Hepatic Lipidosis

[Traci]

Rod, Tina is right...it is the consistency of the feeding schedule that is the key, and to feed at times that are more to her normal eating habits, as if being free-fed through-out the day. Ideally, every 8 hours, or...morning, noon, evening, before bedtime. This allows for her to digest what you've given her normally, and to feel more comfortable with it, and also reduces the tendency to vomit. Sounds like the majority of the vomiting is caused due to an irregular feeding schedule....I DO feel 9 hours is just too long to feed, plus, if you're giving her a large amount in the morning..or in the evening, she is bound to vomit.

Vet's instructions: He should have given you a tip/treatment sheet briefly outlining the ideal hour interval to feed her....including the cc amounts per feeding....how to flush the tube....and a note to contact the clinic should you have questions, concerns or to discuss potential problems. If he didn't do that, then call and demand to be given a detailed explaination of the ideal feeding schedule.

You said she is ok some of the time, and miserable some of the time. The miserable is what you truly want to avoid. Her recovery should not be a miserable one, you should be seeing signs of improvement each day, you should not be seeing vomiting, depression, etc.

If you feel she's constipated, ask your vet tomorrow for a tube of Laxatone, this can be added to the food to be fed through the syringe, just mix a half teaspoon or so into the food mixure before you feed it through the syringe/tube...you can give the Laxatone twice a day until you see her produce a stool. But, I'd rather you talk to your vet about this first, he can palpate her and determine if she is constipated or not. If she is, he may opt to give her a quick kitty enema, or may simply suggest the Laxatone. In the meantime, keep your dog away from her litterbox because you need to determine if she's been going or not.

He'll also check her dehydration status, which can tell you if the vomiting has been too frequent, but do be sure to tell him about the schedule you've been adhering to, and the number of times per day she is vomiting.

[Tina B and crew]

Hello Grinder....I just went back and checked out our notes from when Gizmo had his HL. We kept a log of all his feedings, meds, litterbox usage, unusual changes, interest in food, play etc. When he first got his tube in place we were feeding him every 2 hours about 5cc-10cc at a time. At first he was taking in about 50-75cc per day and we gradually upped that each day until he was at 90-100cc then our goal was about 120-130cc per day...which we finally arrived at after about a month. We were eventually able to cut his feedings back to about 4 per day by that time. I also noted that it was about a month before he showed any interest in food..and then another two months before he was eating a sufficient enough amount to have the tube removed.

If you don't already you might want to try keeping a log of all the feedings, water intake, vomitting etc. It helped us a great deal to keep track of it and we could just take it with us to the vet to show the vet how he was progressing. I'm surprised your vet didn't give you more specifics on the feeding schedule. Ours gave us very detailed input on the amount and spacing. We did allow Gizmo to go through the night from around 11 to about 6 am since normally he wouldn't eat during those ours anyway.

You might also want to ask your vet if you should be giving sub-q fluids. I know we had Gizmo on fluids for several weeks until he quit throwing up his water and his urine lightened up. Anyway, hang in there....keep us posted on the progress

[Grinder]

Thanks guys! I'll be seeing the Doc in about 4 hours - Gabby has been doing fine the last couple days now and taking in all the food. We're getting in 160cc per day the last couple days and the constipation problem was actually out dog cleaning up the litter box befopre we could see. YUCH. (But he thinks he's helping so we can't be mad LOL).

gabby is getting used to feeding so it's getting easier. She'll have to deal with the 9 hours - nothing we can do about that but . . .frankly, she basically never moved during the day anyway and ate when we got home or in the middle of the night.

I'll update later tonight with results of the visit.

Rod

[Grinder]

Took Gabby in Friday to the vet. Vet said she thought Gabby was improving but still needed more food and wants her to sooner or later max out at 300cc per day.

I asked about schedule and she said that was not necessary as long as she was having time between feedings to digest some of the food. Yes - 9 hours was a long time but not a problem, just give more food in the morning.

Gabbys yellowish tint was slightly less then the week before and she was encouraged. Not out of the woods yet but not as bad as last week.

We trying to ramp up the amount of l/d food to 60-80 per feeding 4 times per day.

So far so good I guess!

[Grinder]

Gabby pass over early this morning. She had been getting weaker progressively all weekend and last night after her feeding I knew she would not make the night. I could just tell. She was not in pain.

Of the 3 cats she was the kindest and most gentle and my dogs best friend.

My question to the forum is that I have 6 poems from a book my mom published about another cat that I had in the past.

"Snapshots Along the Way - A lifetime of Poetry"

I would like to share them with other cat lovers. Is there a place on this forum where I can do that.

Thanks to all that tried to help.

Rod, Diane, Blake(dog), Dixie and Snickers

[jason]

Gabby pass over early this morning. She had been getting weaker progressively all weekend and last night after her feeding I knew she would not make the night. I could just tell. She was not in pain.

so sorry to hear this.

My question to the forum is that I have 6 poems from a book my mom published about another cat that I had in the past.

"Snapshots Along the Way - A lifetime of Poetry"

I would like to share them with other cat lovers. Is there a place on this forum where I can do that.

the prayerbook for cats would be the best choice for this. you will see the link to it on the main page of this board towards the bottom.

[Traci]

Rod and Diane......I am so very very sorry to learn this news, my heart aches for you. Safe and gentle journey, sweet Gabby

(((HUGS)))

[Tina B and crew]

Oh no!!! I am so sorry to hear this I was pulling for Gabby so much...please accept my condolences *tears*

[Grinder]

We were upbeat after the Friday Vet visit but in the back oof our minds we knew she was getting weaker. Saturday night we really noticed that she was having problems . . . .escaping feeding time and she was throwing up hours after feeding.

Then Sunday she was very week and it just seemed that she did not have the strength to throw up anymore and was lacking the will to . . . live.

At the good night feeding she just layed there. Blake layed next to her as I fed here and he licked the top of her head a few times. She would purr gently.

I stayed with her until late in the night knowing it would probebly be her last, she had no strength at all and was slowly being poisened by her liver.

She passed gently about 4:00.

We show Blake before we buried her but Blake new it was no longer Gabby, he sniffed but it she was just an object, not his friend, he knew Gabby was chasing flys and laying in the sun somehwere else.

Thanks all.

[kate & kobi]

I so sorry to hear about Gabby. You cared for her well in her last days and she knows that you love her.

(((hugs)))