Bayley

Originally Posted by babyharley

I don't have one of those, where can I get one? We have a pet store here in town, thats extremely over priced, but I suppose I could check there?

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Some pet stores have the pill pushers. Otherwise, I've seen them in vet clinics as well. I usually just open their mouths, pop the pill way back in & make sure they don't spit it out!

{{{healing vibes}}} coming your way! I can't believe that the HS has a vet on site & that they missed this!(or didn't bother to treat it enough)

We call them Pill Poppers over here and they do work quite well. Most vets have them for sale. Mine cost £1.99 (about $4). The best way of using these is wrap the cat firmly in a large towel and get someone hold him gently but firmly. Open cat's mouth and "pop" pill into back of throat. Have a syringe with a little water in it ready to squirt in quickly (this is the part that you really need to be an octopus) then hold his mouth shut and stroke his throat until he swallows. The water helps the pill go down. That is how you do it in theory, in practice, prepare to be shredded as they always get their paws out somehow.

Have you any idea how he came to have infected claws? BTW. Many years ago I had a little black and white cat called Scampi who used to love playing in the bath (no water) with the bath plug. Somehow she got one of her claws tangled up in the little chain and pulled the whole claw out. The claw was hanging by a thread and our vet just snipped off the little bit. That claw never grew back but it never bothered her either - and it didn't stop her playing with the bath plug.

I really hope Bayley recovers soon, poor little chap.

Poor baby!

Worst case scenario, if he has to be declawed because of this, because it becomes medically necessary, then do what you have to do for him, and you know we'll support you.

Oh, I'm incensed right along with you at that HS! He was there for how long, and they just let this go untreated?!?!?!

Originally Posted by GingersMom

Poor baby!

Worst case scenario, if he has to be declawed because of this, because it becomes medically necessary, then do what you have to do for him, and you know we'll support you.

Oh, I'm incensed right along with you at that HS!

He was there for how long, and they just let this go untreated?!?!?!

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Thank you... I know that declawing is highly looked down upon, and believe me, I totally agree- but if its to save his little paws from the pain, I don't have any choice

I called the lady I've been speaking w/ and she said she felt bad about it,a nd I told her about the declaw and she understood.

I don't understand how they didn't know, especially since it was written right on his papers

Originally Posted by babyharley

I don't have one of those, where can I get one? We have a pet store here in town, thats extremely over priced, but I suppose I could check there?

Click to expand...

I would probably try the vet first for the pill popper. The ones I've seen at our pet stores look like they're made for pilling huge dogs...w/big hard plastic "fingers" on them for holding the pill. The ones I get from the vet are smaller (thinner) and have soft rubber fingers. They do make it a lot easier.

When I had to pill Emily, I wrapped her in a towel and held her while my husband opened her mouth and slipped the pill in, and then I held her mouth closed and rubbed her throat downward. That seemed to work, but it took us awhile to get that method worked out.

Originally Posted by babyharley

Oh - and if the infection does NOT clear up, they will have to declaw him

I signed a wavier at the HS when we adopted him that we wouldn't declaw him, and I wasn't planning on it, so now I have to call them and tell them whats going on. I think its only fair that they would understand!

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i'm sure they would understand if it came to that, since it would be a health issue, not a convenience one.

Originally Posted by babyharley

Since we have to give him pills twice a day, how do I go along the lines of doing so without him barfing all over me?

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Originally Posted by babyharley

I don't have one of those, where can I get one? We have a pet store here in town, thats extremely over priced, but I suppose I could check there?

Click to expand...

i got mine at the pet store - it's the hard plastic kind. works ok, tho - i usually butter the pill before putting it into the popper - that way it slides down the throat more easily.
you might try pill pockets - if i ever have to pill Cable or Chip, i'm going to try them. cats that eat treats seem to like them. Pixel won't eat most treats, so she gets the buttered pill from the popper!

I am so sorry I just saw this, Mackenzie.

poor Bayley and poor you! They should have told you what was going on from the get go. at the shelter where I volunteer, we let the people know if an animal has allergies or has been sick and we give them the med sheet to take to their vet to keep on file. I hope his infenction clears up soon. and if you have to declaw him for the sake of his health, we will support you and understand. You both will be in my thoughts. please keep us updated on him!

Oh, the pill pockets. If you don't mind going to a little trouble, you could probably save some heartache/strugge. If the pills are a bit big (most antibiotics are a little big for pill pockets)...I have split the pills into multiple pill pockets, say 3 or 4. If kitty isn't enthused about them, I have prepared a plate of chunky wet food (I think your Meow Mix would work) and put the loaded pill pockets amongst the chunks of food. It works on Precious, 'cause she's tired of Pill Pockets. Just don't give very many chunks of food at one time...you need for him to finish it.

I'm so sorry to hear about Bayley, it's a good thing that you were able to get him to the vet quickly. I hate to say it but I'm definitely suscious of the HS because I've started noticing things about one of my cats that I really feel should have been caught. Oh well the important thing is that our babies are in good homes now.

Be sure and get a second (or even third) opinion before resorting to a declaw. That sounds awfully drastic to me, and I'd give the antibiotics (as much as I hate them) a good long shot at fixing his tootsies first. Also, get some probiotics to use after the antibiotics to help restore his intestinal flora.

My most recently acquired kitty also had the gunky (dark reddish brown) ears. Tresaderm cleared that up.

Sorry you had a bad HS experience. They are so busy and do good work generally, but mistakes do happen. I'm just glad you've rescued Bayley.

Cally

Originally Posted by babyharley

Well... I was just reading thru all the paperwork we recieved when we adopted him, I found this:
Tech exam revealed lesions above chin area, throat and shoulder blades. Toe nails on front right paw (the ones that I'm having problems w/) are injured. one missing.

My question... why didn't they tell me this? They said that they didn't know about it!

I'm definately taking him in on Wednesday for sure, just to be safe.

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OK, 1st of all....do you want me to call/write them for you? If it was me, by the time I was done with them, they would have given me my $100 back, along with an apology. That is unacceptable. Their lack of attention could cause someone's healthy pet (Harley) to become sick/infected.....also, they are supposed to make you aware of things like that. No, I would be sure they paid the vet bill, that's for sure. You just shelled out $85 for an animal with a clean bill of health.... I would be happy to write them one heck of a letter for you if you want me to. So at least they wouldn't do this to some other poor unsuspecting, undeserving, (not to mention currently unemployed) soul.

Now, the nail, LuckyGirl just broke hers down really far this past week....I noticed her paw fur was red....she wouldn't let me touch it, but she would let daddy touch it... She must've gotten it caught in something.... I called the vet, they said as long as she was behaving normal (like playing etc) not to worry, and to keep an eye on it. God knows how long he has suffered with this in their care, that it has gone by unattended to! The poor baby, thank GOD he is with you now....at least he is safe.

Also, the rash on his neck....I wouldn't worry too much about it. I have eczema (a skin allergy) and when I get a patch of it, even after it goes away, my skin is still messed up from having it. Another thing, when I got Mommy cat, she had opened/scabbed lesions on her belly....I thought from it dragging on the carpet....here it was a reaction from fleas, she is allergic to fleas, and was being bitten so badly that she was big open wounds that she would incessantly groom. Some frontline, an e collar, and several weeks, and they are going away....

All this aside, I am so sorry you are stressing over this....it's supposed to be a happy time for you....

Aww... I'm just now seeing this. I can't believe he'd been there since Nov. and no one caught the severity of this. I also can't believe they didn't even mention it.

Good thing he's got you now. Get well soon Bayley!

Oh, and I have no tips for pilling or medicating a cat. I have such a hard time with Frankie... it gets to the point where after a few days she'll see me coming and run away foaming.

Awww what a lot you all have been through

If this doesn't clear up and he has to be declawed, I would just get your vet to give you something in writing to say it was clinically necessary in case the shelter get antsy about it.

And don't feel bad about it, it's completely right to be against declawing for cosmetic reasons or convenience, but sometimes it is a medical necessity and has to be done for the health of the cat! Even in the UK where declawing is technically illegal, it is only illegal if done for non-clinical reasons. It is perfectly acceptable to declaw in situations like this where other non-surgical treatment has failed. Don't feel bad about it if it comes to that

Ah poor Bailey... I hope they don't have to Declaw him but you need to do whats best for him and that's what matters... For You & Bailey

Bayley is fortunate that you adopted him.
Someone else might have returned him to HS.

I support whatever you need to do to give your beautiful boy a chance at a long healthy life.

Bayley

I am glad that you found out the reason for Bayley's claw problems, but I am sorry that your beautiful boy is having to go through all of this..How long after the completion of the antibiotics will you know about the need to possibly de-claw? Sending good healing vibes to Bayley, and that the medicine will work..

Ok wait, how many months was he at the HS and this wasn't caught?
Poor kid could have ended losing a leg, or worse.
Your HS definitely needs to be informed, if nothing else, perhaps they'll pay much closer attention to things of this nature.

It seems that Bayley truly was waiting for you to take him home and tend to his needs.

It's a shame that something like that was left uncared for and the HS where you got him should use this as a check on the care they are offering.

As far as de-clawing, if it comes to that then you should feel no guilt since it would medically be in his best interest.

Healing vibes and hugs to you and your new little baby.

Awww, poor Balyley I am glad he has you to take good care of him. Sending lots of good vibes his way