Mackerel's taken a turn for the worse. :(

Hey guys, continued from: http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=227016

I just thought I'd start a new thread with the info up in the subject because it's such a change in the information I had for you on Saturday. At that point in time it looked like she would be ok, coming home with mild CRF on Wednesday or Thursday this week.

Unfortunately her new blood test this morning shows that just about everything is worse. She's severely anaemic, and her kidney function is going downhill. She's not eating anymore, either.

My friend K (who's a vet nurse at the new practice I took Mackers to.) says that I can bring her home this afternoon and take her back to the vet when it's... time.

I'll have a word with the vet, see what he says about timeline and stuff. I really don't want to leave it too late, because I couldn't stand it if Mackerel suffered. Does anyone know the symptoms of a cat dying from ARF? Whether it's painful?

What I'd really like to do is to have Mackerel PTS at home with me, and I'm hoping that I can ask my friend K if she could administer the shot. What do you guys think? Would a vet nurse be allowed to do that? Is it selfish of me to ask my friend to do that for us?

Sorry for all the questions, guys. You've all sort of become my guiding light for this type of thing. I'd just like to say as well that everyone who's been asking questions about how she is and giving advice and vibes through this whole thing... you guys are really wonderful. I appreciate it, and if Mackerel knew that she had so many friends all over the world wishing her well I'm sure she'd be touched.

I'm not sure, LDG. I think the damage to her kidneys is just too extensive, and they're just not going to cope. I'm going to ask whether administering SubQ fluids at home would be something that possibly helps, and I'll add those to the list. Thank you.

The leading theory is antifreeze poisoning. Possibly from a fridge or a broken down car on the street. She got out a couple of times just before she got sick.

There's also a nasty rumour going around that a neighbour was bragging about having put down poison laced cat food. -sigh- But the person who told me that is very... drama-oriented, so I think that she's just trying to stir things up, not sure I give it credence.

I've just spoken to my friend K about the possibility of a home euthanasia. She says that although she can't legally do it, there is a vet who does home euthanasias and we can arrange for her to come to my house.

She also says that because of the anaemia, Mackerel might have fits and seizures while she's at home with me, and may go into a coma. I'll get more information from the vet when I speak to him this afternoon. My appointment's in two hours.

Hey everyone, the vet has said that with these latest symptoms it seems likely that Mackerel has Feline Infectious Peritonitis. I've looked into it myself and it sort of explains everything. -sigh-

She's very very weak and uncoordinated, very thin, but she seems happy to be home, she's purring and cuddled up on my lap. She doesn't seem to be in any pain or have much discomfort.

The vet has said that she probably wont last another couple of days, so I'm calling a mobile vet to make a housecall and have her PTS tomorrow evening. Apparently the really hot weather we're having atm could trigger fitting and coma, and I really don't want her to have any fits if we can help it, because I'm sure that's just... terrifying for an animal.

So, tonight and tomorrow will be a lovely calm time at home for Mackerel and I. Then tomorrow evening she'll be PTS with my parents here as well, and then I'm going to take her to my parent's house - my childhood home - and we're going to bury her in the yard and plant a tree over her resting place. I think I'm going to lay her to rest in her favourite napping basket. I don't know what type of tree, but I think something that will grow with lots of low branches on the trunk, because Mackers has always been eternally frustrated with trees with straight trunks. XD She gets about a meter up and then peels off and falls backwards.

Thanks everyone. Your words and your concern mean a lot to us.

It's 1am here and I think I might try and go to bed soon. Mackerel is EXHAUSTED and sleeping on the couch beside me- we just got back from a stroll around the lake, (I put her harness and a lead on, but I carried her). We sat on the really thick lovely grass by the bank for a while and watched/listened to the waterbirds and the crickets. She climbed up onto my lap after about half an hour and we just enjoyed some Peace with one another. She was purring nearly the whole time we were out there, and though it breaks my heart to hear her purr now (she used to purr so very loudly... it's why I chose her from all the cats at the shelter.) I know it means that she was enjoying herself. She had a real go sharpening her claws on the park bench, too. XD Nice rough wood for her to go to town on.