Hi
Diane, I can't tell you how sorry I am to hear Patches hasn't been feeling well. It's a very good sign that he's begun to improve, but you're right, it's critical that you get him to eat something and keep as much weight on him as possible. It would be a good idea to find out what kind of abx you are giving him. Unfortunately, most of us have had to take crash courses on veterinary care to insure our babies are properly diagnosed and treated. We don't have time to mess around with even "educated" guesses. Felv, in and of itself, is not what our kids die from, it's the secondary, opportunistic, illnesses that are able to take hold because of their weakened immune responses that cause the problems. You're doing great in keeping on top of the illness, it's good that you went to the vet, but you need to know exactly what is wrong in order to treat Patches quickly and help him fight whatever is going on. You've had experience with lack of appetite before, so you probably know a lot of tricks to get them to eat. When they don't feel good you have to keep switching foods because they tend to "blame" whatever they're eating on how crummy they feel. Of course if he can't smell, he won't want to eat either. Have you tried warming his food to bring out the aroma? Sometimes they'll lap, but not chew. Sometimes they want a bowl, not a plate and visa versa. Try offering a bit of food, (make it small portions, large amounts seem to intimidate), right after the first attempt at syringe feeding, sometimes it sort of kick starts them eating. I'm sorry to hear about your Luc. Are you saying you nursed him through Pancreatitis and fatty liver disease?? Talk about the power of love and dedication! Most of us on the list have had to deal with money becoming a factor in our kid's care. It just sucks. My credit cards still have room, and so far I've been fortunate enough to find a way to pay for the things my guys need. What I try to keep in mind is that no matter what I can do for them, it's better than what they would have faced without my love and care. Sometimes all the money in the world is not enough, usually money is not the deciding factor anyway. My prayers and good thoughts are with you, Gail and Patches. Please keep us informed and let us know exactly what Patches has been diagnosed with. If your vet tells you, "it's just the felv kicking in", you need to educate him, or find a different vet. I always advise finding a board certified Internist. You can ask your current vet for a referral. Keep your chin up and give Patches a head bump from me, Nina Rosenfeldt, Diane wrote:
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