Author Topic: The on-going ever-evolving process of feeding Mazy cat  (Read 118934 times)

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Offline Lola

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Re: The on-going ever-evolving process of feeding Mazy cat
« Reply #345 on: August 31, 2018, 02:34:38 PM »
Is 20 days the longest she has ever gone?
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Offline Middle Child

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Re: The on-going ever-evolving process of feeding Mazy cat
« Reply #346 on: August 31, 2018, 03:38:16 PM »
Is 20 days the longest she has ever gone?

21 days is her longest.  July 2015, the week my mother died.  That's when I discovered she had healed enough to have the beneficial fasting periods between meals.  I was gone 12 hour days for almost a week, and she never puked once during that week and for two more weeks after.  One other time she went 20 days, that was two years ago when she was having that dental/mouth problem that she couldn't eat and I was hand feeding her canned gruel and bone broth. Usually her long spans are 10-14 days.  She's had a few 18 days over the years.

Offline Middle Child

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Re: The on-going ever-evolving process of feeding Mazy cat
« Reply #347 on: September 01, 2018, 08:06:34 PM »
She's varying her usual pattern.  Skipped two days instead of one before puking again. Now..if she follows pattern she will vomit for the next three days in a row, plus this morning.

Offline Middle Child

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Re: The on-going ever-evolving process of feeding Mazy cat
« Reply #348 on: September 03, 2018, 09:10:01 AM »
Skipped another day (yesterday)! Hmmm........

Offline Lola

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Re: The on-going ever-evolving process of feeding Mazy cat
« Reply #349 on: September 03, 2018, 06:44:15 PM »
I can't decide to be happy for her or nervous...
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Re: The on-going ever-evolving process of feeding Mazy cat
« Reply #350 on: September 04, 2018, 06:21:08 AM »
Skipped again.  You can be happy for us, this is new and welcome.  HeadButt

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Re: The on-going ever-evolving process of feeding Mazy cat
« Reply #351 on: September 04, 2018, 07:17:10 PM »
Brought her first supper pre-meal up with a huge wad of fur and her denosyl from lunch time.  I'm glad she got that fur up it would have blocked things pretty badly if it had tried to make it's way out the other way.  The denosyl caught up in it is typical of that, as I mentioned before.

Still this has been way better than other times when she went that long. Way better.

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Re: The on-going ever-evolving process of feeding Mazy cat
« Reply #352 on: September 09, 2018, 07:52:48 AM »
 Mazy cat never did have that 3-4 days in a row spell of vomiting after her long span!  I attribute it to the increase in her s.boulardii. I doubled her dose to a full capsule a day (1/2 am 1/2 pm) during Jennie's campylobacter treatment to help her fight off any potential contagion.  That was when she had that long 20 day spell, so I've kept her on that level.

She vomited a meal 2 days after, then 3 days after that, then 4 days after that (yesterday). Yesterday's had that foul smell, so I know something is blocking.

**

Well darn, as I was writing that she was down stairs playing her Solitaire Singing Game (right after eating her 2n breakfast serving, which is unusual) and then I heard the unmistakable sound.

I wasn't surprised really as she was acting over eager for her 2nd meal and that often means she has something she needs to bring up.  I could have waited a bit longer to feed her, but I really don't think the outcome would be any different.  It was foul again, so she's got a wad of fur working it's way out the other way and until it gets out, she's going to have trouble.

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Re: The on-going ever-evolving process of feeding Mazy cat
« Reply #353 on: November 12, 2018, 08:22:26 AM »
Mazy cat had her check up and blood work last month.  Her liver values (ALT) remain steady at 129 which is elevated, though not outrageously so.  100 is high nomral.  It may be the denosyl is keeping it from going higher but vet wanted to put her on another course of baytril, and recheck.

I agreed to the baytril and again brought up the issue of x ray and mouth exam under anesthesia and she has agreed to it.  Mazy cat will be gassed down for a very short time, the x rays will be done, the mouth exam will be done, an in house blood draw to check the liver, and they can do her anal glands again too, since those always need doing.

She won't be out more than 5 minutes, but it will ease my mind to have her mouth looked at.

When I was looking for information about gabapentin when Jennie was put on it I discovered that this drug is being used to sedate cats who can't be examined properly during vet visits (like Mazy cat).  I am trying to decide if this would be a better way to go in future, rather than full anesthesia, for Mazy cat needing her mouth checked and x rays.

 I am going to talk to the vet about it.  For some reason I feel like anesthesia is the lesser of the two "evils" here, but I don't know why. I think it's because, under anesthesia she doesn't know anything at all.  I worry being drugged up will just make her more anxious.

I know anesthesia is hard on their kidneys, but a few minutes of Sevo really shouldn't cause any problems.  I'm really torn.  The dose of gabapentin must be pretty high, and from what I read you have to start it well before the appointment for it to be really effective.  I just don't like the idea of drugging her up like that.

 Jennie is having no sedative effect on her dose of 50 mg 3 times a day, so the dose has to be a lot higher than that. Any opinions?

Offline Pookie

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Re: The on-going ever-evolving process of feeding Mazy cat
« Reply #354 on: November 12, 2018, 07:51:33 PM »
Quote
I am going to talk to the vet about it.  For some reason I feel like anesthesia is the lesser of the two "evils" here, but I don't know why. I think it's because, under anesthesia she doesn't know anything at all.  I worry being drugged up will just make her more anxious.

Good point!

Unfortunately, I don't really have any advice on this, other than to say "go with your gut."  If your gut is telling you it's better to go with anesthesia than gabapentin, then you should listen to your gut, IMO.

I think one of my concerns (and in my VERY brief search, I didn't find the answer) is:  how long has gabapentin been used as a sedative in cats for this purpose?  My guess would be that it's use this way is much more recent, and if that's the case, perhaps it's better to go with something that vets have been using on cats for a long time (anesthesia), where they know the risks and how to handle them, than to use something that's fairly new and lesser-known.  Just my  2cents.
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Offline Middle Child

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Re: The on-going ever-evolving process of feeding Mazy cat
« Reply #355 on: November 21, 2018, 09:09:51 AM »
That's a valid concern Pookie.  I know my vet doesn't like to use anesthesia "unnecessarily" but in Mazy cat's case, I see this as necessary.  She's at the vet right now for her x rays and mouth exam under anesthesia. She will also have her anal glands done and ears cleaned out, all blissfully unaware!

 I scheduled an appointment first, and they had everything set up, after a quick exam and a little talk (I forgot to ask about using gabapentin as a sedative) they whisked her away.  No sitting stacked up waiting for her turn, which is why I pay extra for the appointment and do it this way (as opposed to dropping her off - first come first serve style). She'll be put back in her carrier to wake up and recover and they will call me when she's awake and what time I can pick her up.

So glad I went up north for Jennie's meds yesterday instead of today.  Still snowing though.  funny2

11:07 EDIT had the call, I have to go in at 1:15 to talk over results and bring her home.

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Re: The on-going ever-evolving process of feeding Mazy cat
« Reply #356 on: November 21, 2018, 12:29:15 PM »
I hope everything went well!   fingerscrossed fingerscrossed fingerscrossed GoodVibes  fingerscrossed fingerscrossed fingerscrossed
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Offline Middle Child

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Re: The on-going ever-evolving process of feeding Mazy cat
« Reply #357 on: November 21, 2018, 01:12:34 PM »
We're back.  There and back in the middle of a white out snow squall, sheesh!

Mouth is okay, just a little tartar on the upper back molars. x rays show a bone spur in the last vertebrae of her spine. Not abnormal for a cat of 14. 

Heart is normal in the x rays, the one kidney that shows also is normal (the other was hidden by poop, she has a lot of poop! I knew she would she was due to poop last night but didn't.  I tried to encourage her to go this morning but she wouldn't.)

Right lung is showing a little bit of possible asthma, left lung is clear.  This probably explains the occasional cough. Vet not sure I need to do anything yet, unless the coughing gets worse.  We talked about the inhaler but I really think that will be out of my range financially, even if Mazy cat would allow it, which is a big IF.  A low dose of pred...vet talked about side effects but I pointed out that those are long term side effects.  Mazy cat is over 14..so when it comes down to it, if the coughing gets worse, I would turn to oral pred rather than the inhaler.

There is another asthma protocol, recommended in the IBD group, (which of course you know my vet vetoed right away,) but there are other reasons I might not want to try that. It's curcumin and krill oil, but the doses are large and require pilling two pills, twice day, in other words pilling four pills a day! And the capsules are not small. She's already getting one pill a day (denosyl) and takes it well, but...I just can't see doing that to her. She'd have to take a pill with practically every freaking meal.  I'd rather use the low dose of pred.  If it comes to that.

Quality of life has to come first.

Liver looks a bit small (according to vet) but as she knew I would, I vetoed ultrasound to get a better look.  Regardless of the results of an ultrasound I don't intend to put Mazy cat through any surgeries, so I think it's better just to go on as we are.

She was in her carrier while we talked and growled every time the vet spoke.  funny2

Offline Lola

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Re: The on-going ever-evolving process of feeding Mazy cat
« Reply #358 on: November 21, 2018, 01:38:18 PM »
In my stinky opinion... With her barf history and being 14, I think the visit (and results) went rather well!  Not that you asked, but I would also go with leaving things alone for now.   2cents
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Re: The on-going ever-evolving process of feeding Mazy cat
« Reply #359 on: November 21, 2018, 01:50:42 PM »
In my stinky opinion... With her barf history and being 14, I think the visit (and results) went rather well!  Not that you asked, but I would also go with leaving things alone for now.   2cents

Thank you!  I always appreciate getting opinions, whether they agree with mine or not.  Even if I sound ungrateful or grouchy about it sometimes (and I know I do) feedback is always helpful. Hug1

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