more info on Sunny

[mei123]

Hi, Dr.

  Thank you!
All the other results are normal, including Bun (22), Creatinine (2), Calcium (9.5), Potassium (4.2), Phosphorus (4.2).

Sunny was really fine and was himself, except that his activity level was low, and not eating much or drinking much for over a week. Prior to that, his appetise has been decreasing. After going to the vet, being drawn two tubes of blood, he came back at 6 o'clock, still eating a little. He appeared to be thirty, as he licked the water that I put in the food to soften it. The next morning when I saw him at around 8:00, he was emaciated, eyes sunken, pupil blown, breathing fast, skin all soggy. He turned into this terminally old looking cat overnight. And then he died. What could cause such dramatic decline in 12 hours? I was in shock seeing him like that. I have never anticipated that he could die that fast!
Can Leukemia cause a quick death like that? I am really puzzled and sadden!
Mei

[Aleda M Cheng, D.V.M., C.V.A]

I am very sorry about Sunny.

We  may never have a definitive answer about what caused Sunny's death.  However, I have a feeling it was a cancer in his gastro-intestional system such as liver cancer, intestinal cancer, splenic cancer, stomach cancer and others.  Another cause could have been FIP (feline infectious peritonitis). If a tumor burst in his gastrointestional system it cause the vomiting of blood.  Cats hide their afflictions quite well, so although Sunny appeared to be normal, he could have been sick for a while.

[mei123]

Also, before Sunny's passing, he seemed to be vomitting a bit overnight. When he was dying, he also had this reflexive vomitting motion even after he had his last breath. Sunny has had occasional problems of throwing up food ever since I had him 6 years ago. After he threw up, he usually took a break for half an hour and then proceeded to eat again. But I remember there were two occasions where the food he threw up was accompanied by red liquid. But he seemed fine afterwords. These incidents were two separate occasions like months apart. He likes to eat the dry out catnip plants and I suspect maybe this can hurt his stomach to the point of bleeding?

[mei123]

Sunny's Glucose is normal too (139).
Mei