Take the cat to another vet for a second opinion.

fuga

A vet that would make a diagnosis of liver failure using bloodwork from
a YEAR AGO should not be allowed to be in practice. I am just shaking my
head at this one! Please have your parents go to another vet ASAP and
have the cat examined, along with having a full blood workup done. To
diagnose a cat with an eye issue as being in terminal liver failure with
only a visual exam and NO tests is malpractice. I fear for any other
animals this idiot is treating.

Megan

                                   

I don't know if your parents' cat's liver disease is anything like my cat's
was in some respects, but here's her story, in case it will help in your
situation:

When she was 11 years old, Debbie's appetite dwindled & she began to lose
weight.  For her, Ms. Queen of Food, this was a definite tip-off that she
was ill.  My vet did a full blood panel & the results showed that her liver
enzymes were sky high - she was amazed at how awful they were.

Debbie was by that point too ill for a surgical liver biopsy, so she (my
vet) referred me to a vet internist/oncologist, a  little over an hour from
here.  He did an ultrasound & a core needle liver biopsy - Debbie needed
only a muscle relaxant for these procedures - they weren't taxing on her
system, as a surgical biopsy would've been.  Through the biopsy he found
that it was not liver of the cancer, but a liver disease - sort of a chronic
form of hepatitis, which was in an acute stage at that point.

He prescribed a treatment plan of a combo of prednisone/prednisolone (which
also jump-started her appetite, pronto), an antibiotic: amoxicillin - which
was later upped to Baytril, and later on my own vet added in Actigall.  She
had heard that a liver specialist at Cornell found Actigall to be helpful in
some circumstances & called that vet to see if it would be applicable to
Debbie's case - yes.

Anyway, Debbie gradually got better - besides clinically improved, her
periodic blood work also indicated that, while still high, her liver levels
were coming down.  4? years later her liver values were finally normal! :-)
Unfortunately, she then developed CRF & died 8 months later, despite
aggressive treatment for CRF.  But for a cat who I thought was going to be a
goner at 11, living to be 16 was pretty good, IMO.

So... my own advice would be: if extensive tests haven't been done (such as
the ultrasound &/or needle biopsy - whatever would be advisable), I'd ask
about those first, to try to pin down the exact problem & therefore see if a
successful treatment plans is possible.  If this is beyond the scope of the
regular vet, then ask for a referral to a specialist, or check them out
yourself - or your parents' selves.  If there's a vet school anywhere near
you/them, that's also a good place to check, too.

Btw - the fact that the cat is eating is a very good thing, IMO.

Good luck,

Cathy

Are you sure they didn't take blood currently?  I can't believe a vet would use
test results from a year ago.  A whole lot can change in one year.  I would
highly recommend taking the cat to a different vet at a different vet clinic
for a new full blood panel workup.

Lauren
________
See my cats:  http://community.webshots.com/album/56955940rWhxAe
Raw Diet Info: http://www.holisticat.com/drjletter.html
http://www.geocities.com/rawfeeders/ForCatsOnly.html
Declawing Info: http://www.wholecat.com/articles/claws.htm

I agree with those who say that you or your parents should take your
parents' cat to another vet for a second opinion.  If possible, get a copy
of the original blood work and take that with you.

MaryL