Just got home from the vets office. When I got home from work Buddy had only eaten a small amount of food today. Reasured me that I made the right decision to take him today. Vet said he didn't look very dehydrated and that if he was at least maintaining weight she wouldn't be worried. But... He lost 0.04oz. from 12 days ago. His vitals, as best as I can read her notes, (my comments are in parenthesis) are as follows:
MM: lite pink
Ears: N
Throat: N
Abd: X
Gait: N (ha ha, he has no gait)
Temp: 98.6
CRT: 1 a check mark 0
Eyes: N
CV: N
Dermis: X
Nose: N
Resp: N
LN: N
Hydration: 5% ( I don't know what this means)
BCS: 2.5-7.75 / 6.0 (or is it 16.0 or / 0.0)
Weight: 9#11oz.
Resp: 36
Pulse: 160
Notes:
interting thick/ L eye pupil > R slightly
patch on his L ear is better/ patch on L shoulder dermis quarter size alone... w/ small amount of crust (this is the scabs I wrote about, she still hasn't mentioned what it is, but mentioned the culture being negative from the ringworm months ago)
Periactin - didn't help w/ appetite
reglan - makes zippy
pepcid - cuty down licking lips
I explained what has been happening with Buddy's appetite or not happening, as the case goes. Told her he eats up to 3 oz./day, drinks fluids, bowel movements and urination each day. She examined his abdomen pretty well and said he does not feel or appear to be constipated. I espressed my concerns with the small amount of food going in and what it might cause. She agreed that sub-qs would be good and added that it may even stimulate eating, (which I already knew thanks to you guys). We discussed the Pepcid and that it seemed to be helping cut down on the lip licking but that he dry heeved this morning after 1st eating a little twice about 15 min apart then urinating. Upon exiting the box began dry heeving. Nothing came up, no liquid or solids. Just going through the motions. I wondered if it was as much or more nausea than acid and if there was something different we could try. Reviewed what the raglan did to him and my aversion to it happening again. She prescribed Cerenia, gave two tablets @ 16mg at 1/4 tablet/day. She said I should see a difference in 6-8 hours. She will call me in two days to check on him.
This is the part where I am amazed at myself...the wonderful tech came in and showed me how to give the sub-q's at home. Now I know that everyone says how easy it is, and I agree, the process was relatively easy but I have to tell you that I cry, now as an adult, when I get shots and have always hated needles. And today was no exception. I had so much trepidation about it but I swallowed it all down as much as I could. I asked that rather than letting me watch her she let me do the injection today under her direction so that when I got home and had to do it I would know exactly what it felt like and so as questions came up in my own head at each step I could ask. She was great, she went a bit fast at first but I stopped her so much that she slowed down on her own. She gave me a lot of "if this happens, then do this" I am even crying now as I am writing this, I think it is all coming back up now. I kept asking if it hurt him, she kept telling me no, it just felt a little weird for him. She asked if I was going to be able to do it at home and I told her that because my guy needed it I would. I will right? He did so well, he obviously felt my fear but he was so good, even the tech thought so. It seems to be taking longer to absorb than I remember it taking the last time he had one. About how long does it normally take? I need to go online and see if there are any tips on giving the sub q to make it easier on both of us. Since it is just me I don't have another set of hands.
Side note, as I am writing this Buddy has been to his bowl three times to eat. Not a lot each time but some each time, maybe an ounce total now. That is saying something, for his eating habits lately. I haven't given him the Cerenia yet I want to let the sub-q finish up a bit more and then give it with the thyroid meds and the pepcid all at once. He seems interested in the Wysong this evening so I'll try to find the rabbit since he likes that. How long can I give him the wysong before I need to worry about the nutrition part of this. I ask because I don't know how long it may take him to get back to the raw. Rad Cat is new to him, he took to the Natures variety instantly, but I wonder if he'll do the same with the Rad Cat since last night he wasn't interested. Cross your fingers since he is now eating the wysong maybe he will eat that too without a problem.
I feel a sense of hope tonight that I haven't felt in a few weeks, I hope this is the turning point and we start getting better. I know that we have a long way to go but if we can start moving forward instead of backwards that would be great. I need something to feel good about with this.
Thanks just doesn't feel like enough for the support and help, but Thank you, to each of you who are helping in your own way even for the silent prayers and vibes.
Janice and Buddy