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ghostuser
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I've never delt with this before, and I'd like to be prepared for whatever is going to come next.
See, I woke up this afternoon, and found the bottom of my bathtub covered in blood and pee. I freaked out. I managed to get to the vets with Hans within 20 minutes. (Mind you, I just had my tonsils out last week. I'm not allowed to lift or drive for another week. I put in a frantic call to my grandparents for help! Thank you, Papa!)
History: I had him in on the 9th because I caught him peeing on the rug. Diagnosis: inflamation that would clear up on it's own, but was given antibiotics just in case it was a bladder infection. (His bladder was empty when we got there, so they couldn't get a sample.) He was also peeing all over the house again on the 18th and 19th, but I figured the vet would say the same thing again, and I got him started on canned food to try and alleviate the problem, and set up an appointment for him after X-mas just to be safe. Besides, it's not like I could have taken him, and the family was stressed because of the holidays and refused to.
Today (23rd): Well, the vet feels him up, and can't find anything wrong, but this time his bladder is full and they can get a sample. They take him in the back to "express" his bladder, and come back in with this look on their faces. They managed not only to get pee, but also about ten really tiny bladder stones. I mean, it looked like someone had sprinkled poppyseed on the tissue. So they took an X-ray, and he has a small pile of stones, all of which appear to be the same tiny size. (It's hard to tell the size on an X-ray.) They're sending the stones to be analyzed at a local lab, but they're not sure when the results will be back because of the holiday. They also put him on a stronger antibiotic, so he doesn't pick up a secondary infection. I need to watch to make sure he doesn't get blocked (by a larger stone, or if a few try to pass together) and if he does, take him back to the vet to get unblocked.
At this point, until I get results back, I'm left wondering. Here's how I see it:
The Good Outcome:
They're struvite, and all that is required is a change of diet.
The Really Bad Outcome:
They're oxalate. I can't afford surgery. I mean, really - not an option. It's going to take me a year to catch up on the credit cards, and all I've put on them so far are vet bills. Right now the vet says they're small enough for him to pass without too much pain. But if they grow in size...
The vet really didn't want to say much about treatment until we get the results back, and I don't blame her. So I'm hoping you could share some stories and experiances that you have with stones, and maybe offer some ideas the vet and I wouldn't have thought of otherwise.
Sigh... what a wondeful X-mas.... my mom just hadshoulder surgery... my grandma has toe spur and ingrown nail and can't walk... I just had my tonsils out (and at 20, it's a big freaking painful ordeal. A week later and I'm still crying in pain)... my fish are dying from something I can't get rid off... And now the cat has bladder stones. Merry X-mas? Bah-humbug. Oh...
See, I woke up this afternoon, and found the bottom of my bathtub covered in blood and pee. I freaked out. I managed to get to the vets with Hans within 20 minutes. (Mind you, I just had my tonsils out last week. I'm not allowed to lift or drive for another week. I put in a frantic call to my grandparents for help! Thank you, Papa!)
History: I had him in on the 9th because I caught him peeing on the rug. Diagnosis: inflamation that would clear up on it's own, but was given antibiotics just in case it was a bladder infection. (His bladder was empty when we got there, so they couldn't get a sample.) He was also peeing all over the house again on the 18th and 19th, but I figured the vet would say the same thing again, and I got him started on canned food to try and alleviate the problem, and set up an appointment for him after X-mas just to be safe. Besides, it's not like I could have taken him, and the family was stressed because of the holidays and refused to.
Today (23rd): Well, the vet feels him up, and can't find anything wrong, but this time his bladder is full and they can get a sample. They take him in the back to "express" his bladder, and come back in with this look on their faces. They managed not only to get pee, but also about ten really tiny bladder stones. I mean, it looked like someone had sprinkled poppyseed on the tissue. So they took an X-ray, and he has a small pile of stones, all of which appear to be the same tiny size. (It's hard to tell the size on an X-ray.) They're sending the stones to be analyzed at a local lab, but they're not sure when the results will be back because of the holiday. They also put him on a stronger antibiotic, so he doesn't pick up a secondary infection. I need to watch to make sure he doesn't get blocked (by a larger stone, or if a few try to pass together) and if he does, take him back to the vet to get unblocked.
At this point, until I get results back, I'm left wondering. Here's how I see it:
The Good Outcome:
They're struvite, and all that is required is a change of diet.
The Really Bad Outcome:
They're oxalate. I can't afford surgery. I mean, really - not an option. It's going to take me a year to catch up on the credit cards, and all I've put on them so far are vet bills. Right now the vet says they're small enough for him to pass without too much pain. But if they grow in size...
The vet really didn't want to say much about treatment until we get the results back, and I don't blame her. So I'm hoping you could share some stories and experiances that you have with stones, and maybe offer some ideas the vet and I wouldn't have thought of otherwise.
Sigh... what a wondeful X-mas.... my mom just hadshoulder surgery... my grandma has toe spur and ingrown nail and can't walk... I just had my tonsils out (and at 20, it's a big freaking painful ordeal. A week later and I'm still crying in pain)... my fish are dying from something I can't get rid off... And now the cat has bladder stones. Merry X-mas? Bah-humbug. Oh...