Worrying (long)

I'm sitting out here in the hallway at midnight worrying about Swanie, and the later it gets, the more worried I get.

It started Monday with him sneezing a bit and then a little discharge from one eye.  He has gotten infections before, so I called the vet and found out she was out of town.  The only way the substitute could see him was if we dropped him off.  Since Monday we also had an appointment for Cindy's chemo treatment, we couldn't drop him off, and the vet was only there until 3:00.  We could have dropped him off in the morning, which I was really loathe to do for a variety of reasons, and he didn't seem too bad.  He's gotten this before and they always told us unless you see yellow / green discharge he didn't need antibiotics.  So we watched him and he didn't get better or worse.  On Wednesday, one of the Techs called and asked a bunch of questions and said that in her experience if he wasn't better by then, he probably needed something.  So I made an appointment for Thursday when the vet was  back in town.  Took Swanie over and he mostly had watery eyes and sneezing a bit, little bit stuffy. The vet checked him, he didn't have a fever. She prescribed Zeniquin, which is what I've given him before, and gave him his first dose there.  He is a very difficult patient and not easy to pill.  One of the Tech's is very good at it, only took her a couple tries with a pill gun. 

So, we're on our way home and he has a sneezing fit.  Then he starts panting like a dog, mouth open tongue out.  I freaked out.  Called the office and she said we should bring him back.  Vet checked him over, said he looked good, and maybe just from sneezing and his nose was blocked.  Gave us some decongestant pills and said to watch him and if any issues head over to the eVet.  Once we got him home, he was okay, for the breathing, but his nose was so stuffy and eyes watering a lot.

Now it's Saturday night and he's still very stuffy, makes funny noises breathing, etc, but he's not breathing out of his mouth.  He doesn't want to eat much, but he is eating.  For awhile the only thing I could get him to eat was treats, but he snarfed those like there was no tomorrow.  Ordinarily, he only gets a few, but I think I gave him half the bag.  Then he would eat wet food if I would "prime the pump" by putting a little on his nose or in his mouth.  Now sometimes he eats the wet food, sometimes I have to get him started.  But he is eating.

I can't get much of the decongestant in him. I''ve been putting it in his food, but since he only eats a little bit, I doubt he's getting much.  I have been able to get his antibiotic in him yesterday and today, but it's so stressful for him I don't know if it's help or harm.  I'm not good at giving him pills, and he is a big (25 pound) strong boy and doesn't want the pills.  DH has a tough time holding him and every time I shoot the pill in his mouth I can't get it back far enough and he jerks his head and it comes flying out.  It took us at least an hour tonight with trying, then calming him, then trying to finally have success.  I think come Monday he will be doing the daily vet visits again to get his med. I think it will be less stressful on him to put him in the carrier and have them do it (he doesn't mind the ride, just the destination) than for us to try doing it so incompentently.

I've been running the water in the shower every so often, but don't know how much good that's doing, if anything.  I also can't get him to come out of my bathroom, which is why I'm sitting in the hallway with the laptop.

And then we had another scare yesterday when we took Cindy in for her 2 week check to see if the antibiotics took care of the yeast infection in her ears.  The vet said Cindy was breathing  - I think she called in abdomen breathing - where you could see her stomach going in and out.  She didn't know if it was from stress (Cindy is very high strung) or something else going on.  Said we could take her home and watch her or she could do some XRays.  DH and I looked at each other and said XRays.  We were both really worried, she's been doing so good on the chemo and her ultrasound a month ago was "normal," but now here was something new.  We were biting our nails while waiting and it was such a relief when the vet came in and said everything was normal.  She did give Cindy an appetite stimulant (forget the name) because I've been having a bit of trouble getting her to eat the past few days as well.  I will give testament that whatever that med is works like a champ.  She followed me around most of the evening yesterday, meowing for food, which I was happy to give her.  She's backed off today, but still eating, and I guess I can give her another pill in 72 hours if she needs it. 

Well, if anyone has actually made it this far, I apologize for the rambling, I'm just a ball of stress and worry right now and just had to type it all out.  If he's still doing this tomorrow, I think I'll call and leave a voice message with the vet.  I can take him to the eVet tomorrow if she thinks that justified, or I can wait til Monday to take him back to see her.  I'm just worried it's something more than just a cold - and hopefully that's just because I'm a worrier and suffer from anxiety disorder, and not because it really is.  I'm just beating myself up for not taking him to the sub vet or the eVet before it got to this point.

Well, he was probably doing the open mouth panting because HE was stressed, because of the Vet visit possibly.  Could that be it, since he hasn't done it since? 

And as far as giving him his pills, have you tried putting them in something to give them to him?  What used to work with my Sven was Whiska Lickins soft treats, either Salmon or chicken (not the cheese flavor...for some reason that one doesn't work).  Anyway, I would take them and smoosh them, then sandwich the pill between about 3/4 of 2 treats.  I learned what size to make them so he would eat them.  And I would give him some plain ones, then the "loaded one" and more plain ones so he wouldn't get wise, but I would always know which one was the one he HAD to eat . 

Otherwise, maybe you could get it compounded into chicken or fish flavor, in liquid, or made up into a transdermal gel that you can apply to his ear or his pads.  Not all drugs can be done that way, but some can. 

What did the Vet say Swanie has?  If a cold, why the antibiotic?  You didn't see any signs of infection, right?  Could it be bad allergies?  (but if so, again, why the antibiotics)  Is anything just now blooming where you live? 

mrsgreenjeens said:

Well, he was probably doing the open mouth panting because HE was stressed, because of the Vet visit possibly.  Could that be it, since he hasn't done it since? 

And as far as giving him his pills, have you tried putting them in something to give them to him?  What used to work with my Sven was Whiska Lickins soft treats, either Salmon or chicken (not the cheese flavor...for some reason that one doesn't work).  Anyway, I would take them and smoosh them, then sandwich the pill between about 3/4 of 2 treats.  I learned what size to make them so he would eat them.  And I would give him some plain ones, then the "loaded one" and more plain ones so he wouldn't get wise, but I would always know which one was the one he HAD to eat

. 

Otherwise, maybe you could get it compounded into chicken or fish flavor, in liquid, or made up into a transdermal gel that you can apply to his ear or his pads.  Not all drugs can be done that way, but some can. 

What did the Vet say Swanie has?  If a cold, why the antibiotic?  You didn't see any signs of infection, right?  Could it be bad allergies?  (but if so, again, why the antibiotics)  Is anything just now blooming where you live? 

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Bless you for reading that rambling post.  I've tried putting the pill in all sorts of things and he either refuses it or he bites into it, finds the pill, and spits it out. I have not tried whiska lickins so I will be heading out to the store to get some. I think the antibiotics were to prevent "secondary infection" or to prevent it becoming pneumonia?  I'm worried that it isn't a cold because his symptoms are not like what he usually gets.  His eyes are watering and his nose is stuffed up.  He's more lethargic than usual although not so lethargic he couldn't have a hissy fit when I try to give him his medicine.  He seems a little better this morning, but still stuffy.  I don't see discharge coming from his nose most of the time, but he is licking it a lot. and I have seen a few "bubbles" there now and again.  He's more willing to eat this morning, but now Cindy is back to not wanting to eat much and she's thrown up a couple times.  Whoever said cats will relax you obviously either didn't have cats or didn't really care a lot about the cats they had.  Or maybe I just need to get a better medication for my anxiety, as DH is always telling me.

I gave my Jasper a worming tablet tonight. I had no intention of struggling with him to get it down. So I crushed it up and put it in his food. I know your Swanie isn't eating much. Not sure if it would make the food taste awful. However, it might be easier to put it in his mouth if it's mixed in with a bit of food (something firm/mushy but not runny). Would he be less likely to spit it out if it's crushed and mixed with some food?  

Aw sweetie, I'm so sorry. I'm not helpful with the "how to" medicine thing, because I pill all the cats. They do fight at first - I guess I just have enough experience to win? :dk:

I hope Swanie's feeling better. Did you discuss the possibility that this is seasonal allergies with the vet?

Misty8723 said:

I have not tried whiska  so I will be heading out to the store to get some. I think the antibiotics were to prevent "secondary infection" or to prevent it becoming pneumonia?  I'm worried that it isn't a cold because his symptoms are not like what he usually gets.  His eyes are watering and his nose is stuffed up.  He's more lethargic than usual although not so lethargic he couldn't have a hissy fit when I try to give him his medicine.  He seems a little better this morning, but still stuffy.  I don't see discharge coming from his nose most of the time, but he is licking it a lot. and I have seen a few "bubbles" there now and again.  He's more willing to eat this morning, but now Cindy is back to not wanting to eat much and she's thrown up a couple times.  Whoever said cats will relax you obviously either didn't have cats or didn't really care a lot about the cats they had.  Or maybe I just need to get a better medication for my anxiety, as DH is always telling me.

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Well, I know just what you mean about cats causing MORE stress when they are sick!  But when everything is running smoothly, that is another story

Could Cindy be sick from her last Chemo.  I know it's not supposed to effect cats so much that way, but sometimes it does, doesn't it? 

Do you have both cats on L-Lysine?  Since Swanie is prone to URIs and Cindy is on chemo, I would kind of think so, but not sure, so thought I would ask (and can't remember from thread to thread .

that Swanie takes his meds, that Cindy stops throwing up, that they both start feeling better, and that you can stop feeling so anxious (although I would be feeling quite anxious too )

my-boy-jasper said:

I gave my Jasper a worming tablet tonight. I had no intention of struggling with him to get it down. So I crushed it up and put it in his food. I know your Swanie isn't eating much. Not sure if it would make the food taste awful. However, it might be easier to put it in his mouth if it's mixed in with a bit of food (something firm/mushy but not runny). Would he be less likely to spit it out if it's crushed and mixed with some food?  

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Sadly, no, I've tried that route.  I tried it with the decongestant most lately and he just won't eat it. I thought maybe since he's congested, he wouldn't be able to smell it and would eat it, but nope.

mrsgreenjeens said:

Well, I know just what you mean about cats causing MORE stress when they are sick!  But when everything is running smoothly, that is another story

Could Cindy be sick from her last Chemo.  I know it's not supposed to effect cats so much that way, but sometimes it does, doesn't it? 

Do you have both cats on L-Lysine?  Since Swanie is prone to URIs and Cindy is on chemo, I would kind of think so, but not sure, so thought I would ask (and can't remember from thread to thread

.

that Swanie takes his meds, that Cindy stops throwing up, that they both start feeling better, and that you can stop feeling so anxious (although I would be feeling quite anxious too

)

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Swanie is on L-Lysine but I can't get Cindy to take it. I can't only get Swanie to take it sometimes as well.  Cindy hasn't thrown up again, and I'm kind of thinking maybe it was from the appetite stimulant, but yes it could be from the chemo. I've heard it kind of accumulates?.  She's eating as well, not as much as I would like, but she's eating and seems in good spirits.

Swanie is going to have  a repeat visit to the vet tomorrow I think if he isn't better tomorrow morning.  I was going to call the vet today but he seems a bit better, eye not watering so much, so I held off.

Oh, mrsgreenjeens, I meant to tell you that I got a bag of Whiska Lickins at Petsmart this morning.  I broke a couple pieces and wadded them up to see what Swanie would do. He ate them alright - but no matter how small the piece, he still chewed! And the pills are not that that small, so I doubt there's any way I could sneak it to him in pieces of that.
 

The good news is I just got him out of DH's office where he's been hanging out all day, and he seems much better. His eyes are not watering much, he actually went looking for food, and while he's still a bit stuffy, it doesn't seem quiet so bad.  So for right now, I'm encouraged.  I'll play it by ear and see how he does tonight and tomorrow morning.  If he seems like he's doing okay, I'll just ask at the vet's office when I go pick up the extra pills for the ones I wrecked trying to get him to swallow.

I just had to come on and report that tonight's pill took only 2 tries and less than 5 minutes!  And I did it by myself, no help from DH!  We are thinking that might have been the problem, with DH holding onto him.  I just got up behind him and it worked like a charm! Now if only it will be that easy the next 10 days

YES! Getting behind them is the KEY to successful pilling. :nod: I describe how I learned how to do it in this post: http://www.thecatsite.com/t/259419/kittens-raw-and-clostridium-safety/30#post_3361529

Now I just need to be behind them. Hope this helps!

Thank you LDG, I did go read your description.  The problem I have with Swanie is that he's big and pretty solid.  I can't comfortably get in that position and get him in the V, I have to basically very carefully straddle him.  Also, he has a big head. Once I get his head tilted up and ready to push the pill gun he jerks to the side and the pill goes flying.  And all the while he's making this little whiny noise so I'll feel sorry for him I guess.  Anyway, tonight was pretty smooth, it took me a couple more tries, but he swallowed it.  Like you said I think the trick is once it's in his mouth to hold his mouth shut and his head up.  Then I immediately give him a bowl of his favorite food. I think that accomplishes two things, tells him he's a good boy, he took his pill (I'm telling him this verbally as well), and also if he did have the pill secreted somewhere getting ready to spit it out when I turned my head, I think it would be difficult for him to eat his food that way.

DH, the coward, went into his office and closed the door saying, if you can't give it to him in half an hour call and I'll come help!   I'm glad I'm learning how to do it. The last time he needed medicine we ended up hauling him the vet each day for them to do it.  Not ideal at all.

We did that with Tuxedo when he needed daily shots. We couldn't bring ourselves to do it. Now I give fluids and shots like a champ. :lol3: Ah, the joys of sick and older kitties!

I'm really glad you've found what works for you and Swanie, that's what counts. At this point, it's just a matter of practice - and with him associating his endurance of the torture he must endure but WORTH it - because he gets his yummy favorite food after it... I'm sure in no time he'll realize it really isn't that bad. ....... :cross:


Edited to add: Though with Tuxie... if he needed fluids daily, we'd still probably be heading to the vet!