? 6/26 Ozzy - Vetty Visit in an hour. Any advice on what to ask/test for

Taking Ozzy to vet in next hour. He needs some bloodwork and need to see what's going on with his weight loss and vomiting. Also feel like he has some muscle wasting. Wish I knew how to link my last condo here from my phone!!

Any advice on what to ask vet or what we should test for? I'm thinking pancreatits and IBD but not sure what those tests are. Also don't want to test for everything under sun. Here is Southern California, almost every routine vet visit for BG workup ends up costing me over $400!!

Can anyone take a peek at his SS and let me know thoughts on his numbers?

Thanks!

 

Here’s your last post.
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/6-17-ozzy-general-questions.231143/#post-2586016

 

THANK YOU!!!!

 

We’re his last labs on 2017? I’m in sunny Cal too. Will you be able to go into the office? My vet is still not allowing that.

 

no. 2019. just didnt post them. labs were clean except sugar in urine and low fructosamine levels (likely being given too much insulin) .

My vet is doing curb side appts. they come get your pet and examine them and then call you to discuss. So here I am waiting in the car in 80+ degree heat! Luckily I found the only parking spot under a tree.

 

they just came and got him and told me to go home and they would call me with estimate.

So still time if anyone has any suggestions...

 

Ok vet just called. Ozzy has 103.8 temp and incresed respiration rate. Said he also seemed to be in pain when palpating his abdomen. She is thinking that he might have a UTI or some other infection and also pancreatitis. She seemed to be leaning more towards pancreatitis vs IBD but not sure why. We are going to get some bloodwork and she is giving him an antibiotic injection, some fluids, and send him home with meds for diarrhea and nausea/vomiting. We will wait for the blood work to come back and go from there. She recommended a xray of lungs due to increased respiration rate but asked if we have noticed this at home. Maybe he was just nervous or its because he is not feeling good. I think we are going to hold off on the xray until labs come back.

My poor kitty. I knew soemthing was going on but didnt suspect an infection. First one ever!

Any thoughts on her report?

Anyone thinking covid? Of course everyone goes there these days!

 

You might want to rethink the X-ray if there’s still time as it will show if his heart is enlarged. Highly unlikely it’s Covid. What type of infection? Pancreatitis is possible but that doesn’t require an antibiotic. If you think he’s nauseous have her give a cerenia shot and then you can follow up with pills at home.

 

They are doing blood work, urine and culture, pancreatitis test, and fructosamine levels, subq fluids, vit b12 shot, and injectable antibiotic. sending him home w pain meds, and meds for vomiting and diarrhea (mezo ..something...tramole). Wait for blood work (partial results back tomorrow) for next steps.

What's your thought on enlarged heart? There's always time to do xray.

They put him in quiet room and his respiration went down from 66 to 40. She said 30 and under at home is normal range.

 

If it is pancreatitis … Pancreatitis is extremely painful and requires pain meds. Ask the vet about them.

 

Not sure on infection yet. . maybe uti. Antibiotic for infection not pancreatitis.

 

yes, he is being sent home w pain meds. Thank you for the comment.

 

My only reason for doing an X-ray is if any heart issue it’s good to know because of fluids and you mentioned increased respiration rate although surely can be stress from being at vet without you.

 

Do you know what antibiotic ? Convenia? Ask if respiration rate has come down.

 

yes. thats the one she mentoned. respiration rate did come down.

We havent noticed increased respiration at home. He is VERY skittish and a scarey cat so I'm thinking its he's scared to death right now. Poor kitty.

 

Skip the ray.

 

I did. Asked for cerenia to take home so that bill is now over $900!!!

What we do for our fur babies!!

 

I hope he feels better real soon.

 

Thank you.

He is home now and pissed as all hell. Tried to give him the pain med because I just want him to feel better asap but he wasn't having it. Hissing growling swatting and biting me. This from my sweet little kitty. He did not like his vetty visit!

 

What pain med did you get?

 

buprerorphine

 

That’s what I used. I found even though everyone says it’s very painful and I’m sure it must be, Max usually just needed medication for nausea. I was told to feed small meals often even when he wanted more because if he ate too much at one time he would feel yucky.

 

So your cat had pancreatitis?

I don't know much about it. Not sure what to expect if his blood work comes back positive for the enzyme. Trying to do some research online and see what I can learn. Does seem that over the years of being a memeber of this board lots of sugar kitties seem to have it so assume there is some connection to DM (even though the causes I have seen so far in my very minimal starting research do not list DM as a risk factor or show a direct correlation).

So far I've read it can be accute or chronic, mild or severe, and life threatening. Symptoms are the same for all the above. That's nice and confusing. How would I know which scenario we are in? And if hospitalization would be required?

I also can't tell if my cat needs pain meds. I would say a few times I have seen him meatloafing and thought hmmmm maybe he is not feeling good. But cats sit in that position all the time so hard to tell.

Would love a quick primer on pancreatitis so I know what to ask vet tomorrow when they call back with the results.

 

Marje put together a primer on pancreatitis.

http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/a-primer-on-pancreatitis.83108/

Max had chronic pancreatitis for a few years before becoming diabetic. It’s important to make sure Izzy eats enough but like I said small meals. Fortunately that works for diabetes too. You need to control the nausea. Vets RX cerenia which is fine but fir Max ondansetron worked better. I liked that I could give it two times a day. It’s actually ok to give three times if needed. So if cerenia works great. Some think it’s better for vomiting and ondansetron is better for nausea.

O like the IDEXX Roundtable article. Vets still don’t fully understand pancreatitis. I think Max had his first episode in 2011. It was the first I’d heard if it. Now it seems to be what vets think every sick cat might have. While much more common than first thought I think they jump to it too often now. My vet whom I like a lot thought my three year old might have had it when she was vomiting and quite ill. He was put of town so I went to the ER. They didn’t even test her for it and I don’t think she had it.

You basically treat the symptoms. Ozzy might not even have it. He might just have a UTI. See what the blood tests show.

 

Well look at that!!! Ask and you shall receive This is why I love the Kitty Committee!!! THANK YOU! I'll check out Marje's article.

I definitely think it's something more than a UTI (though that could be the infection at play right now). Ozzy has had chronic vomiting and diarrhea for years. It comes and goes but never really goes. My vet told me that some diabetics are just pukers but I am learning that that is not really the case and there is likely some other underlying etiology. Other folks on this board suggested IBD and interesting because there is a link between IBD and pancreatits.

Tried monitoring Ozzy's respiratory rate and the first few times it was over 40. But now that he is fed, calm, and snuggled up in his favorite spot in the window, its just barely 30-33. So I am going to keep an eye on him and report back to vet tomorrow

 

You want to count the respiration when he’s sleeping. I think he was scared at the office. Has the vet ever tested for pancreatitis it the past ? It sounds like he could have either IBD, pancreatitis or both. I’m glad he’s resting and comfortable.

 

I think he had the test a few years back and it was negative but it's been a few years