Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Renn Goes to Hospital


Renn had to go to the hospital yesterday. For a week or so, my big boy has been vomiting thick liquid. Initially, it was clear, then it turned yellow. I thought it may have been a hairball. After all, the symptoms were similar to what Josie had shown recently; my Chubs is much better since she commenced receiving regular doses of a hairball remedy. But Renn stopped eating, which wasn’t any sign Josie exhibited. I began feeding him a nutrient-rich food called Recovery. As the name suggests, it’s for convalescent cats. It is easily digested and high in what the animal may be missing. Renn disliked the process of forced-feeding - but who wouldn’t?

This seemed to be working. The vomiting abated, he started to eat hard-food again and eventually some soft-food. But last night, I noticed his continued trips downstairs to the litter-boxes, where he remained an inordinate amount of time. Following him down, I watched him try to use a litter-box. After several minutes of attempting to leave a deposit, two tiny drops had been produced. He was also crying.

With memories of Tucker’s urinary blockage in mind, I whisked Renn off to the veterinary hospital. My regular doctors have someone on-call for such emergencies, so at 9.30 at night, my big boy was being examined. His bladder was empty, and his bowels not close to being full. There was no blockage. He was kept overnight for observation.

This morning, a sample of urine was taken from a fuller bladder. He pH level is very good, and there were no crystals that could be found. It was possible that an infection was caught in its earliest stages, but it would, I thought, be unlikely to produce the effects of an infection in its later phases. The doctor believes a very mild inflammation may have been exerting pressure, telling Renn that he had to go, when he did not. He has been given an injection to reduce any possible inflammation. He will be coming home in a few hours.

I may have to isolate my friend for the night, in order to see if he leaves any deposits in a litter-box. Hopefully, by keeping an eye on his wanderings and litter-boxes that are free of anyone else’s results, I won’t have to lock Renn up until tomorrow morning. He likes to sleep on my bed, near the bottom, with periodic forays toward my head for reassuring pets.

Please excuse the old picture. I didn’t have the time to get a recent one of him. And if you will, spare a moment to wish him good health.

12 comments:

  1. Oh, poor Renn! (And you, too.) Lots of purrs from Nicki and Derry; they'll keep their paws crossed that he'll be fine, that the injection is all he'll need. Smooches to him from this human.

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  2. Good wishes go with you and Renn. Prayers sent.

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  3. Poor Renn, We send our god thoughts and purrs for him. I hope the injection eases his discomfort so he can feel better.

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  4. They really needed to send the pee to a lab for a three day culture to see if it is cystitis or sterile cystitis. We have been through that exact thing way too many times and was misdiagnosed three times. Hopefully they ruled out any blockage. Purrs to that sweet one.

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  5. We're purring for Renn and hope he will be okay.

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  6. Putting him in my prayers tonight. Agree with Brian on sending the urine for culture. Will check back for updates. Hope the injection does the job though.

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  7. I will say a prayer for Renn to have a full recovery. Thanks for visiting 15andmeowing :)

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  8. Poor Renn....we are certainly sending over purrs and thoughts for getting over it quick

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  9. We are keeping Renn in our prayers and will continue to pray that he makes a quick and complete recovery.
    We also agree with Brian and , like Brian, suffered through a misdiagnosis. God bless you for being a good cat dad.

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  10. Oh gosh, poor Renn. We sure hope the medicine helps and sending lots of purrs that he will be OK. It does sound like cystitis to us too. Keep us posted.

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  11. We are glad he is home.
    Purring for him and sending some as support for you too!
    Timmy Dad and Family

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