope your vet is on top of this.

Stay strong! You're doing great.

[chrystal]

Thanks again, Sugarcatmom, and yes it has been real stressful here for the last 3 months. Hubby and I almost split, and since Cassandra was born, Harley and I don't get to spend as much time together as we should. Normally, he couldn't give a hooey about much of anything, unless he wanted cuddles, then he would just jump on up and get them. He was mad at me for a while when we brought Cassandra home, but I thought he was over it, and recently she has been wanting to give him pets and kisses. We made sure she was very gentle with the cats, but the odd time she gets a bit over-zealous, and follows them around for a bit.

Regarding the fluids, he is not on an IV, but the vet has been giving him injections, and silly me, I didn't ask what it was. He apparently did eat this morning, and he is drinking water. I gave him a few soft treats tonight, and he ate a bit of them.

As far as those sites you gave me about getting some other help were great, but IMOM is out because he is already in the clinic. I have to try something else with Care Credit since the area where he is doesn't have any vets on the program.

I have to call the vet in the morning and let him know whether I want to go ahead with the biopsy and feeding tube, but I just don't know if I can afford all this. If I were to have an ultrasound and fine needle aspirate done, he would have to be sent downtown Vancouver and he said to get a radiologist to do the test asap, I would be looking at 5-600.00.

I am getting frustrated just because of finances now. Especially since I know that there are things that can be done, that it isn't completely hopeless, and it gives me hope to bring my baby home. But if this is gonna run me a ton of $$$, when I only work 1 day a week, then what?

I am so thankful to you for all your advice and links, it has helped me to understand more that when all this happened, and again, if I could give you the world right now, I would! You are an absolute and I can't thank you enough!

Well, gonna run for tonight, need to try to get more sleep than I have been getting and my body is starting to drag. So, night night, and thank you so much for the fiftieth time (with more to come!), you will never know how much I appreciate all that you, and Growler, and all the others have done, and the support you have all shown this new nitwit.

Lovies (as Cassandra would say) to you all.

Chrystal

[growler~GateKeeper]

So glad Harley is eating & drinking the feeding tube would still be best for longer term support like Sugarcatmom mentions.

Originally Posted by chrystal

If I were to have an ultrasound and fine needle aspirate done, he would have to be sent downtown Vancouver and he said to get a radiologist to do the test asap, I would be looking at 5-600.00.

Vancouver Animal Emergency on 4th? Northwest Nuclear Medicine within VAER? or Canada West Veterinary Specialists in Burnaby?

I have been to the Radiologists @ CanWest in Burnaby for my dog & to the hyperthyroid specialists @ Northwest Nuclear for Duffy both facilities are fabulous & VanAnimal ER too of course - all are dedicated to the pets not the $. Northwest did a half down payment plan for me, with the other half paid 1 month later (HyperThyriod radiation $1300). You can always phone & ask if a payment plan is an option for your case. CanWest & NorthWest Nuclear are both by referral only so they are more open to offering payment plans. Vancouver Animal ER is 24hr vet staffed not sure if they offer payment plans but again a phone call never hurts.

many & for Harley & you

[Love4himies]

Here is a for you. I am sorry that I can't offer any advice, but would like to reassure you that sugarcatmom and growler are extremely knowledgeable when it comes to felines and would never hesitate to take their advice.

that Harley makes a speedy recovery.

[chrystal]

hey, growler, the one he mentioned is out by the PNE grounds, so I don't know if you know which one that is?

I just don't know what to do, my financial situation is just prolonging everything, and I don't know whether to just stop the suffering...

I want to bring him home, but???

gotta run, cassandra needs breakfast.

love u all, and thanks again.

Chrystal

[amatazes]

it's a very hard decision to make. If you need moral support everyone here can do that but it's a decision you have to make on your own.

I think, if you try, you will find a way, either way.

[chrystal]

Hey everyone,

I have just made the hardest decision ever. I am going to have him put down. I just can't bring him back to a stressed out house, because even if he does recover, will it happen again? will he run away? I just can't take that chance. This is so hard, but I can't do this to him. i love him too much!

I will so need all of you to get thru this!

chrystal

[amatazes]

:sad: