16 days ago I lost Gizmo and his 10 month battle with CHF and HCM....
I think I documented it concisely here http://www.thecatsite.com/t/278468/cat-diagnosed-congestive-heart-failure-5-days-ago#post_3564673
May 2014 he was diagnosed, didn't expect more than a few months, but got many more and learned a lot in recognizing signs and treating at home.
His last weeks were unfortunately plagued with considerable fluid build up, it was drained but came back rapidly and once it hit his lungs I knew it was time to let go, he was affectionate to the end....
He was a very cuddly cat, no sense of personal space
loved to sit on my shoulders and would get up there by any means necessary....
At an early age he learned how to open bedroom doors by jumping and hanging on the handle, so I'd regularly wake to a cat under the duvet
So when I knew the sounds of gurgling were not right, I had a good day and night with him close and said a very tearful goodbye on 17th March (2015) just over 2 weeks ago
Cosmo and Gizmo I got both within weeks of each other almost exactly 10 years ago.
Gizmo a Devon Rex, Cosmo a British Shorthair - both very different and despite concerns of the different breeds they remained best of friends the whole time...
Cosmo had never been ill, ever, he was a big cat, but soft as.... he virtually never made a sound, rarely meowed, but would purr so loud from just looking at him....
He started with a long bout of diarrhea end 2014, had so many tests, all negative, then early Jan I noticed some blood in his stools, then extreme difficulty passing even the diarrhea...
Further tests and scan's showed lymphoma mid feb, swollen nodes, so he went onto Chemo - after the 1st session this reduced the lymph nodes that were swollen and he recovered from the bloody stools within a week, Chemo went so well that after 4 weeks he moved onto every 3 weeks.
2 weeks into that he just stopped eating, had diarrhea and blood again, he went back into Hospital, initially it was thought to bring the chemo forward a week, but the scan showed no signs of the cancer returning in earnest within the lymph nodes as swelling had not increased, his blood was taken and a slight increase in Kidney enzymes but still very low.....he stayed in for 3 days, was hydrated and cared for, he started eating apparently.... and returned last Saturday, but I knew he was not right straight away.
He would not eat more than a teaspoon size amount and was lethargic, hunched and was drinking excessively and peeing loads.
After chatting to the vet Monday night and knowing I was back on Wed for scheduled chemo we agreed to monitor him and try and medicate at home
By Wed(yesterday) it was certain to me this was not going away, I took him back and after blood tests they discovered yesterday his Kidney enzyme level was well over 4 times an increase as per 7 days ago and Kidney failure was well advanced very quickly
I had the choice of euthanasia there and then or to take him home and see overnight, they gave him lots fluids etc and he was ok enought to bring home...
I took last night as our last and he slept on me and beside me continually, only getting up to drink and pee, but so many times
, he was also getting wobbly and I made the call this morning. He was put to sleep very peacefully a few hours ago
Loosing both cats in 2 weeks is heartbreaking, I know Cosmo missed Gizmo for that time, but I believe it just a horrid coincidence that he only lasted a few weeks afterwards himself
Gizmo was nearly 2 weeks older than Cosmo, so they both died after living for the same length, a short 10 years...
An empty house devoid of cat's is not nice....
I've read so many of your stories and been helped by many on here and a big thanks to you all for making things a little easier - big thanks to StephenQ - sorry for your loss too...
I'm having a break before caring for another cat, I think fostering perhaps
Thank you all, above is missing huge amounts of detail re: Cosmo, but it summarises
Big Love
Richard, Gizmo and Cosmo
I think I documented it concisely here http://www.thecatsite.com/t/278468/cat-diagnosed-congestive-heart-failure-5-days-ago#post_3564673
May 2014 he was diagnosed, didn't expect more than a few months, but got many more and learned a lot in recognizing signs and treating at home.
His last weeks were unfortunately plagued with considerable fluid build up, it was drained but came back rapidly and once it hit his lungs I knew it was time to let go, he was affectionate to the end....
He was a very cuddly cat, no sense of personal space
loved to sit on my shoulders and would get up there by any means necessary....At an early age he learned how to open bedroom doors by jumping and hanging on the handle, so I'd regularly wake to a cat under the duvet
So when I knew the sounds of gurgling were not right, I had a good day and night with him close and said a very tearful goodbye on 17th March (2015) just over 2 weeks ago
Cosmo and Gizmo I got both within weeks of each other almost exactly 10 years ago.
Gizmo a Devon Rex, Cosmo a British Shorthair - both very different and despite concerns of the different breeds they remained best of friends the whole time...
Cosmo had never been ill, ever, he was a big cat, but soft as.... he virtually never made a sound, rarely meowed, but would purr so loud from just looking at him....
He started with a long bout of diarrhea end 2014, had so many tests, all negative, then early Jan I noticed some blood in his stools, then extreme difficulty passing even the diarrhea...
Further tests and scan's showed lymphoma mid feb, swollen nodes, so he went onto Chemo - after the 1st session this reduced the lymph nodes that were swollen and he recovered from the bloody stools within a week, Chemo went so well that after 4 weeks he moved onto every 3 weeks.
2 weeks into that he just stopped eating, had diarrhea and blood again, he went back into Hospital, initially it was thought to bring the chemo forward a week, but the scan showed no signs of the cancer returning in earnest within the lymph nodes as swelling had not increased, his blood was taken and a slight increase in Kidney enzymes but still very low.....he stayed in for 3 days, was hydrated and cared for, he started eating apparently.... and returned last Saturday, but I knew he was not right straight away.
He would not eat more than a teaspoon size amount and was lethargic, hunched and was drinking excessively and peeing loads.
After chatting to the vet Monday night and knowing I was back on Wed for scheduled chemo we agreed to monitor him and try and medicate at home
By Wed(yesterday) it was certain to me this was not going away, I took him back and after blood tests they discovered yesterday his Kidney enzyme level was well over 4 times an increase as per 7 days ago and Kidney failure was well advanced very quickly
I had the choice of euthanasia there and then or to take him home and see overnight, they gave him lots fluids etc and he was ok enought to bring home...
I took last night as our last and he slept on me and beside me continually, only getting up to drink and pee, but so many times
, he was also getting wobbly and I made the call this morning. He was put to sleep very peacefully a few hours agoLoosing both cats in 2 weeks is heartbreaking, I know Cosmo missed Gizmo for that time, but I believe it just a horrid coincidence that he only lasted a few weeks afterwards himself
Gizmo was nearly 2 weeks older than Cosmo, so they both died after living for the same length, a short 10 years...
An empty house devoid of cat's is not nice....
I've read so many of your stories and been helped by many on here and a big thanks to you all for making things a little easier - big thanks to StephenQ - sorry for your loss too...
I'm having a break before caring for another cat, I think fostering perhaps
Thank you all, above is missing huge amounts of detail re: Cosmo, but it summarises
Big Love
Richard, Gizmo and Cosmo
