Sally is still here and still not feeling well. She had her second round of fluids today. The room was a little bit chilled, so were the fluids, so after I got them all in she was actually shivering. I cuddled her for a while as I waited for the heater to warm up the room. She seems to be absorbing this round a bit better, but she's still totally not interested in food.. not even meat baby food, which is usually the equivalent of death by chocolate to kitties. Im going to have to call the vet tomorrow. She left a message on my machine.. they lost the bloodwork.. so she'll probably have to go back in, which could be interesting since I have a baby shower tomorrow.. Looks like Emerald is coming down with URI as well. This concerns me. Will just have to keep a good eye on her.
So anyway.. since sally didn't eat the baby food, I didn't want it to go to waste, so I brought it upstairs It was uncontaminated.. I quietly put it next to my chair with a spoon. A few minutes later when muffin and Eli were wrestling in the kitchen, I grabbed jack and offered it to him, with a warning that if he made too much noise muff and Eli would find out. So we sat there for a few moments.. jack happily licking away at his all time favorite food. Muffin chased Eli into the livingroom.. He was about to jump up on my ottoman, when he saw what was going on.. he stopped dead in his tracks. Muffin jumped up behind him, but also saw what was going on and also stopped dead. For almost two full seconds (a VERY long time.. trust me) they just sat there, standing upright on their back feet, muffin almost hugging Eli.. looking like two kids who had just run into a wall. It was the FUNNIEST thing they have done in a while. They them jumped up in my lap, and Eli started licking the cover I was holding next to the jar, and Muffin barged in on the spoon that jack was licking. Eventually Eli got in on the spoon, and all I could see were kitty heads and tongues.. the only way I knew the spoon was empty was when they would pull back a bit. I was laughing so hard. They made quick work of the jar.. and off they went.. but Eli left me a little foot print on my leg.. You know when you cross your legs and then you uncross them there is a mark.. well it was like that. it was so cute..
They are now in the kitchen where I tossed the empty jar and cover.. they are determined to get every last molecule out of that jar.. and if anyone can do it.. muffin can. That cat has one very long tongue.
Muffin lounging around Eli making it difficult for me to do my taxes
Im sorry to report that my little mew was put to sleep this afternoon. She was majorly deformed on the inside, her stomach was up in her chest cavity, making it hard for food to get out, and for her lungs to grow. She was having a harder and harder time breathing and we knew it was for the best.
Larry Moe and Curly are back at the shelter awaiting their neutering then will go up for adoption (probably this weekend)
Mom aka sally, has been feeling warm, and acting depressed, so I took her in. She has a temp of 108, so the shelter recommended I take her to the vet. I left the terror triplets there, and off mew and I went.. The vet got a temp of 105 (but she didn't wait till the thermometer was done so it could be higher) so she has come home with me and on doxycycline and sub q fluids.. till she feels better or I get even worse news and hear she's got something that can't be treated..
I talked to this vet about Mew.. how she was still throwing up.. and how she was acting. The vet got concerned, listened to her heart and lungs, and said she was having a hard time breathing. The other vet said her lungs sounded clear, so it was something that was obviously getting worse (since monday) They took an xray and found her stomach was up in her chest cavity. A friend of mine who fosters recently told me about a kitten she had who had a similar problem, and when she did, I pretty much assumed this was what was going on with mew. Didn't hurt any less to hear it though.
Afterwards I went back to the shelter to let them know what was going on, and to leave them info on the boys (since they didn't even take their names in the rush to get mom to the vet) I went to visit the boys and I let them out of their cage. Larry and Curly went right to the bunny cage next to theirs and started sniffing and watching the two rabbits in it. Moe decided he wanted to explore the room. I have to say they were acting incredibly well. They were easy to catch when I decided to put them away, and they weren't trying to escape.. I think I can't call them the terror triplets any more :) Part of me wants to go to the shelter this weekend if they are going up for adoption, the other part doesn't.. cause I know people are going to ask about them, and the history, and I don't think new owners would need to know about mew, but I don't think I couldn't tell them.. if you know what I mean.
mew is not well. she was diagnosed with coccidia..
What are coccidia? Coccidia are small protozoans (one-celled organisms) that multiply in the intestinal tracts of dogs and cats, most commonly in kittens and puppies less than six months of age, in adult animals whose immune system is suppressed or in animals who are stressed in other ways (e.g., change in ownership, other disease present).
Coccidia causes diarrhea. I haven't read of a single instance where it causes constipation, which Mew has... which is probably why she is so absolutely miserable. Going to try a few things today to help her along with that
she was able to keep food down for 48 hours.. Monday afternoon (after the trip to the vets) she was all happiness and acted like she had finally taken a turn for the better (its always my luck that the minute I involve a professional the problem goes away).
I had forgotten to take in a stool sample, so I took that Tuesday morning. Got the call she has coccidia, and went down for meds for that. 1cc the first dose, which she took like a trooper, then .5 cc each additional. Tuesday she threw up a couple of times, Wednesday morning (this morning) she threw up four times in my presence, then once after I left. I just got back from feeding them.. she was quite active till I fed her. then the teaspoon of food I fed her sat in her stomach wrong and for about 10-15 minutes she made pathetic about to throw up noises. part of me wanted her to throw up and get it over with, the other half wanted her to keep it down. she eventually threw up. she was starving again, so this time I fed her a teaspoon of food, but kept interrupting her. when she had most of the teaspoon eaten up, she again started making the pathetic throwing up noises.
However.. it looks like she might have actually gained an ounce.. so at least there is that.
I also gave back the dry food. the boys really need it, and since she's throwing up twice a day now anyway, I figured it couldn't hurt if she ate it.
*sob* mew threw up again.. after two full days of not throwing up.. she threw up.. and on me.. she had been making the motions.. so I kept putting her on the tablecloth I have in there, and she would stop making the motions and come cuddle up to me. She seemed miserable. She was also wheezing, so I decided to put her back on the clavimox. Well the liquid hitting the back of the throat, and poof. Most of it did get on the table cloth, but it was via my hand. (good thing Im washable) I am heading down to the vet today to bring the stool sample I forgot to bring yesterday... I'm going to bring her other byproduct as well.. see if that helps.
well out trip to the vet was.. ok. She took a look at mew, said yup.. her eyes are two different sizes.. talked about FIP, and FIV.. took blood for FIV... dewormed her, and said if she isn't throwing up any more to keep doing what I was doing.. (which was taking the dry food away from her). We got home, she ate breakfast (didn't want to risk her throwing up on the way down) then she attacked one of her brothers, and was very unhappy when he attacked her back, so she ran to me for protection.. lol
Vet says she's like to see her in three weeks, or if something else happens to warrant it.. so.. things are looking up.
well it looks like the kibble was the problem *knocks on wood* Mew did not throw up this evening. She was even the first (ok the second) one out of the cage when I opened it.. she's usually last and then waits a few moments more. She came out, and ate. Gobbled down food like there was no tomorrow. I interrupted her once.. she sat on me for a while. Climbed up to my shoulder again.. made noises that I thought were precursors to hurling, but when I took her down she didn't, and went to eat some more.
*does happy dance*
she's still going to the vet in the AM. That eye thing has me worried, and the fact that she can't eat kibble and that her tummy is quite full and distended.. .. but at least she was able to keep the moistened moist food down.. (although she's probably throwing up right about now knowing my luck!)
The URI seems to be clearing up nicely. There is almost no sneezing any more. Mew still sounds a bit congested.. but that could just be her for all we know. Will know more tomorrow.
well the only way to keep mew from eating dry food was to remove it. I don't think the boys will mind all that much, and even if they do get hungry, it wont do them any harm to be with out food for a while.
I am 98% positive mew went poop while I was blogging earlier. So I saved it and am going to bring it to the vet.. they like such presents (lol).
I bought some brewers yeast and some lecithin for my own kitties. The yeast is a good over all health benefit.. basically some vitamins. It came in tablet form.. and it was all that Wal-Mart had and was on clearance to boot. Surprisingly no one really likes it but Eli. He loves 'em. No one else could quite figure out what to do with them. they smelled interesting, and were put in the mouth, but then they were spit out and played with till it got close to Eli, who ate them. Come on you sillies.. they are just like crunchy kitty treats!! oh well. Will probably pulverize some and sprinkle it on their food every once in a while.
The lecithin is for Em. It is supposed to help with her dandruff. However it only came in gel cap form. Easily enough punctured, and squeezed out on a finger.. unfortunately she doesn't seem to like it. I don't think she hates it.. I think it doesn't do anything for her. I put some on her upper lip, and she licked it off just fine. Will have to squeeze that out on to her food too.
Well I didn't call the shelter yesterday. Mew tossed her cookies, then ate, then proceeded to play with her brothers, something she's not really inclined to do. I figured she was feeling better. I let them run around a bit, then put them back in the cage. That evening, I noticed mom's nipples didn't look like they had been sucked on, and she was acting uber friendly and kept sticking her but up in the air.. Yup. she's in heat, and her milk has dried up. *sigh*
Every time mew throws up there are dry food chunks in it. I can't help but wonder if that is the issue. Not quite sure how to keep her from eating them, and providing for her brothers. Only think I can think of is to put the food bowl on a higher level so she can't get to it, but Im still searching for something that will do that, and wont allow the bowl to be tipped over.
although last night I made a discovery that will probably negate any others.. Mew's pupils are two different sizes. Still are this morning too. (had to wait and see cause I've been 'fooled' by kittens before.. one of them eye changed color over night from blue to green. then the next day changed back, I SWEAR!.. and another one had an enlarged pupil, but the next day was fine. I called the shelter and I was asked to bring her in to the vets monday morning 8 am. I don't usually wake up till 8:30..
Im thinking a bowl obstruction myself. (hence the larger dry pellets causing a problem, but not the wet food.. ) I haven't seen her go poop, but Ive rubbed her belly and she doesn't seem to mind it at all. She has gone pee several times. Sigh. Anybody want a defective kitty? she is ultra adorable.. likes to sit on your shoulder.. but hates to be reclined. She'll let you hold her upright.. But the minute her head goes back further than 90 degrees she starts to panic.
