cat in liver failure

[babybugmama]

My cat is 10 years old and is in liver failure. Is there anything I can do to stop it or slow it? Dietary or otherwise. The vet thinks getting him to eat will be the most likely thing to help. He stated that if he starts eating and drinking more normally he could pull out of this (with poor liver functioning), but that likely within 2-4 weeks he will pass away.

Is there *human* food that is okay/good for cats? Does anyone know if tuna is okay to give a cat?

He did give me a nutritional supplement to add to his food. But I'll cook his food at this time if that will help him.

Thanks for any information anyone can give me.

[bluets]

And google says...

Google says more than this but these look possibly useful:

http://www.hdw-inc.com/healthliver.htm
http://www.sniksnak.com/cathealth/liver.html
http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body...hepatitis.html
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/P...alinks3-a.html

And from a link that only exists in google's cache:


Should my cat eat a special diet?

Your vet will let you know what, if anything, should be added to, removed from or restricted in your cat's diet. If your vet is not familiar with home-prepared diets, they will probably try to persuade you from attempting to make your own food. If you're also unfamiliar with creating a home-prepared meal, this isn't the best time to learn. Consult with a holistic vet for the best ways to meet your cat's specific dietary needs. Hill's Science Diet has made recipes for their prescription foods available to vets. If your cat was sent home with a Hill's Prescription Diet, you may be able to find a recipe for a homemade version of that food here (bluets' note: link doesn't work).

Pitcairn recommends "small, frequent, easily digested meals" during your cat's recovery (287). Puotinen notes that animals with liver problems should be fed organically grown foods as any "chemical residue will stress the liver" (392). At the least, consider switching to a premium commercial food which has no artificial colors, preservatives, or flavors, as these must be processed by an already compromised liver (Frazier 376). Many holistic veterinary practitioners recommend adding digestive enzymes to all meals.

Some also feel that feeding raw (preferably organic) liver is an excellent way to support your cat's liver. Low-fat, preservative - and chemical - free diets are also recommended. If you use milk products, yogurt and kefir are fine, but it's best to stay away from other dairy foods. Avoid tap water, replacing it with bottled or filtered water. If you use Dr. Pitcairn's Cat Powder and Oil, discontinue the oil (except Vit E) until the cat has recovered, then reintroduce it gradually. Anitra Frazier also modifies her Vita-Mineral Mix for cats with liver disease.

Stressed repeatedly in all the sources we consulted was the fact that the food you feed is paramount to recovery. Low fat (some suggest slightly lowering protein levels, too), organic, fresh, high-quality foods will put the least stress on the liver and allow your cat to recover.

What supplements will help my cat?

There are a number of supplements which can help a cat with liver problems. The following list was compiled from recommendations from Puotinen, Schwartz, and Frazier.

Herbs specific for Liver:

* Milk thistle
* Minor Bupleurum Formula

For additional support:

* Essiac tea (1 tsp daily, between meals if possible)
* Dandelion
* Burdock root
* Red clover
* Yellow dock
* Nettles

Nutritional Supplements

* Digestive enzymes
* Thymus glandular
* Vitamin B12
* Vitamin B complex
* Vitamin C, as sodium ascorbate, 500 mg daily
* Chlorophyll, 1/3 human dose
* Lecithin granules, 1 tsp, once or twice daily
* Acidophilus and Probiotics, 1/3 human dosage
* Coenzyme Q10, 10 mg
* Trace Minerals and Microalgae
* Vitamin E, 50 IU daily
* Cod liver oil, 1/4 teaspoon per meal (no more than 5 days)

** When dosage is not specified, use 1/10 human dosage. **

Sources Consulted:

* Frazier, Anitra with Norma Eckroate. The New Natural Cat: A Complete Guide for Finicky Owners. 1990.
* Pitcairn, Richard H. DVM, PhD and Susan Hubble Pitcairn. Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs & Cats. 1995.
* Puotinen, CJ. The Encyclopedia of Natural Pet Care. 1998.
* Schwartz, Cheryl, DVM. Four Paws Five Directions: A Guide to Chinese Medicine for Cats and Dogs. 1996.
* Siegal, Mordecai (editor). The Cornell Book of Cats. 1992.

[shannon0218]

Get some catnip, fresh is preferable, that will often increase appetite. Roast chicken works well, cooked liver, yes you can give Tuna. Also try jars of meat baby food.

[Sherra]

You may want to check your library for books on natural animal living or holistic pet care. I know I've been reading a lot about raw diets. Cats have specific things that need to be in their diet. But this diet led me to believe that pets that were on their dying bed sometimes could be saved. Was interesting..esp pitcairn's book.


Sherra

[babybugmama]

Bluet - thank you for all those links and information. I got through it all and have a better understanding of what I believe happened. We went away on vacation and he quit eating...this triggered the episode. I can't remember which one that is called.

But I got mixed ideas on what to feed him. Depending on what is the cause you give high protein or low protein, but high quality protein. I read on a few that they were giving their cat Hills A/D. I need to see what that is to see if it's appropriate.

I also got that get the natural stuff. But I've been giving the special diet stuff for him b/c he has a history of blockages. It's been a long time since he's been blocked, but I'm afraid to risk it. I don't want to fix the liver only to shut his kidneys down.

I will get fresh catnip. We have some already, but it's not fresh I'll see if that helps.

Please if people can tell me more based on what I've written, please please do. Moon is more than a cat to me, he's my first baby. I saved him from a highway when he was 6 weeks old when I was very alone in my life. He was something of a lifesaver for me.

[Naughty Dingo]

Hi BBM,

I am a small animal veterinarian.

I am sorry your kitty is sick. What exactly is the kitty's problem? Does he have hepatic lipidosis? Does he have hepatitis? Cancer?

When kitties are really sick and stop eating, the pressure shifts from getting them to eat their appropriate diet to getting them to eat anything.

Cats tend to eat stinky things, if you warm the food a little it will be more smelly and more appealing. If there is something your kitty will eat go for it. Sprinkling oregano on the food also stimulates appetite.

Has your vet given him any meds to try to stimulate appetite?

If he has hepatic lipidosis, fatty liver, then the recommended treatement is the placement of a feeding tube either in the esophagus or stomach. Kitties do very well with this if they aren't extremely fragile. That way you can provide nourishment needed to sustain the kitty while his liver can attempt to heal. With hepatic lipidosis, there is a bad cycle they get into, they stop eating, get sick, and then eat even less, which makes them more sick. If this is kitty's problem I would ask about a feeding tube, Then you can give a calorie dense food.

Another option you can try is to syringe feed your kitty. There are some canned diets which again are critical care diets (Like A/D), rich in nutrients and easily digestible. It may or may not be too stressful for your kitty to be syringed.

If kitty has hepatitis, is he on meds? Have diagnostics been done?

Is your kitty on pain meds? Do you think he is in pain and this has decreased his appetite? Some forms of hepatitis, cholangiohepatitis, and all pancreatitis is extremely painful.

There is an antihistamine called cyproheptadine which acts as an appetite stimulant in cats. I recommend having your vet call in an RX for your kitty. Also evaluate what other meds kitty is on right now. Many antibiotics will cause severe nausea in a sick cat.

Also your kitty may be very dehydrated if he isn't eating. Does his skin tent up and stay that way if you pinch it on top of his neck? ARe his gums dry? Are his eyes and nose dry? If so, I would recommend some IV fluids to rehydrate, Subcutaneous fluids won't touch severe dehydration in this case. Rehydrating can help him feel much better.

Depending on what is going on with your kitty, and what your relationship is with your vet, you may want to consider having a second opinion. If there is an emergency clinic in your area that does critical care work, that would be the place to take him. If he isnt eating I strongly urge you to consider having a tube placed. It can make a big difference.

Good luck Mama, it is so sad when one of our furry children is sick

[babybugmama]

[QUOTE=Naughty Dingo]Hi BBM,

I am a small animal veterinarian.

Thank you so much for taking so much time! I really appreciate it.

I am sorry your kitty is sick. What exactly is the kitty's problem? Does he have hepatic lipidosis? Does he have hepatitis? Cancer?

when I took him to the vet yesterday the vet just said he was in liver failure. He said that he did not feel it was neccessary to run tests since he knew that. He then went on to say that he had 2-4 weeks unless he would start eating and put on weight. Now, doing research I see there are different kinds of things to look for. And further different diets depending on the problem. I don't believe it is cancer. I'll give you a brief history and current presenting problem to see what you think. I'm also calling a second vet this morning to see if they can help.

About 2 months ago I went to this same vet b/c moon (my cat) was having problems with vomiting. He had been vomiting for close to 6 months, but I thought it was hairballs. He would vomit hair balls and mostly digested food. Shortly before going to the vet I realized he was vomiting on a daily basis, sometimes as much as 2 times a day. The vet gave him a worm shot and some homepathic anti-nausea. (He didn't think he had worms, it was just in case). This actually seemed to work. And he hasn't vomited in at least 5-6 weeks. Oh other background, long ago he had problems with blockages...to the point where if he had one more blockage the vet was going to have to remove his penis! We got this under control with diet (Purina UR). This was a different vet in florida. (You can tell I'm taking a little issue with the current vet).

Additional info: What I didn't know but dh told me is that moon has been eating the dog food too. I now know this is a big no no.

Current issue:

We went on vacation 3 weeks ago. When we came home after a week (2 weeks ago), Moon had lost A LOT of weight. I was immediately alarmed, but thought he went on an eating strike because we were gone. He was also very weak, poor hind quarter strength (couldn't jump on the bed, etc.) So I presented lots of food for him and he seemed to be getting better. I noticed two days ago that he had leaked a small amount of urine and called the vet. The vet gave him a B12 shot with some cortisone and Canine Hepatic Support nutritional supplement (with a dosage for a dog 0-10 pounds - he said it was okay for cats) to give him 2x a day in his food. He is also jaundiced, but I don't know his bilirubin levels or anything. The vet also said there was fluid somewhere in his belly (I can't remember where).

Since yesterday:

I have been feeding him canned food, tidbits of tuna (I hope that's okay). I even fed him using a fork since he seemed to eat a little more that way. He is interested and is eating. But barely anything. He's eaten maybe a third (slightly more) of a can since yesterday evening (I fed him immed upon getting home 5p, before bed 10:30p and at 5:30 this morning when I woke up - I left the food out all night for him and I think he may have eaten a small amount more than that).

Has your vet given him any meds to try to stimulate appetite?

No, and it sounds like he should have

If he has hepatic lipidosis, fatty liver, then the recommended treatement is the placement of a feeding tube either in the esophagus or stomach. Kitties do very well with this if they aren't extremely fragile. That way you can provide nourishment needed to sustain the kitty while his liver can attempt to heal. With hepatic lipidosis, there is a bad cycle they get into, they stop eating, get sick, and then eat even less, which makes them more sick. If this is kitty's problem I would ask about a feeding tube, Then you can give a calorie dense food.

This is the diagnosis that I came up with. The only other that came close was Cholangiohepatitis - but I understand the presentation here is more of one waxing and waning and that is not the case.

I don't think he's extremely fragile, but he is older, 11 years old (I think I said 10 before, I misspoke). Will they want to do a feeding tube even if he is still eating on his own? Also will he have to stay at the vets? Or can I do this? I'm actually very good at caring for animals and believe I could.

Another option you can try is to syringe feed your kitty. There are some canned diets which again are critical care diets (Like A/D), rich in nutrients and easily digestible. It may or may not be too stressful for your kitty to be syringed.

If you syringe feed are you basically putting the syringe in their mouths and squirting it down? I will ask the vet about this as well...it may be a good step before the feeding tube and I believe while it would piss moon off he would tolerate it. He's always allowed me to do things that the vet can't or anyone else for that matter.

If kitty has hepatitis, is he on meds? Have diagnostics been done?

No diagnostics, and no diagnosis of hepatitis at this time.

Is your kitty on pain meds? Do you think he is in pain and this has decreased his appetite? Some forms of hepatitis, cholangiohepatitis, and all pancreatitis is extremely painful.

He is not on pain meds. I don't think he is in pain. He is slow and quiet now. But purrs when you hold/pet him. He isn't crying out and is still moving around. His hind legs do look weak.

There is an antihistamine called cyproheptadine which acts as an appetite stimulant in cats. I recommend having your vet call in an RX for your kitty. Also evaluate what other meds kitty is on right now. Many antibiotics will cause severe nausea in a sick cat.

Duly noted and written down to bring to the vet.

Also your kitty may be very dehydrated if he isn't eating. Does his skin tent up and stay that way if you pinch it on top of his neck? ARe his gums dry? Are his eyes and nose dry? If so, I would recommend some IV fluids to rehydrate, Subcutaneous fluids won't touch severe dehydration in this case. Rehydrating can help him feel much better.

His gums seem a bit dry to me, but he is drinking and he peed a fair amount last night. So, I don't think it's severe at this point, but certainly could be close.

Depending on what is going on with your kitty, and what your relationship is with your vet, you may want to consider having a second opinion. If there is an emergency clinic in your area that does critical care work, that would be the place to take him. If he isnt eating I strongly urge you to consider having a tube placed. It can make a big difference.

I'm going to call in 45 min soon as they open up. I have another vet that I prefer, but they are expensive. He is eating so I'll see what they say about syringe/tube or stinky food.

Given all that you said they like stinky food. Is there a brand that is better? I read last night about avoiding the dyes and preservatives since it just gives the liver more work to do while it's already down. What are your thoughts about that?

ND thank you so much again for taking so much time to think and write out this post. Between you and bluet I have a little bit of hope.

[shannon0218]

I agree it sounds like fatty liver more than anything else but really blood work at a minimum needs to be done. Like ND said--right now, getting him to eat is first and foremost, it would be wonderful if he'd eat the perfect things but right now he needs to eat--whatever he will. So any human foods he likes a bit of chicken, some baby food, whatever you can get down him. A/D is designed to be feedable by syringe and is very calorically dense--I'm not a fan of Hills--but this food has a very definite place and is one of Hill's biggest success's (IMHO) One problem with fatty liver is that often the cat will vomit if he eats too much so really for the first week or so you need to concentrate on getting small amounts into him every couple of hours.
Valium (especially IV) is also an appetite stimulant in cats (I worked at a referral clinic so we dealt with a lot of fatty liver kitties--I remember well giving valium, sticking a bowl of food under then and then making sure they didn't pass out while they were mowing down )
If you have a local pet food store that has samples, go in and ask for some dry samples to try. Royal Canin makes a "sensitive cat" formula that is VERY palatable, some others to try for palatability are Felidae and even some cats when they are sick will eat the cheap junk food like cat chow or friskies--not ideal but like I said at this point for his liver to turn around he needs to eat something.
Also try fancy feast, some cats will eat that and the new Merrick cat foods are extremely palatable as well.

[Naughty Dingo]

Hi BBM,

What did your vet say.

I hae to say, from my perspective I am shocked if he did not offer you a full blood chemistry, complete blood count, and a urinalysis when you presented your kitty. You can't differentiate fatty liver from hepatitis, from cancer from a physical.

How jaundiced is he? Are his eyes yellow? The inside of his ears? gums? Is his pee neon yellow? Or is it mild, something that he vet just noticed?

Kitties vomit for a million reasons.

I urge you to do the bloods, with jaundice it could be any of the diseases I mentioned, or even a blood disease resulting from a toxicity or bacterial tick borne disease. Based on the history, yes, it is likely that your kitty has fatty liver. In cases of fatty liver, aggressive nutritional support is important for survival, including placing a feeding tube. The tube is easy to care for, doesn't bother the kitties, and is easy for the guardian to maintain and use at home.

I would at least call the more expensive vet and try to get a phone consult or a consult with one of her nurses.

Kitties can be brought back from this disease if this is what he has, but once they cross a certain line, it becomes very difficult. They key is aggressive therapy.

How much weight has he lost? Did they weigh him when you took him in?

I understand your concern with diet if he is normally on a urinary diet. But right now, his life depends on him eating so give him whatever is palatable.

You can ask the other vet if they ever work out payment plans or use barter in exchange for veterinary services if finances are a concern. A minimum database will be expensive as will any therapy on top of that.

I am sad for your kitty that your vet has given him a death sentence without doing any diagnostics or attempting any therapeutic measures. It isn't what I would have offered you had you walked in my door. Depending on what is going on with your kitty, treatment plans will vary greatly. It is your choice and your decision what you can or can't do for your kitty, but everything should have been offered to you right away. Of course I am not there, haven't examined your kitty, and wasn't at that clinic so maybe my perspective is skewed.


But please, for your peace of mind, call the other clinic Mama. Good luck.

ND

[babybugmama]

Okay the vet did a blood work up and urinalysis. No diabetes (based on sugars) but liver functioning very poor. Also did an ultrasound of the liver kidney area.

Frankly, knowing what I do now I am shocked as well.

He naturally has a pale green eye color, it is somewhat yellowed. His ears and gums are yellowed. His bilirubins were through the roof. Not mild.

We opted to do syringe feeding. If he won't take at least 2 cans a day from me, then we are putting the tube in. He has till tomorrow to show that he can eat two cans by himself and with the syringe feeding.

He lost about 4-5 pounds. He weighs 11.1 now.

They gave him a/d food. Also Amoxicillan 1cc BID, Ursodiol Capsules 75mg, 1 daily, and RenalKare Gel 2 1/2 ml 3x a day.

gotta go for now. I'll post more later.

[babybugmama]

Oh and he gave him subcutaneous fluids and a couple shots which are escaping me now...probably antibiotics...

[babybugmama]

Okay one of the shots was of potassium, his levels were very low.

I force fed him about 1/3 a can of food...then all his meds. Poor guy, he was frothing at the mouth quite a bit. I hope I get better at getting the food down his throat. He at a little on his own, but nowhere near enough. So I still have about 1 1/2 can of food to get down him today. Problem is I have to come to work. So he won't get any now for 8 hours...well he has the a/d food to eat, but he won't eat enough. So I'll do like breastfeeding babies and do reverse cycling and feed him a lot tonight. Part of needing to get so much today is that we were at the vets for 2 1/2 hours and I didn't get the food started until noon. So, I'm just going to get as much in him as I can and then tomorrow will hopefully be easier since I can get a lot in him in the morning before I leave for work (I work 1-8, t,w,th). Dh would never be able to do it, although I'm going to show him tonight. He has surprised me before so he may again. He's been fantastic through this.

So $400 later...it's a waiting game and it's all about the calories.

[eksmom]

I hope he eats well today. Our cat is also on Purina UR so I know how hard it must be to get your mind around feeding him anything other than that. You are doing the right thing, though, and you are a great mama to Moon. I will keep my fingers crossed that he pulls through.

[babybugmama]

So I got a full can in him last night before going to bed. I purposefully stayed up late so that I could get another feeding in before going to sleep and got up early to do the same. I feel stretched thin, burning the candle at both ends. I'm getting better at the food, but he's gotten a little stronger (which is good), and that makes it a little more difficult. He has no interest in eating on his own now. The vet said he would continue to deteriorate the next three days, that what I do now won't show up until 3 days from now.

Thanks eksmom - I feel a little silly, but I'm ready to cry at the drop of a hat.

[polka123]

((((((((((hugs for kitty)))))))))))

[bluets]

babybugmama: my heart goes out to you... my previous kitty ended up succumbing to chronic renal failure - after we had maintained her illness for 4 years. 4 years of careful diet and frequent home-administered sub-q fluids (not easy since she was quite a mean kitty). we decided that when she startd seriously fighting the sub-q fluids, then we would consider stopping them. hope everything goes well for you and Moon.

[Naughty Dingo]

I'm sending Moon lots of love

ND

[babybugmama]

He has lost control of his urine tonight. He's also been vomiting up some of the food I've been syringing him. The vomit was complete liquid. The vet said he would get worse before getting better. But I don't think he meant this. I don't know. I'm going to call in the morning. I'm afraid it's his time and I'm not ready. But if the vet says he's suffering, which I think he is, I will take care of him. God this hurts so much.

Does losing control of urine represent the end?

[Naughty Dingo]

Oh man BBM, losing control of urine is a bad sign. That coupled with the vomiting represents some major metabolic derangment.

It may be that tomorrow you might have to decide between aggessive support and inpatient care, or discontinuing your efforts. But maybe not.

I can't really tell you more without seeing him, but try to cuddle with him again tonight and tell him how much you love him and how important he has been to you. Your kitty will know what you are saying to him and will be comforted.

I am crying now mama, it is so hard to see a beloved pet suffer

ND

[babybugmama]

I did exactly that ND. I actually put a diaper on him, cut out a place for his tail and put down mattress pads all underneath us. I think I slept maybe 3 hours. The diaper actually worked though. He did throw up again last night. About 3 hours after his feeding.

I know you are right ND. I tried to talk to him all night and thought about all the good memories. I'm sobbing now. He has such a cool personality. When I first got him he would sleep in my hair at night. Drove me crazy. Then as he got older and became King of the castle with the addition of other cats, even cooler. My favorite memory of him is attacking shadows on the wall. Like they were the mice intruders extrodinaire. .

I will probably have to call off work today and that's not going to go over well. Especially b/c they won't get the whole pet thing. But regardless of what happens I need to be with him right now. Whether it's to take care of him or to say goodbye.

The vet said that there wasn't much they could do that I wasn't. Besides give him sub-c fluids. My heart is telling me that it's his time. I need to hear the vet say that too. If he says there is something we can do, I will do it. But I can't prolong his suffering. I know last night was really hard for him.

Thanks ND.