Feline-Calico-13 yo...confusing issue/health
 

Hey all-First time poster. I searched around the forum for similar issues, but haven't found anything so I decided to post.

My cat (indoor) started throwing up a few months ago and it got progressively worse to where she was losing weight and I took her to the vet.

Currently, the cat throws up everything she eats, almost immediately after. I have tried 10 different types of food, none make a difference. She is still a pretty active, seemingly happy, cat. If she wasn't so skinny and I didn't see her throw up all the time I'd swear she was healthy.

But she is not.

I had a blood panel done (nothing major) and we did an ultra sound.

Issues of concern where the stomach was full and the pancreas was swollen, leading us to think the digestive enzymes were not digesting the food. We didn't see anything else conclusive. She went on Baytril antibiotic and Predinisone. Been doing that since last week and there has been no improvement.

It almost seems like the food isn't even getting into her stomach. It comes back up almost as she ate it, but with mucus. In all the regurgitation except 1 I haven't seen a hairball. One time she threw up a pretty substantial hairball was expelled, but since then no more fur.

I've googled pancreatic cancer and all kinds of other bad stuff, but her symptoms just don't seem to add up. It almost seems like the stomach is block, so the food gets spit back out. I would have guessed a blockage would have been seen on the ultrasound. Plus, the stomach HAD something in it...perhaps the blockage is the 'other way'. Again, I don't guess the ultra sound showed that.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. K

[QUOTE=kwolf68;1030740]
I have tried 10 different types of food, none make a difference. [/QUOTE]

What types (brand/flavour/wet/dry) did you try?

Has she had an fPLI test done? (blood test sent to a lab to check for pancreatitis)

You name it I've tried it..wet, dry, food the vet gave us, etc. The food literally doesn't make it to her stomach. Now, if you have a magic bullet food formula I will be more than willing to try it out. Can't hurt.

She has a great appetite. She will even go back to eating after vomiting if I let her.

No fPLI test done. I think they could see the pancreas swollen on the ultra-sound, so I am guessing they didn't feel a need to do that test.

We were going to run another blood test Friday to see how this medication is working, but I don't need the blood panel to know it's not working.

Thanks so much for engaging in feedback.

I kinda like this cat and would like to keep her around if at all possible. :)

OK. Some new news. If I feed her really small amounts of food (like a tablespoon) she is not throwing that up (at least not yet).

This is food she previously had vomited when I let her eat as much as she wanted.

So food itself doesn't seem to be triggering the vomiting, but rather a certain amount of food.

She's not overly pleased that I'm feeding her such small amounts, but for now that's the plan, so that she can get the nutrients she needs.

[QUOTE=kwolf68;1030742]You name it I've tried it..wet, dry, food the vet gave us, etc. [/quote]

Have you tried a canned food with simple ingredients (ie one protein source and no plant-matter)? Something like [URL="http://www.bynaturepetfoods.com/productpages/organiccannedcat.php#ttl"]By Nature Organics[/URL] would fit the bill.

Another option would be a raw food diet. There are some good commercial products that make this easier than it sounds.


[QUOTE=kwolf68;1030759]
This is food she previously had vomited when I let her eat as much as she wanted. [/quote]

Good ol' Scarf-n-Barf. Feeding her smaller, more frequent amounts is definitely a way to prevent that. This also tends to happen more with kibble since it expands when it absorbs the moisture in the stomach, so my recommendation to feed wet food (which is healthier for ALL cats anyway) still stands.

Fingers crossed that you've solved the problem! Wouldn't entirely explain why her pancreas is inflamed though.

[QUOTE=sugarcatmom;1030782]Have you tried a canned food with simple ingredients (ie one protein source and no plant-matter)? Something like [URL="http://www.bynaturepetfoods.com/productpages/organiccannedcat.php#ttl"]By Nature Organics[/URL] would fit the bill.

Another option would be a raw food diet. There are some good commercial products that make this easier than it sounds.




Good ol' Scarf-n-Barf. Feeding her smaller, more frequent amounts is definitely a way to prevent that. This also tends to happen more with kibble since it expands when it absorbs the moisture in the stomach, so my recommendation to feed wet food (which is healthier for ALL cats anyway) still stands.

Fingers crossed that you've solved the problem! Wouldn't entirely explain why her pancreas is inflamed though.[/QUOTE]

AND with canned and raw, you can flatten out the food so the cat eats at a slower pace.

My Puddles vomiting has pretty much stopped since feeding her a quality canned/raw diet and only occurs now if she has a furball or if she is really hungry and eats too much. (I feed her 3-4 times a day)

I don't think she can eat anything. The small bits eventually came back up.

It does seem like there is absolutely no digestion taking place here. All the food is coming back undigested.

The pancreas appears to not be providing the needed enzymes (this is ALL just a guess here).

I am going back to the vet tomorrow and asking about that. The medicine isn't allowing the food to get into her.

[B]Another thing I wonder...will pills even work if they are not being digested? [/B]

Well the vet thinks the little one has a tumor on the pancreas.

I got some supplement for digestive enzymes and some Wellness food. It's very early, but so far no vomit.

I'd like to see the cat take a poop or two. This is my 'last cat'...I have a family now and any new cats will sorta adopt us all, but this is the one I had before I was married with kids and she means a lot to me and she is clearly my cat (or I am her human).

There is no way I'll have a relationship with any future cats quite like this one. I lost her brother (my other cat) a couple years ago and if I can keep her around with a GOOD life I am doing it. Fook the money. Can you help her?

If it's time...it's time. I am also a Biologist, so I understand the chemistry and life's processes.

Anyway...that's all. :)

[QUOTE=kwolf68;1030865]Well the vet thinks the little one has a tumor on the pancreas.

I got some supplement for digestive enzymes and some Wellness food. It's very early, but so far no vomit.

I'd like to see the cat take a poop or two.[/QUOTE]

No experience with pancreas issues but have some info for you here:
[url]http://www.manhattancats.com/Articles/pancreatitis_test.html[/url]
[url]http://harpsie.com/pancreatitis.htm[/url]

As far as the poop, there's not been near enough, if any, food digested so it will take a few days before there is anything ready to come out the other end properly ;).

:goodvibes: :fingerscr

[QUOTE=growler~GateKeeper;1030874]No experience with pancreas issues but have some info for you here:
[url]http://www.manhattancats.com/Articles/pancreatitis_test.html[/url]
[url]http://harpsie.com/pancreatitis.htm[/url]

As far as the poop, there's not been near enough, if any, food digested so it will take a few days before there is anything ready to come out the other end properly ;).

:goodvibes: :fingerscr[/QUOTE]


Thank you very much. I did happen to find those websites by surfing around.

We did the enzyme powder last night and fed her some of the Wellness tood. I've fed her really small meals today and so far she's holding them down. We just did another supplement today and will do another later on.

I'm working in my office all day today so if she does go to the bathroom I'll hopefully be aware of it.