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Ultrasound findings in 13 yo cat - Cat litter or Lymphoma?

C

Christie

Hello,

On a sad note, my cat was vomiting & struggling to poop and not eating this week. Vet gave anti-nausea and fluids the other day. I thought he was sad by his friends passing but it's sudden and still happening.

I have seen him eat a pellet or two in the past. The litter is Cat Spot 100% organic coconut shells, non-clumping. I don't think you can find cleaner kitty litter...?

I contacted the litter company. They have had reports of cats licking it up periodically but nothing bad happening.

I've attached his ultrasound which Dr. says could be something he ate or Lymphoma. Sad to see our boy this way. What do you suggest?

Thank you.
Christie

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Dr. Christina

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Was there any improvement in the appetite or energy after the fluids?
Dr. Christina
 
C

Christie

He ate tonight! This morning he nibbled and tonight ate some more. He’s purring but always has, he’s so sweet.
He seems to be improving but the ultrasound makes me nervous. Plus blood work said his lymphocytes were low and in the red.

Just moves slow like a sloth. Can’t tell if that’s normal. Or joint related perhaps.
Christie
 
C

Christie

He's back to eating and pooping like a champ! Hopefully it was only those 3-4 days of something he ate.

He also had these reported findings. Should I start him on a raw diet or what supplements would be right for him?

He also has a heart murmur which is new to us. I'm not sure what to do about that...

Liver: normal size with sharp margins, a homogenously normal echotexture with several anechoic, cavitated nodules in the right liver that cause distal acoustic enhancement.

Gallbladder: normal wall thickness and is normally distended with anechoic bile.

CBD: mildly dilated and tortuous

Spleen: normal size with a homogenous, normoechoic echotexture with many small, round, hyperechoic nodules. The spleen has normal blood flow.

Kidneys: Kidneys are normal size with smooth contours, good corticomedullary distinction and normal renal pelvices.

The ureters are not visualized.

Urinary Bladder: No calculi, polyps or masses noted. Normal wall thickness

Adrenals: both adrenals are normal in size, shape and architecture
 
C

Christie

Would Dr Jeff’s immunity boosting drops that I purchased for my kittens be a good thing to include in Peppers routine per his labs? Thanks.
 

Dr. Erin

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Aug 16, 2019
Messages
6
Christie,
I am so sorry for that potential scary diagnosis. It is really important to get jejunum thickness in mm. What is each layer of the intestine thickness? This helps determine likelihood of lymphoma.
Also consider getting a cobalamine and folate test done to determine if injectable supplementation is needed. This is critical with cats that have GI disease.
Lastly, I highly recommend fecal microbiome transfers and digestive enzymes with GI disease in kitties.
 
C

Christie

Hi. So I’m adding to this just to see if I can get any last tips. I will make an appt with an internist if this last try doesn’t work.

He throws up everyday to every other day now but we are also at a new location since March (when he started throwing up even more). It’s hardball but lots of bile.
Happens nightly now sometimes during the day. Not after he eats. The only time after eating is when he accidentally got a hold of the kittens raw food.

I will try dr Jeff’s suggestion of Ignatia pellets as it started when we lost my other cat in October.

He is a very skiddish cat. So he is not acclimated here ? but is much better than before. But prefers to sleep ALL day. He will occasionally play fetch when everyone’s asleep and only with me 11 pm ish.

My overall is that I know it’s hard to treat while we don’t have an endoscopy done or an updated ultra sound. Since he is skiddish do you recommend Something anti stress? I do have Rescue Remedy but don’t want to irritate him in any way.
He is also getting probiotics.

Thank you.
Christie
 

Dr. Jeff

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Hi Christie. Re-evaluate his skiddishness after the dose of Ignatia.

This remedy has helped many fearful people and pets.
 
C

Christie

Hi dr Jeff. At the vet today and they suggested hairball medicine could help. Is there a holistic type we can try?
 

Dr. Jeff

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Unfortunately Christie, there are few totally natural hairball products out there. They model most after Laxatone which can work well but also has some cod liver oil in it. However, it also has a few ingredients your kitties don't need in their diets.

There used to be one using fish oils but I couldn't find it last time I searched.

Some kitties respond well to just adding a few sardines/week to their diet, or using papaya enzymes, fiber, etc.

Maybe someone else like @Dr. Christina @Dr. Sara @robinafolson @Dr. Jean @Dr. Beth has other specific ideas.
 

Dr. Sara

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I don't care for the typical commercial hairball medicines either!
Hairballs occur because the cat has a lot of indigestible material in their stomach, which irritates the stomach. We want to decrease the indigestible material, help material pass, and soothe the stomach lining. The goal is for the kitty to pass the hair in the stool.
Digestive enzymes don't digest hair well, but they do help overall digestion, so I use those.
Fish oil (250 - 500 mg / cat, make sure it is extremely fresh) will help material pass through.
Pumpkin (1 tsp per meal) is a bulking fiber to help drag the fur through.
Soothing herbs like slippery elm and marshmallow (I offer these in teas if the cat will drink them) calm the stomach.
It is also wise to groom kitty as often as he will tolerate, as any fur not eaten is fur that does become hairballs! As cats (all animals, actually) shed much more heavily with stress, grooming should always increase in stressful periods.
I hope this helps.
Dr. Sara
 

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