#1 reason I shouldn't be working at a Vet's office

There are angels on earth, you are proof of that. Wishing all the best for Neko, what a sweetie.

So.. some people may think I'm crazy, but I really think Neko knows I helped save his life. Where ever I go, he follows. If I leave the bedroom, he lays down by the door and waits for me. If I am walking around the bedroom, he's right there, under foot, rubbing against my leg. I have STILL not heard him stop purring! When he kneads, he uses all four paws. I really think he knows that he got very lucky and is very thankful to be alive. I have never seen a more content cat in my life. He really seems to understand that he was on deaths door.
I CANT LET MYSELF GET ATTACHED....

Shorty,

If I were in your shoes, I don't know that no matter how hard I tried, I wouldn't be able to keep myself from being attached. The long and the short of it is, if you know you're going to keep him if you get attached.. just decide to keep him and enjoy the fact that he loves you. Even if you don't get attached, he already seems to be forming a bond. You may end up keeping him for his sake.

Hehe, if you took our household.. my sister would complain and yell that she can't keep him, and then opt that we just can't get rid of him. Me, I'd be like, welp, yeah yeah, we'll look for a home (to appease her) and the whole time, I'd have absolutely no intention of finding a new home for him. I personally just can't stand to get rid of them once they're with me. Of course, sis is wise to this, and has in the past said.. hmm, why is it that I know you're not really planning on getting rid of that cat...? Of course, if she didn't moderate my behavior, I'd probably have at least 10 kitties..some people have better control than I do.

It seems like it would be torment to both of you at this point, to rehome him. If you absolutely have to, it's understandable, but if you don't.. keep him and enjoy it.

I'd just sit back and enjoy the good deed you've done, and know that Neko knows what you've done for him too. That's the best gift (besides saving him), forming the bond with him.

Well done on rescuing that gorgeous kitty!

He knows that you have been very special to him and that why he purrs and kneads for you!

Can't wait to hear more updates and see more piccies :nods:

Wow, you are quite amazing for doing that I feel like I would do the same thing even though I really couldn't afford it. I couldn't stand by and watch a cat get PTS when it could be saved.

Shorty, I just read your post and I congratulate you for being the person that you are!! You did a wonderful thing for the owner and for Neko! The world needs more people like you.
I love cats myself and worry very much about mine. Some people just don't understand how much they mean to us. I am very grateful for this message board because we all understand the love that we have for them.
God Bless You.
Angie

So Neko definately has an URI. GRRRR.... He's one of the hardest cats to medicate. He's on doxycycline, pet tinic, and chlorpheniramine. Last night he bit into one of the pills and started salivating... EVERYWHERE! I'll update you all a little more later... Gotta go to work...

NEW PICS....



His URI seems better today... He's been seeming ALOT better then when I first brought him home. Friday I'm going to bring him in to recheck is RBC count. He is also going to get his little rear end shaved. He gets poop stuck to him sometimes and it drives me NUTS. All and all, he looks REALLY good. He seems to have gotten very lucky..

he's very handsome. and very lucky to have met you. i hope his URI gets better soon.

Originally Posted by Shorty14788

So.. some people may think I'm crazy, but I really think Neko knows I helped save his life. Where ever I go, he follows. If I leave the bedroom, he lays down by the door and waits for me. If I am walking around the bedroom, he's right there, under foot, rubbing against my leg. I have STILL not heard him stop purring! When he kneads, he uses all four paws. I really think he knows that he got very lucky and is very thankful to be alive. I have never seen a more content cat in my life. He really seems to understand that he was on deaths door.
I CANT LET MYSELF GET ATTACHED....

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Good luck with not getting yourself attached, but I am afraid my dear friend that you already are.

I got some kinda bad news. Nekos RBC count hasn't gone up. Its still only 18. His reticulocyte count is only 1.42%. With him having been anemic, it should be higher then that. They wanted to start him on prednisone, but with him having a URI, they cant. We did a blood smear to look for hemobartonella, but we didn't find any evidence of it. I'm afriad he might be going into autoimmune hemolytic anemia.

He has also lost almost a pound in 1 week. He isn't eatting very well. I have to bring to food to him and sit with him just to get him to nibble on some. We also did a blood glucose check on him today, because I noticed he was drinking a lot of water. With him being an overweight, 8 year old cat, I was afriad he might be diabetic. Thank goodness he isn't.

I was hoping for some prayers and good vibes that he will get over this URI FAST, so we can get him started on the prednisone. That would solve the not eatting well problem and possibly help with the anemia.

for you and Neko. Just keep your chin up and be positive. I swear they can read our moods. Sending lots of healing and hungry tummy vibes out to Neko!!

Originally Posted by Shorty14788

I got some kinda bad news. Nekos RBC count hasn't gone up. Its still only 18. His reticulocyte count is only 1.42%. With him having been anemic, it should be higher then that. They wanted to start him on prednisone, but with him having a URI, they cant. We did a blood smear to look for hemobartonella, but we didn't find any evidence of it. I'm afriad he might be going into autoimmune hemolytic anemia.

He has also lost almost a pound in 1 week. He isn't eatting very well. I have to bring to food to him and sit with him just to get him to nibble on some. We also did a blood glucose check on him today, because I noticed he was drinking a lot of water. With him being an overweight, 8 year old cat, I was afriad he might be diabetic. Thank goodness he isn't.

I was hoping for some prayers and good vibes that he will get over this URI FAST, so we can get him started on the prednisone. That would solve the not eatting well problem and possibly help with the anemia.

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Still sending Neko prayers and hugs from Mississippi, Please keep us updated on how he is doing.

Tommorrow Neko goes back in to have his CBC checked again. He is having some diarrhea now. His upper respiratory is almost gone. Hopefully by the end of the week we can start on the prednisone.

He isn't eatting very well. He doesn't much care for soft food and he only eats the hard food if I bring it to him and sit with him while he eats. I'm getting kinda concerned...

Hopefully tommorrow brings good news.

Originally Posted by Shorty14788

Tommorrow Neko goes back in to have his CBC checked again. He is having some diarrhea now. His upper respiratory is almost gone. Hopefully by the end of the week we can start on the prednisone.

He isn't eatting very well. He doesn't much care for soft food and he only eats the hard food if I bring it to him and sit with him while he eats. I'm getting kinda concerned...

Hopefully tommorrow brings good news.

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Can the soft food be causing his diarrhea?

Just sit by him and feed him the hard food

I am sending hugs and prayers from Mississippi for him, please keep us posed on what you hear tomorrow.

Aww, bless you for helping him - it is one of the reasons I couldnt work in a vet (yet can foster, not sure of hte logic there) - I know some of the people who work in my vets have large numbers of animals for similar reasons, and any older cats I automatically get the call!! Fingers crossed that you can get over this illness with him.

Wow, thats incredibly cool what you did. I absolutely couldnt handle that sort of stuff on a daily basis. I think thats why I work with machines instead of people or kids or animals, I'd get too emotionally affected.

We rechecked Neko's CBC today. His RBC count is up to 21. However, his reticulocyte count is WAY down. 0.07%!!!! This means his body is slowing WAY down on making RBCs. The vets think it maybe his body trying to slow down a little after being so anemic for so long and try to compensate for so long. They said not to worry yet because his RBC count was still going up. If it goes down, thats when I should start worrying.
He's lost another 2 onces since last friday... we started him on cyproheptidine to try and get him eatting more... at this point he needs to eat all he can. Once he's better, i'll worry about putting him on a diet...

Originally Posted by Shorty14788

We rechecked Neko's CBC today. His RBC count is up to 21. However, his reticulocyte count is WAY down. 0.07%!!!! This means his body is slowing WAY down on making RBCs. The vets think it maybe his body trying to slow down a little after being so anemic for so long and try to compensate for so long. They said not to worry yet because his RBC count was still going up. If it goes down, thats when I should start worrying.
He's lost another 2 onces since last friday... we started him on cyproheptidine to try and get him eatting more... at this point he needs to eat all he can. Once he's better, i'll worry about putting him on a diet...

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I am glad that he appears to be doing better, please keep us updated on him.