Before I forget, here is a picture of Puss Puss.........
Sunday, October 30, 2011
"When will I ever learn....' Might make a nice song title you think?
Never say never. Koko's eye is seeping again, ever so slightly, and she seems to want to either rub it against things or have me rub it when I am petting her. Money is tight so I will have to rob the savings - again - and make an appointment to take her to another vet for second opinion. If they say more surgery I am not going to do that to her - or my bank account - unless they tell me it is absolutely necessary. If it is, it will be done.
Meanwhile, I spoke a bit too soon about what a wonderful little puppy Charlie is altho I am still not entirely sure it is all his fault.....
Puss Puss is doing OK so far BUT she hasn't much energy. To keep an eye on her I put her towel and heating pad on a table in the corner of my bedroom. The other cats aggravate her and she needs to be kept stress free as much as possible. I pulled the bedroom carpet up a long time ago when I was among the employed and expected to put down laminate or new carpet. When I got laid off I decided I could as easily survive with just the sub flooring and some throw rugs. That is a good thing because, at the risk of sounding like a slob, Puss Puss thought the throw rugs would do just fine as her litter pan - something sick and weak cats often do. So I put down some plastic, some heavy cardboard and some newspaper. That was fine for the cat - and just fine for Charlie too. What is good enuff for the feline is good enuff for him by golly! How can I yell at him when Puss Puss has already marked the area for him?
In hopes I could resolve this issue I created a special litter pan for Puss Puss. A plastic tote pan with a square hole in the lid big enough for her to enter but small enough Charlie can't get into it and make a mess - or worse. Still not sure Puss Puss likes it (I think the lid bothers her) but Charlie thinks piddling all around the pan is the way to go. So now I am searching on line for a concoction that will remove the protein and uremic acid/ammonia or whatever is in the urine and feces spots to see if I can get the area to smell less enticing. If nothing works I may have to get some of that enzymatic spray. Then I have to keep them out for a while and paint the floor with Kilz paint. More money. Makes me wonder just why, exactly, I like animals so much!
Koko and Charlie are in the midst of a very energetic love/hate relationship. Freud would love it and altho it can be cute I am not always that fond of it. Poor Slim is a nervous wreck trying to keep away from Charlie, mostly because, for such a youngster Charlie seems to want to .....how do I say this..... mount/hump every other animal around. I also noticed neither of his 'family jewels' seems to have descended properly. According to the internet, they should have put in their appearance around 10 days after his birth...... another reason for a vet visit.
Polar Bear is constantly growling at Charlie, then opening his mouth wide like a hippopotamus so Charlie can play like one of those weird birds that climb in a hippos mouth to clean their teeth. Why don't I ever seem to have 'normal' animals?
I am getting a bit nervous about all these expenses as I am near the end of Federal unemployment. There is supposed to be at least SOME State money left but if there is, nobody is sure how long it will be before it is cut off/runs out. I may be able to hold off til Dec/Jan if I can't find a job, and so far there simply aren't any jobs out there. Best one I found pays $9.45 hour, 12 hour shifts, Saturday and Sunday only. It is in auto manufacturing and is about 1 hour 15 minutes away. That amount won't pay for the gas so I didn't even apply. Not exactly telecommunications (my supposed 'field') so Feds can't say I ignored a job in my area of expertise. Didn't have steel toed boots any more anyway and standing for 12 hour shifts on my bad knees would probably not have lasted long. Oh well, there is something out there somewhere.
It is getting harder to prioritize expenses and do what needs to be done for the animals so have to tighten my belt a little. Been dipping into my savings too often recently and that is something I told myself I must not do. Need to lose weight anyway so what the heck. Hope to hold off on SS for another 3 years if at all possible cause will lose big bucks if I take it early...... Of course that is assuming I will live well into my 80's as both parents have done and not get hit by a bus the day after I apply. It is also assuming there will even be a Social Security in 3 years. Wah wah..... some cheese with that whine please.............................
Gotta wonder tho when this 'recession' that is 'improving' will listen to what the financial wizards are saying and actually start IMPROVING! Not for a depressingly long while I suspect.
Meanwhile, things didn't go exactly as planned when I FINALLY got the Blazer I traded my Honda Civic for. It isn't in great shape, older, much higher mileage but I didn't like the Honda (it was a 2-door). I needed a tow vehicle and something I could easily transport the animals in so I went into a somewhat uneven trade with eyes wide open. Let's just say trading vehicles with someone you know - or thought you knew - is confirmation that life is never boring and NEVER logical and you never REALLY know someone else. There is always something new you can learn about them. A word of caution: Never buy/sell/trade a vehicle or any piece of personal property with a friend or family member. It can destroy a relationship and make you very unhappy.
---------
Well, Charlie is whining at the door and it is time to let the dogs out and distribute meds and special foods to all.
Next time I will tell you how well Charlie takes to being crated when I have to leave the house.................... altho 'well' might not be the appropriate descriptive word to use in this instance! I know you are anxiously awaiting my next therapy session with you!
-Me
Meanwhile, I spoke a bit too soon about what a wonderful little puppy Charlie is altho I am still not entirely sure it is all his fault.....
Puss Puss is doing OK so far BUT she hasn't much energy. To keep an eye on her I put her towel and heating pad on a table in the corner of my bedroom. The other cats aggravate her and she needs to be kept stress free as much as possible. I pulled the bedroom carpet up a long time ago when I was among the employed and expected to put down laminate or new carpet. When I got laid off I decided I could as easily survive with just the sub flooring and some throw rugs. That is a good thing because, at the risk of sounding like a slob, Puss Puss thought the throw rugs would do just fine as her litter pan - something sick and weak cats often do. So I put down some plastic, some heavy cardboard and some newspaper. That was fine for the cat - and just fine for Charlie too. What is good enuff for the feline is good enuff for him by golly! How can I yell at him when Puss Puss has already marked the area for him?
In hopes I could resolve this issue I created a special litter pan for Puss Puss. A plastic tote pan with a square hole in the lid big enough for her to enter but small enough Charlie can't get into it and make a mess - or worse. Still not sure Puss Puss likes it (I think the lid bothers her) but Charlie thinks piddling all around the pan is the way to go. So now I am searching on line for a concoction that will remove the protein and uremic acid/ammonia or whatever is in the urine and feces spots to see if I can get the area to smell less enticing. If nothing works I may have to get some of that enzymatic spray. Then I have to keep them out for a while and paint the floor with Kilz paint. More money. Makes me wonder just why, exactly, I like animals so much!
Koko and Charlie are in the midst of a very energetic love/hate relationship. Freud would love it and altho it can be cute I am not always that fond of it. Poor Slim is a nervous wreck trying to keep away from Charlie, mostly because, for such a youngster Charlie seems to want to .....how do I say this..... mount/hump every other animal around. I also noticed neither of his 'family jewels' seems to have descended properly. According to the internet, they should have put in their appearance around 10 days after his birth...... another reason for a vet visit.
Polar Bear is constantly growling at Charlie, then opening his mouth wide like a hippopotamus so Charlie can play like one of those weird birds that climb in a hippos mouth to clean their teeth. Why don't I ever seem to have 'normal' animals?
I am getting a bit nervous about all these expenses as I am near the end of Federal unemployment. There is supposed to be at least SOME State money left but if there is, nobody is sure how long it will be before it is cut off/runs out. I may be able to hold off til Dec/Jan if I can't find a job, and so far there simply aren't any jobs out there. Best one I found pays $9.45 hour, 12 hour shifts, Saturday and Sunday only. It is in auto manufacturing and is about 1 hour 15 minutes away. That amount won't pay for the gas so I didn't even apply. Not exactly telecommunications (my supposed 'field') so Feds can't say I ignored a job in my area of expertise. Didn't have steel toed boots any more anyway and standing for 12 hour shifts on my bad knees would probably not have lasted long. Oh well, there is something out there somewhere.
It is getting harder to prioritize expenses and do what needs to be done for the animals so have to tighten my belt a little. Been dipping into my savings too often recently and that is something I told myself I must not do. Need to lose weight anyway so what the heck. Hope to hold off on SS for another 3 years if at all possible cause will lose big bucks if I take it early...... Of course that is assuming I will live well into my 80's as both parents have done and not get hit by a bus the day after I apply. It is also assuming there will even be a Social Security in 3 years. Wah wah..... some cheese with that whine please.............................
Gotta wonder tho when this 'recession' that is 'improving' will listen to what the financial wizards are saying and actually start IMPROVING! Not for a depressingly long while I suspect.
Meanwhile, things didn't go exactly as planned when I FINALLY got the Blazer I traded my Honda Civic for. It isn't in great shape, older, much higher mileage but I didn't like the Honda (it was a 2-door). I needed a tow vehicle and something I could easily transport the animals in so I went into a somewhat uneven trade with eyes wide open. Let's just say trading vehicles with someone you know - or thought you knew - is confirmation that life is never boring and NEVER logical and you never REALLY know someone else. There is always something new you can learn about them. A word of caution: Never buy/sell/trade a vehicle or any piece of personal property with a friend or family member. It can destroy a relationship and make you very unhappy.
---------
Well, Charlie is whining at the door and it is time to let the dogs out and distribute meds and special foods to all.
Next time I will tell you how well Charlie takes to being crated when I have to leave the house.................... altho 'well' might not be the appropriate descriptive word to use in this instance! I know you are anxiously awaiting my next therapy session with you!
-Me
Thursday, October 27, 2011
I gotta learn how to count
First, here is a blurry picture of Koko.
A photographer I am not. I also noticed, after it was finally posted, of course, that the date is wrong. Oh well, here she is.......
Second, Puss Puss is doing quite a bit better. Still breathing hard, still sleeping whenever she isn't eating or growling and hissing at the other animals, but the fact that she is eating well is amazing. She appears to have gained a little weight back and maybe her breathing isn't quite as labored as it was. She still wants to go out but now that it is rainy and cold for real I keep her in. She may surprise me and stick around for longer than anticipated but you never know.
On other matters, I really need to have my head examined, something my 'friends' and family have been suggesting for years, and my eyes examined too. Altho I was just at the eye doctor...........
My b'day was Sunday and God and mother nature blessed us with another unexpectedly decent day. I decided to take the dogs for a walk in the afternoon. Put on my new woolly lined hoodie from my 'little' sister in Florida and pulled out the retractable leashes.
After I dug out from under the dogs - just the two of them but they sure do know what those leashes mean - I hooked dog number 1 up to his leash and then tried to leash dog number 2 who seems to feel it is more fun getting leashed when all 75 pounds of him are squiggling, wiggling and jumping up and down. I then got pulled out the front door and had to decide - big decisions take time anymore - which of 3 directions to go. Either left or right on the 2-lane back country road I live on or down the less traveled dead-end road almost across from my driveway. We almost always take the dead-end road because the people drive on the 2-lane I live on like it is a dragstrip.
Well, heck. It was my b'day. They say old people are set in their ways. So to prove to myself I am NOT old, I took a way we rarely go. Turned left and started walking down my road. This was, after all, a dog walk, so we stopped regularly while they sniffed and dug into the weeds collecting ticks and burrs and, of course, giving me things to pick up - in poop pickup bags. They were enjoying it and behaving reasonably well.
We got about 1/2 mile down the road when I saw some people I vaguely know at the end of their driveway so when Polar Bear practically pulled my arm off trying to get to them I decided to stop and say hello. While talking to them I saw a little blur of white fur run under their pickup truck. When did you get a new dog asked I? It showed up last night, say they. Have you asked around the neighbors, ask I? To either side of our place we did, they say, but everyone thinks it is one of a slew of puppies they always seem to be producing down 'slimeball lane'. (This being the name given to a rutted farm lane a little further down the road where the crops aren't always lawful and the local police go often but unwillingly because it breaks the springs on their cars. These are people that greet you with a shotgun you know?)
So, she says she called the pound and they don't take "owner' surrenders even tho she isn't the owner. Humane Society was full and SISCA in Dayton, almost 2 hours away was full so they were just letting him run to see if he would go home and hopefully not get squished on the dragstrip.
I am no longer in the animal rescue business - for several reasons - but I tried to help them come up with some ideas. No luck. They were bummed. I was bummed. I didn't feel like walking anymore so we turned and headed back home.
Got to the house, the dogs were miffed at the short walk. I unlocked the front door, we all went in and I bent over to remove leashes. Dog number one, unleashed. Dog number two, unleashed - he doesn't squiggle or jump around at all when being unleashed I noticed. Dog number three, named Charlie, out of the front of my hoodie.
What can I say.
He is weened but young, maybe 8 to 10 weeks old, and AMAZINGLY good! Learned his name within two days, knows what NO means, doesn't chew too much, and hasn't made a boo-boo in the house. As soon as he goes outside he does his business, usually of both varieties. He peed once at the front door when I slept late and couldn't get my outdoor clothes on fast enough but that was my fault. He looks like he might be a Jack Russell (now called Parson Russell), Terrier mix and weighs about 8 - 10 pounds. He also DOES NOT like baths.
He was scared to death of the cats for the first day, curious about them the second day and by the third day he and Koko were wrestling around the house like two bears! Wrapping their front legs around each other and rolling over the floor, chasing each other from room to room, etc. Koko is 5 months old or so and he is a little bit smaller than her.
The third day the weather was again nice so Koko and Charlie went for a walk. Along my road Charlie is on a leash - he doesn't like it but adapted pretty quickly. He decided he didn't like being goosed by the front wheel of the stroller nor run over by the side wheels so learned to stay out of the way. Once we get a little way down the dead end street off comes the leash and he always stays within 10' of me. That'll change when he gets older I am sure.
Went to my friends house, she got out her stroller for her Yorkie and we went back down the road with our 'kids' in our strollers and a little puppy gallavanting and hopping around us like a grasshopper. OK, so we are nuts. We don't care, it's fun.
Koko and Charlie tore up the house when we got back. Polar Bear, Slim and several cats jumped up on the bed to get out of the way! That only worked until Charlie learned where Slims stairs to the bed were and what they are used for. Now he can get on and off the bed all by himself by golly! Cats are NOT happy, Slim growls at him if he invades his space, Polar Bear grooms him, plays with him, sleeps with him but will NOT share his chew toys.
When Charlie is old enuff he will be neutuered and I will try to find a good adoptive home for him. Doesn't look like he will be too big so hopefully it won't be too hard. If I can make myself do it of course........................
-Me
A photographer I am not. I also noticed, after it was finally posted, of course, that the date is wrong. Oh well, here she is.......
Second, Puss Puss is doing quite a bit better. Still breathing hard, still sleeping whenever she isn't eating or growling and hissing at the other animals, but the fact that she is eating well is amazing. She appears to have gained a little weight back and maybe her breathing isn't quite as labored as it was. She still wants to go out but now that it is rainy and cold for real I keep her in. She may surprise me and stick around for longer than anticipated but you never know.
On other matters, I really need to have my head examined, something my 'friends' and family have been suggesting for years, and my eyes examined too. Altho I was just at the eye doctor...........
My b'day was Sunday and God and mother nature blessed us with another unexpectedly decent day. I decided to take the dogs for a walk in the afternoon. Put on my new woolly lined hoodie from my 'little' sister in Florida and pulled out the retractable leashes.
After I dug out from under the dogs - just the two of them but they sure do know what those leashes mean - I hooked dog number 1 up to his leash and then tried to leash dog number 2 who seems to feel it is more fun getting leashed when all 75 pounds of him are squiggling, wiggling and jumping up and down. I then got pulled out the front door and had to decide - big decisions take time anymore - which of 3 directions to go. Either left or right on the 2-lane back country road I live on or down the less traveled dead-end road almost across from my driveway. We almost always take the dead-end road because the people drive on the 2-lane I live on like it is a dragstrip.
Well, heck. It was my b'day. They say old people are set in their ways. So to prove to myself I am NOT old, I took a way we rarely go. Turned left and started walking down my road. This was, after all, a dog walk, so we stopped regularly while they sniffed and dug into the weeds collecting ticks and burrs and, of course, giving me things to pick up - in poop pickup bags. They were enjoying it and behaving reasonably well.
We got about 1/2 mile down the road when I saw some people I vaguely know at the end of their driveway so when Polar Bear practically pulled my arm off trying to get to them I decided to stop and say hello. While talking to them I saw a little blur of white fur run under their pickup truck. When did you get a new dog asked I? It showed up last night, say they. Have you asked around the neighbors, ask I? To either side of our place we did, they say, but everyone thinks it is one of a slew of puppies they always seem to be producing down 'slimeball lane'. (This being the name given to a rutted farm lane a little further down the road where the crops aren't always lawful and the local police go often but unwillingly because it breaks the springs on their cars. These are people that greet you with a shotgun you know?)
So, she says she called the pound and they don't take "owner' surrenders even tho she isn't the owner. Humane Society was full and SISCA in Dayton, almost 2 hours away was full so they were just letting him run to see if he would go home and hopefully not get squished on the dragstrip.
I am no longer in the animal rescue business - for several reasons - but I tried to help them come up with some ideas. No luck. They were bummed. I was bummed. I didn't feel like walking anymore so we turned and headed back home.
Got to the house, the dogs were miffed at the short walk. I unlocked the front door, we all went in and I bent over to remove leashes. Dog number one, unleashed. Dog number two, unleashed - he doesn't squiggle or jump around at all when being unleashed I noticed. Dog number three, named Charlie, out of the front of my hoodie.
What can I say.
He is weened but young, maybe 8 to 10 weeks old, and AMAZINGLY good! Learned his name within two days, knows what NO means, doesn't chew too much, and hasn't made a boo-boo in the house. As soon as he goes outside he does his business, usually of both varieties. He peed once at the front door when I slept late and couldn't get my outdoor clothes on fast enough but that was my fault. He looks like he might be a Jack Russell (now called Parson Russell), Terrier mix and weighs about 8 - 10 pounds. He also DOES NOT like baths.
He was scared to death of the cats for the first day, curious about them the second day and by the third day he and Koko were wrestling around the house like two bears! Wrapping their front legs around each other and rolling over the floor, chasing each other from room to room, etc. Koko is 5 months old or so and he is a little bit smaller than her.
The third day the weather was again nice so Koko and Charlie went for a walk. Along my road Charlie is on a leash - he doesn't like it but adapted pretty quickly. He decided he didn't like being goosed by the front wheel of the stroller nor run over by the side wheels so learned to stay out of the way. Once we get a little way down the dead end street off comes the leash and he always stays within 10' of me. That'll change when he gets older I am sure.
Went to my friends house, she got out her stroller for her Yorkie and we went back down the road with our 'kids' in our strollers and a little puppy gallavanting and hopping around us like a grasshopper. OK, so we are nuts. We don't care, it's fun.
Koko and Charlie tore up the house when we got back. Polar Bear, Slim and several cats jumped up on the bed to get out of the way! That only worked until Charlie learned where Slims stairs to the bed were and what they are used for. Now he can get on and off the bed all by himself by golly! Cats are NOT happy, Slim growls at him if he invades his space, Polar Bear grooms him, plays with him, sleeps with him but will NOT share his chew toys.
When Charlie is old enuff he will be neutuered and I will try to find a good adoptive home for him. Doesn't look like he will be too big so hopefully it won't be too hard. If I can make myself do it of course........................
-Me
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Sometimes you have to wonder.................
Well, I think I said last time we were waiting on the blood work results for Puss Puss - she is the remaining FeLV+ cat who has lived with me for many years now. At the time it was drawn the vet commented on the fact that it looked VERY watery and thin. She was right. After a delay of a day - lab had fax issues AND felt a need to re-run the blood to confirm the initial results - it was reported that Puss Puss' bone marrow is not functioning. It has pretty much lost the ability to produce platelets/white/red blood cells.
She is having trouble breathing, straining to take in enough oxygen to provide her heart and vitals with the amount of oxygen needed because her blood has almost none. Her gums and inside of her ears are as white as paste although she still has a decent appetite. I guess basically she really has leukemia.
Although this disease was originally named Feline Leukemia because that is what they thought it was, it isn't. Not specifically. It is an immune deficiency disease somewhat like human AIDS I think. Makes their bodies much more susceptible to all the other bad diseases out there; cancer, pneumonia, stomatitis, etc., and those are the things they usually die of. She decided to be different.
Basically, she is dying - and probably very soon. If she looses all desire to eat, can't get around anymore or it appears she is in pain and distress, it will be time. She is getting weak, sometimes walks like she is drunk, but has an inside bed in my master bedroom that is a thick folded towel on a heating pad set on low. When I get into bed she wants to be laying by me and will sometimes still purr but you can tell she simply has no energy. If Koko or one of the others intrude on her space she still hisses real good though!
On top of all that I haven't been able to bury Luke yet cause it is still raining on and off and any holes I dig just fill with water. Now I will have to dig two. Can't bury them together, as Puss Puss is a loaner and will want her own space........... 8-p .................. I will stop whining now. It is what it is.
==========================================
Koko is turning into a hellion. She harasses all the other animals, chases them til they smack her around in return. I still think she is cute but apparently there is some disagreement on that among the others sharing this abode. Don't think she's spoiled do you? Nah. And in return, Little Red and Taz are really getting nasty with her - again, usually in the middle of the night! Cats are definitely night animals. Little Red and Taz may end up being in/out cats if they keep it up. She can't go out. I think she knows that too.
I am trying to figure out how to post a picture on this blog. If and when I do, the only one of Koko so far is blurry but you can get an idea of what she looks like if you are interested.
Polar Bear is on 500mg Amoxicillin x2 a day and we will see if he perks up. I think he's just bummed out and bored. Wants to go outside more and with all this rain and the chilly weather his human hasn't been doing right by him.
Slim seems to be feeling quite a bit better. I got some new medicine from the vet to try with him for his arthritis. I read on the internet that it can be pretty potent and dangerous tho so not sure how I feel about it but the last few times we have walked he actually trotted a little and hasn't done that for many months. Inside he started playing tug-o-war with Polar Bear yesterday and THAT hasn't happened in a long time. So I may keep him on this if I can. 200mg Zubrin x 1 day. Gotta get regular blood work done on him if I do tho. $$$$
That's how it goes when you share your life with animals you love. They don't live as long as most humans and so we have to go thru things like this many times in our lives as payment for their love and friendship. Doesn't make it any easier.
In the high 50's today so maybe I will go take Koko, Polar Bear and Slim for a walk before it gets dark......
-me
She is having trouble breathing, straining to take in enough oxygen to provide her heart and vitals with the amount of oxygen needed because her blood has almost none. Her gums and inside of her ears are as white as paste although she still has a decent appetite. I guess basically she really has leukemia.
Although this disease was originally named Feline Leukemia because that is what they thought it was, it isn't. Not specifically. It is an immune deficiency disease somewhat like human AIDS I think. Makes their bodies much more susceptible to all the other bad diseases out there; cancer, pneumonia, stomatitis, etc., and those are the things they usually die of. She decided to be different.
Basically, she is dying - and probably very soon. If she looses all desire to eat, can't get around anymore or it appears she is in pain and distress, it will be time. She is getting weak, sometimes walks like she is drunk, but has an inside bed in my master bedroom that is a thick folded towel on a heating pad set on low. When I get into bed she wants to be laying by me and will sometimes still purr but you can tell she simply has no energy. If Koko or one of the others intrude on her space she still hisses real good though!
On top of all that I haven't been able to bury Luke yet cause it is still raining on and off and any holes I dig just fill with water. Now I will have to dig two. Can't bury them together, as Puss Puss is a loaner and will want her own space........... 8-p .................. I will stop whining now. It is what it is.
==========================================
Koko is turning into a hellion. She harasses all the other animals, chases them til they smack her around in return. I still think she is cute but apparently there is some disagreement on that among the others sharing this abode. Don't think she's spoiled do you? Nah. And in return, Little Red and Taz are really getting nasty with her - again, usually in the middle of the night! Cats are definitely night animals. Little Red and Taz may end up being in/out cats if they keep it up. She can't go out. I think she knows that too.
I am trying to figure out how to post a picture on this blog. If and when I do, the only one of Koko so far is blurry but you can get an idea of what she looks like if you are interested.
Polar Bear is on 500mg Amoxicillin x2 a day and we will see if he perks up. I think he's just bummed out and bored. Wants to go outside more and with all this rain and the chilly weather his human hasn't been doing right by him.
Slim seems to be feeling quite a bit better. I got some new medicine from the vet to try with him for his arthritis. I read on the internet that it can be pretty potent and dangerous tho so not sure how I feel about it but the last few times we have walked he actually trotted a little and hasn't done that for many months. Inside he started playing tug-o-war with Polar Bear yesterday and THAT hasn't happened in a long time. So I may keep him on this if I can. 200mg Zubrin x 1 day. Gotta get regular blood work done on him if I do tho. $$$$
That's how it goes when you share your life with animals you love. They don't live as long as most humans and so we have to go thru things like this many times in our lives as payment for their love and friendship. Doesn't make it any easier.
In the high 50's today so maybe I will go take Koko, Polar Bear and Slim for a walk before it gets dark......
-me
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Good news, bad news and really bad news.....
Well, busy few days. First and foremost, Koko is fine. No more eye socket seepage, great appetite, and an all-around bad girl. Been raining pretty regularly and VERY high winds so we haven't gotten out for a 'stroll' since my last post.
Bad news, my two FeLV+ (Feline Leukemia positive) cats aren't doing well at all. One, Puss Puss, is at least 11 - 12 years old, been FeLV+ for at least 4 - 5 years if not all her life and you would never have known. She was pretty much dumped on me over 10 years ago and was never one of my favorites. One of those who will tangle herself up in your feet trying to get attention and then hiss the other cats away from you.
Until about 3 weeks ago Puss Puss was doing fine. Outside most of the time tho in to eat. Then she was absent for a couple of days and when she came back she looked bedraggled. In the next 7 - 10 days she lost weight, looked unkempt and her attitude got nastier.
At the same time, Luke, the FeLV+ kitty I had adopted from a former co-worker who couldn't keep her (apartment rules), wasn't able to eat any more. She had looked bad right from the beginning but began to do better with medications. I had to have about 1/2 of her teeth removed shortly after adopting her because they were rotten and causing her pain - she had stomatitis. Ugly inflamed red line around the edge of her gums. She wanted to eat but after a few bites would act like her mouth was attacking her, wail and paw at it. Then try to eat a bit more. She did pretty well for months then just last week started with the mouth thing again. Red line on gums had reappeared. Very unhappy. So was I. Vet says time for another steroid shot to try to calm inflammation.
Meantime, I wanted to be sure Koko's eye was doing as well as I thought and also have Polar Bear checked out, as he was very lethargic.
Ever try to take 1 large dog, 2 sick cats and 1 blind cat to the vet at the same time in a mid-sized car? Least it is a 4-door.
Results: Koko doing great!
Luke needed a steroid shot to calm down inflammation but all else looked OK.
Puss Puss anemic, fluid in belly. Did blood work (not easy!) waiting for results.
Polar Bear possible bug, needs a round of Amoxycillin.
Came home yesterday after all this and all were doing fine. Later last night Luke was able to eat some canned food for the first time without obvious pain. Puss Puss didn't act like she had 4 puncture wounds in her neck trying to suck blood, ate well and hissed at everyone. Luke came to lie on my chest while I read a book in bed, and then jumped down when I turned out the light.
In the morning/middle of the night, I heard a cat vomiting but couldn't find the evidence or the cat. Wonderful.
In the morning I fixed various meds, including the Interferon for Luke and Puss Puss and couldn't find Luke anywhere. After about 1/2 hour of looking I figured maybe she had snuck out with the dogs in the morning. A while later I hear a yowl...... a cat in definite distress. I search. Not as hard this time as all cats and dogs are sniffing/circling a specific chair. I finally get Luke out from underneath. Stringy gobs of saliva/mucus hanging from her mouth and acting drugged. Call the vet. She was fine yesterday and all we gave her was a steroid shot! Take her to the vet - she's limp as a rag, eyes glazed but in discomfort. Vet says not good. She is a wet dishrag during exam, yowls a few times. Anemic, in pain, obviously slipping away. After examination it is decided whatever has happened it is time. She is hurting.
When she received the initial shot of anesthetic she purred and put her head on my hand, then she lost blood from both ends as her muscles relax. Her insides apparently were eaten up but she was a fighter. The second shot, directly to her heart showed what a fighter she was. It was probably close to 5 minutes before she finally stopped breathing.
So Luke is gone and I have to keep a close eye on Puss Puss to see if there is some bug going around that is highly contagious for cats with low immunity.....
Luke is out in the garage waiting for the rain to stop so I can find her a place in the graveyard for my fur-babies.
Koko knows something is going on cause she is pawing at the door to the computer room wanting to get in. I think I am going to give her a treat, lay on the bed with her snoozing on my chest and read a book for a while.
Not feeling sociable.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Koko - good news times 2!!!!
Well, OK, Koko may not think one of these is good news but I do. I re-re-Koko-proofed the stroller and when we went for a walk she was diligent in her efforts to thwart me - to no avail! In plain English - she couldn't find a hole to get out. We will see if that lasts but in the meantime she actually settled down and enjoyed the walk, met 3 new dogs (what does she care that they are dogs, their sight can't intimidate her, they are just noisy and have an interesting odor) Things went very well - except for Sweet Pea the neighbors dog who got all excited and noisy and wanted to play a bit rough. That turned her off.
The REALLY good news is that her eye socket doesn't seem to be seeping anymore, doesn't feel swollen or mushy and doesn't seem to irritate her in any way!!!!! Hooooraaaayyyyy!
I have enuff Amoxi for a couple more days so will keep her on it just to be sure and then take her to my vet for a quick check to be sure she can't detect any infection. We may be out of the woods.
I also went to the Wilmington Big Lots store Sunday because they were having a 20% store-wide sale. I, naturally, bought stuff for the animals. Rawhide chips and two big bones for the dogs along with a blue poop bag carrier to clip on my belt (bought a bright pink one for Sweet Pea's human too!) Then bought Koko a collapsible crinkle tunnel which she seems to love. Spent a whopping $18 and change so I figured I could afford it even if it wasn't in the budget. Couple less gallons of milk and a few less bagels....
From there I went to the Waynesville Sauerkraut Festival which WAS in the budget, entertainment: a whole $20!. Got behind huge tractors with combines and other humongous equipment and it took over 1/2 hour longer than usual to get there. Back country roads don't offer much in the way of quick detours. So I got to the festival just as they were closing - duh - and they were all out of sauerkraut-Sheeze! But there was a booth there that had one kitty kickaroo left (Pittsburgh Steelers motif and nobody in Ohio seemed to want to buy it.... gee!) So I got that for Koko. Has catnip in one end and she loves it - when she can get it away from Polar Bear!
Meanwhile, I allowed both of the FeLV+ cats to come inside yesterday and things stayed remarkably calm. Only one who was in a snit about it was the one who is always in a snit- Shaggy Kitty. Nothing pleases Shaggy unless she is the only one in the room and getting petted.
Then, of course, there is Taz (Tasmanian Devil) who gets aggressive with everyone and starts chasing them around. He may find himself introduced to the outside world here if he doesn't shape up. Somebody seems to have spoiled him.......Soon as I find out who that was I will have to have a word with her.................... And you ever notice cats seem to be most active during the hours of 3 - 5 am????
So, today I concentrate on Polar Bear and Slim who are in a funk because this little kitten seems to take up all my time. We will go for a long walk and let them explore all the smells and sounds and sights. I know they are bored being in the house so much when there is a great big world out there. And their human can sure use the exercise!
We will see what the vet says about Koko's eye socket in a couple of days. Stay tuned!
Kat
The REALLY good news is that her eye socket doesn't seem to be seeping anymore, doesn't feel swollen or mushy and doesn't seem to irritate her in any way!!!!! Hooooraaaayyyyy!
I have enuff Amoxi for a couple more days so will keep her on it just to be sure and then take her to my vet for a quick check to be sure she can't detect any infection. We may be out of the woods.
I also went to the Wilmington Big Lots store Sunday because they were having a 20% store-wide sale. I, naturally, bought stuff for the animals. Rawhide chips and two big bones for the dogs along with a blue poop bag carrier to clip on my belt (bought a bright pink one for Sweet Pea's human too!) Then bought Koko a collapsible crinkle tunnel which she seems to love. Spent a whopping $18 and change so I figured I could afford it even if it wasn't in the budget. Couple less gallons of milk and a few less bagels....
From there I went to the Waynesville Sauerkraut Festival which WAS in the budget, entertainment: a whole $20!. Got behind huge tractors with combines and other humongous equipment and it took over 1/2 hour longer than usual to get there. Back country roads don't offer much in the way of quick detours. So I got to the festival just as they were closing - duh - and they were all out of sauerkraut-Sheeze! But there was a booth there that had one kitty kickaroo left (Pittsburgh Steelers motif and nobody in Ohio seemed to want to buy it.... gee!) So I got that for Koko. Has catnip in one end and she loves it - when she can get it away from Polar Bear!
Meanwhile, I allowed both of the FeLV+ cats to come inside yesterday and things stayed remarkably calm. Only one who was in a snit about it was the one who is always in a snit- Shaggy Kitty. Nothing pleases Shaggy unless she is the only one in the room and getting petted.
Then, of course, there is Taz (Tasmanian Devil) who gets aggressive with everyone and starts chasing them around. He may find himself introduced to the outside world here if he doesn't shape up. Somebody seems to have spoiled him.......Soon as I find out who that was I will have to have a word with her.................... And you ever notice cats seem to be most active during the hours of 3 - 5 am????
So, today I concentrate on Polar Bear and Slim who are in a funk because this little kitten seems to take up all my time. We will go for a long walk and let them explore all the smells and sounds and sights. I know they are bored being in the house so much when there is a great big world out there. And their human can sure use the exercise!
We will see what the vet says about Koko's eye socket in a couple of days. Stay tuned!
Kat
Saturday, October 8, 2011
OK... time to re-think the term, "Koko-proof". That cat found gaps in the cover of the stroller that simply didn't exist. Time for more Velcro and additional inventiveness on my part. Gotta be smarter than the kitten - may not be easy.
She still isn't wild about the stroller and today I took her out along with the two dogs, Slim, an older mix-breed of about 60# and Polar Bear, (PB) a Samoyed mix of about 75#. They were on a double lead leash and it went pretty well - until Koko found the non-existent holes in the cover/netting and kept trying to get out. I finally got the pillow/padding wedged in her latest escape route and eventually she started panting, then grooming, then dozing. Not sure she is getting much out of these outings except frustration. I thought it was a good idea but apparently she doesn't. Will try a couple more times and see.
Her eye socket is still seeping but it doesn't seem to be doing it as much so I am keeping my fingers crossed.
Meanwhile, my sibling, who lives in disgustingly sunny Florida, sent me some stuff for my birthday, among them a blanket one of her dogs had used. Slim and PB were VERY interested in that blanket as soon as it came out of the carton! But guess who stole it from them? You got it. Koko feels that is her blankie and she laid claim to it - at least for now. We'll see. Sis sent me a fantastic black hoodie that is fleece lined and gonna be perfect for animal 'strolls' in the fall. Thanks Sis! I also got a book from my sisters roommate which looks interesting, .
While sis and I were talking on the phone, PB, for the third time in as many weeks, started spazzing. He was sitting there looking at me and his whole upper body was vibrating/shaking like he had Cerebral Palsy! Scared me to death. I petted him and it stopped within a minute or two but that is something I am going to have to discuss with the vet cause I don't like it.
Time to feed and medicate the fur-babies so more later after I further Koko-proof the stroller.
She still isn't wild about the stroller and today I took her out along with the two dogs, Slim, an older mix-breed of about 60# and Polar Bear, (PB) a Samoyed mix of about 75#. They were on a double lead leash and it went pretty well - until Koko found the non-existent holes in the cover/netting and kept trying to get out. I finally got the pillow/padding wedged in her latest escape route and eventually she started panting, then grooming, then dozing. Not sure she is getting much out of these outings except frustration. I thought it was a good idea but apparently she doesn't. Will try a couple more times and see.
Her eye socket is still seeping but it doesn't seem to be doing it as much so I am keeping my fingers crossed.
Meanwhile, my sibling, who lives in disgustingly sunny Florida, sent me some stuff for my birthday, among them a blanket one of her dogs had used. Slim and PB were VERY interested in that blanket as soon as it came out of the carton! But guess who stole it from them? You got it. Koko feels that is her blankie and she laid claim to it - at least for now. We'll see. Sis sent me a fantastic black hoodie that is fleece lined and gonna be perfect for animal 'strolls' in the fall. Thanks Sis! I also got a book from my sisters roommate which looks interesting, .
While sis and I were talking on the phone, PB, for the third time in as many weeks, started spazzing. He was sitting there looking at me and his whole upper body was vibrating/shaking like he had Cerebral Palsy! Scared me to death. I petted him and it stopped within a minute or two but that is something I am going to have to discuss with the vet cause I don't like it.
Time to feed and medicate the fur-babies so more later after I further Koko-proof the stroller.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Koko and her stroller.................
Meanwhile, back at the house of Koko, I went on Craigs List and found a baby stroller. No, I have NOT had a child - of the human species anyway - I wanted a way to take Koko out and about and she does NOT do well on a leash unless I just follow her around. That doesn't accomplish much so decided to try another way....
Found a bike stroller - one of those you can use as a stroller and/or pull behind a bike - sized for two kids. It was was 1 hour away but I was going to Centerville, near Dayton, anyway so decided to call. She only wanted $25 and it is in very good shape so it was mine. Or it was Koko's anyway tho she didn't know it yet. Nice and big so she can stretch out and enjoy herself. It is all screened in, has a rain cover that folds up/down. has a little peek-a-boo screened window in the back, (I KNOW she can't see but I can see in and watch what she is doing!)
Let's just say the first stroll was not a relaxing experience. For Koko anyway. This was NOT a thing she liked. She wanted OUT! Went down a nearby dead-end street to visit friends (I bought them an umbrella stroller for their dog so what the heck) and on the way back she finally gave up and fell asleep.
Today we went out and she did OK for a while but then decided ENUFF ALREADY and became Hodini. So, when I got back I Koko-proofed the stroller. Glued lots of strong velcro around all the edges so she can't push out the screening, took out the seat belts for the two kids and sewed in a loop to attach her leash to. Flattened out the bottom and put in a large dog pillow that covers the whole thing. Tied one of her toys to the handle. Took her out for about a 1 mile walk and she pretty much gave up. Sat at the front screen with her nose working a mile a minute and only ocassionally meowed or scratched at the netting. Doesn't like it when a car goes by tho!
I think she will get used to it. Not sure if she will ever like it but it gives me a reason to go out and walk more so who cares whether she likes it or not right? I am the human after all.....
Meanwhile, her eye socket is still seeping and she has another 4 days of Amoxycillin. Then if it still seeps I will have to take her to another vet and see what they say..... I am worried about her.
Found a bike stroller - one of those you can use as a stroller and/or pull behind a bike - sized for two kids. It was was 1 hour away but I was going to Centerville, near Dayton, anyway so decided to call. She only wanted $25 and it is in very good shape so it was mine. Or it was Koko's anyway tho she didn't know it yet. Nice and big so she can stretch out and enjoy herself. It is all screened in, has a rain cover that folds up/down. has a little peek-a-boo screened window in the back, (I KNOW she can't see but I can see in and watch what she is doing!)
Let's just say the first stroll was not a relaxing experience. For Koko anyway. This was NOT a thing she liked. She wanted OUT! Went down a nearby dead-end street to visit friends (I bought them an umbrella stroller for their dog so what the heck) and on the way back she finally gave up and fell asleep.
Today we went out and she did OK for a while but then decided ENUFF ALREADY and became Hodini. So, when I got back I Koko-proofed the stroller. Glued lots of strong velcro around all the edges so she can't push out the screening, took out the seat belts for the two kids and sewed in a loop to attach her leash to. Flattened out the bottom and put in a large dog pillow that covers the whole thing. Tied one of her toys to the handle. Took her out for about a 1 mile walk and she pretty much gave up. Sat at the front screen with her nose working a mile a minute and only ocassionally meowed or scratched at the netting. Doesn't like it when a car goes by tho!
I think she will get used to it. Not sure if she will ever like it but it gives me a reason to go out and walk more so who cares whether she likes it or not right? I am the human after all.....
Meanwhile, her eye socket is still seeping and she has another 4 days of Amoxycillin. Then if it still seeps I will have to take her to another vet and see what they say..... I am worried about her.
Koko had her stitches removed and she got bad news......
Koko to vet to get stitches out yesterday, 10/4/11, and we found more seepage/infection in her right eye socket. My vet says she will not go back into either socket again as this was the 3rd time for the right one and 2nd for left. She says keep her on amoxycillin for one more week and if still that socket still shows seepage or if it appears to bother/irritate her to go to another vet for a second opinion as she is out of ideas. The stitches were surprisingly difficult to get out and even tho it should have caused her little or no pain she went ballistic and bit thru my thumb, scratched and clawed and howled and fought like a tiger! Once she got home and settled down she seemed to be feeling OK - altho I am worried about this eye socket and her continued sneezing, snorting and wheezing. I suspect she has feline herpes and it will be a constant issue with her. Need to be careful she isn't on Amoxy so much she develops a resistance to it. As for catnip - she is a mean drunk. She fights the older cats off and demands they leave HER catnip alone. She also instigates a lot of the 'cat fights' in the house and chases the other cats around. Makes them VERY angry. I may be raising a monster! More after she has been on the Amoxy another week and we see if we have to find the money to go to another vet for a second opinion......
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Koko the sightless feline - but don't tell her
Well, never having 'blogged' before, I figure the way to start is with Koko.
A black "Tuxedo" kitty was dumped with her siblings and found in the middle of the road in Adams County, Ohio. Her siblings died, all having massive 'gunkiness' - eyes, noses, even mouths filled with mucus. The person who rescued Koko called me because she is a 'dog person' and didn't have a clue what to do with this malnourished, flea infested, filthy, mucus covered teeny kitty. She gave her a flea bath (dog flea soap!) and tried to clean some of the mucus.
I already had 4 dogs and somewhere around 9 - 10 cats, but reluctantly agreed to meet the rescuer to pick up the nameless kitten.
As soon as I saw the scrawny thing I fell in love - but I didn't know if she would make it. She was probably about 4 weeks old and her whole face was a mass of dried mucus, yet as soon as I cuddled her she started purring. What can you do you know? The obvious: I took her home, boiled some water, let it cool, and used it with paper towels to clean her face. And I found bad news. One eye, her right one, was bulging and obviously causing her discomfort. It was sure to rupture - and soon. It was glazed and obviously sightless. The other eye wasn't swollen but didn't appear to have any sight and was constantly oozing.
I had picked her up on a Friday or Saturday and it was a holiday weekend. The 4th of July was that Monday. I fed her canned kitten food, kitten milk and 1.5 cc Amoxicillin 2x day and left a message for my veterinarian. The kitten had a good appetite, a great attitude and no fear. I kept her in the master bathroom on her own not knowing if she might have FeLV (Feline Leukemia), FIV, FIP or any of the other nasty, contagious things cats can have. She sure had bad upper respiratory problems which might mean Feline Herpes! (She has since tested negative for all and has had her full series of shots.)
First thing Tuesday morning, July 5, 2011, my vet (Dr. Beery,) called me back and I made arrangements to take her in immediately. Dr. Beery concurred the right eye was about ready to go and there was no sight in the left eye. Best bet was to surgically remove both immediately as it was doubtful she had ever had a chance to know what it was like to see and she would likely die otherwise. So it was done.
Meanwhile, I went home and searched my mind (rather short process) and then searched the internet (rather long process on dial-up) looking for names for the new kitty.
Koko was it. It is the American Indian (Blackfoot) word for 'night'; it is the name of the first gorilla to learn American Sign Language for the blind, and; Koko the gorilla, signed to her keepers - repeatedly - that she wanted a kitten - a REAL LIVE kitten - for Christmas. She got the kitten, adopted it and loved it and all the following kittens she had. Had to be the name for my new kitten however long she was with me.
Since then, Koko has memorized the house, made friends with all the other cats (well, except for a couple who aren't even friends with themselves let alone me, other cats or dogs!) and dogs, gets groomed by the 75# Samoyed, jumps onto and off of everything with no fear, and goes outside on a leash to chase leaves.
Her right eye kept seeping so back to the vet to have it opened, cleaned and re-sutured about 3 weeks after the initial surgery.
Then, last Saturday, 9/24/11, I took her to the Pet Health Day in Adams County cause she had problems with her ears and I didn't know if it was mites, (too gooey) a yeast infection or possibly a bacterial infection, each requiring a different treatment. (Kudos to Dr. Dan and crew at All Creatures Animal Hospital in Amelia, Ohio for this great thing they do!) I found she had a bacterial ear infection and her eye was seeping again! Medicine for her ears (she HATES IT!) was in order and another visit to my vet.
Back to my vet 9/27, where both eye sockets were opened again and further tissue removed, sockets irrigated and both re-sutured. She was still out of it when she came home that afternoon but by the next day was ready for action again.
So, Koko the wonder kitty, who doesn't know she should have had the chance to see, runs around the house that she owns, demands goodies from the human she owns and is absolutely amazing. I am going to take her to Tractor Supply (TSC) for my friends there to meet next week and let her choose some goodies as they all want to buy her something and play with her.
Stay tuned to hear how she handles catnip.......
A black "Tuxedo" kitty was dumped with her siblings and found in the middle of the road in Adams County, Ohio. Her siblings died, all having massive 'gunkiness' - eyes, noses, even mouths filled with mucus. The person who rescued Koko called me because she is a 'dog person' and didn't have a clue what to do with this malnourished, flea infested, filthy, mucus covered teeny kitty. She gave her a flea bath (dog flea soap!) and tried to clean some of the mucus.
I already had 4 dogs and somewhere around 9 - 10 cats, but reluctantly agreed to meet the rescuer to pick up the nameless kitten.
As soon as I saw the scrawny thing I fell in love - but I didn't know if she would make it. She was probably about 4 weeks old and her whole face was a mass of dried mucus, yet as soon as I cuddled her she started purring. What can you do you know? The obvious: I took her home, boiled some water, let it cool, and used it with paper towels to clean her face. And I found bad news. One eye, her right one, was bulging and obviously causing her discomfort. It was sure to rupture - and soon. It was glazed and obviously sightless. The other eye wasn't swollen but didn't appear to have any sight and was constantly oozing.
I had picked her up on a Friday or Saturday and it was a holiday weekend. The 4th of July was that Monday. I fed her canned kitten food, kitten milk and 1.5 cc Amoxicillin 2x day and left a message for my veterinarian. The kitten had a good appetite, a great attitude and no fear. I kept her in the master bathroom on her own not knowing if she might have FeLV (Feline Leukemia), FIV, FIP or any of the other nasty, contagious things cats can have. She sure had bad upper respiratory problems which might mean Feline Herpes! (She has since tested negative for all and has had her full series of shots.)
First thing Tuesday morning, July 5, 2011, my vet (Dr. Beery,) called me back and I made arrangements to take her in immediately. Dr. Beery concurred the right eye was about ready to go and there was no sight in the left eye. Best bet was to surgically remove both immediately as it was doubtful she had ever had a chance to know what it was like to see and she would likely die otherwise. So it was done.
Meanwhile, I went home and searched my mind (rather short process) and then searched the internet (rather long process on dial-up) looking for names for the new kitty.
Koko was it. It is the American Indian (Blackfoot) word for 'night'; it is the name of the first gorilla to learn American Sign Language for the blind, and; Koko the gorilla, signed to her keepers - repeatedly - that she wanted a kitten - a REAL LIVE kitten - for Christmas. She got the kitten, adopted it and loved it and all the following kittens she had. Had to be the name for my new kitten however long she was with me.
Since then, Koko has memorized the house, made friends with all the other cats (well, except for a couple who aren't even friends with themselves let alone me, other cats or dogs!) and dogs, gets groomed by the 75# Samoyed, jumps onto and off of everything with no fear, and goes outside on a leash to chase leaves.
Her right eye kept seeping so back to the vet to have it opened, cleaned and re-sutured about 3 weeks after the initial surgery.
Then, last Saturday, 9/24/11, I took her to the Pet Health Day in Adams County cause she had problems with her ears and I didn't know if it was mites, (too gooey) a yeast infection or possibly a bacterial infection, each requiring a different treatment. (Kudos to Dr. Dan and crew at All Creatures Animal Hospital in Amelia, Ohio for this great thing they do!) I found she had a bacterial ear infection and her eye was seeping again! Medicine for her ears (she HATES IT!) was in order and another visit to my vet.
Back to my vet 9/27, where both eye sockets were opened again and further tissue removed, sockets irrigated and both re-sutured. She was still out of it when she came home that afternoon but by the next day was ready for action again.
So, Koko the wonder kitty, who doesn't know she should have had the chance to see, runs around the house that she owns, demands goodies from the human she owns and is absolutely amazing. I am going to take her to Tractor Supply (TSC) for my friends there to meet next week and let her choose some goodies as they all want to buy her something and play with her.
Stay tuned to hear how she handles catnip.......
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)