Poorly cat, worried about him

[PinkSparklyPussyCat]

H is going to the vet this morning as he's not well. Last night he was coughing as though he had something stuck in his throat but he seemed alright so we didn't worry. This morning he disappeared for a while and since he has come home he's been coughing and is lethargic. DH is taking him to the vet and I am meeting them there. To say I'm worried is an understatement - H is never ill and has hardly been to the vet (other than jabs) since we've had him.

Fingers crossed it's nothing major...

[cozietoesie]

At least having those options will hopefully prevent him getting a 'thing' about them. I wouldn't be feeling 100% with a wired jaw so I'm not surprised if he's a little douce.

Good luck to him on the 23rd.

[PinkSparklyPussyCat]

He's not too bad thanks Cozie. He's having a few crunchy biscuits now and then but I think it must still hurt him to eat (not surprisingly) but he's back on the tuna again. We're letting him out when one of us is at home but he doesn't really seem that bothered about going out, I think his confidence has taken a knock. He's booked in to be 'unwired' on 23rd February so I might stop worrying quite so much then!

[cozietoesie]

PS - How is the lad doing?

[cozietoesie]

[PinkSparklyPussyCat]

Good news - Petplan has agreed to pay for Harry's treatment!

[PinkSparklyPussyCat]

Another update - Harry has hardly been eating anything apart from his Hills a/d which must be like cat crack! He seemed to go off the tuna so I spoke to the vet today and they have told me to try him back on his dry food. I'm a bit nervous but he'll probably be happy! Mind you, I put down the phone from the vet and Harry trotted into the kitchen and inhaled the tuna so with any luck he'll have a mix of both.

The vet has also said he can start going out again. He's doesn't roam so we've decided that he can go in the garden when we are there - we'll let him out of the back door and he can come back in through the cat flap. He might have other ideas but we'll see!

[PinkSparklyPussyCat]

Thanks Pipers, I'm keeping everything crossed! When the vet checked his teeth last year she said there was mild gingivitis but there was no action required - she actually wrote that in the notes.

He's not happy being inside all the time cozie! When he's not sleeping he's up to no good, trying to get where he shouldn't. I'm trying to think of ways to stimulate him but I don't want to play too much as he tends to run around like a maniac and I don't want him knocking his jaw.

It's going to be a long 8 weeks for all of us!

[cozietoesie]

Glad it's going well so far and fingers crossed for next week. How is he doing grouch-wise?

[PiperIsTerrysChoclateOrange]

You should be covered. I'm with petplan and just dug up the T&c

2b states that as long as your cat has had a full MOT and any thing the vet suggest is done the cover is still valid.

Hope Harry a speedy recovery.

[PinkSparklyPussyCat]

We're back from Harry's check up and it seems that everything is going well. The vet was pleased with the wire and the way the gums are healing and, if Harry doesn't have any problems, it's back in around 7 weeks for the wires to be removed.

The one downside is that the biopsy came back inconclusive as it wasn't a big enough sample. The vet who did the operation is on holiday and is going to phone me next week to discuss whether it needs to be redone. I'm not keen on this as I don't want him put through anything else if he doesn't have to be but I'll see what she has to say.

I'm also not keen on paying for anything else that I don't have to (although that is obviously secondary to Harry's welfare) as, if the insurance doesn't pay, I really can't afford any 'extras'. If it has to be done I might see if they'll do it either free or at a reduced cost on the grounds that they didn't do it properly first time. It probably won't work but I can try!

[cozietoesie]

I would be a bit cranky as well if I were he.

Fingers crossed for his post op check up.

[PinkSparklyPussyCat]

Yes, he was only sick the once and he seemed fine afterwards so we didn't worry too much and just kept an eye on him. He's just eaten the best part of a pouch of Wainwrights tuna food and it's the first time he's worried now for food so that's hopefully another good sign. For some reason tuna makes him sleepy but he's on our bed rather than under the table now.

Yes, he's using his litter tray - under protest as he doesn't like having to use it (coming in from the garden in the summer is different apparently)!

[cozietoesie]

PS - is he using his tray?

[cozietoesie]

That doesn't sound too bad, Pink. He's been through a lot.

Just the one sick? (If so, I wouldn't worry too much about it.)

[PinkSparklyPussyCat]

Harry has now been home 4 days and seems OK in himself, although he's spending a lot of time under the table - I'm presuming it's because he feels safe there while he recovers. It's also next to the radiator so that could have something to do with it!

He's not eating a huge amount although he's still taking his Loxicom in the Hills AD so that's something. He's eating some of his James Wellbeloved pouches but not all and we're trying to find a cheaper option in case he has to stay on wet food permanently.

He was sick in the early hours of Friday but seemed OK in himself so we're thinking it could just be the anaesthetic. He's getting up with me in the night and sitting with us in the evening so I'm hoping it's just a case of waiting and getting him better. He's back to the vet for a check up on Tuesday night and then we need to wait for the biopsy results. I don't think I'll relax until the wire is off though!

[PinkSparklyPussyCat]

DH has been in and out all morning and witnessed the eating, scratching etc and he's there this afternoon with him. Harry has also got the hump as his cat flap has disappeared to be replaced by a sheet of plywood! (From a purely selfish point of view at least the kitche is warmer now!)

Unfortunately we live in a one bed maisonette only have the living room or bedroom for him to sleep so he's a bit limited where he can go - another reason he probably wants to go out! His chair of choice is in front of the radiator as is his bed so he can keep himself nice and warm and he can also sleep on the sofa, back of the sofa or footstool. We're trying to keep him out of the bedroom at the moment as it comes off the hall and we don't want him sneaking out the front door!

Fingers crossed it's only a bit of a come down from the excitement of coming home!

Thanks for all your advice cozie, this is new territory for me. He's the first cat I've had since I left home many years ago and he's never actually been ill before - we've been very lucky with him up until now.

[cozietoesie]

Oh he might most certainly play you.

Keep an eye on him, though, and report back to the vet as needed. He might be succumbing to a need for sleep and relaxing in safety after all his tribulations but on the other hand, he might be feeling a little 'off'. Seeing him at lunchtime isn't really long enough to judge so this evening should be better for you.

(And give him a nice toasty fire/room with lots of heat if you can. It might help to make up for the lack of going out.)

PS - Yes, buprenorphine is heavy duty stuff. One for discussion with the vet, that.

[PinkSparklyPussyCat]

Thanks for the information about the Vetergesic. I'm hoping he won't need any more after tonight as it sounds pretty heavy duty stuff.

I saw him at lunchtime and he's quite subdued today and is sleeping on a chair under the table. I think he's fed up that he can't go out, doesn't want mushy food and probably needs to use his litter tray but doesn't want to. Either that or he's leading me on as apparently when I wasn't there he ate his food, used his scratching post and rubbed around his toy box!

He wouldn't play me would he?!

[cozietoesie]

You can have Buprenorphine as a solution which you just squoosh into their mouths - it's a 'transmucosal delivery' ( or whatever it's called) so it's absorbed - for cats - via the soft tissues of their mouth ie not straight down their throats. I think it's supposed to go under their tongue but I would imagine that it would work just fine going in from the side under their cheek flap. Easy peasy I would have thought.

Just saying anyway. No need to worry about injecting if the vet thinks some more bupre is indicated.

[SevenOfNineTrue]

Glad he is doing so well

[PinkSparklyPussyCat]

Relaxing after we brought him home

[PinkSparklyPussyCat]

He has his jabs every year and a full MOT each time, including a look at his teeth. I tried to have a look at his gums a couple of weeks ago and from what I could see (admittedly not a lot if I wanted to keep limbs in tact!) his gums were normal, nothing like they were on Monday. I just keep thinking was there something else I could have done but I know there wasn't really.

He's on the Vetergesic twice a day so today should be his last day. DH is having to take care of that one as I've got such a severe needle phobia I can't even use the syringe to put it in his food. (Obviously I'd find a way if DH wasn't there but as he is I'm making the most of it!)

At his last MOT the vet said there was mild gingivitis but there was no action required as his teeth were fine. I spoke to Petplan this morning as they had spelt my name wrong on the policy and they said it's definitely worth putting in a claim but it could go either way but they do class a dental as the vet just looking at his teeth. We'll just have to see what happens.

[cozietoesie]

Guilty?? If he's anything like Seniorboy, you'd need a full GA to even glance at his teeth so I wouldn't be feeling at all bad about that. That's why you vet him regularly - among other things. (In the hope that they have 'the knack' as well as the experience and knowledge.)

Vetergesic is Buprenorphine (if I recall) which is very very powerful - and also clinically little tested in longer term use - so your vet may be edgy about prescribing more than 3 days. Have a chat with them about it.

Fingers crossed for him and also for your insurance claim. (Personally, I'd really go for it with vet assistance. I'm blowed if I know what else you could have done on it given that the vet OK'd his teeth at his MOT. )

[PinkSparklyPussyCat]

Sorry, I typed an update last night but I've no idea what happened to it!

Yes, he came home last night. He'd been sedated again as he wouldn't let them take the drip out but that hasn't slowed him down! Within an hour of being home he'd ripped the pressure bandage off his leg, tried to break out of the cat flap and stropped because he couldn't be fed until 8pm as we had to give him his meds. DH is going to be boarding up the cat flap today as we don't want him hurting himself or breaking out of the flap!

He's going back the vet for a check up on Tuesday and he's on Loxicom until then and we were given three syringes of Vetagesic (?) which should finish today if he's ok. I'm a bit worried that he'll have the last one tonight and we are away tomorrow but I'll speak to the vet about it as she is supposed to phone me later. Luckily he loves the Hills AD pate from the vet and is happily taking his medicine. We've also been soaking his biscuits and he's eating them under protest!

I found the missing tooth this morning! It was on the bath mat so I have no idea how it suddenly appeared as I'd swear it wasn't there before. The very bottom of it was completely black but the main part was white tooth. I don't think there's any way anyone could have seen the problem by just looking in his mouth. I still feel guilty though as I feel I should have known something was wrong.

It's not looking as though Petplan will pay up as although the vet checked his teeth last year he hasn't had a full dental under sedation until this week. I'm just praying to the gods of insurance that they will as the bill currently stands at £1800 and going up. He's worth every penny though - I cried when he came home last night and was rubbing round my ankles and following me around, I was just so pleased to have him back. We're waiting for the result of the biopsy so I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that it doesn't show anything sinister.

Thank you for all your support

[cozietoesie]

Did you get him home or did he have to stay in for another night?