First vet appointment (at a new vets office)

[heatherwillard0614]

Good luck tomorrow. I know what you mean by saying they are like your children…they are! They’ll never grow up, either, not depending upon you wise. I am glad you have a partner parent to lean on, that super helps w/ the driving & getting sleep. FYI any urine sample I’ve had to get has come from my traveling vet…they do exist here and there if you look into it. I was astounded to realize (and see) they don’t feel a thing when they vet gets a urine sample, which is comforting to know. Anyway, half the battle is liking & trusting your vet, and it sounds as if you’re a good match!! Never be afraid to ask them questions, however silly.

Yes, when it comes to my baby I really don't care if I have a question I'll ask no matter how simple it may be to someone else... if jt is important to me and my baby then that is what matters most.
Thank you for the support I really appreciate it.

Everyone has been amazing and very supportive during this time. I am grateful for each and every one of you. I'll update when I call the vet in the morning.
Again thank you from Gabby and me

 

[silent meowlook]

I think at this point your money would be better spent getting an ultrasound.

The gas isn’t really trapped. It was just there. I am sure it has moved by now and been replaced with new gas.

Anyway, just my opinion. An ultrasound can show what the X-ray cannot and vice versus.

 

[heatherwillard0614]

S silent meowlook ok I'll request an appointment with an ultrasound. Thank you for the recommendation I appreciate it more than you know. I just want her better. I hope I'm just catching her before she poops and that's where the slight tightness is coming from its not like that all day... i dont know how to explain it but I'm going to take her back and we are going to make sure she is ok ultrasound it is. Thank you again!! I appreciate everything

 

[heatherwillard0614]

I just want to be certain that Gabby is healthy and she doesnt have anything going on. Im really tackling this head on because if something is going on that can be treated if caught early enough with the right tests i want to catch it asap. Even if it is something that needs constant monitoring or medicine for the long haul then so be it.
Just me noticing any tightness is a concern that im not willing to over look as a possibility that it is before she has a bm. If something is still going on I want to make sure she doesn't experience any pain/discomfort again. I also want to get to the bottom of what may be causing it. I will update everyone as soon as i know. Again thank you to everyone for all the support.

 

[heatherwillard0614]

Hi all, I just wanted to give a quick update. Gabby is still the same, hard belly and loose stool I had set an appointment for the 10th.. Unfortunately that was the soonest appointment they have (i am on a call list for any cancellations). I have been keeping an eye on her and if I would have notice any changes or if any changes occur before the appointment I will take her to an emergency vet. She is still eating and drinking playing just as much giving tons of love and bathroom habits are all the same with the loose stool and urine output is still good.
I think her belly is uncomfortable. She will lay next to me on her side or back and let's me gently rub her belly I think it is soothing to her because she just purrs up a storm.
I know it has been a while without any updates. I just didnt know what to say since she hasn't been back to the vet yet.
All this being said I will provide an update after her appointment on this coming Thursday.
Ok guys have a great night (or whatever time of day/night) depending on where you're located lol

 

[silent meowlook]

Hang in there. The 10th will be here soon. Glad she is still eating and drinking.

 

[heatherwillard0614]

Hang in there. The 10th will be here soon. Glad she is still eating and drinking.

Thank you so much S silent meowlook I really appreciate your response. I am trying to hang in there I just hate it because she seems like she is fine just a little uncomfortable. That being said it really does make me think she is in a lot of pain because of how well cats hide their pain..
But she is doing ok and I've kept a log of everything for the vet. She had 1 thing happen 2 nights ago at 542 am. She threw up a teeny tiny little bit of water and I have an idea why and it was such a tiny amount and hasn't happened since.. but before that happened she did drink and then ran around because she had the zoomies, flying up her cat tree, jumping down, running down the hallway and back out, playing with a couple interactive toys, etc... but other than that she is doing pretty good playing and just being her normal self..

 

[heatherwillard0614]

Ok so I got a call at 630pm from the vet office.. 4 of the vets have been out since last week and they will be out most of this week due to being sick... Dr Taschner was one of them.... So we had to reschedule Gabbys appointment. Along with the vet office having to reschedule appointments for 4 different doctors for about a whole week..
Anyway Dr Taschner should be back Friday, so we rescheduled from the original appointment Thursday at 4pm to Friday at 9am. I said if by chance she wasn't in I'll see anyone available.
Things happen and I understand that all too well
The receptionist was so greatful I rescheduled without being mad or upset.. I guess rescheduling so many people she was getting people who weren't so understanding..

I'll update everyone Friday after Gabby's appointment.

 

[heatherwillard0614]

Ok today's the day. Gabby has her appointment in an hour. We are getting ready to leave now. Man I hope we find what's causing her gas (hard belly) and loose stool.. I just badly want her to feel better. I can tell she is uncomfortable which makes me incredibly sad because how much pain/discomfort is she actually in if I can notice it.. Anyway I'll update when we get done with her appointment.

 

[heatherwillard0614]

We are home. The vet looked at Gabby and checked her belly. With everything I've been keeping track of in her journal she thinks the diarrhea was partly due to her original issues and then from the Metronidazole. the past 2 days it has been back to normal. Also her belly isn't nearly as sensitive as it was. Not even as hard. She was really feeling her belly and Gabbys belly isnt nearly as tight as it was just slightly and she is showing no signs of pain or discomfort. So instead of doing any tests today she suggested a change in her diet, which is what I have been planning so that's great. I've been wanting to start her transition for a little bit now. We have a follow up on the 24th at 330. She said if she has any decline belly getting as tight as it was before or any long lasting loose stool to call and we will get her in sooner for an ultrasound and blood work but she said she truly thinks Gabby seemed better today. After looking in her health journal I do see improvements. They have been slow but steady. Gabby has been playing even more and as hard as she usually does. So I think u might have been worried about her when I should have read everything in her health journal and actually realize she is doing really well from when her issues started and now.
I do tend to worry about her excessively I just don't want her in pain or sick.
So for now with everything improving we will continue and check back in 2 weeks.

Oh and also I am going to be starting her on a probiotic just to give her gut a little boost. I asked the vet and she said I could do that for her. She doesn't need it but it won't hurt her. So I'm going to be ordering that today.

Thank you everyone for being here for Gabby and me through her whole ordeal. We appreciate it so very much.

Much love from Gabby and her hooman.

 

[heatherwillard0614]

Okay the other day I noticed Gabby had two lumps in her lower abdomen.. she has had this since we had her but it seemed to get bigger fairly quickly.. She had her follow up appointment today for the gas in her intestines so I brought up the lumps. They are separated in the middle (like they don't connect) they feel fatty and they are both kind of oval shape and they don't seem to cause her any pain or discomfort.

I brought this up to Dr Taschner. I mentioned I thought it might be her primordial pouch.. she said it might be but it is strange. She had never seen one look like that before. Gabby had a follow up xray to see if there was any air in her intestines still or if that had resolved. Which it has, her intestines are clear, no more gas now. She also looked at the lumps in the xray and had another vet double check it. It is indeed her primordial pouch.. which is basically just fat.. We don't know why hers is not like most other cats as one kind of large pouch.. hers has a disconnect in the center and kind of folds in at the top part..

I had started transitioning Gabby on different food and her stool is back to normal she has no gas anymore and seems like she is getting back to her normal self. So I think it might have been antibiotics and the food.

She has a clean bill of health. Dr taschner prescribed her gabapentin so we have to pick that up in VA close to her vet. We just came straight home so it was the least amount of stress on Gabby.

On the way home I was thinking and when she was spayed her incision was so long.. she also had some issues healing. So thinking about that I wonder if how she did heal made scar tissue where her primordial pouch should be one large pouch maybe the scar tissue in the center caused it to develop with the disconnect in the center..

So at any rate Gabby is back to normal and I have noticed that the last couple days she hasnt been whiney.. I am so happy she is feeling better and everything checked out at the vet.

Thank you everyone for being here through this with any advice and the well wishes for Gabby. We appreciate you all.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I think you might be onto something regarding her spay incision and the scar tissue causing a separation in the fat (primordial or otherwise) in that area. I won't elaborate () but can attest to something similar when I went through my hysterectomy due to a large fibroid tumor. Just keep an eye on it and maybe even take pics to capture any changes over time, if in fact there are any.

Glad it sounds like Gabby is doing better!

 

[heatherwillard0614]

I think you might be onto something regarding her spay incision and the scar tissue causing a separation in the fat (primordial or otherwise) in that area. I won't elaborate () but can attest to something similar when I went through my hysterectomy due to a large fibroid tumor. Just keep an eye on it and maybe even take pics to capture any changes over time, if in fact there are any.

Glad it sounds like Gabby is doing better!

I actually am taking pictures I was thinking about taking the pictures once or twice a week.

Yes she is doing so much better.. I've been slowly transitioning her to a food for sensitive stomach and once I got to 75% new to 25% old which is where I'm at now with her her bms went back to normal and her whiney meow stopped. The worst part (not really anything bad kind of funny) is I'm pretty sure she realized she got extra attention when she was meowing the whiney meow... it isn't whiney anymore but she will meow here and there.. im pretty sure its for extra attention lol

I feel like she should know she doesn't have to meow for attention we give her all the attention in the world lol it's usually when she wakes up she will come up to us looking at us and start meowing then as soon as we walk towards her she plops right over for her belly rubs.. silly girl is too smart for her own good lol

I'm just so glad she is feeling better. I can definitely see the difference in her.. no more whiney meowing and she doesn't seem uncomfortable, her bms are back to normal and her belly isn't tight anymore. I really think the new food is helping her.

She is my baby and I was happy everything was fine at the vet. I'd rather take her to the vet and nothing be wrong then chance it and not go and her feel bad or even worse without showing it.. Cats hide their discomfort and pain too well so it's the subtle changes I saw in her that made us take her in the first place.

For some reason the xray didn't cost as much as last time and the exam cost wasn't as expensive either. The only difference is at the end it says follow up after the xray and after the sick exam.. I wonder if follow ups are cheaper because they already know what is wrong from the previous visit... idk

 

[silent meowlook]

Hi,
I have known many cats with the two fat pads on the abdomen. Usually, a recheck appointment is less expensive as the original appointment. Also, the follow up radiographs should be less money too.

I am glad she is doing better!!!

 

[heatherwillard0614]

Hi,
I have known many cats with the two fat pads on the abdomen. Usually, a recheck appointment is less expensive as the original appointment. Also, the follow up radiographs should be less money too.

I am glad she is doing better!!!

Yes the radiographs were cheaper as well I didn't know that follow up ones were cheaper I just assumed it would all be the same price..
Like the appointment was real cheap and the xrays were really cheap too. I truly didn't know that worked that way.

Thank you S silent meowlook I appreciate everything. Do you know why follow up appointments and radiographs are cheaper than the initial appointment and radiographs?

 

[silent meowlook]

Yes the radiographs were cheaper as well I didn't know that follow up ones were cheaper I just assumed it would all be the same price..
Like the appointment was real cheap and the xrays were really cheap too. I truly didn't know that worked that way.

Thank you S silent meowlook I appreciate everything. Do you know why follow up appointments and radiographs are cheaper than the initial appointment and radiographs?

Because basically it is a recheck of the same problem. Radiographs are already entered into the system making it quicker to do.
Not all vets charge like that. Some will still charge a full exam and radiograph price.
If the vet uses a lab, often the price for a recheck lab work within 30 days is also much less money. Provided of course that the vet passes the savings on.

 

[heatherwillard0614]

Because basically it is a recheck of the same problem. Radiographs are already entered into the system making it quicker to do.
Not all vets charge like that. Some will still charge a full exam and radiograph price.
If the vet uses a lab, often the price for a recheck lab work within 30 days is also much less money. Provided of course that the vet passes the savings on.

Oh ok.. yea I didn't look at the receipt from the 11th it was cheaper that visit too (I had taken Gabby out to the car while the husband paid her bill that day)

The old vet I used mostly with my pup was always expensive even follow ups. That practice and the vets there are not very good at listening to issues and they have bad bedside manners..

Thank you for letting me know that.