Susan&Felix(GA)
Member Since 2017
prior thread, Felix in ER 5/28 to 5/30
To start with the good news: Felix came home yesterday after two nights in the ER although they hadn't been sure he'd come home at all. He's eating pretty well and seems to be tolerating his new meds. He's comfortable and affectionate. He loves kisses and has kissable tummy velvet!
Two nights in a row last week, Felix had a short bout of coughing; I thought he might've taken off his winter coat all at once and got a hairball. Then he had a few days where he had a few bouts of coughing, several hours apart. It rained Sunday so the windows were closed, and he coughed fewer times; I suspected allergies. On Monday he coughed more again and his breathing looked kind of shallow, but he otherwise acted normal and cheerful, so I thought he could wait to see his regular vet on Tuesday for an asthma workup instead of taking him to the ER on Memorial Day. After x-rays, the vet at his regular clinic said I could take him to the ER immediately, but it would be reasonable if I wanted her to euthanize him there and then. Shock.
As mentioned in the prior thread, he had a thoracentesis two days in a row and an echocardiogram, and has been diagnosed with restrictive cardiomyopathy with a blood clot in his heart. All of the related terminology and concepts are new for me, and it's overwhelming. He has started on furosemide (Lasix), clopidogrel (Plavix), and pimobendan (Vetmedin). Furosemide can be hard on the kidneys, but fortunately he's starting out with relatively good kidney values (I realize cat kidneys have lost quite a bit of function before it shows up in labs as CKD). They had boxed up his chest fluid to send for out-of-house analysis for lymphoma, but after the echo they decided it wasn't worthwhile to pursue that.
After his DKA and diabetes diagnosis a couple years ago, I thought his lifespan would be shortened. Then I came to FDMB and saw so many kitties 19 or 20 years old and older, and I "decided" that Felix was going to be one of those long-lived kitties. Now he won't be. I've gotten somewhat different estimates of his life expectancy, but the doctors all say, just love him and enjoy him while you can. I'm not handling our new reality with much grace right now, but he's purring a lot, is eating well, and appears pain- and distress-free, so the time will come when I look back on now as good times.
Tomorrow is his (and Whiskey's!) Gotcha Day, five years together. Felix has certainly proved to be the most expensive kitty I've ever had, but he's worth a gazillion dollars. I love this tender, gentle little man so much.
As for his diabetes, I did go to the hospital for his shots and glucose tests, but you can see on his spreadsheet that diabetes has taken a back seat the past few days. And now PMPS=550
I'm wondering if AM was a fur shot, or perhaps it's a bounce from yesterday's drop from blacks to yellows?
Photo attached of him plotting his escape route from the hospital.
To start with the good news: Felix came home yesterday after two nights in the ER although they hadn't been sure he'd come home at all. He's eating pretty well and seems to be tolerating his new meds. He's comfortable and affectionate. He loves kisses and has kissable tummy velvet!
Two nights in a row last week, Felix had a short bout of coughing; I thought he might've taken off his winter coat all at once and got a hairball. Then he had a few days where he had a few bouts of coughing, several hours apart. It rained Sunday so the windows were closed, and he coughed fewer times; I suspected allergies. On Monday he coughed more again and his breathing looked kind of shallow, but he otherwise acted normal and cheerful, so I thought he could wait to see his regular vet on Tuesday for an asthma workup instead of taking him to the ER on Memorial Day. After x-rays, the vet at his regular clinic said I could take him to the ER immediately, but it would be reasonable if I wanted her to euthanize him there and then. Shock.
As mentioned in the prior thread, he had a thoracentesis two days in a row and an echocardiogram, and has been diagnosed with restrictive cardiomyopathy with a blood clot in his heart. All of the related terminology and concepts are new for me, and it's overwhelming. He has started on furosemide (Lasix), clopidogrel (Plavix), and pimobendan (Vetmedin). Furosemide can be hard on the kidneys, but fortunately he's starting out with relatively good kidney values (I realize cat kidneys have lost quite a bit of function before it shows up in labs as CKD). They had boxed up his chest fluid to send for out-of-house analysis for lymphoma, but after the echo they decided it wasn't worthwhile to pursue that.
After his DKA and diabetes diagnosis a couple years ago, I thought his lifespan would be shortened. Then I came to FDMB and saw so many kitties 19 or 20 years old and older, and I "decided" that Felix was going to be one of those long-lived kitties. Now he won't be. I've gotten somewhat different estimates of his life expectancy, but the doctors all say, just love him and enjoy him while you can. I'm not handling our new reality with much grace right now, but he's purring a lot, is eating well, and appears pain- and distress-free, so the time will come when I look back on now as good times.
Tomorrow is his (and Whiskey's!) Gotcha Day, five years together. Felix has certainly proved to be the most expensive kitty I've ever had, but he's worth a gazillion dollars. I love this tender, gentle little man so much.
As for his diabetes, I did go to the hospital for his shots and glucose tests, but you can see on his spreadsheet that diabetes has taken a back seat the past few days. And now PMPS=550
I'm wondering if AM was a fur shot, or perhaps it's a bounce from yesterday's drop from blacks to yellows?Photo attached of him plotting his escape route from the hospital.
.
