I just wrote out a detailed post and forgot to copy it into Word before hitting "submit."
(I keep getting messages about a missing security token. Driving me nuts).
Anyway...
Yes, Lazlo has the same gene pool as Tuxedo. Don't know if he has the same father, but he has the same mother.
Lazlo was throwing up a lot in December. It seemed to be hairball based, but we got blood work (including liver and kidney function) and x-ray done in January (though hairballs don't show up on xray, we could at least make sure it wasn't something else). Vet said everything looked normal. (Chum's vet says that his lymphocytes were slightly elevated. Now they're low).
He started throwing up again. I started the hairball treatment and zantac. But he seemed "off." His appetite was off. And I thought his gums and paw pads looked too white... but I thought - or hoped - it was my imagination.
So we took him to see Chumley's vet.
Long story short (for me), his physical exam found:
He was severely dehydrated (he hadn't eaten much in four days - they get wet food 4x a day, so not surprising);
He hadn't lost weight (only been a few days since his appetite went),
His thyroid felt slightly enlarged.
Obviously I'd told her about Tuxie.
So we did blood work again. It was only 5.5 months ago, but six months is a few years at his age. She included liver, kidney and thyroid. She also tested for FIV (just to make sure), and hemobart and the other buggies. There's nothing in his blood eating his red blood cells.
His hematocrit is 21%. Below 25% is anemic. 21% isn't horrible. We caught this early.
She obviously gave him fluids. She also gave him a shot of convenia (he had gingivitis and bad plaque on his back teeth, which is disturbing, because it didn't get this bad in 5.5 months, and the other vet said his teeth and gums looked great). She also gave him a shot of depo. (Depo, in the end, is what saved Tuxie's life).
He responded quickly. He's been meowing for "dinner" again, drinking water on his own, and seeking out "brushies."
But right now... we're where we were with Tuxie (though the numbers aren't so dire, knock wood). So far, a mystery. She's calling the lab to see if they have enough blood (we'll know tomorrow if we have to bring him back in): she wants to see his B12 and iron levels.
I'm trying not to freak out. I don't want to scare Gary, and everything worked out for Tuxie (knock wood), and we caught this much earlier.
But Lazlo could use some vibes.
Anyway...
Yes, Lazlo has the same gene pool as Tuxedo. Don't know if he has the same father, but he has the same mother.
Lazlo was throwing up a lot in December. It seemed to be hairball based, but we got blood work (including liver and kidney function) and x-ray done in January (though hairballs don't show up on xray, we could at least make sure it wasn't something else). Vet said everything looked normal. (Chum's vet says that his lymphocytes were slightly elevated. Now they're low).
He started throwing up again. I started the hairball treatment and zantac. But he seemed "off." His appetite was off. And I thought his gums and paw pads looked too white... but I thought - or hoped - it was my imagination.
So we took him to see Chumley's vet.
Long story short (for me), his physical exam found:
He was severely dehydrated (he hadn't eaten much in four days - they get wet food 4x a day, so not surprising);
He hadn't lost weight (only been a few days since his appetite went),
His thyroid felt slightly enlarged.
Obviously I'd told her about Tuxie.
So we did blood work again. It was only 5.5 months ago, but six months is a few years at his age. She included liver, kidney and thyroid. She also tested for FIV (just to make sure), and hemobart and the other buggies. There's nothing in his blood eating his red blood cells.
His hematocrit is 21%. Below 25% is anemic. 21% isn't horrible. We caught this early.
She obviously gave him fluids. She also gave him a shot of convenia (he had gingivitis and bad plaque on his back teeth, which is disturbing, because it didn't get this bad in 5.5 months, and the other vet said his teeth and gums looked great). She also gave him a shot of depo. (Depo, in the end, is what saved Tuxie's life).
He responded quickly. He's been meowing for "dinner" again, drinking water on his own, and seeking out "brushies."
But right now... we're where we were with Tuxie (though the numbers aren't so dire, knock wood). So far, a mystery. She's calling the lab to see if they have enough blood (we'll know tomorrow if we have to bring him back in): she wants to see his B12 and iron levels.
I'm trying not to freak out. I don't want to scare Gary, and everything worked out for Tuxie (knock wood), and we caught this much earlier.
But Lazlo could use some vibes.
