Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK
Cat Health & Behaviour => Health & Behaviour General => Topic started by: Lindyloo on May 12, 2007, 15:55:39 PM
-
We have a lovely 9 year old cat who often stays with us at the cattery where I work. He has a long term health problem which the vet has not been able to get to the bottom of. Basically he hardly eats anything and is consequently thin and lethargic. It has been suggested at various times that his liver, kidneys or pancreas have been the cause, all subsequently dismissed. The latest suggestion is his spleen.
Has anyone else come across a similar case and if so was it ever resolved?
Lynn
-
lynn
I empathise with you as my 13yr old cat is going through the same at the moment. She has always had a big apetite and been a veeery big girl, but for the last few months se has been lethargic and eating next to no food at all. What she used to eat in 1 day now lasts 3-4 days. She has lost lots of weight and her fur and skin have become very dull. The vet cannot find the route cause for this. She has got health issues but they are under control. We have been told that it may be her age and we just have to accept this-which is very hard indeed. Some people have suggested trying kitten food as it is higher in nutrients and calories so the adult cat does not need to eat as much to gain weight and all supplemments. May be worth trying that........
Best of luck to you and your cat :hug:
-
Hills ad diet may help her too eat ;D
-
thanks gill and what does that do?
-
Its just a very tasty highly concentrated food that most cats love and its great for convalescing cats or cats who are off their food.
Its best to just get one tin from the vets to see if they like it cos its quite expensive but Kocka ate this for the last years of her life, only from my finger :rofl: :rofl:
-
Have they x-rayed to check for any growths that cant be felt from the outside?
Steroids would boost his appetite, sometimes they are a better option then doing nothing :shy:
I knew one cat like your boarder but he had severe diarrhoea along with it, so it was obvious that something was stopping him from absorbing his food, turned out to be cancer :(
-
PAncreatitis is very hard to diagnose, and if I remember rightly, there is no definitive test in the UK, so it could still be somethign along those lines.
Tammy, I would be tempted to try somethign like steroids with your cat, eating next to nothing isn't good, and I dont really agree that is her age, 13 isn't that old in some cats. A/d is a good one to try, but it can be addictive and is high in fat, so some vets are fussy at giving it, or they will but only for short term. Will she drink cat milk? I normally use that with thin cats.
-
and I dont really agree that is her age, 13 isn't that old in some cats.
I agree 13 is not really old for a cat, add another 19 yrs and you have the age of the oldest cat Cats Protection took in and found a new home for. I appreciate that the grand old age is 32 is exceptional, but many cats nowadays make it until late teens and into their twenties.
I know it is heartbreaking when a vet cannot diagnose exactly what is wrong in spite of all their best efforts. Sometimes it is necessary to be referred to one of the University hospitals, even then it is not always clear cut.
-
thanks des and ela. To answer your question desley-Fluffy is already on 5mg of steroids daily. As of ysterday Iincreased it to twice daily.Wait afew days tosee if it makes a difference. Shes on steroids for a nasal growth that bleeds but no one can determine what it is. All we know is its not cancerous.
-
Sorry, just realised which cat we were talking about - it could be connected with her nose, it coudl be affecting her sense of smell, and if cats cant smell, they wont always eat, so maybe heating food, or adding something strong smelling to it will help. Has the vet OK'd the steroid increase? Have you asked if he thinks it is connected to her nose issue?
-
des, we were told to go up and down with it as we see fit, as long as we call him and let him know what has happened. I think she may have developed a growth in her other nostril now. Its inoperable apparently due to where it is so all we can do is control it with steroids. When it gets worse and inflames hr eyes start to water externally as there is no room for it to go down her nostrils. Her nose has become dry and both her eyes are now watering where as in the past it used to be just her right one. If left long enough-she will start to blled from her nose again
-
Am glad the vet has said it is OK to do that - it does sound like the growth is worse though, so it could be why she is struggling to eat, and that isn't good. Kitten food could be a good thing for her, I still think the vet is wrong with her age, but I do think it is related to her other health issues.
-
Shes on steroids for a nasal growth that bleeds but no one can determine what it is.
Would Cryosurgery help in this case?
-
desley-yes she is old for her age due to all the health issues she has had. she had pneumonia aged 3 weeks, Im surprised she lived.
ela-Im not sure Ill ask the vet, but I was given the impresion that because of where it was and how it was shaped and grown no surgery could be considered. But Ill swing by the vets tomorow and enquire I think. Thanks :)
-
Yes, I did mean to add that onto my last post
-
Cryosurgery Is not surgery as we know it. Cyosurgery works by taking advantage of the destructive force of freezing temperatures on cells.
-
1 more thing to add to my list at the vets!