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Original poster

Malfoy has pancreatitis and high calcium

62 replies

sunshinesupermum · 27/04/2017 14:24

Please can anyone reassure me that these aren't serious? Our gorgeous Battersea boy has only been with us a couple of months and is 14 years old but right as rain until yesterday :(

Malfoy has pancreatitis and high calcium
OP posts:
thecatneuterer · 27/04/2017 14:33

Oh no. Poor boy. I have no idea about the calcium. However one of mine had pancreatitis recently - he needed a lot of treatment but got through it and is now fine. I hope your boy will recover too. What does the vet say?

Toddlerteaplease · 27/04/2017 14:40

I can't reassure you that it's not serious because pancreatitis is serious. One of my girls had it in February. Her only symptom was she was very quiet and hadn't moved, and cried when picked up. She went down hill very quickly. She was critically ill for a week. I went to visit her on the first morning at the emergency vets fully prepared to have to put her too sleep. But she'd perked up up a little. She was dehydrated and completely shut down. The vet originally thought their was an intestinal obstruction and opened her up. There wasn't. Turns out it was all caused by an infected lymph glad in her neck. She was touch and go for a week. It was terrible to see her so ill. She came home tube fed at first as she wouldn't eat. It I stopped it when I realised she wasn't eating because she was full of milk. But she bounced back and has made a full recovery. One of the vet nurses mentioned her when I took her sister in. She remembered her because apparently "Magic was famous throughout the surgery" because she is such a sweetheart and because she survived against the odds. Every time I look at her now I am in awe of her will to live. My darling little girl. Hope your cat is not as poorly. There is hope! This is her a few days ago. Still missing a lot of hair though!

Malfoy has pancreatitis and high calcium
Toddlerteaplease · 27/04/2017 14:43

Beautiful boy. Magic has her paws crossed for him.

Original poster
sunshinesupermum · 27/04/2017 15:50

Thank you everyone. Vet told us today that Malfoy's test results won't be back for a day or two to see whether the high calcium result is due to cancer in which case he may not be coming home. But he's on high dosage painkillers so at least isn't suffering too much.

DD2 had a shock though cos she thought he was only suffering from a virus infection when he refused to eat and threw up yesterday. He's changed her life completely (for the better) in a very short time so it will be devastating to lose him so soon.

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Toddlerteaplease · 27/04/2017 16:07

Cat's are very good at hiding how ill they are. Magic had been absolutely fine the day before. I had no idea she was so poorly. The vet initially thought she had lymphoma. Keeping fingers crossed for a good outcome.

Original poster
sunshinesupermum · 27/04/2017 16:25

Thank you so much Toddler We had dogs before and could tell pretty quickly when they were under par.

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Toddlerteaplease · 27/04/2017 17:13

Hope he's insured. madam's vets bill was £4000!

Weedsnseeds1 · 27/04/2017 20:28

No advice, I'm afraid, but fingers crossed for him.
Love the name Malfoy!

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 27/04/2017 22:37

He's a gorgeous boy, I hope he's feeling better soon.

Toddlerteaplease · 28/04/2017 10:14

How's the gorgeous beast doing today?

whifflesqueak · 28/04/2017 10:18

my parent's old Siamese has just recovered from pancreatitis but it was very touch and go and he was in a specialist vet for literally weeks. at home, it was like he was dead. we missed him so much.

they didn't treat the disease as such, but the symptoms. he had finally recovered.

it must have cost a fucking FORTUNE. he is 15 so no longer insured, but he is home and it is worth it just for the mouse he makes Grin

whifflesqueak · 28/04/2017 10:18

NOISE not mouse. he devours mice rather than making them.

Original poster
sunshinesupermum · 28/04/2017 11:14

Thanks again for good wishes, everyone. Was very tearful last night. Toddler DD went to see him after work last night (luckily for us its a 24 hours surgery as she didn't finish work till 11.pm) He was very nervous because he was in a strange place (normal behaviour for him) but he has a drip and is on strong pain killers and not yet eating. Cancer tests results due back today or tomorrow and we are hoping they will let him home once he begins eating again.

He has only been with us for three months rehomed from Battersea and we just want him to be abe to spend his last months with us and not leave us too soon. DD has mental health issues and he has changed her life so much she has been like a different person since 'adopting' him.

He is insured - DD sorted that out quite recently - but whether he is completely covered I don't know.

Whiffle so glad your parents' Siamese is back home and recovered.

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Vinorosso74 · 28/04/2017 11:57

Sorry your handsome boy is so poorly.
Ours was v poorly a couple of years ago, she had pancreatitis along with IBD and liver issues plus a stone in her bile duct.
Two years on, she's 14 and still with us. She is diabetic due to her pancreas being badly damaged and the IBD is being managed. Bit of a juggling act with the two issues but hey while she's happy.
I hope you have some positive news about Malfoy.

Toddlerteaplease · 28/04/2017 13:18

My vets were amazing with visiting. I spent hours with her. She was so spaced out and depressed while on ketamine and morphine that it was awful to see. But once they were off I had some lovely cuddles with her and I treasured them. (She's not a cuddly cat) especially the night she had her feeding tube fitted and was still groggy and I stroked her head and she fell asleep. I knew she was on the mend when I put her back in her kennel and she glared at me!

Original poster
sunshinesupermum · 28/04/2017 14:36

We are hoping he can come home as he is very distressed being away from his familiar space, according to vet, more so than other cats. It all depends on him eating now.

At least I'll soon be back with DD to support her for a week. At present in DP's home - getting train back tomorrow :)

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Toddlerteaplease · 28/04/2017 18:10

I bought Magic on day leave once to see if she would eat at home and took her back in the evening. In hindsight I wish I hadn't because she hid all day and was clearly still very unwell. Would Malfoy take milk by syringe. I fed her Royal Canin recovery milk by mouth and she took it very well. Would tube feeding be an option if he still refuses to eat at home? I only did it for a couple of days.

Vinorosso74 · 28/04/2017 18:49

Oh bless him. Appetite stimulant tablets are an option either.

whifflesqueak · 28/04/2017 19:15

I'd say that him being very distressed is a good thing.

when our old boy was seemingly not particularly fussed about being at the vet they were very worried about him.

Toddlerteaplease · 28/04/2017 20:19

Yes. When madam was very poorly. She didn't care. She totally shut down. She was just weeing where she was lying and not moving at all. She's a very clean girl who has never not used the litter tray. It was awful as she is long hair and was just soaked in urine.

Original poster
sunshinesupermum · 28/04/2017 22:58

DD has taken Malfoy home tonight but if he still refuses to eat (they think he will be better at home) she will have to take him back. So far no interest in food but he is coming to her for strokes in between hiding away so I told her not to worry about food tonight and just let him settle in his own time.

Toddler She will only go by what the vet says but I will bear in mind Royal Canin recovery milk and see if we can give him that when I am back tomorrow night if he's refusing everything else.

He has been given a shed load of pills too - any tips on how to ensure he takes them? Thanks so much for all the support so far (After I told her DD says thanks too)

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Original poster
sunshinesupermum · 28/04/2017 22:59

Vino will appetite stimulants be appropriate for his illness though?

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Vinorosso74 · 28/04/2017 23:15

I'm not a vet but from what I've learnt along the way it's important for cats to eat to stop further problems. We were given them when ours was ill.
One appetite stimulant is mirtazapine, there is another but I can't remember the name. If he's on steroids eg. predisolone they can also stimulate. We were advised to offer warmed wet food or boiled chicken or turkey breast, avoid roasted meat.

Toddlerteaplease · 28/04/2017 23:25

Magic was given mirtazipine to get her to eat. But the reason she wasn't eating at home was because I was tube feeding her and she just wasn't hungry. The vet said to carry on with tube feeding her any way. I put my peadiatric nurse head on and decided that it was to much. When I stopped feeding her she started eating. She only had one dose of mirtazipine in the end.

troodiedoo · 28/04/2017 23:33

What a cool name and a lovely colour he is. Sending positive thoughts for him. Modern veterinary science is amazing.