Sometimes owning pets is hard

[LilyPad]

A year ago today (well technically yesterday) one of my best friends, one of my brothers, my 15 year old lab passed away. It was one of the hardest things I've gone through and I still miss him every day. Tonight, my 15 year old kitty is in the er with either a possible obstruction or a mass in his intestines and possible lesions in his lungs. We got this kitty on my 14th birthday, I've had him for over half my life. Please keep him in your thoughts. We find out more when the ultrasound tech gets in tomorrow. I'm praying it's just an obstruction from a balloon ribbon he ate a little over a month ago even though i feel tremendously guilty for not putting the balloon up like I usually do, but we really don't know and the lungs show something also. I'm not ready to lose my kitty yet

[DigitalPunk]

Amy

I will keep you and your kitty in my thoughts. Please let me know what you find out

It is truly amazing the impact an animal, pet, friend, family member can have on our lives. It is truly a blessing and is always hard when they get older.

Digital Hug coming your way.

Paul

[Heatheranne]

Ah Amy, I'm so sorry. We take them in and love them dearly. Losing them just breaks ours hearts. But our love is never wasted and they surely know how much we care.

I hope it's something that is treatable. I'll pray for you.

Big hugs from here also!

~Heath

[deranged chipmunk]

Amy, I am so sorry to hear this. It amazes me to this day how we start out just "getting a pet", but are really adding a family member. I hope everything works out for kitty and you get more years with him. My thoughts are with you and him


Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world ~ Nelson Mandela

[LilyPad]

Thanks, guys. This morning, Willie was comfortably stoned. I will go see him again at lunch if they have no procedures going on. The U/S tech should be in some time today to give us a better idea of what is going on. He's refusing to urinate, so they are somewhat concerned about a blockage in his bladder also, but he's had a PU so that is very unlikely. He has always refused to urinate while at the vet, so I'm not really surprised. They've poked and prodded that area way too much for him.

It's just hard to believe that a month ago, his vet was proclaiming him the strongest, healthiest almost 16 year old cat he had ever met. At that time, he went in because he was vomiting every time he ate. The vet said he had a bad tooth and it would need to be extracted, and to feed him softer foods in the meantime. He stopped vomiting when we switched to mostly canned food and figured we'd have the tooth extracted after vacation. He's had bad teeth as a result of an experimental medication to help line the bladder after he had the PU done 10 years ago. The pet sitter never indicated that there was a problem while she was with him last week.

Took him to the vet again on Tuesday because his rear legs were suddenly very weak, he went from limping to just falling over. He had lost 2 lbs in a month and the vet decided he likely had an abscess under the bad tooth (nothing we could SEE though.) His recommendation was fluids and a shot of antibiotics and sent him home with the instructions that if there wasn't a vast improvement in 72 hours to bring him back in. Of course, at the vet, he had to put on a show of "I'm just fine and let me mask these symptoms so they stop prodding me." So they didn't really see how bad he was.

Last night, I got home from work around 530pm and he was just laying on the floor. I tried to get him to eat some canned food and he refused. I moved him to one of his beds and he didn't move from there. I debated and debated what to do...give the abx more time, take him in, wait until morning... In the end, I decided to take him in because he wasn't drinking water either and I knew nothing was going to improve if he was dehydrated. I also knew I wasn't going to sleep out of fear of him dying during the night.

The ER vet did not think it was tooth-abscess related at all in her first look. She did xrays and ran labs right away. Organ function is still perfect, which is surprising and great. His band cell count was really high, indicating inflammation, so they put him on another antibiotic and pain medication until the US tech comes in and gives us a better idea of what is going on.

When the vomiting started a month ago, he initially puked up some balloon ribbon. Normally, I keep any balloons the kids get up on top of the entertainment center where they can't reach. One night, I totally forgot and he chewed some of the ribbon off it. I pray that is all it is and they can get him healthy again. The xray doesn't look like a typical blocked intestine and that is why there is still concern about other things (plus the lesions in the chest cavity) His intestines and stomach were completely empty though, I'm guessing he ate nothing while we were on vacation He was so healthy when we left and we had a very good pet sitter, so I wasn't concerned. I guess this is all just extra difficult when he took a turn for the worst and I was driving to the pet ER exactly a year to the day after my dog passed.

[kueluck]

Amy so sorry to read about your kitty. I know how hard it is to go through this, I've done it in the past and going through it again with a kitty of my own. My hope is that they figure out what is going on, and that you and the old boy can just snuggle together for a few more years.

[LilyPad]

He is gone. He had tumors in his brain and lungs. He was declining rapidly and we chose to euthanize him. He had three of his favorite family members with him and I petted and talked to him the entire time. It's a horrible day.

[DigitalPunk]

Ohh Amy I am so very sorry for your loss. I am so very thankful you got to be with him in the end and I am sure he was glad to have you there as well. Hug on your family and rejoice in all the happy memories you had with him. He will never be forgotten I am sure and that isn't a bad thing. He is no longer in pain and discomfort and is in a much better place.

I will be praying for you and your family.

[kueluck]

Sorry to read this, but take comfort in knowing that he's not in pain. This is the sucky part of having kritter kids. I've told my husband no more, that's it, I'm done with this, it just hurts to much. That is until I see a cute fuzzy face at an adoption fair outside the pet store, or that little toad or frog that just morphed out. Cry a lot, and always remember the good times. This is how we heal.

[LilyPad]

Best cat ever. Every night that I came home from work and was greeted with hugs from him every day. When he was younger he played fetch and was a crazy boy. As he got older, he never left my side when I was home. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers, he will be incredibly missed.

I never wanted another furry, but I may give in eventually for my other kitty. He is 5 years old and blind, he depended on Willie quite a bit and is lost without him. Hard with my daughter's allergies and I really don't know how I will go through this ever again. We've lost 3 pets in just over a year. The last two were very old though, that made it a little easier. Willie should have had more time.

[Lija]

Amy, im so so sorry for your loss, he was beautiful cat, there is nothing anybody can say to lessen your pain, just know we are here for you.

[LilyPad]

You guys are a great help. So many people have the "it's a cat" attitude. He wasn't just a cat. Thanks for understanding.

[Mentat]

Very sorry about Willie's death Amy !

[ColleenT]

I am so sorry. i hope you find peace in knowing you did all you could for him and you gave him a great life.

[deranged chipmunk]

You guys are a great help. So many people have the "it's a cat" attitude. He wasn't just a cat. Thanks for understanding.

So sorry for your loss Amy. Those people don't get it. He wasn't just a cat. He was your friend and companion. He was family. Such a shame to lose such a handsome fella. We're here for ya


Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world ~ Nelson Mandela

[Tongue Flicker]

My condolences Amy!

A pet passing away is indeed a small part of us dying as well. Hope you're doing fine now!