Introducing Daisy! And a Frankie update *vet update*

Discussion in 'Lantus / Levemir / Biosimilars' started by LizzieInTexas, Aug 2, 2020.

  1. LizzieInTexas

    LizzieInTexas Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2016
    We got Frankie a little sister – Daisy (07/19). She is almost exactly one year younger than Frankie and a cutie pie, very playful and gives as good as she gets. I have taken the introductions very, very slowly. The first week we allowed Frankie to see her only briefly when we were holding her and only downstairs. She had her own room (the spare room) which was set up with her food, water, LB and toys. I would split my time between up/down stairs so I spent time with both. After the first week, I purchased a pet gate and left the door to the spare room open (supervised) so they could see each other, smell each other. Frankie’s fear and discontent was soon overcome with curiosity and I brought her down stairs to see how they did together. I am still keeping them separated when we can’t supervise but so far, so good. They play together and seem to be getting along well. I am still leery of Frankie, simply due to his behavior issues.

    On to the Frankie update.. he had his first year checkup yesterday (08/01) and, due to COVID, wrote out all the issues. I feel he has PICA and Hyperesthesia (and maybe some neurological issues). It is something we are dealing with but I am concerned and feel that the issues need to be addressed. The vet couldn’t get bloodwork so I have to take him back during the week so they can sedate him and draw the blood and, if I can’t get a urine sample with the Kit Cat litter, a urine sample. After that, my vet has referred me to a behaviorist Vet. She is over an hour away (on the other side of Houston) but my vet thinks that the consultation can be done via phone/video chat. I won’t try to explain all the issues in this update but I may start a thread with the journey for those that might benefit. In short, it is a biting, attacking, defiant behavior. Chewing on anything plastic/rubber with frustration if stopped or not allowed to chew that intensifies the attacking and biting. Again, can’t communicate the intensity of these problems fully but they are bad. But he is also a sweet and loving guy and he is ours and we love him so feel like we need to do anything we can to make his life better.

    I am working from home and it is going ok. I am busier than ever and working more hours than ever. Hubby has injured his back (or an old injury is finally catching up with him) and has been navigating the interesting journey of trying to get doctors appointments, MRI and into a specialist with the restriction of COVID. He finally got the MRI test results and has an appointment with a back specialist this coming Thursday. Lord help us all if he has to have surgery. Surgery will require at least a six week recovery time which will mean that he will be here ALL.THE.TIME. If he survives the surgery, I hope he survives the recovery – lol.

    Sorry, this got so long and so long coming! I miss my friends here and really wish I had more time to spend giving back.

    daisy1.JPG
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  2. Olive & Paula

    Olive & Paula Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 6, 2015
    Isn't Daisy adorable. White sox tuxie. Frankie doesn't seem to mind much. Hope you get answers for Frankie.
     
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  3. JoyBee&Ravan

    JoyBee&Ravan Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 17, 2018
    Hi Lizzie! :) Congratulations & the new member of your family! Daisy is a real cutie. I LOVE that first photo of her :joyful: Maybe she'll help Frankie to calm down? He looks so "Regal" in the last photo with his little sister!

    Sorry to hear about your husbands back. Have you read about Stem Cell therapy? My son had stem cells injected into his injured shoulder & said it helped him to heal fast. I also read a lot of alethes have it done for pain.

    A study published last year in the scientific journal Stem Cells entitled reported that patients suffering from chronic back pain due to degenerative disc disease who were treated by injecting their own bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC) into their lumbar discs experienced significant pain reduction 12 ...

    Maybe it's something he could try before surgery? https://rmiclinic.com/non-surgical-stem-cell-injections-joint-pain/spine-stem-cell-therapy/#:

    So nice to have an update on your Kitties. Hope it all works out well!

    [​IMG]
     
  4. tiffmaxee

    tiffmaxee Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 15, 2013
    I have one with pica and one with allergies. From what I have read there’s not much to do about pica. I can’t have towels or clothing out because my girl eats cotton among other things. Congrats on your new addition. Good luck figuring it all out and with DH’s surgery.
     
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  5. Wendy&Neko

    Wendy&Neko Senior Member Moderator

    Joined:
    Feb 28, 2012
    Hi Lizzie! Been thinking of you with all happening in your state. :bighug: Daisy is adorable! Of course I'm a sucker for any fur in black and white. Such cute "nail polish" black dots on her toes. I do hope she helps Frankie redirect some of his energy. Good luck with the behaviourist - let us know how that goes.

    Best of luck for DH. I hope he can dodge the situation where he has to go for an operation. Not a great time to be in a hospital. Depends what is wrong of course - my DH had good luck with a back specialist physio.
     
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  6. Pamela & Amethyst

    Pamela & Amethyst Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 11, 2016
    AWWW!!! So precious:bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug:
     
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  7. carfurby (GA)

    carfurby (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 19, 2012
    How adorable. I hope you can get answers for Frankie and DH. Sending prayers.
     
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  8. Sue and Luci

    Sue and Luci Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 3, 2017
    AWWWW! She is so precious!!! She looks just like Luci did at that age! Adorable!!

    Luci and DH.jpg
     
  9. Jill & Scooter

    Jill & Scooter Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 7, 2018
    Hi Lizzie! Daisy is absolutely adorable! She has the sweetest face! Frankie has grown into a very handsome boy! I hope the behaviorist ( I didn’t know there was such a thing) can give you some answers. Glad the two of them are getting along well!
    I feel for you with your DH. Have been through two neck surgeries with mine. He is a terrible patient! I’m working from home too and DH is now disabled (lower back, not neck) and home all the time. He drives me a little crazy, but he’s still alive. I hope yours doesn’t need surgery!!!
     
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  10. Ella & Rusty & Stu(GA)

    Ella & Rusty & Stu(GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 11, 2010
    Welcome, little Daisy, to your new home! You are a beautiful girl.
    Hi Lizzie, I hope that all will work out with her and Frankie. And I hope that Frankie's issues can be straightened out and that a consult with the animal behaviorist will help.

    Lots of vines and good thoughts for your DH's back problem. I hope he can avoid surgery. Apparently surgery is becoming less and less of a "cure" for back problems. Dedicated exercises may help.

    Hang in there in your Covid 19 hotspot! Stay well. Keep cool!

    :bighug::bighug::bighug:s and scritches
     
  11. LizzieInTexas

    LizzieInTexas Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2016
    Thank you all. Daisy has already purred her way into all our hearts. She looks for Frankie if he has managed to slip away to catch a nap or get some peace and quite and Frankie crys for her when she is in her room to eat or get a break. We have only had to separate them once due to rough play.

    Now for the update from the bloodwork today. As mentioned my vet had to sedate him because he is just uncontrollable when restrained or confined. It is like he become feral. Anyway, I asked her what she thought about doing a series of xrays since he was going to be sedated anyhow and did she think it might benefit (rule-out) with the behaviorist vet (and she is a vet). So we did xrays and my poor boy has hip dysplasia in both hips and it is pretty severe. I am going to order Cosequin and some fish oil (recommendations welcome). The vet indicated that it might be best to have the procedure to remove his "ball" in the joint sooner rather than later. I was in a big hurry to get back home to make a meeting so I have a bit a research to do and will follow up with her. IDK what that does for the behaviorist vet because it could be the hind end pain causing some of the issues.

    Got to go finish up my work for the day but wanted to say a big THANK YOU :bighug::bighug: to all and if anyone has had any experience with Hip Dysplasia I welcome any advise!!
     
    Last edited: Aug 5, 2020
  12. Sue and Luci

    Sue and Luci Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 3, 2017
    Do you think the vet said Hip Dysplasia? Dyspepsia is indigestion...

    In either case, poor baby :(

    I hope he gets to feeling better...I have a bad hip too...so can empathize.
     
  13. LizzieInTexas

    LizzieInTexas Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2016
    Thank you Sue. Stupid auto-correct - yes it is Dysplasia. She gave me a CD with the xrays on it I just haven't had a chance to see if I can see them yet.
     
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  14. carfurby (GA)

    carfurby (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 19, 2012
    Poor Frankie. :bighug::bighug::bighug:
     
  15. Wendy&Neko

    Wendy&Neko Senior Member Moderator

    Joined:
    Feb 28, 2012
    Nordic Naturals is a good fish oil. You can get cat versions.

    Poor Frankie on the hips. That is a lot more common on dogs. Looks like Cornell has a page on it. Good call on getting those xrays done.
     
  16. Pamela & Amethyst

    Pamela & Amethyst Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 11, 2016
    OHH Lots of love,light and healing to the handsome little man:bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug:
     
  17. Nan & Amber (GA)

    Nan & Amber (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 19, 2016
    Aw, poor little guy! That must be painful, wouldn't be at all surprised if it's part of the behavioral stuff.

    No experience with hip dysplasia, but I have some with the FHO operation after injury (nursing fosters through recovery, and an injured cat I rescued off the streets). In general, cats recover really well from that procedure. All of the ones I nursed through recovery were toe-touching and then walking well before I would have imagined it possible. You will probably want to get something (such as a large dog crate or a pet playpen with a roof) to make sure he stays on restricted movement for the recommended time.

    Longer-term, I probably don't have useful experience-- I don't know with the fosters and my rescue was in pretty bad shape when I picked him up so he's not the poster child for what the surgery can do. He runs and jumps around like nothing is wrong but he does walk with a limp :(. Most cats I think have a pretty normal gait and movement once they've recovered and the new "hip joint" has formed from scar tissue.
     
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  18. Tom & Thomas (GA)

    Tom & Thomas (GA) Member

    Joined:
    Jun 23, 2018
    Did you discuss immediate pain management with your vet? An NSAID, like meloxicam, might knock it right back, like in a day or two. Proved a miracle drug for my guy's arthritic pain.

    Meloxicam gets a bad rap in this country because vets were dosing cats as if they were miniature dogs, when they need just half as much by weight. The main concern, along with possible GI issues, is with checking and monitoring kidney health. There are ISFM/AAFP guidelines, from 2010, on long-term use of NSAIDs in cats. In any event, the goal is to just break the pain with an NSAID and then taper off as you move on to slower acting pain relievers and/or curative measures.
     

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