Help Hepatitis

[nora]

Hello!
Just wondered if you could help. I'm the proud owner of a 9 year old cat. I've been away on holiday so left her with my mum and dad. When we got back monday morning, my dad rang to tell me she'd been at the vets since last thursday as she was really really ill and had stopped eating.
Anyhoo, monday night the vet let us take her home. She has hepatitis (possible lipidosis) he wasn't sure what's caused it and she's on antibiotics and some medecine to help her liver and stimulate her appetite. Our guess is she stopped eating when we left her there ((she stayed for a month, last year she pulled all her fur out...)
So, since she's been back at our house there has been a slight improvement.She had a sniff around outside, today she investigated under the bed... She didn't eat a thing from monday night till tuesday evening... Tuesday i got her to eat some ham (about 2 50p coin sized pieces), yesterday she had ham twice and tuna once (she won't even look at cat food)
Does anyone know how much she needs to be eating? I'm really worried. Has anyone had a cat with this, what was the recovery process like? Yesterday i worked from home so i could be with her, today i went in and she's not eaten as much... i don't know if it's related. I just want her better

[Elaine]

Hi Nora, so sorry to hear you and your cat are going through this.
I had one cat who died from hepaticlipidosis, sadly it was much more stressful for him and us to try to treat him, so we let him go. My other dear kitty died almost two years ago after being diagnosed with cholangiohepatitis, later we discovered she had a mass in her bileduct and we let her go also.
Sadly these things can take months for a cat to recover from and the treatment really needs to be prompt and aggressive. It is so important to get your cat eating in order to turn this around. Did your vet give any prescribed food?

http://www.fabcats.org/owners/liver/info.html
http://rememberingfarley.tripod.com/...se_in_cats.htm
http://ezinearticles.com/?Cats-With-...Them&id=442740

[angieh]

Hi Nora - I am so sorry to hear about your cat. I can offer no advise or help, but just wanted you to know that I have read your post and that I am sending healing vibes. Poor pusscat. What's her name btw?

[nora]

No he just gave us antibiotics and some zentonil (which apparently is high in protein and other stuff and i also to help her liver)
He told us to avoid any red meat...
She does seem a bit better (by no means out of the woods though) but i'm just wondering how much she should be eating really? Maybe after not eating for so long her stomach has shrunk so needs to go back to normal too?
Elaine she's had an echography at the vets and apart from a slightly enlarged liver there are no tumours or anything (blood test confirmed this)
Angeih, she's called Missy

[Elaine]

Am pleased to hear she doesnt appear to have any tumours.
I'm not sure exactly how much she should be eating tbh, maybe some one else will have a better idea on that.
Personally what I'd do is I'd get a good nutritious food, probably something designed to help with liver issues. I'd mush it up with a little tuna, sardine or something like that and a little cooled, boiled water and feed her little and often, maybe even syringing some of the mushed food into her mouth if need be. Maybe even a warm chicken broth, without the oinions and seasoning obviously.
By warming the food, it helps to bring out the smell and often makes the food more tempting, by adding some cooled boiled water to the food, you are also helping to rehydrate her a little too.
Another small tip would be to try raising her bowls a little, put them ontop of a couple of books or something so as she doesnt have to lower her head to eat/drink. This helps if she is nausious.
I hope that helps and I sincerely hope she comes good xxx

[Elaine]

Maybe try to get some Hills Science Plan l/d or some liquivite cat food.

The following link has some info on caloric intake.
http://www.lbah.com/liver8.html

[dandysmom]

Just to say I'm so sorry, Nora, I have no helpful suggestions but an sending healing vibes for Missy ........

[truthisouthere]

From experience one of my cats Mitzi has elevated liver enzymes, (not quite as bad as Missy). I have found she loves NUTRIGEL. It makes sure she gets all her nutrients her body needs for the day. If she is ever off her food I make sure she has this disolved in some chicken broth or off the boil and cooled but warm water. Usually she is happy for me to add half a pouch or tin of wet food. I make eating easy for her by bringing it to wherever she is at breki time and hold it for her turning the saucer as she eats so she gets all the best bits she loves, and making sure she gets at least 3 little meals a day with food always left out for her when she feels she wants just a nibble. Access to plenty of fresh water too.

Nora it is vital that Missy eats something every day, and it needs to be high protein, have you tried raw fresh chicken breast? This is very good. Also vital to make sure she has no fatty foods, these will turn her stomach anyway, having liver problems tends to make you spurn all fatty foods and she will benefit from fresh raw chicken regularly, most cats take to this, a piece about half the size of your palm most days will do her good. Kneel beside her and break it off into tiny pieces. As with any change in diet start with a little at first. Sounds like she is telling you she wants high protein anyway by going for the pure meat.

Keep looking out for signs of nausea, and keep her fed on the best, each day. This should help, along with a huge helping of your TLC. Some cats just need hand feeding to get them over the worst.

[Velvet]

Hugs from us xx

[nora]

Well today is not going well. She hasn't eaten since the tiny piece of tuna last night. She was constipated this morning (has calmed down since she passed what she needed to)
However she's been restless moving round the house (found her on the bathroom rug?!), currently moving from laying on the couch next to me and then going to the bedroom
She has absolutely no interest in food though, I'm really really at my wits end. Rang vet and he had no other advice than to keep on the medecine and offering food.
We tried force feeding but she was sick after...
Gah