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!!!!!

Update on Fluffy

I'm still in Lincoln, but rang the vet today. Mum took Fluffy in this morning to have her X-rays and sort out her fur.

When I discovered they were keeping her in overnight, I naturally thought the worst. Maybe 16 was too old for a cat to go under general anaesthetic?

But I needn't have worried, as they explained that this was just a precaution. In fact, they did a blood test before putting her under, and discovered- to everyone's amazement- that her kidney function is now registering as 'better than normal'. Previously it has been down, and she has been on an especially sensitive, strict, renal-diet for over a year now. Well it seems to have done the job.

The X-rays revealed no tumours and no kidney stones. This was an enormous relief! So why the elevated calcium???

Here's the bad news; the vet said that she has the worst spondylosis of the spine that he has ever seen.

This was a huge surprise to us, as Fluffy shows no symptoms.

Typical symptoms are: stiffness, unable or reluctant to climb or jump e.g., onto a chair, clawing or clubbing of feet and difficulty walking, pain and yelping in pain.

In contrast, despite having at least 2 beds, Fluffy's favourite spot is one of the armchairs. Note I don't say what part: she just OWNS this particular armchair. She jumps up on it and curls up (surely you wouldn't do that with a stiff spine?) or sits on the arm and has a wash. She loves being groomed (surely you wouldn't if your bones ached) and jumps up onto the back of the chair and yeows to ask for a brush.

Anyway, so, me and the vet were equally stunned with surprise to know she not only has this degenerative arthritis of the spine, but she has the worst case he has seen.

Regarding her hair, the nurses have managed to de-knot and de-matt much of it with combs, so only a few shaved patches! We were worried about this, as Fluffy IS quite vain. When it's windy she faces into the wind and looks so angry at it, for daring to displace a few hairs.

And so poor Fluff is sleeping over night at the vet's.

They are quite good about this. Whenever a pet is staying in, a member of the team will stay overnight in the flat above the surgery, and check on the pet now and then. So Fluff is in the safest hands right now. She has her own den, heated, with a nightlight nearby too.

They are keeping her on fluids overnight so that the anaesthetic is continually flushed out of her system. This cares for her liver and kidneys. It's great that the kidney function is back, wonderful! But the raised calcium could still be dodgy on her liver. Overnight on a drip will prevent her getting dehydrated too, I suppose, as at home she might just sleep it off and forget to get up for some water.

No. I'm no so worried about Fluff. I'm worried about Mum!!! She is nibbling her nails down, worrying about poor Fluff! I have spoken to her on the phone a few times and told her, try not to worry, especially as Fluff is probably fast asleep!

She picks her up tomorrow.

I am in Lincoln till Thursday night but I'll call her again tomorrow and make sure all is well. I sure wish I could give them both a hug!

As for me, I am eating so much! The company has paid for our hotel, including breakfast, lunch and dinner, so we are making the most of the a la carte menu. Scrumptious! Lincoln has enormously steep hills, so I thought we could have a long walk after dinner and work some of the food off- then Luvbug produced a cake from his pocket, which he'd sneaked out of the hotel! So there I was, climbing the steepest hill of my life, snaffling a fondant fancy. NOT quite the effect I had in mind! LOL!!!

Update: Fluffy. And a bit of a rant! (Sorry!)

Thank you for the messages of support. I rang the vet today but I'm not much clearer.
Fluffy went on thyroid tablets last autumn because she was losing weight and found to have hyperthyroidism. She is still on these drugs, but much improved- gained weight, etc.

The blood test he did last week, after finding a lump at the base of her neck, was meant to check for cancer. Today I was told the following-

• her thyroid level is high, though controlled. VERY high would be "66". She is "55". Although controlled by the drugs, he recommends removal of the thyroid glands.
• her white cell blood count is down. Possibly this means she may have been infected with FiV, as her brother, Scooter, has this. He was diagnosed some years ago, but we had Fluffy tested last November and she was clear
  
• Nothing whatsoever to report on the lump.

What the?

That blood test cost over £120 ($230) and I am still no wiser re cancer.

I asked him about this, and he said that he would have to cut out the lump and send it off. NO WAY!!!!! Her sister, Figs, had a lump on her side. They removed it and tested it, only to find it was a fibrocarsoma- a particularly vicious form of cancer. Before fur had even grown back, the lump was back, twice as big. We removed it again, leaving a wide margin around it- this meant an enormous wound. But again, it came back. It seemed the more it was interfered with, the faster and wider it grew. It looked like fingers under her skin, stretching out. I kept her while she showed no change in behaviour. As soon as she was in pain, I had to let her go.

Now he wants to remove Fluffy's lump to biopsy it? NO WAY! I asked, couldn't he aspirate the lump with a needle and test to see IF it is cancer and then WHAT TYPE? At this point I was told it was the vet's lunch break!

And why recommend to remove her thyroid? Her drugs are on the lower dose at the moment- why not increase it? I've found the same drug on the internet and I know it comes in 10mg and 15mg doses. So why not increase? I'd rather be able to discuss this sort of alternative, not just give the go-ahead for an operation.

Fluffy already has lower renal function and an general anaesthetic isn't going to help her kidneys, is it?

No. I've left it at this- he wants to do another blood test in 4 weeks' time to check the thyroid function. If it's still high, I'll then talk to him about the drug dose. Maybe her kidneys can't take it. (In which case, how can he operate?)

Which is best for your pet, to try everything possible- including operations, or to say, no, I'm not putting her through that; I'll keep an eye on her and see she is ok, comfortable, etc. And then say goodbye when I have to. This might mean she lives slightly less long, but she won't be having operations and being scared, stressed and hurt.

Fluffy is 15. I'm told this is a good age. That doesn't make it easier. I once had a wee rescue-cat, Katie, who lived to be over 19. So anything less seems robbery of time due to her for lying in the sun, watching butterflies and having her tummy rubbed.

There is, of course, an element of "I don't want to go through this again." Neither does my mum- Fluffy and Scooter live with her. (She takes them to the vet and it all gets stuck on my card, so that looking after them doesn't mean she is out of pocket.)

I am annoyed with the vet anyway, as I have found another vet, "VioVet", that sells Fluffy's tablets online (so long as your own vet provides a written prescription) at 46p each, whereas mine sells them at 68p each. And some Fish Oil capsules that he sold us for her- he charged £10 for a month's supply. Now I have found the exact same brand, in the exact same packaging, at the same supplier he uses- and they are just £5. So he has passed a 100% mark-up to me.

His fees are sky high but there is no other vet in the area to take them to. I think he is taking advantage. He shrugs and says, "You can claim it back on insurance" - but my pet insurance has such a high excess now, I am lucky if I get half the bill back. No wonder the premiums are getting higher each year- if all vets take the attitude that they can charge what they please.

It's awful to love your pets, and to not totally trust your vet. I'm not sure he has Fluffy's best interests at heart. Maybe she is just nearing the end of her days, and he needs to make as much money out of her as possible. Can you tell I'm a little wound up????

Off for a few days..

Fluffy has a strange liking for leather shoes. With her sister it was bags. I still have a black leather handbag that has scratch marks all down one side. I'll never part with it. It says, "Figs was here". But Fluffy's fetish is definitely of the shoe kind. Here she is, a few weeks ago, sitting on my shoes. She later slept on them for hours. I have to take spare footwear with me. The alternative is a visit to mum's spent indoors.

Ah well. I'm off later today to see her, and to take her back to the vet tomorrow. We might find out what the lumps were....

The other day I dreamt that she had got the all-clear. I woke up smiling and relieved. Then I remembered it was just a dream. I can't say how much I hope that one will come true. My brain is telling me not to worry. My gut is saying "Prepare."

Should be blogging again by the end of the week..... please keep good thoughts for Fluffy.

*****

thanks for the birthday messages!

Scroll down for a post about the day....!

Keeping busy after the shock of the vet's bill!

Chicken pie out, wholemeal fruit scones ready to go in...

I've had the bill from the vet. For a dental clean, a few teeth taken out, one blood test, the removal of two suspicious lumps for sending to the lab.... guess how much? £954.82.

The nurse told us not to worry as "You can get it all back from the insurance." Not so!

I have an email friend, Donna, in Missourri. Her husband is a vet, and had never heard of Pet Insurance. Is it a UK thing?

Anyway, I pay just under £15 a month for Fluffy's insurance. But there are catches: NOTHING to do with the mouth is covered at all. Of everything else, there is an excess of £60 PLUS I have to pay 25% of what's left.

This means I will get back £539.98. Hardly getting it all back! I hope that nurse isn't saying that to everyone. I'm used to it, but others might have a bad shock coming.

I wonder if this attitude is behind the high fees, and even the strange fees. For example, I have been charged £225.25 for "surgery" and then £47.00" for "surgery theatre fee".

What the??? Where else was he going to operate? In the street?

Off course, Fluffy is worth it. And it's what my credit card lives for- I only have one for vet fees! But I do wonder if vets take the p**s.

She has 25 staples AND stitches, none of them being removed till next Monday. Poor thing. I don't think I can get down to my mum's (where she lives) to see her till Saturday. I may have to forego partner and blogs for a few days, and stay there well into next week. I feel I owe her lots of hugs and attention...