My big guy's in hospital and I'm so worried

[NotJustAnyOldCat]

He stopped eating and drinking at the weekend and is now spending his second night on iv fluids and anti sickness meds and antibiotics.
He still isn't eating and is so weak.
He was a beautiful big ginger boy and he has shrunk and shrivelled.
He's only 5 . The vets do not know what or why.
They started the antibiotics because his blood tests showed a very slightly raised wbc indicating a minor infection but nothing that would account for the state of him.
I'm heartbroken at the thought of losing him and don't know how to help him.
I visited him today and brought him some comforts and his favourite food and treats but he wouldn't eat a bit.
The nurse offered a perky "oh, he'll eat soon don't worry" but I know he won't. They've been giving him appetite stimulants too but something is causing him to refuse to let anything pass his lips.

Please cross your fingers and paws for my beautiful orange bear.

I have my fingers firmly crossed, and there are 6 sets of paws (2 dog, 4 cat) crossed too. He is in the right place, and I'm sure they are all doing the very best for him. Here's hoping for a happy outcome ...

Thank you FF

Oh no, do they have a plan?

I think - although the nurse and the vet have said different things - that today was to see if once rehydrated and with some meds in him, he would maybe eat by choice. As he hasn't, tomorrow they will carry out further investigations (tube down throat, scans, xray).
The vet will phone me tomorrow morning and I'll stress that I want them to find a reason and I don't want to -as suggested by the nurse - take home home and hope he'll eat there.

I think he must have a blockage, whether a hernia or a mouse bone, making it painful to eat and making him retch and vomit as he was at the weekend.

Oh what a worry. I really hope he perks up soon

He's being looked after and monitored and hopefully you can put a plan together tomorrow. Fingers & paws crossed here

Thank you Timtam

Oh no what a worry. Fingers and toes crossed for him.

Fingers and cat paws crossed for your big guy and a hand hold for you.

Friends cat had this and lost so much weight and after every test nothing found for weeks. Eventually had surgery and found a perforated bowel. Hope they check for that.

How worrying for you. I hope the vet finds what's ailing him soon.

Fingers and paws crossed and touching wood here for your lad.

Thank you mincespy and bettyboop
And thank you annette, I'll definitely mention that.

Thanks rubbish.
So hard thinking of him scared and poorly in a strange place . Hopefully he's all wrapped up in my jumper and snoring like a good un.

Good luck

How is he this morning?

Thanks for asking.
I spoke to the vet this morning who agreed that they've treated his symptoms but not uncovered the problem, and that we need to know why he stopped eating. But he couldn't guarantee that they'd be able to.
He was going to do an xray but has had a good feel of the tummy and felt nothing untoward so he is not confident that the xray will reveal anything.
Worryingly, he suggested that we might just have to take lovely boy home today and keep trying to persuade him to eat.
When I visited yesterday he nearly reversed through the back of his cage to get away from the food I offered him and was dribbling and looking thoroughly nauseated and scared, so I don't believe that he's going to change his mind.
I really hope that xray has found something minor and easily fixable.

Is this an experienced vet?

Could it be teeth problems, if he's dribbling? Hope he's ok.

Yes, he's usually one of the better ones. If he calls to say that the xray has shown nothing I'm going to ask him to do an ultrasound and an endoscopy.
He's concerned because my lad is so very scared and anxious being there and these are all distressing procedures. Which I understand, but while he's there I want them do everything they can to get to the bottom of this. Its a lovely thought that he'll come home, relax and start to eat again, but more likely we'd be back in a couple of days dehydrated again and still not eating.

Is he on any meds while he's there? (To calm him down etc.)

Fingers crossed that the X Ray shows something.

Cozietoes he's on iv fluids, antibiotics, pain relief and appetite stimulant. He has a feliway type thing plugged in and he has my jumper which he's been lying inside. I'm sure all those meds and the stress are adding to his disinterest in food. Poor wee sausage, I just want him better and home.

Let us know what the XRay shows.

Oh no. Love to you both. I presume they have ruled out pancreatitsis?
My big cat had that and was really miserable and unwell. And I know how you are feeling.
you say he is usually a big cat and apparently that can be a factor.
good luck

Dribbling can be nausea I think. Is he on an anti-nausea medication at all?

You said he was vomiting before you took him in - when did that start? And what sort of sick was it? Was it food, or just liquid? Colours? (ah, the life of a cat owner, talking colours of cat sick on the internet).

It does sound like they should have a look at his insides, to me - definitely something going on and like you said, if he's actively avoiding food it seems unlikely he's suddenly going to decide it's delicious. Have they force-fed him at all?

Shaska it was brown, then yellow and after he'd stopped eating he continued to retch and bring up white foamy spit. It's hard to say when it started as he's always been vomitty, but this episode and vomitting every time he tried to eat started last Friday.
He's on anti-sickness, is anti nausea different? The nurse saw his reaction and agreed that it was nausea. I think he's scared too because he had the horrible pain of retching an empty stomach.

Sorry, I meant to add that they haven't mentioned force feeding. Could they tube feed him to get some nutrients into him?