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Original poster

omg my cat is so ill :O(

43 replies

wangle99 · 23/01/2008 10:55

Went to stroke DD's cat today and he was breathing really fast, presumed chest infection or the like, straight to vet - vet thinks he may have leukemia or leukemia type illness and it doesn't look very good for him.

This is DD's pride and joy, we've had the cat (and his brother) since they were born, we got rid of two of the litter and kept these two. She will be devastated.

Vet is taking blood and I have to call after lunch. Please pray if you that type of stuff or think good thoughts or something

OP posts:
beautifulgirls · 23/01/2008 11:46

I'm sure your vet does know what they are doing. They may well want to get a chest x-ray and check for fluid around the lungs. If that is there they should be able to drain it off and he can be a lot better within a very short space of time re breathing. It then comes down to finding out why that has happened and seeing if it can be treated or managed. Most often it is a heart failure related problem, but some of these patients can be managed with a good quality of life on medications longer term. It may not be cheap to get all the tests done though and they may even have to refer the cat elsewhere for full investigations. It will depend on how the practice is equipped and how much specialised experience they have too - doesn't mean they are a bad vet though if they cant do it there.

Let us know how things go

NAB3wishesfor2008 · 23/01/2008 12:06

I really hope all is okay.

When your cat recovers maybe you could think about getting him vaccinated against feline leukemia if it isn't that (or maybe even if it is you can) in case he gets it in the future.

Let us know what the vet says.

Original poster
wangle99 · 23/01/2008 16:41

Called the vet and they said they are doing more tests, whether that means that the blood test was negative for what they were testing for I don't know.

The cat is having a steam bath to try and help him breath.

Got to phone at 6.30pm

Have told DD, she is understandably very upset, DD is 10.5 and the cat was born just before she was 3 so obviously large portion of her life.

still hoping this is treatable....

OP posts:
ILikeToMoveItMoveIt · 23/01/2008 16:43

Fingers crossed for your cat xx

WigWamBam · 23/01/2008 16:49

Thinking about you and your cat. Hope there's something they can do for him.

beautifulgirls · 23/01/2008 17:01

Have they taken a chest x-ray?

Original poster
wangle99 · 23/01/2008 17:02

beautifulgirls - vets is very good practise so hoping they will have done an x-ray although haven't heard if they have. Can phone in an hour and a half and counting down the minutes....

OP posts:
beautifulgirls · 23/01/2008 17:10

Good luck - good to hear you have faith in them.

NAB3wishesfor2008 · 23/01/2008 17:13

Let us know, won't you?

Hoping all is well and catty is home tonight.

Original poster
wangle99 · 23/01/2008 18:55

Just phoned them again (well actually dead on 6.30pm )

DJ (cat) is responding well to treatment. They gave him some tuna (cat food) and he seemed to really enjoy it (that's my cat lol). I questioned the leukemia but she said they were just treatment his symptoms at the moment. I have to phone at 11.30am tomorrow when they will have more of an idea.

Fingers crossed ....

OP posts:
beautifulgirls · 23/01/2008 19:49

Aw, that sounds encouraging so far. Hopefully they should have some answers soon for you.

NAB3wishesfor2008 · 24/01/2008 14:02

Any more news?

Original poster
wangle99 · 25/01/2008 16:59

Sorry hadn't managed to get back online.

Spoken to the vets and it turned out the tests for leukemia and aids were negative. DJ has a chest infection and possibly pneumonia and they are treating that and today he is responding. His breathing is better but he's still struggling (vet said he'd burst the air sacs in his lungs so presumably these have to heal).

They want to keep him in over the weekend, I am getting very concerned at how much this will cost but of course putting him to sleep isn't an option he means to much to us (but I'm still scared at the cost!).

So looking good for him, fingers crossed he keeps getting better.

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tortoise · 25/01/2008 18:48

Sorry to here about your cat wangle.

I was thinking of you today and wondering if you managed to rehome another greyhound? I remembered your blog for Murphy and how he had to go back.

I was thinking of all that because i finally got sorted enough to phone up about rehoming one. The lady local to me came out today and as soon as i have put a wire fence at the bottom of the garden she will go ahead an get me one.

She brought her gorgeous dog with her. Now really can't wait to get our new dog.

Hope the cat is on the mend soon. xx

NAB3wishesfor2008 · 25/01/2008 18:58

Have you got insurance? If not, think about it for the future.

I hope DJ is home soon.

Original poster
wangle99 · 25/01/2008 20:13

Tortoise - we did rehome another greyhound, Harvey came to us in July 07, he's totally different from Murphy and not growled at DD once lol. He's currently asleep on a duvet on the lounge floor (its what he does exceptionally well!). He's fitted into the family very well, the cats are fine with him - they kind of ignore each other. Go for it!

I haven't got insurance but am going to get it for both cats and the dog. This has scared me! Have owned animals for many years but this is the first big vets bill we have had! I think we've been lucky this hasn't happened before!

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tortoise · 25/01/2008 20:16

Awww that is great. So glad you managed to rehome one and he is fitting in so well.
Once the fence is done i will definatly be going ahead with it. Can't wait!

Will be getting pet insurance too!

Original poster
wangle99 · 27/01/2008 18:15

DH went to the vets today to see DJ, he said the vet nurse took him into the room where DJ was and she went over, DJ looked up saw her and carried on eating, DH went over and DJ starting miaowing and purring . It had written on his daily chart - 'Mood = happy'

We didn't realise you were meant to make an appt to see an animal so there was nobody available at that moment to answer questions ie why is there fur shaved from his neck (they have an hour surgery on sunday so it was packed!)

Going to phone tomorrow but fingers crossed he may be able to come home

OP posts:
NAB3wishesfor2008 · 27/01/2008 19:02

Fur shaved would be for the blood that needs to be taken.

Great news he is better!

beautifulgirls · 27/01/2008 20:50

Glad you have some positive news - yep NAB is correct, the neck shaving is usually for blood testing.

Hope he is home with you soon

Original poster
wangle99 · 29/01/2008 09:54

Took DD to see DJ last night and had a chat with the vet. Vet isn't happy with his breathing, its improving but not sufficiently therefore she thinks there is an underlying cause. We agreed to leave him there till Friday when we are going back in to decide what to do next, I think the Vet was hinting at nothing else they can do and quality of life etc.

I am so upset, never had to even consider a decision like this with an animal. Think tbh I am more upset that DD is. Fingers crossed he makes dramatic improvement but I honestly don't think its going to happen.

OP posts:
beautifulgirls · 29/01/2008 11:14

I don't understand why they are not being more pro-active with this. Why don't you ask for a referral to a cardiac specialist as they will usually also deal with respiratory medicine too. It sounds to me like he needs a lot more investigations, not just being monitored for days on end.

NAB3wishesfor2008 · 29/01/2008 13:45

I have a horrible feeling they don't know what is wrong and are just hoping something happens.

You don't leave your cat at a surgery for days without there being a plan of action.

I would ring and ask them straight what they think is wrong as it isn't fair on you or the cat.

Everything crossed for good news soon.

Original poster
wangle99 · 29/01/2008 22:08

I don't think they do know what is wrong tbh. We are in Cornwall and as far as I am aware there are no specialist vets down here (I could be wrong) and DJ would need to be shipped out of county and I can imagine we are talking mega bucks for that!

Spoke to them today and apparently he seemed brighter, they seemed to think he perhaps responded well to us visiting him last night. Who knows but I suppose he may have felt abandoned? If he's ok tomorrow we are going to see him again.

They are still giving him antibiotic injections every other day and there is improvement, they showed me the charts of how his respirations and vital signs etc are improving but they don't seem to know WHAT caused the pneumonia.

OP posts:
lucyellensmum · 29/01/2008 22:51

have they not done any x-rays? do they have an ultrasound scanner?

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