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Fever of unknown origin - Help!
I spent 2 1/2 hours and $452 at the vets today, desperately trying to get a diagnosis on what is going on with my kitty, Lucy. Yesterday she ate her breakfast and was her old normal self. By midafternoon she had stopped eating, stopped drinking, was lethargic, depressed and wanted nothing more than to be left alone. Normally chatty and purrful, she could not even muster a squeak. I was up with her the entire night, basically worrying myself to a frazzle and going back and forth on whether or not I should take her to the e-vet ($200 to walk in the door) or take a chance and wait till morning.
I pulled out my Cornell desk reference and learned enough to really scare myself - everything from renal failure to leukemia was a possible cause of Lucy's symptoms. So I left a message for my vet and was able to get her in this afternoon. She was very dehydrated and running a temp of 104 (high, but not dangerously so in cats). The vet thought she felt a mass near her kidneys so x-rays were taken: nothing there and no other problems indicated. Every blood test under the sun was performed and the numbers came up completely normal. All tests for heartworm, fip, felv, all the big scary sounding diseases - nothing. No terminal illness, no contagious illness, no poisoning...In short, I have the healthiest sick kitty in Chico.
They gave her some subcutaneous fluids, gave me a bottle of pills to stuff down her throat and a can of some horrid smelling cat food. They then sent both of us home with orders for me to watch her like a hawk and take her temp regularly to ensure it doesnt rise anymore. She goes back on Monday for a re-check (provided she doesnt take a turn for the worse, in which case she goes right to the e-vet).
I got her home and opened her crate and she hopped out talking her head off, regaling me with tales of her adventure at the vets (like I hadnt been there or something). She gobbled down the disgusting wet cat food, crawled to the top of her kitty condo, and fell fast asleep. Although she hasnt purred yet and doesnt seem to want to play with the other cats (a nightly after-supper ritual) she does seem to feel a little better. I attritube that to the fluids.
So now Im at a loss. Im so very glad that all the big, fatal, scary sounding illnesses have been ruled out. Im thrilled beyond words that it isnt contagious. Im overjoyed that she wasnt poisoned. BUT - Im conflicted. For $450, I wanted something I could point my finger at and say, ah-HA! There's the culprit, no wonder shes sick, blah blah blah, take a pill, go away. I got NOTHIN. No reason at all for my kid's fever or illness. My vet is one of the best in Northern California & I trust her implicitly. I have no reason to believe she did anything other than what was absolutely necessary to acheive a proper diagnosis.
I know I cant be the only person out there who's run into this situation. Has anyone else had a fever of unknown origin and dehydration in their cat? If so, how did it resolve? ANY advice, ideas, stories, or opinions would be very appreciated...
I pulled out my Cornell desk reference and learned enough to really scare myself - everything from renal failure to leukemia was a possible cause of Lucy's symptoms. So I left a message for my vet and was able to get her in this afternoon. She was very dehydrated and running a temp of 104 (high, but not dangerously so in cats). The vet thought she felt a mass near her kidneys so x-rays were taken: nothing there and no other problems indicated. Every blood test under the sun was performed and the numbers came up completely normal. All tests for heartworm, fip, felv, all the big scary sounding diseases - nothing. No terminal illness, no contagious illness, no poisoning...In short, I have the healthiest sick kitty in Chico.
They gave her some subcutaneous fluids, gave me a bottle of pills to stuff down her throat and a can of some horrid smelling cat food. They then sent both of us home with orders for me to watch her like a hawk and take her temp regularly to ensure it doesnt rise anymore. She goes back on Monday for a re-check (provided she doesnt take a turn for the worse, in which case she goes right to the e-vet).
I got her home and opened her crate and she hopped out talking her head off, regaling me with tales of her adventure at the vets (like I hadnt been there or something). She gobbled down the disgusting wet cat food, crawled to the top of her kitty condo, and fell fast asleep. Although she hasnt purred yet and doesnt seem to want to play with the other cats (a nightly after-supper ritual) she does seem to feel a little better. I attritube that to the fluids.
So now Im at a loss. Im so very glad that all the big, fatal, scary sounding illnesses have been ruled out. Im thrilled beyond words that it isnt contagious. Im overjoyed that she wasnt poisoned. BUT - Im conflicted. For $450, I wanted something I could point my finger at and say, ah-HA! There's the culprit, no wonder shes sick, blah blah blah, take a pill, go away. I got NOTHIN. No reason at all for my kid's fever or illness. My vet is one of the best in Northern California & I trust her implicitly. I have no reason to believe she did anything other than what was absolutely necessary to acheive a proper diagnosis.
I know I cant be the only person out there who's run into this situation. Has anyone else had a fever of unknown origin and dehydration in their cat? If so, how did it resolve? ANY advice, ideas, stories, or opinions would be very appreciated...
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