Scooter news
Thank you all for all the kind messages for Scooter, which have helped us so much.
I've told him he has friends all over the world sending him purrs and under-chin scrunchies.
I am going to list what has happened since last week, because I know people will want to know how he is doing, and also, there is something new and again, I wonder if any cat people out there recognise any of this........
Well, the vet that came out last week has now gone on holiday for two weeks :( I didn't know he was going, or I'd have called him on Friday.... poo.
I spoke to Kate, one of his colleagues, today.
Luvbug and me have been looking at the possibility that Scooby's trouble might be a fungal infection, not a bacterial one.
We looked up something called CRYPTPCOCCOSIS.
Scooter has all but one of the 10 symptoms listed.
The most common source of the yeast that causes this is present in bird droppings, and of course, we have bird feeders all over the garden......Even seizures can be caused by this :(
I wish we had known this sooner!
Anyway, there is an anti-fungal called FLUCONAZOLE that is good for this infection where seizures are present. Kate has gone off to see if they have any in stock. She is calling me back later.
- MEANWHILE-
- his back legs seem stronger than they've been in weeks. He is walking properly, albeit slowly, not on his haunches and up on his front toes.
- he is using the cat flap again!!
- he is using his patch in the garden, and even manages a little jump off the patch.
- until today, he has been eating well.
- Here's the not so good stuff...
- Since mid-yesterday, the hard lump on the bridge of his nose has softened and spread across his eyebrow (I guess that might rule out tumour, though....?)
- His left eye is being pushed closed and the lids, upper and lower, are swollen, though not red.
- He has a nose bleed- he was sneezing yesterday, and maybe he burst a little blood vessel- least I hope that's all it is.
- Overnight, he was snoring and raspy much of the time.
- He won't let me touch his nose, so he has dried blood sticking all round his nostril.
- He took his meds today, in some ham, but refuses any other food I bring him.
Please keep the good thoughts, healing vibes, prayers, purrrayers and cyber-scrunches coming.....
Today it is very warm and sunny. He has lots of blankies out in the garden and he is laying with his bottom end in the sun and his head in the shade. He is breathing ok. I will keep trying to get him to eat and drink now and then, but I'm also leaving him to sleep peacefully as I'm sure he needs it. I gave him a little extra of his pain meds this morning and I'm hoping he has a nice day in the sun. One day at a time...........
You would not believe how much we have cried :(
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Love, tea & cake,
Helena
Helena
14 comments:
Dear Helena...It breaks my heart to read about your sweet Scooter. Has the vet taken blood to check for feline aids and feline leukemia? Since he is an outside kitty, it's very possible he may have either of those. Keeping Scooter in my prayers, and you guys too. xo Paulette
Oh Helena, I so wish I could shed some light on this for you but it seems you're checking out every possible angle for Scooter. Sending love and hugs, I'll be here watching for news. Di xx
Oh I believe the tears!!! Big huggiedoodles to all of you and a big poo on the vet for going on hols without permission.
Beedeebadee
Yes, Scooter was diagnosed with feline aids in 2005! He is allowed out in the garden because we have such a high fence, and trellising/wind breakers to make sure he can't climb out and go up the street. This was the only way to keep him really, as he had always been an outdoor cat and he would have gone stir crazy indoors.
We had his sister, Fluffy till 18 months ago, and she was never infected.
He hasn't had blood test since last summer, and I think the last test was a full sweep, i.e. testing thyroid levels, T cells and I think other things like leukemia too.
The vet I spoke to today said that, because of the FIV, Scooter might be more succeptible to fungal infection. I wish someone had said this last year!
Di,
thank you for the love and hugs, and also for your email, which I will get round to answering, I hope ... ;)
Found Art
LOL 'without permission'!
I'll pass your cuddles on to Mr Scoob.
Sending hugs and purrs. I wish I could be thereto give the hugs! I think you are doing every thing you can for your sweet Scooter.
Scooter looks so much like my Barney, I can't bear the thought of him being ill. Give him a scritch from me.
We are still sending Scooter, big rumbly purrs and love.
It sounds as if that nose and where the lump is, is sore, I don't know whether your vet might consider an antibiotic shot to deal with what might be an abcess up there (and maybe some pain relief/anti inflamatory) I know Scooter's too frail for a sedation and scope to see what's up the nostril. But it might be worth covering all bases.
A bowl of very hot water, with a couple of teaspoons of Friar's Balsam in it, set down near to him whilst he sleeps (and of course under supervision) may help his congestion a bit. Friar's Balsam is very gentle as an inhalant and doesn't have the stingy smell of stuff like menthol or eucalyptus. Most chemists sell it in little bottles and it's cheap. If you can't get any, just the steamy water will help him. This hot, dry weather is mean to any sore nose.
I don't know if you already know of them, but there is a sanctuary in Somerset called "Catwork" who provide help for FIV and FeLv cats. You can see their work here:
http://www.v63.net/catsanctuary/sanctuary.html
It might be worth giving them a shout, Barbera is so helpful and has devoted many years to helping cats with FIV. She has so much knowledge and I am sure she would be able to give you some words of support and maybe some advice about how best to help Scooter. They are very good and will definately get back to you if you mail them.
There's also the Cat Chat Forum for owners of FIV cats - there's some very knowledgeable (and supportive) people on there who may know more about the fungal issue.
Cat Chat Forum: http://www.catchat.org/discus/messages/3780/3780.html
Luff from
Oliver, Gerry, Mungo and The Ape xx
Oh you poor people. Tears are a safety valve at times like this. I hope Vet Kate comes up with something. They seem willing to do everything possible, which is such a help. Still thinking of all of you, and sending positive vibes.
Sending purrrrrss and comfurting purrrrrayers to Scooter & his beans. Hang in there as long as you can, kittie.
No real suggestions, although we would want to know what is going on with that lump on Scooters nose. Have the V*T thought about sticking a needle in there to see what pops out?
PS: We know all about crying. We've all been there, one way or another. {{hugg}}
Sending love and hugs to you all. I feel your pain. xxx
The Lee County Chowder,
yes this last vet suggested that the lump be aspirated just like that! The trouble is now the lump has changed. Instead of a hard lump on the bridge of the nose, it has gone down there, but come up on the side of hte nose and around the eye. This is since the anti-biotic. I wonder if it is breaking something up in there. We have to watch and see.... if it does come up in ahead somewhere or seem to centre in one particular place again, then we are going to have a needle investigation as you described! I wish they had done this sooner d'oh!
Everycat,
THANK YOU for the website link. I've emailed her!!! What a wonderful lady to care for FIV cats!!!
Scooter, at the moment- as he chnges his mind about his sleeping arrangements almost monthly- has an enormous box in the conservatory, turned on its side like a cave. In it he has a big pillow from off an old sofa and a quilt. We put a hot water bottle on one side so he can move from hot to cool as he wants. ALSO last year when he had a bad URTI we bought a little humidifier and put that near where he slept. Your message has reminded me off it so I'll set it up again in there tonight for him.
He had an anti-b shot last MOnday evening and I'm hoping that this breaking up the lump- its shape is changing and he is different each day in appearance. Also, he has loxicom which I know has had a bad press (the US version, metacam, has lost its license for cat use) but he has had it for his spondylitis for years. He is on 2.5 drops a day and the last few days I've put it up to 3 drops, after the vet said it would be ok, so that he is more comfy while the eye/lump thing is changing and sometimes looking quite raw. He lets me bathe his eye and just about wipe his nose.
Oh look- he has a new box and he's lying in it in the sun as I write! He looks so cute!
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