Monday, January 14, 2019

The Week Ahead

These days, I seem to bounce from one cat’s health problems to another, specifically Parker and Raleigh. The former had a good breakfast and would have eaten more but I was out of Recovery, and the orange-boy isn’t eating anything else. I will be buying today what I think will be enough tins of his latest preference to last him a week; I hope I will need more before the week is out.

Raleigh, meanwhile, had to have his Prednisolone dosage adjusted yesterday. I am in contact with his doctor via text-message, even on weekends, and told him that Raleigh seemed to be experiencing trouble eating, giving signs that his mouth hurt him when he chewed. His mouth was also becoming messy, as it was before the steroids had an effect.

The Prednisolone delivered a severe beating to the stomatitis, but the latter is a persistent enemy. Peachy’s mouth looked very good when examined on Thursday, so the doctor cut back his dosage of medicine to a pill on alternate days. That appears to have been premature, though from the signs at the time, it was a good decision. The stomatitis was apparently waiting for such an opportunity and attacked again. So Raleigh is on a pill every second day, and half a pill every day in between.

Last night, I at last managed to coax him into eating the last of the food in which I had hidden that day’s crushed up Prednisolone pill. His ‘cold’ (actually a kind of infection) is back, causing him to turn away from food. But if I start trying to get him to eat the steroid-laced food early enough, he eventually will.

But Raleigh is still in good spirits. He spent quite a bit of time in one of the heated cat-beds, so that undoubtedly made him feel good. And whenever I sit down, he starts squeaking and trots over to lie on my lap. Last night, he kneaded me for the first time.

This week will continue the battle for Peachy, and may be decisive for Parker. I fear it will be a difficult week for both of them.

14 comments:

  1. Well, now! You've got a regular three-ring circus going on, but we all know that Parker and Raleigh are going to get the bestest care on the planet from you! Sending purrs and hugs.

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  2. We sure hope those two beat back the evil empire.

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  3. Nicki and Derry are sending them their most potent healing purrs, and I'm keeping them (and you) in my thoughts this week.

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  4. You've sure had your hands full. Parker is now eating, so that's a good sign. And hopefully once Raleigh's Prednisilone dosage is adjusted, he'll be feeling better as well. The care you're giving them is incredible, John. And please know that you, Parker and Raleigh will be in our thoughts. Please continue to let us know how everyone is doing.

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  5. I am sending my best wishes to the three of you.

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  6. I am thinking of Parker and Raleigh this week. I hope Parker continues to eat up the Recovery food to give him strength. The more you write of Raleigh's health worries the more this sounds like Holly's problems.

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    1. Raleigh's health problems are two-fold. One is that he has FIV, which suppresses the immune system to a dangerous level, and allows diseases to wreak havoc that they would not be permitted in a healthy cat. That's why he will probably always have more infections than other cats. FIV can be detected by a blood test. There is no real cure.

      His second main trouble is stomatitis. This can be seen by a vet in the mouth, the gums of which will be red and angry-looking. It causes pain, and affects eating. Stomatitis is a severe allergic reaction to the plaque that builds up on teeth. That's why removal of the teeth usually solves the problem. It did not in Raleigh's case, so he is given steroids. Some cats with stomatitis remain on steroids all their lives, though it is usually on a very reduced scale from how they started. I hope that once a dosage is found that will keep the stomatitis at bay, Raleigh's dose can then gradually be reduced. There may always be a level at which the stomatitis returns; we will need to find it and keep his medicine above that level.

      I know Holly has been to the vet recently. A blood test will have determined if she has FIV, and a good examination of her mouth will decide the issue on stomatitis.

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    2. Poor Raleigh is dealing with very serious health matters. I am grateful he has you looking after him. He is loved and well-cared for. I am fortunate that all the tests Holly was subjected to did indeed rule out FIV and all the vets were in agreement that her teeth are in excellent shape. Just allergies. We are thinking of poor Raleigh brave boy.

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  7. Thank you for update. You sure have been busy and I'm sure worried. Hope this week brings good results for those two boys.

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  8. Boys, I think of you all of the time. I fervently hope something takes hold and lifts you two out of this. Gentle pets and hugs and a smooch to you.

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  9. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you :) I hope it won't be as difficult time as you expect it to be.

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  10. doodz....tripull timez 984 blessinz two ewe frum R pal st francis; we R sorree N we noe dad iz hopin ta catch a brake.....a long one... N we hope it comez soon...parker we iz buzzed happee yur eatin N if ya haz ta eat recovery everee day, we agree, keep yur interest in food; N try a sardeenz...raleigh; noe joke L lysine; coz a cat willna eat what a cat canna smellz...we haz sum in stock 25/8/366 for flare upz...sardeenz for ewe two dood ....ore may bee sum re coveree for ewe all sew ?? !! ♥♥♥

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    1. Thanks, guys. I will be buying some sardines and trying them out on the boys. It'd be ironic if Raleigh liked them; I think that's what tempted him into my trap when he was living in the concrete wilds...

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  11. Sending my thoughts that Raleigh's health improves, and Parker recovers from what ails him.

    Eileen

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