Saturday, March 6, 2021

Comfort and Discomfort

Yesterday, I was able to have a long discussion with Tucker’s veterinary about the roly poly’s condition. I will be collecting today several medicines to deal with the effects of Tucker’s renal failure, and I will start their application this afternoon. He is already receiving sub-cutaneous fluids.

I have been able to observe my boy more over the last few days, with an eye to his circumstances. He has been quite uncomfortable in the late evenings, restless, moving from one position to another; I take this as a sign of pain. This subsides into discomfort for the rest of the night, with excessive salivation in and from the mouth, and difficulty breathing, the latter, I suspect, due to an increase in mucous in the nose.

In the morning, after he is given food, Tucker is more restful, and even, I think, manages to sleep, which he hasn’t been doing during the night. Nutrition is being delivered through a syringe, by me. Tucker does have a small appetite, and will eat a few kernels of hard-food, or a small portion of soft, but he doesn’t try for long. It may be that he cannot taste it, or that the saliva in his mouth taints it. When put directly into his mouth by syringe, however, food seems a bit more enjoyable for him; he doesn’t fight against my efforts. I am sure he’s hungry and wants food; he just doesn’t like it right now. Though it may not be an effect of eating, his greater calmness after a syringe-delivered meal suggests to me that he should have food in the middle of the night, too. It can’t do him harm. So I will prepare some liquidy goodness for him before bed-time.

When he is experiencing discomfort, there is, in addition to the extra saliva, some gagging. This probably follows on the extra spit. The fact that it hasn’t brought up more than some sputum tells me that the problem isn’t in his stomach. Kidney failure can produce ulcers in the stomach, but also in the esophagus and mouth. The doctor saw, during his examination, nothing amiss in Tucker’s mouth, so a renally-induced difficulty in the esophagus may be a complication. It may, though, be no more than a build-up of saliva.

But help is on the way. Some kidney medicine will be tried today. Tucker will also receive some Cerenia to calm the stomach – though I don’t know that that is a great issue here – and has been given some Mirtazapine to increase the appetite. He is, of course, still being given his insulin (his blood-sugar numbers may be thrown off by this new issue and its medicine), and, as mentioned above, subcutaneous fluids. To keep him regular, he continues to be dosed with a mild laxative, though this is given at the end of his feeding, so there is little effort to it for either him or myself.

I and the doctor will confer further early in the coming week, and may adjust Tucker’s medicine then, though it will still be early days to see its effects. In any case, something is being done to ease his misery and, hopefully, increase the quality and length of his life.

18 comments:

  1. Poor Tucker. We're sending our purrs and prayers that the meds will help ease his discomfort. Good luck. ♥

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  2. Poor Tucker. Here’s hoping the medications do the trick and he feels better soon.

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  3. So much tending to Tucker you are doing. Prayers for him and you
    that all these steps will lead to restful days and appetite for Tucker.

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  4. Purrayers and Power of the Paw to you and Tucker !

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  5. Oh poor Tucker and poor you. It sounds like you're doing everything possible for him. Purrs and prayers that he'll get well soon!

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  6. Poor Tucker, I hope all the medication helps him. I am sending my best wishes for him.

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  7. Tucker is such a sweet guy and we are all sending tons of purrs and prayers to you both.

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  8. Praying the new meds will help your sweet boy. The appetite stimulant tends to make them act different, but there is one that you rub in the ear that doesn't have the same side effects.

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    1. Mirtazapine can come in tablets or ointment. I've had more luck with the ointment than the tablets, but I think it depends on the cause of the inappetence; if my boy is hungry but nothing tastes good to him, he won't eat. I wouldn't either, under those circumstances.

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    2. That eventually happened with the Admiral. She did better at first (pill form in Pill pockets) but within a few months it was a struggle to get them down her never mind see her eat more. (Is the Mirtazapine ointment applied at the ears as is the gel for hyperthyroidism, for example)? You are right of course in that if you are hungry, but nothing tastes good., it's a struggle according to the reason for the inappetence.

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    3. Yes, the Mirtazapine oitnment is rubbed in the outer ear. I gave Tungsten her hyperthyroid medicine that way, and Cammie her high blood pressure medicine; it was the only application of medicine my princess would approve of.

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  9. Ah! Bless! Let's hope the medicines
    help him in out, and at least give
    him some relieve..
    Thinking of you Tucker..God bless!x

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  10. Oh Tucker, you have no idea that one of your blog family here in TN., namely me, is so hoping for better days for you. Your dad sure is doing all he can to help you. We are all of us thinking of you, and purring hard for you.

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  11. Mum and I are sending lots of love and purrs to Tucker.
    Purrs, Julie

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  12. We are all sending you tons of purrs Tucker and support for John too. The ear application Mirtazapine is something good to know. John we do hope sharing with us helps lessen the load even if only a bit.

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  13. Poor Tucker. We sure hope those meds help him. We're sending lots of purrs and prayers for you both.

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  14. Goodness John, you have your hands full. I'm hoping that these medicines will indeed provide relief to Tucker and keep him around for a long time yet.

    Take care, stay well.

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  15. We are purraying for Tucker. I know how tough it is to get a cat to eat who is not interested in eating. We are here for you and send you virtual hugs and strength.

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