Relief

We've had the call from the vet, and been pleasantly surprised by what she had to say....

Scooter's Liver enzymes are up, but not as high as a year ago. The same with his kidneys- some dysfunction there, but not as bad as a year ago. His thyroid is normal, so no change in his thyroid meds needed. The only thing that jumped out was his white blood cell count, which was high. This could be because he is still fighting a sniffle, or might also be because he has spondylitis in his spine. I know that my arthritis has thrown up odd readings when I've had blood tests, e.g. bilirubin being high, but this happens with any inflammation. So maybe it is his riketty old bones that are making that reading high.

I was so relieved that the results weren't showing some dreadful decline.

It also makes me sure that the seizure was a reaction to the flea treatment. The vet said that as he has been treated with it before with no trouble, she doubted it was to blame. But I think it would have been possible for Scoot to have a seizure like this and me miss it: if the other day had been a normal school day, and not a holiday, I wouldn't have known any different. I'd have been at mum's in the afternoon. By the time Luvbug picked us up on the way back from work, the seizure would have been long over and Scooter would have been sleeping it off. We'd have come in, seen him asleep, and thought, ahhh he's ok, sleepy old boy. By 6pm he'd have been up and about, recovered, and eating his supper.

You see? It's possible he HAS had a reaction BEFORE and it's gone unnoticed.

No more 'Frontline' flea treatment for him!

My Scoob seems to be sleeping it off!

'Scoob' or 'Scooby' are just two of my nicknames for Scooter. Others include Scooter-fella, Fella, Fella-me-ladio, Munchkin-Pie (Ok we're getting to the really silly ones now) Angel Toes, Angel Cake, and by this time he just isn't listening to me any more.

He has eaten well since yesterday's scare, and is drinking normally. He is verrrrrrrrry purry and soppy and friendly. We were so relieved to see him climb up the sofa to his spot on the windowsill again. I had just been thinking, oh, he won't be doing that any more..... and then I walked into the room just as he was climbing up there. No exageration to say that I felt like my heart leapt up when I saw that....

 Here he is, consulting his Bear...

making the most of the sunny day...

Back up on the windowsill.... he has two blankies up there, his favourite being the fluffy red one...

oooo snuggly fluffy soft blankie....

I can't believe this is comfortable but cats don't seem to mind the weirdest sleep positions!

"You can take my photo, but you can't take my Crazy-Cosmic-Catnip-Banana!"

Aahh.. touch wood, and keep things crossed. He seems to have got through it ok, but I'm not going to relax yet. I'm afraid if I relax, something bad will happen. No results form the vet yet. I think we'll get a call tomorrow. Everything crossed till then.....

THANK YOU all for your lovely messages of support whilst I've been worrying and blaming myself and stuff...

Paws crossed for Scooter....

In the end, I had to give the anti-biotics to Scooter, despite the warnings I'd read about them not being good for cats with kidney dysfunction. No alternative was available. He had the last bit of one this morning.

Lately, although he eats his biscuits, he is off his wet food. This is a problem because it's the wet food that you can hide medicine in. He has regular meds for hyperthyroidism (or hypo-, I'm not sure which) and some drops for pain management.
In the last few days I discovered he will eat some raw pork mince, so I have given him his meds in this.

Last night I gave him an anti-flea thing on the back of his neck ("Frontline"). He has had this before withough problems....


This afternoon he had a seizure.

We rushed him to the vet.

He had been twitching all through his front legs and face, and his eyes were bulging. We rang the vet as soon as we saw what was happening, and got an appointment for 40 mins time. During the interim it sort of righted itself; he seemd normal again, purring, but could not stand or walk. I was terrified I was losing him.

Whilst at the vet he seemed to come right. Bit wobbly, perhaps. Eyes ok, heartbeat ok, temp ok. Walked a few steps round the table ok.

Did a blood test; blood sugar low, but may be result of the seizure.

Did other blood tests; may be liver enzymes. Had trouble with these levels before. Will know results tomorrow evening.

Sent us home with two tins of Science Diet A/D; a high energy pate. The vet said he had to eat straight away and that if he hadn't eaten by 6 this evening to bring him back. So I was glad to see him eat half a tinful as soon as we got home. Now he is sleeping it off near to Luvbug's feet.............

I don't think I should have given him the flea treatment. Seizure is listed as a side effect, but a very rare one. Then again, he has had them before. I wanted to give it because he has lots of little scabs on his skin, where he has nibbled himself. Sometimes he spins round and nips himself suddenly like he has just been bitten or is itchy. So although I haven't found fleas when I've groomed him, I still thought he had them.

I hope he is going to be ok. I will forever blame myself if he isn't.

Please keep your paws crossed for him.He is snoozing now.

About time I popped in here

I am just finding it so hard to get round to blogging. The times when I am actually free I seem to have to catch up on sleep! My latest med, pregabalin, seems to knock me out or make me soooo dizzy and whoozy all I can do is try to curl up somewhere.

Mum is doing really well, and so is fine nowadays if I have to say, look, can I see you later than planned cos I'm so dizzy?

My current worry (!!!) is Scooter, who has lost weight and is drinking more water than usual. He also has days when he won't eat.
We took him to the vet.... now, meanwhile, I had discovered that one of the antibiotics they gave Fluffy last year should never have been given to her as -and this is from the manufacturer's website- it should never be given to cats with kidney problems, especially if they are having trouble with passing urine. That is Fluffy exactly, but they gave it to her. I am left wondering if it is what sent her downhill so suddenly, because she changed literally within a few hours of that vet visit.

Anyway. I took Scooter to the same vets, but asked for the partner rather than a visiting vet. Scooter had a cold and was sneezing a lot. So the vet prescribed some anti-biotics..... and gave us the same ones. I queried them, saying I'd read they shouldn't be given to cats with poor kidney function (Scooter is 18 so he will have some, even if the symptoms aren't full blown yet). Well, this vet knew nothing about it and insisted there was no anti-biotic that couldn't be given because of kidney problems.

Hmm. I started to doubt myself and meekly came home with the tablets, thinking oh well, I must have got it wrong. Why do I do that??? I looked it up straight away and yep, I'm right, it is these same ones.

The vet was off on holiday next day. I gave the tablets to Scooter for a few days but not the whole course. He is a little better but drinking loads of water, which isn't a great sign.

I'm waiting to see someone this Thursday who recommended another vet to me in the past. I can't remember who she said, so I'm going to ask again and then take him there instead.

He is also FiV and on thyroid treatment- he should be having regular blood checks for these things and has only had one since last May with this vet, even when I ask about it.

AAAAARGH.

So it is back to my usual adage; if only people would do their jobs properly, the world would be a far less stressful place!!!!!