FeLV symptomatic - starving himself
Murray's Mom
pound as a 6 week old kitten a year ago tommorow, and he is deathly
sick :(
What Happened?
He's about one year old, and last week (Tuesday) he just stopped
eating. He has done this before (very picky young kitten) but has
always come back to food within 2 days. We made sure he had available
wet and dry food, as well as water, and let him 'do his thing'.
By Thursday evening he had not touched any food and was not drinking,
so we realised that this was serious, and made an appointment for the
next morning.
Animal Hospital
He was brought to the vet and she found that he was 105 degrees. He
stayed in the animal hospital for 5 days with an IV and intraveinous
vitamins and anti-biotics. They attempted to hand \ force feed him
with little result (apart from love bites and scratches!). He has had
little to no solid output in those 5 days. Blood CBC\Chem and xrays
are negative for anything unusual (other than FeLV and liver functions
slightly abnormal).
Home Now
He has been sent home with amoxycylin and bayzril. He still had a
high fever (105) when he left the animal hospital on Tuesday.
We've been force feeding him for two days and he doesn't seem inclined
to return to eating on his own again. We have tried smelly food
(tuna), liquid food (milk, cat milk supplement, high protein
supplements), unusual foods (baby food, no onion powder), cat food
(everything under the sun), and now Nutri-Cal via syringe (very
messy!). He is still not eating on his own, and is drinking
infrequently.
Help Needed!
Any suggestions on what foods we could try to coax him to eat?
Is there any limit to the amount of time we can force feed him?
Will he starve to death on the limited amount of food we can force
feed him?
The vet said he won't get better unless he eats, but he won't eat
until he feels better?
Is there anything we can do to reduce his temperature? We have put
alcohol on his pads and ears and a cool pad under his bed....
We're distraught seeing our baby so miserable - any help/advice you
can provide is greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
very upset kitten mommy and daddy
[cross posted to alt.med.veterinary, rec.pets.cats, rec.pets.health]
Joe User
"Murray's Mom" <yam...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:2d4174.030521...@posting.google.com...
> Our kitten, Murray, is FeLV positive. We brought him home from the
> pound as a 6 week old kitten a year ago tommorow, and he is deathly
> sick :(
Poor kitty:o(
One thing to ask about is steroid treatment, it increases appetite.
Karen Chuplis
wrote on 5/21/03 8:48 PM:
Kitty may need more hydration too. Getting an anorexic kitty to eat again
can really entail a lot of force feeding. Be sure to follow your vets
directions on how much to give. It's important that the caloric be a certain
level. Then, when force feeding is going well, try offering first before
using the syringe so you don't miss the window where they will start on
their own.
Karen
Lara
help prevent him becoming dehydrated, too. Your vet can show you how and
provide syringes.
I had to do that with Weird when I first got her because she was so weak she
couldn't drink on her own and I was afraid I'd drown her if I squirted
fluids down her throat.
As always, however, check with your vet before following such a course of
action.
I hope your kitty gets better.
Lara
"Karen Chuplis" <kchu...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:BAF1A55B.E8E0%kchu...@earthlink.net...
Perplexed SysAdmin
formula, water).. it is just solids that he will not touch.
The current feedings (nutrical and baby food alternated, once every 1 1/2
hours to simulate normal feeding, 2 tsp each feeding) have been going well,
but he is refusing to open his mouth now - which I fear will result in me
having to force (=stress) his mouth open to eat.
He is aware and bright-eyed, but is very lethargic, looks like he lost 1/4
of weight, and can barely manage to fight off the force feeding :(
Murrays Dad
"Lara" <ljsca...@yahoo.NOSPAM.com> wrote in message
news:gb6za.32074$XV1....@nwrdny03.gnilink.net...
raymond @hotspam.com Oliver Raymond
make up for it
Thanks, Murray's Dad
one year ago today...
http://www.transientimages.net/images/mcfirststair.jpg
it must be a cat bed, yeah?...
http://www.transientimages.net/images/mcbowl.jpg
i'm a very well read cat...
http://www.transientimages.net/images/mcbookend.jpg
remove any spaces and make "spam" "hot" to contact directly.
raymond @hotspam.com Oliver Raymond
http://www.transientimages.com/images/mcfirststair.jpg
http://www.transientimages.com/images/mcbowl.jpg
http://www.transientimages.com/images/mcbookend.jpg
"Oliver Raymond" <oj raymond @ hotspam.com> wrote in message
news:BF6za.3528$Pz3.1...@news4.srv.hcvlny.cv.net...
Cheryl
I'm sorry about your cat. I know how stressful it is *waiting* for
them to become symptomatic. I have a FeLV+ cat who also has IBD so we
go through the not eating thing from time to time. FeLV can sometimes
not cause symptoms at all, I think the figure is something like 33% of
cats won't become symptomatic. You force-feed for as long as it takes
IMO. Whatever it takes to get them to eat again - if Murray doesn't
seem in pain. I have been battling this very thing. When is it *time*
but I think you know. I have force fed a/d which is high in calories
and you can get from the vet - it's also easy for them to digest.
Clinicare is another thing you can get from the vet which is like milk
packed with nutrients and easy to syringe feed. Hill's prescription
a/d can be blended without any water until it's almost a liquid which
can be syringe fed and higher in calories than the Clinicare. My
trick is using a tongue depressor to *scrape* dollups of a/d into the
side of his mouth so he has to "chew" it and gets used to eating
again. Works for me any time I've had to do this. A/d has about 204
kcals per can so depending on Murray's weight and allowing for more
kcals for recovery, you can go with that info to know how much to
feed. Again, I find that using a tongue depressor gets more food into
my cat than using a syringe but others find it easier to use a
syringe. It's whatever works for you and Murray. IV fluids are a
good thing to ask about, too.
Good luck!!
Cheryl
I meant subQ fluids, not IV. Duh. :)
Happy Trailz Fr0m_WEEniE
is to have it put down? I mean how would u feel if it was u being frce
fed & everything else becuse of an illness that's going to tke your life
any ways. It's not how long your cat's going to live it's the quality of
life your cat has. Don't let your cat go through hell just so you can
keep him or her alive a little while longer. PLEASE??
raymond @hotspam.com Oliver Raymond
and Vishnoo, and went to sleep quieltly, calmy and peacfully in Daddy's arms
while in Hospital.
He will be layed down outside the window he spent most of his short life.
MC 25\05\02 - 23\05\03
Phil
lad.....and from reading your posts, he was lucky to be loved by you so
tenderly to the end.
Phil
"Oliver Raymond" <oj raymond @ hotspam.com> wrote in message
news:Pcrza.9936$Pz3.5...@news4.srv.hcvlny.cv.net...
Lara
"Oliver Raymond" <oj raymond @ hotspam.com> wrote in message
news:Pcrza.9936$Pz3.5...@news4.srv.hcvlny.cv.net...
LittleHouse4Dogs
it if he is not eating in 5 days i would take him to the vet and have food
pumed into his belly
robx...@nowhere.com
Oliver,
My sympathies and prayers go to you. I've recently been throught a
very similiar ordeal and understand the pain you must be feeling.
Know in your heart that you've done everything you could and put aside
all the "what-if's" that may be going through you mind.
Rob
Karen Chuplis
oj raymond @ hotspam.com wrote on 5/23/03 10:35 AM:
I'm so sorry to hear this. My deepest condolences :(
Karen
Hilden Pickering
wrote:
I would like to add my condolences too.
He will be waiting for you a the Rainbow Bridge.
Happy Trailz Fr0m_WEEniE
get posted because I'm not a regular here bu if u eally love your
cat.You'll do the right thing for it.Seriously.
raymond @hotspam.com Oliver Raymond
up....
as my wife just mentioned - "there is always one out there"
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message news:11535-3EC...@storefull-2172.public.lawson.webtv.net...