Pancreatitis - Bobby not eating

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JackieandBobby
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Pancreatitis - Bobby not eating

Post by JackieandBobby »

Hi everyone, my first post so please be gentle,

my poor little Bobby was diagnosed with pancreatitis a couple of weeks ago and following a long and expensive stay in the hospital she came home but is now refusing to eat anything except Webbox Lick-e-lix. I have tried no end of different cat foods, fresh cooked chicken, salmon, prawns, tinned tuna, tinned salmon and sardines. I have tried supplements like Fortiflora etc but just nothing is working. She's not eaten properly now for 10 days.

She had a check-up at the vets yesterday and she is hydrated and temperature etc all seems to be normal, I finally persuaded them to give her some pain relief , which is the advice that seems to be universally suggested for any type of pancreatitis, which I have started to administer but no real change in appetite.

So what I’m wondering is does anyone have any tips for getting her to start eating again? I spoke to the very helpful Veterinary Advice line at Purina (more use than my vet to be honest) and the nurse there suggested that it could take up to 2 months before little Bobs got her appetite back, anyone on her have any experience of cats with Pancreatitis.

I’m very worried about more poor little Bobs, she just seems to be slipping away (oh just so you now she’s also FIV+)

Thanks in advance, Tony
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Re: Pancreatitis - Bobby not eating

Post by booktigger »

Have you tried syringe feeding her?
JackieandBobby
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Re: Pancreatitis - Bobby not eating

Post by JackieandBobby »

Hi, No i have not, I was advised against that at this stage by my vet. But I think I may have to soon if she doesn't start to eat soon. Though I have never had to do it to my cats before, so could be fun!
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Ruth B
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Re: Pancreatitis - Bobby not eating

Post by Ruth B »

Welcome to the forum and I'm sorry it isn't in better circumstances.

If she is hydrated does this mean she is drinking of her own accord, if so could you try her on chicken broth or the cat soups you can get now. While it won't give her all she needs it might help in the short term and get her back into the idea of eating.

I've never had a cat with Pancreatitis so it is just throwing ideas out at random.

I do hope that Bobby picks up soon.
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Re: Pancreatitis - Bobby not eating

Post by booktigger »

JackieandBobby wrote:Hi, No i have not, I was advised against that at this stage by my vet. But I think I may have to soon if she doesn't start to eat soon. Though I have never had to do it to my cats before, so could be fun!
That surprises me, if she hasn't eaten properly for 10 days, you are risking liver issues. Hopefully Alan (I think - someone on here has had a cat with it) will see this.
JackieandBobby
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Re: Pancreatitis - Bobby not eating

Post by JackieandBobby »

Hi, well I think because she is eating the lick-e-lix (she's eating 3 per meal and 3 meals a day) the vet did not seem too concerned. But I think I will speak with them tomorrow but give it a try anyway. I will also cook up some chicken broth and see if she'll have any of that. Sadly tried the Car soups but she did not like those! Well I'll keep preserving.
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Re: Pancreatitis - Bobby not eating

Post by booktigger »

Lick-e-lix doesn't have enough nutrients in it though, maybe liquidise chicken to a similar consistency?
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Re: Pancreatitis - Bobby not eating

Post by alanc »

I have had some unpleasant experiences of Pancreatitis with my Tilly - indeed she nearly died from it last May (you will find a thread about it on here somewhere). Getting her to eat was the hardest part and she had a feeding tube installed for a week whilst at the vets for the last bout. Every time she has had a bout, she was not allowed home until she started eating. I have found that Thrive (Chicken and liver, chicken and turkey, chicken and salmon, tuna and salmon and ocean fish varieties) is the most effective at getting her to eat again. Gourmet Gold Pate (fish or chicken) also seams to work quite well. I now find that one cat is more expensive to feed than when I had two!
At least Bobs is eating something, even if it is only Lick-e-lix. Have you tied squirting some Lick-e-lix over other food of the same flavor? It might get her eating rather more than she is at present. It used to work with my Badger when he was off his food (he loved Lick-e-lix) but is no use with Tilly as she can't stand the stuff. Best of luck and hope you have better news soon.
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Re: Pancreatitis - Bobby not eating

Post by JackieandBobby »

Hi Alan, thank you for the advice, I tried mixing it in but she then refused to eat the lick-e-lix! But I think I need to just keep trying with her.
Spoke to another vet practise this morning who looked at Bob's notes and said we were doing all the right things and also confirmed what Purina said that it just takes time and patience to get her eating again. Interesting she also said to try to avoid syringe feeding her unless absolutely necessary as it can do more harm than good, due to it upsetting the cat and causing stress, Bob's was a street cat in Spain when she adopted me so does not particularly like being handle, though she's better than her Mom (Jackie) who is still very nervous even after 6 years of living with me.
So again thank you for advice, looks like I just have to keep trying.
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Re: Pancreatitis - Bobby not eating

Post by alanc »

Hi Jackie. Sorry that ruse didn't work with Bobs - cats just have to all be different and Badger was certainly quite odd in many ways!
I don't think my vets were keen on syringing food in either - hence the feeding tube which worked in giving Tilly's pancreas something to work on and not keep making her ill.
When Tilly finally started eating, she got well quite quickly and was in fine fettle after about a week. Longest after effect was her shaven fur and with the hot weather at the time, even that was of some benefit.
Best wishes to Bobs and hope she improves quickly.
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