6/7 Trixie PMBG 117...broke out food syringes

Yesterday

Trix's appy is still crappy today. Last night, I finally broke down and started assist/syringe feeding. I was really hoping to not add another layer of stress for her, and things were looking so much better earlier in the week that I thought I was going be able to avoid it. But, she really needs more calories, and even kibbles aren't enticing her.

She actually doesn't seem to mind it too much! She isn't fighting it at all, and she's actually leaning into the syringe.

The thing of all this is, at this point, when I look at her, I don't see a cat who feels unwell - definitely not like when the pancreatitis first started up, and I don't see a cat who shouldn't want to eat. She is bright-eyed. Her posture and sleeping positions are relaxed and comfy. She is social with us beans and she is snuggling with all the other kitties again. She is not weak or wobbly, she doesn't feel boney or spiney. After syringe feeding, she does not seem nauseated, and goes into a nice little post-meal grooming session. She does have a little dandruff which she's had for quite some time, but her fur is shiny and soft. She's not excessively dehydrated, and she's not drinking a ton of water. She's not vomiting at all - not even a little spot of foamy fluid - nor does she have diarrhea.

Yet despite all that, she does not want to eat enough food. I don't know if she's afraid to eat now or what. I'm wondering if she's stuck in that cycle of not eating enough has made eating uncomfortable, so now she doesn't want to eat enough. Hopefully having a fuller belly from the syringe feeding will spark the memory that a full belly feels good. After each syringe feeding, I've also offered her a small plate of fuds, and she has eaten some of it.

Just minutes after this morning's first syringe, she came over and curled up on my lap for a snooze. And, she just came and jumped on my lap now, also a few minutes after syringin. Such a sweet girl...

As per the vetty's instructions, I did pick her "least favorite" of the fuds I've been feeding lately (Purine One Chicken) and that will be the ONLY food I syringe, in case she develops yet another aversion. At least with the syringe feeding, I know she can't reject it if the binder is in there!

So that is where we're at this fine Saturday morning. I'm actually off from work today - a rare Saturday off! Tonight we are celebrating my Mom's 80th birthday (tomorrow is her actual birthday). So it will be a busy day anyway.

Have a great day, LL!

Amy

Re: 6/7 Trixie AMBG 163 "+3.5" 70...broke out the food syrin

I gave J.D. a 1/4 can of MaxCal two nights ago, just because he wasn't eating any dinner. He doesn't mind it too much, it's just a little messy. I like to be able to give him the extra calories if I feel he needs them. I only do it occasionally, and often he eats his regular food soon after, like you said just getting him to remember what a full belly feels like. I hope Trixie does the same and goes back to her regular food once her tummy is more used to having a good meal inside it.

Re: 6/7 Trixie AMBG 163 "+3.5" 70...broke out the food syrin

your description of her sounds like a happy, healthy cat! perhaps the extra food will be just the ticket for her and will spark her appetite again.

enjoy celebrating with your mom and family!

Re: 6/7 Trixie AMBG 163 "+3.5" 70...broke out the food syrin

Based on my experience with pancreatitis, I REALLY think Trixie is still a bit nauseous. Consistent nausea meds is what always brings Max around after pancreatitis. The same is true for everyone on the yahoo board and the lymphoma list as well when nausea is an issue. When medication is withdrawn before the time is right, the appetite decreases. Cerenia only works for 24 hours. Most here anyways, use it every day or do 5 days on, 2 days off and use ondansetron or another drug whose name escapes me at the moment on the off days. Some even need both at times. I'm sorry but I don't remember but I think ondansetron didn't work for you. But why skip days in between cerenia? It doesn't last that long and studies show as much as 30-50% of the oral is not absorbed. Was her appetite better on daily cerenia?

Re: 6/7 Trixie AMBG 163 "+3.5" 70...broke out the food syrin

It's definitely possible that she is still a bit nauseous, even though she's not presenting as being strongly nauseous. She only had daily cerenia at the very beginning, when things were extra bad, so at this point it's an apples and oranges comparison - plus, I have to admit, the early days of this nightmare are quite a blur!

At this point, it has been just over 24 hours since her last cerenia. I had asked the vetty a while ago about about giving it daily and she said that the only reason she doesn't recommend daily dosing is because it is not known (at least to her, and she is very active in VIN, etc) if it is safe to dose daily (long term), but they do know it is safe to dose every other day.

She's also not as familiar with odansetron, but she did prescribe it for me since I requested it. But yes, we did seem to get better results from the cerenia.

I've been playing telephone tag with vetty for the past couple days, so I could ask her her thoughts of at least dosing the cerenia every 36 hours instead of every 48 hours...so far, we haven't been able to connect, though.

Trix did eat a pretty decent early afternoon snack off a plate for me a little while ago.

Re: 6/7 Trixie AMBG 163 "+3.5" 70...broke out the food syrin

Morning Amy

Very nice numbers for Trixie today. I love that +3.5. Good luck with the food situation. I hope too that a full belly will feel good, and be enough to spark the appy. It is nice she deosn't mind the assist feed. Mannie hated it, rejected it, even at time threw it up. It stressed him so. so.... good (!!) that Trixie will accept it.

Have a great day today. I hope all goes well.

Re: 6/7 Trixie AMBG 163 "+3.5" 70...broke out the food syrin

I hope her appetite is starting to improve. Just curious, when you started cerenia, did she get it 5 days on, 2 days off? I don't mean to be a pest but did you ever read the IDEXX article on pancreatitis, the round table? They suggest ondansetron,anzamet (wrong spelling, I always forget it because I never used it and it is a sub-q injeciton), and cerenia. Max never showed what I would have considered nausea signs either. His appetite would simply take a dive. He would drink the liquid and walk away without eating at times. He would eat less but appear fine. I'll stop pushing now. Sorry if I am being a nag.

Re: 6/7 Trixie AMBG 163 "+3.5" 70...broke out the food syrin

Hi Amy,
I hope Trixie will eat her fuds!

Happy b day to your DM.

Ella (being eaten by bugs ans just retreated to the safety of rhe porch)

Re: 6/7 Trixie AMBG 163 "+3.5" 70...broke out the food syrin

You're not being a nag, Elise! I'm still learning the whole deal with p-titis. I'd rather deal with FD any day!!

We had a weird start because she was on ondansetron (BID) first, at my request. When we switched to cerenia, we were a couple weeks in - the odansetron really didn't seem to be giving her as much relief as I felt she needed. The vet prescribed 3 days in a row, then every other day indefinitely. And yes, as soon as we started the cerenia, she started improving.

One other issue we do have is her BP meds. I had read on Tanya's site that cerenia can interact with almodipine, so because of that, vetty did want to be cautious about its use. Trix was off cerenia for a few days because of this concern. We haven't actually seen any issues (like we did with the cypro and the bupe), but who knows if something may pop up out of the blue.

I have read the roundtable a couple of times. Like Tanya's CRF site, it was a bit overwhelming!

My vet has had lots of in-depth convos with me about Trix's situation, and Trix has been in there several times. Dr R really is fabulous - she spends close to an hour or so with us when the appointment should only be 20 minutes. She spends a lot of time on the phone with me, too. She'll answer and discuss anything, and never rushes. She has researched stuff on VIN for me as well. I do have a ton of confidence in her and her suggestions.

As you mentioned, she has also said that we want to keep going with the meds for a period of time AFTER Trix is feeling consistently good, just to be sure.

Aside from this appy issue, Trix is almost completely back to her old self - and that did take a while. Until just a few days ago, she was still spending most of her time upstairs, and now she is back to hanging out with the rest of the gang.

I wonder, too, if she is a bit nauseous just because she doesn't have enough food in in her belly. That's why I'm hoping the syringe feeding my spark something.

I think, given this discussion, I will give her cerenia again tonight at the 36 hour mark, rather than waiting till tomorrow morning. Hopefully I'll hear from the vet...we usually don't miss each other as much as we have these last couple days!

Re: 6/7 Trixie AMBG 163 "+3.5" 70...broke out the food syrin

Sounds like a good plan. My concern was that the way to make sure the nausea is totally gone is to make sure the med never wears off. Is watch to see if her appetite decreases after the 24 hour point. I'm glad she is feeling so much better.

Re: 6/7 Trixie AMBG 163 "+3.5" 70...broke out the food syrin

Sounds like all Trixie needs now is a little fine-tuning. It's great that she doesn't resist the syringe feeding, and even better that she will then eat some off her plate. It sounds to me like it might be part nausea and part psychological. I agree that once she gets used to the feeling of a full belly again, and realizes it's not going to make her sick, she might be willing to eat more on her own. Meanwhile, I think you're doing a wonderful job.

Once again I have to say that you are very lucky to have such a great vet. I wish you could clone her!

Enjoy your day off, Amy.

I'm sorry you're having to syringe feed Trixie, but glad she's not fighting you on it. I hope it does help spark something and she'll want to eat.

Happy Birthday to your DM.

Hi Amy,
I'm sorry to hear that Trixie's appy is off.
Sending tons of appy vines to her.
That's wonderful that she doesn't mind syringe feeding.
I hope her appetite picks up soon.