Ollie has "fibrosing" pancreatitis & IBD

Discussion in 'Feline Health - (Welcome & Main Forum)' started by Peggy & Oliver, Oct 20, 2017.

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  1. Peggy & Oliver

    Peggy & Oliver Member

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    When I returned Monday from a weekend away Ollie was not feeling well. He was not eating enthusiastically and by Tuesday was hardly eating at all. He was sitting at his water bowl staring at it and then taking a few sips. He normally doesn't go near his water bowls because he gets enough fluids from wet food diet and all the water I add to it. At first I just thought maybe the kitty caretaker does not put as much water as I do in the food.

    He spent the day Wednesday at the vet getting iv fluids. I thought I'd have to bring him to the Emergency vet overnight for monitoring but at around 4 pm he started eating "kitty crack" - Hill's dry food ID diet for sensitive digestion so they said I could take him home. That night he ate his dinner of Wellness with water and had his shot. His sugar had shot up to over 400 at the vet and was down to 75 by 11 pm at home. The next morning he did not eat enough to shoot. I picked up Wellness grain free dry food and sprinkled it on his Wellness wet food at lunchtime and he ate that. He also gobbled it up for night time meal and gave him his 1 unit (Lantus) with 190 glucose. 5 hours later he was at 44 and gave him a little bit of Fancy Feast gravy lovers, the only way he would eat his food. He was up to 99 at 11:30 pm.

    Today he did not eat enough to have his shot this morning. Brought to vet for fluids later in the morning. Would not eat much at lunchtime, at 3 pm he ate a few licks of wet with kibble mixed in. Tonight a few licks, not interested in the crappy Hills dry food either. Force fed a little bit but not too much and certainly not enough for insulin.

    Vet is thinking the beginning of kidney problems? His Pancreatic Lipase was 26, which she says is normal so she does not think it's pancreatitis altho he has had this chronically before. His right eye is leaking since he was at the vet Wednesday. She had no answer for that either. He is always allergic but I have never seen his eye like this before.

    Don't know what to do.
     
  2. Chris & China (GA)

    Chris & China (GA) Well-Known Member

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    Did any of the vets test him for ketones??
     
  3. Peggy & Oliver

    Peggy & Oliver Member

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    Aug 26, 2015
    Yes, she said it's a "trace" - not enough to be concerned about. My son is a (human) medical lab tech and looked at the test results and said he didn't think they were high enough to be kidney failure. No bacteria in the urine. Trace of blood the vet attributes to needle aspiration of urine.
     
  4. Chris & China (GA)

    Chris & China (GA) Well-Known Member

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    May 10, 2013
    I would continue to test for ketones.....they can develop quickly and a cat that's not willing to eat is one of the first signs of problems

    Then, because they won't eat, you don't give insulin ......and then you end up in crisis.

    Do you have some urine ketone strips?
     
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  5. Peggy & Oliver

    Peggy & Oliver Member

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    Yes, I have them. I will try to catch him next time he pees. Thank you!
     
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  6. Peggy & Oliver

    Peggy & Oliver Member

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    Just tested with the stick and it's negative. He also just ate a little bit while my daughter talked to him on the phone. I know that sounds crazy but she's his favorite :)
     
  7. Chris & China (GA)

    Chris & China (GA) Well-Known Member

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    doesn't sound crazy at all!!

    When China's being finicky or picky, she eats a lot better if I sit with her and spoon feed her. If I just put the food in the bowl she'll walk away, but if I sit there and hold the spoon, she'll stay and eat as long as I'll hold the spoon!!

    Silly cats!!
     
  8. Peggy & Oliver

    Peggy & Oliver Member

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    That's for sure! I'll try sitting with him for longer and bringing the food wherever he is. I wish I knew for sure what was wrong with him. He usually wants to eat all the time. I'm reading more on ketoacedosis. :bookworm: It seems like yesterday they were treating him as if he had it or maybe to prevent it. Thanks for your help tonight.
     
  9. Chris & China (GA)

    Chris & China (GA) Well-Known Member

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    You might try warming up his food a little

    Heating it makes it "smell" more and can sometimes help.

    Also you can try sprinkling parmesan cheese, oregano, catnip on the food or adding a little tuna water
     
  10. Red & Rover (GA)

    Red & Rover (GA) Well-Known Member

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    Raising the food bowl 4-6 inches can help.
     
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  11. Peggy & Oliver

    Peggy & Oliver Member

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    These are great ideas, Chris. Thank you. I like the oregano idea, didn't know that was a happy spice for kitties. He ate some overnight and ate half his breakfast, was able to give him his morning insulin, just .50 and he gained an ounce and a half since yesterday. Feeling hopeful!
     
  12. Peggy & Oliver

    Peggy & Oliver Member

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    Thank you, Red! His bowls are on top of a couple of books :)
     
  13. CassWTribby

    CassWTribby Member

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    Feb 7, 2017
    Sitting staring at water can be nausea. I wonder if he is at the beginning of kidney failure as many of those cats need acid reducer. Ask your vet about giving him 1/4 of an acid reducer once a day for a week or so to see if his appetite returns. You can buy them Otc.
    Slippery elm gel can help ease nausea or acidity as well. My cat Tribby gets 3-5 mls daily and it really helps. If you look on IBD kitties web page there is an easy recipe to make it. It's very nutritious as well and you can find slipper elm capsules at health food stores and some pharmacies. I use a heaping tablespoon of the powder with 1/2 cup water.

    Tribby has IBD as well as diabetes and CKD so we are well versed at treating tummy issues. You can also give sub q fluids quite easily at home. If he's dehydrated then all his systems will suffer unfortunately.
    Good luck and I hope you guys are in the mend!
     
  14. Peggy & Oliver

    Peggy & Oliver Member

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    Aug 26, 2015
    Hi Cass,
    My vet is of the same mind, that this is the beginning of kidney failure :( Ollie can have 1/4 tab of Pepcid twice daily so I'm going to start doing that for a few days regularly to see if it helps. Last night he didn't eat much, but this morning he ate a pretty normal breakfast and I was able to give him his 0.5 unit of Lantus. I appreciate the tip about water-watching being a sign of nausea.

    Sorry that Tribby has IBD and CKD along with the diabetes. I'll check in with the vet about the slippery elm. I have a bag of fluids if we should need them. I'll see how he does today with the eating and drinking. He did drink some last night and this morning and he gets lots of water with his food.

    This is a new challenge for us, I hate to see Ollie so uncomfortable.

    Thanks for your help this morning!
     
  15. Peggy & Oliver

    Peggy & Oliver Member

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    It appears now (Mon 10/23/17) that Ollie has a (most likely viral) URI with lethargy and watery eyes, especially the right eye-maybe he caught it at the vet's? He doesn't seem nauseous anymore but lethargic. Giving 1/4 pepcid twice daily. He is eating about half of what he normally eats and drinking water too, but not excessively, just he never drinks water normally with the amount of hydration he gets with his wet food and the water I add. Vet says this could take 10 days. I need to bring him his food a few times a day. Sardines and pill pockets along with some fresh chicken seem to help get him started. Strangely, his glucose levels are pretty good during all this. Doesn't that seem strange?
     
  16. JanetNJ

    JanetNJ Well-Known Member

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    Jun 8, 2016
    Of you post a copy of his latest lab reports we may be able to suggest stuff.
     
  17. Peggy & Oliver

    Peggy & Oliver Member

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    Aug 26, 2015
    Thanks, Janet. I'll try to post it here. The vet last night said he could have a cold which could take a couple weeks to resolve. She also last week was guessing the beginning of kidney failure. The vet who called me today said it could also be pancreatitis, that they are not sure of diagnosis. I am waiting for an appointment for ultrasound, hopefully tomorrow. Thanks again.
     
  18. Peggy & Oliver

    Peggy & Oliver Member

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  19. Peggy & Oliver

    Peggy & Oliver Member

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    So, we got our diagnosis. Fibrosing pancreatitis and IBD. He's got mirtazapine every three days for appetite stimulant, Flagyl (compounded to liquid), and eye drops for his runny eye. He had a cerenia injection and his first dose of mirtazapine at the vet, and he came home starving and ate and drank. That was 3.5 hours ago. Not so hungry now. Pharmacist suggest flagyl with food so I may wait until tomorrow to start. The amazing thing is his glucose. 77 at pre-shot time - no insulin since Monday morning (two days ago). Ketones are testing negative with the sticks.

     
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