Ruffles home, post 16

[Freedom]

Had to take Ruffles back to the vet today. She'd been vomiting and having diarrhea all morning. :(

She lost a full pound since her last visit; which was MONDAY! That is when the vet had agreed to continue the appetite stimulant.

They gave her 180 mil of fluids and have started the antibiotics again.

There is SOMETHING going on, we can't find what it is. The only options the vet could offer are x-rays or exploratory surgery. Just now, I can't really justify either for a 16 year old cat, considering what they may find and what we would do for it.

So we are just working to keep her comfortable.

[Felicia's Mom]

Ruffles is in my prayers. I hope she feels better soon.

[Medusa]

Prayers going out that Ruffles snaps out of whatever it is and that he's back to normal soon.

[Catty1]

What about something as weird as trying hairball remedy? Would a simple x-ray show an obstruction?

That's all I can think of. Unless you want to contact Nancy Efrusy, the pet psychic....

hugs to Ruffles!

[Freedom]

Well, she isn't constipated, the diarrhea proves that! So I doubt the hairball remedy would help.

No, they are thinking a tumor, cancer, lymphoma, can't really think of anything else which will give all clear on the blood test results. Her blood work looks EXCELLENT, nothing wrong with this 16 year old gal!

Just trying to keep her comfy, giving her lots of hugs.

[Catty1]

How pricey would one x ray be? I mean....something's gotta be in there...how frustrating for you!

And if she needed some surgery to take whatever out, there's iMOM and the rest of us!

They couldn't feel a lump, I guess.

I guess you have tried the good old pumpkin standby for diarrhea...

Give her a hug for me!

[Freedom]

Hi Candace, well it is not the cost which is my concern. And let me say, I have just phoned the vet office and asked for all the info for the xray or other options, including cost.

As I understand it, they have eliminated all the easy stuff. So they really believe she has some systemic type of cancer, like a lymphoma. Assuming she survives the anesthesia for the xray. The xray would just confirm that. And then what? I don't think I would put a 16 year old kitty through chemo. Chemo is hard to handle and at 16 I am not sure she has the strength. It just seems like a lot of confirmation for something that I'm not going to do anything about any how.

Well, I'll wait for the call back this after noon from the vet office with the info, options, costs, etc. It IS frustrating not knowing what we are dealing with, you are SO right!

[KittyGurl]

Hugs for Ruffles! Hope he feels better

[Randi]

Oh Poor Ruffles. :( Whatever it is, I hope she'll be feeling better soon.

Sending lots of healing thoughts.

[Catty1]

Freedom - I know that cats with chronic digestive troubles, also those who have cancer, are often put on a course of steroids.

If nothing else, her bowel must be pretty inflamed after all this trouble. The steroids won't cure anything - but they will take down inflammation, and if there are any tumours, reduce the size a bit for comfort's sake.

I dunno...see what the vet thinks. Can't hurt to try.

HUGS to Ruffles and you!

[Freedom]

Ruffles is going in for the x rays tomorrow morning at 7 :30 AM.

I want positive results; I just don't know what those would be at this point!

[krazyaboutkatz]

I'm sorry to hear about Ruffles.:( I hope that the x-ray will help let you know what you're dealing with so you can make her feel more comfortable. Another option would be to do an ultrasound but this would cost more than an x-ray. Lots of prayers and positive thoughts are being sent her way.

[Freedom]

I dropped Ruffles at the vet's about an hour ago. I will get a phone call between 2 and 3 this afternoon.

She is so thin and weak. I do hope we find out something about what is going on with her.

The vet also discussed a 2 chamber ultrasound of the heart. That won't happen today; it is just one more option we could consider.

Please pray we find something in the x rays, and it is something easily dealt with!

[KittyGurl]

Ruffles is in my prayers. Get well soon, sweet Ruffles!

[Taz_Zoee]

Ruffles will be in my thoughts today.

[Freedom]

Ruffles is home. The x rays show . . . nothing! NOTHING is wrong with this lady! No idea why she keeps losing weight.

At the point the vet says there must be a cancer somewhere. As I won't put her through surgery or chemo (the vet said she is so weak there is little chance she would survive either), we won't do any more testing. Will just work to keep her comfy.

She will remain on three meds: thyroid; antibiotics; and appetite stimulant. When we stop the antibiotic, she is ill within 4 days.

Although she is thin, the vet says that right now she is not emaciated, and she is not suffering due to the weight loss. So that's what we will do, just keep her going. She got home and DEMANDED food. :rolleyes:

[Medusa]

Goodness, how frustrating! When my Peeka became very thin and quickly, it turned out to be acute renal failure. I'm assuming your vet has already ruled that out. Well, whatever it is, know that prayers are going out as I type.

[Freedom]

Thaks Mary, and Yes, Ruffles has had a full blood work up twice in the past month; and today they did a "super chem CBC." All is normal. Kidney, liver, the kitty is FINE . . . on paper. :rolleyes:

[AbbyMom]

I understand your frustration. My RB tiger kitty named Quasar kept losing weight. The vets (various vets, various cities) kept doing tests that showed nothing wrong.

She was on appetite stimulants for eight more years until she succumbed to kidney failure.

She was a doll--as long as we put her meds in her food and she was fine.

Who knows why? We're still learning so much about our furry companions.

Best wishes for you and Ruffles.

[jennielynn1970]

Hope that Ruffles will continue to demand food, and gain some of the weight back. If the test results were all normal, CBC and all that, there shouldn't be cancer, should there?? That would show up in the white count as an infection or something going on, I'd think.

Let's hope it was just the summer blahs, and she'll start to pick up more weight!


Hugs and kisses for Ruffles! Get better sweetie!