8 month old kitten question who is very sick... Labs done, bad liver and kidney values and now heart worm...?

Question

I adopted my kitten 6 months ago from the Humane Society. He was 2 months old. After I brought him home, he got sick. He was diagnosed with Herpes. He was put on medication daily and another med every other week. He Has had all his shots since and is an indoor kitty. He does eat inappropriate things that I have to watch out for, ie..kleenex, toilet paper, cardboard, carpet fibers, etc.. He has vomited on some days so bad and so much, even bile, wound up $200 later, that he was constipated and put on a laxitive. More symptoms a month later, I brought him back to the vet, $700 later, more x-rays, blood work and urinalysis, with a free pedicure for the back claws, he has bad liver and kidney values and they want to do exploratory surgery. Blood work sent out and told today he has or had heart worms. I do not have the money for surgery. I am going to get a 2nd opinion also. What do you know about heart worms and cats survival and does it have to do with his other organs?

The vet seems to try to push me for the surgery to get tissue samples from his kidneys and liver. He wants me to bring him in again this week for more blood work. The $700 was this past Saturday. They said more blood work to see if the toxicity of his kidneys and liver have gone down or not would be another $152. I honestly cannot afford any more to my poor kitty. It is so stressful to him to go there anymore, understandably. I know most would consider me a bad cat mommy to put him to sleep if he gets too sick and not do the surgery. What is your opinions? Do you think it is worth putting my kitty through all of this just in case they don't even find anything else? Stress makes him have Herpes outbreaks, which is basically a respiratory infection.

They told me the cat's heart is so small that they get bit by a misquito and it takes 6 months for the larvae to travel to the heart. Something like if it is a male heart worm, it will die off and he might be ok. If it is a female heart worm, he probably won't make it. The worm takes up the size of the heart of the cat since it is so small.

I thank you Brian, Robbie, and Nobodysfool for your kind answers. I have spent so much money so far on him and I think I would wait until he was so sick that he wasn't playing any more or eating before I put him to sleep. I have had a suggestion that I bring him back to the Humane Society to have him put to sleep since I got him there and let them pay for it. They also have a drop off fee though. I agree with you Annie on the diagnostic not treatment and thank you for your honesty. The aha factor probably wouldn't be there if they did do the surgery. I would just be all the more poorer to let him go as happy as he can be. I feed him Science diet/Iams mixed as the dry food and I give him the Iams Kitten wet pouch food with the gravy as it is the easiest to mix the medicine with and he loves the gravy and eats it. He won't really eat the kitten canned food.

Reality Check needs some education before trying to answer. You cannot get herpes from cats. It is a respiratory thing for them. I never heard of it until I got this kitten and it is very common with them. 98 percent have it and it is contagious among cats only. Do your reading before trying to be smart. Next, it is inhumane to give any animal antifreeze. I didn't know it was going to cost 700, they didn't tell me, just sprunt it on me. It thought it would be the same as the last sick visit. I do not have the money to do surgery and probably won't even do the second set of blood work. You didn't read that part of my question. Thank you r m for your kind input. I will read up on the websites you gave me.

Answer 1

Remember that your vet is telling you he wants to do surgery to take tissue samples-- that's diagnostics, not treatment. It's really unlikely that they are going to find any disease where they are going to be able to say, "Oh, okay, we'll just give him this pill and he'll be all better!" More likely, they will have more information about his disease, but really no better options to treat it. If you were my client, I would tell you that, and that if you chose to proceed with surgery, there is a very small chance of the "Aha!", and a fairly large chance he wouldn't do well after surgery, and he might not even survive. So if you chose to keep him at home, feed him high quality food, and keep him as happy as you can for as long as you can, that's not a bad or inhumane option.

Cats do get heartworms, and they aren't really treatable in cats as they are in dogs. Usually, steroids like prednisone are used to keep the inflammatory response down (that's what causes the symptoms) until the worms die off. It might be worth trying with your kitten. It can be compounded as a tuna flavored liquid. He might have a high enough infection (esp if you live in a hot humid climate without much winter, like Florida) that he won't survive no matter what you do. So there's a lot to be said for making his life as good as possible for as long as possible, without putting him through the trauma and pain of surgery. You're a good mom. Good Luck.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

I would go to another vet for a second opinion if I were you. It would be nice if you have a copy of the lab work results and could take that to the new vet. See what they say. With a heartworm inside kitty, I am surprise that a vet would suggest surgery - the heart may not be able to sustain under anesthesia. I have heard that a cat heartworm lives only for a few months, less than a year; but it is the debris of the dead worm in the cat's heart that can cause big trouble.

I am sooooo sorry that this had to happen to you and your poor kitty. Honestly, no one can blame you for anything - you've already spent mega bucks and the prognosis from the vet is still not good. But if you and your kitty can endure it, why not seek a second opinion? There may be other options.

Answer 4

Ok, first could he have eaten any kind of lillies? These cause cats to go into kidney failure. It seems that they could want to be treating the kidneys and liver instead of stalling around and taking tissue samples. The kitten needs fluid and force feeding or a feeding tube, and kidney and liver medication. As for the heartworms, what I've heard is that only one heartworm can live in a cat's heart at a time, and it cannot reproduce (unlike in a dog's larger heart.) It will eventually die. There is a chance that the cat will be fine, but there is also a chance of death. I have known personally of several cat's who had heartworms, (they coughed a lot), and then one day they were fine, because the heartworm died. I think you should get referrals for a good vet and get a second opinion, because it sounds like this one is milking you for all you're worth.

Answer 5

If you're anything like me, being "mentally prepared" is knowing the worst possible scenarios. Be prepared that the vet might want to take him back to the office for x-rays, so get the carrier ready. You didn't mention how your kitten landed? Did he l and on his feet? The fluid and the wheezing would be possible if he cracked a rib. You wouldn't feel a cracked rib unless you were trained, but it can affect lung function and breathing. There could be some damage around the nasal area that would affect his breathing. Co-incidentally, he could have a kitty cold, which affected his balance/equilibrium, which is why he fell in the first place. You are doing the right thing by keeping the kitten calm -- he no doubt had the wind knocked out of him big time. Now, YOU have to keep calm. Make a nice cup of tea, the vet should be turning into the drive in a few minutes. Good luck and stay calm. ADDED: Thanks for the update....spleens can be removed and livers can heal. I will send good thoughts for your cat's complete recovery. In addition to your prayers, create a halo of clear white light of protection around your cat. Good luck, and I hope all is well.

Answer 6

Poor little kitten! I'm sure you're already very attached to him and you obviously want him to have a long happy healthy life- or you wouldn't have gone to all the effort and expense you already have.

To be honest, though, it sounds like the little tyke is just going to get worse, not better. If the 2nd opinion concurs with the first, it might be best to put him down humanely- before he gets so sick he's not able to play or eat. My heart and my "meows" (two kitties) all send our good thoughts to the both of you!

(Since he is a human society rescue, and since it's only been six months, they may be willing/able to waive the drop off fee.)

Good luck

Answer 7

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Answer 8

Bless you for hanging in there as long as you have. I feel as responsible pet owners when you make the commitment to have a pet you buy all the problems with it. I really feel you have done what you should and could afford. Sometimes the best and most humane thing we can do is let go. You sound like a wonderful person, you won't let him suffer, just love him like mad until you can't treat what you know he already has. Again God Bless you, kitties need more people like you, you saved an angel that God put in your path, for that you are truly blessed!!!!

Answer 9

Ok, first, I'm very sorry for you and your poor kitty. You 2 must be going thourgh alot of pain. Heart worms..... sorry to say ARE FATAL if not delt with. They (the name gives away) attack the heart, and without the heart, well, figure it out. the kidney is also vital. So is the liver, but the liver can heal itslef. If you ask me you should call the SPCA and ask them why they never found out any of this till you got him/her from them. THEY should have to pay for all this surgery. Unless your cat goes thourgh surgery he has very little chance of surviving.


Edit: I do NOT think you are a bad owner. Showing that you want to try to do anyhting to keep him alive shows you love him. While putting him to sleep will end his pain. I had a simialr problem when my 8 month old pup broke her leg bad. I had to decide one 3 things. Take her thourgh surgery, witch might not do anything, amputate the leg, witch would prob ruin the dogs life. or put her to sleep. The choice is up to you, what do you think is best for you and the cat?

Answer 10

"Have you seen this woman's profile? I wanted to get a general age, to adjust my message, she takes care of everyone, not just this poor cat"

I grew up on a farm and have seen this kind of stuff before. This is going to sound harsh. The biggest problem is you put so much time into this animail. You are "SUPER" attached no doubt about that after seeing your profile. POOR GIRL, this is more painfull for you than that cat.

What are you doing with a animail that has herpes?

I care about living things as much as the next person but your being a little rediculous. Spending about 1k on a cat makes no sense. EVEN if, by some act of god, you were able to save this cat, it would be very messed up and has a chance passing something to people who handle it. Cats multiply very fast. Another kitten can be gotten for free. Good intentions won't protect you. And this vet is taking you for a ride.

It will be much better than spending another month on the cat and then having it drop over on you. After 1.5k in bills.

Comment reply: There was nothing I wrote to be mean or to hurt your feelings, but really no matter what someone tells you about NON transfer, you need to keep yourself safe, as much as you want to help this living thing. You have no idea what else is wrong or what else could cause you or Other animails problems. You can call me whatever you like, but I have delt with a lot of animails growing up. Big and small. As for the antifreeze comment I agree it might have not been approprate for this channel. What the VET did wasn't right, to hand you a huge bill without checking with you first.