Klinger at the er

Discussion in 'Lantus / Levemir / Biosimilars' started by Marcy & Klinger (GA), Dec 12, 2011.

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  1. Marcy & Klinger (GA)

    Marcy & Klinger (GA) Well-Known Member

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    May 9, 2010
    waiting for blood workcould be pancreatitis
    keep him in your prayers
     
  2. Vicky & Gandalf (GA) & Murrlin

    Vicky & Gandalf (GA) & Murrlin Well-Known Member

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    Dec 28, 2009
    Oh no! Klinger, little man, what's goin' on??? nailbite_smile

    Praying for Mr. Klinger. P-titis is no fun, for neither kitty nor 'bean.
     
  3. Laura and Harley (GA)

    Laura and Harley (GA) Well-Known Member

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    Feb 3, 2011
    Oh Marcy, hugs to you and healing light and vines to Corporal Klinger.

    (Love the name & love MASH - R.I.P. Harry Morgan)

    Are they doing the spec-fPL test? Giving IVs, buprenex for pain and something for nausea? Ondansetron (Zofram) and Dolasetron (Anzemet) work best for nausea. Cerenia works wonders for vomiting, has some anti-inflamatory effects, and has some nausea control. If it is pancreatitis, they should send you home with scripts for some or all of these things for the future so you can have them on hand.

    Please take care of yourself and the kits first. Updates come later... :YMHUG:
     
  4. Laura and Harley (GA)

    Laura and Harley (GA) Well-Known Member

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  5. Marcy & Klinger (GA)

    Marcy & Klinger (GA) Well-Known Member

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    May 9, 2010
    Thanks for the prayers and healing light.
    Klinger stopped eating late yesterday afternoon and then started to vomit bile and just looked bad. After the 4th time we decided we'd better bring him to the emergency vet. Blood work was done and shows an elevation in his blood sugar, a large amount of sugar in the urine and an elevation of his white blood count. No other signs of infection or problems with the blood work were found. He was dehydrated. They gave him subq's and metoclopramide (anti-vomiting med/brand name Reglan). They sent us home with sub-q's and and the anti-vomiting med. They told us to give him 100 mls every other day to daily. We've not done this before, so I'll be looking for help!
    I gave him the anti-vomit and pepcid ac this morning in pill pockets, which he ate. But since yesterday afternoon he's only eaten maybe a teaspoon of FF chicken chunky, we gave him some Pet Sure via a dropper to get something in him. I tried baby food, FF grilled beef, dry food, his normal food. I even broke out his high carb treats from the hypo box. He did eat maybe 5 or 6 of the treats. Any other suggestions? I've tried finger feeding, fork feeding, normal just set it in front of him - nothing. How long before he's in danger of fatty liver??
    I'm waiting to hear back from the vet, but it sounds like p-titis to me. I'm so tired and upset for him. :cry:
     
  6. Marcy & Klinger (GA)

    Marcy & Klinger (GA) Well-Known Member

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    May 9, 2010
    Just called the hospital. They recommend we bring him back in since he's still not eating and in the meatloaf position.
     
  7. Blue

    Blue Well-Known Member

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    Dec 28, 2009
    Pancreatitis is very painful; be sure to get some buprenorphine for pain before coming home.
    You can give fluids every day and should - if you give 100 today, you can give more tomorrow as well.

    Giving Cat SQ-youtube
     
  8. Laura and Harley (GA)

    Laura and Harley (GA) Well-Known Member

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    Feb 3, 2011
    Poor Klinger, if he's not eating and the medicine is doing nothing for him, then the ER is the best place for him right now.

    I know you are seriously busy right now but here's an excerpt from the article I linked to above on treating pancreatits about the ineffectiveness of Reglan/metoclopramide in treating nausea/vomiting in cats:

    Antiemetic Therapy
    Vomiting may be absent or intermittent in cats with pancreatitis. Antiemetic therapy is recommended to control vomiting when present and to treat nausea in the absence of vomiting.

    There are several antiemetics available. Metoclopramide (Reglan®) remains a popular antiemetic. However, metoclopramide is a dopamine antagonist and inhibits vomiting by blocking the central nervous system (CNS) dopamine receptors in the chemoreceptor trigger zone (CRTZ). It is often ineffective in cats because cats are reported to have few CNS dopamine receptors in the CRTZ.

    Dolasetron (Anzemet®) and ondansetron (Zofran®) act on the serotonin 5-HT3 receptors in the CRTZ and are very effective in cats. Maropitant citrate (Cerenia®) acts on the neurokinin (NK) receptors in the vomiting center. It is only labeled for use in dogs, but has become a popular and effective antiemetic in cats.


    Also, oral Pepcid AC, (famotidine) while very popular on this board, is ineffective against nausea caused by the severe pain of pancreatitis and hepatitis. It is a stomach acid reducer and will clear up nausea associated with excess stomach acid.

    I don't know exactly how long a cat can go without eating before fatty liver develops. It's one of those ECID things. One member of the Yahoo Feline Assisted Feeding list had her cat develop it after going without food for 24 hours, and it may take other cats days or even a week or two for it to develop. You are definitely doing the right thing by taking him in again if he's not eating.

    I totally feel your pain and frustration and anguish when they don't eat. It's such a helpless feeling and we're doing all we can for them and it's still no help. Ask the ER vets for a script for Ondansetron (generic for Zofram) you can fill it at your local pharmacy or order it online from thrivingpets.com. The usual dose is 1 mg BID. Or you can get the injectible if Klinger is hard to pill. Thrivingpets.com sells that also. You may have to syringe feed him for a few days in order to get nourishment into him. Your local grocery store should have 10cc infant medicine administration syringes with no rubber rings. They are the best for smoothly delivering food without clogging or squirting food all over the place. You can blenderize the heck out of and feed any food you want via syringe but make sure it's not Klinger's regular food. I made that mistake with Harley. Nauseated cats develop food aversion very easily and they have long memories. I learned to feed Harley a food he'd never eat on his own - Iams Maximum Calorie (vet food) - it only has 6% carbs. and is 330-ish calories per can so packs a huge calorie punch. I fill all my syringes from 1 can and that's about 1 day's worth of feeding. Start slow. 2-3 syringes at a time per feeding and feed every 3-4 hours. If you are working during the day like I was, I had to feed overnight instead. I was soooooooo sleep deprived!

    If the vets won't help you with the anti-nausea meds. PM me - I have the injectible ondansetron for Harley & Princess.
     
  9. Peggy and Mickey (GA)

    Peggy and Mickey (GA) Well-Known Member

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    Jan 3, 2010
    Oh no!! Sending prayers...and healing vibes.
    I am very sorry you all are going through this... Hope Klinger is feeling better soon!!
     
  10. pamela and tigger

    pamela and tigger Well-Known Member

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    Dec 28, 2009
    I am so sorry to read this Marcy! I hope he starts eating for you soon. The others gave some good advice (nice write up Laura).

    Sending healing vibes to Klinger. Has he ever had pancreatitis before Marcy?

    Please let us know how he is doing when you can. (((hugs)))
     
  11. Pam & Alley

    Pam & Alley Member

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    Nov 18, 2010
    Lots of prayers and healing thoughts for Klinger.

    Please take care of yourself too Marcy!
     
  12. Marcy & Klinger (GA)

    Marcy & Klinger (GA) Well-Known Member

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    May 9, 2010
    We're back! Thank you so much Gayle for the sub-q link, I'll look at that in a few minutes. Klinger has a heart murmur, so they advised us to be very careful not to give him to much fluid.
    Laura - thank you for all of the links for p-titis. They were very helpful and I went in armed with my list. We saw a different ER vet today and she was all for rx bupe, cerenia, and mirtazipine (in case he still needs to get his appetite going). We've given him his bupe and cerenia and he ate a little on his own. I want to hold off a little bit to see if he'll eat more on his own before giving him the stimulant - apparently it lasts in his system for 3 days, so I'm a little leary of it, but I will give it to him if needed.
    If he doesn't improve in the next 48-72 hours they want us to bring him in for an ultrasound to see if anything else is going on. Hopefully not!

    Klinger's numbers have been sky high (have to update his ss), but because he hasn't been eating, I've only given him a token dose of 1 unit this morning and tonight. Is that the best thing to do? Should I go back up to 1.5 tomorrow morning if he's eating?

    Thanks everyone for the wonderful support and well wishes. They mean so much when you feel like your hanging on by a thread. :YMHUG:
     
  13. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    Oh Marcy....I hate seeing this. I am so sorry. You and Klinger have all my well wishes and please let me know if you need any phone help with the subQ. I did that with Tom and made all the initial mistakes.
    Hugs,
    Lori
     
  14. Vicky & Gandalf (GA) & Murrlin

    Vicky & Gandalf (GA) & Murrlin Well-Known Member

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    Dec 28, 2009
    I'm glad to hear Klinger is eating a little something. I bet the pain meds helped.

    Of everything I went through with Gandalf, his sickest was during pancreatitis. He always ate well, even after major surgery, but pancreatitis shut him down. Luckily I already knew how to give sub-Q fluids. One of the best sites for sub-Q instructions is here: http://www.weirdstuffwemake.com/weird/stuff/pets/cats/sophia/catjuice.html

    My best advice on giving sub-Q's is hang the bag from a door and sit on the floor with him. That way the fluids will go in super fast. The fastest line is 15 drops per ml. I don't know what size of needle the vet gave you, but if fluids will be an ongoing thing for him, you might want to take a look at ThrivingPets.com. They will need a script for the fluids and lines, but NOT the needles. I recommend 21 Gauge UTW (ultra thin wall). Gandalf never felt those and even fussy Tigget is fine with them. 18 Gauge is too large, in my opinion.

    I recommend giving 50ml at a time, twice a day instead of 100ml once a day, especially if they are concerned about the murmur. At some point you may want to have that checked out by a licensed cardiologist.

    I am surprised they did not run an fPLI test on him. They have to send that off, but it's best to confirm the pancreatitis. I would hate to see you pump all these meds in him if it's something else.

    I also recommend these syringes for syringe feeding: http://www.amazon.com/Catheter-Tip-...=A16K54FJFYXVBY&ie=UTF8&qid=1323828844&sr=1-1
    Get 6 or 8 at a time, the rubber breaks down after 4 or 5 days and it gets very hard to push. 30cc is one ounce, so that syringe holds 2 oz. I usually fed 1 to 1 1/2 oz at a time though. It's best to do small feedings more often. If you don't use them all, you will have them on hand and they are cheap.

    Come on, Klinger! We know Momma's tryin' to help you feel better. Please eat for her.

    On dosage tomorrow, if you can be home to monitor him, going back to his regular dose would probably be a good idea. You don't want ketones on top of this. Just make sure he's eating if you can't be there. Can you run home to check on him?
     
  15. Darlene & Jack

    Darlene & Jack Member

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    Apr 2, 2011
    Oh no...sorry to hear about Klinger not feeling well!! I hope he is on the mend quickly and feeling better soon. Sending lots of healing thoughts your way.
     
  16. Sheila & Beau GA & Jeddie GA

    Sheila & Beau GA & Jeddie GA Well-Known Member

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    Dec 28, 2009
    Sending healing prayers to Klinger.

    The worst thing is when they won't eat. I assume you have tried warming his food to make it stinkier and more palatable? I don't have much to add to what has already been posted. Beau would only eat ham baby food and even that I had to syringe feed a few times. I used to give him the pepcid, followed by about a teaspoon of warmed plain Greek yogurt (1-2% fat), the try and feed ab out 20-30 mins later. The first solid foods he would eat, after a couple of days was boiled chicken breast or turkey deli meat (low sodium) - again, gently warmed.

    Feel better Klinger!
     
  17. Barbara

    Barbara Well-Known Member

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    Apr 10, 2011
    Not Klinger too! I'm so out of it right now from lack of sleep since Friday, did you know Thumper has pancreatitis also? Have Klinger & Thumper been talking? Did you see that Kitty Conspiracy post over on PZI from Carl a while back? :lol: I suspect this has been part of her problem for awhile....just couldn't get my vet to listen to what I was saying..even Friday when I took her in she started going off on all sorts of other things. I had to tell her several times to send the bloodwork out THAT day! All this when I was headed to a new vet the next week. :roll:

    I hope Klinger is feeling better. It's taking longer than I thought it would for Thumper. :YMSIGH:
     
  18. MommaOfMuse

    MommaOfMuse Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 26, 2010
    Oh NO NOT KLINGER!!!!

    (((((Marcy & Craig))))) I'm just reading this as we had an ice storm yesterday that took out our internet....We will be crossing all fingers, toes, and paws that Corp. Klinger will be feeling much better and eating all his noms very soon.

    Tons of prayers and eating vibes for all of us.

    Mel, Maxwell, Musette & The Fur Gang
     
  19. Marcy & Klinger (GA)

    Marcy & Klinger (GA) Well-Known Member

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    May 9, 2010
    That was an awesome website on how to give sub-q's Vicky. They did give us 18 gauge needles. After watching the link Gayle provided and reading the info on the website Vicky provided, I gave Klinger 50 ml last night. We both did really well. Lori, thank you for your offer to walk me through it.
    I hung the bag from the bathroom door and put Klinger on the floor and marked on the bag where to stop. It was a little cramped space and hard to see the bag. I kept having to stand up to see where the level was. I'll have to try a different area.
    I'm home this week (thank God!) so I did give Klinger his full dose this morning. He wasn't interested in eating and DH and I broke down and gave him the appetite stimulant. He has eaten since then. I would say approx 1.5 oz.
    I have him set up in our bedroom so Radar can stretch his legs a little bit. Radar's been cooped up in our spare bedroom since Saturday and has been getting a little stir crazy.

    Barbara - I'm so sorry that Thumper is going through this too! I did see that post from Carl a few weeks ago about the conspiracy that goes on at night. :lol: I hope Thumper feels better soon and good luck with the new vet. I know you've been unhappy with your vet for a while. Sending healing vines to Thumper. You take care of yourself too. I can't imagine having to go to work and deal with p-titis at the same time. :YMHUG:
     
  20. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    When Tom quit eating the one food I could get him interested in was raw chicken livers, cut up into bite size pieces and...if necessary...served one bite at a time.
    From what I understand this has worked for many other cats as well. Can't imagine why.
    Wash off each liver before cuting and serving.
    Lori
     
  21. Vicky & Gandalf (GA) & Murrlin

    Vicky & Gandalf (GA) & Murrlin Well-Known Member

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    Dec 28, 2009
    What a chore that had to be! Although I agree cats like them and may be a good appetite stimulant. I bought some from Hare Today and Leahpold loves them, but they are hard to cut. Slippery as fish! I just let her gnaw on them.

    I'm glad Klinger ate and that you can be home for him. Also very glad the website helped. You can put him on a table or counter, but if the bag's only 2' or so above you, the fluids won't flow as fast. It may work fast enough with 18 Gauge needles though, so you could see how it goes with him elevated, would he sit on a chair? I forgot about the not being able to see the bag part!! Glad you apparently don't have a fear of needles. The 18 Gauge ones even give me the willies and I don't mind needles.

    Klinger, we are so proud of you! Hang in there Marci. Did they give you extra Buprenex?
     
  22. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    Vicky I had to cut it with a sissor. Which meant touching it. Which meant being horrified.
    But like everything else in life, you get used to it.
    Lori
     
  23. Sheila & Beau GA & Jeddie GA

    Sheila & Beau GA & Jeddie GA Well-Known Member

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    Dec 28, 2009
    Keeping good thoughts for Klinger and Thumper - sending healing thoughts to them.
     
  24. Vicky & Gandalf (GA) & Murrlin

    Vicky & Gandalf (GA) & Murrlin Well-Known Member

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    Dec 28, 2009
    haha_smiley haha_smiley haha_smiley
     
  25. Pam & Alley

    Pam & Alley Member

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    Nov 18, 2010
    So very happy he is eating, sorry I had to chuckle with Lori's chicken liver story from before. I agree, yuck, but if that what it takes...
    Glad you are home Marcy, at least you can get some much needed rest along with Klinger.
     
  26. Marcy & Klinger (GA)

    Marcy & Klinger (GA) Well-Known Member

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    May 9, 2010
    I'm back to assist feeding. Darn! Well, I've updated his ss. He was 168 at AM +7. Here's my theory: We introduced NVs raw rabbit the same day we brought home Radar. Klinger was hissing and growling and I think that upset his GI tract - throw in a new food and disaster struck. Who knows. I just want him to get better NOW!

    Lori I agree with you on handling raw chicken liver...eww! :lol:

    Going back to your questions Vicky about the sub-q's. I don't think he would sit in a chair, but it's worth a shot. I tried not to think about the size the of that needle. Yikes! I just went in with the right attitude and didn't mess around. Lol. No one was there to see my hand shake or the blood drain out of my head when I thought I broke the wheel to the roller clamp. :lol:
     
  27. Rob & Harley (GA)

    Rob & Harley (GA) Well-Known Member

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    Dec 28, 2009
    Oh Marcy, I'm so sorry that Klinger is sick, I'm glad you are able to be home with him.

    Give him extra scritches from me.
     
  28. Sheila & Beau GA & Jeddie GA

    Sheila & Beau GA & Jeddie GA Well-Known Member

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    Dec 28, 2009
    I hate those damn roller clamps! In a pinch you can, well, PINCH! Just fold the tubing over on itself so it crimps across itself. Then you could tape it in the crimped state. That won't stop it from slowly leaking, but it will stop it from shooting fluids all over the room.

    Come on, Klinger, feel better and eat for mommy!

    I guess Klinger is feeling a little under the Radar... haha_smiley
     
  29. Marcy & Klinger (GA)

    Marcy & Klinger (GA) Well-Known Member

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    May 9, 2010
    :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
    Thank you Sheila. I needed that laugh this morning. :lol:
    Klinger was still droping last night at shot time so I waited and by +15 he'd only gone up 5 points. I decided not to shoot for fear of a hypo with a cat that wont eat. This morning he was 339 (need to double check the number). He followed me out into the living room this morning to do our routine snuggle and test. I took that as a good sign and went to get his breakfast and by the time I got back, he was back in the bedroom and he turned away from the plate. We'll be assist feeding today. He really hates it.
    Thanks again for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers.
     
  30. Darlene & Jack

    Darlene & Jack Member

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    Apr 2, 2011
    Hoping that Klinger has a good today and eats a little bit on his own. Poor punkin!! Hope you are getting some rest too.

    How is little Radar doing?? I keep looking at the pictures of that big orange cat Connor on the DCIN page...I sooooooo want him but I don't know if I can start this all over again!!
     
  31. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    Always Marcy.
    Please try the chicken livers.
    I had to be talked into it for days but damn if it did'nt work.
    Tom ate them heartily and would touch nothing else.
    Try it.
    Lori
     
  32. Barbara

    Barbara Well-Known Member

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    Apr 10, 2011
    Marcy, this may not be the best thing to have done & you probably are more experienced than me but I got something at Petco called Cat Sure & was able to easily syringe that into Thumper. Since she kept that down I added Nutri Cal & warmed it up a bit then kinda mashed the Nutri Cal till it dissolved in the Cat Sure. It was awful for her BG but I was desperate to get calories in her. I also used the plain chicken baby food with nothing but chicken & water in. I made it into a liquid by adding the Cat Sure. When I started using the Max Cal I also mixed it with the Cat Sure but she fought me more with that for some reason. I hope you have some luck with getting him to eat today!
     
  33. Laura and Harley (GA)

    Laura and Harley (GA) Well-Known Member

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    Feb 3, 2011
    Hi Marcy, Just checking in on you guys and sending more healing prayers and hugs your way. Klinger wanting to eat is a good sign, but his turning away from the food raises a red flag to me that he could still be nauseated. (Harley did that A LOT before I finally got the real anti-nausea meds. I mentioned above.)

    Trying the chicken livers is a great idea, however if he truly is nauseated, they may not help if he feels so bad that the smell of them makes him feel sick and turn away. I can't remember where I read that part of a cat's appetite is tied to their sense of smell and their reaction to what they are smelling. They may be hungry, and want to eat, but then they come and smell the food and the smell triggers nausea which kills the appetite and results in them "blaming" the food for making them feel sick and so they refuse to eat. A lot of vets don't get this concept and say "well, if the cat isn't vomiting, then they can't be nauseous." This may be true for dogs, but not cats who we all know are masters at hiding pain and discomfort. This could also be why he hates the assisted feeding. If he feels nauseated, and you are putting food in his mouth, he will equate the food with making him feel sicker. Sorry if it sounds like I'm preaching, Kind of hoping that sharing Harley's and my experience earliler this year will help save another kitty and bean some of the heartache we went through.

    Congratulations on joining the SubQ club! The first time is always the hardest for both kitty and bean, but it will get easier especially as Klinger realizes that what you are doing will make him feel better. Harley only utters one token meow-protest "Aww, come on Mom, do we have to do this again?" when I pick him up to take him to my tiny bathroom for his "daily juice bar," as I call it. I set him in my laundry basket (which he loves to sleep in because all the clothes smell like me) and do his fluids there. The SubQ bag hangs via a coat hanger from my shower rod. And Harley sits patiently until its done, in fact he knows when we are close to done and sometimes stands up in anticipation. Such a smart boy!

    cat_pet_icon Scritches to Klinger and :YMHUG: hugs to you and Craig.
     
  34. Marcy & Klinger (GA)

    Marcy & Klinger (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 9, 2010
    Laura - we did get Cerenia when we went back to the the ER on Tuesday. Was I supposed to get Anzemet or Zofran and Cerenia?? Sorry, I read your post with the choices as Azemet or Zofran or Cerenia.

    Update to my morning post:
    The food he turned away from was his "normal" breakfast. I was foolishly hopeful that he would eat something familiar. :roll:
    We gave him .50l of fluids, bupe, and tried FF elegant medley tuna which he ate on his own. He didn't eat he normal amount, but I saw him go back to it twice during the morning.
    Barbara - I did pick up CatSure (and baby food) at the grocery store on Tuesday and gave him some of that this afternoon.
    He ate again on his own later this afternoon. We're nowhere near being back to normal, but it's a start.

    I was just looking over our ER visit receipt. They charged us $4.75 for the liter and $10.00 for the sub-q supplies. Is that what the going price is at other places? I think some of you get your supplies from Sam's or Costco??
    Please keep sending prayers and healing light. We're not out of the woods yet, but with all of your help, we're closer!
     
  35. Rob & Harley (GA)

    Rob & Harley (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 28, 2009
    Continuing to send healing prayers and hugs to you all.

    Got Shrimp?
     
  36. Laura and Harley (GA)

    Laura and Harley (GA) Well-Known Member

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    Feb 3, 2011
    Since Klinger was vomiting, Cerenia was definitely the right med. to get. It stopped him in his tracks. However Cerenia does not have very strong anti-nausea properties it is cheifly an anti-vomit medication.

    Ahh, that changes the picture somewhat. If the food he avoided was his regular food, the food that he ate while feeling sick or associated with feeling sick, then he could have developed a food aversion to that food. He may go back to eating that food when he's better or he may avoid that food for a long time. ECID. The fact that he ate the FF EM Tuna and went back to it for seconds and thirds is a good sign. I'd suggest offering the FF EM Tuna to him again and see if he eats it or starts to avoid it. If he repeatedly eats it, then he's probably feeling better. If he starts to refuse that food too, then he may still be feeling nauseous and now he's associating this new food with feeling sick. If this happens, then ask the ER for either ondansetron or Anzemet. Here's hoping that he just had one major upset tummy and it's passing now - glass half full. :D

    Sad to say but that's cheaper than my vet charges for supplies! Which is why I went the Costco LRS case route. 12 bags cost me only $28.62 including tax. I don't know if your vet will prescribe for a whole case though. The IV admin sets are from $1.50-2.75 each through Thrivingpets.com. The price goes down the more you buy at once. A box of 100 needles goes for $6.45 through Thrivingpets.com. SubQ supplies cost much less online than through a vet if you think you'll be doing this long-term.

    Tell Klinger, I've got a Lebanese sausage with his name on it when he gets better! :lol: Although Rob's shrimp sounds much better right now.
     
  37. Barbara

    Barbara Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 10, 2011
    Glad to see he's continuing to improve.

    The new vet I went to today charged 20.00 for 1 bag of LRS but she wrote me a prescription to purchase more. It appears to only be for 1 bag with 4 refills. I had to pay 7.25 for the admin set but 10 needles only costs .50. It would be nice to take advantage of that Costco price but how long does this stuff last? Thumper's only getting 100 cc twice a week. Sounds like you got an excellent deal Marcy!
     
  38. Laura and Harley (GA)

    Laura and Harley (GA) Well-Known Member

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    Feb 3, 2011
    If left sealed in the plastic bag, LRS are good until the expiration date printed on the bag. For example, my Costco case all expire January 2013 and I bought them in August. I keep mine in the back of a dark, cool closet for good measure.

    Barbara, if you want, you could buy 4 bags LRS from thrivingpets.com for $6.95 each (DEHP) or $7.45 each (non-DEHP). Here's the link. You don't need a script for the IV admin sets or the needles, just the LRS.

    Sorry for the thread-jack Marcy.
     
  39. Marcy & Klinger (GA)

    Marcy & Klinger (GA) Well-Known Member

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    May 9, 2010
    Not much new to report today. Klinger's pretty much the same as yesterday. He did eat on his own last night and this morning. I went to the store and bought a variety of cat food, clam juice, sardines, chicken liver, and cat grass. The chicken liver was a bust. Klinger had no interest in it at all. He did meow and got up and ran after Craig when approached with smelts. Klinger ate two! We'll see if his appetite holds. He got down to 86 today. I think I might reduce his dose a tiny bit. He had great numbers, but I just can't trust that he'll eat when he needs to.

    Thanks Barbara and Laura for sharing your prices on sub-q's.

    Barbara, I hope Thumper's feeling better. Good luck with the switch to Lantus. Where will you be posting? I want to make sure I keep up with Thumper's progress.
     
  40. Barbara

    Barbara Well-Known Member

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    Apr 10, 2011
    Good to see he's eating! I tried sardines when Thumper wasn't eating, I was about to throw up myself. I hope I don't have to try to get her to eat anything like that again. :lol:

    I don't know where I'll be Marcy, I'm homeless! I suppose the relaxed lantus group but PZI feels like home.
     
  41. Rob & Harley (GA)

    Rob & Harley (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 28, 2009
    I'm glad that Klinger is eating, even if it is stinky sardines. :D Is he warming up to Radar a little more now that he's feeling a little better?

    Barbara, you can post in both ISG's, get your dosing advise from RL or the Lev group and moral support in PZI. I hope you're not planning on leaving us in PZI completely.

    Good luck with the insulin switch, paws and fingers crossed that she does better on it.
     
  42. Barbara

    Barbara Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 10, 2011
    I don't know what smelts are....is that the same thing as sardines? Those sardines stink! Honestly even though all the cats came to investigate none of them took more than a bite....maybe they could tell Mom was disgusted! :lol:

    Hope Klinger is better today. I gotta tell you, I know the name Radar came from Mash but I can't get the song "Radar Love" outta my mind! :lol: Give him & Klinger some scritches for me.
     
  43. Sheila & Beau GA & Jeddie GA

    Sheila & Beau GA & Jeddie GA Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 28, 2009
    Radar Love! OMG, that is an oldie. I used to love that song - when the music mimics the 18 wheeler downshifting!

    I hope that Thumper is feeling better and I am glad Klinger is eating - hope he keeps at it. Getting them through p-titis is no fun - lots of stress and worry, actually.
     
  44. Marcy & Klinger (GA)

    Marcy & Klinger (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 9, 2010
    Now that I have Radar Love stuck in my head....I'll give you Radar update. He is doing great. He's a little bundle of energy! I brought him to the vet the morning we took Klinger to the ER. Radar checked out fine. Although the vet seemed to think he is closer to 6 months than the 3-4 months we were told. Oh well.
    He's a hoover. I'm not used to that with Klinger being a grazer. With Klinger being so ill, I've kept them apart for the most part. Klinger's been in our bedroom and Radar has the spare bedroom. I have been closing our bedroom door to let Radar run around the house during the day. A few times we've opened out bedroom door to let Klinger see that Radar is still here. The little snip (said with love) went and pee'd and pooped in Klinger's litter box today. I was afraid that Klinger would smell his scent and not want to use the litter box, but he did. whew! Radar is addicted to watching tv and loves to play with the laser and his mouse on a stick.

    Klinger seems a little better to me today, but that could be wishful thinking. Craig took him on a little walk outside and he came back in an ate. Maybe a little fresh air and normalcy did him good. He continues to purr when we cuddle. cat_pet_icon
     
  45. pamela and tigger

    pamela and tigger Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 28, 2009
    H Marcy, I keep thinking of your Klinger and checking in here to see updates. I am glad to hear he is eating a 'little' better.

    Does he seem to be losing any weight? How many calories to you think he is getting in a day?

    Boy, I know how stressful it is when they don't eat and you also have to weigh that with how much insulin to give them. :(

    Good for you on learning how to give sub-q's!

    I will continue to send healing and eating vibes for your boy.
     
  46. Pam & Alley

    Pam & Alley Member

    Joined:
    Nov 18, 2010
    Nice update...I hope he continues to improve and eat, continued prayers for a speedy recovery..
     
  47. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    Marcy I too have been thinking of you and Klinger. Until I went thru it I could not imagine how difficult it was to have a cat not eating.
    I gave temptation treats to Tom becuase he almost never said no to those. His bg's were relatively low considering I fed him whatever he would eat regardless of the carb count. The gravy foods, you name it. If he wanted to eat it, it was his to eat.
    Sometimes a few temptation treats would wet his appetite for a more appropriate meal....or at least a few bites of it.
    I am holding you and Klinger close.
    (((((((((((Marcy))))))))))))
    (((((((((((Klinger)))))))))))
    Lori
     
  48. Peggy and Mickey (GA)

    Peggy and Mickey (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 3, 2010
    Continued prayers for our man Klinger!!!
     
  49. Darlene & Jack

    Darlene & Jack Member

    Joined:
    Apr 2, 2011
    Still got you and Klinger in our thoughts here! Hope he starts eating a little more besides some stinky fish!!
     
  50. Rob & Harley (GA)

    Rob & Harley (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 28, 2009
    No, Smelts are bigger than Sardines and are caught in rivers and are yummy yummy. It must be a midwest thing. Every fall after the smelt run the Fire Stations have all you can eat Smelt Fries, I can eat way more than two. :D

    I hope Klinger continues to improve and gets more Smelt. What is Radar's favorite TV show?
     
  51. Marci and Buddy

    Marci and Buddy Member

    Joined:
    Dec 28, 2009
    Marcy-haven't been on here in a awhile but i noticed your post just now...be sure you and Klinger are in my prayers tonight.
    Happy he's eating alitlle now, and that you're off this week.
    I'll keep sending you white light and checking in here. I have a feeling your boy will be fine soon.
     
  52. Marcy & Klinger (GA)

    Marcy & Klinger (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 9, 2010
    Marci - you were right! Klinger seems to be feeling better. I had to go back to work today and I was really worried that he wouldn't eat. Well I got home and he's in the living room and comes to greet me when I walked in the door. :D
    I checked his plates in the bedroom and the majority of them we're clean!!!!! :D :D :D I checked the litter box and he peed and pooped! Woo-hoo!!!!!! :D :D :D He's sitting with me on the couch right now. Back to being my wing man. His numbers are super high today. I don't know if he got a fur shot this morning or if all the higher carb foods have finally caught up to him.
    He's not totally 100% yet, but he's definitely in the 80-89% range.
    Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.
    :YMHUG: :YMHUG:
     
  53. MommaOfMuse

    MommaOfMuse Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 26, 2010
    Glad to hear Klinger is on the mend!!!

    Isn't it funny how excited we get when they poo and pee for us after they have been sick...lol

    Mel, Maxwell, Musette & The Fur Gang
     
  54. Marci and Buddy

    Marci and Buddy Member

    Joined:
    Dec 28, 2009
    YAY,Klinger-boy..way to go! :D
    You're still in my prayers until he 's 110%, keep us updated.
     
  55. Sheila & Beau GA & Jeddie GA

    Sheila & Beau GA & Jeddie GA Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 28, 2009
    More good news. I know how great it feels when they start eating again after a p-titis flare. You must be so happy he is feeling better (and that Radar is home and doing better).
     
  56. Vicky & Gandalf (GA) & Murrlin

    Vicky & Gandalf (GA) & Murrlin Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 28, 2009
    Marcy, I'm so glad to see this! Even with high numbers, his activity says he at least feels better.

    If he was getting high carb, I'd say the Lev just couldn't keep up. One thing at a time, he has to get better and eat first.

    Good boy Klinger!
     
  57. Marcy & Klinger (GA)

    Marcy & Klinger (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 9, 2010
    Sorry I haven't been able to post an update. I've been working late this week and by the time I get home, I play with the boys, grab something quick to eat, and crash for the night.

    Klinger has been doing pretty well. He's still eating the Elegant Medley's FF varieties and Chunky Chicken. At least the Chunky Chicken is 5 or 6 carbs. I've tried giving him the Classics (that he used to eat before the p-tits) and he just won't touch it. Needless to say his numbers have been wonky. I'll probably up his dose to 1.50 tonight to see if that puts him back on track.

    How long will sub-q fluids stay good for? They are still hanging on the door...Is there anything I can do that will make them last a little longer?

    Klinger and Radar are currently sleeping in the living room. Klinger's next to me on one couch and Radar is next to Craig on the other couch. There was some hissing, but I guess they both decided it was nap time and they could resume their match later. Priorities! :lol:
     
  58. Barbara

    Barbara Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 10, 2011
    Glad to hear from you, I've been checking & was starting to worry! Thumper is being picky about food also & of course I'm hovering to see every bite she takes. I tried the Elegant Medleys also but her BG went up, of course it's hard to say what's really going on since we've only been on Lantus a week. I do notice BG goes way down whenever I give fluids, which just complicates the dose situation. What's the chunky chicken you're feeding him? Have you tried Forti Flora on the FF classics? That has worked a couple of times with Thumper.

    I don't have any idea about how long the fluids last, I just assumed they would last awhile? Are you still giving him any? I'm on a regular schedule with Thumper now, the vet said a couple of times a week but for now I'm going to try every other day. I can tell it makes her feel better.
     
  59. Sheila & Beau GA & Jeddie GA

    Sheila & Beau GA & Jeddie GA Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 28, 2009
    I can't remember how long fluids last for. Vicky can answer that when she gets a minute. Also, Barbara, she found that giving Gandalf fluids helped to lower BGs - so there is a connection there.

    Marcy, glad Klinger is eating better. For now you have to feed what he will eat and work the dose around it. Have you tried mixing the two foods? Or, yes, sprinkling FortaFlora may help. I just mix a packet in with my cats' food every day. There is never any food left over. :mrgreen:
     
  60. Vicky & Gandalf (GA) & Murrlin

    Vicky & Gandalf (GA) & Murrlin Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 28, 2009
    One thing to do is change the needle after each use and leave the bag hang with a NEW needle, not the old needle. If you have not done that and the bag is already a week old, I'd throw it out. Also, run some fluid out first before you inject it. I would use one bag over 2 to 3 weeks. Others may say that's too long.

    The only problem Gandalf ever had was possibly because I didn't change the needle out after use. He got an infection which we couldn't find a source for - had high WBC counts. That was a few weeks after a dental though, so it could have been bacteria released in his system after the dental.
     
  61. Sheila & Beau GA & Jeddie GA

    Sheila & Beau GA & Jeddie GA Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 28, 2009
    When I was using fluids, my vet instructed me to fill the needle cap with rubbing alcohol and recap. Then she said it was good for 3 uses. I always ran a little fluid out of it to wash out the alcohol on use 2 and 3. After the third use I put a fresh needle on right away so it was ready to go the next time.
     
  62. Vicky & Gandalf (GA) & Murrlin

    Vicky & Gandalf (GA) & Murrlin Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 28, 2009
    I remember years ago seeing microscopic pictures of insulin needles after 1 use and several more uses. That was evidence to not re-use needles. Sheila, did you notice any soreness by the time you used it that 3rd time? Those needles are so much bigger, maybe they don't deteriorate as quickly. That's kind of a neat idea about the alcohol in the cap.
     
  63. Sheila & Beau GA & Jeddie GA

    Sheila & Beau GA & Jeddie GA Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 28, 2009
    I did not notice any soreness - or reacting as if they hurt more. I think that, yes, they are bigger so don't bent and nick like the 30 gauge insulin needles (I saw those photos too and would never reuse one - except in an emergency).

    If I ever do fluids again, I'll have to check the needle with my magnifier after the 3rs use.
     
  64. Marcy & Klinger (GA)

    Marcy & Klinger (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 9, 2010
    Thanks for the info on the fluids. I hope to use it a few more times, we've only used 4 liters so far.

    I found clear vomit with a little food this morning. It had to be Klinger since Radar was in the spare bedroom. I'm off this week and I HOPE and PRAY he doesn't have a repeat from a few weeks ago. The only difference is that last night I mixed in a little fortiflora in with his food (1st time using it) and he wasn't very interested in eating that food...is that weird? Maybe it changed the flavor to much?

    Hope everyone is having a Merry Christmas.
    Marcy & Klinger
     
  65. Laura and Harley (GA)

    Laura and Harley (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 3, 2011
    Hi Marcy, Glad that Klinger is eating for you and seems to be feeling better.

    In my experience with Harley, FortiFlora can be hard on the GI tract because of the animal digest used to give it that yummy dry food taste that cats can't resist. I used it with Harley after his first pancreatitis attack to get him to eat and he seemed to get better for a week and then he got worse and had his much more severe attack complete with severe vomiting. I'm not saying the FortiFlora caused the second attack because correlation is not causation, but it's possible that it was a contributing factor because Harley also has IBD and not all IBD kitties can tolerate animal digests. Since then, I learned from the Yahoo Pancreatitis and IBD lists that Harley wasn't alone, other kitties had difficulty in tolerating FortiFlora. Just something to bear in mind. If Klinger refuses the food with FortiFlora in it, he may not like the taste, or he's remembering that it made him feel bad. And if he does eat it and throws it up again, I'd recommend discontinuing it and see if he still has tummy issues.

    Wishing you guys a Merry Christmas!
     
  66. Sheila & Beau GA & Jeddie GA

    Sheila & Beau GA & Jeddie GA Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 28, 2009
    I have never used a whole packet per cat/per meal as they advise on the box. I have "sprinkled" it on top (so not sure how much the cat in question got), but now I add one packet to about 25 ozs of food, which is for four cats for the whole day.

    Laura, I so love this quote:
    OMG, that is going to be my new response to just about everything that is going to be thrown at us this coming election year!
     
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