Ginger - Spec fPL was normal

She ate a little bit of dry food yesterday, not much.

Please continue to send her eating vines.

I gave her some more 2 year old Ondansetron about an hour ago.

I have to go to work today, and I don't know what to do.

 

It sounded to me like the vet was not overly concerned. I'm still thinking either gas or pancreatitis. I hope the Ondansetron helps.

Sending appy and tummy vines.

 

Thank you, Tricia.
I think, since I've been up since 2:45am this morning, because I wanted to ask for help, and my computer wouldn't work and I had to call the Geek Squad, and then once they were done only had 20 minutes left before my alarm went off, and I just gave up and am now drinking coffee, that I will go to work early and then I can leave early.
Tomorrow, I will not have this flexibility.

 

Sending more prayers.

 

I agree that pancreatitis is a possibility - in that case, daily cerenia (Murphy gets 4 mgm daily but for a flare, I up to 8 mg) - can give the ondansteron tid - did you find the mirtaz or cypro? When Murphy stops eating, I don't hesitate to give the appy stimulants after the cerenia and ondansteron. Lots vines for you and Ginger I do know how frustrating a cat who won't eat much can be. Hope it resolves soon

 

Vines and prayers.....

 

Sending lots of appy and feel-better vines to Ginger!!!

 

Appy vines for Ginger

 

Tons of vines and prayers.

 

Sending vines - I hope Ginger starts feeling better and eating very soon! I know how stressful it is, especially when you can't always be around.

 

I've used outdated ondansetron and it still worked. You might need a larger dose. How much dose she weigh? If 2mg doesn't work well then try 3-4. For Max cerenia didn't work any better. For some it does. You need the right dose for full effect of either one.

 

Ginger weighs 11 and 1/2 pounds.
We are headed to the Emergency Vet. They have IMs there, I hope, and they will do a better job of looking in her mouth.
When I got home from work, it did not look like she had eaten anything. I warmed up some Friskies Prime Filets and added a tiny bit of water and added some Temptations and she licked at the gravy.
Our regular vet told me she is off on Tuesday afternoons. I got an appointment with the owner's daughter fresh out of vet school, but would rather have more experienced eyes, so chose the ER instead. The only problem is they said they usually have a guy on staff that does ultrasounds and he is on vacation.
Wish us luck, please.
Ginger is so no liking all these vet appointments.

 

Sending good vetty vines your way. Keeping fingers crossed it's nothing serious.

 

Hope you get some good answers at the ER vets

 

Keeping posted on Ginger's update...sending big hugs and prayers for answers .

Dawn

 

Hoping it is something minor that is easily resolved. Good luck with the vetty visit and hopefully Ginger doesn't get too stressed at the the vet. Healing and Appy vines for Ginger... I know I was worried when my furball lost his appetite, hope all goes well for you and Ginger.

 

Vines and prayers. Let us know what's going on when you can.

 

Vines.

Marilyn and Polly

 

Sending lots of vines your way that you will know what is going on soon and get her eating again. Did you try baby food?

 

Sending eating vines and wisdom for whatever vet you get to recognize the issue pronto so you can get her eating....

 

Tons of vines on their way for Ginger, and for you. I hope you get a answer soon. Keep us posted.

When Neko was off her appy, I sometimes found if I "primed the pump" with a little syringe feeding, it got her eating again.

 

I am eating ice cream for dinner.
We just got home.
They did blood work and xrays. Her blood work was great, and her USG was 1.045, so that is good. Her xrays showed good heart, and other organs, and showed formed poop in her colon (although I thought she was not eating) and more food or hairball or something else she ate in her stomach, but her spleen looked just turned to the side and was probably okay and an area that could just be a loop of her intestine or something else. She suggested that I get an ultra sound as soon as possible (their ultra sound person had just gotten married and was on his honeymoon).

She said I could dry to Red Bank Tintin Falls tonight (I've been up since 2 this morning, so driving another hour to there and driving home after midnight was out of the question) or try and see if the Red Bank Hillsborough site had an Internal Medicine doctor available tomorrow to do the ultra sound. Hillsborough is 30 minutes from my house. She called them and they told her the only appointment they have available is at 3 tomorrow afternoon. I called to schedule that appointment and they said there wouldn't be enough time for it. She said she would try to see if the IM could fit it in. Hopefully, it is just an intestine looping, and the spleen was just pictured that way in the xray. All of you imagine that, okay?

They gave Ginger some cyproheptadine and she ate pretty decent when when we finally got home.
Hoping for all good news.

I am so off to bed. It is hours past my bed time.

 

Imagining that for you and sending vines and hugs

 

Yay for good labs. The US is going to be good as well.

 

Imagining it as hard as I can.

Did they send you home with some cypro? You can give it twice a day. I'm glad she's eating. Hang in there, Dyana.

Sending mega appy vines and some general purpose vines, too.

 

(((Dyana)))
Me too, I'm imagining that, and also sending tons of positive thoughts and extra-strong eating vines.

 

I'm still thinking pancreatitis and it can take a long time to resolve or resolve quickly.

 

Sending vines and hoping you have good news at the next vetty visit.

 

We're still waiting for the Spec fPL. The ultrasound showed some marginally enlarged lymph nodes along side her pancreas, but her pancreas is not enlarged. She still had something in her stomach and they can not tell if it is the food she ate last night or hair ball. She suggest fasting her for a good 24 hours and doing another xray. She has been fasting herself enough. She got some more Cyproheptadine at the vet and came home and ate a good portion of dinner. Both this vet (an IM doctor) and the emergency vet last night just looked at me funny when I mentioned giving her an anti nausea drug along with the cypro. Strange. And both of them said she doesn't seem to be in pain, so at this moment, she does not need bupe.

I have to go back to work. I'm just glad she's fine and ate and hope she keeps her dinner down.

 

I just want to Thank All Of You for the vines.
When I left to go back to work, I left two CPC bowls of wet food and a bigger bowl of kibble.
When I came home, the kibble was almost gone.
Ginger was right there, when I went into the kitchen, and stood on her hind legs to see what was being served next.
Right now, her nose looks bigger because of the gravy on the white. She wants to go outside, but I just returned home from work. I am exhausted, and I have not eaten much since Monday, so I am preparing a little dinner for me, and hoping for a nice rest and sleep for both of us.

 

What wonderful wonderful words to read!

 

Yes, sounds very encouraging

 

Just getting caught up with Ginger. I am imagining and sending vines that all will be OK and that this is "just one of those things".
Get some sleep, Dyana!

 

I am still wanting to scream at those vets not realizing the need for nausea medication! I wish I could hand them an article or two on pancreatitis! I'm so glad Ginger is eating but I bet it's the cypro working. I hope you are giving her ondansetron or cerenia too.

 

What a great update. I hope Ginger continues to eat. Sending prayers.

 

Thank you.

I woke up to CPC, three empty bowls. Ginger kept pushing her head under my hand and purring last night, to get me to pet her. Eventually, I had to hide my hands under the pillow, so I could get some sleep.
She ate most of her first breakfast. I successfully pilled her the cypro. She ate some more food, and meowed as I was filling her water bowl. Yesterday, I was told to limit her water intake before the ultra sound, so had to only leave a little bit of water out while I was at work. She had a good drink of water, and is probably now hiding or maybe on my bed. I understand the hiding, as she has been taken to a vet everyday the past 3 days. Hoping for no more vet visits until we retest her T4 in a couple months.

 

You have to love CPC!

 

Wonderful news...keep eating, Ginger!

 

Ginger's Spec fPL was normal, so no pancreatitis.

I came home from work to find 3 empty bowls of food. And Ginger's nose still shows the stains from licking them.
We went outside for a bit and I gave her her cypro pill out there.
She started her dinner served outside on the porch steps and finished it in the dining room.

I called the ER hospital (the first one we saw on Tuesday) to get the test results and to ask about how to handle the cypro. He (a different vet that did not see her) said to try to taper the meds. down. Give 1/2 tablet tonight and 1/2 tomorrow morning, and then to try skipping tomorrow night to see how she does. If that goes well, then to try 1/2 tablet in the mornings and after about 2 days to then go to 1/2 tablet every other day. Wish Us Luck, please.

Ginger ate a fairly good dinner and is now (I guess) waiting for me to come to bed as I always bring a bag of treats to bed.
I got a much better sleep last night, than the last few nights, and am feeling better.
My bank account is much lighter, but we know Ginger is doing pretty good.

 

I bet your heart is feeling lighter too, and that's what counts. What a great report. Keep eating Ginger.

 

Excellent report. Keep it up, Ginger!

 

Very glad to hear the good news. Eat yer fuds on your own now, Ginger!

 

I'm glad Ginger is eating! We just gave a tiny crumb of cypro to Tillie and to Zener, maybe just 1/64 or 1/32 of a 4 mg pill. We did this BID. It took about an hour to kick in. Any more than that and they would be frantic for food. We also give ondansetron, 1 mg, at the same time. Cerenia, 4 mg, 4 times per week. Just to give you another idea.
Liz

 

hope it continues!!

I don't know why the vets are so cautious with Cypro or Ondansetron....
I know they get scared of Ondansetron because it was originally a cancer drug ( after all, their appetites faltered)
but it doesn't seem to have any negative effects.... just positive.....
I guess it's lack of experience....

if anyone has evidence to the contrary.... correct me...

it's like a miracle drug for ailing kitties.... that's for sure...

 

I've never given more than 1/2 a tablet of Cypro. Have you been giving her the entire 4 mg pill? No wonder she's eating like a horse. 1/4 is usually enough to get my cats eating, unless they are nauseous. Whatever you're doing, I'm glad it's working, and I'm glad the test was negative.

 

I was told to give her 1/2 tablet of Cyproheptadine 4mg BID. I know I used to give J.D. 1/4 tablet as needed. I was just doing what the vet told me.
When I gave her the Ondansetron (1/4 tablet) BID on Monday it didn't seem to help. My Ondansetron was cut into quarters two years ago, so it is very old. That may be why. I can probably get a prescription for it from my regular vet, if needed.

I woke up to three empty bowls of food. Ginger ate treats at bedtime and most of her 1st breakfast. She's still leery of me and currently hiding in the linen closet. Last night when I came home from work, I was afraid she would run from me when she saw me, because the last 3 days in a row when I came home from work I put her in a carrier and took her to a vet. So, last night I just opened the door and gave the cats some outdoor time. I could tell Jackson missed his outdoor time last night, because he was running at full speed all over the place and enjoying himself.

Ginger is back out of hiding now and wandering around. It will be sunrise soon, and I'll let the kitties out for a bit before going to work. It will be good to get them back into their regular routines.

Tonight, I am to try to go without the Cyproheptadine, and start SID in the mornings. Wish us luck.

Thanks for all the vines and well wishes. I appreciate you all so much.

 

I came home from work today, to three empty cat bowls. We'll see how tonight goes. Wish us luck.

 

Good luck!!

 

Hope you wake up to more empty bowls.

 

I woke up to three empty bowls of food
I'm trying to get back into our old routines so that Ginger feels better emotionally. For those three days of vet visits earlier this week, I got home so late that there was no going outside at all (for either cat).
On Thursday and Friday there were no vet visits, so I let her out in the morning before I went to work, and again in the evening when I got home, each day (closely supervised).
I put some more food out this morning, and let the cats out and I think she is happier, and trusting me more because I am not putting her into her harness and leash and stuffing her into a carrier to take her to a vet everyday.

 

Great progress! Whew. Good to see.

Marilyn and Polly

eta: Re: odansetron. Polly gets a bit of it when she's off her food. It's from my stash back in my chemo days, four years ago now. Still seems to work. And it's given to chemo patients to help with the chemo caused nausea. Can't speak to that since I never needed it. But it does seem to help Polly.

 

Thanks Marilyn.
My Ondansetron pills have been split into quarters for all those 2 years. I don't know if that makes a difference that they are old and not whole pills.
Ginger got 1/4 tablet of Ondansetron on Monday morning, a shot of Cerenia Monday evening, and another 1/4 tablet of Ondansetron on Tuesday at 3:00am, and none of those helped her to eat. It was late at night on Tuesday at the ER they gave her some Cyproheptadine and she finally started eating when we got home.
She's still not playing yet, or running around much yet, but she is being loving and purring and eating her food.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if the ondansetron didn't have much effect after a couple of years, especially since it's been cut all that time.

What great news! And the fact that she's staying in the CPC is great! Good news that she doesn't have p-titis, although it does make you wonder what happened that she stopped eating. At least it seems like she's past it - and that's good!

 

She's still a bit quieter. I've seen her trot a few times, but mostly quietly walks or lays. She hasn't been having rassling times with Jackson, although now that I think about it, those sessions normally happened before feeding time and I often thought they were just trying to get my attention to feed them. I am holding off on getting out her new catnip toys and Da Bird to encourage her to play. Maybe tomorrow.
Last night, in the dark of my bedroom, I opened my eyes to see Ginger and Jackson laying side by side and licking each other's faces This morning, she was laying down and Jackson was sitting next to her, and Jackson dared to try to lick her face and she growled at him. That's normal for Ginger. She tells him to go away, and he says but why, I love you and want you to be my friend.

It's a beautiful day outside and I have to go to work. She got her cypro this morning, and we try going every other day starting tomorrow, so no cypro tomorrow. I hope she does just fine.

 

How cute on the face licking last night. Sending more prayers.

 

That's a high dose of cypro. Max just needs 1/8 a pill or less to eat. Ondansetron isn't a cancer drug. It's for nausea and was first used for nausea due to chemo makes nag people nauseous. The main side effects are constipation and lethargy so if she's sleeping more that's likely why.

 

Thanks for letting me know about the side effects. I was wondering. Wait, are you talking about the side effect of cypro or ondansetron?
Today, was her first day of no cypro. We are to do a few every other day before taking her off. She ate pretty good today. Not whole meals, but I'd say close to a normal amount. I also weighed her and she is back to 11 pounds 9.5 ounces. She bounces around 11 pounds something, but was down to 11 pounds 1 ounce after those days of not eating and the all day fast for the ultrasound.
I did see her run around a little today. She's just not quite to playing and rassling with Jackson, yet.

 

Ondansetron but cypro can make them sleepy too or hyper. It's like I can't take decongestants because they make it impossible for me to sleep but it has the opposite effect for others.

 

Thanks. She seems to sleep okay, I think. She's not like my Jackson who sleeps super out of it.
The vet said to slowly taper the cyproheptadine down by giving BID, then SID, then EOD, rather than a smaller dose.
I think she is beginning to get back to her normal self. My neighbor thinks she must have ate something that made her go off her feed.
Right now, she is laying in a place that she normally doesn't, but is eating okay, and acting close to normal.
I hope she is completely back to normal soon.

 

Me too.

 

Thanks.
I appreciate the support. It's been a tough week.