Why I have been having a terrible new year so far...
Okay, so the year has only just started, but still... it has started out terribly.
Last week Charley (my cat, for those who for some reason don't know), threw up and I noticed blood in it. I asked a vet tech at work about it and she said to just keep an eye on him to make sure he doesn't do it again, and that it could be nothing. He seemed fine otherwise. The next day, he still seemed fine, so I thought maybe it had been nothing after all, just maybe something he ate.
On the 2nd I started to notice Charley acting strangely, a bit lethargic. Then he started to throw up again, and he kept trying to go to his cat box but he couldn't. At about 2am I brought him to an emergency Vet as I was getting worried about him. They took x-rays and basically couldn't define exactly what was wrong. The vet seemed to think either he had something stuck in his stomach, or... something was just irritating his bowels, as he sent us back home with meds that were supposed to suppress vomiting. I ended up staying up until 5am to give him the meds before passing out.
I woke up around 11am, when i was supposed to give him another dose of his meds. He was just laying around, looking like he was having some trouble breathing, which got me worried again, as evidently these meds weren't doing shit, besides keeping him from vomiting. I called a different hospital since the one I took him to earlier was now closed (late emergencies only). They told me if he sounds like he's having respiratory problems to take him in right away, so I did. He has been in that hospital since today and was only just released.
The diagnosis (or lack of one) was rather different than what the other vet thought. These new vets think it is one of two things, some sort of infection, or cancer. With leanings towards the latter. But, it isn't conclusive, since this certain kind of cancer is hard to diagnose, so in short, they still aren't sure what it is. But they are sure of one thing: His chances aren't good.
I brought him home earlier this evening, and they left us with some different meds to give him. Antibiotics just in case it is an infection, steroids for the possible cancer, and something to help with his appetite sine he hasn't been eating.
So that is where he is now, back home. He curled into his bed immediately when he got back, and he has been purring when I pet him (which is good sine he wasn't even purring before), occasionally nudging my hand. I can tell he is glad to be home. But he is still lethargic, and seems disorientated, kind of staggering when he walks.
My hope that he will get better has kind of dwindled at this point. I think the best I can hope for is that he will not be in pain when he passes. In all, it has been a very emotionally draining day, and I keep trying to keep myself from crying. I just have this feeling he might not have long.
Charley has been with me for about half of my lifetime. He is somewhat old, but I think I had expected that he would still have plenty of years left... an old cat of mine lived until she was 19. But... when it's time, it's time I suppose... all I can do is make him as comfortable as possible, and try to hope for the best.
I might give an update on his condition later on. Right now I gotta take care of my baby.
Last week Charley (my cat, for those who for some reason don't know), threw up and I noticed blood in it. I asked a vet tech at work about it and she said to just keep an eye on him to make sure he doesn't do it again, and that it could be nothing. He seemed fine otherwise. The next day, he still seemed fine, so I thought maybe it had been nothing after all, just maybe something he ate.
On the 2nd I started to notice Charley acting strangely, a bit lethargic. Then he started to throw up again, and he kept trying to go to his cat box but he couldn't. At about 2am I brought him to an emergency Vet as I was getting worried about him. They took x-rays and basically couldn't define exactly what was wrong. The vet seemed to think either he had something stuck in his stomach, or... something was just irritating his bowels, as he sent us back home with meds that were supposed to suppress vomiting. I ended up staying up until 5am to give him the meds before passing out.
I woke up around 11am, when i was supposed to give him another dose of his meds. He was just laying around, looking like he was having some trouble breathing, which got me worried again, as evidently these meds weren't doing shit, besides keeping him from vomiting. I called a different hospital since the one I took him to earlier was now closed (late emergencies only). They told me if he sounds like he's having respiratory problems to take him in right away, so I did. He has been in that hospital since today and was only just released.
The diagnosis (or lack of one) was rather different than what the other vet thought. These new vets think it is one of two things, some sort of infection, or cancer. With leanings towards the latter. But, it isn't conclusive, since this certain kind of cancer is hard to diagnose, so in short, they still aren't sure what it is. But they are sure of one thing: His chances aren't good.
I brought him home earlier this evening, and they left us with some different meds to give him. Antibiotics just in case it is an infection, steroids for the possible cancer, and something to help with his appetite sine he hasn't been eating.
So that is where he is now, back home. He curled into his bed immediately when he got back, and he has been purring when I pet him (which is good sine he wasn't even purring before), occasionally nudging my hand. I can tell he is glad to be home. But he is still lethargic, and seems disorientated, kind of staggering when he walks.
My hope that he will get better has kind of dwindled at this point. I think the best I can hope for is that he will not be in pain when he passes. In all, it has been a very emotionally draining day, and I keep trying to keep myself from crying. I just have this feeling he might not have long.
Charley has been with me for about half of my lifetime. He is somewhat old, but I think I had expected that he would still have plenty of years left... an old cat of mine lived until she was 19. But... when it's time, it's time I suppose... all I can do is make him as comfortable as possible, and try to hope for the best.
I might give an update on his condition later on. Right now I gotta take care of my baby.