Poor Miss Pussens (and $$ poor me!)

by MesaMouse Thu 08 Dec 2016, 2:50 pm

It's been just under 3 weeks since I adopted Miss Pussens from Animal Control. As I'd mentioned in another thread, she visited Dr Danner a few days later and was given a relatively clean bill of health (just a physical exam without fecal, urine and blood tests). She was underweight but was eating well so the vet and I hoped she'd start to gain weight now that she was in a stable home. And gain weight she did, putting on a good 1/2 pound in a week and not as "boney" to the touch. Ah, the calm before the storm. Just at the end of November, she began to have loose stools and then, last Saturday, diarrhea hit and has stayed on (she'd also had a short spate of diarrhea and vomiting in late October at Animal Control). She's usually made it to the litter box but, unfortunately, has also graced the carpeting in every room :-(.

We saw the vet again yesterday and not only had Miss P lost the weight she'd gained, she was now down to 5.2 lbs from 7.2 at her visit 2 weeks earlier! I opted to have a Best Care Senior Cat workup done, a soup to nuts, no stone unturned exam -- full body x-ray, urinalysis, blood tests for heartworms/kidney function/liver status/diabetes/hyperthyroidism/anemia, yada, yada, yada...also included is a fecal test but that has to wait until Miss P produces solid stools again. As she's barely been eating a few mouthfuls a day, the vet put her on Hills Digestive Care dry and wet diet and also sent us home with a 10-day supply of Metronidazole tablets, an antibacterial-antiparasitic. A quick read of the x-rays showed nothing out of the ordinary but a full report on the x-rays, urinalysis and blood work should be back tomorrow. No pills in her yet as she only ate a tiny spoonful of Hills wet diet last night, virtually too small to hide a pill in, and has had just a few bites of the food today, coming nowhere near ingesting the hidden pill.

Between the initial vet visit on the 22nd and yesterday's humongous bill, I've already spent $574 on this poor cat! I swear I felt my American Express card tremble as I handed it over last night (but it was probably just my shaking hand :-O) and joked with the staff that Miss Pussens' adoption was free but apparently I picked a "defective" cat as she's now costing me a fortune! MPMPMMP: My poor Miss Pussens is making me poor! Hope Dr Danner can figure out what the problem is before Miss P fades away to nothing. Poor sweet kitty: she must feel so crappy (no pun intended) but is still a little purr machine when she jumps into my lap.

by CallaLily Thu 08 Dec 2016, 3:20 pm

Oh poor Miss P! I hope you can find the problem and have her feeling better in no time. hugs

by Peachy Thu 08 Dec 2016, 3:21 pm

Poor kitty. And poor American Express. Hopefully you'll all get to feeling better soon.

Though, you've made me feel better about not having any carpet. There's a mysterious smooth spot in the hallway that I always slip on, but I guess that's better than cleaning after cats on carpets. Eeeek!

by scaredymouse Thu 08 Dec 2016, 5:55 pm

Aw, kitty! Not too long after we got Kevin, he started barfing everywhere. He still had a voracious appetite...with barfing. Anyway, they were worried about an obstruction because of a bleb on the xrays. They wanted to keep him overnight and do more xrays in the morning and give him iV meds and fluids. My credit card almost ran away. After all that, they didn't know what was wrong and put him on metronidazole. And he got better. Which is all that matters, really.

Wishing Miss P a speedy recovery ❤

by MesaMouse Fri 09 Dec 2016, 12:04 pm

Just spoke to Dr Danner and the news is not good. Although most of the test results were satisfactory to downright good (no diabetes, liver disease or hyperthyroid), Miss P does have an elevated white blood count and an inordinate amount of gas in her stomach and upper/lower intestines. This could be the result of a nasty GI infection, IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) or gastrointestinal cancer, not uncommon in senior cats. I'm bringing her in this afternoon for an antibiotic injection and a possible IV bolus. The antibiotic will be active in her system for about two weeks so, if it works, the diarrhea will stop and she'll start eating and gain weight. If it doesn't have the desired effect, another option is a very costly ultrasound to see if there is a GI blockage not showing up on the x-ray; otherwise, we simply have to face the fact that it's cancer. Frankly, as fond as I already am of Miss Pussens, I simply can't afford very much more and am already dreading the cost of today's procedures. If this all turns out badly, the next cat I adopt will be no more than 5 years old so we can live out our lives together before disaster strikes.

by CallaLily Fri 09 Dec 2016, 12:11 pm

I'm so sorry to hear such bad news. I really hope it's just an infection that can be cleared up with antibiotics. Sending more hugs your way. Group Hug

by AnonymousMouseOwner Fri 09 Dec 2016, 12:16 pm

I'm sorry to hear all the bad news! Sad

. If it's cancer, you spoil that kitty in the little time she has! I suggest checking out the story on this page: https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=442227839283570&tsid=0.3289917809198797&source=typeahead

Hopefully though, she'll be ok. Good luck with your little kitty!

by stephlisa Fri 09 Dec 2016, 12:51 pm

I hope it all goes okay Sad

Poor kitty. Sad

by scaredymouse Fri 09 Dec 2016, 1:21 pm

Aw, well that just sucks. I'm very sorry for your credit card. But I can't help but glow a little bit when I think of what a good thing you have done for her. Instead of being alone in a little cage surrounded by people that don't care about her... She has you. She has a name. And she is loved.

I hope you have the best possible scenario.

It killed me when I lost Olivia so soon. I took her to the vet 3 times in the 6 weeks she was with me. I was in it for the long haul. But she couldn't stay. Despite the heartache, I'm glad she was mine. She couldn't have been loved more. And money usually works itself out.

I'll be thinking about you both.

by MesaMouse Fri 09 Dec 2016, 5:04 pm

I should be grateful that Miss Pussens is such a good patient. Today they took her in the back to administer an IV bolus for serious dehydration and a shot of cefovecin and she never said a word (she saves all of her commentary until she's in the carrier)! She was also reweighed and has lost even more weight since Wednesday night.

I should also be grateful that today's charge was only $118, no charge for an office visit.

I am grateful that there has been no diarrhea today...but, considering she hasn't eaten anything since yesterday morning, and that was no more than two little bites, my gratitude is guarded.

I am grateful that she's been in and out of the kitchen since we got home an hour ago, looking at her empty food bowl and complaining. Told her she had to wait another hour or so as I'd like that antibiotic to start circulating in her system so that she may actually have a bit of an appetite and not just look at the food before walking away.

by scaredymouse Fri 09 Dec 2016, 6:44 pm

Are they also giving her anti nausea meds?

by MesaMouse Fri 09 Dec 2016, 7:15 pm

scaredymouse wrote:Are they also giving her anti nausea meds?

Nope. She's not been vomiting except for one time on Saturday when she upchucked her breakfast. Her normal daily behavior is retching now and then to dislodge furballs (her fur isn't short but really isn't medium length, either) but no true vomiting.

by scaredymouse Sat 10 Dec 2016, 12:15 am

I was just thinking that might be why she doesn't want to eat. If the poor appetite continues, you might want to ask about it. It can't hurt.

by MesaMouse Sun 11 Dec 2016, 11:44 am

Guess who's been eating, drinking and behaving like a happy cat? After receiving the antibiotic injection and subcutaneous bolus on Friday afternoon, Miss P began eating and drinking normally on Friday evening and was very vocal about the lack of food in her bowl early Saturday morning. To ensure that she doesn't overeat while her stomach is readjusting to the new diet and food in general, I've been feeding her small meals three times a day instead of the usual larger portions twice daily. No diarrhea since early Friday morning and totally normal poop today. Hooray! Looks like I'll be able to bring a fecal sample to the vet tomorrow to complete the array of tests. I'm very encouraged that Miss P is willing to eat the special diet and, if all continues to go well, I think I'll order this really cute scratching post/hammock combo for her from Petco for Christmas...on sale plus free shipping!
http://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/cat/cat-furniture-and-scratchers/trixie-dreamworld-baza-cat-scratching-post-5000769--1

by scaredymouse Sun 11 Dec 2016, 11:50 am

Aw, your such a good momma. After all the money you just spent, you're still thinking about buying her presents ❤

I'm so glad to hear she's feeling better!

by Sponsored content

Poor Miss Pussens (and $$ poor me!)

Poor Miss Pussens (and $$ poor me!)

Re: Poor Miss Pussens (and $$ poor me!)

Re: Poor Miss Pussens (and $$ poor me!)

Re: Poor Miss Pussens (and $$ poor me!)

Re: Poor Miss Pussens (and $$ poor me!)

Re: Poor Miss Pussens (and $$ poor me!)

Re: Poor Miss Pussens (and $$ poor me!)

Re: Poor Miss Pussens (and $$ poor me!)

Re: Poor Miss Pussens (and $$ poor me!)

Re: Poor Miss Pussens (and $$ poor me!)

Re: Poor Miss Pussens (and $$ poor me!)

Re: Poor Miss Pussens (and $$ poor me!)

Re: Poor Miss Pussens (and $$ poor me!)

Re: Poor Miss Pussens (and $$ poor me!)

Re: Poor Miss Pussens (and $$ poor me!)

Re: Poor Miss Pussens (and $$ poor me!)