I took left the house this morning around 6:30 am, stopped at a 24 hour
pharmacy and picked up the Zithromax and Albuterol and at 7:30 I was
signing Sam out of the hospital.  We stopped by our regular vet who
incidentally were waiting for us.  They open at 8 am, I got there at
8:05 am, they had already received faxed copies of Sam's medical report
from the emergency clinic.  I'm very impressed with the emergency
clinic.  My vet checked Sam over and gave me a lot of literature on
feline asthma and a prescription for Flovent which is an inhaled
steroid. She also had the feline mask I need to use with Sam.

Sam was being given Brethine which is Terbutaline.  He will continue
with this by oral dosage every 8 - 12 hours as needed for coughing and
breathing troubles.  As long as he's taking the Brethine he can't be
given the Albuterol but then the Albuterol is only for emergency uses
anyway and I'm hoping I won't need to use it.

We got home around 9:15.  I mentioned that Sam had some trouble with
constipation this weekend as well.  He hadn't had a bowel movement and
they've been giving him Lactulose which I was given as well to give him
until his stools softened.  Well...seems he just didn't like going in a
strange box. The first thing he did was had a snack and 30 seconds later
he had a very satisfying BM.  Satisfying for him. Unfortunately he
scratched the curtain that was hanging near the litterbox into the box
with him and used it for toilet paper I believe.  Oh well, another small
sacrifice for my buddy.

He wandered around for about an hour and then we all went to the bedroom
for a nap.  It is strangely hypnotic counting a cat's breath.  He woke
me up with a coughing episode around noon and I thought we were going to
have to head for the vet again, but he's settled down and his breathing
is about 27 breaths per minute.  He's very soundly sleeping and doesn't
appear to be in any distress.  Its time for a Brethine tab and I think
for my peace of mind I'm going to give it to him even though he doesn't
appear to need it.  I'd hate for him to suddenly need oral medication
that takes about 30 minutes to work.

I think tomorrow I'm going to let him spend the day with the vet just to
make sure we're in the clear and after that, if she agrees, he can stay
home.

Thank you all, again and again, for the purrs.  Hopefully we're out of
the scary forest now and in sight of the clearing.

Julie <---who's going to join Ginger-lyn in the stop smoking campaign
since I'm no longer allowed to smoke in the house.