Salty's Back from the Vet's Office...
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Salty's Back from the Vet's Office...
| Mon, 06-14-2004 - 5:47pm |
I left Salty at the vet's today for 5 hours. Her temp was 105.2 when I got her there. They gave her a complete blood count test and her numbers (white blood cells) were at the high end of normal. They said it was because she was fighting her kitty cold (URI). They did a fecal test and she had a parasite (Coccidia). She tested negative for FIV/FELV. They fed her some food and she wouldn't drink any water so they also injected her with some fluids to prevent dehydration. She got a Baytril injection plus something to reduce the fever. Her fever was down below 103 by the time I picked her up. I now have to give her Albon anti-biotic tablets for the next 6 days (to kill the parasite), as well as Baytril anti-biotic tablets to help her get over her infection from her cold. I forgot to ask the exact diagnosis (if it was bacterial as well as viral, etc.) She will go back on the 28th for a fecal re-check to see if the parasite is gone and also to get her rabies and some other vaccinations. Then a few weeks after that she'll go in for one last vaccination. (Is it normal for an indoor cat to need feline leukemia vaccines?) Poor thing! I hope she realizes I'm just trying to help her get healthy & happy. She's content now sleeping on her chair while I have the humidifier going to help with her congestion. When we got home, she ate a few bites of her dry food but still ignored the water. I'll just keep an eye on her.
The vet said after 3 more days or so of keeping her in isolation, I could then let her get acquainted gradually to the other cats. Keep your fingers crossed. LOL!
Thank you everyone so much for keeping her in your thoughts & prayers. She's had a hard time this month, but she should bounce back soon. I'm not looking forward to giving her 2 pills a day. LOL I guess it is best to do them both at the same time?
Have a great week. Lots of purrs from my furbabies to yours!
>^..^<
Suzy
Edited 6/14/2004 5:50 pm ET ET by suzypenguin
Edited 6/14/2004 5:53 pm ET ET by suzypenguin


It's tough doing things to our furbabies that they don't like - I wish we could just explain that we are doing it to help them! I have to start bathing my Tasha with chlorhexidine shampoo tonight to help fight off her ringworm. The best part is that I have to leave the shampoo on her for 5-10 minutes before rinsing. I wish I could tell her that it will just be about 15-20 minutes total, and that I am doing it for her own good! I know she will probably hate me for awhile.
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The feline leukemia vaccine has a bad track record. My beloved and very healthy cat developed cancer and died a few months after receiving this vaccine, when it first came out (about 20 years ago). At the time I thought I was doing the right thing. I have since read as much as I can about vaccines. Many holistic vets use them sparingly. Most vaccines last several years, not the one year we are lead to believe. If you must give vaccines, give only what really seems necessary, one at a time and in different locations on the body. But avoid the feline leuk. vaccine. Keep your cat indoors and healthy.
By the way, Baytril is an antibiotic, and as such works on bacterial infections. Respiratory infections are viral in nature and antibiotics do not work on them (as with our common cold). Some vets give Baytril saying a secondary bacterial infection could develop when there is a respiratory infection. Here, too, I feel it is wise to make sure there actually is something the antibiotics are treating and not give it in case something develops. Overuse of antibiotics can cause it's own problems.
Cynthia
Awwww, poor girl, no wonder she doesn't feel good.
How did your bath for Tasha go? I bet it is hard leaving the shampoo on 5-10 minutes. It must feel like an eternity. I'm sure she'll realize you're trying to help once she feels better. Funny enough, giving my dh's cat Thomie a bath a few months after she'd first met me was a turning point for us. She is a very independent cat and doesn't warm up to people quickly. She has longer fur and it was matted around her rear & dirty. I shaved & trimmed her fur in those delicate parts & bathed her. She seemed to appreciate it afterwards when she realized she felt better. From then on she let me hold her, etc. My dh was stunned since he said no one else had been able to do that with her. LOL
Thanks for the info & for thinking of Salty! :-)
Suzy
I don't know if Salty has a bacterial infection along with the viral one. She is congested and ran a fever, which were possible signs of bacterial problems. I hate unnecessary medication also. I put a lot of trust in my vet since she's always done well for our pets and for the cats of various friends of ours. I just want my baby to get better.
Thanks again for the info & for thinking of Salty :-)
She is sleeping now. She was crying a bit earlier, which breaks my heart. I keep wondering what she's trying to tell me. I hate seeing her feel so poorly. Hopefully she will get better with each new day.
Thanks from me & Salty :-)
Hope everything is going well with you & I will keep you updated on Salty's progress. :-)
Hugs,
Suzy