Update On Banu

Let me begin by saying that Banu is pretty much back to her normal self. I can't be happier about that, and yet we still don't really know what happened and so we really don't know what to do to make sure it doesn't happen again. We may know more after next week's ultrasound and blood recheck.

The cause for her weight loss is unknown. Yes, I did change the kitties over to a healthier wet food (the GI Internist said it's an excellent food) and maybe she didn't like it and eat enough of it but she did eat it every day until the day she quit eating altogether and I took her to the specialty clinic. As you all know her liver was hyperechoic on ultrasound and the working diagnosis was that she had hepatic hyperlipidosis, a liver in which fat cells have replaced many of the normal liver cells.  Hepatic hyperlipidosis can be caused by a cat that quits eating and the rapid weight loss that causes. It was crucial that she begin eating to help turn this around; hepatic hyperlipidosis can be fatal. Banu would not eat at the scary clinic so they let us take her home to see if she would eat for us. She did and it's a good thing. If she hadn't eaten on her own she would've needed a feeding tube inserted as well as a biopsy. I bought her some yummy kitten chow and some Fancy Feast; she's happily eating the kitten chow for now.

Of course she was also given a slew of medications. If I try to analyze what medications were given to Banu to be able to guess at what assaulted her liver I would guess some sort of infectious process. Other than the fluids she was given at the clinic she is on antibiotics, vitamin K, and an appetite stimulant; to me the more meaningful meds are the antibiotics. Technically she doesn't need the appetite stimulant any more since she's eating on her own and per their instructions I will probably stop that and watch carefully to make sure she continues to eat. Where did this possible infectious agent came from since she's always indoors? Shirin said probably it would have come from her own digestive tract. If a duct (for example a duct coming from the liver) has some bacteria going UP it back into the liver, that could cause an infection. It should be a one way street leading DOWN to the intestines. So the interesting question for me is, what would have caused this backup to occur? A new anatomical defect?

I hope they can answer some of my questions next week but I realize they may never know. With medicine it's often a case of "we're not sure but you're better now so we're done" and I'll take that if I have to. I just hope this episode is over and not a temporary reprieve in a longer illness. It may also mean that I should feed her foods she really likes instead of a food that's really good for her. We'll see.

Here is Banu this morning on her favorite chair in the sun. I know it looks like they shaved her leg but that skin actually goes across her abdomen & side and they had to shave that to do her ultrasound.

Closeup. Shirin is that Banu's undercoat or just where they shaved at a higher level?

A very happy girl with a drop of water on her chinny chin chin.

Other than Banu's first half day home we haven't separated her from Lupe. Lupe is LOVIN' the new yummy food options! Fortunately she's still eating the healthy wet food too and I hope she doesn't gain too much weight.