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PostPosted: Wed Mar 13, 2013 9:39 am 
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So an otherwise normal pet, she is 13 years old when suddenly last week she seemed to crash. After spending the weekend at the veterinary hospital she was sent home refusing to eat. I am now force feeding using a syringe 5-6 X per day... she will take some water but not enough to remain hydrated. Alert in the mornings but seems to crash again at nightfall... Vet expects the force feeding could go on for weeks.

I'm just not sure what to expect and when to let go. Open to helpful advice/experience.

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PostPosted: Wed Mar 13, 2013 12:15 pm 
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Have no good advice here but just want to say so sorry this is happening and hope the force feeding does help. Mainly getting that water down. Could it be that she is so upset with having been at the vet and will maybe be able to eat on her own soon once she feels stable at home again. Cats are so sensitive.


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PostPosted: Wed Mar 13, 2013 1:00 pm 
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Thank you Packy I certainly appreciate the kind words, part of having a pet is the inevitability of time, they just have that way of working themselves into the family and anytime is too soon.

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PostPosted: Wed Mar 13, 2013 2:21 pm 
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I am sorry to hear about your cat.

I am no help as far as personal experience.... but as always I did a quick Google

    Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid glands) is a very common disorder of older cats


http://www.fabcats.org/owners/hyperthyroidism/info.html

I have had problems with cats myself.. but mainly physical injuries... road accidents.

I know it's a worry, but all you can do is seek Vet assistance, and do what they suggest.



Please keep us posted.... hopefully good news
:8


If your thread title IS true ... then you do have my deepest sympathy. We have had to take a couple of cats to the vet to be put out of their misery... actually I couldn't do it.. my wife did it. It does become obvious that they are wasting away.. and you have to face up to the inevitable.
I have also had several cats killed as a result of road accidents... the grief is very real even for a cat you know for just a year or so, and worse for a cat you have had as a companion for a decade or more. As with all grief, all I can advise is the trite truth... you do get past it. You can remember the good times fondly. I hope you have some photos. Perhaps some time in the future you could share some photos here.
:32 :32

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PostPosted: Wed Mar 13, 2013 5:07 pm 
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Well my vet is not very straightforward regards a prognosis, we are waiting to see if she can recover at all; so far the hardest part is getting enough calories into her daily. It is difficult considering 10 days ago she seemed well but quickly succumbed to this disease. Only time will tell.

Thank you Rumpole for the link and the encouragement.

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PostPosted: Wed Mar 13, 2013 10:24 pm 
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I'm so sorry... I can't offer you any advice, I'm "on" my first cat, but maybe I can give you hope. My cat was rescued from a hoarder when he and his sister were newborns. He was very ill and death was almost a certainty. The rescuer (my friend and neighbor) force fed him with a eye dropper and he slowly improved. By the time he was 8 weeks (old enough to go to his permanent home) he was fit as a fiddle! I hope the force feeding is as successful for you and kitty. :32

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PostPosted: Wed Mar 13, 2013 10:46 pm 
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aghast Please take her to a Holistic Vet. They are regular Vets with MORE TRAINING. My Lucy's tumor has not grown in 5 months. Her regular Vet "gave her" 6 months to live.

Look into great food... The Honest Kitchen. Please...

Find a Holistic Vet in your area...
http://www.ahvma.org Go here.

Poor baby ... I have read when we feed them regular food, some company's sweep up the junk off the floor, including disinfectants too, junk etc. and make cat/dog food from that. She like my Lucy needs OPTIMUM CARE now!!

Good luck ... :84


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PostPosted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 3:08 pm 
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Thank you to both MM and Joni, Joni I will search the Honest Kitchen...
I used the link you provided Joni but there are no Holistic providers linked to my local Florida area. I will take the information and try to learn more about it and go from there so thank you for the starting point, one step closer.

Today has been difficult Teegan is refusing to take her food; so more patience, shorter feeding efforts more often, still noticeably losing weight though.

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PostPosted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 5:49 pm 
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Aghast ... Hi.

I would CALL The Honest Kitchen. I will try to get back to you with the number if you can't find it on the net. I think you can look at their cat food on their site - before you call them. I wonder if they will say dehydrated food and canned? I really would call them... not just write to them.

Good luck to you and the baby. :8 :6 :23

Couple more thoughts ...when I would start getting Lucy's food ready - (Lucy my Beagle) it has to sit for 5 minutes to re-hydrate. Guess who woulde go over and START EATING IT??? Lilly my Norwegian Forest Cat!! She loved Lucy's.

I am taking her for her first visit to the Holistic Vet in 2 weeks to get an OPTIMUM diet for her. After all, we ARE what we eat!!

I wonder if a **phone consult** to the NEAREST Holistic Vet would be any good? Or a consultation via internet? Write to a close one?

Prayers coming your way from OR (formerly from PA).


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PostPosted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 5:51 pm 
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Do you have a good Vet Hospital there? Can you take her there for another opinion??

I wonder about Homeopathic VET? That is different than Holistic. Any of those in your area?

Might want to try that?? :84


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PostPosted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 6:32 pm 
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Well I will be chatting with this one tomorrow... hoping for a positive option. Thanks for the heads up for an alternative approach!
http://holisticveterinaryorlando.com/

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PostPosted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 8:57 pm 
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Aghast OH GREAT! I am so glad. WE HAVE to try everything possible for our friends.
I feel THEY would do the same for us ... Going to click on it after I close this. Good girl!!!

Lucy never acted better in her life! Even kind of challenges me sometimes. MY LUCY???

Can you believe with arthritis in her back, STILL jumps up onto her chair? The Vet told me to also make a bed for her on the floor, in case some days she can't get up there.

I think you did take her to a Vet Hospital? I am sorry-- was rereading. Rushing here, as usual.

Your baby needs OPTIMUM EVERYTHING!

My friend had a cat that wouldn't eat, or drink and I think she wasn't young. Turned out she had Feline Lukemia I think. Could that be?


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PostPosted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 9:00 pm 
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A. aren't they great? This Dr. looks so good. It's great you are taking aggressive measures to help your baby. Wonderful! If - when anything ever happens, YOU KNOW you did the very best you did for her/him! YES!!! Me too!!

Where are you? What is her name? Want to put some strength and prayers into the universe for her.

Are you trying the dropper for water? Does that work?

A. I do love them. They are Vets PLUS much more. We ARE what we EAT ... I know this.

BTW everybody. DRINK your Mott's Garden Blend, or V8 DAILY! None of us get enough vegs.

Yesterday Lucy had some microwave baked Yams, today fresh green beans. Tomorrow fresh carrots.(2 meals a day) plus The Honest Kitchen, and the meat they tell me to give her, raw!! The next day brussels sprouts! I have a list if you want. You should see me in my robe ... no coffee ... cooking to order my Lucy's breakfast!! :66

HEAD'S UP. MAYBE WEIGH YOUR CAT NOW AND TELL HER WHAT SHE **USED TO WEIGH**? CALL YOUR OTHER VET? THEN SHE CAN TELL YOU HOW MUCH OF EVERYTHING.

Lucy gets fish oil capsules twice a day and a general vit. with heart supplement once a day. She has a heart murmur... new since her surgery last year.


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 22, 2013 2:59 am 
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Any news, Aghast? Any progress?

I only ventured off the GZ thread this evening, so I didn't see this thread earlier, but I do know of a brilliant holistic vet who does phone consultations. He's on the west coast of Canada. Hopefully you're happy with the holistic vet you were going to contact, but if not, check out http://www.richardcalland.com/. He was wonderful with my old dog.

I sure hope something can be done for your cat.


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 22, 2013 1:00 pm 
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Thank you for the concern, my most sincere Thanks to all for the caring responses.

Tuesday March 19th my cat, pet and companion Teegan passed.
Once she began to evidence symptoms there seemed to be little we were capable to prevent, with medication a younger cat might have survived, but age contributed in large part to the downward spiral.
In retrospect the first indicator of the onset of the thyroid issue was a rather dramatic weight loss coupled with an unquenched thirst. I would suggest to any reader that noticeable weight loss should be indicative of the need for assessment by your pets health care provider. In this case it was the only precursor to a sudden crash by an otherwise healthy active pet, since they cannot tell us what ails them we must watch... carefully.
Thank you again to all.

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PostPosted: Fri Mar 22, 2013 1:31 pm 
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Sorry to hear the news, Aghast.

:32

It is a sad thing when a pet dies.

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PostPosted: Fri Mar 22, 2013 1:44 pm 
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I appreciate that, I had been quite distracted from much other than her care for the past two weeks slowly beginning to come to terms with the conclusion. The hardest part is putting away those everyday things we take for granted, food & water bowls etc... it's tough.

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PostPosted: Fri Mar 22, 2013 2:02 pm 
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Aghast I am truly sad about Teegan. We tried didn't we?

Yes, water bowl, etc.
Little Things Mean A Lot :DN4 :10

I think there are some good books out there about losing a dear pet/friend. Maybe visit your Barnes & Noble store and ask them WHICH is the best/most popular one they have? Salespeople often know their stock.

I am so sad for all of you ... :( :32

R.I.P. Teegan :23


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 22, 2013 5:52 pm 
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I'm so sorry, Aghast. :( It's just so hard to say good-bye to them.

Cyber hugs to you.


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 22, 2013 8:45 pm 
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My heartfelt thanks to everyone, it really does help. Give them a hug for/from me...

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