Tabs stops eating again...off to the vet's

Tabs had no appetite again this morning. I force-fed her the ID so that I could give her her medicines. But within minutes, she vomited out everything.

This has gone on long enough, so we brought her to the vet in PJ for a more thorough check-up.

On the way there...

At the clinic, the vet palpated her and felt there was "something stuck". A quick blood test was done and everything was normal. Temperature taken - normal too. Checked for mites - no mites.

The vet then took a X-Ray which revealed the problem - Tabs' stomach and intestines are full of hair. Luckily it's not "dense" yet, so it has a chance of coming out and it MUST come out. There is also some distension (gas) and in short, her intestines is "full of stuff" which needs to be passed out.

A full blood test was also done. Everything is normal. Liver and kidneys are all okay. What a relief!

On top of her existing medication, the vet prescribed liquid paraffin and B-complex (to stimulate appetite).

I asked if the hairball problem is serious for cats since it can lead to death. The vet explained that it's not the hairball that kills but the inappetence (lack of appetite). Not eating causes the body to metabolise the fats and this leads to fatty liver, which can be fatal.

So the solution now is to help Tabs pass out all the "stuff" in her intestines, including all the hair, and also to make sure she eats, even if only small amounts, every day. It may take up to 2 weeks for her to pass out all the stuff.

Meanwhile, to play it safe, Tabs was given subcut fluid. If need be, she can come in for subcut on a daily basis to ensure she is properly rehydrated.

Tabs was quite active through it all and thought it was quite an adventure, what with visiting a new clinic, the joy ride in the car, etc.

The vet said it was not necessary to feed her ID (I suspect she hates ID and it repulses her, hence, she vomits it all out). Royal Canin Hairball or Fit 32 is good, the vet said. Give her food, as long as she eats something, that's good. Add flavours, if need be.

So we came home and I offered Tabs some RC Hairball. She only took a courtesy bit and decided she'd rather sit.

The patio cats were very concerned and all came in to see how Tabs was, not knowing that the poor girl was so freaked out by all the attention, so we had to get everyone out of the house.

I knew Tabs was hungry, so I tried Natural Balance Chicken...

 Yum, yum....she ate quite a bit.

And for some reason, she only wanted to eat in this precarious position by the sink.

After food, I gave her the liquid paraffin and B-Complex.

Now, to wait for her to pass out all that nasty stuff from her stomach and intestines.

Patience, patience...but at least I have some peace of mind knowing I've done everything I can for her, leaving no stones unturned.