Today I took Georgia to the vet for recheck of her heart murmur. The vet found out Georgia developed a level two heart murmur during her annual checkup two months ago. Since Georgia did not have it at all six months ago, the vet was alarmed that the murmur had progressed to level two in such a short time. I was supposed to bring her back after three months, but after observing Georgia closely for a couple of months, I thought I should take her in a month earlier.
It turned out that it has progressed to level three. So she has to go back on Monday for an echocardiogram. I also wanted her cracked tooth pulled out at the same time, but the vet told me that Georgia should not be put under anesthesia until we know the result of the echocardiogram.
Brooklyn was also found to have developed a murmur during her checkup a month ago. Hers, however, is a faint level one, which the vet attributes to her age, and so her case is a wait-and-see kind.
I was hoping for a long vacation from vet visits… oh well.
Just came back from the emergency vet clinic near me. Grizzley’s breathing started sounding labored a little last night. I decided to take him to Dr. L on Monday since they are closed on Sunday. Towards this evening, however, his breathing was too labored and he started wheezing even. The emergency clinic vet took about 150cc of fluid out of his lungs. I don’t know how it accumulated so much in such a short time without me noticing and he didn’t even lose appetite. What worries me more though, is that his temperature is 3 or 4 degrees lower than normal, which, they say, indicates poor blood circulation. But after taking the fluid out, Grizzley is much more alert and breathing much more freely without making any wheezing sound. He’s now sleeping right next to my butt, and I’m having a drink.
Three days ago, Brandy was coughing a bit more than usual, the usual being water or yogurt not going down well owing to her megaesophagus. The next day, I noticed Brandy’s breathing was making a strange noise as if her lungs were congested. Her coughs possessed the quality of coughs of people with a flu trying to cough up phlegm. Alarmed, I dug out the nebulizer and saline solution, purchased last year when Brandy had her first bout of aspiration pneumonia, and treated her. Her temperature was 102.5F, the absolute high end of the normal for a dog.
Yesterday, I made an appointment with Dr. L for today even though Brandy’s cough and breathing sounded better in the morning. Good thing that I did because when I came home from work, I really didn’t like the sound of her breathing and the cough, not to mention that her temperature was 103.2F. Most definitely NOT normal. I could even feel something gurgling in her lungs when I put my hand on her side. I treated her with nebulizer a little longer than the day before.
When the vet was examining Brandy, her breathing wasn’t making any sound and she didn’t cough even once of course. Isn’t it strange it’s always like that? I tell you, my dogs try their best to embarrass me and make me look like a fool. Brandy even lowered her temperature down to 102.4F!!!
But Brandy’s ploy did not work this time. She does have pneumonia. But because it was caught early and she was treated with nebulizer at once, it has not advanced much. I was given Genticin, an antibiotic, and Albuterol, a bronchodilator which helps to increase air movement by relaxing the muscles in airways. Both medications are added to the saline solution in the nebulizer to be used twice a day for at least 10 minutes each.
Last year, I found oxygen masks made for dogs, through megaesophagus Yahoo group, to be used with nebulizer. But the connector of the mask is made to be inserted in a tube, not the opening of the nebulizer cup. So instead of using the mask, I used the mouthpiece that came with the nebulizer, holding it an inch or so way from Brandy’s nose, which obviously is not very effective.
Dr. L told me an easier and more effective way to use nebulizer: put Brandy in a crate, tape the nebulizer cup on the door and cover the crate with a blanket. She assured me that this is much more effective than the oxygen mask because masks usually scare the dogs since they prevent the dogs’ use of the mouth, which in turn prevents dogs from breathing in with ease (but she gave me a T-connector for the nebulizer anyway to be used with the mask).
So I would appreciate it if you can cross your fingers again for Brandy. We have to go back in 2 weeks for a recheck. I’d also appreciate it if you can cross your fingers for me as well so that I don’t forget to treat her with nebulizer in the morning. Mornings are so very tough for me…
I love love love my vet. After looking at the X-rays taken at the E-vet, Dr. L pointed out that Georgia has elbow dysplasia. Georgia was predisposed to dysplasia and hence arthritis because of her abnormal elbow angulation – whatever “elbow angulation” means. We will monitor her elbow dysplasia by taking X-rays every few months and if her elbow gets out of socket, she will need a surgery, for which case, I will have to prepare for since she won’t be able to or should not walk on that leg. Since Georgia has already been on all the joint supplements the vet recommends, the only other treatment we added is Adequan injections as needed.
The best part about the visit was that I finally had the chance to talk to Dr. L about her receptionists on how dreadfully difficult for me to talk to the vet over the phone or even leave a frigging message, the problem I had with Grizzley’s prescription renewal, the issue over dropping off Grizzley, and the issue I had when I took Foster in for his broken nail. I apologized for “complaining”, but she was all like, “No, no, no. Thank you. I want you to tell me. I have to deal with it. I’ll take care of it.” Then when I paid and came out and loaded Georgia in the car, a vet tech named Brian came out to talk to me, who informed me that Dr. L told him to talk to me and assure me that from now on if I call and have any trouble getting through, I can just ask for him, and he would relay the message!!! And if I have any other problems with receptionists, I should not hesistate. Did I mention I love my vet?
The new living arrangement is getting into some kinda routine. Not where I want to be yet. Foster, of course, being the royal pain in my big fat ass, keeps marking his territory! Not only that now he even started marking downstairs!!! Obviously I cannot be with him all the time to stop him when he does the deed, he keeps doing it. And when I find a little spot, he freezes in his tracks for a few seconds, lowers his head and tries to slink away! UGH! UGH! UGH!!!!!!!!
I haven’t posted an update on Brandy’s condition so far. I tried, but I got so frustrated all over again thinking about the two receptionists at the vet, Lorraine and Sheila, as well as Dr C, who happens to be Lorraine’s son, that I jumbled the words and stuttered badly on the keyboard, so I deleted the post. Now several days later, I’ve calmed down a bit, although still upset, I think I can get this update published.
The short version is that Brandy has vitamin B12 deficiency and bacterial overgrowth, which has been causing the diarrhea. She’s put on amoxicillin and B12 supplement. If you are bored and want to read the long version, the rest of this entry is me ranting in painstakingly minute detail about certain people, mentioned above, at the vet’s office.
Last Friday, I received a phone call from Dr. C, instead of my vet Dr. L, about the blood test results. He said Dr. L asked him to give me a call, and said Brandy’s pancreatic level was normal as with everything else except her B12 level, which was low; the course of her treatment would be to give her B12 supplement and treat her with amoxicillin twice a day for 30 days; I could pick up amoxicillin and Pet-tabs, which is a multivitamin for dogs. I asked if I couldn’t just buy B12 supplement at a drug store, and he replied that I could certainly do that. Now my mistake at that point was to assume that he would have offered to call in the prescription for me at my local pharmacy IF amoxicillin was NOT a medication only available at veterinary facilities. Because Dr. L had offered to call in prescriptions for me twice already this year, I assumed amoxicillin was something not available at pharmacies.
The next day, SATURDAY mind you, I left home around 9:45am to pick up amoxicillin at the vet, which is usually about 40-45 minute drive. But after driving for 15 minutes or so on Long Island Expressway, the traffic came to a complete halt. Fortunately, I was right next to an exit, and I took the exit along with everybody else who was lucky enough to not have passed this exit. I drove on the service road at 0.00314 mile per hour and found out LIE was closed for 3 subsequent exits because of a tractor trailer crash. I finally got back on the LIE and flew to the vet’s office.
I told Sheila that I was there to pick up amoxicillin. For whom? she asked. Brandy, I answered. Last name? she asked. Kimn, K-I-M-N, I answered. Sheila opened a cabinet and started looking for it. Then she said quite contemptuously, Did you call it in? You HAVE to call it in first. It’s not here. You can’t just walk in and… I interrupted quite irritably, No, I didn’t call it in. Dr. C called ME yesterday. Flustered, Sheila proceeded to take out a basket from the cabinet and went through it. She took another basket out and went through it. She typed in my name on the computer apparently looking to verify my story. She went through the baskets again. She got up and walked to the back room, came back out, started the search again. She went to the back room again, came back out, searched for it again. Lorraine interfered and she walked to the back room, came back out, typed my information again on the computer. Lorraine and Sheila whispered this and that to each other. And Lorraine started going through the baskets again, when she grabbed a pill bottle and handed it to Sheila. Sheila said, Oh, I was looking for an envelope, not a bottle! Lorraine answered, Clavamox is in the envelope, not amoxicillin.
Increasingly irritated and impatient, yet relieved that I was getting the thing I drove all the way there for, I proceeded to pay and asked, so amoxicillin is not something that can be called in to a pharmacy? Lorraine answered sheepishly, We can call it in. But they look different. If you get it from a pharmacy, they don’t look the same.
(WARNING! The following paragraph not appropriate for children. Parental guidance strongly advised.)
With that, I turned around very quickly and got the fuck out of that place before I start yelling obscenities and end up getting banned from there. I mean, IT LOOKS DIFFERENT? FOR REAL? BIG! FUCKING! DEAL! WHY THE FUCK WOULD I GIVE A FUCKING SHIT ABOUT WHAT THE FUCK IT FUCKING LOOKS LIKE?!?! WHY THE FUCK DID I FUCKING HAVE TO DRIVE ALL THE FUCKING WAY THERE???? I WASTED THREE FUCKING HOURS THAT FUCKING DAY BECAUSE THE FUCKING CRASH WAS STILL BEING INVESTIGATED WHICH CAUSED THE FUCKING RUBBERNECKERS SO BREAK-FUCKING-HAPPY THAT MADE THE FUCKING TRAFFIC TO SLOW THE FUCK DOWN ON MY WAY BACK HOME AS WELL. AND HAVE YOU BEEN PAYING ATTENTION TO THE FUCKING PRICE OF FUCKING GAS THESE FUCKING DAYS? IT FUCKING COST ME TWENTY FUCKING BUCKS ROUND FUCKING TRIP! AND I COULD HAVE PICKED THIS FUCKING THING UP AT MY PHARMACY HALF A FUCKING MILE AWAY FROM ME?
This is the fourth time somebody came to my blog by searching “peeing mania.com”!!! WTF? I’m telling you, there are some sick, SICK people out there.
Not only there are sick people visiting my site, there are some other strange people ending up here by searching some strange stuff. Somebody came here searching for “cat puncture wound smells like poop”. Uh… HELLO THERE! IF YOUR CAT HAS A PUNCTURE WOUND, TAKE THE CAT TO THE EMERGENCY VET!!! WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING GOOGLING THE “SYMPTOM” OF A PUNCTURE WOUND???? And by the way, if it does smell like poop, common sense should tell you the cat’s gastrointestinal tract is punctured somewhere!
Do you know what kind of strange search people do to get to your site? Here are some other examples of what people searched to arrive here:
- fear of baby poop
- licking herself
- poop talk
- my bowel movement smells like bleach
So I’m thinking my blog is not hitting the target audience… oh wait… What kind of people ARE my target audience…?
Today concluded this spring’s round of heartworm tests and wellness checkups for my beasts at last with Brooklyn’s visit to the vet. Brooklyn being Brooklyn, I had to ask numerous times to contain the two resident Rotties and the resident cats, all of whom tried their very best to escape the back room every chance they got. I have to admit it must have been a sight to behold whenever I saw any of them approaching since I turned to face Brooklyn to block her, bending my knees and back in preparation to body block and bear hug her in time if and when she decides to lunge. Picturing myself in that posture would have been funny if I looked fit and slim active type, but it’s absolutely hysterical to picture me the way I am – fat and short couch potato type.
I asked Dr. L to check if Brooklyn broke her teeth, and my suspicion was confirmed. Both of her upper back premolars were broken, but fortunately not enough to expose the nerves. There is nothing we could do about it. I might actually have to start brushing her teeth! I also took home a bottle each of Rimadyl and Methocarbamol to give Brooklyn when her pinched nerve acts up. One good news. She weighed at 54.5lb, which is 1.5lb lighter than 3 months ago. Finally she’s on her way back to her lean and mean self at 47lb, as opposed to being just mean.
I have another appointment to bring Brandy in again in 2 weeks, this time to draw blood for some other tests, especially pancreatic deficiency, to determine why her poop continues to be soft after finishing 10 days of metronidazol. Adding rice and yogurt to her diet did help a tad, but nothing to write home about. I procured a bottle of apple cider vinegar as well some time ago, but yet to crack it open, the reason being that yogurt is supposed to replenish the good bacteria in her system. Adding to it apple cider vinegar, which is supposed to kill excess bacteria in her system, sounds illogical and doesn’t compute at all. So I will continue to give her yogurt for another week or so to use up the yogurt I already have in the fridge, then if her poop consistency is still not satisfactory, I’ll try the apple cider vinegar. I’m pulling my hair out to see if THAT might help to keep weight on her. She’s 15lb lighter than a year ago.
Grizzley will now be on prednisone once a day for a month or so, and we’ll see how he does. If he does well, we’ll try to reduce it to once every other day. He’s been doing great so far, back to his old self trying to steal my food right when I bring food to my mouth every single bite.
Georgia’s allergy checkup and blood panel a few weeks ago was great, and even the vet was surprised how well she’s doing on just the weekly allergy shots alone without any other medication. This was the first time she had not had any yeast infection flare up in between the checkups.
Foster, of course, is healthy… well, at least physically. If only he would stop giving himself puncture wounds that need stitching up, that would be awesome.
And I have a scratch on my right thumb around the nail bed, that looks like a razor cut, made by Grizzley’s tooth, and a scratch on my right wrist by his nails. I’ve forgotten what a pain it is to pill a cat, not to mention how to do it period. Grizzley had always been somewhat easy to pill compared to Thanta (RIP), but after getting used to the easy routines of pilling Brandy everyday (and before that pilling Georiga everyday), he presented himself to be a tough customer.
When I went to pick him up yesterday, my vet told me that prednisone is working, he ate ravenously, and even groomed himself. When he was brought out, I could see he did feel much better than the day before – he voiced his objections on having been in the hospital out loud. I should take him in 2 weeks to do a round of tests. The vet is very optimistic that it’s not cancer since Grizzley’s responding too well for it to be cancer. I’ve decided not to go for chemo on him even if it is cancer. The vet also agreed that gastrointestinal cancers are very unresponsive to chemo, which made it much easier for me to decide chemo or not. So even if his condition regresses after reducing prednisone dosage, I’d opt not to have biopsy done unless the vet gives me another compelling reason to have it done anyway.
I was kinda bummed yesterday after learning about the ultrasound result, and cried a couple of times – had to stay in the bathroom for a while because it’s not such a good thing to cry at work so much. But now, I feel better about it since Grizzley seems to be really happy about being back home and able to terrorize the dogs again.
The result of ultrasound added more concerns about intestinal lymphoma, but it could still be the inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The only way to know for sure is to do a biopsy. Because we are treating him as having the IBD, he’s on prednisone. But according to the vet, prednisone is also used for treating lymphoma as well. The ultrasound also shows an early signs of chronic renal failure, but the vet assured me it’s common for any 14 year old cat.
I don’t know what to think yet. I have to decide on what I should do IF it really is cancer before doing the biopsy since if I don’t opt for the chemo, there is no point in doing the biopsy at all, and it’s about $1,200. I’d be putting about $2,000 on my credit card for Grizzley’s treatment up to today, so if I don’t have to, I definitely don’t want to have the biopsy done.
It seems there are two different opinions on having a cat (or dog) subject to chemo therapy. One is that chemo on cats is vastly different from that on people; it’s not painful and cats don’t go through the same hardship as people on chemo since its goal is remission, not cure. The other opinion is that how do we know if it’s not painful and not hard on them, we all know they tend to hide pain (I know full well Griz hide it very well), and people with no signs of cancer after going through a chemo are said to be in remission, not cured.
I haven’t talked to “my” vet yet, I only talked to the other vet. So I still want to talk to her about it. If I decide to go ahead with biopsy, she would be the one performing the procedure.
I’ll be picking him up today anyway, and I have some time to think about it and do some research on it. Please comment with your thoughts/opinions/experiences about it. I’d really appreciate it.
Serious Stuff. Seriously
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Yeah, I'm gonna try this time. I must be crazy... not surprisingly.
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