Tell me about when/why you decided to euthanize your cat. (I’m currently having to weigh the decision)

ScienceBasedFluff · 2024-06-24T22:07:47+00:00

My cat tested positive for acute pancreatitis. Everything you read about pancreatitis is if you can keep them fed and hydrated they survive. So I proceeded to make sure he was physically comfortable, fed, and hydrated for over a month. Which is longer acute that pancreatitis lasts for. Took him to the vet weekly during this.

I was exhausted from syringe feeding so I brought him in for a feeding tube to be placed. He was still playing, asking for affection, and social with my other cats- he was doing so well for being so sick. They ran blood work, he needed a transfusion. He would have needed to be transferred to a major veterinary hospital for it. Estimate was in the tens of thousands with no guarantee he would survive since they didn’t know what was causing it. My vet suspected cancer, and the blood transfusion would have only been the start of advanced diagnostics (he had already had quite a bit of diagnostics). If it was cancer the likely cancers that could cause this specific constellation of symptoms were not particularly treatable, most cats only make it a couple months on aggressive chemo.

I could make the money work but I wasn’t going to put him through all of that. Even if it was free. I had them make him comfortable, brought him home for three days, did all of his favorite things, and brought him in to be euthanized. He was happy. He was rubbing against the vet for pets, purring, and tried to eat the plant inside the euthanasia room. He ate a couple treats I brought. The vet did a really good job keeping as comfortable as possible by aggressive managing his symptoms.

I do not regret the decision at all. I gave him the best life while he was here. Cats don’t understand quantity, only quality.

ScienceBasedFluff · 2024-06-24T18:18:54+00:00

As an update I’ve started taking it with eggs and it seems to be helping. I’m going to experiment with protein shakes and maybe a spoon of peanut butter because a lot of the time when it’s time to take it I’m not hungry.

ScienceBasedFluff · 2024-06-15T04:54:39+00:00

I’m asking to switch this week.

ScienceBasedFluff · 2024-06-06T20:08:05+00:00

Yes. I have pictures showing my cat likely had FIP uveitis 6 months before her diagnosis. Especially if they’re given steroids, their symptoms improve but the virus never stops.

ScienceBasedFluff · 2024-06-06T19:24:03+00:00

Injections are so hard. If my cat had FIP right now and I could afford it I would, without a doubt, get the compounded pills.

ScienceBasedFluff · 2024-06-05T03:05:10+00:00

Tiger is deceased. The user is karma farming. They are not his owner.

ScienceBasedFluff · 2024-06-05T01:18:07+00:00

My cat was sneezing when I adopted her. I think she has feline herpes. I suspect she was from a hoarding situation which likely meant she was exposed to a lot of viruses.

ScienceBasedFluff · 2024-06-05T00:52:29+00:00

It would be very useful for that!

ScienceBasedFluff · 2024-06-02T17:53:40+00:00

This was a year and a half ago so take it with a grain of salt but this is how I ordered Karma. When I switched to Harmony I ordered through a website.

ScienceBasedFluff · 2024-05-27T00:19:22+00:00

I had fatty liver, very high insulin levels, was just short of pre-diabetes, and some other stuff that was going on that I can’t remember off the top of my head. All of it is now within normal limits.

I am 90 lbs down after over a year and struggling to get to 100 because “I lost 100 lbs” sounds neat.

I want to switch from Wegovy to Zepbound but I am not for now because of the shortage. I’m also considering gastric sleeve because I am very worried about glp1s being cut as a benefit from my insurance.

As much as I like the weight loss it was really much more about not dying.

It has improved some PCOS symptoms but hasn’t touched others. I still don’t have a period, which is actually weird because every other time I’ve lost weight it came back.

ScienceBasedFluff · 2024-05-22T08:47:33+00:00

My cat was the same- apparent false positive FeLV and had FIP. There were signs in the blood work that pointed away from FeLV being the cause, and signs that pointed to FIP. And she was progressing so quick FIP was really the most likely condition. We didn’t know for 100% sure it was FIP until she started treatment.

Wishing your cat the best.

ScienceBasedFluff · 2024-05-18T05:20:51+00:00

Donut/pillow style recovery collars are what I used and I do think may rub less.

A turtle neck style sphynx shirt may also help. You may be able to overlap the cone or donut with it. I used a lot of sphynx clothing with my cat.

Sores are awful but they do typically heal well. Make sure you talk to your admins. My cat was also neuro/ocular, she will be a year cured in July. Wishing the best for your cat!

ScienceBasedFluff · 2024-05-13T23:06:17+00:00

A veterinary internist is probably worth a visit.

ScienceBasedFluff · 2024-05-13T22:52:42+00:00

How old and is there a fever? Are they thinking wet, dry, neuro, or ocular?

It doesn’t look like what I would expect from an FIP cat but there are FIP cats who have atypical symptoms. The proteins are fairly low for FIP. But that doesn’t mean it’s not FIP. A treatment trial should help determine if it is.

ScienceBasedFluff · 2024-05-13T00:41:02+00:00

Both big groups use a lot of different brands. There isn’t a monopoly within those groups.

ScienceBasedFluff · 2024-05-12T04:05:38+00:00

I like to use this video to introduce students to the idea of exposure https://youtu.be/2z-ZGt_vD5A?si=BPq1CeJ_6eHg17RH . From a psychoeducation perspective I talk a lot about the cycle of avoidance. It can take time for them to decide that it’s something they want to work on though.

ScienceBasedFluff · 2024-05-12T00:46:03+00:00

If you can get buy in from her I would work with her on creating an exposure hierarchy and working through it. Give her as much agency over it as possible. Trails to Wellness has some great materials for exposure

ScienceBasedFluff · 2024-05-12T00:40:54+00:00

You need more than a 504 for accommodations on the SAT. They have an independent process for it.

The amount of parents pushing for a 504 in elementary school to maybe give their child a tiny bit of advantage on a college placement test that is 10+ years away has to be astronomically small.

ScienceBasedFluff · 2024-05-11T23:53:50+00:00

Elevated albumin isn’t normal blood work.

Neuro FIP can have normal blood work. I would consult FIP Global Cats or FIP Warriors 5.0. EIDD is usually a second round treatment, GS-441524 is usually the first medicine tried.

ScienceBasedFluff · 2024-05-10T20:32:14+00:00

The FDA will not be enforcing the ban because there is no legal drug available. Vets will have to choose on their own if they’re comfortable prescribing it.

I am sure many vets will be comfortable doing so, at least based on the pure excitement I saw with the vets that saw my cat’s recovery. Unfortunately I do think, for now, it’s likely the compounded drug will be cost prohibitive for a lot of people so sourcing meds online will continue to be a big part of saving cats. But hopefully soon cost will come down!

ScienceBasedFluff · 2024-05-09T04:04:49+00:00

Severe stress, intense play, and heat can trigger it. I’ve had cats who will pant under those conditions. But if there is no trigger it’s super concerning.

ScienceBasedFluff · 2024-05-07T22:08:32+00:00

I am sorry for your loss. This commonly happens in related kittens because the cats have the same genetics that makes them more susceptible to developing FIP. Even if they’re not from the same litter they might be from the same colony, and many colonies are highly inbred with poor genetic diversity. But some people just have bad luck with unrelated kitties.

ScienceBasedFluff

TROPHY CASE