1/22 Sid home - not doing well

I brought Sid home about noon today. He was acting OK. Still hiding under the bed. I noticed between 4 and 5 that he had vomited. About 6 I offered food (in a dish) and he refused to touch it. I gave him some water and medicine through his tube and then called the specialist. (They told me to call before putting any food in the tube because he was eating fine there [which I'm not sure I believe]). So I called and he said to give him 20-30 mls in the tube and then the Prozinc. So I very very slowly gave him the slurry and after about 2mls he vomited all over. I called back and the specialist said not to feed him for 6 hours. That seems like a long time to me. It is possible he vomited because of the water and medicine on an empty stomach but I wonder based on the fact that he vomited earlier in the afternoon.

so I called back and they said to only give him .5 units, but when I checked his bg, it was only 104 so I am not giving any insulin. That is a good level, but not good that he doesn't want to eat. I can tell that he is not doing well at all just by the constant purring and laying his head on the bed. That is why I question how he could have been eating all of his food there at the hospital. I called my regular vet who advised me to crush up 1/4 tablet of cerenia and mix with water. So I did that and put it in the tube. He said to leave Sid alone for an hour or so and then I will check his bg again and see if he wants to eat. That is where we are at right now.

I really appreciate everyone's support and kindness through this. Things are not looking good at all. I have not lost hope but it is a struggle to keep maintaining it.

Lydia



http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=61689

Hugs Lydia. I hope his tummy settles down and he wants to eat in a little while.

Hi Lydia - I wish I had advise to give you, but this is so out of my realm of expertise. I will keep you in my thoughts, and hope that Sid improves. I know how tough it is, just went through this with one of my civvies. Comfort your guy the best you can. hang in there. Hugs from Mannie and I.

(((lydia & sid))))

we had good luck with cerenia when punkin was vomiting. i hope sid perks up. we're cheering for you, sid!

Just want to let you know you and Sid are in our thoughts and prayers...please, please feel better Sid!

Lydia, so sorry to hear Sid is not doing well since being home. I am sending vines and prayers and hope Sid rallies overnight. Hugs and comfort vines to you.

Prayers for Sid, hugs for you.

I hope he settles back down. If not, I wouldn't wait overly long and I'd get him in to the vet.

I'm sorry, dear. You're doing everything anyone could do and more for Sid. I'm holding you both in my thoughts.

Oh no, sweet Sid...PLEASE hang in there and feel better!

prayers, vines, snowflakes, and healing energy coming to you...

We're thinking of you, fella...

((((( Lydia )))))
I hear a similar fear and helplessness in your voice that i experienced when alex got so sick a couple of years ago. i really feel for you and what you're going through with sid.

will sid eat anything at all... not necessarily limited to cat food? dry food? people food? i remember feeling so desperate that i would have given alex a plate full of pasta or surf and turf if she would have eaten it. sometimes getting some food in their tummy... even if it's just a little something will stimulate their appetite.

sending blizzards of snowflakes and healing vines...

Cerenia is really good for vomiting and will probably help. Six hours without food isn't okay. It is important that he keep down the food though. Cerenia will not address true nausea though so ondansetron may be needed on top of this. On the FAF board we recommend waiting a half hour after vomiting and trying again. Or if you feel better an hour or two.

Regarding the tube:
Are you doing a preflush? If so this isn't needed. A post flush is needed though after giving medicine and food. 8mls is enough. I made an error when Maverick came home. I mixed his stomach motility drug with 3ccs of water and put it into his tube. But didn't flush with the water after so the medication never made it to his stomach.

Always use luke warm or slightly warmer food and water. Cold food and water can trigger vomiting. Don't have any smells around when tube feeding. Present the food - if they don't eat take it away.

Tube feed very slowly. 1/2 or 1cc at a time with rests after.

Do you know if they did a post placement xray? To make sure the tube didn't go right into the stomach?

Did Sid start chemo or anything for the possible lymphoma?

Remember to be watching for signs of nausea:
hanging over water bowl (in some cats - want to drink but too nauseated to)
lip licking/lip smacking
teeth grinding
showing interest in food but once presented sniffing or licking and walking away

One more post - are you posting on the lymphoma group or the FAF group? You need emotional support along with advice. They've been through what you are dealing with also. Hang in there.

Thank you everyone. I was convinced Sid was dying so I called my vet (3x) and luckily he was on emergency duty tonight. What happened is why I feel like I'm on a rollercoaster. So I went into my bedroom to get Sid (he is shut away from the other cats because of the tube) and he is waiting at the door for me. He comes out into the main area and walks right over to the food dishes and eats the other cat's food (Authority wet chicken). He ate about 1/3 can and has kept it down so far. Then he actually fought me about getting in the carrier. So I took him to the vet and he got checked out. The vet is very concerned about his breathing rate too. We checked his glucose using my meter and it was 561. So the vet gave sid .5 units of R. Then in the morning Sid is going back to the vet to be monitored all day!! Hopefully we will get the scope results back tomorrow and have a better idea of what is going on.

Karrie, thank you for the advice. I did do a preflush and post flush of the tube but won't do the preflush next time. I will be sure to do a post flush though. I did go very slow with the food but probably put the .5 of clavamox down too fast. The vet thinks that could have made him vomit but he did vomit a couple of hours before that also. I agree about waiting until midnight to feed him. I thought that was way too long. That is why when he started eating on his own, I let him eat. I will ask about the ondansetron. He was also prescribed famotidine. I don't recall if these two are given together or if ondansetron alone is preferred. You are right about posting on the FAF group too. I plan to do that too.

Ditto on everything Karrie says, she hand-held me thru Tawny's ordeal.

And I think it was Sienne that said s/thg like "I don't care if s/he wants to eat a hot fudge sundae right now, just let 'em eat whatever they'll eat!"

I'm glad Sid's finally kept some food down. Is it an e-tube? What are you feeding him thru it? I know it's high carb but some people here said they just used CliniCare (I didn't w/Tawny, altho I did mix her tube concoction w/it the first couple times).

((((((((Lydia & Sid))))))))