- Joined
- Jul 17, 2014
- Messages
- 323
- Purraise
- 79
Hey, everyone. I've been off the grid for a while because we moved recently. I have terrific news I wanted to share with everyone. You might think of this as a cautionary tale, too, if you have an older cat.
Mr. Grimsby is between 15 and 17 years old (when we adopted him, we were told he was 3, but the vet said he was at least 7, so we don't know). This small town that we moved to has only two vet hospitals. I chose the more modern looking one because I thought they would offer better treatments. I was never particularly fond of them, but since Mr. G. didn't seem to have any issues I decided to let it ride.
Well, Mr. G. has been going downhill for the past few weeks - not eating well, not drinking enough water, lethargic, vomiting often, etc. It got to the point where I was force-feeding him (he didn't like that at all). I took him to the "modern" vet several times over the past three weeks, but he just wasn't getting any better. I was so afraid that I've have to put him down. I decided to take him to the other vet in town for a second opinion, and I am so glad I did!
Turns out that he is suffering a severe arthritic flare-up in his spine. The second vet reckoned that Mr. G. was in such pain that he wouldn't eat, and couldn't keep food down when he did. The vet recommended a series of cold laser treatments. This treatment relieves pain by reducing inflammation. He had his first treatment today. He goes back for two more this week, then we'll decide if he needs more. The vet also gave him 400 CCs of fluid (!), a shot of pain reliever, and a supply of prednisone that he starts tomorrow. He is back on his heating pad now, sleeping comfortably, as I write this.
The tech who administered the laser therapy put a can of Royal Canin Recovery in front of Mr. G. This cat, who had pretty much refused to eat anything for the last two weeks, was so busy chowing down on the food that he could barely even growl at the technician as she worked on the sorest spots. It was funny - and such a tremendous relief!
I think Mr. G. will be around for many more years to come (the vet gave him a clean bill of health), but even more importantly, I'm optimistic that he'll have a high quality of life. I am so very, very happy.
My caution to all of you would be this: don't ignore your misgivings when it comes to veterinary care for your loved ones. If you feel that your cat isn't getting the best/right care, take him/her to another vet for a second opinion. Vets aren't infallible, but some are more intuitive than others. I have suddenly gone from crying randomly all day and night to feeling very optimistic about Mr. G's future.
Mr. Grimsby is between 15 and 17 years old (when we adopted him, we were told he was 3, but the vet said he was at least 7, so we don't know). This small town that we moved to has only two vet hospitals. I chose the more modern looking one because I thought they would offer better treatments. I was never particularly fond of them, but since Mr. G. didn't seem to have any issues I decided to let it ride.
Well, Mr. G. has been going downhill for the past few weeks - not eating well, not drinking enough water, lethargic, vomiting often, etc. It got to the point where I was force-feeding him (he didn't like that at all). I took him to the "modern" vet several times over the past three weeks, but he just wasn't getting any better. I was so afraid that I've have to put him down. I decided to take him to the other vet in town for a second opinion, and I am so glad I did!
Turns out that he is suffering a severe arthritic flare-up in his spine. The second vet reckoned that Mr. G. was in such pain that he wouldn't eat, and couldn't keep food down when he did. The vet recommended a series of cold laser treatments. This treatment relieves pain by reducing inflammation. He had his first treatment today. He goes back for two more this week, then we'll decide if he needs more. The vet also gave him 400 CCs of fluid (!), a shot of pain reliever, and a supply of prednisone that he starts tomorrow. He is back on his heating pad now, sleeping comfortably, as I write this.
The tech who administered the laser therapy put a can of Royal Canin Recovery in front of Mr. G. This cat, who had pretty much refused to eat anything for the last two weeks, was so busy chowing down on the food that he could barely even growl at the technician as she worked on the sorest spots. It was funny - and such a tremendous relief!
I think Mr. G. will be around for many more years to come (the vet gave him a clean bill of health), but even more importantly, I'm optimistic that he'll have a high quality of life. I am so very, very happy.
My caution to all of you would be this: don't ignore your misgivings when it comes to veterinary care for your loved ones. If you feel that your cat isn't getting the best/right care, take him/her to another vet for a second opinion. Vets aren't infallible, but some are more intuitive than others. I have suddenly gone from crying randomly all day and night to feeling very optimistic about Mr. G's future.
