Thread for Vader

@Maggi Harris please tell us about your kitty

 

Thank you so much, Sharon!
Hello everyone. I’m Maggi, proud mama of Vader, a 13 year old black American shorthair and having a difficult time posting my own thread, so Sharon was kind enough to help me. My Vader has IBD, inflammatory bowel disease, so he is currently taking one prednisone every 24 hours, half a Cerenia tablet every 24 hours, an appetite-enhancement pill every 3 to 4 days, and as recently as this afternoon, one unit of insulin, Lantus, every 12 hours. We just found out yesterday that the prednisone has caused Vader to have diabetes. This is a whole new world for us and we are trying to learn every minute detail as quickly as possible.
Today is a rough day for Vader. We gave him the appetite – enhancement pill, which is a stimulant, so he is naturally more talkative and a little more frantic today. I’ve been having trouble getting him to settle down and rest, but my biggest concern is that I am having much more trouble getting him to eat. His mouth is partially/halfway open and his tongue has been out all day.
Starting yesterday, he can’t seem to get food into his mouth nor keep it there. He tries nosing his food but ends up only pushing it out of the bowl and further into the carpet/around the hw floors. When I hand feed him, it’s almost as if he doesn’t notice the pellets in his mouth - they fall out when he goes to take another bite, and I’m scared he will choke if he doesn’t swallow properly. He’s also drooling, long ropey drool, but hasn’t had an accident outside the litter box today.
I don’t know if this slack-jawed symptom is a sign of his diabetes or something else. The information I’ve been finding online is things like diabetic cats suddenly become voracious eaters, but this isn’t helpful. Has anyone experienced this before? If so, any insight or advice would be much appreciated. Vader’s vet is closed until Monday morning and I don’t trust the people at the nearby overnight animal hospital - they are nothing but hacks. Please and thank you. I look forward to sharing with, learning from, and listening to you all!

 

Is the appetite stimulant mirtazapan? What dosage?
@Carol & Murphy has a kitty with IBD maybe she has some insight.

 

It is mirtazapine, one quarter of a* 15 mg tablet.

 

I don’t have much experience with Mirtz, but I know it can have some strange side effects. Does he seem sore in his mouth? Could anything be stuck in his teeth or throat? Is he drinking?

 

His mouth looks fine, pink and healthy, no obstructions. I’m getting used to him having an aversion to food but this trying to eat and not able to the properly chew or swallow is new and rather alarming.

 

Are you able to test his blood sugar?

 

I don’t have a home test kit or anything yet. I didn’t even know home testing was a thing until this evening when I found this website. We’re total novices to all of this.

 

This started yesterday? Has he been able to eat at all?

 

A lick or two of the sauce in the wet food, perhaps a dozen treats, maybe just as many food pellets in 48 hours =(

 

That’s not good. Does he seem to want to eat but can’t, or just not interested?
@Kris & Teasel any ideas?

 

He seems to want to eat the dry food and treats but can’t get them to stay in his mouth/chew. If this doesn’t improve by tomorrow afternoon, I’m afraid I’m going to have to hospitalize him

 

Is he drinking water at all? If so, is he actually swallowing it or does he just get a wet chin/chest? Most diabetic cats drink copious amounts of water.
Have you changed his food since the diagnosis? Sounds like he is eating kibble and some cats like small vs larger kibble bits or vice versa so could a change in size be contributing?

 

Yes it’s important they eat! Wish I had some more ideas for you. Have you tried some all meat baby food?

 

He does drink a lot of water, another reason I took him on yesterday but he’s also getting a lot of spillage on his chest. Because of his IBD, the vet didn’t want us to change his food but they are small kibbles.

 

I hadn’t thought of baby food! Great idea!!!

 

Just be sure it’s all meat, no spices or onions. Warm it a bit too.

 

Thank you so much! I’m going to try this right away!

 

So if the food hasn't changed is it possible he has a bad tooth causing him issues? That could also contribute to the diabetic diagnosis. It's good to know he is drinking and a bit of a wet chest/chin is normal but not soaking wet which might indicate he's not swallowing it. The baby food is a great idea from Sharon.

 

He had 6 teeth removed in June, right before we found about the IBD. I had thought that he’d have to be on some kind of “applesauce diet” like you see geriatric people in the movies - everything out of a blender, but because cats will swallow their kibble whole with only a few chews in a bite (ever notice that when you clean up a ‘sick’ it’s mostly whole?), we were told he was okay to go back and forth between wet and dry. For dry, we have to have use the prescription but we switch up their wet foods. This month it’s been Friskies Extra Gravy - the other two love it.

 

Have you seen this site
http://www.ibdkitties.net/
Lots of good info on IBD

 

I thought we were making progress but now to find out that in getting his IBD managed, we gave him diabetes is heartbreaking. Reading all these posts and threads are so inspiring though. I have so much to learn and I’m so grateful for y’all’s help!

 

We have lots of cats here that have both IBD and diabetes. I’m sure they will have some ideas to help you manage the two conditions!

 

I’m sending my husband out for baby food - a first! Thank you so much for your help by starting this thread, getting to know Vader, and offering your insight! You and @MrWorfMen's Mom have been a salve to my fraying nerves

 

Welcome to you and Vadar!
I'm sorry Vadar is not well. I don't have any words of wisdom to help.
It does sound like maybe something in his mouth to me. My daughter has an American shorthair and her mouth is quite tiny and hard to see inside.
I hope you can get this sorted out quickly. It is important that he eats.

 

How’s Vader this AM?

 

Still no luck with eating today. I’ve emailed his doctor. Thank you for checking in on us! I know we’ll get something in his tummy one way or another.

 

It may be an effect of the light (or maybe I'm just seeing things!) but it looks to me like his tongue is slightly swollen. Does his face/mouth seem at all puffy? Could he possibly have been bitten or stung by an insect? Maybe an allergy to a med? Just throwing some ideas out there.

 

@Squalliesmom I just took another look at the picture and you might be on to something. It does look swollen. Good observation!

While you wait to hear back from the vet, you might want to try syringe feeding him a bit. If I am reading correctly, he hasn't been eating much for almost 72 hours now and that can lead to serious liver problems in cats. There is some information on assist feeding HERE.

 

Good eye @Squalliesmom! I hadn’t noticed that. It could be a reaction to the Cerenia maybe, that’s the only new medication he’s had aside from the insulin, and he was like this before his insulin dose. Thank you @MrWorfMen's Mom, I’ll read this right away!

 

Have you heard from the vet?

 

We have some progress! As a last resort, we ordered him some chicken along with our dinner and he’s chewing and eating more than he has in days! Woohoo =D The vet hasn’t said anything in response to my email, so my husband will call him in the morning, but we’re so relieved he finally got something on his belly!

 

How’s Vader? Have you spoken to the vet?

 

Hi Sharon! We’ve begun prescription wet food syringe feeding as of yesterday, increasing the amount from 1/3 a can to 1/2 today and maintaining his medicine and insulin dosages. He took to the syringe better than I thought he would but it’s still a bit of a struggle at first. This is definitely a learning curve for both of us, but the article you sent me was amazingly helpful! You’re so sweet to check on us. Thank you!

 

(HEART)BREAKING NEWS: after speaking with Vader’s vet this morning we have decided to assist him across the Rainbow Bridge at 3 o’clock on Thursday, December 27th. The doctor will be coming to the HoH and Vader will be home, surrounded by his mama and daddy, brothers, and sister. We are beyond devastated and ask for understanding as we retreat into these last days with our boy, our big ol black ol bear, my heart and soul #theonlyandonevader

 

Oh Maggi! I am so very sorry to hear this news. They are never with us long enough. Little comfort but good to have the next few days making more memories and cuddling with Vader.

 

I'm so sorry you've had to make this decision for your kitty.

 

I’m so very sorry. I know how difficult this decision was, but I also know that it is the kindest, most loving, selfless thing you could do for Vader.