Wednesday, October 17, 2018

Raleigh at the Hospital

Raleigh made another journey to a veterinary hospital yesterday, this time for a more detailed examination. The news is not good, but neither is it too bad (ie. irreparable).


Peachy does not have ear-mites (anymore?) but does have an ear infection. For this, anti-biotic drops were prescribed. He also has an eye infection, for which different drops will be given. The doctor thought he may have a congenital deformity in the tear duct that keeps his eye from draining properly. I recalled then that when I had been applying earlier drops (which were weaker than those now prescribed), I noticed that while the drop was ‘absorbed’ in his right eye (that is, it remained in the folds and crevices of the lids), it flowed more freely out of the left. In any case, the infection is being treated.

Raleigh’s biggest problem is that he has stomatitis. The doctor said that it could be treated with steroids but that might not end it, and may, since my newest cat is FIV-positive, cause more problems than it treats. She recommended that Raleigh have his teeth removed. Most of them, if not all, will have to come out.

As the majority of you reading this probably know, cats usually do well without many or any teeth. My foster-cat, Parker, had most of his removed (not due to stomatitis, but simply due to bad teeth; he didn’t floss, I think) and was the better for it. He clearly felt less pain, was more active and used his mouth more while playing. He is a happy fellow. Raleigh is already a big fan of soft-food, so feeding him if he has no teeth will not be a problem, and he has tested hard-food, too. He likes it but hasn’t eaten much, possibly because it is painful to chew it, or keep in his mouth.

In a couple of weeks, then, this poor fellow will be heading back to the hospital for a longer appointment.

Good news, however, includes the doctor’s opinion of Peachy’s heart and lungs, which sound good. He has gained a little weight since his neutering (I was concerned that I was not feeding him enough). Also, when he came home, he did not have the frightened reaction I had thought he might. He had been spending much of his time hiding behind the couch in the library; in the past few days, this behaviour has changed and he has ventured out much more. I thought the doctor’s visit would set him back, but it does not appear to have been the case.

I try to spend time with Raleigh every evening. I put him on my lap and stroke his sides and under his chin. When it was time to get up last night, I set him aside and before I could stand, he had crawled back onto my lap. But the end of lap-time wasn’t so bad, as it meant the bed-time snack was about to be served.

Bit by bit, physically and emotionally, Raleigh is improving. If there is the right home for him out there, we will find it for him. Until then, he will stay with me, and re-learn the ways of the inside-cat. That includes, unfortunately, at least one more journey to the hospital.

19 comments:

  1. Raleigh, you appear to be such a sweet mancat, and you will get everything that you need to stay healthy and loved at your foster home! I only know about stomatitis from friends whose cats had it, and no matter what they tried, in the end all/most teeth were removed. Purrsonally, I think they need to change the name from stomatitis to dentitus!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh, the poor boy. He's certainly seen more than his share of troubles. I hope that after this next visit to the hospital, his health will stabilize and all will be well for him. His eyes look so sad in that top photo.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He always looks sad or suspicious. I don't know if that's his natural expression or due to what he has gone through.

      Delete
  3. Poor guy, I only had half of my teeth removed. We hope that will make things lots better.

    ReplyDelete
  4. we bet that, despite the surgery, he will feel better for having the bad teeth gone

    ReplyDelete
  5. Poor Raleigh! But the good news is that removing his teeth will solve the problem. My Joey had stomatitis, and he was put on antibiotics and steroids but they did not help. We finally had all of his teeth pulled, except for the 4 canines, and what a difference. It was like I had a new cat. His coat became fuller, he was able to eat better (even dry food), he put on weight, and he was more comfortable. I'm sure Raleigh will have no problem with the surgery. Please keep us posted regarding how things go.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's what I am hoping for; I think Raleigh must be in continuous discomfort.

      Delete
  6. dood....sorree bout de hole teeth thing but if ya feel better thatz all that countz....just make sure when they come out, ya get em bak, bee coz if ya put em under yur bed ther; they will tern ther selvez inta 50'z & 100'z !! ;) ♥♥

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think Raleigh would like his change given in tins of food...

      Delete
  7. He's sure been through a lot, with more to come. Best of luck to him, he'll feel so much better once he's recovered. Give him a cuddle from me. ♥️

    ReplyDelete
  8. Poor guy has a lot going on. I will keep him in my prayers. I am glad you are helping him get well.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Good on you buddy. I am glad that you have a warm lap to rest on and enjoy getting some loves.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Oh poor boy! I certainly hope that the infections are cleared up soon and his dental surgery goes well. He's such a handsome boy John!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Poor boy, but I know he is getting the best of attention. He will feel so much better without those painful teeth. Cats adapt so well to being toothless. One of my MIL's cats that we took on when she died didn't have a single tooth in her mouth, but she never let that hold her back. She was a real thief and one day I found her with the bone from a leg of lamb. She had gummed every single scrap of meat off it. She lived to 23 years. A good age for a toothless cat!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Thank goodness you will have them removed and be in no more pain. I noticed his expression too and I wondered if he was so uncomfortable that it affected his facial expression. But soon, that will be in his past. Raleigh, you will be in my prayers too. XXXXX

    ReplyDelete
  13. Raleigh we are so sorry that to hear that you going through with this. We hope everything goes well and that you will be feeling much better when everything is done. Have a great day and get some much needed lap time in.
    World of Animals

    ReplyDelete
  14. We are also experienced with stomatitis. Nasty, horrible, very painful ailment. Teeth must be removed very carefully because even the smallest bit of retained root may hinder the recovery.
    Poor darling boy. Good pain relief after the surgery will help him to recover more comfortably. We’ll be be keeping Raleigh in our prayers too. Kiss him for us, please.

    ReplyDelete
  15. With you being so attentive to his needs, Raleigh will come out of this just fine. I have no teeth, but two, and laugh when I go to playfully nip the housekeeper and she squeals as if in pain..silly woman! - Tom x

    ReplyDelete