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Old February 4th, 2007, 04:06 PM
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VIOLET0019 VIOLET0019 is offline
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Question More re Ginger....what do you think?

Ginger has not eaten anything today, and is now on his 11th day of antibiotics and third day of pain killers. The pain killers have helped as he has stopped going to the litter box so often (40 times a day) and squatting trying to urinate up to 4 minutes and finally a few drops coming out....now he is going about 8 times a day (maybe a bit more).
But he is NOT eating, I have offered him several variations of foods - my question is: before bringing him to the Vet tomorrow, would it be an idea to stop the antibiotics and the pain killers, to see how he is doing????? Perhaps the medications are making him feel nauseous and that is why he cannot eat? I am questioning how will I know if his urinary tract infection is better, if he is still taking the meds, and why begin more investigation, i.e. xrays, (and whatever else the Vet will want to do!!), if I really do NOT know how he is doing!!!!!!! (DUH!) Maybe by now, he is better, and he would be on the road to recovery with a little TLC ?? I would really appreciate any opinions, suggestions, etc.
Also, since he has not eaten in over 24 hours, (and when he did , yesterday, it was only 1 tsp yogurt, and 2 tsp. prescription food)...he has lost alot of weight since all of this has started......Idea: Just for today, just so that he might be interested and eat, should I try to give him some of his old food (Fromm),,,although it is dry, I could soak it in hot water, and let it cool down......(this is how he ate all his life, as he never liked canned food). It would just be for today, as I know this may have contributed to the condition he is in? THANKS!!
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Old February 4th, 2007, 04:13 PM
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Catzig Catzig is offline
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VIOLET0019, I am so sorry for you and poor, poor Ginger.

I wish I knew what to suggest. Is he at least drinking water?
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Old February 4th, 2007, 04:37 PM
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badger badger is offline
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I would give him anything he likes at this point (well, maybe not poutine and doughnuts ). Quite apart from the short-term risk, he needs the nourishment to stay healthy long-term. Did you not say he was always a bit picky, but this is far worse?
Food intake would be at the top of my list when you go to the vet, whether it involves force-feeding or tube-feeding or something to stimulate his appetite. Ask the vet if the bladder meds might have something to do with it. Meds do often affect their appetite, but I wouldn't have thought to this extent.
I read recently that when someone is severely anorexic, it is not enough that they eat sensibly (the 1500 calories or whatever recommended by the Canada Food Guide), but you literally have to overeat for quite a period, in order to reset some of those triggers that persuade us not to eat at all. I just wonder if it is the same with your guy, his body has literally got out of the habit of eating normally and this is what must be overcome.
Good luck tomorrow. Come back and give us whatever insights your vet can provide.
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Old February 4th, 2007, 04:50 PM
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dustybird dustybird is offline
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I understand how frustrating this must be for you and Ginger.

I didn't know he never liked canned food. Some cat's that have never had canned food just will not eat it and some just plain don't like it. For now if it were me I would go back to his old food(fromm). Just so that he is eating something (hopefully he will eat it), if he won't eat it moistened then just give him the dry. There is a dry formula of the royal canin prescription urinary food( it's better for crystal's than the medical dry). Most cat's really like the dry formula, my male goes nutts for it but not for the canned but I can get him to eat it so he gets both. I would still call the vet in the morning and see what they say. Tell them he doesn't like wet food and ask about the urinary dry formula. Cats are also funny and they sense your worry and frustration so continue to keep an eye on him but try and not let him notice that you are. I sort of made my situation a little worse at first as I was checking the litter box everytime he was in it which I think made my cat a little stressed so I cut back on how often I checked and tried to watch from a distance hopeing he wouldn't notice and it helped. Put the old food in the dish, let him know it's there and then leave him be for a little while and watch from a distance and maybe it will make him feel that it's not a big deal and will wander over to it on his own and start eating. You can measure out his water and then say in a couple hours measure what is in there and it will give you an idea if he is drinking and how much. If he is drinking and as long as he is not vomiting I wouldn't worry about it too much but if he isn't drinking I would continue giving him some from the syringe just becareful that you just dribble in a little at a time and are not squirting it full blast as it can sometimes go down the wrong pipe. If he won't eat the only other thing I could suggest is the force feeding, by putting a glop of the canned on your finger and then putting towards the roof of his mouth not down his throat, sometimes you have to gently hold their mouth closed so they don't spit it out(its hard to explain). But try his old food first and definately call the vet in the morning and tell them everything. They might want you to bring him in or stop the pain meds or they may give you something to help settle his tummy.

Good luck hopefully he will eat the old food and the vet will have a suggestion that will work.
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Old February 4th, 2007, 04:53 PM
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chico2 chico2 is offline
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Violet,I would give him whatever he normally eats,even if it is what caused his UTI in the first place,but he has to eat..
If the vet wants to take X-Rays I would let him,Ginger could have kidneystones or something else,only visible on X-Ray.
I had a beautiful Maine Coon Tabby,about 30ys ago who in spite of meds etc did not get better X-Rays showed he had large kidney stones and needed surgery,it did not have a happy ending for my Tigger:sad: but nowadays it's a simple procedure,if that's what he has.
for tomorrow and please let us know
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