Andy spent most of the day at the veterinarian’s. I went to pick him up at 4:00.
His veterinarian called me into an examination room to review the findings, showing me this two page document of test results that mostly were in the normal range, except for blood pressure (high) and platelets (low).
He explained the significance of these results, but I couldn’t focus…. The presentation looked like medieval plainchant notation, and the explanation largely passed over my head as I tried to grasp the significance of the aberrant test results.
Test results or Medieval plainchant?
There was no ultrasound test today, but there may need to be one down the road. I take Andy back March 17th for another blood pressure test and examination, perhaps to learn if the ultrasound’ll be needed to establish why his heart appears enlarged. At least that test is pleasant, though he’ll have to have a patch shaved in his fur to allow the test.
Andy was very ready to come home, and he was especially ready to eat like a starved kitten!
Best news of the day was that most of his test results were in the normal range. He is a young adult cat – two years and seven months old – so should be in relatively good shape. Still, I will need to give him a daily dose of Benazepril, a heart medication. I’ll have to look it up on the Internet to learn more about the drug.
Andy’s medication can be flavored many different ways, and I decided to have it flavored like tuna fish since he likes that. Best of all, it is in liquid form.
Even though I have full confidence in Andy’s veterinarian and faith that all things will work out, this has been a stressed out day for me. Yeah, but not so much as for Andy and Dougy, who moped around the house, looking for his brother all day.
(I suspect Dougy felt a little less happy to see Andy when Andy hogged the wet cat food when I put it out, blocking Dougy’s access to his portion!)
Best of all, though, Andy’s home! We missed the little guy.
Just look at that beautiful face and bright eyes so filled with energy.
Thank goodness his tests were in the normal range, and his heart problems can be handled with medication.
So happy Andy is home and hope you and the boys have a great night.
I messed up on his first dose of medicine (to little), but got a clarification from his veterinarian, who is a very tolerant fellow with all my anxieties and questions about Andy. Today, he got the correct dosage, without undue effort (I swaddled him in a bath towel, the so-called “cat enchilada”), and all without upsetting Andy so much he avoided me. In fact, he has been hanging out a lot with me, just like usual. Speaking of “normal”, Dougy just got a kitty encouragement to get out of Andy’s new tub. Andy may have a medical issue, but he’s still a normal-behaving little guy, which is encouraging to me.
Glad everything went well!
Me, too! Now, the next challenge is learning how to give a cat with high blood pressure medicine without causing him more stress. It’d be funny if it weren’t such a serious matter for Andy! Today, for example, he was interested in the little dropper full of tuna fish flavored medicine when I let him sniff it, but getting from sniffing to making him take it was less successful. I got more on his face than in him. I rationalized he’d get some benefit when he cleaned himself or (maybe) absorbed it through his skin. I hope to learn better technique, fast!
Ahh, the poor little guy – so sad.
His veterinarian told me this sort of health issue is not uncommon in Persians. Dougy has his feline hn the left eye I have to treat with eye drops periodically, and, now, Andy has this. I wouldn’t have brought them into my life if I wasn’t willing and ready to deal with the bad parts of pet ownership as well as the mostly fun parts. Andy’s prognosis looks good, however.
They are just so innocent and need to go thru the treatments. (The test readout looked like half the records I received for my uncle – censored.)
Actually, I edited the part with the test description and the interpretation off because I was more struck at the time by the similarity to the plainchant notation that I mentioned above. Clarity to show what I saw at the time; redaction for the other!
Oh, I know it was a stressful day for you! 🙁 I had you (and Andy) on my mind all day! I hope you can take some deep breaths tonight and relax.
I’m so glad his condition can be dealt with by giving him medication. And tuna flavored sounds yummy to me! (I like my tuna fish!)
I continue to pray for Andy and wish him all the best!
My Cooper has had to have several surgeries and I’m always beside myself until he is back home again and in my arms.
HUGS tor you!!!
And please give both Andy and Dougy some gentle rubs for me!
🙂
Yes, the waiting is a very anxious time for me, too. My very first cat, Freckles, went in for a routine (I thought) spaying operation, but died at the clinic. I always feel more anxious consequently when I leave a cat there if I know they will be put under for surgery or tests.
Thank you for your concern and comments! Andy is as glad to be back home as Dougy and I are to have him back home. Dougy didn’t know what to do with himself yesterday since his play buddy was gone.
Oh! That is so sad about Freckles! 🙁
I’m so glad you and the boys are all home today and can enjoy each other! 🙂
HUGS from me and Cooper! 🙂
PS…well, actually Cooper gives kisses! 🙂
Yes, Freckles was a very sweet little gray tabby cat. She had a very short life as an abandoned shelter cat. When I brought her home, I sat in my recliner with her on my chest. She started purring immediately, which was a wonderful massage! I fell asleep. About an hour later, I woke up, and she hadn’t moved, but still was purring. The autopsy revealed physical reason for her death, but I think she just had too much stress put on her in the short time she was alive. She would’ve been a fine cat had she lived.
The boys and I had our little morning ritual where they wake me up at an awful hour, I feed them, then they go off to take a nap. LOL! By then, I am wide awake, of course. They’ll come around again pretty soon for their afternoon wet food. Andy was still acting like he was very happy to be home again.
Paws crossed for continued health! Woof!
Thanks! It is difficult to deal with health issues in cats because they don’t let you know they are sick all too often until it is too late. That’s why I take the boys in for regular check ups twice a year, and that’s how Andy’s doctor discovered the murmur, something I never would have guessed was wrong with him from the way he and his brother chase each other around when they play stalk each other.
Woof! (tail wags) Mom says the fish are uncooperative like that, too! (dogsmile)
Yeah, I had tropical fish as a kid, and I remember floaters!
I’m glad Andy’s illness can be regulated with medication. My cats were a bit like Andy and Dougy. When Smokey was at the vet, Sparky moped around the house. When Sparky was at the vet and left Smokey home alone, she was the happiest cat on the planet. Smokey also had high blood pressure and a bit of Persian in her. She was a small cat with the smushy face of a Persian and Persianish fur, although not quite long enough to be really Persian. I had her 15 years, and hope you and Andy have long lives together.
Me, too. Persians (I read) tend to average out at 12 1/2 years. That’s part of why I routinely take them in twice a year and as needed. Persians come in lots of variations, though, including those with shortish hair. I get the impression cat breeds aren’t as fixed as dog breeds. Mine are the product of a Persian and a Birman, but are considered to be Persians. Andy is a smoke Persian on his papers that I never submitted, and Dougy is a black Persian. To me, they look pretty much the same, though Dougy’s a bit darker. His copper-colored eyes are more typical of Persians, though.