The Good, the Bad and the Disappointing

Today gave me both good news and bad, though the latter was not unexpected.

The good news is that Imogen is a healthy cat. Her heart and lungs are sound, her teeth are in very good condition, her ears are clean, and she is spayed. She behaved herself at the veterinary hospital, aside from jumping on to the shoulders of the doctor, and wailed in her carrier only when her automobile was in motion. She took it all in stride but was glad to return to the Cosy Apartment, where she had a good meal and a nap. She is probably about four years old.

On the other hand, Neville tested negative for hyperthyroidism. I was hoping he would have it, of course, as not only would it be treatable, but its management would reduce its effect on Nev’s diabetes. Now, we are back to knowing nothing of the cause of his insulin-resistance.

One possible solution to the problem is to increase the Nevsky’s insulin dosage to a drastic amount. This has been done by others with mixed results. I do not intend to try this approach. While it can lower blood-glucose numbers in cats with acromegaly – and, despite Neville’s relatively narrow head, the doctor thinks that is still a possibility – it doesn’t lower them by much, and if the cause of the trouble is not due to acromegaly, the very large dose can create very large difficulties.

Untreated diabetes in cats can lead to several issues, one of the most significant being cataracts and blindness. Though I have lived with a blind cat previously and know it is not the end of the cat’s life, when the loss of sight is due to diabetes, it can be accompanied by glaucoma, which Nev will find constantly painful. That I will not permit to happen.

But the veterinary examined Neville’s eyes and pronounced them clear so, though the Nevsky may be feeling poorly much of the time, he is not yet at the stage when irrevocable decisions need to be made. The Former Thin Man (he lost a small fraction of weight since his last veterinary visit!) still purrs – indeed, he did so at the hospital after his time with the veterinary was finished – still evinces enthusiasm when his meals are served, and even condescends to spend time on my lap now and then, as he did this weekend.

Today was a disappointment for me, but not for Neville: he was able to come home to a full belly, a soft bed and peaceful dreams. I think he has the right idea.