Sorry

I am so sorry to hear about Pumpkin.

My Maxie had pancreatitis 3 times. It is notoriously difficult to make a clear diagnosis. Most times when it is suspected they put the pet on I/V fluids and withhold food for a few days and if it is going to it usually resolves on its own. Then you have to be very careful not to give fatty foods. And antibiotics are not a treatment for this. Only rest of the pancreas and supportive therapy will save them. The antibiotics are just "in case" there is an infection, which usually there is not. So you can lay that down.

I don't think it is as prevalent in cats as dogs. But sometimes there is just too much damage and there is nothing you can do. That depends on the pet, not the vet. Maxie ended up with diabetes from it, but he never got pancreatitis after the last time and he lived 5 more years after that.

Please don't beat yourselves up about this. She may have had some underlying condition as well. Blood clots are often caused by pancreatic cancer and it will also cause the enzymes to go up. Sounds like you would have had your hands full with this even if she had survived.

The pancreatitis test does take a week to come back, and usually a vet will put the pet on I/V fluids while waiting. Did your vet do that? If they did, then that is all that could be done. It sounds like your Pumpkin was a pretty sick kitty. I know she knew you loved her. Lay down the guilt for awhile. This is a very nasty disease and not easily treated. I know many others who have lost their pets to his. Max was just lucky.

Cheryl and Angel Maxie

Dear K.C.,

I'm so sorry for your heartbreaking loss of Pumpkin. I understand how devastated you both feel. Pumpkin was such a special part of your lives for ten great years. Having had just one pet in our family for nearly ten years as well, I know how central she has been to your lives and to your well-being.

Our furry friends are our family members who communicate without ever saying a word; they love us unconditionally, and play with us, entertain us, and fill us with joy and contentment. And we do the same for them. When they are gone, the void is immeasurable, and it's incredibly painful to accept. I still think "It's so unfair!" And I long for another chance to "take care of her" again, and do all the "right" things this time. But then I recall the nursery rhyme: "...All the Kings horses and all the King's men, couldn't put <my Abbey> together again." Despite all the money and effort and research I poured into it, she couldn't be saved in the end, and I feel like I failed her.

Truth is, we are given such a short time to absorb that our pet has fallen ill, and to explore all the opinions and options. It's nearly impossible to know what's right, what's true; the best advice or thing to do. It's our nature to trust in vets and medicine, and to hope, but no one has all the answers, and every animal's system and reactions to everything are so different. What helps one might hurt another. I think it's quite common to feel anger and guilt and second-guess our decisions, but we're all human and did the best we could at the time.

Please know that Pumpkin knows how much you love her, and that warm memories will carry you through the darkest days, along with all the folks on this site who totally understand what you're going through.