Topic: Suki not well - Diarrhoea (Read 10287 times)

scattycat · « **Reply #33 on:** June 10, 2007, 13:15:05 PM »

Suki's had her Sunday visit to the vet today, she was a good girl and had her injections without yowling - was only when the vet gave her a quick feel she started (and the vet stopped).

Quick update on the I/D food - my husband when he picked her up on Friday mentioned that the pouches werent going down well at all, so we got the 156g tins - which she loves!

even the vet was surprised when we said this today, but she said that it's good as it's a good food for her to be eating at this time.

The vet asked how her stools were and I mentioned that when we had picked her up from the vets, either that night or the next morning she would do a poop, and it would appear normal. However, the following day (after not having to visit the vet) her poops were more loose. This has happened both days after she's been at the vets, and the vet suggested that maybe it could have something to do with stress which is helping her do normal poops - so she has givne her a steriod injection today, and has asked that I keep an eye on and see if this injection has any affect as if it does it could be good news, as it might not necessarily be a spleen issue.

Concerning the spleen, the vet told us that if it was something like a tumour on the spleen it is usually when it's too late (i.e. you cant stop a tumour that's already there), and that it would usually come out. She did tell us (like some of you also have) that if it was removed that she wouldnt have to be on medication due to it comiing out.

However, as Suki appears to be happy (i.e. she's not very lethargic, not eating etc) it doesnt sound like it's a worst case scenario just yet, the vet is happy for us not have the surgery just yet. She's very happy for us to leave it for a little bit, a few weeks/month or so, and after that time have another blood test, and possibly another scan to look at the spleen, to see if things are any better ... or of course they could be worse. Then if it is worse we will probably put her through the surgery - but again we'll decide that if the time comes.

At least our little cat is happy, especially on her fleeces around the house.

So, next vet visit Tuesday night, then Thursday and hopefully that'll then be it for a few weeks.

Ela · « **Reply #32 on:** June 10, 2007, 08:46:04 AM »

Quote

if she has her spleen removed, I am sure in humans they then have to be put on meds.

A friend of mine had her spleen removed and did not need to take medication after.

As you know Badger had his spleen removed due to a burst tomour, sadly in his case it was malignant, had it not been malignant then he could have led a full life without the need for medication.

I have also known cats to have their spleen removed and as far as I know they too have not needed further medication. However very often the reason for its removal has been the same as Badgers.

Ela · « **Reply #31 on:** June 10, 2007, 08:37:22 AM »

Quote

When Kocka was ill and could not be medicated my vet said that its better they have a quality life and if it were my cat I would let her eat what she wants. I

I too go along with that train of thought.

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #30 on:** June 08, 2007, 21:50:48 PM »

Des is right, 10yrs is not very old for surgery now. There are some very safe anesthetics and probably she should be put on a drip each time but Lynn would be able to tell you that.

However I would want to know, you may already kinow this, if the spleen was removed, what effect would that have on Sukis life for the future......would she need constant medication and what would happen if you couldnt medicate her. Can a cat live without a spleen and how long for. What are consequences of not having spleen removed. Sorry just seen Desley has said some of this .

Has the vert said why he thinks the spleen looks odd and what he thinks maybe the cause of this oddness?

Basically I would want to know as much info as possible before any surgery.

Loads of luck to Suki

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #29 on:** June 08, 2007, 20:49:07 PM »

poor Suki, bless her!! It is a very tricky situation to be in, and at least you have a day to think about this. 10 really isn't that old for a cat, so it really depends how she is in herself, and also what your alternative is if you dont go ahead with the op. I haven't heard much about cats having ops on spleens, but I had a leg amputation done on an 11yo last year with no real issues afterwards, and there was an older cat than her with the same op, think he was 19. One thing in her favour is that the bloods show nothing wrong with her kidney or liver, so in that respect she is fine. Another thing you will need to ask is what would happen if she has her spleen removed, I am sure in humans they then have to be put on meds. Good luck, and feel free to pm me.

scattycat · « **Reply #28 on:** June 08, 2007, 20:41:00 PM »

Suki's vet visit was today. Well it's partly good news, but some badish too.

My husband had a call from them this morning saying that even whilst sedated she was still putting up a fight, so had to ask permission to put her on a general anaesthetic, which we agreed to.

The vets rang up later this afternoon, saying that she'd come round, but was a very unhappy cat. When my husband picked her up from the vets, she even took a swipe at him (which is the first time ever!).

The blood and faeces lab results have come back normal - nothing abnormal.

The scan showed that part of her intestine has a slight thickening on it, which our vet said that she thought this would be partly what was causing the diarrhoea.

But the thing that is causing more concern is her spleen. According the vet that did the scan it doesnt look 'right', looks 'odd'.

We've been told that it's totally our decision, but the vet has suggested surgery to open her up and have a look at her spleen. If it looks very bad, they'd take it out, if it looks ok'ish they'd take a biopsy and get it analysed to see if that's causing her problems. My husband asked what the cost of the surgery would cost ... around £1000 (would be around £700 if they saw the spleen was in a bad way and simply removed it, no proper analysis as such) .... so the bill would be around £1700 ... and as the vet is doing a direct claim (thank god!) our excess currently would be around £255 if we were to have the surgery done.

I have to say my first/gut reaction when my husband told me was 'I dont think she should have surgery' - and I dont know whether to keep to my first instintive reaction or not. She's what we think is a 10 year old cat, theres a good chance that she is actually older, and I'm rather concerned about how she would deal with surgery at her time of life.

They're keeping her on antibiotic injections for the time being as it's the best way to get them in her, and we've got to take her back on Sunday for another when we can have a chat with the vet.

Has anyone out there been in our situation with their cats having surgery on the spleen, and even had it removed, how they recovered, and especially if they were old at the time of the surgery.

scattycat · « **Reply #27 on:** June 08, 2007, 10:27:30 AM »

My husband took her into the vets early this morning for her day of stuff to be done.

He mentioned that she just does not like the pouches of I/D and suggested the larger tins - though the vets said that the pouches were more palatable

but I think if they've got the larger tins they're going to let us try her on that.

My husband told her that she's still got her marbles, as whenever we have a KFC as a treat, Suki will not eat her food, till we've sat and eaten ours ... just incase we've got something better!

I totally agree that she needs to eat what she likes, quality of life, rather than be unhappy and go scavenging (as she would).

But anyway, our lil girls in today, and being picked up at 4.45pm - just hope she's not too scared today (as it's raining and thundering here in Norwich) - even rang my mum up to ask her if she'd nip over to ours to let one of our cats in (as he'd gone out this morning) as he hates thunder - and he's in now.

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #26 on:** June 08, 2007, 08:02:18 AM »

You have tried the prescription food, but the majority of cats dont like it, and I think vets accept that. it is much better that she eats soemthing and keeps it down, even if it isn't what they would like her to eat.

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #25 on:** June 08, 2007, 00:11:15 AM »

When Kocka was ill and could not be medicated my vet said that its better they have a quality life and if it were my cat I would let her eat what she wants. I did and thinlk she would have died of starvation otherwise.

swampmaxmum · « **Reply #24 on:** June 07, 2007, 09:51:43 AM »

Glad the little one is home. The vet probably wants her to eat and if she's not bringing it up, that has to be good?? If he's really keen on i/d for her, try the 156g can as it's moister and according to my felines much nicer than the 85g can (which is now drier for some reason known only to Hills

) or the pouches which don't go down at all round here either. The bigger cans are very palatable and don't return on the carpet too much. Plus think it puts on weight! Good luck.

scattycat · « **Reply #23 on:** June 07, 2007, 08:40:04 AM »

Suki's certainly loving being back home - she's not been off of her fleece on the sofa much

We had to take her to the vets last night for her antibiotic injection which would last through till Friday, bless her she didnt want to come out of her basket, so we took the lid off of it, and she had it done there. She was very well behaved (bless, the nurse was a bit aprehensive after what she had been like whilst with them, yowling!), but no yowling or hissing, she was praised a lot for that.

Even better news is that our vets are doing a direct claim for us from Sainsburys, so all we will have to pay is the excess (which if she has everything done is just over £100, rather than £700!).

The only thing that is a bit of a downer, is that the vet wanted her to be on the Hills I/D pouches - but she just does not like them at all. We've tried feeding her it, and leaving her in the kitchen for a little bit in the hope that she'll eat it eventually, but she just leaves it and then goes looking for food (where the boys eat their food in the living room).

I know you have to do really do what the vet wants, but we dont want her to lose even more weight (as we've been in the same situation when Sully went on prescription food, he ate it for a bit, but then went off it, and lost a lot of weight), and due to her issues at the moment, we dont feel that even more weight loss would do her any good - so we've put her back on the Senior pouches (which she loves). Having to put the antibiotic tablet (1/4 twice a day) in that food and she eats it - we dont want her to not eat her food and therefore not have her antibiotic either.

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #22 on:** June 06, 2007, 21:22:25 PM »

The beautiful one is home......I am so pleased and hope the next vet trip goes well

clarenmax · « **Reply #21 on:** June 06, 2007, 09:07:56 AM »

Hope she enjoyed being back at home last night, and good luck for the next vet visit

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #20 on:** June 06, 2007, 08:02:19 AM »

Aww, bless her. Good luck for Fri.

swampmaxmum · « **Reply #19 on:** June 05, 2007, 17:48:29 PM »

Ha! That cute little kitty bandage is going to come off fast

so glad she's home. Hope you have good news soon.

smudgepickles · « **Reply #18 on:** June 05, 2007, 13:26:06 PM »

aww scatty what beautiful markings she has and her cutie little bandage

Lets hope they get to the bottom of her problems bless her, and I agree she is better off at home with her bootiful Mummy and Daddy

xx

scattycat · « **Reply #17 on:** June 05, 2007, 13:17:56 PM »

She's home ... first place she goes to ... the food the boys didnt eat this morning for their breakfast, so clearly the vets dont give large portions (not that we do either mind!

)

Below's a piccie of her bandaged leg ... she looks even cuter now! The bandage can come off tonight we've been told, but they could have given her a pink one for a girlie

Thanks so much for all your support, just two more appointments for her, tomora night and Friday.

[attachment deleted by admin]

Bazsmum · « **Reply #16 on:** June 05, 2007, 12:07:28 PM »

Aw Suki's a babe......Get better soon x

scattycat · « **Reply #15 on:** June 05, 2007, 11:47:28 AM »

Have just had a call from my husband, he's heard from the vets and its kinda good news.

The vet's have had a lot of emergencies in today, so cannot do the scan (they could do the x-rays, though it'd mean sedating her twice, which is a. costly for us/insurance claim and b. risky for a 10 year old), so what they're going to do is do the x-rays and scan on Friday now.

The lab results should be back on Thursday, so at least on the Friday they'll at least have a better idea at what they need to look out for depending on the lab results.

Anyway, due to this she's now on 'home relief' and my husband's going to pick her up in 30 minutes time (she'll be taken off the drip in 20 minutes), so she can at least relax and be at home in a place she knows. We've got to take her back to the vets tomora night for an antibiotic injection to keep her meds on the go, plus she's on a tablet medication which they put on her breakfast - which she initially turned her nose up at, but when she realised there was no other food on offer she scoffed the lot.

Also other good news is that since she was admitted last night there has been no sickness or diaorreah, and that she's done one heck of a pee apparently this morning (probably due to being on the drip - my husband said when he was in hospital on a drip he wanted to pee for England!).

So, good news really. The vet said if she was very lethargic and not eating, then she would do the scan/x-rays today, but as shes the opposite it's best to do everything on Friday. She's still got some fight left in her (as apparently they tried to examine her this morning and she went off on one ... she's a cutie

)

Felix (Caroline) · « **Reply #14 on:** June 05, 2007, 10:40:53 AM »

Good luck Scattycat and Suki
I've got everything crossed too.

swampmaxmum · « **Reply #13 on:** June 05, 2007, 10:18:01 AM »

thinking of you and little Suki today and hoping for the best. There's so much they can do now and 1/2 kg can be put on again quite quickly. Hope she feels much better after her drip and that they work out a good treatment for her. Easier said than done, but try not to worry about the worst case scenario. We're all pulling for you.

clarenmax · « **Reply #12 on:** June 05, 2007, 08:58:04 AM »

Keeping everything crossed and sending loads of positive vibes to you and Suki ..... come on you gorgeous little one, get well soon

Susanne (urbantigers) · « **Reply #11 on:** June 05, 2007, 08:47:54 AM »

I'm sorry to hear Suki's unwell - keeping everything crossed for her. As the others have said the wording on the insurance document just means that they won't pay cost of pts or cremation for a cat over 8 years old - they will pay for othe medical costs.

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #10 on:** June 05, 2007, 08:08:32 AM »

Fingers crossed for her, I do hope it isn't that bad. You are not a bad mum, it is hard to tell when they have lost weight at times, and harder to tell which cat is having probs when you have more than one of them. With the insurance, that clause is if you had a young cat and lost them through to illness, you would get an 'extra' benefit - they stop this at 8 purely because you are more likely to lose an older cat through illness (although I know this isn't always the case), it doesn't mean you wont be covered for the illness, or the injection, that is an entirely different section. With Pebbles, they paid for the treatment, and the final injection - if I had wanted her cremated, that would have been covered too.

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #9 on:** June 04, 2007, 22:19:02 PM »

she is gorgeous

Littlebobo · « **Reply #8 on:** June 04, 2007, 22:16:44 PM »

Poor Little Suki, please dont blame yourself for what has happened as Ruth has said 0.5kg is hard to notice in a long hair cat and you did what you thought was right and waited after all some of these things can mean a simple tummy upset nothing more or less ..

Fingers crossed that the gorgeous girl is given the all clear ..Veterinary medicine is so advnace nowadays I am sure that they will be able to do what they can for her.

Prayers and thoughts are with you and Suki xxx

smudgepickles · « **Reply #7 on:** June 04, 2007, 22:10:30 PM »

Oh scattycat sorry to hear your little princess is unwell. Im sending positive thoughts and love from me and my 9 fur babies

Head kisses to Suki from all of them and a hug for you too

xx

scattycat · « **Reply #6 on:** June 04, 2007, 21:55:04 PM »

Heres a picture of 'my little girl' as I refer to her, Suki.

[attachment deleted by admin]

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #5 on:** June 04, 2007, 21:53:06 PM »

If the worst happened you should be able to claim for the injection too, it was included in my claim.

Butttttttttttt Suki is gonna be OK,

scattycat · « **Reply #4 on:** June 04, 2007, 21:48:29 PM »

Hi Gill,

Many thanks for your reply (yours too Ruth), but you've hit the nail on the head, and yes you're right with the part of the insurance I was concerned with 'Death by Illness'.

Sometimes no matter how many times you read these policys it can appear they contradict each sentance, and when you're worried about your pet it's the last thing you need!

But anyway, by the sounds of it Suki can have all the treatment she needs, and IF the worst thing happens with the vet having to put her to sleep after all of this treatment, then all we would have to pay for (as well as the excess) is the injection (though knowing what our vet is like they'd probably not charge for it) and the rest can be claimed back.

It's a bit of an awful situation when you have to think about 'how much will it cost', but we've always said that quality of life far outweighs treatment costs (unless it got to thousands and thousands!).

My husband and I both hope to hear good news, and that she can come home on Tuesday ... will keep you posted.

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #3 on:** June 04, 2007, 21:37:48 PM »

First of all, I do hope that Suki will be OK, she is in the best place and your vet sounds like he is doing everything possible. If you can go and visit her everyday, that always helps cats and take in a worn shirt so she has your smell to comfort her.

I was with sainsburys when Kocka went to the Bridge and unless they have changed the policy since last year, they will pay out for treatment no matter what age the cat is and the standard excess apllies.

Without seeing the wording of the policy and exactly where the bit is about them not paying, its hard to make a guess but I will...............I am assuming that this bit about not paying comes under the death due to illness, and if so this applies to the amount that they would have paid under this section only ie. the cost of the cat and the cost of the injection. So if the cat was over 8yrs old this part of the policy becomes invalide.

However this does not relate to death and treatment needed to try and save the cat, as this would fall under the normal part of the policy and thats what you have the policy for.

When Kocka died she had seen the emergency vet 2 nights before and also had treatment at the vets for 2 days and they paid out as normal and actually were very nice and helpful. They also cancelled the policy from the day she died as I paid monthly, I had expected that because I was claiming I would have to pay for the rest of the policy but they told me that this was the one instance that they would cancel the policy after paying out.

I hope all of that made sense and if the wording you are worried about appears anywhere else than where I have assumed, it would be a good idea to ring them and ask. However I am sure it will be fine.

I hope everything goes well with Suki and if there is anything found it is non-malignant.

I am thinking of you and Suki and wishing lots of luck

Kittybabe (Ruth) · « **Reply #2 on:** June 04, 2007, 21:30:56 PM »

I'm sorry that Suki is ill, please don't think that anyone would criticise you, no one is in your shoes at this moment and no matter what the situation is, clearly you have done what you think is right and monitored the behaviour. Suki is long haired so I think that a .5kg weight loss may not be as noticeable in a long haired cat.

I hope that the insurance question never comes a reality however I am not familiar with this type of clause (I haven't read my insurance that closely to be honest) so probably not the best person to answer that bit. I hope it does come out that its treatable.

Thinking of you.

Ruth

scattycat · « **Reply #1 on:** June 04, 2007, 21:17:39 PM »

I know I'll probably get flamed for what I'm about to type, but hindsight is a lovely thing.

Nearly 2 weeks ago I noticed a runny poop in the one of two litter trays we have. As we have 3 cats it took a few days to work out who it actually was doing the runny poo.

It was Suki, she's 10 years old and female. We thought that maybe it was her diet, so changed brands of food (went from Felix to Whiskas), and also Friday just gone we wormed her (the 3 monthly one) as she was due that then.

Last night she did a really runny poop, so got her in the vets tonight.

The vet has said that she's quite dehydrated, has lost 0.5kg since February (though she did say this was probably due to the dehydration), and that she was concerned at the look of her poop (as we took a sample in with us).

They did a urinary and blood tests down there and we waited for the results - I've never felt so nervous!

Her red blood cells appear to be fine (which was the thing we were dreading the worst), but the results show that something is causing the pancrious (sp!) to have a slightly abnormal result. The vet seems to think that this might be caused due to something (tumor) causing pressure on the pancreous (sp) and liver - we really hope that's not the case.

Anyway, she's in at the vets tonight on a drip and on a course of antibiotics. They're going to do a scan on Tuesday to have a look at the area causing concern, which means a sedation, and also whilst she's under will give her a good groom (as she's semi-long hair) and clip her claws.

Our estimated bill came to £720 - she is insured with Sainsburys and we know that if it were £700 then we'd have to pary around £100 for the excess (being 15% of the final bill) - HOWEVER the bit that is concerning us a bit, is the section of 'death by illness' which apparently we're covered up to £1,000, in that if the cat has to be put to sleep by a vet due to illness they will pay the purchase cost and the cost of the injection ...

HOWEVER ... it states in what they will not pay 'we will not pay any claim when your cat is aged over 8 at the time of your loss' ....

So, does that mean if our vet did all this treatment and they said it's best for her to go to RAinbrow bridge, would the insurance not pay a penny, or would they?

My minds a bit all over the place at the moment, and re-reading the paragraphs is just not making it any clearer.

Woudl appreciate your views.

Author Topic: Suki not well - Diarrhoea (Read 10287 times)