My cat's sick for weeks, vets can't find cause. What tests to ask?

HI, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Newton! Wow, you have done a lot and I am surprised you haven't found an answer. I would be sure fecal testing has been done and feline leukemia/FIV testing, chest X-rays, B12/folate/TLI/PLI testing then I would take him to surgery to explore his abdominal cavity and I would biopsy everything. Looking for lymphoma. He should have a feeding tube (esophageal) placed a surgery so he can be fed while you wait for biopsy results. Also if it has been more than 1 month since the CBC/Chemistry has been ran I would repeat it. I wish you the best

Poor Sachi! Significant weight loss and inappetence are certainly a major concern. I'm glad to hear that his blood work (I assume a CBC, chemistry and T4?) was unremarkable. However, foreign body intestinal obstruction/blockages, intestinal malabsorption issues that can cause inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI), chronic pancreatitis, or cancerous processes, do not necessarily cause changes on screening blood tests. If Sachi has not yet had abdominal x-rays or an ultrasound, consider talking to your vet about these tests as his next diagnostic step. If he has a foreign body obstructing his intestines, this is a surgical emergency, and these tests would be helpful in obtaining a diagnosis. If pancreatitis, IBD or EPI are more highly suspected, consider talking to your vet about testing for vitamins B12 and folate, as well as TLI and fPLI. I hope this helps!

If all his bloodwork was normal that rules out kidney disease, liver disease, diabetes, etc. If your vet did not test for hyperthyroidism than a test should be done. An x-ray and/or ultrasound is defintely needed and will, hopefully, provide more information. He could have an infection, cancer, or obstruction/foreign body to name a few other possibilities. If he is not able to keep food down, I am not sure waiting until Friday is a good idea. He may continue to weaken and may become dehydrated. If your vet can't take an x-ray then you could consider taking him to an emergency clinic or another vet that can. An anti-vomiting injection may be helpfull if your vet didn't give him one. I hope that his problem is diagnosed and treated soon!

Hello. I am so sorry for Smudge not feeling well. By scan, do you just mean x-rays? If not already done, Smudge needs a complete blood count & serum chemistry analysis. I would also be looking at all rickettsial diseases ( do you have ticks in the UK? ), & also possibly looking at a fungal panel. Identifying the cause of an illness is often a process that takes some time. I am glad you have her in a hospital setting so immediate treatments can be given as needed. Good luck with Smudge, I hope she is feeling better soon. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Toots! I would bring a stool sample and have Toots examined by your Vet. I would recommend full blood work including Feline Leukemia and FIV. If that is normal then I would consider maldigeetion and malabsorption blood work (tests B12, folate and 2 pancreatic enzymes and consider an ultrasound of his belly to rule in or out underlying intestinal disease like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or small cell lymphoma. Most IBD cats are treated with a prescription diet and anti-inflammatories. Since he is getting worse I recommend starting a work up. I wish you and Toots the best!

I'm sorry Bindi isn't doing well! It could be that she is suffering from a severe GI infection, could have eaten something rotten or toxic, or could have a foreign body. Taking her into the vet was exactly the right thing to do, and if she isn't getting better, I'd recommend having blood tests, a urinalysis, and possibly abdominal x-rays done to try to diagnose what is causing her symptoms so she can be treated.

He needs more testing. Just because the blood work is normal does not mean there is nothing underlying. Something is wrong. I suggest x-rays as the next step and maybe an ultrasound of the abdomen.