My CHF cat won't eat. How can I help his appetite and nausea?

Good question. They are both appetitive stimulants but are a different class of drug so they work in different ways. I think it is worth a shot trying to the Entyce. I would also highly recommend informing your veterinarian about this continued issue because often times the pets kidney values are really high, causing appetite suppression alone. Also ask your vet about getting Tony on Cerenia (anti-nausea) medication long term (can be given every other day in renal failure cats ) to help with his appetite. Often cats won’t eat because they are nauseous due to elevated toxins in their blood stream from the kidney disease. Also a product called Azodyl can help reduce kidney values more naturally. I hope these suggestions help you get Tony’s appetite back to what it used to be. Best wishes and take care!

Poor Hulk! He may not be eating because of nausea so your vet could try an anti-nausea medication called Cerenia and Pepcid (an antacid) and see if that helps him eat. Your vet can also teach you how to give him subcutaneous fluids at home to help keep his kidney values down. Your vet could also try an appetite stimulant (Mirtazapine, Cyproheptadine) to increase your cats appetite and get him eating again.

Cerenia is an anti-nausea medication, not a true appetite stimulant. A decrease in appetite is not a common side effect but was occasionally noted in safety studies. I think it’s more likely that Trixie’s decreased appetite is due to her disease rather than the medication. If you’re concerned you could ask your vet about other anti-nausea options but Cerenia is usually the most effective medication in cats.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry to hear Katniss has been ill. Cerenia is an anti-nausea medication. Animals with vestibular disease often feel "motion sick" - having something similar to vertigo. So this is great for that. It also helps settle the stomach which helps with appetite. Mirtazapine is a true appetite stimulant. Even with both of these, the balance apparatus is very mad and so falling over may still happen. I recommend bringing slightly warmed wet food to his face a few times daily to encourage eating. If no improvement in the vestibular signs within a week, I recommend a CT scan of the head to look for inner ear infection or, heaven forbid, a tumor. Vaseline is ok for paw pads, though olive oil or coconut oil is even better. To be honest, most cracked paw pads are not painful and do not need treatment. I'd recommend an over the counter laxatone product for the hair balls, along with frequent brushing. Omega 3 fatty acid supplements can help with the dandruff. Best wishes to you and Katniss.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Appetite stimulants sometimes do not help so it is not uncommon to be in this spot especially if there is significant underlying disease. I would recommend you contact your veterinarian who knows the entire medical history to make further recommendations. There are other appetite stimulants that can be tried such as Entyce. Good luck and have a great day!

I am sorry to hear that Walter isn’t doing well. Decreased appetite can have a long list of possible causes, which may or may not be related to his cardiomyopathy. I would continue to work with your vet in possible treatments to get him more comfortable. You can also consider working with a veterinary acupuncturist or palliative care veterinarian to make sure we are treating the whole body rather than just one symptom at a time. There is also an appetite stimulant called Entyce that might help.

Find a food with a strong smell/odor. Warm it slightly then offer it to Precious. You can also mix a teaspoon of warmed baby food in with her food. Discuss appetite stimulants, such as mirtazipine, with your veterinarian. The vet may also suggest some kidney friendly diets such as Hill's k/d or Royal Canin Renal Support. Bloodwork should be submitted to check kidney function. Elevated BUN and creatinine levels may cause nausea and inappetance. Hospitalizaton and IV fluids may be necessary to decrease levels.