? Rabies Vaccine- Not Eating

My Ozgood had a rabies vaccine Friday. His diabetes has been controlled with 2.75 units of Lantus twice daily for over a year. He always eats all his pre shot wet food and he always asks for food throughout the day. Saturday he ate but not as much as normal.

Today he has hardly eaten anything. I didn't give him his AM shot this morning. His PM shot is due in 4 hours (8:30pm CST). I don't know what to do. He wasn't very active last night or today. It says right on the receipt from the vet the vaccine may cause lethargy, but it doesn't say anything about decreased appetite. Not eating and being lethargic are the only 2 concerns. I'm worried about him. What should I do?

 

What specific rabies vaccine?
Your spreadsheet does not show any entries since June.
What BGs have you been getting?
Depending upon the BG I would likely give one unit if not eating or eating little.
A few of may cats acted that way the day after the shots but fully recovered the next day.
Can you take Osgood's temperature?
Can you syringe some food?

 

The receipt just says "rabies vaccine (1 year) feline".

Oz has been getting 1 drop/each ear of Tresaderm once daily since Friday. Ear drops because he had some gunk in his ear. I wouldn't imagine that would be causing his loss of appetite?

I started to a new spreadsheet, forgot to link it. His preshots are usually around 300. Mid cycle 150-200. These are rough numbers, I'm on my phone and don't have access to the sheets right now.

I've never tried to take his temp or syringe food.

 

Does Ozgood go outside?
Having worked with many holistic vets it is widely accepted that indoor cats are very over vaccinated…. that being said I would search out a holistic vet if you are going to continue with the rabies vaccine (which is the only vaccine by law you are supposed to get) IF a vet finds that your cat can no longer tolerate this vaccine or has a medical condition such as DIABETES--they should have never given this vaccine-you have a legal exemption!! This makes me so mad!
For now if this was my cat I would try to find a good holistic and/or homeopathic vet that can help reverse the damage that a rabies vaccine does. 1 of mine had a horrible reaction years ago and my homeopathic vet gave 1 remedy that cleared him up (after a night in ER)-
I am not sure the remedy she used on my guy as his eyes were mostly affected but "Thuja" is widely accepted to reverse vaccine damage and you can get it at a health food store-dissolve a pellet in a little water and syringe-I would do 1-3 days a few times a day
also nux vomica may help with the nausea …used the same way.
AHVMA for a holistic vet in your area…
Good luck--and even a traditional vet should write you a exemption.

 

I would try baby food--warm it a little -- most cats will eat it-
just the meats not the veggie ones-
beef-chicken-lamb -pork -turkey --any of the meat only
most people here use beechnut because no corn starch but if they are really stubborn gerber 2nd stage meats seem to stimulate appetite and easy to digest to get them back on their paws….
I just saw your in WI--
Dr Chris Bessent (Herbsmith) is wonderful and in WI-

 

Ozgood should definitely be on a vaccine waiver - and your vet should KNOW this. My vet automatically put Rosa on a waiver for all vaccines as soon as she was diagnosed because she no longer classes as a healthy cat. I get reminders for her twin, but not for Rosa and my vet even sends a written waiver through to anywhere that she boards when we're away. The one time they forgot to send it through in advance, it was clearly written all over her records because the boarding place called the vet when I got there to drop Rosa off and were told by the receptionist that her file says she 100% can't have any vaccines at all and that something would be faxed through later that day.

 

Not all states allow a rabies vaccination waiver. Virginia does not.

Tresaderm can cause very large increases in BGs

Have you contacted the vet? I would since a cat cat not eating for a couple of days is not goog especially for diabetic cats. They can go into DKA which is life threatening
http://www.vetsulin.com/vet/Cats_Diagnosis_Ketoacidosis.aspx

 

Yes I took him in this morning. Same office but different vet. He was a little dehydrated so they gave him fluids. She said to stop giving the Tresaderm for now. He's also on an anti inflammatory for a few days. She recommended giving him insulin this afternoon since his BG was so high (500).

He licks the baby food when I offer it. The vet gave us a syringe thing to feed him. Have to wait and see and check in tomorrow.

 

WI does allow exemption on medical grounds. Interestingly, WA does not but my vet still doesn't vaccinate cats with medical conditions as long as they're indoor cats. And the boarding place we use accepts that exemption as well.

 

The issue with an un-vaccinated cat cat is if it bites someone. The worst case is that then person being bitten can request that the cat be euthanized so the brain can be tested fro rabies. Not so bad is that the cat be quarantined in a place other than the owners place.

 

True, but I'm probably fairly safe with my 2 cats - neither of them has ever bitten anyone, even under extreme stress...fortunately! As we have regular blood work done on them anyway, would it be worth me asking for a titer to be added to their next blood work - if they're still immune, isn't that as good as being vaccinated?

 

I do not know of any states that allow a rabies titer to substitute for a rabies vaccination

 

Thanks for the info Larry. The whole rabies requirement is pretty new to me as there is no rabies in the UK, so no vaccination requirement either. Definitely something to look into a bit more.

 

Still not eating.

 

So I see this thread has run away into a vaccine discussion. Back to the topic at hand....

I had this very same thing happened with Ben right before Christmas. He got his rabies shot, stopped eating and ended up hospitalized for pancreatitis. His timeline is very similar to what Ozgood is going through.

Here's a link to the thread about it. http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/ben-has-pancreatitis.149407/

Critter mom was great with suggestions of things to do and ask for at the vet. The only food he would eat when he was sick was Sheba's perfect portions. Which worked out because it is smaller than a can. He ended up getting pain meds, anti-nausea meds and an appetite stimulant.

I'm not going to lie, it was scary as hell. And I was so angry because it was caused by his vaccinations. He has since fully recovered and he isn't getting any more vaccinations as long as he lives.

If Ozgood still isn't eating, he needs to go back to the vet.

 

Another thing that helped with the not wanting to eat was elevating the dish to about kitty shoulder height. Imagine being nauseated and then having to lean over to eat. It made a big difference in the amount of food he ate. In fact, he still eats off an elevated dish.

 

My 2 cents on vacs
When I was still working for a vet and after researching and talking with one of the vets on staff I fully agree about animals being over vaccinated. I stop all vacs on all my animals at a certain age or after a certain amount of vacs. I do however still do the RV because NC requires it BUT I will be checking on Skittles getting on a " unhealthy " waiver list if I can. All other vacs are solely up to each owner as long as they aren't going to be boarding or in that type of environment.

 

@Likameow - Very glad to hear how much the elevated dish trick is helping Ben!


Mogs
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Likameow- how long did it take Ben to recover? Glad he came around. Ozgood drank a little water last night. He sniffs food when I put it down for him but he won't touch it. We've had to syringe feed him but it's difficult to get him a substantial amount of food in him. I dropped him off at the vet an hour ago.

3 years ago he was jaundice when we took him in for a routine exam. He stayed overnight and had a melt down. We had to give him an IV at home and it was a week or so that he wouldn't eat. He ended up on steroids (maybe causing his diabetes?). Finally he came around and made a full recovery from that. Since that episode, I'm worried about leaving him at the vet, especially overnight. I don't know what else to do right now. I don't like leaving him there, but something has to be done. I'm hoping this is the low spot and he starts to get better from here.

He's pulled through illness before. Trying to stay positive!

 

Keeping fingers and paws crossed for you and Ozgood, and sending tons of healing vines and prayers!

 

I understand your fear about leaving him at the vet. I was the same way. It took him about a couple weeks after his overnight vet stay to be back to normal. The first few days after he got home he would only eat small amounts of food at a time. But I considered any food in him a victory. This is a cat who normally cleans up a whole can of fancy feast in minutes.

If it does turn out to be pancreatitis please review my post about when Ben had it. I had to ask my vet for things like pain meds and appetite stimulants. Critter mom's advice helped me sound more knowledgeable and make them more willing to give me the things he needed.

Good luck, Ozgood!

 

Rabies vaccine side effects

From the above article:

Common Rabies Vaccine Side Effects

Common rabies vaccine side effects are usually minor in their intensity, and the effects should wear off after a few days. They are caused by your cat's immune system responding to the vaccination and beginning to build an immunity. Here are some common side effects that may have an impact on your cat's life for a day or so after she receives the vaccination:

• Appetite loss
• Diarrhea
• Lethargy
• Low-grade fever
• Pain or swelling at the injection site
• Sneezing
• Vomiting

Also you note that Ozgood is sniffing food but not eating it. That might be a sign of nausea. Here's a link to a symptom checker:

Nausea Symptoms and Treatments (from Tanya's Site)

Keep an eye on Ozgood to see if he's showing any other signs of nausea. I know you've tried all the tricks but just to be on the safe side I'll suggest raising his food and water bowls a little and maybe warming his food just a little bit. Saoirse has chronic pancreatitis and these basic tricks help her a lot.

I really think you need to get Ozgood in to the vet as early as possible to get him checked over. Ozgood really, really needs to eat A.S.A.P. Assuming that it is nausea and inappetence and nothing more, ask your vet about Cerenia (injectable - anti-nausea and can help with any vomiting), generic ondansetron (also for nausea) and also an appetite stimulant. The anti-nausea meds need to be on board first otherwise it could lead to future food aversions (if cat is still nauseated when appetite stimulant kicks in).

A very, very small dose of mirtazapine can stimulate appetite and lasts for about 3 days but it carries the risk of inducing serotonin syndrome (and can react with other meds even when dose is tiny). Cyproheptadine, another appetite stimulant, also works at tiny doses but the stimulant effect wears off quicker (c. 8-12 hours). Cypro tends to be gentler in action and because it doesn't last as long you have better control over dosing but double-check with the vet about liver issues.

A vitamin B12 injection can also help with appetite.


Mogs
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IMPORTANT QUESTIONS:

Is Ozgood getting any insulin?

Are you testing daily for ketones? (If not please start ASAP.)


Mogs
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Thank you everyone. Ozgood has been at the vet since this morning. No word yet. I just called and the vet is supposed to call me back soon

Mogs- Ozgood got insulin this morning. We don't have the equipment to test for ketones at home. When the vet calls back I'm going to ask about an appetite stimulant and an anti nausea.

Likameow- I'll look at your post. How did Ben go from the rabies shot to having pancreatitis?

 

I know it's not nice for Ozgood to be at the vets but it's good to know he's getting his insulin and the vets are keeping an eye on him.

Keeping fingers and paws crossed in the Shire that Ozgood will be eating again very soon. Will keep an eye out for updates.




Mogs
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Doesn't sound good. Vet said he has some kind of infection, and DKA. She said he needs 24 hour care. Trying to figure out where. I think the closest is a couple hours away

 

I'm sorry to hear about the DKA. (Perfect storm: not enough food + not enough insulin + infection or other system stressor >>> greater risk of DKA.)

I've not had to deal with DKA myself but from reading posts here my understanding is that the intensive veterinary treatment involves them flushing the ketones out, restoring electrolyte balance, insulin treatment and getting food into the cat (and there may be more), plus treating the infection. When you're having the consult, as a precaution I'd suggest asking the vet about the option of a feeding tube if they don't get Ozgood eating quickly. (Here's information on feeding tubes from Dr Pierson's catinfo site.)

I'm tagging @Meya14. If she is around she may be able to give you more specific information. I'd suggest doing a forum search through Meya's posts; she's very knowlegeable about DKA and she has contributed a wealth of information about it to the forum.

From my reading here, I understand that it's very important that a DKA kitty needs to stay long enough in hospital to become well stabilized and eating. Even if Ozgood has his appetite back, I'd still recommend your asking the vets to prescribe anti-nausea and appetite stimulant meds to take home with you. You might not need to use them but having them to hand would allow you to respond immediately to any recurrence of appetite problems or queasiness and nip them in the bud. And grab some ketone test strips from a pharmacy (or similar).

I know it's not much in the way of comfort but right now Ozgood is in the right place to be getting the urgent help he needs. I hope he's referred to a facility as close to home as possible.

Rooting for your little fella. Please let us know how you're both getting on when you get a chance.


Mogs
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Update- Ozgood also has cardiac issues and an infection. We opted to have a vet tech take him home for the night to monitor and medicate him. I wish he was home but this is the best thing to do for him. We hope he makes it through the night and then go from there.

The only 2 good things are he still has a chance and it wasn't our fault. The vet said the vaccine may have brought these issues to the surface but it didn't cause them. Even so I still feel horrible. If not for the vaccine he would be fine right now. For how long? Months? Years?

We have 3 other cats that are loved dearly, but no one can replace Ozgood. He's my baby. Hoping and praying for good news tomorrow.

 

Fingers and paws crossed in the Shire ...

 

My heart goes out to you and Ozgood. Still sending prayers and healing vines! {{{HUGS}}}

 

Thinking positive, healing thoughts to Ozgood.

 

He didn't make it through the night

 

Oh god - so very, very sorry. I am so very sad for you. I am sure Ozgood knew how much you loved him and that he was in the best of care.

 

Sending purrs and prayers at this difficult time

 

Thank you. Likewise to you Larry. I saw your thread, I'm sorry.

This is heartbreaking. So unexpected and he was doing so well. Caring for Oz and spending time with him was such a part of my life. The house feels empty. I'm at a loss. This is about the time of day he would be asking for lunch. I'm planning to tell Ozgood's story soon.

 

I am so sorry to hear you lost Osgood.

 

No pain like it ...

I am deeply, deeply saddened to hear about dear little Ozgood. Your baby ...




I would love to hear Ozgood's story - when you feel the time is right. We are all here for you.


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I'm so very sorry to hear about Ozgood. My deepest condolences.

 

Thank you everyone. The vet tech that took him for the night loved him. She was holding him as he went. I'm thankful our vet's office went out of the way to provide after hours care. It's just so different without him. He's been here for almost 9 years, minus 1 night 3 years ago when he had an overnight stay at the vet.

Tomorrow will be hard. The first work morning where he won't be up with me in the middle of the night waiting for a snack.

I'm going to get a granite memorial with his picture on it to put in the back yard. I also want to get a display case for pictures and other items. Maybe a syringe, lancet, empty can of FF Turkey & Giblets, cat nip, toy, brush. All things Ozgood

 

I posted his story. http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/until-we-meet-again.151327/ I figured now was as good of a time as any. It's long. Thank you

 

That sounds like it will be an amazing tribute. He was lucky to have you as a caring, loving guardian.

 

I am so very sorry. There is nothing any of us can say to take away your grief and pain, but know that our hearts are with you. {{{HUGS}}}