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Sick Cat

Sent to Cat Experts July 25, 2006 12:00 a.m.

I have a two year old female cat, mostly outside and in the garage at night who had a high fever of 105 two weeks ago. (She had recently lost a bunch of weight and I noticed she looked quite thin). Took her to vet, who performed a physical exam and suspected a kidney infection. Treated with Amoxicillin. Cat perked up a bit but didn't eat a whole lot. A week later was listless and not moving. Took her to the regular vet who upon physical exam noticed a large hole under kitty's chin which was not there when we went to the first vew. He prodded the hole and pulled out a long skinny worm--this was not a cuteberbra. The cat has been very ill since that time, no fever though. Vet gave kitty a worming pill and sent us home with Keflex. Three days later I call the vet as kitty was not eating or drinking. Vet keeps her for 48 hours and gives subcutaneous fluids, Baytril, a vitamin supplement, a mild tranquilizer (to stimulate appetite) and clindamycin. Kitty perks up a bit and I take her home. He was able to insert his scope about 2" into this hole, which runs along her trachea. Currently kitty will only lick food. She will not drink anything, and can only manage a couple pieces of kibble.I am feeding her moist food with cream in it to make a soupy, which she will lap up for a few minutes. Medications include injections of Lincocin (.15cc every 24 hours), Baytril (every 12 hours), and a mild sedative.
The vet is perplexed, and I have a very sick cat who doesn't seem to be responding to treatment. The hole under her chin seems to be better (it doesn't smell as bad as it did). But kitty is not urinating except once per day (no fluid intake) and I am concerned about her wasting away.
The worm he pulled out of her neck looked similar to a heartworm. Vet thinks that perhaps this was a heartworm but in the wrong host, and thus "confused" as to where it was supposed to go. He surmises that the hole in kitty's neck could have been a mosquito bite, thus transmitting the heartworm.
Any ideas as to what the problem might be? Vet has gone through all the botfly/maggot literature and cannot find anything, so I am turning to the internet.

Edited by Customer (name blocked for privacy) on July 25 2006 at 12:16am

Customer (name blocked for privacy)

Status: Closed Value: $15

Info Request
July 25, 2006 12:21 a.m. (21 minutes and 20 seconds later)

REPLIED to Info Request

You've provided exceptional information and detail. You are also obviously dedicated to this cat and this isn't as common as I'd like to see (we have been rescuing and providing care for cats for decades!).

Anyway - while it's not really common for cats to have heartworm, it's not unheard of. Since the vet is suspecting this anyway, you might want to share this site with him

http://www.vetmed.auburn.edu/distance/cardio/all.html#Clinical%20Signs

It's loaded with professional information and guidance for the medical professional when it comes to diagnosing and treating this problem.

I really hope it helps and would appreciate it if you'd let me know how this goes. I can 'hear' your concern and having been there a few times with medical emergencies and complications, I completely understand how you want to just fix this and make this cat better .

Please check back with me ok?

Good luck and God bless !

__________________
Many have forgotten this truth, but you must not forget it.

You remain responsible, forever, for what you have tamed.

TheCaretaker -- Own Animal Care & Rescue -- 100% Positive Feedback on 1419 Cat Accepts
Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council member; Own Animal Rescue org; Animal care author

Reply to TheCaretaker
Sent July 25, 2006 12:38 a.m. (16 minutes and 34 seconds later)

I am trying to decide whether or not this cat is worth saving. She is a very nice kitty, and now that I have dumped a whole lot of money into her she will become a house cat, if she makes it. I just tried to give her a Baytril but she would not swallow it at all. This is the first pill she has spit back at me. What perplexes me is the hole in her neck. If it kitty was symptomatic for heartworm we would know what we were dealing with, but there has been no coughing or vomiting. However the hole in her neck is rather gross, and I suspect this is why she is not eating. I suspect I am looking for some sort of reassurance that my kitty will be fine, but right now things look rather grim. I can't tell is she is suffering or not, but she is literally wasting away in front of me.

Customer (name blocked for privacy)

Info Request
July 25, 2006 1:02 a.m. (24 minutes and 29 seconds later)

I can tell you from personal experience, I've seen cats seemingly at death's door not only slam it in death's face, but give him the 'paw' for many years to come!

I've also experienced spending (quite literally) a thousand dollars or more on a single cat only to loose him weeks or months later.

You have to follow your heart. No one can dictate what is there.

She sounds so much like a fighter, this may just be a rough spot and not the loss of the battle.

This vet sounds very good and caring - the heartworm testing isn't necessarily definitive at first; it may take a while and subsequent, various tests to confirm it. Or, just wait and see for a while now that she's stopped the other symptoms. The hole, well, it may take a while and it possibly has a secondary infection at this point.

If you're asking for an opinion, if it were MY cat, I'd wait. I'd let the vet know I'm limited in my funds and I need the shortcut exams (x ray opposed to the ongoing and more specific antibody tests?). I've often asked him to treat me like his poorer in-law. he wouldn't want me to tell anyone the cat was lost because of cost - right?

It just sounds like you've got so much heart invested in this girl already. If you're not absolutely sure it's time to 'give up', then it's not.

And you're not.

OK?

.... I'm going to want you to keep me updated.

__________________
Many have forgotten this truth, but you must not forget it.

You remain responsible, forever, for what you have tamed.

TheCaretaker -- Own Animal Care & Rescue -- 100% Positive Feedback on 1419 Cat Accepts
Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council member; Own Animal Rescue org; Animal care author

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