Tylan's Hospitalization So Far

Tylan in his kennel in the hospital. They put a lot of soft blankets in there for him to snuggle up in. 

Hi everyone! The Mom here today. I thought you all might like an update on how Tylan is faring.

On Thursday, when he was admitted to the hospital, his creatinine and BUN were incredibly high - 12.1 and 140, respectively. 

In the wee hours on Friday, I called to check on Tylan, and his overnight vet tech told me he had eaten half a can of k/d! He had hardly been eating anything here at home, so I was both shocked and pleased. She told me he was sleeping at the time and he had been sleeping for a couple of hours. I was glad that he felt safe enough to get some rest. He needed it.

On Friday morning, Tylan's Internal Medicine vet called me (yes, she works at the hospital I took him to - I chose this hospital partly for that reason). She told me his creatinine had only gone down to 11.5. She sounded doubtful that they could get his creatinine much lower and began talking about quality of life. 

Needless to say, my mind was reeling. I was in shock. Numb. This had all happened so fast. I just couldn't believe it.

I visited Tylan on Friday night. He was obviously happy to see me, but he looked so small and weak. He wanted me to hold him forever. I held him for a while and talked to him. He was quite fascinated by the IV/infusion machine on the top of his cage that is constantly running. 

Tylan Urgently Needs Purrs and Prayers

 

I'm giving Tylan a hug good night before I leave him in good hands at the hospital.

As many of you know, Tylan has been really strugging since the beginning of December, 2024. At that time, his labs confirmed that he was having an acute bout of pancreatitis (he has chronic pancreatitis that flares every little bit). We also found out at that time that he had gone from stage 2 kidney disease (where he’d been stable for 3 years) to mid stage 3 kidney disease.

At the end of December, 2024, Tylan continued to struggle with his pancreatitis, and his labs showed that he had moved into late stage 3 kidney disease. Given that there were only 3 weeks between his two sets of labs, I was disturbed by the increase in his kidney values. But the veterinarians at his clinic didn’t seem too concerned about it. At that time, we decided to put him on subcutaneous fluids every other day and to get him through his acute bout of pancreatitis and start him on a renal diet once he felt better.

On December 30, 2024, Tylan was feeling so crummy that in lieu of acupuncture, his vet took blood work and an x-ray (to see if he was constipated as I hadn’t seen him poop lately). Tylan WAS, in fact, pretty constipated. Long story short, he ended up going back to the vet on January 2 to have an enema because the lactulose and miralax weren’t relieving the constipation.

Tylan had been eating less at the end of December as well. We all hoped that the constipation was the key – relieve the constipation and he might want to eat more.

Unfortunately, that didn’t happen.

An Update on Tylan: Continued Purrs and Prayers Needed

 

Unfortunately since our last update about Tylan, things have gotten worse.

Tylan was doing relatively okay with the meds he was taking for his pancreatitis flare, but late last week, he started going downhill. 

I noticed he was getting into his litter box, digging around, and meowing mournfully. So, I began to watch him. It's very dangerous if a male cat cannot urinate, so I wanted to make sure he was able to pee. He was urinating fine. But he was constipated. 

Purrs and Prayers for Tylan

Purrs and prayers graphic made by Ann of Zoolatry. (Thank you, Ann!)

For the past week or so, Tylan hasn't been feeling well. He was already scheduled for acupuncture and his semi-annual blood work on Tuesday, so I discussed Tylan's eating less and feeling crummy with his vet while we were there, and we agreed it would be a good idea to add an fPLI test (the test for pancreatitis) to his blood work. 

Purrs and Prayers for Tylan: Thankful Thursday

Thank you to Ann from Zoolatry for this lovely graphic for Tylan.

Hi everyone,

I know what you're thinking. "Why is Sierra posting Tylan being unwell as a Thankful Thursday post?" 

No, I'm not thankful Tylan is unwell, of course. I hate that for him. But I am thankful for a couple of silver linings, and I am trying to focus on that.

Let me fill you in on what is going on.

Last week, Tylan went to the vet to have his kidney/thyroid panel done. He gets this done every three months. Our vet was on vacation, so he just had a tech visit. 

Carmine's Vet Visit

Hi everyone, it's mes, Carmine!

Mes wanted to post last week, but then the Mom gotted, "busy," so mes had to wait.  

Did yous know that today is National Take Your Cat to the Vet Day?  Since today has to do with the vet, mes thought it would be a good day to tell yous about my recent trip to the vet last week.

Since mes ams a senior kitty, the Mom makes sure mes gets a routine wellness exam by the vet every six months.  So mes went in for my routine wellness exam.  

Theys found out that me losted a pound these past three months.  The Mom wasn't very surprised by that because mes had a pancreatitis flare when hers was packing us up to come to our new home, but hers had hoped mes hadn't lost so much weight.  Mes weighed in at 9 pounds and 5 ounces.

But yous know what?!  Now mes gets to eat more prescription a/d to put the weight back on, and mes really likes those noms!  

Mancat Monday

Hi everyone, it's mes, Carmine!

Mes heard that Spring was supposed to be heres by nows, but it sure hasn't come to visit us yet!  This weekend, it snowed and dropped below freezing.  The management peoples turned off the heat for the building, so it has been chilly in our apartment.  Mes has been enjoying the fleece blankie on the Mom's bed as you can see.  Mes has also been spending a lot of time in my heated bed.  Sometimes the Mom gets so chilly hers turns on something hers calls a "space heater."  It blows out nice warm air, and mes likes it when hers turns it on.  

Mancat Monday

Hi everyone, it's mes, Carmine!

The Mom put an update about mes on Facebook, but mes knows not everyone is on Facebook, so mes will tell you what is going on.  

Last week, my blood test results came back.  I will let the Mom explain those because mes doesn't understand them (and neither does hers, MOL).  The fill-in vet (our vet was on vacation again) told the Mom that it is time to get mes an ultrasound.  The Mom says that it won't hurt - hers has had thems before on hers kidneys and wrist - but mes still doesn't like the sound of this.  

Hopefully this ultrasound thingie will tell the humans whatever it is they wants to know because mes is tired of going to the Stabby Place.  

In other news, do you know what mes gotted to nom over the weekend?  WHIPPED CREAM!!!  Mes LOVES whipped cream!  Mes heard a rumor there is still some in the freezer, so maybe the Mom will give mes some more.

Mes will let the Mom explain the test results nows. 

The Mom here: Carmine is right - the fill-in vet said it is time for him to have an ultrasound.

She called me last week with the results of Carmine blood tests, and unfortunately, they weren't all so great.

Carmine's phosphorus level was a little low, but I'm not sure what that means.  His pancreatitis level came back at 3.6 (with the high end of normal being 3.5).  The fill-in vet said that when she sees cats with pancreatitis, their levels are usually 7-10, and his was barely elevated.

The one that is very concerning to everyone is Carmine's ALT level, which came back at 201 (with the high end of normal being 158).  She said vets worry about this level a lot when it is elevated, and that is why he needs the ultrasound.  She said Carmine has liver damage and that it could be caused by inflammation, hepatitis, or a liver tumor.

I will admit, it is very difficult not to let my mind go to the worst case scenario and worry about it.  I've been trying to stay positive and strong for my baby.

Appetite-wise, Carmine hasn't been eating a whole lot.  He did enjoy quite a bit of his Natural Balance Chicken and Green Pea for Thanksgiving, though (the silly mancat didn't want to eat turkey).  I've been keeping detailed notes about his socialization and eating behaviors for the vet to help her with her diagnosis and treatment process.

I want to thank everyone so very, very much again who donated to Carmine's blood tests and/or ultrasound!!!  Without your donations, we wouldn't have been able to get him either of these tests, and who knows how much more damage his liver would have suffered in the meantime.  I am beyond thankful to have so many wonderful friends who care about me and precious Carmine.  We will continue to keep you all updated on his diagnosis.

Please continue sending Carmine your purrs and prayers.  Please pray that whatever he has is manageable or easily treated.  I cannot even begin to imagine a life without my little soul kitty in it.

If you would like to donate to Carmine's care, please go HERE.  Thank you, Dad Terry, from Brian's Home for setting up this fundraiser for us! 

Mancat Monday

Hi everyone, it's mes, Carmine!

Mes bets yous can guess where mes is going in my carrier.  That's right, the Mom made mes go see Dr. Stabby again.  

They wanted to check my weight since mes keeps losing.  The Mom put mes on the scale, and it said mes weighs 9 pounds, 14 ounces.  The Mom was NOT happy about that at all because mes lost 5 more ounces in the two weeks since mes saw Dr. Stabby.  

Dr. Stabby came in to feel my tummy, and mes kept trying to get away from hers!  Mes was not happy about something, but Dr. Stabby couldn't figure out what exactly.  Mes is usually a ragdoll at the Stabby Place so seeing mes trying to get away really worries the Mom.  

Now mes will let the Mom tell yous about what the plans are.  
The Mom here: Carmine's continued weight loss is very worrisome to me and our vet.  The higher dose of Prednisolone clearly did not help Carmine.  So we decided to lower his Pred dose back down to 5mg a day.  We will likely get him off of it all together and change him to Budesonide if he has lost any more weight this week.  He will go back tomorrow for another weight check.

The vet thinks it would be wise to get blood work with a GI panel done on Carmine as well as a tummy ultrasound.  These two things together are *very* expensive, and if we need to go that route, I am going to have to set up a fundraiser for Carmine as I don't have those kinds of funds at my disposal on my fixed income.  I think it would be wise to get these tests done, especially seeing as Carmine reacted when the vet was trying to feel his tummy.  I am really worried about him.

We are more or less starting from scratch again.  The vet gave me some Prozyme to put on Carmine's food to see if he might have Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency, but since it didn't help the first time around (over a year ago), I'm not too hopeful that this will solve the problem.  The vet also wonders about pancreatitis, but she and I both think that if he had this, the Prednisolone would be helping him, so this is unlikely.

As some of you saw on Facebook yesterday, Carmine ate nearly all of his breakfast the other morning.  Carmine will eat a lot one day and then he'll hardly eat anything for the next several days, and the cycle repeats.  I don't understand why this is.

The vet FINALLY gave me permission to give Carmine Cyproheptadine for his appetite if we need to.  I need to go pick up his prescription at the store so we have it on hand for him.

Your continued purrs and prayers are much appreciated.  I will keep you updated on Carmine's condition.