Cytology report from the needle aspiration came back, no cancer, his liver
is just inflamed. That's nothing to say "hip hip hooray" about, mind you,
but at least there was no cancer and we can get started on a regimen of
treatment.

I talked with my vet today after getting the test results from the
internist. This is our main vet who has specifically treated Moses during
this time, the vet we saw yesterday was someone else in the practice who is
also a top-notch vet but as I said the one I talked with today (who was out
of the office yesterday) is the one who has pretty much been handling this
case.

He made it a perfect four-for-four in agreeing with me, the internist and
the vet who saw Moses yesterday that because of the thickening of the bowel
that showed up on the ultrasound, we are going to go ahead and start
treating him as if he had inflammatory bowel disease. He has some Prednisone
waiting for me at the receptionist's that I've got to pick up first thing in
the a.m.

We're also going to continue him on the Metronidazole at least for the time
being.

We're also going to try to continue him on the Hill's i/d food, although
after his initial burst of hunger following his fast for the medical
procedures, he's been a little picky at eating that, I've had to mix in a
bit of his regular food to try to prod him into eating it.

And we're going to wait for the results of the thyroid and pancreas tests.

An aside to Phil P., we did do the "send it off" thyroid test this time
instead of just the screen.

After researching things, I figured it was hyperthyroidism as well, because
he's showing textbook symptoms of it, which is why it surprised me that two
thyroid tests came back showing no problems. But we did have the test done
that you recommended ... the internist recommended it and the pancreas test
... so if there's a problem there hopefully we'll find it out this time.

As far as vomiting and diarrhea, these have been sporadic problems for Moses
all his life, although they've gotten a bit worse in his sickly condition
(the internist described him on the report as being "emaciated"). He has
always been prone to hack up every now and then, has been prone to hairball
problems and is prone to hack up because he's always tended to eat his food
like a hog at a trough, not like a cat, in other words a bit too rapidly.

His BMs have always been a bit problematic as well. He has always, since he
was a kitten, had rather loose stools. Occasionally he'll have diarrhea, but
it's usually not quite to that point, just basically looser than pretty much
any other cat I've ever had. But other times his stools are quite normal as
far as consistency, etc.

It makes me kind of wonder if he's had underlying intestinal problems all
his life, but they didn't manifest themselves when he was a young, frisky,
energetic cat and they're starting to manifest themselves now in his
geriatric years.

One more thing ... if anyone has any experience dealing with IBD, as far as
food recommendations or herbal/holistic recommendations (I'm certainly
willing to try that), I'd appreciate the input. Because even if the more
detailed thyroid report does show a thyroid problem that has his liver
screwed up, we've still got the indications of IBD showing up on the
ultrasound.

Thanks!