Ellie-Mae not doing that great...UPDATE: 2nd update

[carole]

My sweet girl the one with the chronic gingivitis,is not doing very well at the moment, despite her steroids, which she is on every second day, i can tell her mouth is really sore, and getting her eating is a big mission, even though i mash her soft food daily, pat her and stand with her while she eats, she is funny like that, if you stay with her she eats, not one to go into the kitchen by herself and eat even if the food is sitting there, so i pander to her needs, as it makes her eat.

I find it very distressing really, as the steroids can make her hungry but she has difficulty eating, as it is painful, this is a very painful condition.

I was going to take her for an injection,but as we were going to pick up some food and her pills at the vets, decided on asking him what he recommended, also her weight has gone down, which is another not so good sign.

He said he would start giving her two pills per day, for two weeks, he said that is the same as the injection and should help her, then we are to pill her daily instead of every second day.

Please keep Ellie in your prayers and thoughts, i know that my time with her is limited because of this awful condition and it is breaking my heart, otherwise she is a perfectly happy, healthy wee girl, and she is such a character, only ten years old, and i want her with me for a lot longer, sadly this is all we are able to do for her,I hope it will continue to make her life bearable and she will be with me for a lot longer yet.

Thanks for listening.

[katladyd]

I'm sending prayers out for dear Ellie-Mae. May her mouth stop hurting and may she enjoy many more years with you.:love:

[Pinot's Mom]

I'm sorry to hear about dear Ellie Mae; I wish there was something that could be done to relieve her pain. :( Prayers for the sweet little one.:love:

[Medusa]

Oh poor girl. Of course, prayers going up right now....

[Catty1]

Prayers going up for Ellie-Mae. I wonder if there is anything that could go in her drinking water to ease her discomfort. Poor wittle girl.:love:

I hope the pills help and she is comfy and with you for a long time to come. :love:

[catmandu]

Juke Joint Joseph , Michael , Moose Angel and Mr Fluffy Angel who all have had Ouchy Mouths and know that Ellie Mae is going through.
Thats so sad when You Cat cannot eat, and you want them to so badly.:(
We are praying that you can get Dear Ellie Mae to eat , have you trird Hills A/D or Royal Canin Recovery?
:love::love:

[phesina]

Prayers and a candle (http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/message.cfm?l=eng&cid=10665175) for Ellie-Mae, that you will be able to eat without so much pain and you will be with your Meowmie for a long time to come.

[dehlers43]

Have you tried giving her Clinicare? It's like Ensure for kitties.....My special needs kitty Winston absolutely thrived on it. It's liquid so Ellie-Mae would not hurt while she is eating it. Another idea would be to give her some KMR. At least it would get some fluids into her along with some nutrition.
Sending positive thoughts your way......

[carole]

Thanks guys, Ellie is eating probably enough to get her by, but would like to see her eat more,so she is not starving, i think i needed to explain that more, sorry about that, well she had a double dose of steroids yesterday, poor wee girl she was a way with the fairies, my daughter had all her friends around,and they were going up and down the stairs, and usually she freaks, so i put her in my bedroom, she just sat there not at all worried, and then when i took her with me to bed, she slept a little while i read my book, then woke up, her eyes wide as saucers and looked at the roof, i cannot say i was happy to see my girl like that, but maybe it will take a little time to adjust to the new doseage, she was never like that on the injection though.

I am sorry i have never heard of clinicare and ensure, i don't think we have those down under.

I have discussed this at length with Gabe my vet yesterday, this is all we can do for her apparently, unless we find some magic cure, and that is highly unlikely, i think the extra steriods will help her mouth and her pain levels.

Of course the downside of steroids is they can get fat and get diabetes, but so far that has not happened, but am a bit concerned with her extra doseage this might eventually happen, you just cannot seem to win with this condition,it is indeed a cruel condition and very distressing for both cat and me.

Anyhow just hoping she picks up again, i have no idea how long i will have with my sweet girl, but i will treasure it for as long as i can, even the thought of loosing her just makes me feel sick and heartbroken, she is only ten and had six yrs of a stink life, now this, it is so unfair, but isn't life at times.?

[krazyaboutkatz]

Carole, I'm sorry to hear that Ellie-Mae is in so much pain.:( Hopefully something will help her. I know only too well about how steroids can affect a cat. They made poor Starr so fat that he couldn't function properly.:( Storms on them now but he's a much larger cat so they don't seem to be making him gain a lot of weight but he's always hungry. Lots of prayers and positive thoughts are being sent her way.

[carole]

Yes it is a catch 22 situation isn't it? when she was on the them every second day, she gained no weight, but i kept her at a steady weight of 4.1kg, vet was happy with that, she is a small cat in stature, so don't want her getting too heavy, she is now down to 3.9, so just hoping we can keep her at a healthy level, i don't want her getting diabetes for sure, just have to hope for the best won't we, she has eaten very well today, wondering if she will be miss zombie again tonight though, poor wee thing, i hate them being all drugged up to the max like that.

[Anikaca77]

My prays coming for Ellie-Mae.

Melissa

[Catty1]

I hope Ellie-Mae's system will adjust to the meds, and she will perk up in a couple of days.

Hugs and prayers to dear Ellie-Mae!:love:

[carole]

Just a quick update, yes she seems to have adjusted to her new increase in her meds, not so zombish now, and her mouth is a tad better, eating like a horse, steriods tend to do that to ya,but still have some difficulty in eating, but she is improving, so that is good, of course all just a temporary fix really,that is the downside of this condition, but for now happy to see her getting better, thanks for the well wishes and prayers, Ellie and I appreciate them very much.:love:

[carole]

UPDATE.

Well Ellie finished her two weeks of steroids, and then was to go on one per day, however she was not doing well at all,she had a couple of good days, but eating was still painful for her and i had a devil of a time getting her to get enough food in, but we did do that, so i decided enough is enough off to the white coats again.

Just got back from there, Gabe my vet said the reason the steroids are not working as well is due to the condition becoming worse, which is not good news, i asked whether i would need to Put her to sleep, and he said if it continues as is i would, i just cannot imagine my life without my girl, it just does not bear thinking about, and i WON'T right now, anyhow he gave her
some Depomedrol 40mg, Convenia Injection, and we are trying a new pill on top of her steriods, Cycloblastin tablets, one every five days, poor wee girl, she is drugged to the max right now, asleep on the bed, but at least she won't be in pain at the moment.

She had lost weight down from 4.1 to 3.95, not a good sign, but not too dramatic either,but on steroids you usually have to worry about weight increase, little girl has the moon shape look about her face now, which is one of the side effects of long term steroids.

So please keep all your fingers and paws crossed, prayers for my little girl, that this works and Ellie will be with me for a lot longer, it has only been two months since i lost Ash i am not ready to loose another furbaby, not now, not ever really,at least my ole guy had a good long life ,but Ellie is only ten and she had six yrs of a horrible life,and i want her to have many more happy years with me, i love her to bits, she is so unique in her purssonality,she is very special.

thanks for your time.

I have just checked out those pills online, i forgot to ask gabe what they are , and by gosh they are chemotherapy drugs, he did tell me to make sure i am careful and wash my hands after handling, which of course i do anyhow,gee i dunno, poor wee girl, i hate all these drugs in her system, but still if they work, that will be great, but i do wonder about the drawback side effects of them. maybe her doseage is small and that will make a difference, here's hoping.

[Pinot's Mom]

Paws crossed in Ellicott City for Ellie Mae....:love:

[krazyaboutkatz]

Carole, I'm so sorry to hear that she's still not doing well.:( Lots more prayers and positive thoughts are being sent her way. Please take care. (((HUGS)))

[carole]

Thank you all for your kind and supportive words, they mean such a lot, I am trying to think positive and hoping with all my heart that this works, i cannot loose her, it would devastate me,so fingers and all paws crossed my lil girl will improve, she has eaten tonight better than before but you can still see she is having difficulty, but then i don't suppose the medicine will work immediately.

We got home around 1.30 pm she has slept since then, only waking when i came upstairs with food, and it is now 9.11pm so i think that is good ,she probably is feeling so much less pain now, and that is very comforting to me.

She is just grooming herself on the bed right now, then i am going to pop in to bed and read my book, hopefully she will stay there for the night, like she usually does.

I am counting on the power of PT again, i so believe in it.:)

[Medusa]

Oh I hope Ellie-Mae starts feeling better quickly. It's so difficult to watch them when we know they're sick and/or in pain. Prayers going up right now. Keep the faythe. :love:

[catmandu]

One thing that Joseph who is now eating with a lort more confidence now is The Nutro Turkey and Chicken:love:
He prefers that to the A/D and its a lot less thankfully.
Thanks to PetsMart for the 33.3 % off Coupons!!
:):):)
We are praying For Ellie Mae here at the Found Cat Hotel.
Michael had his teeth done in December and is fine:love::love:
We are praying hard that Ellie Mae will be right as rain very soon.:love::love:

[phesina]

Prayers for Ellie-Mae and you both.. May she be pain-free and the two of you still have good life to treasure together.

I lit a candle for her: http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/message.cfm?l=eng&cid=10757387

Hugs and purrs from Pat and cats

[carole]

thank you everyone, she is ok today, not a huge improvement,just have to take each day as it comes, she has so many drugs on board, it is hard to say what they are doing for her at the moment, just hoping she will turn the corner soon.

that is my sweet lil girl in the pic below, she is such a cutie pie,i love her so much.

[Anikaca77]

My big prays are coming for Ellie-Mae and for you as well.

Melissa

[carole]

Thank you Melissa and everyone, i think Ellie sure needs all your good thoughts, prayers and positive vibes right now, i am concerned as she does not seem to have much of an appetite, she is eating,but not a lot, her mouth seems a bit improved, but she still is having difficulty, i am really worried to be honest, as with all the drugs she has had,there should be a marked improvement, i should think, i am wondering if maybe the drugs are making her feel sickish and not really hungry, i am puzzled as to why she is not picking up, usually she does and she has not even had has much treatment as this time.

I just have to hope with all my heart she picks up, well guess who just walked in and gave me a kitty rub on the leg, yes Ellie, i think she is telling me more food mama, so i had better go and see if i can get her to eat some more, thanks again all.

[davidpizzica]

Oh, Sis! Pittsburgh thoughts and prayers are definitely on the way for poor Elly-May. Also those thoughts and prayers cover you and your family as you help Elly- May through her ordeal.

[Taz_Zoee]

I am just catching up on this thread!

I will keep Ellie-Mae in my thoughts. I know how it is to have a cat not eating.

[carole]

yes I went through it with Ash, i had the two of them then, so i just have her to concentrate on now, she really just is not my Ellie ,her purssonality is lacking it's normal fiesty spirit, and i miss that about her, she is a real character my Ellie, and she just looks depressed, i am sure the drugs are affecting her,oh well i can only hope for the best outcome here, and hope that she does a turn around, thanks David and everyone for your kind words of support, they sure help.:love:

[phesina]

A candle for Ellie-Mae: http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/message.cfm?l=eng&cid=10772930

[carole]

thanks for lighting a candle, i really appreciate it, she may have turned that corner today, she came in an scoffed quite a decent amount of food down, maybe i am just to impatient, expecting miracles too soon, lol, not my best quality patience, here's hoping with her treatment and the love and magic of PT my lil girl will be on the mend soon. thanks everyone.:):love:

[carole]

well things are not going to well with Ellie, i have not seen much improvement at all despite the injection and now her chemo drug cycoblastin, in fact i think it is making her worse, day after never wants to eat much, and i am thinking maybe my poor girl feels sick, it has taken a lot of coaxing on my part to make her eat her daily food, she sniffs it and walks away, but i am not having that, and i can with lots of lovely pats and encouragement get her to eat most of her food.

She is probably getting enough but today is not a good day, i could not get her to eat much at all and she just seems miserable today, i am very concerned, and i just don't know what to do from here on, i will give it a bit more time, and then dicuss with my vet, but it is not looking good for my sweet girl,so please lots of prayers,good thoughts, whatever you can spare, i want my Ellie to get better, i am wondering if it is even worth having her on this new drug, if it does nothing and makes her feel yuck, i think it will not be my plan of treatment for her,but what i have no idea, there appears to be nothing else available.

I am fretting for her, and it makes me so sad, i just want to cry my heart out, i love this wee girl so much, and apart from this she appears to be healthy, it is just not fair at all, she has been through so much in her life, and i want her to continue to have a good long life, but it is not looking that way,still i am not giving up on her, might just be a temporary set back,although in my heart i know it is not, but i am trying to be positive for her, thanks for listening it always helps me to share my worries.

[Pinot's Mom]

I'm so sorry, Carole, prayers continue. I don't know what else we can do....:love:
{{{hugs}}}
Maggie

[Catty1]

I wonder if she misses Ash and is depressed?

Whatever it is, all prayers going out to sweet Ellie-Mae. She is a beautiful girl - and so loved by her devoted Meowmie. You do everything you can for her, Carole, and I am sure Ellie-Mae knows that. You are her rock.:love::love::love:

[carole]

Yes it has been a real tough day today, that rock you suggest i am Candace is not very hard today, i am dismayed at the treatment not helping her, today she has only eaten enough to feed a mouse, and no matter how much i encourage her,she is only eating so little, i can tell her mouth is sore, by the way she eats,despite so much medication, we just are not winning the battle.

No candace she is not missing Ash, they were not friends, i bought her here four years ago, and they used to fight before that on our property,but thanks for the thought, she certainly could be depressed alright, due to all that medication she is on, but mostly she is a bright wee thing despite it all, but not today, maybe tomorrow will be better, she does have her ups and downs, just have to hope there is light at the end of the tunnel, but at the moment it is looking very dark

[Laura's Babies]

I hate reading she is not doing well.. It is just so heart breaking when one of them is sick, especially when they are as sick as she is. ((((HUGS))))) for you from the south.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Carole, I'm so sorry to hear this latest sad news.:( Lots of prayers and positive thoughts are being sent her way. Please take care. (((HUGS)))

[Medusa]

How I dread updates like this. I'm so sorry that Ellie-Mae isn't improving. We'll keep the prayers going, though, b/c things can turn around. Keep the faythe, Carole. :love:

[Anikaca77]

I'm so sorry to hear she's not improving. My prays for Ellie-Mae and for you as well.

Melissa

[phesina]

Sending more love and prayers and healing energies to Ellie-Mae and you both, Carole.. and another candle: http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/message.cfm?l=eng&cid=10882133

Love and {{{{{{HUGS}}}}}} and ~~~~~PURRS~~~~~,
Sydney, Poppy, Elmer, Bob, Sparkler, and Pat

[Catty1]

More prayers for Ellie Mae and you.:love::love::love:

[carole]

Thanks everyone, Ellie did eat better today, she did vomit this morning, just a bit of clear mucus type stuff and i have noticed since being on the new drug she has been doing this more often, nearly every day, she used to vomit a bit before too, but not as much.

I can tell her mouth is still sore, but she is doing her best to eat today, so that is a bit of a relief, maybe it is just going to be like this from now on, bit like it was with my Ash, having good days and bad, and i will just get used to that, but i guess i expected so much more considering all the treatment and ongoing treatment she is having, i do know it is an extremely difficult condition to treat, and has no cure,but i cannot help but hope for the best for my wee girl.

Again thanks for all the kind word, support, lit candles,prayers and everything you all have given me and Ellie, it really helps so very much and means so much to me.

[pomtzu]

Get to feeling better soon, little girl. That's an order!!! - from one Ellie to another. :)

Of course, the puppers are sending along good wishes too. :love:

[carole]

Thanks Ellie, this Ellie did better yesterday, and although had her morning vomit, she did eat much better again, however today is chemo drug day, and she usually takes a nose dive after that, maybe it will just take her time to adjust to her new medication, and hopefully it will start working and she will eat better, i hate drugging my kitty up like this, but there is no alternative, it is either try this or let her go to RB and i am not doing that, she is otherwise a healthy ,happy little girl, so we shall continue to battle on here and hope we show some more signs of winning the battle.

I have great faith in the power of PT, prayers, good thoughts, well wishes,candles, so i am am thinking positive and hoping for some stability in her condition, that is all we can hope for really. Thanks again.:love:

[katladyd]

We'll keep prayin' for Ellie-Mae!:love:

[dehlers43]

Just wondering how EllieMay is doing.....paws crossed here......

[Anikaca77]

My prays are continuing for Ellie-Mae and for you as well.

Melissa

[carole]

Thank you for asking, Ellie has improved a little, she is eating better and seems to be doing quite well, she still has stinky breath, red gums and has trouble eating, but i think this is just the way it is going to be, and she will have good and bad days, i would have liked to see the redness and soreness go away, but despite all her treatment that is not happening, she does tend to vomit a lot more than she used to, was every morning there for a while,and is always not so keen on food the day after her chemo drug, so i just assume it is the side effects from that.

All in All things are looking more on the upside for now, so keep those good thoughts a coming, and let us hope Ellie will keep on holding her own for a long time yet.