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Expert: - 2/2/2011


Question
Hi, my cat is about 9-10 years old and hasn't been herself lately. At first, she threw up all the time and would hide and not interact with anyone. I took her to the vet, and they gave her a shot to help with intestine inflammation. this worked for a week or two, but then the same thing happpened. I took her again and this time, the shot only perked her up. she continues to vomit everyday, and doesn't really eat  that much because i think she know shes just going to throw up. she has lost a significant amount of weight and is now down to 4-5 pounds. i have been trying to force feed her, but she still throws up. any ideas on how to stop this?
         thanks,
              Rebecca

Answer
Your cat is in dire need of some blood work and some xrays. She is very, very ill at this point. Weight loss is a huge sign of something very serious going on. Vomiting is just a side effect of what it is- and that could be anything from chronic intestinal inflammation (the question is why does she have that/what is causing it?) to fatty liver disease, to cancer.

She may even have chronic colitis but that usually results in chronic diarrhea. She could have a blockage from hair that is not being resolved. She might be reacting to an ingredient in her food- it's really hard to know.

In any case this cat needs to see a vet for a series of tests, at the very LEAST blood work and xrays. Has your vet put his hands on her and felt around her stomach, abdomen, etc? Has he done xrays to see if she has a blockage?

Please, please, please call your vet and schedule her right away for these tests. If your vet isn't giving her a complete exam and getting to the bottom of this, find a new vet asap. Grab your cat's medical records and start shopping around.

She won't be able to go on much longer if you don't. You cannot wait any longer.  

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Jana Connell RVT, CVT

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PLEASE READ BEFORE SUBMITTING TO ME: I am NOT a vet and do NOT diagnose diseases. That is only for a licensed Veterinarian to do. I will give you suggestions and steer you toward calling your vet for help. You can call the vet's office and talk to the technician there or the vet at times. Don't be afraid to call them! If you have a serious issue with your pet please post it to one of the veterinarians in here- I will tell you the same thing in my answer. IF your pet is injured or in an emergency situation, CALL YOUR VET- Do not wait and post in here. Just call the vet's office and get them in to see the vet right away. Critical treatment time is lost if you seek answers here when you should have your precious pet at the vets!! Don't sit at home waiting for an answer when your pet is critically ill or injured!! I can answer most questions about small animal and wildlife care as well as small animal nutrition. I can also answer questions about all phases of dental care for small animals. I DO NOT answer questions about birds (unless it is wildlife or songbirds) or HAMSTERS/GERBILS/CHINS/GUINEA PIGS/REPTILES/FROGS/RABBITS/PET BIRDS OF ANY KIND so please submit these questions to the appropriate sections. I, as well as other experts in here, do NOT do homework questions- that is for YOU to do! Please respect these rules for all of us. Thanks!

Experience

I have over 35 years experience in the field of veterinary medicine. I specialized in small animals and did wildlife rehab for over 25 years, mostly raptors, squirrels and opossums. I am a Small Animal Nutritional Consultant with 6 certificates from Hills Pet Foods, CNM and Purina. I also specialized in Small Animal Dentistry which is a field I truly love.

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Audubon,World Wildlife Federation, American Society of Veterinary Dental Technicians.

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Licensed with California and Oregon, RVT and CVT. Certified Veterinary Dental Technician Have over 500 logged hours of Continuing Education Credits(that means I keep up to date!).

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Nominated for Expert of the Month for the last 5 years.

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