Jimmy struggling to swallow?

[farthing]

I took Jimmy into the vets last night because for the last few days he has been eating ( and keen) but after a few mouthfuls he gags and throws it back up with lots of watery mucus. The only thing he seems to manage is tesco nature turkey and rice, again he is keen to eat and does seem to struggle but manages to keep it down. The vet can't see anything bad in his mouth and his few teeth are OK, no bad smells. The vet gave a steroid injection to see if it would help but there has been no change and the next step will be a sedation to look down his throat. Jimmy is weak and poorly so it is something I'm not keen on but at the same time his only other option is PTS. I will see if he is any better tomorrow but..... I have no idea what I'm going to do, they vet thinks he doesn't have long left but his bloods hadn't changed last month and he seems happy enough. Its such a hard thing to decide, I don't want to PTS, mainly because I love him but if he is bright and happy it seems a shame to give up on him without giving him a chance.:?

[Shelley123]

So sorry to hear about Jimmy, if he can only keep down Tesco food you could just keep him on that.
I agree it would be a shame to PTS if he's bright and happy.
Has he got a thyroid problem farthing ? i ask because i wonder if he has a goitre in his throat but i suppose the vet would have been able to feel that.
I wonder if cats can have a feline version of gaviscon or something.

[dandysmom]

I'm so sorry to hear Jimmy.s not doing well; sending god vibes. As long as he's bright and happy, I'd not give up just yet ......(((hugs)))

[angieh]

So sorry to read this about Jimmy, farthing. I suppose you have tried elevating his feeding dish to help him get a better angle for swallowing? It's a very hard call. Kizzy and I will speak to The Great Cat tonight.

[MrsH]

Sorry to hear about Jimmy, hope the steroid injection can help him. :(

[Velvet]

How is he?

[PoshPuss]

Poor Jimmy :( He's in my cat prayers tonight. Sending hugs to you too farthing. xx

[Manyana13]

Poor Jimmy... sending our hugs and positive healing vibes your way xx

[Shelley123]

Have had a quick read on the internet about cat vomiting and seveal articles say that sometimes particular foods can cause the cat to vomit.
A friend of mine can only feed her persian certain food because she vomits.
I do hope everything goes ok for Jimmy.

[farthing]

Jimmy does have thyroid problems but they are on the low side just now because of his meds and ongoing illness. I hadn't thought about raising his food, thanks for that. He is eating the tesco food, but brought up what he ate this afternoon soon after- I don't think it is really vomit, its more like regurgitation. I'll call the vet tomorrow to find out what we need to do now. He has just pooped, with a little help, which suggests he is getting some food in. I am really worried that I've hurt his throat when giving his meds, I use a pill giver, the vet doesn't think it is likely but its possible. Thank you for all the vibes and chats with the great cat. It is so frustrating, I so wanted to give him a couple of years where he wasn't in and out of the vet and could have a comfortable life. He looks so bright when I go thorugh to see him and toddles into the bathroom for his special extra feeds and I find it very hard to give up on him when he's like this. If he was dull and quiet and didn't want to eat then the descision would be much easier.

[PoshPuss]

You'll know when the time is right farthing, in the meantime Jimmy is getting the best of care and while he's happy you will get his cues. Bless you both :)

[yola]

I wonder if cats can have a feline version of gaviscon or something.

They do Shelley; Balie is on his 2nd course of antepsin to help him keep food down. It works but only while he is taking it as it doesn't help with any underlying problems but simply treats the symptoms.

I hope that Jimmy is able to eat again AND keep his food down. It's horrible when we seem powerless to help them.

[angieh]

I found slippery elm (recommended by Elaine) helped Merlin - it also has nutritional value.

[farthing]

I'm taking Jimmy back in this afternoon, he had blood in the food he brought up this morning. The vet wants to see him and give another check and is talking about getting an u/s scan done on Monday.
I feel so upset, I was talking to the vet I am seeing this afternoon about Jimmy and he was really upset- Jimmy spent a lot of time in the vets when with his previous owner. He was saying that when the time came none of the vets would want to do it, because they are all really fond of him. I know they would do it but for some reason it really upset me- so many people are fond of him.

[angieh]

I'll be thinking about you and Jimmy this afternoon farthing. Isn't it nice though, to know that many people care for him and love him?

[dandysmom]

Thinking of you both, farthing ........

[farthing]

Just back from the vet, nothing really obvious although I did ask the vet if he could be completely backed up with pooh. She had a good feel and didn't think so and at that point Jimmy did a massive pooh on the table- one of the best I've ever seen him have.:-D ( sorry if your having tea!)
He has been given a cerenia injection, an antibiotic and a zantac and I have some more zantac to take hom with me. I have to see homw he goes until morning and any probelms get him in to be dripped. Basically she was saying there isn't much more they can do for Jimmy, it may be cancer, it may be IBD/ megacolon or he may just be old and done. We just need to take each day at a time and hope he remains comfortable.

[angieh]

I wonder if that will help with his swallowing/eating? Amazing farthing - honestly, I didn't think he'd be coming home with you today.

[MrsH]

I really hope the monster poo helps, it must have significantly reduced internal pressure. Fingers crossed he's able to keep some food down this evening.

[farthing]

I wonder if that will help with his swallowing/eating? Amazing farthing - honestly, I didn't think he'd be coming home with you today.

Neither did I angie, I've been in a right state all day. I hope it all helps, he's such a quiet, gentle soul he doesn't deserve all this discomfort.

[Shelley123]

Hope Jimmy improves farthing

[farthing]

Well, I went to feed Jimmy this morning and he was keen to eat, however he immediately threw the food back up. My heart sank into my boots, but I had a wee feel and could tell he needed to pooh. I gave him an enema and he went to the litter tray about 15 mins later, he did a huge amount of digging and I thought that if he was on deaths door he wouldn't put that much energy into his toileting. He passed another good sized pooh ( sorry folks :-D ) and went back to his bed. I offered him some food again a bit later and he kept it down :D , I have been giving him about 1/3 of a tray at a time and every time he sees me he wanders over to the toilet door, looking for more ( I'm feeding him in the toilet so nobody else hijacks his meal).
I did wonder if the zantac may also be helping move his bowel ( in rabbits it can act as a gut motility agent) I spoke to the vet but she didn't know but as there is no risk in using it we will keep him on it over the weekend and see how he goes. I genuinely think he had just got severely blocked up because I have been feeding him extra and his system couldn't take it. I will continue to feed extra but will also be extra vigilant about him toilets. Fingers crossed I'm right.

[angieh]

Poor chap - I don't fancy every being that blocked up! I wonder if that has been his problem. I really hope so, and that as it has started clearing through, he will be able to keep his food down.

You know I'm rooting for Jimmy!

[farthing]

Just found this,
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=1+2122&aid=3471.

zantac is ranitadine and it is also a colonic prokinetic drug.:D

[angieh]

Would it help to add pumpkin to Jimmy's diet as they are in season? I suppose that in a cat like Jimmy who has multiple other problems, a supposedly "simpler" solution could be overlooked by a vet.

[Shelley123]

Fingers crossed for Jimmy, farthing. Sometimes we know our Pets better than the vets.

[dandysmom]

Agree with Shelley! Fingers crossed for Jimmy here too......

[farthing]

Would it help to add pumpkin to Jimmy's diet as they are in season? I suppose that in a cat like Jimmy who has multiple other problems, a supposedly "simpler" solution could be overlooked by a vet.

I don't know about pumpkin, the bit of reading I've done says that if bulking up the diet doesn't work then the cat should go on to the opposite kind of diet, one of highly digestable food that will, I assume, produce a little amout of waste. My other concern is that the vets are convinced this is all caused by a form of IBD so we try to avoid too many changes to his diet.

He's had another zantac injection and an enema this evening- and had another pooh. He has eaten well all day but wasn't interested at teatime, but I could feel he was a bit bunged up again. I'm off to give him a small amount of food again so it will be interesting to see if he will eat now. I am just so glad he wants to eat and is managing to keep it down.

[angieh]

It's very good news that he is eating and keeping it down. Well done Jimmy (and farthing too!)

[dandysmom]

How is he now, farthing?

[farthing]

He is much brighter today, but thrown up a couple of times, still he is keen to eat and is keeping some down. I can feel he has some bits in him, but there are too far back at the moment to 'expel'. He will get his zantac a bit earlier tonight and I will maybe give him another enema( depending on how he feels) and take it from there. I am convinced he isn't ready to go yet.
I admit I feel a little under pressure because none of the vets want to lose him, and his owner's carer still asks after him ( she had asked the vet on Tuesday how he was). I wouldn't drag him on because of this but I will feel a bit of a failure if we lose him and that I have let lots of people down ( even though I know the vets will say it is time and are surprised he has lived this long!)
I am not being very clear am I, but I just feel I try so hard sometimes and in an innocent type of way, can't understand why it isn't enough
I sound nuts now, don't I.:oops:

[angieh]

Absolutely not farthing - nuts, I mean. I understand how you feel about Jimmy, you've explained it well enough.

All I can say is you will know when Jimmy has had enough and you will let that guide you.

I had heard people say that before and didn't understand what they meant but I knew when my lovely old Merlin was just fed up with it all. You understand completely that you have to let him go when he wants it, and not be persuaded by what others think.

[yola]

Angie is right. When we are one-to-one with the cat we care for; whether we have known that cat for 20 years or 20 weeks there is something that tells us when they don't want to fight any more.

Whilst you owe it to Jimmy to give him every opportunity to gain strength and recover, you know probably better than anyone, that when their time is up . . . it's up to you to help him to a better place.

Keep fighting for him but keep an open mind; and that is the best we can do for them.

[laurafife]

You sound like a very caring and thoughtful cat owner.

Thinking of you.

Laura x

[farthing]

Jimmy is looking much brighter today and is hovering by the bathroom door whenever I go into the hall. He has brought up food once today, but I can feel he needs to go, so later on I will give him an enema.
I was rather touched this afternoon, but he came and rubbed against me, it doesn't sound much but he has never done that before. He will respond if you give him cheek rubs, but generally he is the most introverted cat I've ever met, I am amazed that he has shown any kind of emotion and rather touched by it.:D

[Shelley123]

He knows you are doing your best for him Farthing

[angieh]

You have touched his spirit farthing - he has acknowledged that and no wonder. I am still rooting for you Jimmy.

(How old is he?)

[farthing]

He's somewhere between 16 and 17, so an older gentleman.

[dandysmom]

Everyone is rooting for dear Jimmy; that was so touching about the rubbing.......

[farthing]

Sorry I've not been on much, things have gone a bit mad here, but just thought I'd let you know how Jimmy was doing. He is now on oral zantac and has been for about a week, he has stopped being sick and is eating small amounts every 3 or so hours. I have NOT helped him pooh since before the weekend but he is obviously going because he doesn't feel bunged and would have been sick by now if he was. I don't know if this will continue or if he will go backwards again, but I'm hopeful and i'll be interested to see if he has put on weight on the 27th when he gets his acupuncture.

[angieh]

That sounds good for Jimmy, farthing. I do so hope that he remains stable and puts on a bit of weight.

[dandysmom]

Glad to hear that, farthing!! :D

[calismum]

That's good news I had wondered how he was. Hope he has put a bit of weight on.

[Shelley123]

Fantastic news for Jimmy :smt041

[PoshPuss]

Keep getting better Jimmy lad ;) phew!