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cat vomiting and not eating after shots?

Sent to Cat Experts June 28 2008 at 3:50 PM
   

My five year old domestic short hair was at the vet last week because she had been occasionally tugging at her fur on her belly and we wanted to get that checked out. Otherwise, she was fine. The vet suggested we give her Omega-3 Fatty acid in some wet foot each day by squeezing the liquid in the pills into her food. The vet also gave our cat her updated shots: rabies and distemper. Within a day or so of getting home, our cat developed a cold and was sneezing quite a bit. A few days later, she began to vomit. It's now been 3 days since the vomiting began and she isn't eating, so she's vomiting a yellow liquid. Otherwise she is acting very normal, although she is still sneezing a little now and then. Her belly is not sensitive to the touch, she isn't hiding from us, etc. Any suggestions?

Edited by Customer (name blocked for privacy) on June 28 2008 at 3:53 PM

 

Optional Information:
Age: 5; Female; Breed: domestic short hair

Already Tried:
we've tried giving her different wet foods (without the Omega-3 -- we stopped giving her that when she started vomiting) but she isn't interested in it, although she still comes running to the kitchen when she hears us opening the can./p>

Customer (name blocked for privacy)
Status:  Closed   Value: $25
Answer
June 28 2008 at 5:08 PM (1 hour and 18 minutes and 37 seconds later)
         
ACCEPTEDCheck Mark

Hi there,

I am very worried about your kitty! It is possible for cats to have reactions to vaccines. The symptoms can range from mild to severe, and can include tenderness and swelling at the injection site all the way to vomiting, facial swelling and difficulty breathing. Some animals experience a reaction so severe that they can die if untreated. Please see the following website for more information on vaccine reactions.

http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=O&C=O&A=527

Omega 3 is pretty benign and usually doesn't cause any vomiting or other g.i. upset, but it was smart to stop giving it when the vomiting started. It is very dangerous for cats to go without eating as the liver will start to shut down without adequate nutritional support. Liver failure on top of what is already going on is a tough and expensive complication that you do not want to deal with. The fact that your kitty is still running to the kitchen as if she wants food is a very good sign, but I am worried that she will not have strength for long. There may be something else going on that is causing her to vomit, something unrelated to the vaccinations (foreign body ingestion, pancreatitis, there are many things that can cause vomiting in cats). I feel that your kitty needs to be seen ASAP, and I'm afraid it will have to be at an emergency hospital since it is saturday night and most regular vets are closed. I do not think your kitty should wait until monday to be seen, she will continue to decompensate and become dehydrated. If you have her seen now, you may be able to avoid hospitalization and ultra expensive vet bills.

The sneezing and cold symptoms you saw after kitty was vaccinated can sometimes be a normal reaction. When vaccinations are given, the body goes into overtime processing the vaccines. This suppresses the immune system a bit and opportunistic infections can flourish. If your kitty was placed on antibiotics for the cold, these antibiotics may be the cause of her vomiting. If that is the case, discontinue the meds immediately and wait to see your vet on Monday for different antibiotics. Please see the following website for more information on upper respiratory infection.

http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=O&C=O&A=613

One potential cause of your kitty pulling at the fur on her belly may be due to fleas. This can be a possibility even if kitty is strictly indoors and you are not seeing any fleas on her. Fleas can hitch a ride on the clothing of you or another family member, or can get in on another pet that does go outside. And, fleas spend very little time on the host, and if your pet is allergic, she is probably grooming the flea off of her as it bites her. I would suggest application of a safe flea preventative once a month to be sure. A good one to try would be feline advantage, frontline or revolution. Advantage is now available over the counter at your local pet store. Please stay far away from other OTC flea medicines as they can be toxic to cats (even though they are usually much cheaper).

Another possible cause for the hair pulling would be a disease called hyperthyroidism. Your kitty is a little young for this illness, but I mention it to be thorough. If the flea preventative does not help, and you wish to explore other causes, you can take your kitty to the vet for a comprehensive thyroid panel. Hyperthyroidism can often be managed with twice daily oral medication, and treatment is often for the life of the cat. Please see the following website for more information on hyperthyroidism.

http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=O&C=O&A=138

Please let me know if I can be of further assistance. If this has been helpful, please hit the green accept button. Best of luck with your kitty!

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ERAnimalNurse -- Emergency Critical Care Nurse -- 100% Positive Feedback on 847 Cat Accepts
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