This was definitely the case with my Luc, who stopped eating and we didn't notice right away (4 other cats free-feeding from same bowls). Still don't know if it was some sort of pancreatitis or what. Finally noticed he wasn't himself, took to high-class emergency vet 20 miles away for tests -- hepatic lipidosis. We had an esophageal tube inserted and fed him A/D from the vet's office watered down and blendered, which we alternately syringed and spooned down the tube using a small funnel (it was really easy for one slightly larger bit of food to block the syringe). This went on for a few days and then he started licking A/D off a spoon. We still tube-fed him for another couple days but his appetite picked right up.
>From another list I'm on, I understand that for newborns at least, corn syrup (most often rubbed on their gums) is a zero-energy-expending way for them to get some nourishment. I wonder if that is the rationale behind the Nutrical formula? Diane R. -----Original Message----- From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of Sharyl Sent: Friday, April 24, 2009 9:12 AM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Wilson and I Judy, I don't want to get into a food fight with Karen but Nutri-Cal should not be used as a replacement for food. Here are the ingredients from Doctors Foster and Smith web site. Regular Nutri-Cal Ingredients: Corn Syrup, Soybean Oil, Malt Syrup, Cod Liver Oil, Cane Molasses, Methylcellulose, Water, Gelatin By-products, dl-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Sodium Benzoate (Preservative), Manganese Sulfate, Iron Peptonate, Thiamine HCl, Niacinamide, Calcium Pantothenate (Source of Calcium and Pantothenic Acid), Magnesium Sulfate, Pyridoxine HCl, Vitamin A Palmitate & D3 supplement, Potassium Iodide (Source of Iodine and Potassium), Riboflavin5, Phosphate Sodium (Source of Vitamin B2 and Phosphorus), Folic Acid and Cyancobalamin (Vitamin B12). As you can see the primary ingredient is corn oil. A much better choice for short term assistance is meat baby food. A jar of Gerber 2 Chicken and Gravy has 100 calories. Try to work up to 200 calories per day with Wilson. The only way to know for sure if he is getting enough calories is to weigh him regularly on a good digital postal or baby scale. Most pate style canned foods can be blended with a little liquid and are easily syringed. My Pequita, CRF, prefers her food offered on a baby spoon. She wont eat off her plate but I am able to maintain her body wt. by offering her food several times per day on her baby spoon. Each kitty is unique. You just need to find the feeding method that works best for Wilson. May kitties will start eating on their own again once they feel better. Sharyl --- On Fri, 4/24/09, Karen Griffith <griff...@frognet.net> wrote: > From: Karen Griffith <griff...@frognet.net> > Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Wilson and I > To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org > Date: Friday, April 24, 2009, 2:58 AM > Judy, > > It is great that you are getting some food down him. You can also > syringe feed Nutrical (can get from your vet or order online, but vet > would be best bet due to delay for shipping), though they usually lap > it up themselves if they are not in too bad of shape. About 3cc > twice/day will do wonders, and can be used for a total food > replacement in totally anorexic cats. The B-complex vitamins in it > will also stimulate appetite. 3cc once/day will do if they are eating > anything at all (10 lb. cat). Since you are a nurse, you will also > easily be able to give him sub/cutanious fluids. It is important that > his fluid and electrolytes are sufficient. Lactated Ringers are > better than saline, due to the extra electrolytes. > About 100cc/day with an 18 g needle will help. May need to put it in > 2 injection sites. As a rule of thumb, don't get a bigger bubble of > fluids under the skin that a 10 year old child can cup in their hand. > > Wishing you good luck. Sounds like you are making progress. I just > got back in the house, and will be online for a while longer. You can > email me at griff...@frognet.net if you have questions. I am rural as > well and on dial up. If I receive your email, I can go off-line and > give you a call. > > Karen Griffith > > > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Judy Eaton" <jude...@yahoo.com> > To: "Feline leukemia" <felvtalk@felineleukemia.org> > Sent: Friday, April 24, 2009 1:35 AM > Subject: [Felvtalk] Wilson and I > > > > Hi, > > Thanks for all your comments, especially about > feeding. We had guests over for dinner tonight and I couldn't wait > until they left so I could get to my computer..after I began syringe > feeding Wilson. Both of us quit after about 20 ccs of cat food, but I > then got on the assisted feeding site and was encouraged. Wilson > actually was swallowing the syringed food rather gratefully, as long > as I didn't push it too fast. My husband helped keep both me and the > cat calm! > > > > So we are starting on a new thing here. > > > > Sympathy to Sharyl on the loss of Houdini...and thanks > for the extra emphasis on the feeding that got me into real action. I > am used to dealing with people who won't eat, not cats, and had no > idea that no food for a short time can be fatal. > > > > Judy and Wilson _______________________________________________ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org _______________________________________________ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
