Help please. Do you know what is wrong with my pussycat?
- Thread starter Steel
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Hi Steel,
Oh no, I am very, very sorry to hear this
.
My Luke (cocker-poodle mix, 3.5yo) fell very, very ill last year and like your little girl, the vets (we tried 3!) could not find anything wrong with him. Out of the blue, he also refused to eat and was limping ever so slightly on his front paw. And I tried everything - ground beef, prime rib, chicken, wet food, different brand of kibble - I mean, everything! The only time I could get him to nibble a little was if I sat on the floor with him and have him sit on my lap and eat out of my palm - and even so, I almost had to pry his mouth open to get him to eat.
They did multiple x-rays, multiple bloodwork screenings, 3 different anti-biotics, steroids and painkillers. Nothing - all negative. The diagnoses ranged from athritis to lyme disease to possible cancer.
Just when we have started to lose all hope, he slowly began to eat and perk up. Within 2 weeks, he was eating his regular food sans the fixins and now, he is back to his usual, silly self.
Sorry for the long-winded post, but the point I am trying to make is - don''t lose hope! These little guys are resilient and certainly has every possibility of pulling through.
HUGS to you and LOTS AND LOTS of dust coming your way....
Oh no, I am very, very sorry to hear this
My Luke (cocker-poodle mix, 3.5yo) fell very, very ill last year and like your little girl, the vets (we tried 3!) could not find anything wrong with him. Out of the blue, he also refused to eat and was limping ever so slightly on his front paw. And I tried everything - ground beef, prime rib, chicken, wet food, different brand of kibble - I mean, everything! The only time I could get him to nibble a little was if I sat on the floor with him and have him sit on my lap and eat out of my palm - and even so, I almost had to pry his mouth open to get him to eat.
They did multiple x-rays, multiple bloodwork screenings, 3 different anti-biotics, steroids and painkillers. Nothing - all negative. The diagnoses ranged from athritis to lyme disease to possible cancer.
Just when we have started to lose all hope, he slowly began to eat and perk up. Within 2 weeks, he was eating his regular food sans the fixins and now, he is back to his usual, silly self.
Sorry for the long-winded post, but the point I am trying to make is - don''t lose hope! These little guys are resilient and certainly has every possibility of pulling through.
HUGS to you and LOTS AND LOTS of dust coming your way....
AmberGretchen
Ideal_Rock
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Steel - I''m so sorry to hear poor Lissey is under the weather.
In terms of the not eating, its possible all the tests and the shot at the vet''s may have affected her appetite. I know mine are normally little food hogs, but when they get home from the vet, even just their normal check-up, all they want to do is sleep.
I''ll be dusting and praying hard that sweet Lissey is OK - it just breaks my heart every time I look at her picture and think of her being ill, she looks just like my little Amber and I know how upset I would be if anything happened to her.
I know its so hard not to worry, but I think your little girl will sense your anxiety. So for now, I''d do what you are doing - keep her inside where she is safest and can''t get into any other scrapes, try to tempt her appetite with whatever you can, and just let her know how much you love her.
TONS of dust and huge HUGS that she feels better soon.
In terms of the not eating, its possible all the tests and the shot at the vet''s may have affected her appetite. I know mine are normally little food hogs, but when they get home from the vet, even just their normal check-up, all they want to do is sleep.
I''ll be dusting and praying hard that sweet Lissey is OK - it just breaks my heart every time I look at her picture and think of her being ill, she looks just like my little Amber and I know how upset I would be if anything happened to her.
I know its so hard not to worry, but I think your little girl will sense your anxiety. So for now, I''d do what you are doing - keep her inside where she is safest and can''t get into any other scrapes, try to tempt her appetite with whatever you can, and just let her know how much you love her.
TONS of dust and huge HUGS that she feels better soon.
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Sending positive thoughts your way....
My kitty Queso (don''t laugh - my husband named him) fell quite ill in November. He had pretty much stopped eating and grooming, and was pretty much a mess. After several trips to the vet, he was diagnosed with a severe infection and a thyroid problem. The vet initially told me he thought Queso had kidney cancer. After the vet experimenting with different combinations of medicine for the past few months, Queso finally seems to be on the mend.
I really hope Lissy starts feeling better soon. Please be sure to keep us posted!
My kitty Queso (don''t laugh - my husband named him) fell quite ill in November. He had pretty much stopped eating and grooming, and was pretty much a mess. After several trips to the vet, he was diagnosed with a severe infection and a thyroid problem. The vet initially told me he thought Queso had kidney cancer. After the vet experimenting with different combinations of medicine for the past few months, Queso finally seems to be on the mend.
I really hope Lissy starts feeling better soon. Please be sure to keep us posted!
packrat
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We got a kitten (one of my parents farm cats) right after we''d gotten married..we hadn''t had Hazel all that long when she seemed a little sick..sneezing, watery eyes, simple things like that..then she''d seem fine, then it would start over again. When we took her to the vets, we found out Hazel had feline leukemia and also FIP-feline infectious peritonitis. I very much hope it''s nothing serious like that b/c we had to put Hazel to sleep. What about distemper? A lot of our farm cats would get that periodically during the year and get sooo sick, and then they''d slowly start getting better. I suppose it would be like the cat version of a super bad cold or flu. Sending more healthy kitty dust for Lissey-it''s so hard when our fur babies are sick and we don''t know how to fix it!!
AmberGretchen
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Date: 2/23/2009 5:00:30 AM
Author: Lorelei
Still sending dust.
Ditto - I really really hope Lissey is improving and/or that the vet at least has found some answers about what is wrong with her.
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Hiya Steel,
Oh good - this is some bit of good news.
One thing I forgot to mention was that Luke''s condition lasted a good 6 weeks! It was 6 weeks of anxiety, guilt (over whether he must have eaten something he should not have, like human food, or maybe we should have been allowing him to jump off the SUV), and more anxiety.
Hang tight.
Oh good - this is some bit of good news.
One thing I forgot to mention was that Luke''s condition lasted a good 6 weeks! It was 6 weeks of anxiety, guilt (over whether he must have eaten something he should not have, like human food, or maybe we should have been allowing him to jump off the SUV), and more anxiety.
Hang tight.
frenchblue
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hi steel,
sorry to hear about your cat''s troubles. i just saw this thread, and when i first read through the list of symptoms my first thought was KIDNEYS. i may have missed it but did your vet check? i did see that someone else mentioned it. are her pupils dilated?
please have the vet check creatinine and BUN. this is really what it sounds like to me.
in the meantime, ditto the suggestion to change food. cats are not naturally omnivores and many (though not all) have trouble with fillers.
good luck and let us know
sorry to hear about your cat''s troubles. i just saw this thread, and when i first read through the list of symptoms my first thought was KIDNEYS. i may have missed it but did your vet check? i did see that someone else mentioned it. are her pupils dilated?
please have the vet check creatinine and BUN. this is really what it sounds like to me.
in the meantime, ditto the suggestion to change food. cats are not naturally omnivores and many (though not all) have trouble with fillers.
good luck and let us know
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I thought kidneys too but I would think the vet has tested for that as part of her investigative bloodwork, thankfully it would appear it isn't that as that to me would be one of the first things they would check going by her symptoms ( or should have).
frenchblue
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"or should have"
my dog''s medical file is 6 inches thick, so i know that even good vets sometimes miss things. probably the vet did check but since i didn''t see mention of it it doesn''t hurt to ask...i''m sure steel''s cat is in good hands but the one thing i''ve learned from having my dog is to never assume anything.
my dog''s medical file is 6 inches thick, so i know that even good vets sometimes miss things. probably the vet did check but since i didn''t see mention of it it doesn''t hurt to ask...i''m sure steel''s cat is in good hands but the one thing i''ve learned from having my dog is to never assume anything.
Steel
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Frenchblue,
Hello there. I have not see you before and adore your avatar; is that yours?
Thank you so much for posting for Lissey. I thought the vet had tested for kidney function but will ask specifically. Her pupils are not dilated. I asked the vet about changing her food and he asked that we do nothing until the bloodwork comes back at the end of the week. You sound like you (from experience) know what you are taking about and I would appreciate if you would pop back here at the end of the week - once the vet gets back to me I will post here.
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Steel, time is of the essence if kidney trouble is suspected so I would imagine this is one of the first things your vet tested for, as it is crucial if the kidneys are failing that treatment is started at once. I lost a cat to kidney failure and from my experience if this is suspected the vets won't mess around as there is no time to, immediate treatment and kidney support must be begun.
But do check anyway to be sure.
But do check anyway to be sure.
frenchblue
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hi steel,
yes that''s my e-ring
keeping my fingers crossed for lissey. i will definitely check in and i hope she gets better soon.
yes that''s my e-ring
keeping my fingers crossed for lissey. i will definitely check in and i hope she gets better soon.
Hudson_Hawk
Super_Ideal_Rock
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Steel-
I''m so sorry to hear that you haven''t been able to get to the bottom if Lissy''s problems. While I''m thrilled that the steriods have provided relief, I still can''t help but wonder if her issues are food related. As I mentioned before, my cat Murphy has food intolerances/Irritable Bowel Disorder, which caused many of the same symptoms you''ve seen with Lissy. There was no test for the condition, the vet just had an idea and we tried hs proposed solution which was a special diet. He eats cat food made by Royal Canin called IVD Limited Ingredients. Your vet can order it for you. Here''s a blurb about it:
Detailed Description
Adverse Reactions to Food (ARF)
Intolerance to commonly used proteins, carbohydrates and food additives in the diet can result in gastrointestinal upsets, inflammatory bowel disease and skin eruptions. Four different Limited Ingredient diets have been formulated with a novel source of animal protein (duck, lamb, rabbit, venison) and a single source of carbohydrate (whole green pea and pea fiber). Omega 6 and 3 EFAs are supplemented to provide the optimum in anti-inflammatory effects these nutrients can provide.
Limited Ingredient Diets are formulated to be elementary diets while being 100% complete and balanced providing the veterinarian with large varieties of alternative protein sources for their food intolerant patient.
INGREDIENTS
whole dried peas, duck meal, duck, natural flavor, canola oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols, Rosemary extract and citric acid), vitamins (choline chloride, vitamin A supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, inositol, niacin, ascorbic acid, d-calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin supplement, beta carotene, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), folic acid, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of vitamin K activity), biotin, vitamin B12 supplement), sodium chloride, potassium citrate, salmon oil, evening primrose oil, taurine, L-lysine, minerals (zinc oxide, zinc proteinate, ferrous sulfate, iron proteinate, manganous oxide, copper sulfate, copper proteinate, calcium iodate, sodium selenite), DL-methionine.
If for some reason I can''t get to the vet for his food, he also has Dick Van Patten''s Natural Balance pet food. It''s basically the same thing as the IVD, but available in pet stores.
Getting Murphy onto this special diet has completely turned him around. I hope Lissy has a full recovery!
I''m so sorry to hear that you haven''t been able to get to the bottom if Lissy''s problems. While I''m thrilled that the steriods have provided relief, I still can''t help but wonder if her issues are food related. As I mentioned before, my cat Murphy has food intolerances/Irritable Bowel Disorder, which caused many of the same symptoms you''ve seen with Lissy. There was no test for the condition, the vet just had an idea and we tried hs proposed solution which was a special diet. He eats cat food made by Royal Canin called IVD Limited Ingredients. Your vet can order it for you. Here''s a blurb about it:
Detailed Description
Adverse Reactions to Food (ARF)
Intolerance to commonly used proteins, carbohydrates and food additives in the diet can result in gastrointestinal upsets, inflammatory bowel disease and skin eruptions. Four different Limited Ingredient diets have been formulated with a novel source of animal protein (duck, lamb, rabbit, venison) and a single source of carbohydrate (whole green pea and pea fiber). Omega 6 and 3 EFAs are supplemented to provide the optimum in anti-inflammatory effects these nutrients can provide.
Limited Ingredient Diets are formulated to be elementary diets while being 100% complete and balanced providing the veterinarian with large varieties of alternative protein sources for their food intolerant patient.
INGREDIENTS
whole dried peas, duck meal, duck, natural flavor, canola oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols, Rosemary extract and citric acid), vitamins (choline chloride, vitamin A supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, inositol, niacin, ascorbic acid, d-calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin supplement, beta carotene, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), folic acid, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of vitamin K activity), biotin, vitamin B12 supplement), sodium chloride, potassium citrate, salmon oil, evening primrose oil, taurine, L-lysine, minerals (zinc oxide, zinc proteinate, ferrous sulfate, iron proteinate, manganous oxide, copper sulfate, copper proteinate, calcium iodate, sodium selenite), DL-methionine.
If for some reason I can''t get to the vet for his food, he also has Dick Van Patten''s Natural Balance pet food. It''s basically the same thing as the IVD, but available in pet stores.
Getting Murphy onto this special diet has completely turned him around. I hope Lissy has a full recovery!
Steel
Ideal_Rock
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HH: Very interesting. We feed them on RC already (Fit 32) so I will check with our supplier to see if then can order that in for her, if not I will check with the vet if he can find it.
I am taking this seriously and thank you for your input. I will report back.
I am taking this seriously and thank you for your input. I will report back.
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Hi Steel: I just caught up to Lissey's story. I hope she's OK and getting better! One of my cats had similar symptoms once, but a few days in the pet hospital took care of it. I'm not sure that they every really figured out what was going on... the kept her there so they could keep an eye on her and hydrate her when she needed it. They asked me to drop by every day because they thought she might be more willing to eat when I was there, but that didn't seem to help. Anyhow, afer a few days (several large bills' worth, as I recall) they were convinced that she had stabalized and sent her home with the hope that she'd resume eating once back in her normal surroundings -- and she did! That was several years ago, and she hasn't had a recurrance. She's my cranky kitty though, and I sometimes wonder if she was worth the expense and trouble.... Just kidding!
It sounds like you have a good and caring vet. I hope he or she brings you good news soon!
It sounds like you have a good and caring vet. I hope he or she brings you good news soon!
sunnyd
Ideal_Rock
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Ohhh poor kitty.
My cat has a similar thing. He was hit by a truck as a kitten (like 4 weeks old or something) and as a result, has a narrow intestine. He can't eat solid food for meals and if he gets too much, it blocks his intestine and he can't poop. He goes in the box and yowls in pain...it's so hard to hear. Whatever comes out is runny and all over the walls. So I'm thinking your kitty might have the same? I hope the vet finds something! If it is a blockage, we give him castor oil or vet prescribed laxatives.
ETA: I didn't read the whole thread before answering, oops! I feel so bad, I hope Lissey starts to feel better soon.
ETA: I didn't read the whole thread before answering, oops! I feel so bad, I hope Lissey starts to feel better soon.
OUpearlgirl
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I just saw this thread.. The poor little dear! I hope they find out what is wrong with her soon.
I know how hard it is having a sick pet and I hate that there is not much you can do for Lissy!!
I know how hard it is having a sick pet and I hate that there is not much you can do for Lissy!!
Steel
Ideal_Rock
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Thank you for taking the time to post support OUpeargirl, sunnyd, vrbeauty.
UPDATE
I had a bad dream last night that Lissey was diagnored with Feline Leukeamia, I was so happy to wake up from that.
Well, our vet telephoned tonight and said that her bloodwork was back. He said she was negative for cat aids but that she has feline leukeamia. I almost died. I asked was it possible for her to have the virus when she was vaccinated as a kitten and he said he was not aware of that. (I had told the other vet in his clinic) You see we moved vet's when we moved home so his clinic had not given her that vaccine. I said I would get her records sent from the old vet to his clinic. I remember specifically asking (and paying extra) for the vaccine so I hope to God that they did give it to her. I will be so mad if it is not noted on her records.
So lets hope that the other vet did their job and didn't charge us for an injection never given.
I will not know until tomorrow; when the old vet clinic opens for business.
I will keep you informed.
UPDATE
I had a bad dream last night that Lissey was diagnored with Feline Leukeamia, I was so happy to wake up from that.
Well, our vet telephoned tonight and said that her bloodwork was back. He said she was negative for cat aids but that she has feline leukeamia. I almost died. I asked was it possible for her to have the virus when she was vaccinated as a kitten and he said he was not aware of that. (I had told the other vet in his clinic) You see we moved vet's when we moved home so his clinic had not given her that vaccine. I said I would get her records sent from the old vet to his clinic. I remember specifically asking (and paying extra) for the vaccine so I hope to God that they did give it to her. I will be so mad if it is not noted on her records.
So lets hope that the other vet did their job and didn't charge us for an injection never given.
I will not know until tomorrow; when the old vet clinic opens for business.
I will keep you informed.
packrat
Super_Ideal_Rock
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Oh Steel, I''m so sorry to hear this, for you and for little Lissey too! We had a mommy cat who was a carrier of Feline Leukemia, but she didn''t have it. I suppose like having HIV but not actually having AIDS? Hazel was one of her kittens. (We didn''t know about her mom being a carrier at the time) After she was gone, and we were going to get another kitten from my parents, we had to get the new kitten tested, then vaccinated and then quarantine her for a month I think, and then she had to have a booster and be tested again before she could come home w/us. (I think that was the process..it''s been several years now) I guess it''s super easy to spread, and I''m betting that poor Lissey had been exposed to it before having the vaccination, so the shot wouldn''t have done any good. I''m just so sorry!
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