Reassurance for the Big Boy

I took Renn to see his doctor yesterday. For the past few days, my big boy’s appetite had been diminishing, he had been throwing up, and his feces had been very liquidy. As well, his right eye was reddish, and appeared to be irritating him. I had given him a shot of Cerenia, which curbed his vomiting, and in fact his condition had improved by the time he actually went to the hospital. (That is usually the case with patients, feline and otherwise, it seems.) But since, except for the one appointment-time I was able to secure, there was none available for a couple of weeks, I took him in anyway.

My big boy is doing quite well. He saw the doctor who has been treating him for years, and she was impressed with his positive condition. Renn had lost weight since his last visit, which, I think, was more than a year ago; the veterinary was not worried about the amount lost, though it is something to watch. Despite having diarrhea and kidney failure, Renn was not dehydrated. While he has recurring respiratory infections, his lungs sound clear. His few remaining teeth (he retains his fangs, so his dental presence looks more impressive than it is) may require attention in the future - his reaction to anaesthetic will have to be considered - though he is far from in a bad way now.

As for what had been troubling him, the doctor believes it was a rather more serious form of the infection from which Renn suffers from time to time. The veterinary was pleased that I was able to administer Cerenia by injection at home; she thinks that that calmed the stomach and gave relief to the bowels.

Blood was not tested this time: regardless of what it states about his kidneys, there is little to be done about them; some Fortiflora (which he won’t want) and eye drops were prescribed.

The doctor was surprised that Renn is sixteen now, both because of how time flies - for cats as much as for humans - and because Renn is in such good health. Though he didn’t need, after all, to visit the hospital, I think it was as well that he did. It is a relief to know that my big boy is aging so far without undue troubles or complications. With luck, that will continue - for him and for us all.