February 14th 2008 10:56 pm
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Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Those of you who know me know that my cats mean the world to me. They are a part of my family. Well, Bucky has been feeling a little under the weather lately. He has been very "needy" and only wanting to cuddle up next to me --which is absolutely fine with me, but he is usually more energetic than that. His eyes have sometimes been a little glassy, too. He has also lost about a pound of weight in less than six weeks. That is more than 6% of his body weight. Losing weight too fast can cause kidney problems in cats (and people, too --so no crash dieting!). I am going to try supplementing his diet with a little bit of wet-food to see if that helps. He has a weight check-up at the vet clinic in two weeks. If he continues to lose weight, then we will begin to investigate the source of the problem. Let's just hope he doesn't lose anymore weight. I worry about him because he cannot talk to tell me what is wrong.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Bucky went to the vet again this morning. He had all sorts of bloodwork done. So far they are ruling-out kidney disease, liver disease, diabetes, FIV (AIDS), FeLV (Leukemia), and cancer. That's a good thing.
But, he does have another urinary tract infection. His temperature is 104F, and he has lost more weight. His current weight is 12.8 pounds, which means he has lost more than a pound in the past week. That's not a good thing at all.
Dr. Payne (Animal Clinic of Oxford) is doing more bloodwork right now to check Bucky's thyroid function. His symptoms are consistant with hyperthyroidism. Right now we are waiting on bloodwork to come back to be able to make the diagnosis.
Overall, we think Bucky's going to be okay --if we can just get the affirmative diagnosis. At least it is none of the conditions mentioned in the first paragraph.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Bucky had to spend the night at the vet clinic last night. But, he gets to be with me for Thanksgiving. So far, we still don't know what is wrong with him. His thyroid function test came back good... He is now having a urinalysis done at an outside lab.
The troubling thing is that when everything else has been ruled out, then the possibility of cancer starts creeping back up...
When I picked him up from the Animal Clinic this morning, Bucky was very energetic and "talkative." He got mad before we left, though, because they took another urine sample and his temperature... He still has a high temperature, but Dr. Wilson believes it may be because he got so pissed-off...
The new urinalysis results should be ready by Friday. Maybe we will know more then. I just want my cat to be okay.
So far, Bucky's vet bill is $303.50. I am thankful that the Animal Clinic of Oxford works with its clients to pay for their services...
Monday, November 26, 2007
Bucky went to the vet today for a weight and temperature check. The good news is that he hasn't lost anymore weight and he didn't have a fever.
I am still very worried about him because he is not eating the way he is supposed to eat. He did eat some turkey for Thanksgiving, though.
Dr. Payne wants for Bucky to have another round of antibiotics when he finishes this round. He wants to make certain he knocks out whatever has got Bucky down.
If anyone has any suggestions on getting Bucky to eat better, then please do not hold back. Let me know your ideas.
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Bucky went to the vet for a weight check on Monday. He is down to 12.2 pounds. I have been spoon-feeding him chicken baby food (Gerber 2nd foods), but Monday evening he decided he didn't want to eat anymore of that.
He has had more vomiting lately, so at times when he is having trouble keeping stuff down, we postpone or skip his dose of Clavamox. For those of you who are more familiar with people medicine, Clavamox is the same thing as Augmentin for humans. If you are familiar with Augmentin, then you know it has a pretty good record of causing stomach upset and diarrhea. It is always recommended that it be taken with food or milk to prevent stomach upset. When Bucky recently started having diarrhea and vomiting episodes, Dr. Payne recommended that I supplement his diet with some plain yogurt, but to still try to keep giving the antibiotic.
When Bucky refused to eat baby food chicken, I tried making a gravy with Science Diet a/d formula and warm water, and administering it by oral syringe. This was early Tuesday morning. That didn't work out so well --I was only able to get him to take about 1mL of the gravy. I, of course, have offered him more baby food chicken and have made additional attempts to give him the a/d gravy by syringe... all with no luck.
Last night I spoke to Jenn, the vet tech at the Animal Clinic of Oxford. At one of Bucky's recent weight check-ups she gave me her cell phone number so that I could call her if I needed to after hours... She's great like that... Anyway, I spoke to her last night about Bucky's new trick about not eating anything... She asked for me to bring him in this morning to see Dr. Laura Wilson. They have a new treatment option for Bucky --a feeding tube that will be inserted directly into his stomach from his mouth. She said it is a very gentle technique and it is much more pleasant for a cat than trying to force-feed him with an oral syringe. The hope is that getting a good dose of food in him will get him to feeling better and well on his way to getting better. The idea is that maybe he hasn't been feeling well, so he doesn't feel like eating, which doesn't help him to get better... it's a horrible cycle to fall into...
The plus side of all of this is that Bucky's gums are still pink (not yellowing) and there are no overt signs of organ failure --which is always a concern with rapid weight loss. Bucky's skin still has its elasticity, which is a good sign that he is not dehydrated... Bucky also seems okay as far as his activity level and daily routine --he's not trying to hide in a corner or anything unusual for him. He is just being Bucky. He isn't acting like he is in pain or that he is suffering. It is me with all the anxiety! I am extremely worried about my Bucky. I know he should be eating better.
I am hopeful that the feeding tube will get Bucky back to normal. I will post additional information when I have it. Thanks to everyone for all of your prayers for me and Bucky.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Many of you have been asking about Bucky and I apologize for not posting anything in several days. Truth be known, I didn't know whether or not Bucky was going to make it. I was hesitant to post anything because the situation seemed to be changing too frequently. Bucky has been to the vet everyday except Sunday since my last blog posting (The Animal Clinic is closed on Sunday).
Thursday night was the worst night. I honestly thought Bucky had had a stroke or something. When I opened the door to his carrier after picking him up from the vet, he stepped out then collapsed. He couldn't hold his head up and his eyes were extremely dilated. He didn't seem to know who I was, either. I immediately called the vet clinic to see what I should do. Dr. Wilson told me he had done something similar at the vet clinic earlier in the day, but that the episode only lasted for about 30 minutes... She told me to place him back in his carrier so that he wouldn't hurt himself if he tried to move around and didn't have the strength. Like she said, the episode didn't last too long... Meanwhile, I had two prescriptions filled for him at Walgreens --generic Zofran 4mg and generic Remeron 15mg.
In addition to the Remeron and Zofran, Bucky is also taking Reglan. He has also received B-12 injections and a Depo-Medrol injection. He has received subcutaneous fluids and tubal feedings with Science Diet a/d on a daily basis...
Some people have bar tabs in this town --I have a vet tab...
When I brought Bucky back to the vet on Friday morning, he still seemed very weak. I honestly didn't think that I would be able to bring him home for the weekend. I was extremely distraught. Fortunately by Friday afternoon, Bucky was doing much better. The meds had had time to get into his system and start working and the tubal feedings were starting to give him sufficient nourishment. I guess things had to get worse before they could get better.
This weekend went very well. I brought Bucky back to the vet Saturday morning and he received more fluids and a tubal feeding, as well as injectable meds... By Saturday night, I was able to get him to eat a little bit of tuna fish. And, by Sunday afternoon Bucky was even eating some Kitten Chow!
I brought Bucky back to the vet clinic this morning for a follow-up visit. So far, he is still doing well. We do not have an appointment for tomorrow, but we have a telephone check-up at about 9:00am. We also have a follow-up appointment with Dr. Wilson on Wednesday.
Bucky is still a very sick kitty, but he is doing much better. We appreciate that you have kept us in your thoughts and prayers.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
On Saturday, 12 January 2008, I brought Bucky to visit the staff at the Animal Clinic of Oxford. Dr. Laura Wilson had told me in a previous visit that Bucky was one of her favorite patients. I wanted her to have the opportunity to pick him up and to hold him and say goodbye on Saturday, which she did. She also referred Bucky to Crossgates Veterinary Clinic for further treatment after our move. That afternoon and evening, TJ and I continued to pack and to move our belongings from our duplex on Anchorage Road in Oxford. I was unable to get Bucky to eat any of his tuna fish, so I went next door to Danielle's to see if she had any cat treats I could offer him, but she didn't. Bucky was still drinking water periodically from the tap in the bathtub, though, so at least that was good. That night, Bucky slept peacefully in between me and TJ.
On Sunday, 13 January 2008, TJ and I continued to move and clean the apartment. Towards the end of our cleaning, and with the apartment near empty, Bucky jumped inside of his carrier as if to exclaim, "Don't forget to take me with you!" We completed our move to Flowood, MS that night. Bucky still refused to eat.
On Monday, 14 January 2008, Bucky still wasn't eating. He only wanted to sleep. By that evening, hepatic lipidosis began to set in. Bucky's gums and ears were not their usual pink color. I contacted Dr. Steve Redding from the Animal Clinic of Oxford at about 8:00pm to find out if it was necessary to bring Bucky to the emergency veterinary clinic in Jackson, or if his condition could wait until Bucky's 9:45am appointment at Crossgates Veterinary Clinic in Pearl, MS the following morning. Dr. Redding told me that Bucky would be okay until his appointment and that the staff at the Animal Clinic of Oxford would be thinking of us. He also reaffirmed that the veterinary staff at Crossgates was good and highly recommended.
On Tuesday morning, 15 January 2008, Bucky was not doing well at all. He was extremely lethargic and his color was a definite pale yellow. He was also dehydrated. When Bucky and I went to Crossgates that morning, I chose to bring one of our Ole Miss fleece blankets with us to his appointment to help him feel more at ease. When Bucky and I met Dr. Gail Anderson for the first time, she told me, without hesitation, that Bucky would need to spend the night. She started an IV catheter on him almost immediately. She also made contact with Dr. Laura Wilson to discuss Bucky's medical history.
On Wednesday morning, 16 January 2008, when I went to visit Bucky, I brought him our other Ole Miss fleece blanket --in case the other one had gotten dirty. I was so happy to see him. He seemed to be doing much better than the day before --he was no longer dehydrated, and his color was a little bit better (although still not the healthy pink color). Dr. Anderson told me that she wanted to do a diagnostic ultrasound on him to see if she could identify what was wrong. She said that hepatic lipidosis is a secondary symptom to an underlying problem. That afternoon, when TJ got home from work, we both went to visit Bucky and to view the ultrasound images. Dr. Anderson pointed out his organs to us --his kidneys, his liver, his stomach --on his stomach there were some unidentified darker streaks, but there was no identifiable tumor anywhere. She said she had wanted to get a better look at that area, but that Bucky had grown tired and uncooperative. She said she might try again when he was feeling a little better.
On Thursday, 17 January 2008, I went to visit Bucky again. Dr. Gail was out of the office, but I was able to meet her husband, Dr. Jim Anderson. Bucky was hanging in there and being a real trooper, but was still not doing well. He was happy to see me, though.
On Friday morning, 18 January 2008, Dr. Gail Anderson called me because she needed consent for Bucky to be anesthetised and for surgery to insert a feeding tube. She told me that inserting a feeding tube would be his only hope to pull through. She said he needed nourishment and that starvation would be cruel. I went to visit Bucky before his surgery. I elected for Bucky to have the surgery instead of euthanasia in hopes that Bucky would be able to come home on Monday. The feeding tube was inserted through the back of his neck, down his esophagus, and to his stomach. The feeding tube was inserted in hopes of combating the hepatic lipidosis that had set in due to Bucky's anorexia. I visited Bucky again that afternoon, and brought the staff at Crossgates his medication that had been prescribed previously by Dr. Laura Wilson. Bucky was still groggy from the anesthesia, but was doing okay.
On Saturday, 19 January 2008, TJ and I went to visit Bucky. TJ affectionately called him "Binkenstein" because of the feeding tube that was protruding from the back of his neck. Bucky was irritable and although he had made it through surgery okay, he was still very nauseated.
Crossgates Veterinary Clinic is closed on Sundays, so I didn't get to visit with Bucky on 20 January 2008. When I called the next morning to find out what time Bucky would be ready to come home, Dr. Anderson called me back to say that Bucky would not be able to come home. He was not doing well at all. He had had a bad day on Sunday and was never able to overcome his nausea enough to be able to hold food down, which defeated the purpose of his surgery. I told her that TJ and I would be up there to visit him right away.
On Monday, 21 January 2008, just before noon, Bucky passed away. He had been a real trooper throughout his illness, but that morning he looked at me with saddened eyes as if to exclaim, "Momma, please do something." I had to make the most difficult decision for any pet parent, and I consented to euthanasia to end his suffering.
Right now Bucky is waiting for me at Rainbow Bridge. He has a full belly and is no longer suffering. I imagine he can still hear me singing to him, "Momma loves the Buckminster, yes her does. Bucky is Momma's love..." (to the tune of Jesus Loves Me).
September 17th 2007 7:42 pm
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Momma brought me to the doctor this morning because she thinks I have a UTI... I don't know anything about UTI's, but I feel like I need to go to the bathroom all the time and a little bit of nothing seems to happen when I try to go.
Dr. Redding told Momma there was no obstruction, but that he was unable to get a urine sample from me during the day. Momma agreed to let me stay the night so the staff at the Animal Clinic of Oxford would have a better chance of getting the sample. Dr. Redding did tell Momma that since I didn't have a fever, he went ahead and brought my vaccinations up to date. But, we are still waiting on the urine sample.
I have never spent the night alone and away from my family. I miss my momma. I can't wait until I get to go home tomorrow...
August 21st 2006 7:30 pm
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Today was Momma's first day back at school for the fall semester. I missed her all day long. To top it off, I scratched my left eye while she was away. When she got home and saw me squinting with a runny eye, we went to the doctor.
I don't like my carrier. It is big enough for me to stand up and turn around and Momma always puts in a soft towel to make me more comfortable, but I don't like being locked in there! I admit that it is the safest way for me to travel in the car, but I would be content to not go anywhere in the first place --especially not to the vet clinic!
Once we arrived at the Animal Clinic of Oxford, we had to wait a little while to be seen. I saw one chocolate lab and two black labs while I was in the waiting area, as well as a little weenie dog. There was also a curly haired dog that wasn't nearly as big as the labs. The big dogs made me nervous. I am scared of dogs.
First, Dr. Payne weighed me. This is usually the case when I see him. I weighed 15.8 pounds. Dr. Payne says that I am "a lot of cat." He is a nice guy, but I wish I knew him under different circumstances. I only see him when I am getting shots or when I am not feeling well.
Today Dr. Payne put some green eye drops in my left eye and told Momma to turn out the lights in the room. He then shined a small hand-held light into my eye. He told Momma that he was checking to make sure there wasn't a scratch on my cornea. He said the green drops help him to see scratches better. He used a bottle of eye wash to rinse away the extra green stuff and examened my eye very closely. Then Dr. Payne used a large cotton swab with eye wash on it to examen my third eyelid. He told Momma that I didn't have any scratches and that was a good thing.
Just when I thought this would all be over soon, they decided to bring my vaccinations up-to-date. Getting my shots always makes me feel tired.
To make matters worse, Kinny has been picking on me all afternoon because he knows I don't feel well. He is mad at me because I don't feel like playing chase and tag with him. I don't want him to be mad at me. I just want to rest for a little while. I've had a bad day...
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