Young cat w/ liver inflammation, stomatitis

[ElaineF]

Dante is a 2.8 yr old male cat. He loves to play, run up stairs, inquisitive, with strong appetite. Loves to sleep near me . His diet: Gastrointestinal Biome, dry food, with small
amts of wet food to hide supplements & meds. Health concerns are as follows:
Cholangiohepatitis: history of soft stools since 4.5 mos old, have tried many different dry foods to rule out food allergies. Ultrasound on Nov 2020 revealed inflamed liver.
Gave him Denamarin for 30 days, stools improved slightly, now back to soft, mushy stools. Vet gave us a pancreas supplement powder to try after this, Dante would not touch
it and refused to eat food for many hours. While his energy levels and mood seems great, am concerned about his stools which suggest something is not right. He always takes
a nap after eating. He certainly does not like his belly touched or his back paws!
Stomitis: Dante has had inflamed gums, along the toothline, since 9 mos of age. Has had several rounds of meds to address this. 7.19 steroid injection + convenia injection.
9.19 Depomedrol injection. 6.20 steroid shot. Our present vet does not want to remove his teeth, nor do I. (Previous vet encouraged this). Gums get very red at gum line.
7.17.20 Dante became quite ill, vomiting & diarrhea, stopped eating & drinking, painful abdomen, high temp. Brought to emergency vet. Ultrasound revealed Infectious Gastroenteritis: Hospitialized and given numerous meds (Amicillin, Maropitant, Veraflox, Atropine, Clavamox, Entyce). Continued 2 meds + Entyce at home for 7 days.
Lastly: when first got Dante at 4 mos, he had some eye discharge and wheezing. Still has occasional eye discharge and can go months and then might wheeze some. I give him
Lysine and the eye discharge clears up. Vet told us could be herpes, and said could explain gum inflammation.
Vaccinations: 6.2018 fvrcp, 8.18 rabies, 9.2018 fvrcp

Did the injections to address gum inflammation lead to the gastroenteritis?
Could all these antibiotics have led to his liver inflammation?
He is so young to have all these health issues already, it's very distressing.
Dante and I would love to address his gum and liver inflammation in a holistic way and learn how to provide healthy food for him as well!

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Wow, thanks for sharing your amazing first post Elaine!

I'm very sorry to hear about Dante's health challenges. It sounds like he's been through a lot already in his young life.

1. The steroids (anti-inflammatories) for his gums along with the anti-biotics could indeed have predisposed to the gastroenteritis.

2. The anti-biotics may indeed be related to the liver inflammation. The reason is twofold. One is disruption of his microbiome from the antibiotics doing their job (killing bacteria).

The other more reason which is hypothetical, but may be even more important, is an internal energetic disruption that led to the liver inflammation.

Yes, it is an awful lot for a young, vital and happy kitty to have going on.

Fantastic news that his BEAM (behavior, energy, appetite and mood) is still great. These are the best indicators of how he is doing overall. The other isolated symptoms, IMHO, are just clues to how he is internally imbalanced (they are biomarkers).

The great news is that his individual symptoms, like the internal ones of liver inflammation and the external ones like the soft stools, will improve as you work to increase his cellular energy.

There's lots more about that throughout the site and forum. You might want to start first by learning more about his inner "terrain" and how to optimize it using the strategies in TOP (terrain optimizing protocol).

A Way To Connect Modern Veterinary Medicine And Ancient Wisdom: An Introduction To Terrain Theory - Holistic Actions!

www.holisticactions.com

Please keep asking your great questions and updating us on his progress over the coming weeks and months!

 

[Dr. Jeff]

BTW Elaine-The first thing you might want to consider doing is decreasing and eventually stopping, his dry food.

The more fresh, and vital (living) food that you can feed him, the better his cellular energy and ability to heal will be.

 

[ElaineF]

Great, thank so much for your thoughts/suggestions.
I do have 2 more questions.
While I have read through a whole bunch of threads regarding raw food, I admit my apprehension since
he did have the gastroenteritis event. Could he be more sensitive to eating raw food then?
Is it okay to give him the frozen raw food, already prepared, like Primal?
So he can have any healthy foods that I would eat?
What about any foods that would not be a good idea to share with him?

The second question is, do you think continuing to give Dante Denamarin would be helpful, as support for his liver? Or any other type of liver support while also starting the raw food? I had to crush it up and hide it in
wet food, as he is one of those stealth cats who detects anything added to his food.

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Yes, he could be sensitive to raw but not cooked fresh food. Either one is higher in vitality and energy than highly processed commercial food.

Yes, Primal frozen raw is perfect! Start slow though and perhaps add just ~25% of the fresh food in with his regular food, and work up from there.

Yes, any healthy food in moderation, except grapes/raisins, is OK. Especially meats and protein-rich foods like chicken, beef, fish, eggs, beans (if he'll eat them) etc.

Yes, the Denamarin is fine to use and is good kidney support.

Personally my favorite liver support supplements are the VRS Hepato Tru Benefits and Rx Vitamins Hepato Support with a separate SAMe supplement (if needed):

Effectiveness of the Hepato Support Supplement in Liver Disease

A new clinical study of dogs with elevated liver enzymes has verified the beneficial results seen in practice with Hepato Support from Rx Vitamins. Numerous studies in laboratory animals and humans have repeatedly demonstrated that the antioxidant silymarin (milk thistle) can benefit the liver...

www.homevet.com

Hepato TruBenefits For Dogs | Veterinarian Recommended Solutions

VRS' Hepato is easily administered with food to support normal cleansing of the liver from impurities. Click here to learn more & order your supply today!

vrshealth.com

You can use both supplements in cats and might also want to use a methyl donor like Vetri-DMG if you use Hepato Support.

 

[ElaineF]

Great, thank you.
Dante had an amazing shift in his stools already. Not sure exactly the reason.
I had started doing some energy work with him, for 2 evenings, Tuesday and Thursday.
Thursday I gave him 3 raw nuggets.
He didn't have any wet food, which I give him when needing to hide meds or supplements, on Thursday.
Friday he had the most normal stool ever, and they have been "normal" ever since.
Been gradually increasing the raw, he still gets about 50% raw.
Was it the energy work that caused the huge change, going from soft light brown unformed
stool to normal in one day...unless 3 raw food nuggets could cause this change? Or stopping the wet food?
Or all 3 factors?
We are talking this afternoon, wanted to share this ahead of our consult.

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Thanks for the great chat today Elaine. Dante is one lucky guy to have you!

As we discussed, the 3 raw nuggets alone may have been enough, but the awe-some Sufi energy work you described on our call likely had a synergistic effect on activating his natural healing mechanisms.

Keep up the great work with getting him off the dry food and continue the energy work/prayer as often as possible.

If you're comfortable doing so, would you share more info. about the healing work?

 

[ElaineF]

Well thank you for the compliment .
I feel like a very lucky gal to have him in my life, he is quite the charming boy.

I am happy to share more info about the healing work.
Do you mean what I did overall and how it helped Dante?
Took a course many years ago, don't know if it is offered anywhere, part of a larger curriculum maybe.
(I'd be happy to offer it to people and their pets long distance obviously, and not charge now)
Would you like me to describe how I do it, or please give me more structure so I get what you are thinking!

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Thanks for your offer to share with us Elaine.

Perhaps you can just tell us the name of the technique, and the general method (massage, prayer, visualization, etc.).

 

[ElaineF]

So the healing work that I did with Dante is called Hand of God healing, a Sufi healing "technique" which I learned years ago during a Sufi healing workshop. The method involves a prayer initially where one gives thanks, ask for clearing of oneself, the person/being you want to heal, and clearing of the room, just like in other healing techniques. Then it consists of 3 connections...first you connect with God/the Divine, then you connect with your own heart, then with the heart of the person/pet. So you have a 3 way connection going on, and there is a simple chant, and a way that you hold your hand to connect and hold over the being that you want to help heal. You are a bridge, catalyst. (Very short version of technique). I think the really important part is that you connect with your heart. I did this two different evenings with Dante, as well as starting him on 3 nuggets of raw food and the next day his "poop" had totally shifted into the normal realm!

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Beautiful and powerful Elaine. Keep it up!

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Oh, and here's a resource about environmental engagement tools that can help him heal faster:

 

[ElaineF]

Great, thanks.
Okay now we have a new symptom which am thinking must be related to the new food (new flavor) I just started him on today, as have never seen this behavior before. (Up to now, everything has been fine.)
He was running around, twitching on different parts of his body, like his skin was bothering him. Around his back tail area, and some other areas. Clearly something was bothering him. Seems to have stopped now, however now I am not sure whether to give him anymore of this new flavor food.
He has been eating Primal raw rabbit, loving it, for the past number of days, with no side effects.
Couple days ago I started giving him VitalCat, duck flavor, not his favorite, and tried again this morning, but he
didn't eat much. Next, I gave him a new flavor of Primal, turkey/sardine. He ate some of this.
I don't think it is the VitalCat since he has eaten a bit the past couple of days, no side effects.
I think must be the new flavor of Primal, the turkey/sardine??? Or??? Total random unrelated to the food?
Now I am afraid to give him anymore of this new flavor...
What are your thoughts?
If you think this ought to be in the nutrition/food area, please let me know.
Thank you!!!

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Yes, it sure sounds like a "hyperesthesia" response to the new food. Meaning that he had some atypical skin sensation and sensitivity. Possibly from the sardines or some other component of the food.

Here's an interesting article about allergic type responses in people from fish and other foods with higher histamine:

Histamine intolerance: What you need to know about fish

Histamine is present in a lot of foods. If you are allergic to histamine but don't want to give up fish, we have some tips on eating fish without regret.

food.r-biopharm.com

 

[ElaineF]

I read this article just now. Thank you.
Checked the new flavor and actually, it only has sardine oil like the previous Primal flavor I gave him, so the difference is really turkey versus rabbit. He did not have reaction from eating the rabbit that had sardine oil.
Could this happen if I left the food out too long and he came back later and ate some?
Would it be okay to try a little again and see what happens, or better to skip this new flavor and move on?

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Yes, it is an excellent idea to try a little and see if he reacts.

 

[ElaineF]

Dr Jeff,
I have 3 questions at this point.
1. Dante has been eating just raw food, and his poop schedule and quality have totally changed.
Now he poops about every 3 days, small amount and it seems sort of dry, however after his past
history maybe anything would seem dry. Maybe I should feed him more? Am giving him the
recommended amount for a 10 pound cat, however maybe he is supposed to be more than 10 pounds.
Anyways, is it okay that he only poops every 3 days? He seems fine, running around, vibrantly
playful. He doesn't drink from his water anymore, as you mentioned would happen. He seems pretty content.

2. I finally was able to get his mouth open to look at his gums. They are a little pinkish red, however
he still has this one tooth on the bottom front that has pretty red gumline. Is there anything we can do
for his gums, which has been rather chronic since one year old. No way he will let me brush his teeth, he
does not like me messing with him.

3. The Rx Hepato support you suggested, it has vitamins in it. Do you think I should still get Dante
a vitamin supplement in addition to the hepato support? My vet did not have any recommendations
for vitamins.
Thank you!

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Hi Elaine-

1. Yes, only pooping every 3 days is common (and "OK") but is not normal. Does he strain to poop?

His running around vibrantly is a big clue that he is not being underfed. Look at BEAM, coat and body condition to determine if you are feeding enough.

If they all seem fine, the amount you are feeding is great. The small dry infrequent stools may be a symptom clue to a homeopathic remedy chosen based on his internal imbalance.

Try giving him ~1/2 cup of Answer's Goat's Milk/day.

2. Regarding his red gums, it may be that the only way to improve this would involve messing with his gums. Individualized homeopathy and indicated supplements would be the next best way to deal with this.

3. Yes I do advise a multi in addition. The vitamins in HepatoSupport don't replace a complete multivit source like:

Rx Essentials For Cats-4 oz. - HomeVet

Provides a full range of daily vitamins, minerals and antioxidants for cats.

www.homevet.com

or the excellent (10% discount code= resp10):

Daily Multi Plus for Dogs and Cats

Organic multi vitamin for dogs and cats from a trusted leading retailer of natural pet products. In stock, great prices and fast $6.95 Flat Rate Shipping...

www.pethealthandnutritioncenter.com

 

[ElaineF]

Hi Dr Jeff,
1. I do not think he strains, however will peek and pay more attention.
He sure does not seem to want to be normal .
Will see if they have the goat milk here.

2. I can hardly open up his mouth to see his gums. He doesn't get near me for awhile after I attempt this.
Cannot imagine trying to "brush" or do anything inside his mouth. On to your second and third options.
Will see how supplements help.

Dante says thank you.