 |
 | Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us |
 | Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network |
| HomeDiscussion GroupsGeneral TopicsCat AnecdotesHealth and BehaviorRescue CatKB.com Contact UsLink To UsSearch & Site Map |
Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / April 2005Time to kill Jackie? I hate this.
Jackie is the old girl I adopted about seven months ago because she looked so miserable. We took care of her primary problem, which required extracting all of her teeth. She got somewhat better but her diarrhea, presumably Inflamatory Bowel Disease, did not get better. She's been on 7.5mg Prednisone for three months. She has been leaving brown streaks around for a few months and it was mostly leftovers from going to the litterbox, but the last few days the stuff has been trickling out her butt. Little brown shimmering pearls. I have been cleaning her with baby wipes for several weeks. She always smells of poop and now my whole bedroom is smelling of poop. I have to cover the comforter with a thin blanket that I can wash easily. And I cover the pillows with extra pillow cases. My significant other is less than pleased. I guess that it's "back to the vet" time but I've already been told that there isn't really much he can do. At least she mostly just hangs out on the bed. If she starts spreading this all over the house, well, that can't be. She's getting Wellness and Avo/Derm and other healthy type stuff. I've been on the Feline IBD forum and I'm not really ready to go with a raw food diet. I'm not convinced that it will make any difference. I do try to avoid grains. I don't know about her quality of life. I think that she is in pain all the time from some injury to her back legs. Her back end is weak and she sways somewhat when she walks. Yet she did go outside into the backyard for a few minutes over the weekend and she is just such a tough little critter. She doesn't look as miserable as she did when I got her but she still mostly looks sad. I've never seen a cat with such expression on its face. Well, any advice or suggestions is welcome. > Jackie is the old girl I adopted about seven months ago because she > looked so miserable. We took care of her primary problem, which [quoted text clipped - 30 lines] > > Well, any advice or suggestions is welcome. It saddens me to hear this--and you know that only you can make the decision. If I felt my cat was in pain all the time and there was nothing I could do about it, I think I might choose to end her life. But I know you really love Jackie, and that it will be a hard decision. You have already given her so much more than most people would. >> Jackie is the old girl I adopted about seven months ago because she >> looked so miserable. We took care of her primary problem, which >> required extracting all of her teeth. She got somewhat better but her >> diarrhea, presumably Inflamatory Bowel Disease, did not get better. ... >It saddens me to hear this--and you know that only you can make the >decision. If I felt my cat was in pain all the time and there was nothing >I could do about it, I think I might choose to end her life. But I know you really >love Jackie, and that it will be a hard decision. You have already given her >so much more than most people would. Thanks. The problem is, the cats that I've had to euthanize gave me no other choice. They were just going to die miserably if I didn't do it. I don't know how sick Jackie is. She is clearly losing weight and was back under six pounds a few weeks ago at her last vet visit. But she still puts up a good struggle when I put in her eye medicine (she has a reoccuring infection). Every time I look into those sad eyes I just can't see myself taking her to the vet and not bringing her back home. Then I look at that sore and bleeding and oozing butt and don't know what to think. > >> Jackie is the old girl I adopted about seven months ago because she > >> looked so miserable. We took care of her primary problem, which [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > her to the vet and not bringing her back home. Then I look at that > sore and bleeding and oozing butt and don't know what to think. It is so hard to tell if they are suffering. That for me is the big problem. I let my Gnarly go too long because I did not understand how stoic cats are. Does she seek you for affection, and is she eating well? Does she seem "turned inward?" No matter what, you know you have been a great friend to her. > Thanks. The problem is, the cats that I've had to euthanize gave me no > other choice. They were just going to die miserably if I didn't do it. [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > her to the vet and not bringing her back home. Then I look at that > sore and bleeding and oozing butt and don't know what to think. Have you had an endoscopy done, or is Jackie not well enough for that? That would at least tell you if it's IBD or cancer, and you can make a decision from there. Jackie sounds a lot like how my Dash was. She had multiple problems; hyperthyroid, bad heart murmur, and IBD or cancer, couldn't do the endoscope because of the heart murmur. She didn't leak, but towards the end, she stopped using the litterbox and would leave horrible piles or diarrhea around the house. She was down to 5 lbs, kept becoming dehydrated, even thought we did sub-q fluids. The only other thing I can suggest is trying Metamucil mixed in her wet food. It may help solidify the stool. I'm really sorry all this has happened and poor Jackie hasn't gotten better.  Signature-Kelly kelly at farringtons dot net "Wake up, and smell the cat food" -TMBG >> Thanks. The problem is, the cats that I've had to euthanize gave me no >> other choice. They were just going to die miserably if I didn't do it. [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > >I'm really sorry all this has happened and poor Jackie hasn't gotten better. Jackie did get better. Just not enough and it seems to be slipping pretty fast. The endoscopy is a good idea, I guess we should try it. But she would need to be put under for that and, really, what is the difference? The IBD is getting so bad that cancer couldn't be much worse. She doesn't puke though. I guess the IBD is in the lower tract. The vet isn't in today. I'll try again tomorrow. I will certainly ask about the metamucil. If it comes to it then I won't wait too long. I promised her a comfortable place to end her life. We may be getting there. I think I waited too long with the others. > Jackie did get better. Just not enough and it seems to be slipping > pretty fast. The endoscopy is a good idea, I guess we should try it. > But she would need to be put under for that and, really, what is the > difference? The IBD is getting so bad that cancer couldn't be much > worse. She doesn't puke though. I guess the IBD is in the lower tract. That's how it was with Dash. The vet said if it was IBD, at least one of the things we tried would have worked. Dash would puke once in a while, but not all the time. Signature-Kelly kelly at farringtons dot net "Wake up, and smell the cat food" -TMBG > >> Thanks. The problem is, the cats that I've had to euthanize gave me no > >> other choice. They were just going to die miserably if I didn't do it. [quoted text clipped - 34 lines] > comfortable place to end her life. We may be getting there. I think I > waited too long with the others. I did this, and it is the one regret I have with regard to any animal I have been responsible for. I still regret it. My heart goes out to you. > > If it comes to it then I won't wait too long. I promised her a > > comfortable place to end her life. We may be getting there. I think I > > waited too long with the others. > > I did this, and it is the one regret I have with regard to any animal > I have been responsible for. I still regret it. My heart goes out to you. Yes, I waited too long once, too. It's really hard to think about that. Priscilla Signature"And what's this crap about Sodomites? It's always Sodomites this and Sodomites that. What about us Gomorrahians? We were there too; we deserve some mention. Sodom always gets the credit, and Gomorrah always does the work." - JohnN in alt.religion.christian.episcopal ><Kelly@farringtonsNOSPAM.net> wrote: >> The only other thing I can suggest is trying Metamucil mixed in >> her wet food. It may help solidify the stool. >The vet isn't in today. I'll try again tomorrow. I will certainly >ask about the metamucil. I guess this is too late for the original poster, but. Metamucil is fiber. Fiber helps prevent constipation. Too much fiber and you get diarrhea. I doubt that giving a cat fiber is going to help solidify its stools. It probably would make things worse. > ><Kelly@farringtonsNOSPAM.net> wrote: > [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > and you get diarrhea. I doubt that giving a cat fiber is going to > help solidify its stools. It probably would make things worse. On the contrary, fiber can help problems at either end of the continuum. Priscilla >>> <Kelly@farringtonsNOSPAM.net> wrote: >>>> The only other thing I can suggest is trying Metamucil mixed in >>>> her wet food. It may help solidify the stool. [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] >On the contrary, fiber can help problems at either end of the >continuum. Do you have a citation for that, something you can link me to from here? You are aware that a lot of fiber can cause diarrhea? My understanding is that stool softness in a healthy animal is directly proportional to the amount of fiber intake. There could be some magic involved when diarrhea already exists, that would be good information if you (or anyone else) can support it. I'm willing to ask in some medicine groups unless you can make it easy. This is an important issue, I think it deserves serious discussion. > I don't know how sick Jackie is. She is clearly losing weight and was > back under six pounds a few weeks ago at her last vet visit. But she [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > her to the vet and not bringing her back home. Then I look at that > sore and bleeding and oozing butt and don't know what to think. I think you may need to remind yourself that cats hide pain and suffering very very well. She may be in much more discomfort than she lets on. Putting a beloved pet at ease from its pain may be the most loving thing we can ever do for them. Priscilla Signature"And what's this crap about Sodomites? It's always Sodomites this and Sodomites that. What about us Gomorrahians? We were there too; we deserve some mention. Sodom always gets the credit, and Gomorrah always does the work." - JohnN in alt.religion.christian.episcopal > Thanks. The problem is, the cats that I've had to euthanize gave me no other > choice. They were just going to die miserably if I didn't do it. [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > the vet and not bringing her back home. Then I look at that sore and > bleeding and oozing butt and don't know what to think. Is it possible to go to another vet for a second opinion? Maybe they will have some ideas your vet hasn't hit upon. I don't want to give you false hope, but someone posted here over the last month or two about his cat Moses. In the first few posts I was sure that cat was going to die soon, but after a lot of research and visiting specialists, Moses is actually doing much better, eating well, etc. Signaturemonique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca > Well, any advice or suggestions is welcome. I know you've had a cat before with IBD, and knowing what is coming, and how things are deteriorating has got to be so worrying. Shadow was like that, too. The drips of diarrhea that he couldn't control. The vet also didn't have any hope for making him better. I just watched him (probably TOO much) for signs of being ready to go. I had promised him no more invasive treatments, no more prolonging the inevitable when the time came and I had to keep that promise and yes it was very very hard. But it was harder seeing him getting worse all the time. You've done very well for Jackie in the time she's been with you, and I'm sure she knows you love her very much. God bless in whatever you decide. SignatureCheryl >> Well, any advice or suggestions is welcome. > [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > >God bless in whatever you decide. Thanks to everyone. Last night she seemed to be a bit better. I can really only tell the poop condition by watching the bed covering. For some reason, Nipsy, the big boy, likes using little Jackie's little litter box. He is quite the digger. By the time he's done I can't tell what condition Jackie's poops were in. Oddly enough, he almost never manages to cover his own poop with all that digging. Very bad aim. Tonight I'll wash the bedspread and start a new poop scorecard. I'm going to watch her closely over this weekend. If she comes downstairs to hang out and maybe take a stroll outside, I get to put off any decision. I do cringe when she climbs onto the couch though. She stuggles up the stairs but always makes it. Then she pulls her way up onto the bed. Always makes that too. Really, there is something admirable about the sheer determination in this old girl. > I'm going to watch her closely over this weekend. If she comes > downstairs to hang out and maybe take a stroll outside, I get to put > off any decision. I do cringe when she climbs onto the couch though. Have you thought about kitty diapers? I think Fosters & Smith has them. Signature-Kelly kelly at farringtons dot net "Wake up, and smell the cat food" -TMBG >> I'm going to watch her closely over this weekend. If she comes >> downstairs to hang out and maybe take a stroll outside, I get to put >> off any decision. I do cringe when she climbs onto the couch though. > >Have you thought about kitty diapers? I think Fosters & Smith has them. Wow, I got excited there for a moment. No, F&S doesn't have them. But wait! Hmm. Someplace called pseudomart has them but it appears to be a joke. Ah, but there are really places that do have them. I'm not sure that a cat diaper would help all that much now that I give it more thought. It will hold the piss and poop close to her naturally. That can't be a pleasant feeling. And is it ever going to stink! And really, the basic question is her quality of life. If her insides are getting so bad that poop is leaking out, is this a good thing? Anyone have experience with a cat diaper? > Wow, I got excited there for a moment. No, F&S doesn't have them. But > wait! Hmm. Someplace called pseudomart has them but it appears to be a [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > Anyone have experience with a cat diaper? Hmmm... I thought it was F&S that had them, now I can't remember. The diapers would be good for when she doesn't have to go, but is leaking. The only way it would really work I guess is if you are home all the time and can take them off when she needs to use the litterbox. Signature-Kelly kelly at farringtons dot net "Wake up, and smell the cat food" -TMBG -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- From: dgk <sonicechoes-spamless@hot-nospamp-mail.com> >And really, the basic question is her quality of life. If her insides >are getting so bad that poop is leaking out, is this a good thing? Try giving her a heaping tablespoon of "Miller's Bran" mixed in with her food. Or just pour it on top, cats seem to love the stuff. It could do wonders for the leaking and won't do any harm. > Anyone have experience with a cat diaper? No, but I wonder if you'd have better luck searching for "stud pants," which is what breeders put on their intact males so they can roam around the house without spraying. Signaturemonique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca >And really, the basic question is her quality of life. If her insides >are getting so bad that poop is leaking out, is this a good thing? > >Anyone have experience with a cat diaper? We used "bitch" pants for a dog that was incontinent. It was a material diaper that was washable and attached with velcro. You just put a pantiliner or kotex pad in it. It prevented all the leaks, and we took it off when she went outside. I know they make stud pants for cats, same thing, only smaller. Signature-- Meghan & the Zoo Crew Equine and Pet Photography http://www.zoocrewphoto.com > She stuggles up the stairs but always makes it. Then she pulls her way > up onto the bed. Always makes that too. Really, there is something > admirable about the sheer determination in this old girl. You've always seen something special in Jackie. I hope you and she have some more good time together. <<Well, any advice or suggestions is welcome.>> I'm very sorry she is deteriorating. My thoughts are with you both. It's a very difficult decision, as many of us know. Candace See my cats: http://photos.yahoo.com/maccandace "One does not meet oneself until one catches the reflection -from an eye other than human." (Loren Eisely) Hi - I'm new to this board but I'm hoping that maybe my experience might help you - my kitty has IBD and we had her on all kinds of medications. The steroids seemed to help some and she actually started eating (after refusing food for almost a month!) but she still had problems with loose stools. The vet said that we "might not win this battle" and encouraged me to start thinking about her quality of life. In desperation, I went to the natural foods store near my house and talked with the woman there. She recommended Lactobacilius Acidophilus (sp?). It is the healthy bacteria that live in our (humans and I believe all mamals') intestines to help us to digest our food properly. Within 24 hours of her first dose, Bala gained about 2 pounds! She had perfectly normal stools and has been absolutely fine ever since. It is a bit ironic that it was actually all of the medications that we had her on that ended up killing all of her good bacteria ended up almost killing her. She's been 100% perfect since then (about 6 months) and is still gaining weight (she really wasted away to skin and bones when she was't eating). Lactobacillius Acidophilus is the bacteria that is used to make yogurt. Only some brands maintain the live culture all the way to the store though (Stonyfield farms brand is good for live cultures if you don't want to buy or can't find the pills). My vet said that Acidophilus absolutely can not harm her at just about any dosage and that it is often given to kittens within minutes of their birth if the mother had to receive anti-biotics for some reason. He just didn't expect the effects to be so extreme with my kitty and had atributed all of her symptoms to the IBD. My case my have been very rare but I thought that if it is something simple and cheap that you could try, maybe it would help. The powder doesn't taste bad so I just mixed it in with her food. Mixing in a little Stonyfield yogurt would also work. Good luck. |
Reply to this Message |
 Sign In
 Join
 My Latest Posts My Monitored Threads My Blog My Photo Gallery My Profile My Homepage Start New Thread Enable EMail Alerts Rate this Thread
|
©2008 Advenet LLC Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.