I have a neutered male cat - approximatley five years old (he's a pound-kitty, so I'm not certain of his age).
I free-feed Inovva dry (regular). Recently, I ran out - and couldn't make it to the only feed store in town that sells my food. So, for a few days I'd been feeding a canned cat food (Natural Life). I'd read the ingredients, and of my other choices - it seemed the best one to feed in the interim.
Apparently, I was not paying very close attention to my cat, Logan. I'd been busy all weekend, and was hardly at home. Sunday, I noticed he'd been less vocal, and hiding.
Tuesday, I noticed what looked very much like orange juice all over my coffee table. *Then the alarms began to sound.* I found Logan, and noticed he'd lost probably four pounds. I opened a can of wet food and layed it out in front of him - and he was disinterested.
I immediatley took him to the vet. They obtained a sample for urinalysis by catheter. There was blood present in his urine, and bilirubin (indicative of liver function problems).
I asked that they draw a blood specimen for me to take to work (a medical laboratory). I've included his out-of-range results here, along with the reference ranges I'd found at www.cathelp-online.com.
Test Result Ref. Range
CL 113 (L) 114-126
CO2 17 (L) 20-30
BUN 16 (L) 17-30
T. Bili 3.8 (H) 0.1-0.2
SGOT/AST 179 (H) 10-40
SGPT/ALT 325 (H) 10-50
D. Bili 2.50 (H) 0-0.14
Urinalysis 'Notes' -
"sg=1.020, ph=6.0, leuk=trace, blood=large, urobilinogen=12mg/dl, bilirubin=3+++, very dark in color, thick"
We were sent home with Clavamox (12.5), and the instructions to given 1ml orally until gone.
I also asked for (another) bag of Lactated Ringers. Last night, I gave 100ml sub-cue, and this morning I gave another 100ml.
He is still not eating, and is very lethargic.
I know that Nutri-Cal is not a favorite, but i have given him a bit of the paste, in hopes of stimulating his appetite.
Does anyone have any other ideas? I'm especially interest in how much LRS he should be getting - and I'd love some advice for hand-feeding, and what to feed?
Thank you all, in advance - hoping someone can help.
*I should add, that I have another cat who seems to be doing well, despite the food change. Neither of them are 'outside' cats. They are all current on vaccinations, and are given Revolution for parasite control.
I think my cat may be in the midst of liver failure!
Re: I think my cat may be in the midst of liver failure!
Update:
The vet would like to run a CBC - so I'll have my husband take Logan in for another blood draw this afternoon (I've got to go to work, so I can't take him).
I'd also planned to ask if they could do an x-ray...
The vet would like to run a CBC - so I'll have my husband take Logan in for another blood draw this afternoon (I've got to go to work, so I can't take him).
I'd also planned to ask if they could do an x-ray...
Re: I think my cat may be in the midst of liver failure!
What is your vet telling you? Did he mention hepatic lipidosis or cholangiohepatitis or bile duct problems? Is kitty jaundiced? Find out, then ask about a bile acids test and ammonia enzyme testing right away. Additionally, rule out immunosuppression like viral disease (FELV/FIV), hemobartonella, etc.
Any chance he got into something toxic? Plants, human meds, chemicals, etc?
What do you mean you found what looked like orange juice on the table? Do you mean he vomited and this was bile, or ?
If Hepatic Lipidosis, hand feeding is usually not curative, because the cat is already nauseated, vomiting, extremely stressed etc and will not recieve the vital nutrition necessary to regenerate the liver. Stress by hand feeding is non-productive to healing, and stress MUST be minimized at all costs in an HL patient. A surgically placed feeding tube affords the fastest, most productive recovery. (since it bypasses the need for chewing, etc, and goes directly to the stomach and nutrients metabolized by the liver). Owners also frequently miss scheduled feedings, or cease a feeding if the cat is struggling, vomits, etc. A feeding schedule MUST be exact, and MUST be consistent in order for the liver to regenerate. Any failures in the feeding schedule/protocol will spell disaster.
Fluids support is also crucial to recovery, since the cat is, as above, nauseated, sometimes vomiting, and is dehydrated. Dehydration and poor fluid support puts added strain on the liver and escalates liver degeneration. Your vet should be instructing you on the correct amounts of sub-q fluids daily or every other day...this is based on dehydration deficit, extent or progress of the liver disease, fluids dosed by weight of the cat, etc.
Be prepared the best diagnostic, following a bile acids test, is to do an ultrasound-guided needle biopsy of the liver, this helps the vet/lab differentiate from various liver diseases, in which to address and prescribe the most appropriate treatment.
If you are not confident in your vet's approach or he is not addressing this aggressively with discussing further diagnostics and agressive nutritional/fluid support, see a new vet who will. Hepatic Lipidosis, for example, can most often be treated successfuly as long as it is detected at the first hint of a liver problem and with very agressive care, on a daily basis. Nutrition and fluid support are the mainstays in treatment, and must be treated agressively!
Nutritional support usually a high protein, high caloric veterinary diet like Hill's A/D or Eukanuba Recovery, both can be mixed with water for easy delivery into a feeding tube (or a syringe if hand feeding, but be warned, in an extreme liver case, hand feeding usually fails). Your vet should be discussing this with you promptly, and if he isn't, please, seek a new, feline-only vet RIGHT AWAY (like TODAY), or an emergency veterinary facility where the vets are most likely more familiar with agressive treatment of liver disease.
Any chance he got into something toxic? Plants, human meds, chemicals, etc?
What do you mean you found what looked like orange juice on the table? Do you mean he vomited and this was bile, or ?
If Hepatic Lipidosis, hand feeding is usually not curative, because the cat is already nauseated, vomiting, extremely stressed etc and will not recieve the vital nutrition necessary to regenerate the liver. Stress by hand feeding is non-productive to healing, and stress MUST be minimized at all costs in an HL patient. A surgically placed feeding tube affords the fastest, most productive recovery. (since it bypasses the need for chewing, etc, and goes directly to the stomach and nutrients metabolized by the liver). Owners also frequently miss scheduled feedings, or cease a feeding if the cat is struggling, vomits, etc. A feeding schedule MUST be exact, and MUST be consistent in order for the liver to regenerate. Any failures in the feeding schedule/protocol will spell disaster.
Fluids support is also crucial to recovery, since the cat is, as above, nauseated, sometimes vomiting, and is dehydrated. Dehydration and poor fluid support puts added strain on the liver and escalates liver degeneration. Your vet should be instructing you on the correct amounts of sub-q fluids daily or every other day...this is based on dehydration deficit, extent or progress of the liver disease, fluids dosed by weight of the cat, etc.
Be prepared the best diagnostic, following a bile acids test, is to do an ultrasound-guided needle biopsy of the liver, this helps the vet/lab differentiate from various liver diseases, in which to address and prescribe the most appropriate treatment.
If you are not confident in your vet's approach or he is not addressing this aggressively with discussing further diagnostics and agressive nutritional/fluid support, see a new vet who will. Hepatic Lipidosis, for example, can most often be treated successfuly as long as it is detected at the first hint of a liver problem and with very agressive care, on a daily basis. Nutrition and fluid support are the mainstays in treatment, and must be treated agressively!
Nutritional support usually a high protein, high caloric veterinary diet like Hill's A/D or Eukanuba Recovery, both can be mixed with water for easy delivery into a feeding tube (or a syringe if hand feeding, but be warned, in an extreme liver case, hand feeding usually fails). Your vet should be discussing this with you promptly, and if he isn't, please, seek a new, feline-only vet RIGHT AWAY (like TODAY), or an emergency veterinary facility where the vets are most likely more familiar with agressive treatment of liver disease.
..........Traci
Re: I think my cat may be in the midst of liver failure!
This vet has not discussed anything with me. We'd used him as a last-resort because the clinic will 'hold' a check until pay-day (tomorrow).
My husband's taken the kitty back to the vet's - and I cannot get ahold of him...
I'm about to leave for work, but will update more later, when I know what's going on.
Tomorrow I have surgery, and if all goes well - and I've gotten no answers, I will have my husband take our cat to a new vet.
I'm very dissatisfied.
The 'orange juice' like substance was very obviously, urine.
Thanks so much for the input - I'm going to be as agressive as I can, under the circumstances.
I'm familiar with just a bit of veterinary medicine, and hope that my background will help me to find some 'right' answers.
My husband's taken the kitty back to the vet's - and I cannot get ahold of him...
I'm about to leave for work, but will update more later, when I know what's going on.
Tomorrow I have surgery, and if all goes well - and I've gotten no answers, I will have my husband take our cat to a new vet.
I'm very dissatisfied.
The 'orange juice' like substance was very obviously, urine.
Thanks so much for the input - I'm going to be as agressive as I can, under the circumstances.
I'm familiar with just a bit of veterinary medicine, and hope that my background will help me to find some 'right' answers.
Re: I think my cat may be in the midst of liver failure!
Also, he's I don't believe he's gotten into any toxins - I have no house plants, and use pet-safe cleaners. I also keep all meds put away...
Re: I think my cat may be in the midst of liver failure!
The vet needs to be more agressive. Can you please attempt to get kitty to a more experienced vet or emergency vet ASAP (today!)? Ideally, he should probably be on IV fluid support as diagnostics are approached. Ask the current vet about a trasnfer to an emergency vet, preferrably who has overnight care/attendence and emergency services.
The labs you posted are quite concerning, and if kitty is jaundiced, has not eaten for several days, not drinking, and is lethargic, he needs to be hospitalized, that will be the best thing for him, as the new vet proceeds with additional diagnostics (rule out various liver diseases, viral disease, hemobartonella, etc). I can't stress the importance of hospitalization and agressive care, liver disease MUST be treated aggressively when the labs are off the charts like this. Another day left untreated/no additional diagnostics done, could be detrimental for your kitty.
The labs you posted are quite concerning, and if kitty is jaundiced, has not eaten for several days, not drinking, and is lethargic, he needs to be hospitalized, that will be the best thing for him, as the new vet proceeds with additional diagnostics (rule out various liver diseases, viral disease, hemobartonella, etc). I can't stress the importance of hospitalization and agressive care, liver disease MUST be treated aggressively when the labs are off the charts like this. Another day left untreated/no additional diagnostics done, could be detrimental for your kitty.
..........Traci
-
mamabear
- Formerly mamaof4soon
- Posts: 589
- Joined: Wed Apr 18, 2007 10:39 pm
- Location: The Garden State
Re: I think my cat may be in the midst of liver failure!
I can not add anything further as Traci has said it all. But i wanted to give my prayers and support here for you, dh and kitty.
Aggressive is the way to go and keeping him in the hospital is crucial make sure you find a vet who will provide you better care or make sure this ones works harder at this.
Good luck
Aggressive is the way to go and keeping him in the hospital is crucial make sure you find a vet who will provide you better care or make sure this ones works harder at this.
Good luck
Almost 7 years in remission from Graves disease and no meds!