Kim, I'm afraid I must urge you to talk to your vet from here on in, at least at this point in time. What I'm most concerned about is the low PCV, 12 is considered critically low (you want him to be between 30-45). Your vet was probably mentioning immunological possibilities, such as multiple myeloma, lymphoma, blood neoplastic disease, but without a serology to confirm, it's only a guess at this point.
While it's rare, there can be toxic effects from hyperthyroid medications. It is for this reason and others that it is recommended to test those levels every three months when first initiating treatment. At this point in time, your vet probably felt it was more necessary to discontinue the thyroid medication temporarily and concentrate on the PCV and finding the cause of the anemia, whether it is due to cancer, hemobart, infectious disease, hemorrhage, toxicity of some sort. Don't worry about the thyroid medications at this time, what is imperative is that the anemia is treated agressively.....since your vet told you your kitty may benefit from a blood transfusion, I can only assume that his suspicions are correct at this time.....your kitty is in critical condition.
It is not an exact science how well a transfusion will work. There is a risk, just as with any blood transfusion between patients. A cross match/type must be done, the donor cat must be in excellent health, tested prior for any infectious disease.....and there is a risk that the transfusion cat may react poorly to the donated blood (if whole blood is used....there is also a product called oxyglobin that may be an option, a synthetic blood component used in cases where whole blood cannot be achieved). Be prepared your kitty would require at least 24-hour observation/treatment during the transfusion. The sooner the transfusion occurs, the sooner agressive combination treatment begins (i.e., prednisone, doxycycline, antibiotics therapy), the sooner you can try to get that PCV up to a more safer level for kitty to recover. I'm not saying do this or else, because I don't know what your vet is thinking right now, was not there to see/examine your kitty, etc, but in my experience, when a PCV falls critically low such as this, it's time to get agressive and promptly. And by that, I mean TODAY, ASAP....get a quick re-check on the PCV and discuss everything in full with your vet regarding the transfusion option.
While it may be good that your kitty ate something today and seems interested, don't mistake however small that improvement is, to be anything too significant....the main concern is to re-evaluate the PCV immediately and discuss the potential of blood transfusion and/or agressive treatment approach immediately.
SOS! Will cats not eat what they can't smell?
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Guest
Re: SOS! Will cats not eat what they can't smell?
Thank you so much for all the help Traci. I took your advice and he is at the vets now for the blood. It's up to my cat and the cat gods now!
thanks again!
Kim
thanks again!
Kim
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Guest
Re: SOS! Will cats not eat what they can't smell?
Wishing you both the very best! What is kitty's name? Wanda
Re: SOS! Will cats not eat what they can't smell?
Kim, I've been thinking about you and your baby all day....I'm sending lots of prayers for support...hang in there, be strong, visit your baby as often as the clinic will allow you, he needs your presense and encouragement to heal and recover.....Please update us when you can...
..........Traci
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Kim D
Re: SOS! Will cats not eat what they can't smell?
HI Traci and Wanda,
thanks so much for thinking of us! Charlie is doing much much better today. He's been eating like crazy. Not as much as he used to but more than he has in weeks. 2 small cans of chicken and some tuna. I am really leaning toward the bad reaction to the thyroid medication idea. I took him off of it 3 days ago and he's been progressively getting better. It was about when he started it that he started to get sick. I still have him on the prednisone and cefa-drops. He seems much happier and stronger. I will check back in a couple weeks and let you know how it's going.
Thank you so much for listening to me and all the wonderful support!
xoxoxo!
Kim
thanks so much for thinking of us! Charlie is doing much much better today. He's been eating like crazy. Not as much as he used to but more than he has in weeks. 2 small cans of chicken and some tuna. I am really leaning toward the bad reaction to the thyroid medication idea. I took him off of it 3 days ago and he's been progressively getting better. It was about when he started it that he started to get sick. I still have him on the prednisone and cefa-drops. He seems much happier and stronger. I will check back in a couple weeks and let you know how it's going.
Thank you so much for listening to me and all the wonderful support!
xoxoxo!
Kim
Re: SOS! Will cats not eat what they can't smell?
Kim, did Charlie receive a transfusion???
..........Traci
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Kim D
Re: SOS! Will cats not eat what they can't smell?
Traci, I have to tell you, no, he did not have the transfusion. Please forgive me but I took him down there for it and I just knew that he would not survive it. I knew that that would be the end for him and I thought that if he was going to die, and you know he was at death's door, I wanted him to die in his bed and not connected to tubes in the hospital without me. So I turned around and went home. But the thing is he has started eating again and is really rallying. He's got a real healthy appetite and just looks and feels so much better. His nose and gums are already showing more color.
It was the thyroid medication. I just know it.
I looked at the dispension date and he actually started them on Dec 29. He was diagnosed with this thyroid thing (hyper) from the blood test he took before his teeth cleaning in November. And here's what upsets me:
When I picked him up from the cleaning, I was told he needs to take these pills by the office person. I told her I did not want to give my cat pills without talking to the vet about it. She kept telling me that the doctor was very busy. When I asked if he could call me I got the same answer. This went on for 2 weeks by phone. Finally I asked if the thyroid problem could be related to his chronic vomiting (which is another long story, he had been vomiting for months and different treatments did not work. No blood or stool work was done at the time for it). Anyway the answer was yes and so I decided to give him the pills. That's when he started getting sick. By Jan 15 he was so sick and starving that I took him in for the first exam and got back the first cancer diagnosis. The vet wanted to do a biopsy on him based on her findings in a totally overexposed x-ray and the "feeling" of a non-existent mass around his stomach. Both of those were later found to be wrong diagnoses. I felt he was too weak to survive a biopsy so I refused and started the rounds of second and third opinions.
No one asked me the crucial question "has anything new been introduced to his diet in the past few weeks?" This is the question I asked myself and decided the problem might be the thyroid pills.
Also, he had his blood taken last Wed and it was sent to the pathologist. I was told the results would be back Thursday. I called twice that day and they weren't in. They said the doctor would call me when they got in. It is now Saturday and I haven't heard anything. I think this is wrong.
With all of this trouble you can see why I am not eager to let them operate or give a blood transfusion. I think they are incompetent.
I also feel that some real damage may have happened as the result of the starvation so he is not completely out of the woods yet. The vet told me to tell him if his stool became tar-like. It has, but I am reluctant to go back to that vet. I do not know what this tarry thing means but I imagine it has something to do with organs.
If you can recommend a good vet in the Santa Rosa, CA area I would really appreciate it. Clearly I'm not having much luck so far.
Thanks for being so concerned. You're the best!
xoxoox
Kim
It was the thyroid medication. I just know it.
I looked at the dispension date and he actually started them on Dec 29. He was diagnosed with this thyroid thing (hyper) from the blood test he took before his teeth cleaning in November. And here's what upsets me:
When I picked him up from the cleaning, I was told he needs to take these pills by the office person. I told her I did not want to give my cat pills without talking to the vet about it. She kept telling me that the doctor was very busy. When I asked if he could call me I got the same answer. This went on for 2 weeks by phone. Finally I asked if the thyroid problem could be related to his chronic vomiting (which is another long story, he had been vomiting for months and different treatments did not work. No blood or stool work was done at the time for it). Anyway the answer was yes and so I decided to give him the pills. That's when he started getting sick. By Jan 15 he was so sick and starving that I took him in for the first exam and got back the first cancer diagnosis. The vet wanted to do a biopsy on him based on her findings in a totally overexposed x-ray and the "feeling" of a non-existent mass around his stomach. Both of those were later found to be wrong diagnoses. I felt he was too weak to survive a biopsy so I refused and started the rounds of second and third opinions.
No one asked me the crucial question "has anything new been introduced to his diet in the past few weeks?" This is the question I asked myself and decided the problem might be the thyroid pills.
Also, he had his blood taken last Wed and it was sent to the pathologist. I was told the results would be back Thursday. I called twice that day and they weren't in. They said the doctor would call me when they got in. It is now Saturday and I haven't heard anything. I think this is wrong.
With all of this trouble you can see why I am not eager to let them operate or give a blood transfusion. I think they are incompetent.
I also feel that some real damage may have happened as the result of the starvation so he is not completely out of the woods yet. The vet told me to tell him if his stool became tar-like. It has, but I am reluctant to go back to that vet. I do not know what this tarry thing means but I imagine it has something to do with organs.
If you can recommend a good vet in the Santa Rosa, CA area I would really appreciate it. Clearly I'm not having much luck so far.
Thanks for being so concerned. You're the best!
xoxoox
Kim
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Kim D
Re: SOS! Will cats not eat what they can't smell?
Update: his stool is no longer tarry. It is not as firm as it should be but it is a normal color. He is back to his old self as far as bugging me for a sample of whatever I'm eating. He's also started grooming himself again.
I reread my posts and I have to apologize for not being honest when I said he was "at the vets for the blood." Actually I should have said I was on the way there. But I backed out.
You know, even if know one reads my posts, it really helps me to be here. I'm a chronic journal writer and it's helped me just to write in this forum. But it does seem like I have some concerned new friends here and I thank you all for that!
Kim
I reread my posts and I have to apologize for not being honest when I said he was "at the vets for the blood." Actually I should have said I was on the way there. But I backed out.
You know, even if know one reads my posts, it really helps me to be here. I'm a chronic journal writer and it's helped me just to write in this forum. But it does seem like I have some concerned new friends here and I thank you all for that!
Kim
Re: SOS! Will cats not eat what they can't smell?
Kim, while it is possible your kitty suffered ill effects of the tapazole, there's one sure way of finding out, and that's to test the thyroid levels. Since it was not mentioned, have the thyroid levels been checked since the very first hyperthyroid diagnosis in November? If not, do it now.
The problem is, is not knowing for certain if this was a toxic reaction to the thyroid medication or a secondary health condtion, such as lymphoma, or even a combination of problems (that can be common in older kitties). Another problem is that if kitty is truly hyperthyroid, without treatment, other problems can develop, such as congestive heart failure, renal damage, intractable diarrhea, hypertension. The diet too must be modified if kitty cannot metabilize it properly (i.e., need a highly digestible diet in order to absorb nutrients sufficiently, prevent diarrhea occurances)
You are right to be concerned with the kidney and liver, we talked about this before...with prolonged anorexia, diarrhea, etc, the kidneys and liver are at risk. While this may not have shown on bloodwork in the beginning, there is a high risk it might now, as well as complications developing from untreated hyperthyroidism.
What I would do now, is start with a new blood draw, use that for the thyroid levels, PCV, chemical enzymes, particluarly kidney and liver. Since this would be the least invasive course of action, I wouldn't wait to get it done immediately. You would then at least have an idea if the thyroid meds were partly responsible. You would also know if there has been any renal or hepatic damage as a result of the anorexia/dehydration.
Tarry stools can indicate anything from toxicity to poor absorption of diet to hemorrhage somewhere. Again, while it seems to look as though Charlie is improving with the stools and his appetite, don't mistake this for a full recovery. Oftentimes, in a medical health crisis, a kitty can seem to improve or show outward signs of immediate improvement, but this does not mean that the true underlying condition is rectifying itself, it's so important to monitor organ function at this point.
I can't recommend anyone in the Santa Rosa area, although you could try to get a consult from someone at Cal-Davis vet university, your vet should be able to do that on your behalf. Otherwise, I would contact your nearest emergency vet facility in your area and ask about a referral from there, emergency veterinary clinics are usually well aquainted with other vets in the area and would probably be able to refer you to whom would best be able to help/treat your kitty, including themselves. You can always ask your current vet to fax all records to a new vet of your choice.
Kim, please don't wait any longer on this, I understand your reservations and apprehension about your current vet, but you DO need to know Charlie's blood values right now, you need to know if toxicity is a concern, and you need to know if his kidneys or liver are compromised and you need to know how the thyroid is functioning. While it's possible that conservative treatment may be possible for Charlie regarding the thyroid, you won't know until you know what the thyroid levels are, and if he is at risk for hypertension or renal damage. You also need to know what the PCV is at this point, if it's dropping, or improving, you can't assume it's improving simply because he is showing interest in appetite or grooming, etc.
Since it is Saturday, and not knowing what vet facilities are available to you, at least call your vet about a recheck on boodwork/thyroid levels/PCV, or call the nearest emergency vet facility to get this done. You need peace of mind that other problems are truly not developing. I know this has been an incredibly stressful time for Charlie and you, but unfortunately, blood work needs to be done so that you know you are doing your best for Charlie right now. I realize that blood was sent last Wednesday, but so much can happen in that time frame.
The problem is, is not knowing for certain if this was a toxic reaction to the thyroid medication or a secondary health condtion, such as lymphoma, or even a combination of problems (that can be common in older kitties). Another problem is that if kitty is truly hyperthyroid, without treatment, other problems can develop, such as congestive heart failure, renal damage, intractable diarrhea, hypertension. The diet too must be modified if kitty cannot metabilize it properly (i.e., need a highly digestible diet in order to absorb nutrients sufficiently, prevent diarrhea occurances)
You are right to be concerned with the kidney and liver, we talked about this before...with prolonged anorexia, diarrhea, etc, the kidneys and liver are at risk. While this may not have shown on bloodwork in the beginning, there is a high risk it might now, as well as complications developing from untreated hyperthyroidism.
What I would do now, is start with a new blood draw, use that for the thyroid levels, PCV, chemical enzymes, particluarly kidney and liver. Since this would be the least invasive course of action, I wouldn't wait to get it done immediately. You would then at least have an idea if the thyroid meds were partly responsible. You would also know if there has been any renal or hepatic damage as a result of the anorexia/dehydration.
Tarry stools can indicate anything from toxicity to poor absorption of diet to hemorrhage somewhere. Again, while it seems to look as though Charlie is improving with the stools and his appetite, don't mistake this for a full recovery. Oftentimes, in a medical health crisis, a kitty can seem to improve or show outward signs of immediate improvement, but this does not mean that the true underlying condition is rectifying itself, it's so important to monitor organ function at this point.
I can't recommend anyone in the Santa Rosa area, although you could try to get a consult from someone at Cal-Davis vet university, your vet should be able to do that on your behalf. Otherwise, I would contact your nearest emergency vet facility in your area and ask about a referral from there, emergency veterinary clinics are usually well aquainted with other vets in the area and would probably be able to refer you to whom would best be able to help/treat your kitty, including themselves. You can always ask your current vet to fax all records to a new vet of your choice.
Kim, please don't wait any longer on this, I understand your reservations and apprehension about your current vet, but you DO need to know Charlie's blood values right now, you need to know if toxicity is a concern, and you need to know if his kidneys or liver are compromised and you need to know how the thyroid is functioning. While it's possible that conservative treatment may be possible for Charlie regarding the thyroid, you won't know until you know what the thyroid levels are, and if he is at risk for hypertension or renal damage. You also need to know what the PCV is at this point, if it's dropping, or improving, you can't assume it's improving simply because he is showing interest in appetite or grooming, etc.
Since it is Saturday, and not knowing what vet facilities are available to you, at least call your vet about a recheck on boodwork/thyroid levels/PCV, or call the nearest emergency vet facility to get this done. You need peace of mind that other problems are truly not developing. I know this has been an incredibly stressful time for Charlie and you, but unfortunately, blood work needs to be done so that you know you are doing your best for Charlie right now. I realize that blood was sent last Wednesday, but so much can happen in that time frame.
..........Traci
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Kim D
Re: SOS! Will cats not eat what they can't smell?
Hi Traci,
You are absolutely right about everything. I have been calling my friends for information about other vets. There is one here in town who specialized in just cats that I will call for an appt. The only other question of yours that I can answer was that his thyroid levels went from being too high to a little too low in the space of the 2 weeks he was on the medication. I don't know if that indicates anything.
I want to have the pills looked at to see that they are in fact the correct ones. I know sometimes mistakes can be made in the pharmacy.
Good idea to have my records faxed around. Curious to see if the pathology report will be included, because no one contacted me with the results. Perhaps they are not in yet.
I'll get back to you when there is any news!
Kim
You are absolutely right about everything. I have been calling my friends for information about other vets. There is one here in town who specialized in just cats that I will call for an appt. The only other question of yours that I can answer was that his thyroid levels went from being too high to a little too low in the space of the 2 weeks he was on the medication. I don't know if that indicates anything.
I want to have the pills looked at to see that they are in fact the correct ones. I know sometimes mistakes can be made in the pharmacy.
Good idea to have my records faxed around. Curious to see if the pathology report will be included, because no one contacted me with the results. Perhaps they are not in yet.
I'll get back to you when there is any news!
Kim