Expert: Dr. Christina Chambreau - 7/29/2009

Question
What a valuable service!  Thank you in advance for your time and response.  

We have an eleven year old kitty who was diagnosed by our holistically-oriented vet with Hyperthyroidism two months ago now.  Since then we have been fighting a declining battle and thought we'd lose our little Salem several times.  On this last round though she seems to be holding her own and I believe it may be due to some drastic changes in how we are approaching her situation.

First she is on transdermal methiamazole twice a day - I never get this straight, but it is a tiny amount - 4 ml or mg (whichever is correct) per day.  We dose her half in morning and half at night.  

Coincidental to our starting the medicine she started showing signs of finickiness and refusing food.  I honestly cannot say it had to do with the medicine.  It may have been triggered by a missed dose or 1/2 a tab of 5 mg valium.  Or stress even!  But suddenly she went downhill suddenly.  Unable to afford many tests our vet was able to determine it was probably not kidney issues such as CRF but liver enzymes were elevated.  She suspected gastrointestinal issues such as a stomach or liver cancer or even some type of infectious disease.  Something underlying the HyperT.

Salem was hungry, asked for food but then would shun whatever we put down.  The vomiting continued - mostly bile.  Every two nights.  At its worst every night between I would say 1 am and 5 am.  Sometimes in afternoon.  We went from better foods to Fancy Feast just to tempt her to eat.  Anything to get calories down.  Then she wouldn't eat that - nothing tempted her and we tried everything.  We've added at different times slippery elm bark, pepcid, marin and enzymes.  We even resorted twice to assist feeding (which went very badly - but did get her eating again).  We also give subQs when she is poorly.

Finally about two weeks ago after much research I tried 4 doses over two days of Phosphorus 30C.  This seems to have put things on a healing path - there was one aggravation - she peed copiously outside the litterbox (had actually never done that) but from that point she is showing a linear regression of symptoms: increased appetite to a point, less finickiness, vomiting decreased in volume and now frequency, she went back to meowing for food, then meowing by water bowl, then sitting by water bowl, then showing some interest in playing, being brushed, and last symptom which she hasn't shown in months - eternal litterbox scratching.   Now she is back on a grain free high quality canned food (but only eating about one small can - some days 1 1/2 cans every 24 hours).  The vomiting has abated as I said - and when she does it is only a very small amount.  Her stool is still mostly black and small but there is every day, one that is brown and softer as well.  She is drinking well.

We made other changes.  I have taken her off the SEB, pepcid and marin.  Her jaundice (yellow ears) seems to have abated - oddly I think it came on after we gave her the marin (feline milk thistle).  Mostly I did these things because she wasn't doing better - so I wanted to simplify.  Then I could add back in only one thing at a time.  I felt everything was too complex.  I still use enzymes and have been sprinkling in astralagus which she seems to tolerate well.  I thought this could cover a variety of things - diabetes, adrenal support or cancer.  Today I have started adding a little bit of cod liver oil which she seems to like as well - but it doesn't make her eat more.

I am considering next week adding in more vitamins as recommended by author Anitra Frazier.

We leave down chamomile tea for her beside her water bowl as well.  Although I don't think she drinks much if any.  She seems to like to sit next to it.  No more force feeding and I am working on "rituals" to encourage a happy feeding time.  We also now take up food between her frequent meals.  Otherwise sometimes she takes cheap kitty treats and daily wants her butter pat.  She likes either salted or unsalted.

I am considering Ferr-M 6C for anemia.  For the back and forth of appetite/inappetite.  This was recommended in a homeopathic vet book - but I don't know which one.  Otherwise I am too confused at the symptoms to choose another (Phosphorus came up repeatedly - it was almost a given after repeated reporitizing - I felt I couldn't go wrong)

I feel like we have made such progress - she seems much less uncomfortable after eating, although sometimes she still paws at water bowl (this may be another passing regressive symptom I believe), is still a little restless at times - like doesn't know if she wants to use litter box, eat, or drink and the vomiting has decreased dramatically.

I wouldn't even consider another homeopathic yet - but I feel getting her to eat more is vital to her continuing to improve.  We seem to have stalled at amount she will eat in a given day.

She is just skin and bones now - I will say her coat has improved under the transderm - it is no longer greasy.  In another week we must go back on road for three days to get back home and will have another T4 blood test then.  It is unavoidable stress we are not anxious for. But we have all our plans in place and can assist feed again if things get rough.  Although honestly she has never been same since we did this force feeding.  We tried to be calm and make it loving but she never came to accept it - got worse rather than better as time went on.  She doesn't want to be petted or come for attention anymore.  It's like she tolerates us now, but has lost her trust in us/feeling of love for us.  

Finally I can do a sort of healing that is not quite Reiki but is an energy healing based on sweeping and energizing of Prana.  Only I have not felt so adequate lately in my own skills so had stopped.

Perhaps that was foolish - I feel so inept in my own abilities.  It is not a skill that I understand requires faith and I have had success on humans on burns and pulled muscles.

Maybe I just don't know what to focus on?

Oh I also do supplement water bowl with flower essences - I have the full Bach line and have been using Aspen, Mimulus, Olive, Rescue and Walnut most often.

Any thoughts or suggestions on helping her appetite homeopathically perhaps - or otherwise - would be welcome and I so appreciate you time.


Answer
What a wonderful job you have done by trusting your instincts.
Since you are unwilling to work with another homeopathic veterinarian, I am not sure what I can offer except a 3 year class for you in how to understand homeopathy and how to evaluate a curative response and ... and... and... and...

I am limited in this email format because I cannot be your "vet", and can merely make a few suggestions. I cannot treat every animal with the careful follow up that is needed because that is not the purpose of this forum. I would need to speak with you at least weekly at this point to help you know what is working and what is not.

Having said that, I will try to answer your current questions and point you in certain directions. Also, who is your current (or dumped) homeopathic vet - please email that to HealthyAnimals@aol.com? I ask this because I refer people to veterinarians all the time and need to know how they actually are with people. Also, I may know them well and if you email me directly I can tell you something that may help them help you.

Coincidental to our starting the medicine she started showing signs of finickiness and refusing food.  
ANs: You are probably right. I often treat cats whose appetite disappeared with the tapazole and I take them off the tapazole.

Something underlying the HyperT.
ANS: probably was the tapazole and not something underlying. Even if something was underlying, going off the tapazole to see if the appetite got better would have been one strategy.


The vomiting continued - mostly bile.  Every two nights.  At its worst every night between I would say 1 am and 5 am.  Sometimes in afternoon
and: these are modalities that can point to the best homeopathic remedy or to the acupuncture needed or to the chinese or ayurvedic herbs needed. You may want to try World Herbs for Pets (www.darcynat.com or www.herbs4pets.com. They have 3 formulas for hyperthyroid that could help. Pelase use my name.

Finally about two weeks ago after much research I tried 4 doses over two days of Phosphorus 30C.  This seems to have put things on a healing path - there was one aggravation -
AND: EXCELLENT. This could be the only remedy she needs. Having an aggravation, then improvement along with return of some old symptoms clues to improvement and a great remedy choice. Good work. Don Hamilton's book (get on my site if you would - www.Christinachambreau.com/books.php) has 2 great chapters on the nature of illness and healing that may help you, and any good classical homeopathy books. If you email me I can email you a handout (no time to specifically edit for you) on evaluation of response.


I am considering Ferr-M 6C for anemia.  For the back and forth of appetite/inappetite.  This was recommended in a homeopathic vet book - but I don't know which one.  Otherwise I am too confused at the symptoms to choose another (Phosphorus came up repeatedly - it was almost a given after repeated reporitizing - I felt I couldn't go wrong)
ANs: This is why I wish you would consider trying a great homeopathic veterinarian. It would be very non-homeopathic to give Ferr-M for "anemia and the back and forth of appetite" when there are 500 other remedies that have those symptoms, too. You lucked out by reading about Phos and it was a good choice. Make a list of all her symptoms before Phos. How did each change after Phos? If some were better and now are getting worse, give another dose of Phos. I would  use LM 1 Phos (order DILUTED LM1 PHOS from Jim Klemmer 888-689-1608 or maybe 1800-Arnica30)
Shake the bottle hard, 3 times, then put 3 drops into 1/2C water and give her a gew drops of that. If you find that Phos is not continuing to help, you really need a professional to work with. The books you are using are not sufficient.

feel like we have made such progress - she seems much less uncomfortable after eating, although sometimes she still paws at water bowl (this may be another passing regressive symptom I believe), is still a little restless at times - like doesn't know if she wants to use litter box, eat, or drink and the vomiting has decreased dramatically
ANS: very important to focus on quality of life and you seem to have made a lot of progress. If the Phos does not continue to improve the restlessness, you may need to move to a related remedy that follows Phos well.

She is just skin and bones now
ANS: Try PDG (Pre Di Gest) from Wysong (at my site if you can't find it locally). This is a white powder that gets some cats to eat, can be mixed with water and force fed or with milk if she would drink that and it is a "food replacer" - total nutrition with probioitcs and vitamins. Nu-Cat vitamins from vetriscience (my site) has gotten some of my patients to eat. Pet Tinic (pet smart type stores) has helped others. Raw meat, deli meats, deli roasted chickens, sardines, baby food, mackeral, salmon, - really any real food is worth trying.

another T4 blood test then
I DO NOT recommend getting another blood test now that you are having success treating her. I would decrease the methemizole to see if her appetite returns. I would rather my cat have a happy few years of hyperthyroid where I manage the symptoms with homeopathy and herbs than double that in misery on drugs that hurt her. why stress her? What will you do differently with the blood results?


It's like she tolerates us now, but has lost her trust in us/feeling of love for us.  
ANS: Maybe an intuitive/animal communicator would help now. Maybe some flower essences for loss of trust?

Finally I can do a sort of healing that is not quite Reiki but is an energy healing based on sweeping and energizing of Prana.  Only I have not felt so adequate lately in my own skills so had stopped.
ANS: use your own healing - you are doing great so far - better than your vet. Do whatever you need to trust yourself in your healing abilities. I do not know your technique so I do not know if you have to focus on the right thing. I know that with reiki and most energy healing it is the intent and not any particular focus or "right" way to do it. JUst do it - you are cooking.

Great that you are using a supplemental bowl with essences - keep trying new ones (Spirit essences and greenhope farm on my site are favorites of mine).

Learn the appetite stimulation points from an acupuncturist.

Good approach to stop everything, then add in what works best.

Really work on getting back in a loving relationship with her - this is more important that her living. Also, give her permission to die. I could help you more in a telephone consult - this is all I can do now by email.

Good healing,
Dr. Christina