Tip's balance

[AnneH]

Our 3-year-old cat Tip is showing early warning signs: eating dirt and grass, usually an easygoing, friendly, clingy lap-sitter, she’s been anti-social, hiding in a corner, depressed, low energy, usually an enthusiastic eater, now needs encouragement to eat ~ lessened appetite, some rapid respiration.

This is a repeat of last summer. Her bloodwork results then showed her to be severely anemic, low red blood cell count, very high white blood cell count. The vet diagnosed lymphoma and offered to do more expensive tests and treatments, or prednisolone as a palliative. Pre-HA!, we gave her prednisolone, which improved her appetite, and we started her on raw food and gave her freeze-dried grass-fed beef liver and organs, Life Gold, and some digestive enzymes and other supplements.

She got better. Her vitality and playfulness returned.

She became obese. Twelve pounds, when she should be about eight. I began cutting back on her food. I wasn’t sure about how much food to give her to have her safely lose weight. She has lost two pounds.

Now with returning symptoms, she is scheduled to have blood tests again this Thursday.

I have many questions:
Is there a homeopathic remedy from the basic tool kit that is a good fit for this?

Should I stop the diet until this is resolved?

What other treatments/avenues would you recommend?

Are there articles or Forum threads you could point me to that would be of help?

Any other suggestions?

Thanks for any and all help!
Best,
Anne

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Fantastic job Anne with collecting Tip's symptoms and turning him around last summer. Outstanding work!

I'm sorry to hear that his symptoms are returning, but it's wonderful that you picked them up so quickly. Splendid job again!!

Here are my thoughts about your significant questions:

1. If you mean from the 4 As, probably not. Tip has a potentially very serious imbalance. Especially notable based on last years cancer diagnosis.

Fortunately for her, you increased her vitality by changing her diet and feeding raw. This allowed her natural healing mechanisms to work better.

My suggestion for her care would start with a chest x-ray to rule out fluid in her lungs causing her rapid respirations.

Then, if possible, build a vet care team in order to best care for her for many years to come.

Your team would be made up of an open-minded local vet who could do examinations and diagnostic testing, a specialist oncologist, and a vet homeopath.

If this is too much at this already challenging time, you can help her just fine with a regular vet willing to work with and support you and Tip.

While you and your vet support Tip on her healing journey, you'll be learning more about how her body heals and how homeopathy works.

2. Food consumption and vitality building is key to her recovery. What is she eating?

3. OMG, lots of other thoughts. Start by promoting her sniffing, purring and having fun! ?

The happier she gets and the more that she purrs, the deeper and faster she can heal.

4, 5. Many of the posts in the cancer folder and other threads about anemia, rapid respiration, etc. are all relevant.

I'll also be happy to help you decide what to do during your monthly Holistic Medical Decision Making call.

You can schedule it here:

Dr. Jeff Feinman, CVH

Schedule your appointment online Dr. Jeff Feinman, CVH

drjefffeinman.as.me

 

[AnneH]

Hi Dr. Jeff,

Thanks for your help!

I have scheduled a 15 minute phone consultation for tomorrow afternoon at 3 p.m. at the same number.

Tip’s lab results show her to be severely anemic again. Her liver was a mess last summer, hence the lymphoma diagnosis. It is in the normal range now. Her red blood cell count (HCT) is 1 point higher now than last yrs, at 9. This is likely the reason she is now having difficulty jumping up on things and getting enough oxygen.

The vet and the lab suggest that this is likely feline infectious anemia, also known as feline chemotropic mycoplasmosis, a flea or tick transmitted dose of parasitic bacteria.

My husband Roger has found the article he read last summer about it which I will try to attach here ~ see below

It matches with Tip’s symptoms and it may have returned from the stress of dieting at a time when Girly has been eating 3 times as much as her. I also made a mistake and underfed Tippy from 3/12 to 3/17 because she has a mixed diet of raw and canned food.

Until I went shopping on Friday and got some Stella and Chewy’s Duck Duck Goose, the only raw I had on hand was chicken, both Answers but mostly RAWganics. Tip very happily eats raw, but I haven’t been able to get the RAWganics beef yet, so I must also give her canned. I restocked my Ziwi Peak supply on Friday, too.

We have been giving Tip and Girly some freeze-dried grass-fed beef organs capsule contents, and beef liver caps when they’ll take it. I was giving her astragalus, but I noticed on a Stephen Beuhner Q&A page that he doesn’t recommend it for chronic lyme so I stopped 2 days ago.

I have not been giving other supplements at this time.

I have copies of labs for both years which I can email to you asap, but don’t know which email address to send it to or if you need to have it faxed. If you need it from the vet, I will phone first thing tomorrow and have them send them to you.

The vet recommends antibiotics and prednisolone, but would hold off on the antibiotics until after Tip is stronger from the prednisolone. We have pred. left from tapering Tip off it by January of this year, but are waiting to talk to you first to see if there are good alternatives to standard western medicine at this point.

I will be researching what I can find on the HA! site on anemia.

For the first time in awhile, Tip came up on my lap yesterday and sat in the sun with me, and played with a string, and purred.

She and Girly both love being thrown treats, but Girly vomits less when her food is devoid of chunks and hard bits, so I’ve been reluctant to begin again yet. Am not sure as of yesterday whether Tip would be able to run after them in her usual style.

We take her out with good weather, but she has mostly been sitting this past week, in or out.

I included Tip’s history in a fax I sent you before Girly’s first appointment. The colors weren’t printing well, but Tip’s history was supposed to be in green. I can email you that document as well as the rest if it helps. Also these Forum posts?

All the best,
look forward to talking with you,
Anne

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Hi Anne-

I'm sorry to hear about the return of Tip's anemia.

We'll talk further tomorrow about your options, but in the meantime feed her as much fresh food as possible. Beef and liver are good to use to increase her vitality and red count.

Also, please promote as much purring and play as possible.

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Thanks for letting me know today on our call that the cats like the Ancestral Supplements.

@Christie, please let us know if your kitty will also eat the powder (with warm water added) in these capsules:

Grass Fed Beef Kidney - Ancestral Supplements

The kidneys remove waste and extra fluid from the body. Early ancestral healers believed that eating the kidneys of a healthy animal nourishes urinary ailments, boosts vitality, energy, and supports kidney health. Grass fed kidney is a whole food and dietary supplement that provides 100% pure...

www.ancestralsupplements.com

 

[Christie]

Thanks dr Jeff! This just may help him with nutrition and all

 

[AnneH]

Thanks, Dr. Jeff, for your call!

Tip ate both Answers chicken and Answers beef today, had at least 3 Ancestral Supplements organ capsules, and I rubbed some magnesium oil on her armpits. I call Girly the purriest cat, and Tip the furriest. There is no place not covered in fur on her.

Tip also went outside today with Roger, who reports that if she walked 5 feet she sometimes stumbled. I did notice through the window that she was sniffing the fresh air or whatever it was carrying her way, and she seemed happy lying in the sunshine.

When she came in, she pretty much stayed in her hiding spot away from us the rest of the day.

Tonight I gave her some catnip in her hiding spot, and she ate it but was unresponsive to it, not her usual rolling around. She hasn’t had much energy recently. Girly has more pep than Tippy.

Even lying down she has labored breathing, and we’re trying our best to remember that symptoms are our friends.

I love that homeopathy is a gentle, relaxed approach, and doesn’t overreact to what can seem like pretty scary symptoms. I do feel empowered to face her symptoms far more calmly than I would have a few months ago. I believe that food is medicine and can help her body to heal itself.

If Tip’s immune system is presently destroying her red blood cells to get rid of parasitic bacteria, can I give Tip enough good food fast enough to get ahead of the destruction?

I find myself giving her more food than her diet calls for, but I don’t want to lose the progress she’s made in losing weight.

Am I doing enough to prevent her from getting worse?

I think I may give her b vitamins.

I have, but have not been giving her Dr. Mercola’s Glandular Support, Antioxidants, Immune Balance, Mushroom Complex and Digestive Enzymes,
and Pet Wellbeing’s Life Gold, Mushroom Immune Gold and Spark that I bought last summer, and CBD oil.

Are any of these a good idea in present circumstances?

Thanks for all your help!

Best,
Anne

 

[AnneH]

p.s. At the vet's office, Tip's breathing was measured at ~50 breaths/minute, yesterday in the 60's, today as high as 76.

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Hi Anne-

Excellent questions!

You're right, her body may not be strong enough to overcome her severe anemia.

There are certain physiologic changes, like lack of oxygen to her brain and tissues, secondary to the decreased blood cells, which could cause her body to shut down.

It can take time for fresh food, homeopathy and other gentle methods to get her vitality to rally.

She has at least one enormous thing in her favor tho, and that's her age.

Can you think back to whether there might have been any triggers for last summer's events? Vaccines? Flea and tick meds, etc?

Yes, these supplements would be wonderful. Just use 1 or 2 at a time, to see if she tolerates them.

Another huge thing she has in her favor, is her appetite. This is a reflection of her body's attempt to heal. The more fresh food the better!

Besides raw meats, use 1/4 cup/meal of the phytonutrient and antioxidant-rich blueberry and kale mix:

Organic kale and wild blueberry smoothie

Hi everyone- Amelia just asked about diet recommendations for her pet with cancer, and I advised the 1:1 kale + wild blueberry antioxidant blend. It's been mentioned on this forum before, but here's exactly how to make it for cancer, arthritis, allergy and other general diet support: Steam or...

www.holisticactions.com

Let's get her resting respiratory rate down to 30!

 

[AnneH]

Thanks, Dr. Jeff!

I'll certainly try giving Tip some of that smoothie asap.

She's been eating a lot (5.9 oz of Answers beef and chicken yesterday, also 3 organ capsules and I gave her b vitamins and antioxidants)

Since the last post we’ve given Tippy prednisolone.

Roger writes: “Vet is offering steroids followed by antibiotics. This often clears out the blood borne parasites (mycoplasmas), supported by the diet and homeopathic. I could not wait when I saw Tip going downhill, and started the prednisolone. I thought Tip might not last the night. Heart >200, Resp > 60
Numbers are somewhat better. Her chest is heaving jerkily, but slower. How do I not continue?”

Tip gets 5 mg every 12 hours, beginning 10pm 5/13.

Qs
Do we have to stop the supplements I mentioned if she’s taking the drug?

Is there something else we should be doing because she’s on the drug?

Is it a good time to get her started with finding a homeopathic remedy?

Can I apply magnesium oil to her ear tip?

I have read past Forum threads on anemia. You write:

"Immune-boosting and blood-building are key.

Liquid Immuno from Rx Vitamins is great for immune boosting and their AminoBlex and Liquid B12 will also be very helpful.

Raw chicken hearts will both help his anemia as well as reduce any secondary heart problems.

If he won't eat them, then try the Bravo freeze-dried turkey hearts."

Would you recommend Vimergy liquid B-12 instead of Mercola’s Vitamin B Complex?

If prednisolone suppresses the immune system, is it best to build up the immune system at the same time?

Is it good to give Tip an iron supplement?

You ask about triggers for last year's episode: Tip wandered in as a feral cat in late 2017 covered in fleas and ticks. We used combing for more than a year and some diatomaceous earth on places the cats slept to be rid of the fleas. Tippy seemed allergic to the fleas: she had a bare spot near her tail (flea-induced feline dermatitis?), whereas Girly seemed more bothered by the combing than the fleas. Tip's first vet appointment 10/25/17 included vaccines, and at an estimated one year old, after having gone into heat, Tip was spayed 1/17/18. When she went to the vet with anemia, she was given a rabies vaccine, but this obviously was not the trigger.

Thanks again,
Anne

 

[AnneH]

Hi Dr. Jeff,

Tip's breathing has been between 40 and 45 for the last couple of days and is less convulsive beginning yesterday. She has been eating mostly Answers, chicken and beef, and for variety Stella and Chewy's DuckDuckGoose and Rawganics chicken with ZiwiPeak beef and venison. Some fish.
She has definitely been eating more than was good for her on her diet, and I'm concerned about that.
I have been trying to give her the magnesium oil but don't know how much is getting absorbed, and I've been holding off on giving her immune support until I hear from you (see previous post above).
I'm not sure how to proceed. Do I research prednisolone? Do I give her immune support in addition to the best food I can find,or does that interfere with the prednisolone?
Is there an alternative treatment to antibiotics (I am guessing that would be strengthening her immune system) that can begin now, and do I give that between doses of the drug?
I plan to do a shopping run soon and hope to be looking for the best remedies for these two kitties.

Thanks for all your help!

Best,
Anne

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Wow, lots of great questions Anne!

I'm glad we got to answer some of them on the HMDM call we just got off.

It looks like a few we did not get to discuss.

Regarding when's a good time to start out homeopathically, I'd say that anytime that you can start is a wonderful time!

Now's a good time to start collecting symptoms from her history, review her records, etc. to give a better context for her anemia.

However, since It's always a good idea to use only one new treatment at a time, work with the "antis-" first before starting a new individualized remedy.

This will allow a better evaluation of what's doing what.

Yes, magnesium oil on the tip of her ear would be wonderful.

Yes, again to building her body up while using the steroid. Continue your mushrooms, Ancestral Supplements, B vits with extra B12 etc.

In addition, there are fantastic and supportive Standard Process supplements that @Dr. Sue can help you more with,

 

[AnneH]

Thanks, Dr. Jeff!
Nutritional yeast has some of that B12 - is that a good fit for Tip?

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Yes, these could both be great to improve Tip's balance.

Whether or not they are depends on his individuality and things like whether he'll take them and how his BEAM changes after you give them for a few days.

 

[AnneH]

Thanks, Dr. Jeff!

Tip and Girly had some nutritional yeast on their raw chicken this morning. Tip likes a lot of the supplements, and will mostly finish her food. Girly, however ...see Hyperthyroid cat - vomits and feces thread for questions about her...

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Got 'em! Thanks for posting Anne.

 

[AnneH]

Tip update:

Tip’s lab results are attached below.

The vet, Dr. Proto, thought Tip looked so good that antibiotics might not be necessary, but since the results still show a low red blood cell count, he recommends giving Tip doxycycline.

I see the blood count as considerably improved, and I wonder about the protein, albumin and platelet count that are now abnormal, and don’t know what it means.

I’m hoping to get some input here before going ahead with the doxy.

Meanwhile, Tippy was doing better, but she got constipated recently.

I’ve read that cats will poop less on a raw food diet, so I was not alarmed when the frequency went down.

I had just received my Four Paws Five Directions book when I realized that Tip hadn’t passed a stool in four days. I tried acupressure on the ‘constipation from liver excess’ points. I was only able to do it once because Tip felt so lousy that she let me do all four points, and she managed to pass a small stool afterwards, but not enough. When I was holding a couple of the points, I could feel energy pulses ~ is this unusual?

On prednisolone, Tip is less amenable to being touched.

I also tried to do some of the dietary suggestions from the book and Dr. Basko and from Forum research, but I have lots of questions.

For one thing, the book suggests cooling and neutral diet choices, avoid red meat, poultry and oily fish ~ which is basically most of what Tip’s been eating lately.

I have read that the switch from canned to raw and fresh foods can often cause diarrhea, but in these cats their stools have been lumpier and firmer, like type 2 or 3 on the Bristol stool chart when eating the raw food. I had been giving them a little psyllium, but I backed off for awhile because 1) they have been eating a lot of Answers food which I thought would help keep them regular 2) raw food is supposed to be more easily digested, and they’ve been eating it for awhile now

The most recent diet change for both of them is eating beef, but it is recommended for what ails them and they have taken to it well.

Poor Tip kept trying to go, and Roger administered a couple of enemas which gave her some relief.

I’ve been alternating between adding psyllium and Kin and Kind pumpkin fiber (with flax seed, coconut, slippery elm and ginger) to food
I add more water to food
I add blueberries and some veggies to food

Well cooked brown rice, spelt or millet; or steel cut oats ~ a good idea to add to meals, or give only if constipated?

Raw egg yolks or soft boiled eggs ~ good for constipation?

Answers food has egg in it. I can see the shells. I assume they throw whole raw eggs into the mix ~ I have read that raw egg whites can be problematic for cats ~ ?

I want Tip to be regular and to keep her that way, especially if she gets the antibiotics. How often do cats on a primarily raw food diet normally defecate?

I would like to get Tip evaluated for homeopathic treatment. Based on what these new labs reveal, is it recommended to have the first appointment before antibiotics?