Mitzi update

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Andrea Lachner - 25 Jul 2003 19:47 GMT

Hi all!

I posted yesterday under "He's starving himself ... why?" and thought I
would update directly.

I took Mitzi back to the vet to day as she still wasn't eating. Just as well
as she was dehydrated today - she wasn't when I took her on Wednesday.

They have checked for Aids and leukaemia - negative - thank goodness!

They weren't able to get a urine sample yet - will do that in the morning to
check for diabetes .... HOW would a very well looked after cat end up with
diabetes?
Then they are going to check for pancreatitis (sp?) ... apparently this can
only be with an ultrasound. She said it was not a nice disease for the cat
to have but pretty easily treated .. yeah, right... treat my cat? at
home?.... oh dear!

Thereafter, if the above shows nothing, they will be x-raying ... mainly the
mouth I think.

They did say that the gingivitis is already looking much better!

So SADLY I really still have no clue as to why she's not eating - they will
most probably tube her tomorrow to get some food into her! I prefer them
doing it in hospital than me irritating he even more.

Karen - I started with smearing food on her lips this morning, but she only
played a long for a while before walking away in disgust. At lunchtime
(before I took her back) I tried the same tactic again and she ran away and
sulked! That was when I decided I could no longer try - I needed to get her
professional help!

Just as well considering she was dehydrated!

Please keep Mitzi in your thoughts and send her many, many get better
quickly purrs!

Thank you
Andrea

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Karen Chuplis - 25 Jul 2003 20:35 GMT

> Hi all!
>
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> check for diabetes .... HOW would a very well looked after cat end up with
> diabetes?

Same way babies and well looked after people can get it. It just happens.

> Then they are going to check for pancreatitis (sp?) ... apparently this can
> only be with an ultrasound. She said it was not a nice disease for the cat
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
> sulked! That was when I decided I could no longer try - I needed to get her
> professional help!

Oh that is good though that you went and nothing said here was intended to
replace seeing the vet.

> Just as well considering she was dehydrated!

Dehydration *adds* to now wanting to eat.

> Please keep Mitzi in your thoughts and send her many, many get better
> quickly purrs!
>
> Thank you
> Andrea

Keep us posted.

Karen

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Annie Wxill - 25 Jul 2003 22:52 GMT

> Hi all!

..>

> Please keep Mitzi in your thoughts and send her many, many get better
> quickly purrs!
>
> Thank you
> Andrea

Thanks for the update. I hope you will find out what's happening to Mitzi
and that she will have a rapid and complete recovery.
Annie

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wombn - 25 Jul 2003 23:50 GMT

>Hi all!
>
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>They weren't able to get a urine sample yet - will do that in the morning to
>check for diabetes ....

?? Why didn't they just take a blood sample?? That's far more
accurate than urine. IIRC, a pinprick blood test is ~15 minutes
delayed and urine blood sugar is around an hour delayed (after food,
that is).

>HOW would a very well looked after cat end up with
>diabetes?

How could a 37 y/o woman suddenly end up with type 1 (formerly called
"Childhood") diabetes. Shocked the hell outta *me*, I'll tell ya. I
always thought, once you get past childhood, you wouldn't get
childhood diabetes! boy, was I wrong!

>Then they are going to check for pancreatitis (sp?) ... apparently this can

That could be a cause for type 1 diabetes.

>only be with an ultrasound. She said it was not a nice disease for the cat
>to have but pretty easily treated .. yeah, right... treat my cat? at
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>
>They did say that the gingivitis is already looking much better!

gingivitis could also be a symptom of diabetes. it's a very common
side-effect. Which is why I have to go to the dentist every quarter.
bleh.

>So SADLY I really still have no clue as to why she's not eating - they will
>most probably tube her tomorrow to get some food into her! I prefer them
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>
>Just as well considering she was dehydrated!

I was constantly and horribly dehydrated before my diagnosis. In
fact, it's what finally prompted me to go to the doc. I knew that
extreme thirst was a problem.

The reason it happens is that the body is trying so hard to get rid of
the extra sugar in the blood that it pumps out fluids at an
accelerated rate.

>Please keep Mitzi in your thoughts and send her many, many get better
>quickly purrs!

consider it done!

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If laughter is the best medicine,
then kittens should be covered by our health insurance. :-)

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Andrea Lachner - 27 Jul 2003 12:40 GMT

Hi all!

thank you for all your best wishes! :) ... they worked! :)

When the vets did another blood test on Saturday they found her Potassium
level was VERY low - yet another reason she wouldn't eat!

So .... what happened?.... well, she didn't eat initially because of the
Gingivitis, then, even thought that got better, the potassium was too low
and that prevented her from wanting to eat too! Once they got her potassium
up, she took quite a bit of food off my hands on Saturday evening!

Sunday I was allowed to take her home and she had some food right after she
got home! So I think all is sorted out! She still has to have her
anti-biotics until Monday PM.

I certainly know now there is nothing else wrong with her - they did just
about every test under the sun! LOL

No Feline Aids, No leukeamia, no diabetes, no pancreatitis, liver, kidneys
and bowels are all fine too! Her tummy is all shaven for when they did the
ultrasounds! Lots of re-growth of her lovely thick fur will have to happen
there!
And she has a lot of cleaning to do... she hates being at the vet and sits
in the litterbox!

SO.... a warning to all cat owners ... if your cat doesn't eat for a few
days and still not when treatment is given for the initial reason for not
eating ... have the potassium level checked AGAIN, before panicking about
other things! :)

Thanks again to all of you for thinking of Mitzi!

Andrea

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wombn - 27 Jul 2003 14:57 GMT

Oh halleluah!!!!!

Signature

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If laughter is the best medicine,
then kittens should be covered by our health insurance. :-)

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