Hello. This is the first time I have posted here. I have read for a while and think many people here give good advice. I am worrying myself sick about my baby, and wanted to see what anyone here may think.
He is about 4 1/2 years old and is so precious. At the end of May to the beginning of June he was diagnosed as having crystals in his urine. (They used a needle to get urine from his bladder.) He also had a CBC and another blood test that checked things like his liver and kidney function (I think) and they were both fine. The red blood cell count was a little high, but they said that could be from stress (of being at the vet). I gave him antibiotics and fed him canned Science Diet SD for a couple of days, but had to discontinue both because he wasn't eating. He went back to his regular food with me gradually switching him over to Purina One for Urinary Health. When the results of his urine culture came back it was negative for bacteria, so I didn't need to try to give him anymore antibiotics.
The end of July he went back for a recheck, but we were unable to get a urine sample (either at home or the vet getting one), so I am unsure if the situation with the crystals has improved. I made sure the vet checked his eyes and ears as he had been shaking his head a lot and holding his right eye closed. The vet said he had an ear infection (worse in right ear), and that he had probably rubbed it in his eyes. I got antibiotics for his ears and his eyes, and prescription Science Diet CD (dry and canned) for the crystals.
While giving him his antibiotics, his peeing kind of changed. He went to only peeing twice a day, and peeing what seemed to me to be large amounts. I had also been given special litter to try to get a urine sample, but he would not use it and several days he held his urine for quite a while. After my last attempt when I gave him his regular litter back, he peed a large amount that time and then for a couple of weeks after that he was peeing about a third to a half as much as he was - I was a little concerned he may have been partially blocked.
After giving him the antibiotics for his ears and eyes, he seemed to improve. But then about a week or so later, he was again holding his right eye closed. I put the antibiotic in his eye a couple of days, and then he seemed better. About a week or so later, he was holding his left eye closed. I put the antibiotic in it a couple of days and he seemed better. About a week or so after that he had kind of a runny nose, and I thought he sounded like he sort of wheezed a little, but I wasn't sure.
Last Thursday, he was again holding his left eye closed. I called the vet to see if I should bring him in since it seemed to be reoccuring so much. I was given an appointment for a few days later, but the next morning I woke up he was holding his right eye shut and the day before he had not eaten very well - so I decided to take him on in that day. The vet said his eyes looked fine - he had a little discharge in his ears (again worse in the right one), but did not appear to be an infection. They cleaned his ears, and when they brought him back to me he was growling (he never does that) and he hissed and bit at me (has never hissed at me before).
He ate fine that day and the next day, but the past three days he is again not eating very well. Especially his wet food (not the CD - he won't really eat that - I give him some Friskies and Iams just to try to get more water in him as he doesn't drink much). He has just been laying around a lot, will play a little - not like he usually will, and wants to hide in the corner or behind the bed. This morning he was again squinting with both eyes and holding his left eye closed - it was watering a little - looked a little red around the outside - he was pawing at it a lot - and a couple of times when he squinted at me the third eyelid was about a 1/3 of the way up.
Here are some other things that have had me concerned for the past little bit:
- His eyes just look different than they used to - not as bright and alert or something - and it seems like I see more of the third eyelid in the corners than I used to.
- Sometimes he just sits and stares at the corner or at closed doors.
- Shakes his head a lot, and rubs his head against things a lot.
- I have found little spots where he has leaked what appears to be urine that is sort of a pinkish/brownish color.
- The past couple of weeks I keep thinking he sounds a little congested and taking shorter breaths than normal when he breathes, but I'm not sure and wonder if I'm just being paranoid.
- The past couple of weeks he does not like for me to touch his belly - he will bite at my hands and arms.
- When he his eating, he will just stop and stare at his food and sometimes it seems like he may have trouble swallowing (makes kind of an odd swallowing noise).
- Seems to lick his lips and swallow more than he used to.
- Last week before he started holding his eyes closed, for several days he would attack my legs just about everytime I was leaving and would not let him out into the front room.
I think that is everything. Sorry it is so much. Like I said, I am worrying myself sick. I don't know if I am just being paranoid. Last October my dog died, and I did not realize how sick she was until it was too late. I still feel so guilty. I am scared to death that will happen with my baby, and I just couldn't take that. He is so very important to me.
He is about 4 1/2 years old and is so precious. At the end of May to the beginning of June he was diagnosed as having crystals in his urine. (They used a needle to get urine from his bladder.) He also had a CBC and another blood test that checked things like his liver and kidney function (I think) and they were both fine. The red blood cell count was a little high, but they said that could be from stress (of being at the vet). I gave him antibiotics and fed him canned Science Diet SD for a couple of days, but had to discontinue both because he wasn't eating. He went back to his regular food with me gradually switching him over to Purina One for Urinary Health. When the results of his urine culture came back it was negative for bacteria, so I didn't need to try to give him anymore antibiotics.
The end of July he went back for a recheck, but we were unable to get a urine sample (either at home or the vet getting one), so I am unsure if the situation with the crystals has improved. I made sure the vet checked his eyes and ears as he had been shaking his head a lot and holding his right eye closed. The vet said he had an ear infection (worse in right ear), and that he had probably rubbed it in his eyes. I got antibiotics for his ears and his eyes, and prescription Science Diet CD (dry and canned) for the crystals.
While giving him his antibiotics, his peeing kind of changed. He went to only peeing twice a day, and peeing what seemed to me to be large amounts. I had also been given special litter to try to get a urine sample, but he would not use it and several days he held his urine for quite a while. After my last attempt when I gave him his regular litter back, he peed a large amount that time and then for a couple of weeks after that he was peeing about a third to a half as much as he was - I was a little concerned he may have been partially blocked.
After giving him the antibiotics for his ears and eyes, he seemed to improve. But then about a week or so later, he was again holding his right eye closed. I put the antibiotic in his eye a couple of days, and then he seemed better. About a week or so later, he was holding his left eye closed. I put the antibiotic in it a couple of days and he seemed better. About a week or so after that he had kind of a runny nose, and I thought he sounded like he sort of wheezed a little, but I wasn't sure.
Last Thursday, he was again holding his left eye closed. I called the vet to see if I should bring him in since it seemed to be reoccuring so much. I was given an appointment for a few days later, but the next morning I woke up he was holding his right eye shut and the day before he had not eaten very well - so I decided to take him on in that day. The vet said his eyes looked fine - he had a little discharge in his ears (again worse in the right one), but did not appear to be an infection. They cleaned his ears, and when they brought him back to me he was growling (he never does that) and he hissed and bit at me (has never hissed at me before).
He ate fine that day and the next day, but the past three days he is again not eating very well. Especially his wet food (not the CD - he won't really eat that - I give him some Friskies and Iams just to try to get more water in him as he doesn't drink much). He has just been laying around a lot, will play a little - not like he usually will, and wants to hide in the corner or behind the bed. This morning he was again squinting with both eyes and holding his left eye closed - it was watering a little - looked a little red around the outside - he was pawing at it a lot - and a couple of times when he squinted at me the third eyelid was about a 1/3 of the way up.
Here are some other things that have had me concerned for the past little bit:
- His eyes just look different than they used to - not as bright and alert or something - and it seems like I see more of the third eyelid in the corners than I used to.
- Sometimes he just sits and stares at the corner or at closed doors.
- Shakes his head a lot, and rubs his head against things a lot.
- I have found little spots where he has leaked what appears to be urine that is sort of a pinkish/brownish color.
- The past couple of weeks I keep thinking he sounds a little congested and taking shorter breaths than normal when he breathes, but I'm not sure and wonder if I'm just being paranoid.
- The past couple of weeks he does not like for me to touch his belly - he will bite at my hands and arms.
- When he his eating, he will just stop and stare at his food and sometimes it seems like he may have trouble swallowing (makes kind of an odd swallowing noise).
- Seems to lick his lips and swallow more than he used to.
- Last week before he started holding his eyes closed, for several days he would attack my legs just about everytime I was leaving and would not let him out into the front room.
I think that is everything. Sorry it is so much. Like I said, I am worrying myself sick. I don't know if I am just being paranoid. Last October my dog died, and I did not realize how sick she was until it was too late. I still feel so guilty. I am scared to death that will happen with my baby, and I just couldn't take that. He is so very important to me.
