The Long Road Starts Here

Indigo came home yesterday with a case of pancreatitis. This will affect her permanently. Among the problems it causes is dehydration, which means that Indie will be on fluids for the foreseeable future. She will also need Restoralax to soften her stools and keep her regular. In the short-term, she will be taking Clavamox twice a day to fight a possible infection, Gabapentin twice a day for pain, and Cerenia once a day to reduce nausea, which is an effect of pancreatitis, even without visible vomiting. She will also continue her insulin treatments, of course.

As you can imagine, her days will not be pleasant for the next week, filled with medicine and various procedures that she won’t like. The Restoralax I have successfully mixed in with a pudding-like treat; whether she will continue to eat that, I don’t know, but it is the only thing she has wanted to consume since returning from the hospital, and it isn’t enough in terms of nutrition. Nor is it enough for her insulin, which needs to go with food. The Cerenia will, hopefully, make her feel better.

The difficulty is putting the medicine into her. I have the three in liquid form, but Indie resists being given even this, especially the Gabapentin, the taste of which every cat loathes. I think I was able to give these medicines to her this morning, but she jinked and jerked so much, I can’t be sure.

I was surprised that she put up no fuss over receiving subcutaneous fluids. This was no small blessing, especially in its unexpectedness. Another improvement is that she seems in less discomfort. Though she is shunning her favourite chair, she is not moving or changing position every few minutes, and is actually resting, if not sleeping.

The pancreatitis and its treatment, even after the immediate medicines are finished, will probably reduce her chances of adoption to nil. Few people seeking to bring cats into their homes will choose a diabetic, never mind one who has another condition which will require, at the least, daily fluids. I was hoping she would find a home without other cats to cause her annoyance, but that will likely not be.

Indigo will of course stay with me for as long as she needs a home. It may not be what she dreams of, but it will keep her safe and warm.