[Jwen21]

Hi all,

I am writing because I am at a loss for how to cope with a cat that has IBD. My Maggie has been ill for the past two weeks. She has been in and out of the vet because of anorexia, vomiting, and diarrhea. My vet has her on flagyl, baytril, pregnisone, an antiacid, and an appetite stimulant because she went two days without eating a thing. We started with those meds along with a diet change to Science Diet i/d because she always ate the Science Diet Maintenance and she snubbed her nose and another hypoallergenic food he wanted her to eat. When the i/d didn't work (vomiting from that) he put her on baby food to see if she could keep that down. She did well with it. He wanted to try her on the basic Fancy Feast turkey, chicken, or beef flavors only. She did GREAT for 72 hours on it. No vomiting, no diarrhea (her stool began to harden and it was formed for the first time in a while). Since I am new to the can food diet I haven't been sure on long you are supposed to leave wet food out I only gave her 1.5oz of wet food this morning and then was gone from 9:00am until 3:00pm today. When I got home I fed her and within an hour she had thrown up. Could it be possible that she was so hungry and ate it too quickly and that caused her to throw up? OR Are we back to square one? Is it normal for IBD cats to still throw up even now and then? I am so new to all of this and am trying to find out as much as I can about the beginning stages and process on how to find the right balance for her. In a long story, should I be discouraged when she throws up even though she's hasn't in several days? Should I consider it as setback or do I not worry because episodes can happen? Any and all information about IBD and your experiences are appreciated. I am a fighter and will fight for her as long as she has quality of life, but after two weeks of this and vomit this afternoon I can't help but be frustrated and sad.

Thank you!!!!!

Jen

 

[doodlebug]

Hi Jen...I did the IBD battle with Callie for 15 months so I know where you're coming from. Here's some of the things I learned:

Food: Canned only, dry is too hard to digest. I suggest Natural Balance LID ingredient, EVO 95% or Instinct (avoid chicken or fish). The NB and EVO do have carageenan in it which may be a problem, but try it and see. Pick one brand/one protein and stick with it for at least 6 weeks. I'd go with venison if she'll eat it because it's a more novel protein that she probably hasn't had a lot of in her life. If these don't work, then really consider going with raw.

Feeding: Many small meals. Callie couldn't go more than 4 hours or she'd be bringing up bile. I got a timer feeder with ice packs so she could eat while I was at work and during the night.

Supplements: Probiotics and digestive enzymes mixed in the food...makes it easier to digest. Fish oil has many helpful properties. I found a syrup made from slippery elm really helped with the vomiting. Slippery Elm | Little Big Cat You're supposed to give it about 1/2 hour before the meal, but she wouldn't take it so I mixed it with the food. Vitamin B12 helps with nutrient absorption.

Hope this helps...good luck.

 

[Jwen21]

Thank you for much for the information. Those sound like great suggestions. May I ask, did your kitty pass from complications due to IBD? I know they say it can be treated and what not, but like most people I don't like the unknown. I just would feel better if I knew the odds and their possible life expectancy.

I love the idea of the food bowl. Do you remember where you bought it?

Thank you again!

 

[doodlebug]

Yes, we believe she eventually developed lymphoma but didn't test for it because it wouldn't have changed the treatment. She just kept losing weight and stopped absorbing nutrients. Eventually her potassium levels went out of whack and they couldn't get it under control.

But I believe she was an extreme case. Most IBD kitties can get back on track and live for many, many years with only minor set backs here and there. I was also dealing with a moron for a vet and by the time I figured that out and found someone new the damage was too extensive.

It's not a death sentence, it just requires continuous management and diligence.

This is the feeder I have. Reviews aren't great, but I didn't have a problem with it. Not the easiest thing to program, so I suspect the reviews where they complained that it didn't open was operator error and not malfunction. You just have to practice setting it a few times and watch to make sure it opens.

Amazon.com: Cat Mate C50 5 Bowl 96 Hour Pet Feeder w/ 2 Ice Packs: Pet Supplies

 

[Jwen21]

That is my fear. We don't know for sure if it is IBD or cancer. She is responding to the medicine and she's only had that bout of throw up yesterday afternoon and has been fine since, knock on wood. My vet said that he could biopsy, but said it is a lot to put her through especially in her health state lately. He said that we would treat her the same either way. He also said that we would be able to tell over time. We both agree that as long as she's not suffering or in pain we are going to fight for her. I'm hoping it is just IBD and just began showing severe symptoms.

Thank you for the information about the cat bowl. I will check it out!!!!

Thank you again for the information, your time, and sharing your experience.