more fun with Erin the cat

Request for some warm fuzzy thoughts... Tomorrow Erin goes back to the vet, she's having trouble breathing, horribly congested, and not eating much. She just finished a round of antibiotics, currently taking an antihistamine that's supposed to trigger her appetite, gets IV fluids every other day and was just put on l-lysine supplements (usually used to treat feline leukemia). I'm not sure what Dr. Erica will suggest. I do know Erin is one unhappy and uncomfortable cat. The info flier with the l-lysine said it should take a week to work, so it's probably too early to see if that's going to help her (we had to wait for it to come in, thus the delay from starting her on it after her last trip to the vet last week.

Or if it's time....

I'm bummed, but tired of hearing her cry, listening to her snuffly breathing, and feeling completely helpless. I also miss her cuddling in my lap, now she either hides or sits all hunched on the floor. I wish someone could fix her permanently stuffed up nose.

And it's been rainy, or cold and windy, so I haven't been on my bike. We haven't had the gentle rains of the PNW - no we've had gully washers that overwhelmed the local pumps. I miss my bike, and riding therapy. Got to get back out there...

Beth-

Do you have a vaporizer? If so, put Erin in a small room with it and treat her with some old fashion steam theraphy. It works wonders. If you don't have a vaporzier use your shower.

I hope she gets to feeling better. It is a tough spot to be as her guardian. Hang in there and good luck tomorrow.

Poor Beth and poor Erin. :(
I'm feeling for you two.
The vaporizor idea sounds worth a try- you can buy them in a drugstore.
Also a heating pad might keep her comfortable to lie on- animals always are helped by that when they are sick.

oh, I hope she wakes up all better tomorrow!

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Originally Posted by sandra

oh, I hope she wakes up all better tomorrow!

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I'll second that, poor little puddy tat.

Beth, sending Erin and you lots of butterflies. Erin will see them and feel them flying around her, and she'll pay attention, get interested, like cats do, but she won't have to chase them - they'll stick right with her. And the light breeze from their wings will circulate that misty air even more so that her sinuses clear even faster. And the vet will have butterflies too, to help you all know what the best thing for Erin is. And we're here for you.

{{{{{{{{{{Beth}}}}}}}}}}}}{{{{{{{{{{{{{{Erin}}}}}}}}}}}

~T~

I really feel for both of you! Maybe she just needs a stronger med to help clear her up. I am sending nothing but good for both of you.
How old is your friend?

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Originally Posted by Brandi

I really feel for both of you! Maybe she just needs a stronger med to help clear her up. I am sending nothing but good for both of you.
How old is your friend?

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Erin is 13. She's been tested multiple times for feline leukemia, and always come up negative. She did crawl out from under the bed this morning and ate a few tablespoons of canned cat food (from WF).

So off to the vet we go after lunch.

I've always been awfully lucky with my kitties' health. The 2 I have now are 16 and 17. But the times I've had to deal with catly sickness has been awful. They are like babies. They can't tell you anything.

LBTC - apparently Dr. Michelle (her other vet) saw your butterflies where I don't.

Anyway Dr. M is concerned, but not ready to give up yet. She gave Erin a shot of prednisone to help with swelling, changed the IV to daily (100 cc sub-q), put her on some nose drops (doesn't THAT sound like fun), another round of ampecillyn, and continue the l-lysine. If the lysine is going to help we need a few more days to see if it will. Also I got a couple cans of Rx cat food that has higher calories. Came home, fed her about 1/5 the can, which she ate most of. I'll let her rest for a bit, then give her the IV. If she isn't better in a week (or if she actually lives that long), then we'll probably put her to sleep.

May stuff both of us in the bathroom with a hot shower for a steam session. Also will drag out the heating pad to help warm her in one of her hiding spots.

Me - I had a cup of hot chocolate with a good dose of dark rum. Will take Nala the dog for a walk to clear some bad air in my head. In with the fresh air, out with the stressed air.

Thanks to you all for the warm and caring thoughts. It's hard to watch a loved one linger with a long illness.

Hi Beth,

So sorry to read about poor Erin. Hopefully the prednisone will help her a lot. I have really severe asthma and whenever it gets out of control in a big way I have to take it and it helps me a lot. I can go from unwilling to move to feeling like new in a couple of days. Hopefully that's the same for cats.

Keeping in mind that I know virtually nothing about how these things work with cats, have you asked the vet about steam? I ask because for me, when I am severely congested, steam is an evil thing. I thought it was a good idea because it was the conventional wisdom, but it totally cut off my ability to breathe and landed me in the ER. It was a very scary experience.

It is a very good sign that she is eating, and it sounds like you have a great vet. Crossing my fingers that she improves. And sending good thoughts your way.

Anne

My little Alphie sends his regards to Erin..he also has allergies but not as bad as Erins' . I send you my regards, hope things get better for you and your little feline companion.

I hope Erin gets to feeling better. Kallie was having such a difficult time breathing the last two weeks. She would breathe with her mouth open and you could see just how difficult it was for her. I was in tears around her all the time, trying to make my final decision. She really made the decision for me. I still tear up thinking of how distressed her last days were. I sure do hope the new meds work their magic...

Erin sounds like a wonderful trouper.

IV maybe hard to do and emotionally draining, but sometimes we just have to do this. Emotionally it was really difficult to give IV to my ol' boy. He really didn't like it but I know it helped him.

I just put a nail in the wall to hang the IV bag and placed a table next to it so it made it easier.

I know it is emotionally very difficult and all I can give you is my emotional support from California. I wish you both a quick rebound for Erin.

smilingcat

Poor kitty.

Hopefully the prednisone will help her appetite, too. It always made my Ickey dog ravenous.

Hugs to both of you.

Beth, how is Erin doing today? And you?

I hope you're both feeling some butterflies :o

Hugs,
~T~

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Originally Posted by LBTC

Beth, how is Erin doing today? And you?

I hope you're both feeling some butterflies :o

Hugs,
~T~

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Erin is a little better this morning, wish I was - I woke up with a migraine. Call in sick, take a Maxalt, go back to bed. HA gone 4 hours later.

Anyway, she slept with me on the pillow most of the night, first time in weeks. And was with the other two cats doing the I'm starving routine while I fixed their breakfasts (now 3 different diets for each cat) and gave morning meds to Erin and Bonnie. If anything the prednisone shot helped, now we wait to see if the other meds do their thing. She also needs to consume enough calories to fuel her engine to fight.

We're taking one day at a time.

Glad Erin is feeling better - sorry about your migraine. I can sympathize with you on both - it's no fun when kitties are sick (and there is rarely any sleep to be had with a sick kitty in the house). My migraine meds have stopped being effective:mad: :mad: I need to go back to the doc and we need to go back to the drawing board.

CA

This afternoon when I came home, Erin was at the back door with the other kitties waiting for her afternoon snack. This is the first time in weeks. Just so happens I bought a few small cans of wet food at the grocery on my way home hoping to find something she'd like, and thus consume. She ate most of one of the small cans - apparently salmon pate was a good choice.

I've been wrestling with whether or not it's time for the final visit to the vet. She has to improve, including gain some weight if she's going to survive. At some point her little heart will just give out despite all the nursing.

So having her greet me gave me some hope. She's still getting her evening meds and IV...:mad:

Erin sounds like she has a lot of fight left in her. Has she been diagnosed with a heart condition?

I will admit I still, to this day, miss my cat Scooter for twice a day for eight years I gave him sub-q fluids to treat his kidney disease. He would gladly crawl up into my lap, curl up and purr away as the fluids raced through is line and under his skin. He was such a joy and a true gift that touched my heart deeply. I hope you and Erin have similar success and many years together (Scooter was my best buddy for 17 years).

Beth, that's so wonderful! I think that's a huge sign, Erin wants to stay with you longer (and who could blame her)

Still sending lots of butterflies to you all....

Hugs,
~T~