This morning, I left a voicemail for my vet because Oliver had not left a #2 deposit in the litter box since last Tuesday. Since he’s been on laxatives for the past 8 years (diagnosed as a mega-colon kitty, meaning the muscles in his colon don’t work right), I’m very aware of his regularity and irregularity.
A few months ago, blood tests showed he had high calcium levels, and when Dr. G looked back at his history, it showed his levels had always been up. One of the symptoms/side effects of hypercalcemia is constipation, but also it can lead to kidney failure. So, we started him on a 4 week run of Fosamax, 10mgs once a week. After another set of blood tests, his calcium levels hadn’t changed. So then it was run it for 7 weeks, but 10mg twice a week. Still no change. Change it to 20mg twice a week. After his 3rd dose, I was concerned about his BM’s, so when Diva had to get her shots last Thursday, I took Oliver in too. He had dropped some weight, and no he wasn’t blocked up – he was full of air! Well, I could have told Dr. G there was that… don’t light a match near him, he may explode! And boy do they ever stink!!!
Time to change the meds … again … due to the gas. 10mg of Fosamax and 5mg of Prednisone, twice a week. He had his second dose of those Sunday night, but there still hadn’t been a BM since last Tuesday. So, we end up back at the vets today.
When she palpated him, she said his bladder was full, which makes it difficult for her to find his colon. We decided for her to knock him out based on his lack of litter box deposits and that he hadn’t lost weight. She called me shortly after noon to say that he was not blocked up. (Good!) That what she thought was his colon was actually his kidneys – his full bladder was displacing his kidneys.
She says that he must be going somewhere. And (now this is gross), Diva might be getting to it before it has a chance to stink up the house. So, my baby boy will be going into isolation for a while when I’m not here to see what he’s doing.
This afternoon, he hasn’t slept but he acts so drugged up. I think he thinks he’s hungry because he keeps sitting in front of his food bowl, but then he dozes off. At least 3 times, I’ve moved him somewhere else thinking he would go to sleep.
The positive: He wasn’t constipated, and once again, he had no trouble with anesthesia. I’ve got an awesome veterinarian who does everything she can to get him what he needs, including research, calling specialists and even the author of one of the medical manuals.
Oliver is now 9 years old, which is much longer than one vet thought he’d have. He’s the most incredible cat I’ve ever had – very much a people cat; travels with me to Tennessee; greets me at the door when I get home, having to tell me about his day. And after adjusting to life without his 3 feline brothers, now gets along with Diva. I pretty much know what the future holds with him, sub-q IV’s in the house and medicine, but that’s ok – I’ve already done it with him.
Positive #2 – Oliver is worth it. He trusts me to take care of him, and that I will. (The two pics are of him on the way home from the vets today.)
A few months ago, blood tests showed he had high calcium levels, and when Dr. G looked back at his history, it showed his levels had always been up. One of the symptoms/side effects of hypercalcemia is constipation, but also it can lead to kidney failure. So, we started him on a 4 week run of Fosamax, 10mgs once a week. After another set of blood tests, his calcium levels hadn’t changed. So then it was run it for 7 weeks, but 10mg twice a week. Still no change. Change it to 20mg twice a week. After his 3rd dose, I was concerned about his BM’s, so when Diva had to get her shots last Thursday, I took Oliver in too. He had dropped some weight, and no he wasn’t blocked up – he was full of air! Well, I could have told Dr. G there was that… don’t light a match near him, he may explode! And boy do they ever stink!!!
Time to change the meds … again … due to the gas. 10mg of Fosamax and 5mg of Prednisone, twice a week. He had his second dose of those Sunday night, but there still hadn’t been a BM since last Tuesday. So, we end up back at the vets today.
When she palpated him, she said his bladder was full, which makes it difficult for her to find his colon. We decided for her to knock him out based on his lack of litter box deposits and that he hadn’t lost weight. She called me shortly after noon to say that he was not blocked up. (Good!) That what she thought was his colon was actually his kidneys – his full bladder was displacing his kidneys.
She says that he must be going somewhere. And (now this is gross), Diva might be getting to it before it has a chance to stink up the house. So, my baby boy will be going into isolation for a while when I’m not here to see what he’s doing.
This afternoon, he hasn’t slept but he acts so drugged up. I think he thinks he’s hungry because he keeps sitting in front of his food bowl, but then he dozes off. At least 3 times, I’ve moved him somewhere else thinking he would go to sleep.
The positive: He wasn’t constipated, and once again, he had no trouble with anesthesia. I’ve got an awesome veterinarian who does everything she can to get him what he needs, including research, calling specialists and even the author of one of the medical manuals.
Oliver is now 9 years old, which is much longer than one vet thought he’d have. He’s the most incredible cat I’ve ever had – very much a people cat; travels with me to Tennessee; greets me at the door when I get home, having to tell me about his day. And after adjusting to life without his 3 feline brothers, now gets along with Diva. I pretty much know what the future holds with him, sub-q IV’s in the house and medicine, but that’s ok – I’ve already done it with him.
Positive #2 – Oliver is worth it. He trusts me to take care of him, and that I will. (The two pics are of him on the way home from the vets today.)
Oliver is lucky to have such a loving Mommy and dedicated doctor!
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet boy! What a good cat-momma!
ReplyDeleteWhat we do for our pets! Been there, done that, many times, in one form or another.
ReplyDelete