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.

Why isn't the vet doing an exploratory operation?

Fingers crossed for you, hope the vet can find out what's wrong.

Chockbic I think he's looking at things in an order of most likely, and being cautious about how weak and easily distressed my boy is.
Feine Ibd is apparently very common and as the blood tests (up to now) are clear, the enema has worked and the xray showed nothing, the most likely cause of his vomiting is upper ibd. So long as he is not imunosuppressed (hence checking for leukaemia and fiv), the steroid treatment will either work or not but not do any damage. Only if that option has no good result would he proceed to surgery.
I don't enough about veterinary practice to comment on his plan I just have to trust it.

Thank you for good wishes.

Oh dear I'm sorry he's back at the vets.

His blood tests showed nothing terrible, right? I was a bit worried as he was sounding quite similar to my previous cat, who, it turned out, had cancer, they just couldn't see the tumours on scans - but her red cells were low, as she was bleeding inside.

Steroids can take a wee while to work in my experience so don't worry too much if he's not much perkier immediately.

Good luck and like cozie said do keep us posted!

OK just wondering. Not saying I'm sceptical or anything.

Fingers crossed for him.

How's he doing, Not ?

His blood tests on Monday were clear for everything so they gave him a small test dose of steroid (predniselone). He responded really well and ate that night! He was full of beans and it was lovely. They'd also given him anti sickness and vit b12 injections.
It wore off pretty quickly and by yesterday evening he was back to not eating and looking uncomfortable, but no vomiting. This morning he was back to looking pained.
Took him back today and they gave him a bigger dose, to last 2 weeks. This evening he is a star - he tucked right into the special diet food we bought and his old spark is coming back. He's still weak and gets tired and grumpy easily but its beautiful to see him cleaning himself and looking at his cupboard for food.
He had a temp today so we've to take him in tomorrow to check that.
He really objected to getting in his carrier today, I think he's sick of going to vet so often. And he hates the zantac liquid we have to give him twice a day.
But I am feeling confident that we have a diagnosis (ibd) and will keep looking into best dietary management. They don't want to keep giving him long lasting injections so we need to get better at giving him medication at home.
Thanks for asking after him. I will try to post some photos this weekend of pre, during and hopefully post 'the big sick'.

Just lost a whole big post so this will be short.

The temporary steroid boost will at least get some food inside him.

I've just bought some vitamin and prebiotic paste for Seniorboy (in case he wasn't eating sufficient nutrients) and he's noshing it in his food great style. That's all his tea pretty well gone now and after a couple of days of it, he seems real perky. Other posters may have better experience of it though.

I haven't read full thread so apologies if my comments are irrelevant but my ginger boy had an issue like this last year. Thought I was going to lose him at age 5 but he came through it perfectly. Vets diagnosed acute liver failure, but he recovered after being fully rehydrated on a drip for 3 days and then being fed wet food only for a good while (now also vet renal dry diet). My Cattery guy (very knowledgeable) said his symptoms were common in male ginger cats due to their urinary system/anatomy. Try to get him fully rehydrated first at vet? Good luck

Sorry, I wrote the wrong thing - it was acute kidney failure. He is now fine!