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Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / March 2005Unexplained sickness- please help if these symptoms sound familiar
Hello, My 6 year old short-haired calico, Fiona, has not been acting herself recently. I'm very worried about her, but her vet does not seem to know what is wrong. Here are all of her particulars: Fiona is a strictly indoor cat. She is spayed. For about the last 2 - 2.5 years, Fiona has vomited on a somewhat regular basis (2-3 times a month). Usually it is undigested food, but occasionally it is a hairball or just some yellowish liquidy substance. During the last couple of months, she has been less active than usual, but normal in other ways (eating, drinking, using litterbox, etc.). She still vomited regularly, these times throwing up what looked like clear or foamy saliva. On 2/10/05, we took Fiona and Spot (our other kitty) to the vet for their annual exam and vaccinations. I told the vet (the back-up vet, not our usual vet, Dr. Farr) about Fiona's continued vomiting and less activeness. After examining her teeth, he noticed tartar buildup and suggested dental cleaning. Also suggested that bacteria from tartar buildup could be causing the vomiting. Fiona's weight at vet was 9.8 lbs. >From 2/15/05 until 2/19/05 we went away on vacation, leaving the cats home alone (we had relatives come by daily to feed kitties/clean litterbox). After we came home, Fiona was even more lethargic and vomiting clear fluid almost daily. I set up an appointment to do consult with Dr. Farr. 2/25/05 - Appt. with Dr. Farr. After explaining all the above, he suggested we do full bloodwork and x-rays on Fiona. He compared the x-ray with the one he did about 2 years ago, and he noted no change in internal organs. Bloodwork came back entirely normal; Liver enzymes were slightly elevated (100 is normal, Fiona's were 105). Dr. suggested we go ahead with the dental cleaning, so I made an appointment for 3/3/05. Fiona's weight at vet this time was 9.6 lbs. Dr. Farr also suggested that her vomiting might be related to some sort of gastric infection. By 3/1/05 (this past Tuesday), Fiona showed little interest in food or activity. Still vomiting about once every other day, clear fluid. I called vet on 3/2/05 to cancel the dental appt., worried that she might be too weak with not eating (as she would be given anesthesia). Dr. Farr prescribed antibiotics (ClindaCure - Clindamycin Hydrochloride - 25 mg. every 12 hrs.) 3/2/05 - Picked up antibiotic and started Fiona on it. It's now 3/3/05 and Fiona is extremely lethargic and showing no interest in food. I did get her to drink some water and have seen her use the litterbox at least once today. Does anyone know what's going on with my kitty? I'm hoping someone out there has maybe experienced all these symptoms and can suggest something. I don't want to sound like a completely hypochondriac kitty-mom, but something is definitely wrong with Fiona. I'm not sure how long the antibiotics take (if Fiona actually does have an infection, which her vet seemed unsure of), so maybe she will get better soon. Thank you in advance for reading this and any comments you might have. Emily > Hello, > [quoted text clipped - 62 lines] > > Emily Boy, I would sure want either an endoscope or biopsy of the GI tract. I would be checking internal organs. Xrays just don't show everything and neither does bloodwork. My boy who just died had good bloodwork and the xrays could not show the thickened lining of the stomach from advanced lymphoma. I don't want to scare you, but you need more than xrays. > Does anyone know what's going on with my kitty? I'm hoping someone out > there has maybe experienced all these symptoms and can suggest [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Emily I agree that something is wrong with your kitty. Antibiotics can take almost a week to kick in, if that is what she even needs, but it is imperative that she eat in the meantime or she could develop hepatic lipidosis. If she is not eating, you need to force feed her. It can take as little as 2 days without food for severe complications to develop--really. Is she dehydrated? She might need IV fluids, sometimes that can "jumpstart" them. Try human baby food without onions or Hill's a/d, available from the vet. It is the consistency of pudding and can be further watered down and given by syringe if she won't eat it willingly. She needs to be eating. Candace > Hello, > [quoted text clipped - 62 lines] > > Emily Post this in alt.med.veterinary or take your cat to see another vet, seeing as that her current one hasn't got a clue. > Hello, > [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > home alone (we had relatives come by daily to feed kitties/clean > litterbox). > 3/2/05 - Picked up antibiotic and started Fiona on it. It's now 3/3/05 > and Fiona is extremely lethargic and showing no interest in food. I did [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > Emily Is it possible your cat is dehydrated due to the vomiting, perhaps that will explain the lethargy. Has her fur changed in how it feels, such as coarser, dry, lacking shine? Does she have saggy skin? When she's not eating, is she drinking water regularly? Did your vet give her any fluids or suggest it? With regard to the vomiting, I'm wondering if she could have a reflux problem. If she has a period of time without eating (even for a few hours in some cases) this could make the reflux increase and add to the vomiting. I hope you find the source of her problem, and even more so that a cure is found. Has she gone back to see her regular vet, I am always hesitant when a stand-in vet says they don't know the answer. They also don't know your cat as well as your regular vet. Sending gentle belly rubs to Fiona (or a chin scratch if that's her preference, I have a fondness for my fingers and prefer not to have them sliced and diced by a cat who may get offended by belly rubs) :) Trish > Hello, Be sure they check her *really* well for a linear foreign body (a string or thread) wrapped around the base of the tongue. They can be very well hidden and not easily spotted. We once had a case much like yours, and a regular vet couldn't diagnose anything. One of the vets at our practice found the thread. good luck, -L. Thank you all for your responses. I am extremely "paranoid" when it comes to my kitties, due to the fact my very first kitty died from renal failure (at age 13) several years ago. Ever since, I've been atuned to signs of lethargy, dehydration and vomiting. I'm taking Fiona in to her regular vet today. I just called them and suggested they give her fluids. (Don't you just love telling doctors what to do?) I will take all of your suggestions in to Dr. Farr to see what he says. I also will gather a second opinion from Fiona's original vet this afternoon. We changed vets about 5.5 years ago due to a move. Thank you again. I just really hope this doesn't end in putting Fiona to sleep. I just don't think I'm strong enough to do that again- had to do that with my first kitty and it was terrible. Thanks, Emily > Thank you all for your responses. I am extremely "paranoid" when it > comes to my kitties, due to the fact my very first kitty died from [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > to sleep. I just don't think I'm strong enough to do that again- had to > do that with my first kitty and it was terrible. I know how hard that is. Keep us posted about Fiona. We'll be thinking about you. Hey everyone, Well, news is not good. Dr. Farr noticed a heart murmur and low pulse this morning when I took Fiona in. After taking chest x-rays, he thinks the left side of her heart is enlarged, with a thickened left ventricle, possibly a growth- he doesn't know. He is referring me to a veterinary cardiologist. Fiona had pleural effusion- fluid around her heart/lungs, which Dr. Farr tapped to relieve some of it. Basically, it seems as if Fiona has cardiomyopathy or heart failure. Depending on the type of cardiomyopathy, it can be a treatable condition, but prognosis is uncertain at this point. This is totally unexpected... I am heartbroken. Thank you again to those who responded earlier. I appreciate your concern and well wishes, and just hope there is a bright side to this somewhere. Hug and kiss your kitties extra tonight. Emily There are a lot of people out there treating heart disease in kitties. You caught it and that is GOOD news. Please keep us posted. Hang in there. > Hey everyone, > [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > Emily > Hey everyone, > [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > This is totally unexpected... I am heartbroken. Emily, I really hope the vet can find a treatment that will give Fiona some quality time. I hope the condition is treatable and that you don't have to lose her. > Hey everyone, > [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > This is totally unexpected... I am heartbroken. I'm keeping you and Fiona close to my thoughts while you go through this. With a little luck the cardiologist will have some promising news and a treatment could be started, and Fiona will start to feel better with the right medications and treatment. Please keep us posted Trish > Thank you again to those who responded earlier. I appreciate your > concern and well wishes, and just hope there is a bright side to this > somewhere. Hug and kiss your kitties extra tonight. > > Emily Emily, best of luck to you and Fiona. Don't lose hope. Does she seem to feel better after having the fluid drained? When is your appt.? Please keep us posted on Fiona's progress. Candace Mary, Karen, Trish, Candace, and anyone else who read this and wished Fiona and I well- Fiona passed away yesterday at about 4:45 pm. This is a total shock to me and my husband and we are both grieving terribly. We took Fiona to Florida Veterinary Specialists at about noon yesterday. FVS is a 24 hr. emergency care place and pet hospital- it is also where the cardiologist Fiona was to see is located. When we admitted her to the ICU she was having extremely labored breathing and would cry intermittently. She still had not been eating or drinking, and she was unable to use the litterbox because she was too weak. She was very cold- her body temperature would not register at the ICU. My husband and I had tried on our own to warm her, cradling her in a blanket covered heating pad, and we also force fed her some watered down wet food with a medicine dropper. But is was clear she needed emergency help. The emergency vet was very nice and optimistic about Fiona's condition. He told us he would try to stablize her, by warming her and giving her oxygen and an IV, which they did. He told us they would do the echocardiogram (ultrasound) as soon as she was stabilized. There was no apparent reason for us to stay- a decision I have come to regret and feel very guilty about. They said they would call us later on to update us on her condition and about the echo. Before we left we saw Fiona, in her little ICU oxygen chamber. She was resting peacefully, and did not seem to be breathing as laboriously. I petted her head, and told her how sorry I was and that I loved her. My sister-in-law's birthday was yesterday, and we had been invited to her dinner- a family affair. I was uneasy about going, due to worry over Fiona. As we were pulling into the parking lot to the restaurant, my cell phone rang- it was the vet stating that Fiona was gone. He told me he went to check her temperature to see how she was progressing, and at that moment she let out a cry and was gone. He did not know decisively what caused her death, but after reading about cardiomyopathy, I believe it was probably an aneurysm, or simply cardiac arrest. She did apparently go quickly, and relatively painlessly. We brought her home and said our goodbyes. My wonderful husband helped me bury Fiona, with a short "ceremony". Today, we planted gardenias and two other bushes I can't remember the names of around her grave. I have gone through all the motions in such a short period of time and still can't believe she's really gone. I am completely heartbroken and cannot seem to think about anything but Fiona. She was my sweet, special, loving, beautiful, talented, clever, and happy kitty. I swear she could understand me. Everyplace in my house reminds me of her or of something she would do, like putting her paw underneath the door when I used the bathroom. My eyes and nose are raw from crying and sniffling.... this isn't fair- Fiona was a seemingly healthy cat just a week ago. And she was only 6 years old! I'm angry she was cheated out of a long life! My other kitty Spot misses his big sister and I feel terrible for him. Thank God for Spot, though- he does comfort me. Anyway, I could go on and on, and probably will in a journal or something. I'm just trying to cope at this point. I'm sorry for relating such bad news. I wanted to let all you kind people know what happened, and thank you again for your words of encouragement and well wishes. I sincerely appreciate it. Kind regards, Emily > Mary, Karen, Trish, Candace, and anyone else who read this and wished > Fiona and I well- > > Fiona passed away yesterday at about 4:45 pm. This is a total shock to > me and my husband and we are both grieving terribly. Oh, God, Emily. I am so sorry. Your poor girl and poor you. > We took Fiona to Florida Veterinary Specialists at about noon > yesterday. FVS is a 24 hr. emergency care place and pet hospital- it is [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > peacefully, and did not seem to be breathing as laboriously. I petted > her head, and told her how sorry I was and that I loved her. [...] > I am completely heartbroken and cannot seem to think about anything but > Fiona. She was my sweet, special, loving, beautiful, talented, clever, [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > happened, and thank you again for your words of encouragement and well > wishes. I sincerely appreciate it. Emily, you did everything you could, and the cruelest thing is that the vet seemed to think she would be okay, but she wasn't. There is not much we can say to make you feel better but people here do understand how hard the loss of a beloved family member is. And Fiona was a family member--a feline one. I hope your heart heals soon. > I am completely heartbroken and cannot seem to think about anything but > Fiona. She was my sweet, special, loving, beautiful, talented, clever, [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > misses his big sister and I feel terrible for him. Thank God for Spot, > though- he does comfort me. I totally understand. My Grant was or seemed perfectly healthy and then suddenly began vomiting. We thought it was a gigantic hairball, and spent a week trying to get him to pass (well, there WAS a giant hairball) but when he did pass a bunch of hair and did not feel any better I took him in and they were going to do surgery. On the table they found he had advanced stomach lymphoma. It was a total shock for all of us. I had to give permission to euthanize him. I was only so sorry that I hadn't gotten one last kiss to my buddy. It still bothers me, but I do not wish the sickness that I had been witnessing and the misery to my boy who had been (or rather seemed) healthy one week earlier. He was only 8. We all miss him. It has taken over a week, and now I don't burst into tears just thinking about him. His fuzzy balls still get me when I see them and know he will never play with them again, but I leave them where they are. I can't bring myself to move them. I hate vacuuming because I think I am vacuuming up his hair and I don't want him to completely leave me (even though i know he is with me how it counts). Little by little life is achieving a different balance without him. Different and definitely more empty, but at least I know he is not suffering. I'm so so sorry about your little kitty, even younger. They are not ours to keep but only to care for. I know I am better because of Grant and you are better because of Fiona. I'm sitting here wiping my eyes but it gets easier to think about it all each day. It will for you too. (((((hugs))))) Karen photos.yahoo.com/kchuplis > Fiona passed away yesterday at about 4:45 pm. This is a total shock to > me and my husband and we are both grieving terribly. ...> Kind regards, > Emily Deepest condolences to you and your family. Annie I"m so sorry for your loss Emily. It's so very hard. Kelly > Mary, Karen, Trish, Candace, and anyone else who read this and wished > Fiona and I well- [quoted text clipped - 59 lines] > Kind regards, > Emily oh Emily - I am so sorry >I am completely heartbroken and cannot seem to think about anything but >Fiona. She was my sweet, special, loving, beautiful, talented, clever, [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] >happened, and thank you again for your words of encouragement and well >wishes. I sincerely appreciate it. I am sorry to hear about Fiona. My own Fiona died about 10 years ago. I wanted to let you know that I made a "book" of all the stories and memories I could think of. It was my way of grieving for her. I talked about her nicknames, her hobbies, her buddies, her favorite places, etc. And went through all my photos and found photos that would show what I was writing about. Even now, I can pick up that book and experience my joy of her life again. I am also amazed at the funny things I managed to write during my grief. It also helps me to think of the photos I need for my current animals. Just a couple days ago, I told my nephew I need him to get a shot of Maynard, curled up on my shoulder as I lay in bed. It is something special we both enjoy. He's like a reverse pillow. He sits on me, but it feels to me like he is a pillow with an awesome motor. He's elderly now, so I know I need to get that photo.  Signature-- Meghan & the Zoo Crew Equine and Pet Photography http://www.zoocrewphoto.com > Mary, Karen, Trish, Candace, and anyone else who read this and wished > Fiona and I well- > > Fiona passed away yesterday at about 4:45 pm. This is a total shock to > me and my husband and we are both grieving terribly. I am so sorry to hear of Fiona's passing, I had hoped and prayed that she would get better. Please don't feel quilty about not being there when she slipped away, she knew you loved her and took great care of her. I beleive she did. She was sleeping peacefully at the emergency clinic, that is a beautiful memory to have of her. Sending a belly rub to Spot and a warm smile to you and your husband. Time can be our greatest friend, it helps heal the deepest wounds. Please take good care of yourself, you need strength now to get through these next days. Trish > > Fiona passed away yesterday at about 4:45 pm. This is a total shock to > > me and my husband and we are both grieving terribly. Such a shock- my thoughts are with you. Lesley Slave of the Fabulous Furballs Emily, I am terribly sorry about Fiona, poor baby girl. So young. You did all that could be done and it was just not meant to be. It won't be the same without her but you will have a kitty angel to watch over you now. She'll be around you. I am very sorry. Candace |
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