Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK

Cat General => General Cat Chat => Topic started by: Andrew on February 01, 2008, 00:40:48 AM

Title: Charlie needs your prayers
Post by: Andrew on February 01, 2008, 00:40:48 AM

Hi everyone,

Sorry I haven't posted much. I spent most of my time cleaning and with Charlie.

We went to see an internal specialist in South London two weeks ago but things haven't been going well here.

Charlie started Carbimazole for his thyroid one week ago and since then, he has vomited daiily. Yesterday morning, he started to throw up a lot and he also had a lot of darrhoea (just once in the morning at 9am). This morning when I got up, I saw diarrhoea in the litterbox. Nothing else happened today until this evening, 3 hours after his meal he started to throw up again and he also had diarrhoea. I have called the vet 10 times yesterday and today. Tonight I took him for an emergency appointment.

His temperature wasn't too high, a bit low actually and the vet said it's normal after a cat throws up and after a diarrhoea. The vet also felt his stomach and he didn't seem to be in pain. Also he is not dehydrated. The vet said there is no need for him to stay there tonight.

However, I realised that if a cat doesn't eat for a couple of days, there is a risk of liver damage. He didn't eat anything yesterday. Today I tried everything -- baby food, ham, steam chicken, whiskas, roast chicken, tin salmon and tuna, cooked salmon and tuna, Hill's A/D (vet suggested but I think it is too greasy for a sick cat), Hill's ID etc. He ate nothing except, one bite of whiskas sardine.

So I went out to the butcher and bought some fresh frozen sardines. I also had tinned sardine in tomato sauce. This evening, I gave him Maxolon, an antinausea medication. Then I steamed the sardine for him. I then realised there are a lot of bones in sardine... It took me 30 minutes to get rid of the bones. But I was glad Charlie ate it. 3 hours later, everything started again. I had to take him to the hospital..

We don't know what's causing this yet... My vet said it is not likely to be Carbimazole. And I haven't given him any laxatives for a week either and he is not constipated. He has had some internal specialists looking at his case and yet no one can say for certain what's going on.

For those of you who don't know, Charlie has megacolon and Teresa will probably tell you it isn't easy to manage..

I just have to wait and see. I just need to make sure he eats and drinks, and if necessary, I'll have to force feeding. It isn;t easy to force feed him because I tried to give him Pro Kolin directly to his mouth yesterday and he fought really badly. I don't know what is going to happen but hopefully, he will get better. He needs your prayers...

Thanks,

Andrew & Charlie
Title: Re: Charlie needs your prayers
Post by: Mark on February 01, 2008, 07:09:01 AM
Hi Andrew,

Sorry I can't be much help and hopefully someone else will be on soon that can give you some advice. Have you tried Slippery Elm Bark? - people have had a lot of success with with in treatment of nausea & diarrhoea. Lesley tried it with Tarka recently, along with Eagle pack holistic food and after having diarrhoea for 7 months, within 24 hours, the stools were firmer. I gave it to my cat clapton when he first got CRF and it helped to settle his stomach. You can just sprinkle the contents of the capsule over the food. Clapton is a very fussy eater and will refuse to eat if there is anything strange on his food but he was happy to eat the slippery elm. If you buy capsules, make sure they are pure as some brands have extra ingredients (Potters have cinnamon, clove & peppermint oil added  :scared:). I know Holland & Barrett own brand are pure. It also helps with constipation  :hug:

Good luck  :hug:
http://www.harpsie.com/constipation.htm#slippery_elm_bark
Title: Re: Charlie needs your prayers
Post by: Desley (booktigger) on February 01, 2008, 07:24:33 AM
Aww, fingers crossed for him. Some thyroid meds have side effects, so I dont know why they are dismissing it so quickly.
Title: Re: Charlie needs your prayers
Post by: sheryl on February 01, 2008, 09:48:59 AM
Positive vibes and love on the way for Charlie xxx  Hope you are feeling better soon xxx
Title: Re: Charlie needs your prayers
Post by: CurlyCatz on February 01, 2008, 09:55:51 AM
Hope charlie improves for you, the others are right it can take a little while to get the thryoid stabalised out.  The bones in sardines are normally soft and shouldnt normally cause a cat any probs, also the a/d is very good so i'd also advise that if he takes it, if there is a little bit of liquid sitting on top when you open the can you should mix it all through with a spoon , remember a/d can be warmed a little too.
Title: Re: Charlie needs your prayers
Post by: Gail Bengal Slave on February 01, 2008, 10:21:07 AM
AWWW poor baby boy  :'(

sending Charile tons of positvie get well thoughts, and healing hugs  :hug:.
I hate it when a babe is un-well.

 :hug: to you & Charlie xxxx
Title: Re: Charlie needs your prayers
Post by: Bazsmum on February 01, 2008, 10:25:03 AM
Sending positive vibes for Charlie~~~~~~~ :hug: :hug:
Title: Re: Charlie needs your prayers
Post by: clarenmax on February 01, 2008, 10:50:26 AM
Sending positive vibes and prayers your way  :hug: :hug:
Title: Re: Charlie needs your prayers
Post by: ClaireR on February 01, 2008, 10:57:41 AM
Thinking of you.  Cuddles to Charlie and to you.

Claire xx
Title: Re: Charlie needs your prayers
Post by: dolcetta46 on February 01, 2008, 12:05:18 PM
Ohhh, poor Charlie!! :(   Hope you will feel better soon, come on boy, get well we are cheering for ya!! :hug: :hug: :hug:
Title: Re: Charlie needs your prayers
Post by: swampmaxmum on February 01, 2008, 13:33:44 PM
Hi Andrew, I'm so sorry about Charlie. Did these symptoms start when you changed his medication? Not saying it is, but it could be a side effect? I know that maxolon's quite a strong anti nausea pill (had it myself!). Vomiting 3 hours after eating sounds like just when the food hits a certain part of his intestine (or a blockage?), presumably very inflamed. I hope the internal med vet can sort it out and I would nag at him until he does. Sending lots of positive vibes and prayers for you and Charlie.  Post how you are doing -it must be so difficult for you right now  :hug:
Title: Re: Charlie needs your prayers
Post by: CarolM (Wendolene) on February 01, 2008, 17:21:45 PM
I agree with Desley - I don't know why the vet is so convinced that this has nothing to do with the carbimazole.  I had a similar experience when my Tiny was put on carbimazole.  He was OK for a few days then started vomiting after every meal (no diarrhoea but no pre-existing intestinal problems like Charlie has). From that point on things went from bad to worse.  I suspected the carbimazole but the vet said no it was something else (can't remember exactly what).  Its a long story and I won't bore you with it but  over the next week or so he had various treatments from different vets,  couldn't eat without vomiting and I really thought I was going to lose him he was so poorly. I still suspected the carbimazole so took him off them and bingo, within a few days he was back to normal.  I then did some research on thyroid meds and found out that although vets in the UK typically start with a dose of 5 mg twice daily which US vets used to do, the American veterinary Association now recommends a much lower starting dose to minimise side effects with slow upward titration of the dose as necessary to control the thyroid problem. I can give you more info if you want.  I am absolutely sure it was the tabs in Tiny's case because we were never able to go beyond one and a half tablets without him starting to  vomit again.   
Whatever the cause I hope he's feeling better soon.  Sending you lots of healing vibes  :hug:
Title: Re: Charlie needs your prayers
Post by: madpants on February 01, 2008, 18:39:23 PM
Sending a big prayer to 'the big man upstairs' for you and Charlie,
I really feel for you, it must be an incredibly stressful time.

Sending you lots of comforting hugs and strokes for Charlie, :hug:
Keep your chin up and remember that we're all here to support you

Tracy and Merlin
xxxx
Title: Re: Charlie needs your prayers
Post by: Gill (sneakiefeline) on February 01, 2008, 20:27:49 PM
Lots of good wishes for Charlie  :hug: :hug:
Title: Re: Charlie needs your prayers
Post by: Susanne (urbantigers) on February 01, 2008, 21:12:08 PM
Sending lots of get well vibes for Charlie  :hug:
Title: Re: Charlie needs your prayers
Post by: Kats inc on February 02, 2008, 12:10:59 PM
Good thoughts on the way for Charlie  :hug:
Title: Re: Charlie needs your prayers
Post by: pappilon on February 02, 2008, 17:57:30 PM
 Hi Andrew, sending Charlie well vibes and  :hug: to you. As you know about Boy and his condition,

I have to say that when Boy started his thyroid tablets Felimazole, he was geting sick few times a day , but since he was geting sick before the thyroid tablets i didnt think its Felimazole which is making it worse , but then i had a PM from some one experiance which told me thats thyroid tablets sometimes causes the vomiting. I have to say i wasnt told this by the vet! So i hope soon Charlie start feeling better. :hug:
Title: Re: Charlie needs your prayers
Post by: gibraltarcat on February 02, 2008, 18:26:44 PM
Hoping that Charlie is feeling better today. You must be so worried You're both in my thoughts and prayers
Title: Re: Charlie needs your prayers
Post by: Andrew on February 03, 2008, 18:44:35 PM

Thanks EVERYONE for your good wishes, prayers and concerns.

He was still a bit off colour on Friday but Maxolon is certainly helping him. (I only give him a tiny dose)

On Friday, I had to syringe him with food. I was very nervous to do that to him. But I told myself, it had been more than a day since he had food. Assisted feeding was messy but very worth it... He actually had more energy after I syringed him. He still doesn't eat much but I know he is recovering.

this coming week we're going to figure out what caused this..

Thanks everyone again.

Andrew
Title: Re: Charlie needs your prayers
Post by: maryas on February 03, 2008, 19:56:08 PM
Hugs, cuddles, prayers etc still coming your way Charlie - keep getting stronger and give Andrew the run around  :naughty: :rofl: :Luv2:

Bonnie (Mary's Boss)

Good luck Andrew

Mary
Title: Re: Charlie needs your prayers
Post by: CarolM (Wendolene) on February 03, 2008, 21:29:31 PM
Well done Charlie - keep it up, and well done Andrew for managing the assisted feeding - very scary.  Sending lots of  :hug: and positive vibes to both of you.  I hope things get sorted very soon.
Title: Re: Charlie needs your prayers
Post by: Susanne (urbantigers) on February 03, 2008, 23:14:30 PM
I'm glad he seems to be a bit better  ;D