A long battle with Kylie's food and sods law.

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Crewella
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Re: A long battle with Kylie's food and sods law.

Post by Crewella »

Good luck for tomorrow, all paws here crossed for you both. xx
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Re: A long battle with Kylie's food and sods law.

Post by bobbys girl »

Thinking about you and Kylie today. Hope all goes well. x
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Re: A long battle with Kylie's food and sods law.

Post by meriad »

Good luck for today Mark - thinking of Kylie and you x
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Re: A long battle with Kylie's food and sods law.

Post by MarkB »

Thanks everyone. Now news as yet. I assume that unless they see anything obvious, we will have to wait for lab results.
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Re: A long battle with Kylie's food and sods law.

Post by Lilith »

Yes, hoping all is well and that you might have her back with you by now. I'm assuming they don't have to send samples to Glasgow these days and that you hear soon.

As ever, all paws and tails crossed for a good outcome and fusses to Kylie :)
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Re: A long battle with Kylie's food and sods law.

Post by MarkB »

Sorry, meant to update earlier. I went in at 2.30pm to see how she was doing. The vet came to see me. He said that her pre-op bloods showed that she is severely anaemic, which would make it risky doing a biopsy. They have taken more bloods to send off to determine what the cause is - ie either kidney related (although her kidney bloods are excellent) or if she is losing blood from a bleed. He mentioned a lot of stuff Ididn't understand, but said that the results will be back on Wednesday. He also said that if they can sort out the anaemia, the diarrhea could well stop and she would also gain weight.

Nobody explained why I wasn't told ealier, nor why she wasn't fed! - she was ravenous when she got home. They must have already given her a GA as she was really wobbly on her legs. She manged to stumble upstairs, despite her legs going all over the place.

Anyway, no diarrhea for a couple of days.

It really is puzzling.

So a waiting game now.
Last edited by MarkB on Tue Sep 22, 2015 9:12 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: A long battle with Kylie's food and sods law.

Post by meriad »

I know with my vets they have morning consultation and then surgeries only start about 11.30 / 12.00ish, so maybe that's the same with your vet hence not calling you earlier in the day?

But regardless, fingers crossed that the blood test shed some light on what the problem may be and that you have something to work with and can get some weight back on your girl and the diarrhoea stops / gets under control.

Fusses all round
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Re: A long battle with Kylie's food and sods law.

Post by Crewella »

Hopefully they will get some answers that can help her. Glad she's home safe. xx
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Re: A long battle with Kylie's food and sods law.

Post by MarkB »

A Kylie update.

I took her in for her 9am appointment. She weighs the same as last week. A bit disappointing, but could have been worse. As I couldn't get a urine sample, the vet got one direct from her bladder (sounds painful, but he assured me it isn't and that he does it all the time)

He did a urine test. I can't remember the proper name, but it is something like comparative creatinine and something test, to indicate how badly damaged kidneys are, the normal test showed her numbers all being good. He called back early afternoon and said there is no protein in her urine and everything seems fine. Kidney disease is unlikely. He old me to bring er in straight away for a B12 shot.

He is still baffled as to the cause of her anaemia, but thinks the extra bad bout of diarrhea is likely. He told me to keep on encouraging her to eat as she can't afford to lose any more weight. He said if she does, we have very little time left. He also told me to give her a Fortiflora probiotic once a day. I told him she wouldn't touch them any more, nor would she touch the protexin version I bought. I told him I had some Protexin symbiotic capsules. but wasn't sure if they had enough probiotic in. He wasn't aware of them, so googled and said they are fine. They are quite small, so I am giving them down the hatch. (and they cost a fraction of the powder version - £15 for 50 as opposed to £1+ each)

She is back in on Monday for weighing and repeat bloods to monitor the anaemia, which is severe. He said bottom line is, she can't afford to lose weight while investigations are being done.

She is eating well, although annoyingly, she won;t touch any dry food, which would help her.

Her stools are firmer, although far from perfect. She loves me again :) (She has gone back to putting her paw on me)

I have also ordered some digital pet scales on eBay - only £21 and they have 10g increments.
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Re: A long battle with Kylie's food and sods law.

Post by bobbys girl »

So, good news, but still no answers? How frustrating. With out trawlling back through the posts, does Kylie like yoghurt? Willow loves it and is never far away when I finish mine - she lick the bowl clean. We have Yeo Valley probiotic.
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Re: A long battle with Kylie's food and sods law.

Post by MarkB »

Ria suggested Yoghurt last week. I bought some Yeo Valley, but she wouldn't touch it. The capsules are highly concentrated, so probably better. I managed to get one 'down the hatch' last night :)

http://www.protexin.com/products/synbiotic-d-c/33" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: A long battle with Kylie's food and sods law.

Post by nannymcfee »

Mark, do they give cats colonoscopy's?

Reading back on kylie's symptoms again, my sister was diagnoised with bowel cancer , only after doctors first thought her symptoms of anaemia, weight loss and itching,was due to her thyroid .The colonoscopy showed why she was so anaemic. She takes thyroid tablets everyday and after surgery for the cancer, is fine now.

Hope you soon find out what is wrong with poorly Kylie.
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Re: A long battle with Kylie's food and sods law.

Post by SarahT1 [PLLE] »

So glad she's eating and showing you affection, sounds as if she's more settled in herself. Keep the updates coming, Mark. We're all living through this for you and your girl.
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Re: A long battle with Kylie's food and sods law.

Post by Crewella »

Such a worry, I really hope she continues to eat over the weekend. Sending positive vibes, fusses and hugs. xx
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Re: A long battle with Kylie's food and sods law.

Post by MarkB »

Thanks everyone. She is eating well, but sleeping most of the time. Her eyes are brighter and she isn't hunching. I don't want to get our hopes up, but I am beginning to see a glimmer of hope. We still have cow pats, but not continuous eplosive liquid - so hopefully she is beginning to absorb the nutrients she needs.

Odd that she won't touch dry any more and has found new favourites. One being Butchers Classic, that I wouldn't have dreamt of trying if I hadn't mentioned it to someone else on her recently. I bought a pack to try with Kasper and Ingrid. I was taking the remains of the can down to put on the bird plate and Kylie was n a chair outside. She wanted to know what I had. I let her sniff it, thinking she would dismiss it - as she has in the past when I have bought it - but no, she had a good feed. Since then, she has been eaing lots of it. Also the Sainsbury's domes.

I don't expect much weight gain in 5 days, but quietly confident there will be a 50 - 100g gain on Monday.

Not sure if I mentioned it, but they now have pet/baby scales on eBay for £21, so I have ordered some to keep an eye on her weight.
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Re: A long battle with Kylie's food and sods law.

Post by MarkB »

I am pleased to report that Kylie has gained 190g in 5 days :D

The vet said that is an incredible weight gain for a cat - although to be fair, previously they had used the floor scales, but today he used the table top ones, which he said are more accurate.

He didn't do bloods, but we are back on Thursday for those.

Mark the vet thinks it is down to the B12, but I think it might be a combination of things, as the liquid poos had stopped before she had the shot - although her appetite has gone up a lot over the last few days. Whatever it is, we will keep doing it.

She had 2 fairly sloppy poos overnight and another in the garden (so I know that none of the weight is poo) I wasthinking what she might hae eaten yesterday that she hadn't for a while - I realised it was a pouch of RC sensitive digest - the only food she has eaten in weeks with cereal in. I won't give her any more for the time being. She is loving the Sainsbury's domes, Classic, Felix senior and Lidl jelly pouches anyway.
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Re: A long battle with Kylie's food and sods law.

Post by Kay »

great news, Mark

wasn't B12 deficiency the cause of the pernicious anaemia which killed a lot of people in Victorian times, before vitamins were discovered?
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Re: A long battle with Kylie's food and sods law.

Post by bobbys girl »

Really good news Mark. Keep up the good work! :D
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Re: A long battle with Kylie's food and sods law.

Post by Lilith »

Very glad to hear! :D
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Re: A long battle with Kylie's food and sods law.

Post by Janey »

Great news and she must feel lots better too, fingers and paws crossed xx
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Re: A long battle with Kylie's food and sods law.

Post by SarahT1 [PLLE] »

MarkB wrote: I told him I had some Protexin symbiotic capsules. but wasn't sure if they had enough probiotic in. He wasn't aware of them, so googled and said they are fine.
Go Kylie - keep it up, gorgeous girl!

I forgot to say when you posted the above, Mark, that Edgar has Protexin capsules. He has the dog version but one every other day instead of one a day. They are described as for pancreatic function but I think they are good for him generally too, as he has a tendency towards soft poos and other hang overs from his years as a stray. I give them to him in a small helping of Lou Lou's Felix AGAIL and they disappear no problem. Anything else and he turns his nose up, but AGAIL triumphs over a multitude of meds except Metronidazole! It's also vital we avoid cereals with him too, not just because of his diabetes. The difference it makes to his poo is massive.
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Re: A long battle with Kylie's food and sods law.

Post by Crewella »

That really is a great weight gain, well done Kylie (and well done you!). :)
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Re: A long battle with Kylie's food and sods law.

Post by MarkB »

Thanks all. No real news, but the scales came today. I just weighed her, and assuming the scales are accurate, she is now 2.81kg, so a 30g increase since Monday - not a lot, but in the right direction :)

We are back tomorrow for bloods.

PS - Kay, I think you might be right about pernicious anaemia, although I always thought it was incurable. I'm not really up on that kind of thing.

PS - I am managing to mix 1/2 sachet of Protexin enterogenic into a Sainsbury's dome. She doesn't eat it all, but 1/2 sachet is the dose for up to 5kg.
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Re: A long battle with Kylie's food and sods law.

Post by Crewella »

As you say, in the right direction. One thing's for sure, Mark - with all your experience, your care and your attention to detail, if anyone can keep her going it's you. Good luck for tomorrow. xx
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Re: A long battle with Kylie's food and sods law.

Post by MarkB »

Thanks Helen. ;) The vet did her bloods and said he would call back in a couple of hours.
I am still waiting! :roll:

Anyway, he thought she was looking brighter. I said that one thing I had noticed was that she wasn't yowling when I picked her up now. He said that he only got a hiss rather than a yowl :)

I'm sure there will be some new tomorrow. He mentioned giving her a B12 shot every few weeks. I remember reading that for humans, daily sub-lingual B12 lozenges were as good as shots, so I will look into it.
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Re: A long battle with Kylie's food and sods law.

Post by Crewella »

I remember a B12 shot used to really pick my old Giddy up in her last year. All paws here still crossed. xx
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Re: A long battle with Kylie's food and sods law.

Post by MarkB »

I just managed to weigh her and she has gone down to 2.74kg :( - she has been eating really well. Lots of sloppy poos, but no full on diarrhoea. I was sure she would weigh more.

We are on the last box of Lidl food - one of the few she is eating well. I am off in search of more tomorrow. I guess we can only try.

The vet said on Thursday that there were some new regenerative cells, but he didn't know if that was good or bad. I didn't know what he meant, but from what I can make out, it means that he body is producing new RBCs, but possibly there is a bleed somewhere. Is is really complicated. One site said that although anaemia is usually associated with iron deficiency, there are over 200 types.

He said he wants to give her several B12 shots fairly close together and then start spacing them out. Apparently if an animal is able to produce RBCs, but is anaemic, quite often, the cells are immature when they are released - I think that is why he might have said he wasn't sure if the new cells were a good or bad thing.
Last edited by MarkB on Mon Oct 05, 2015 7:59 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: A long battle with Kylie's food and sods law.

Post by SarahT1 [PLLE] »

Oh Mark, what a roller coaster for you. Hope Kylie has a good week upcoming. Thinking of you both. Kisses to the little girl.
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Re: A long battle with Kylie's food and sods law.

Post by Crewella »

I know it's in the wrong direction, but that's only a small amount Mark - not much more than a poo's worth. Hopefully she'll put it on again soon. xx
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Re: A long battle with Kylie's food and sods law.

Post by MarkB »

2.92kg :) - still a way to go, but 320g in 3 weeks isn't bad (especially as her weight dropped again last week). Poos still not solid, but nothing explosive. He gave her another B12 shot and did bloods. He said he would call back later, but as last week, he didn't :roll:

I mentioned that I had a card in the post yesterday saying her booster was overdue. He said he wants to wait until she is tip-top, maybe in another fortnight if she carries on gaining weight as she has so far.

Realistically, I don't think she will be tip-top in 2 weeks, if ever, but hopeful for a good improvement. She was very calm at the vets, but was quite well enough to swear at the vet :)

I went to Lidl on Monday and luckily they had some of the jelly food. I took 10 of the12 boxes they had. It will be even more scarce now as the case now contains 3 different boxes, rather than two. They have decided to introduce another jelly mix with silly flavours like beef in tomato jelly. I nearly bought one, but saw that it contains cereals and no inulin.

PS - we are on the 2nd night without evil fumes :lol:
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