This email from daughter in Austin late today, re huge yellow cat... neutered male about 9 or 10, always indoors. He has had this before, as indicated. I cannot open the URL with my ancient browser. Will someone please refresh my memory as to what the condition is in cats? And/or open the site for me if possible. Thanks
Subject:
Anselm
Date:
Mon, 16 Feb 2004 15:29:05 -0600
Well, it appears that the Moosecat once again has Fatty Liver Syndrome (FLS). Here's one of the better articles on it.
http://www.redveterinaria.com/cyber/gastro1.php
We are going to try to force feed him this time, since a $1300 vet bill is out of the question. Be prepared that it might not work.
One of daughter's cats has FLS
Re: One of daughter's cats has FLS
Thank you. the URL opens here in Internet Explorer. [I gotta get my Netscape updated! 
Re: One of daughter's cats has FLS
E's, the technical term is Hepatic Lipidosis....here are two of my favorite links for clients:
Liver Disease - An Overview
Feline Liver Disease - Walthams
This is also my area of specialty, if I can help answer any questions, please don't hesitate to ask. We have a few other members here with added experience with HL as well.
Liver Disease - An Overview
Feline Liver Disease - Walthams
This is also my area of specialty, if I can help answer any questions, please don't hesitate to ask. We have a few other members here with added experience with HL as well.
..........Traci
Re: One of daughter's cats has FLS
Nan writes:
Thanks for the info. The main thing I worry about with Anselm is that he's not getting enough fluids. I'm giving him water by mouth, but of course he won't drink on his own. Silly big goof ball.
He splits his time while I'm feeding him between purring and loving the attention while I hold him close and hating my guts while I'm gooshing food down his maw. Sigh...giving him the Reglan syrup is the worst--it's really nasty and he foams orange at the mouth. Yuck.
Thanks for the info. The main thing I worry about with Anselm is that he's not getting enough fluids. I'm giving him water by mouth, but of course he won't drink on his own. Silly big goof ball.
He splits his time while I'm feeding him between purring and loving the attention while I hold him close and hating my guts while I'm gooshing food down his maw. Sigh...giving him the Reglan syrup is the worst--it's really nasty and he foams orange at the mouth. Yuck.
Re: One of daughter's cats has FLS
The typical nutritional support is using A/D or Eukanuba recovery formula, mixing it with water to ensure more fluid support. Forced-feeding is rarely sucessful in combatting HL, as opposed to entereal nutrition by naso-esophageal or gastric tube feeding...so for this reason, forced feeding must be agressive and the amounts consistent on a daily basis. Sub-q fluids can help to some degree in combatting dehydration, but they can't totally compensate for true entereal fluid support.
Reglan can be given in injectable form as well and may be easier for some kitties who are prone to vomiting after oral administration. Her vet can give her the solution in ready-to-use syringes with attached and capped needles. The needles can be chosen relatively small for easy injection and comfort for the kitty, and it can be given sub-q.
I also strongly advise she contact her vet at once should vomiting be a concern, additional weight loss, progressing jaundice, severe dehydration, and if by chance the feeding schedule and amounts are not met consistently, then immediate consultation with the vet is imperative.
Reglan can be given in injectable form as well and may be easier for some kitties who are prone to vomiting after oral administration. Her vet can give her the solution in ready-to-use syringes with attached and capped needles. The needles can be chosen relatively small for easy injection and comfort for the kitty, and it can be given sub-q.
I also strongly advise she contact her vet at once should vomiting be a concern, additional weight loss, progressing jaundice, severe dehydration, and if by chance the feeding schedule and amounts are not met consistently, then immediate consultation with the vet is imperative.
..........Traci
Nan's reply Wed a.m. [sorry I am so late FWing]
Subject:
RE: Anselm
Date:
Wed, 18 Feb 2004 08:48:19 -0600
From:
mail.utexas.edu>
To:
Thanks. Already switched to pill-form Reglan. The syrup was what I had
left from the last time--I was putting it thru a G-tube and so it didn't
matter what it tasted like. His jaundice is worse this AM, got more
food down him. Called vet (before I got this msg), going to pick up
sub-q stuff later today....hope he's okay by the time I get home.
N
Subject:
RE: Anselm
Date:
Wed, 18 Feb 2004 08:48:19 -0600
From:
mail.utexas.edu>
To:
Thanks. Already switched to pill-form Reglan. The syrup was what I had
left from the last time--I was putting it thru a G-tube and so it didn't
matter what it tasted like. His jaundice is worse this AM, got more
food down him. Called vet (before I got this msg), going to pick up
sub-q stuff later today....hope he's okay by the time I get home.
N
Re: One of daughter's cats has FLS
E's....not sure what Nan meant by "G-tube"...was this simply a syringe to administer the oral suspension of reglan or was it an actual feeding tube?
I would like to emphasize the need for agressiveness in forced feeding. If by chance her vet never gave her a detailed instruction sheet containing amounts and scheduled times to feed, she must request it immediately. Since forced-feeding falls short of optimal nutritional and fluid support as opposed to NG or PEG tubes (surgically placed), it is the amounts and schedule that is most critical when the owner decides to force feed instead of opting for surgical placement of a feeding tube. Other hindrances of forced feeding include stress for kitty, vomiting, and inconvenience of the owner to follow the schedule, therefore missed feedings and failure of treatment.
In the typical HL case, one wants to start with approximately 35-45 cc's of A/D (or whatever Rx diet vet prescribes), mix it with water for easy passage through the syringe, and feed the same amount up to 4 times a day, depending on the extent of liver disease, kitty's weight, kitty's tolerance and general health status, and need for agressive treatment. This must be done consistently with no missed feedings in order for the liver to regenerate itself. Mixing the food with water also helps add natural water intake, this can also include 2 cc's before and after each feeding to ensure additional fluid intake. Feeding slowly will help prevent vomiting (vomiting or excessive vomiting leads to increased dehydration).
It should never be assumed that kitty will eat on his own within the first few weeks of treatment (again, depending on the extent of liver damage).....forced feeding and PEG tube feeding usually require strict consistency for at least 4 weeks initially, some cats need this for much longer. It is only when a recheck on liver enzyme levels indicate the BUN, ALT, AST, and other enzymes are within normal range and weight is gained/maintained and dehydration is no longer considered critical that the owner can decrease the feeding amounts and possibly allow kitty interest in his normal food. Even then, one should never assume kitty will eat sufficiently on his own and risk failure of treatment.
Hope this helps, I just wanted to express my concerns about forced-feeding and ensure Nan's vet is offering her every available treatment option, including that necessary feeding schedule. Since kitty is 9 years of age and since he has a history of the condition before, she doesn't want to take chances or fall short on treatment.
I would like to emphasize the need for agressiveness in forced feeding. If by chance her vet never gave her a detailed instruction sheet containing amounts and scheduled times to feed, she must request it immediately. Since forced-feeding falls short of optimal nutritional and fluid support as opposed to NG or PEG tubes (surgically placed), it is the amounts and schedule that is most critical when the owner decides to force feed instead of opting for surgical placement of a feeding tube. Other hindrances of forced feeding include stress for kitty, vomiting, and inconvenience of the owner to follow the schedule, therefore missed feedings and failure of treatment.
In the typical HL case, one wants to start with approximately 35-45 cc's of A/D (or whatever Rx diet vet prescribes), mix it with water for easy passage through the syringe, and feed the same amount up to 4 times a day, depending on the extent of liver disease, kitty's weight, kitty's tolerance and general health status, and need for agressive treatment. This must be done consistently with no missed feedings in order for the liver to regenerate itself. Mixing the food with water also helps add natural water intake, this can also include 2 cc's before and after each feeding to ensure additional fluid intake. Feeding slowly will help prevent vomiting (vomiting or excessive vomiting leads to increased dehydration).
It should never be assumed that kitty will eat on his own within the first few weeks of treatment (again, depending on the extent of liver damage).....forced feeding and PEG tube feeding usually require strict consistency for at least 4 weeks initially, some cats need this for much longer. It is only when a recheck on liver enzyme levels indicate the BUN, ALT, AST, and other enzymes are within normal range and weight is gained/maintained and dehydration is no longer considered critical that the owner can decrease the feeding amounts and possibly allow kitty interest in his normal food. Even then, one should never assume kitty will eat sufficiently on his own and risk failure of treatment.
Hope this helps, I just wanted to express my concerns about forced-feeding and ensure Nan's vet is offering her every available treatment option, including that necessary feeding schedule. Since kitty is 9 years of age and since he has a history of the condition before, she doesn't want to take chances or fall short on treatment.
..........Traci
I will add this URL to the thread before going on... sorry, it has been rather a strange week. Nan did take Anselm back to the hospital shortly after she sent me this information...
[/url]http://www.marvistavet.com/html/subcuta ... s.html[url]
[/url]http://www.marvistavet.com/html/subcuta ... s.html[url]
Re: One of daughter's cats has FLS
But the poor big kitty was miserable, and vets gave little hope of his recovering sufficiently to enjoy life again.
Anselm went to the Bridge on the morning of Saturday, 21 February 2004. He was almost 9 years old. There was a picture but of course my limping old browser could not open it, and then other things have come up this week... I will see if I can find my pics to put on the memorial board. Anselm is survived by his littermate Guilluame [sp?] who is the same color but apparently had a different father; a quite old, unrelated female black cat named Cessna (because of her loud purr); a large female Aussie mix dog named Medb [Gaelic "Mave"] and a golden retriever named Sergio...
Nan and I did have a good phone talk Sunday. Here are some lines I found on her blog...
> Monday, February 23, 2004
>
> Was my haiku on 10 Feb a premonition....?
>
> Salty my tears are--
>
> a pain deep inside my chest
>
> no more, you are gone
>
> Anselm b. 1 April 1995 d 21 February 2004
Anselm went to the Bridge on the morning of Saturday, 21 February 2004. He was almost 9 years old. There was a picture but of course my limping old browser could not open it, and then other things have come up this week... I will see if I can find my pics to put on the memorial board. Anselm is survived by his littermate Guilluame [sp?] who is the same color but apparently had a different father; a quite old, unrelated female black cat named Cessna (because of her loud purr); a large female Aussie mix dog named Medb [Gaelic "Mave"] and a golden retriever named Sergio...
Nan and I did have a good phone talk Sunday. Here are some lines I found on her blog...
> Monday, February 23, 2004
>
> Was my haiku on 10 Feb a premonition....?
>
> Salty my tears are--
>
> a pain deep inside my chest
>
> no more, you are gone
>
> Anselm b. 1 April 1995 d 21 February 2004
Re: One of daughter's cats has FLS
I am so sorry, do know alittle of what she is going through. With Compassion, Wanda