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Post by pnp4kidz on Jun 3, 2008 16:48:10 GMT -5
Caly, she will be showing BOTH in the am, then in the FINALS in the pm!
:-) never fear, you'll make it for the big final 10!!!
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Post by calypso on Jun 3, 2008 20:55:49 GMT -5
That's good! I'm really looking forward to it!!
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Post by calypso on Jun 4, 2008 13:29:14 GMT -5
Louie is not so good again. His appetite is falling off and he's just looking "funky". I talked to my go-to vet, Lisa, last night and we strategized. On a good note - she HAS seen the droopy ears before and it's a protein issue. His body is grabbing protein anywhere it can get it - cartiledge from his ears being one place.
Poor little guy.
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Post by swissgrl on Jun 4, 2008 13:32:48 GMT -5
oh poor baby, still jingling for him!!!
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Post by piopico on Jun 4, 2008 15:10:46 GMT -5
Keep fighting Louie!!!
Caly, I was going to say that it's a cartilage issue........although I didn't catch the 'protein' part. But if he's pulling protein from all his cartilage....wow- you might end up with a black Ragdoll!
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Post by calypso on Jun 5, 2008 23:58:07 GMT -5
Louie went back for bloodwork today. He wasn't happy about it, but tolerated it ok.
Then, we weighed him and found he'd gained a half pound in 3 days. That would be cool, except he's not eating enough to gain that kind of weight. So, they hauled in the portable ultrasound to see if he had fluid in his belly (which would be very bad) and he found himself on his back having his belly "rubbed" by the probe. Not a happy cat. But, no fluid, so yipee. Apparently he's gaining weight from thin air. (My horses are like that - hard keeping TB's HAH!!)
But, while she was scanning him she saw his bladder was full and had "stuff" in the urine. So, she decided to take a sample...with a very long needle. Poor Louie. This was NOT the deal. The urine turned out okay - the "stuff" wasn't bad stuff.
Louie beat a hasty retreat back into his carrier. (Amazing how easily the go into the crate AT the vet as opposed to at home.) Long wait for blood results, and.....
pcv is now up to 16 and he's making lots and lots of new baby red blood cells!! The rest of his labs were okay/improving except one liver value that jumped way up. So we add another antibiotic in and continue syringe feeding him.
The vet had everyone she could find come in and look at his ears, for educational purposes. Poor Louie, hiding in the crate with all the strangers filing through, bending down and peering in and saying "oh that's so weird" and "oh, I've never seen that before" and "oh, look how cute" and "Is he a Scottish Fold?" (uh, no. If he were then his ears would be normal, not weird.)
Finally he got to come home and a very relieved kitty he was! I called his Aunt Earlybp to give her the news since the two of them have been chatting and a (measured) celebration was had by all.
But, I still need to syringe feed him. And, he's still not thrilled by it.
Poor Louie.
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Post by jenm on Jun 6, 2008 1:01:35 GMT -5
Louie is so very lucky to have you looking out for him. I don't know how you do it.
Btw, you actually looked rested tonight. I meant to ask you how it feels to be able to get more than 2 hours of sleep at one time!
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Post by calypso on Jun 6, 2008 1:05:06 GMT -5
LOL! I'm sitting here EXHAUSTED! I can't imagine how I looked rested, but it probably has something to do with makeup! I had 4 1/2 hours sleep last night - not exactly beauty sleep! Right now Louie is pretending to eat a bit of canned food his own. Vigerous liking..while I watch... is more like it. "See, I'm eating, I'm eating. You don't have to shove that syringe in my face" (Better for me - I always find it easier to have a self-serve cat!) I'm hoping he actually DOES eat and then I can go to bed and sleep the night through! mta: on another note - Kaleigh definitely needs to refresher on ground manners!  Angel was her usual angelic self, but K decided that the carrot lady needed some help giving her the carrots. There was ear pinning involved. (on both our parts LOL!) |
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Post by piopico on Jun 6, 2008 11:56:56 GMT -5
GO Louie
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Post by earlybp on Jun 6, 2008 17:40:35 GMT -5
Louie, although he is sickly, has a great sense of humor. When I was telling him that he had to go in for bloodwork, I got a wonderful clip of cats in scrubs and a vet lying on a table, and one cat holding a syringe. It cracked me up!
Like Piopico sez, "GO LOUIE!"
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Post by calypso on Jun 7, 2008 4:03:41 GMT -5
Louie was in a good mood tonight. He went for a walk-about with his buddies Patsy and Anthony. Still not eating well, so re-started syringe feeding tonight. He will be taken to the vet a couple times tomorrow for feeding/meds/fluids while I'm up in Sacto. But, he won't have to stay there.
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Post by calypso on Jun 15, 2008 2:08:37 GMT -5
Louie had his blood rechecked yesterday and while still FAR from normal, he continues to inprove. He's eating a bit on his own. We changed the meds a bit and he's starting to really fight the pills, so that's another indication he's getting better. Not so passive LOL! He's such a sweet boy though.
One of the vets got curious and did some research on the floppy ears. Seems it's related to giving prednisone. Weird, huh? He's not even on that big a dose...
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Post by calypso on Oct 26, 2008 1:27:17 GMT -5
Wow, I know I updated somewhere, but apparently not on this thread.
Louie made it!!!! He's doing great and has been for months. His ears finally straightened up and he looks like a normal cat and is back to his silly self. Everything I read says that he shouldn't have - especially since we didn't put a feeding tube in. And, sadly, I've been reading a lot today.
His brother, Anthony, has exactly the same symptoms. Very, very weird. We're now thinking it might be something congenital, although we still aren't sure exactly what is going on with Anthony. Thursday he looked a little funky to me, but nothing too bad. Cats have moods, y'know? Last night I thought he looked a little more funky and a tad dehydrated. Took his temp - normal - so I gave him 100 mls of fluids under the skin (called "subbies" for "subcutaneous" which means....under the skin). Anyway, this morning he looked really funky so by midday he was having his blood drawn and a urine sample collected. I'd originally thought he was cooking a bladder infection and didn't even examine him that closely before I took him in or I would have seen he was jaundiced!!! ACK!!!
So, tonight he looks really bad. He's not interested in food. I have him on pepcid and fluids and started him on a broad-spectrum antibiotic. He could really use some jingles. So could I! I'm losing the fight to save another of my cats. She's in renal failure and my usual "go-to" vet missed it. Annie's numbers are really bad and we may be too late to save her. I'll post pics of both of them tomorrow (Louie too!). Too tired tonight.
Thanks,
Caly
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Post by Admin on Oct 26, 2008 14:16:46 GMT -5
You are awesome! ;D ;D
Hugs and prayers for you and the kitty!
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Post by wildwoman on Oct 26, 2008 15:10:50 GMT -5
YEAH for Louie-and I love his name-but OMG now his brother-and without a definate diagnosis with what you were dealing with-how heartwrenching to go through THAT again-hang in there.
Hope Annie is pulling through too.
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Post by piopico on Oct 27, 2008 17:52:17 GMT -5
Sorry to hear that Caly. I hope they'll pull through. How strange that 2 brothers have the same wierd illness.
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Post by calypso on Oct 29, 2008 0:31:31 GMT -5
It is very weird. And, Annie and Louie and Anthony all have the same mom. Annie is about a year older than Louie and Anthony. They're all from the original colony I started working with. Annie appears to be in renal failure. Her liver and kidney values are really bad so there has been talk of lymphoma vs CRF (chronic renal failure) vs hepatic lipidosis. Tests are inconclusive. The first two have extremely poor prognosis, the last - I've been very successful at treating. But, I think it is CRF with a secondary of hepatic lipidosis.  She is fading. She's very sweet - and still eating enthusiastically and talking and rubbing and head-butting. But she's lost about 1/2 her body weight and just looks like a "renal cat". So, I don't know how much time we have, but I suspect it isn't much. Meanwhile she's on fluids, pepcid (low dose) and antibiotics (just in case) and renal food. Anthony appears to have hepatic lipidosis - secondary to who-knows-what. Just like Louie.  He's on the same meds as Annie, oddly enough - although his disease is completely different and just involves the liver. He's not looking too bad. Still jaundiced, but getting out of his bed to walk around and see what's going on in the world. He's eating too - but I suspect not enough. (The cure for hepatic lipidosis is CALORIES!) So, I may have to start syringe feeding him. Oh joy. And - we have a third one. DJ, who is Ewok's brother. It appears he has the same thing Ewok had a couple weeks ago. He's on fluids and an antibiotic (a different one). He's still running a high temp and looks like he feels awful. It's been so interesting to watch. Each of the sick cats has one or more kitty companions with them and they've been snuggling and caring for the sick one. It's very sweet to watch and will destroy any illusions you might have the cats are "solitary" And, no, I haven't isolated them. Annie and Anthony are not contagious. And, Ewok has already had what DJ has. So, no purpose and the sick ones gain comfort from their companions. Meanwhile...I have 3 critically ill cats....and it's hard to feel so helpless. Sorry no pics yet - been no time with nursing the cats and working. SOON, I hope! |
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Post by piopico on Oct 29, 2008 13:19:38 GMT -5
Sending good thoughts your way.
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Angel was her usual angelic self, but K decided that the carrot lady needed some help giving her the carrots. There was ear pinning involved. (on both our parts LOL!)
She is fading. She's very sweet - and still eating enthusiastically and talking and rubbing and head-butting. But she's lost about 1/2 her body weight and just looks like a "renal cat". So, I don't know how much time we have, but I suspect it isn't much. Meanwhile she's on fluids, pepcid (low dose) and antibiotics (just in case) and renal food.
He's on the same meds as Annie, oddly enough - although his disease is completely different and just involves the liver. He's not looking too bad. Still jaundiced, but getting out of his bed to walk around and see what's going on in the world. He's eating too - but I suspect not enough. (The cure for hepatic lipidosis is CALORIES!) So, I may have to start syringe feeding him. Oh joy.