Can lightning strike 3 times? :(

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Betsy - 31 Aug 2003 00:43 GMT

After an expensive bout of pancreatitis for Beau the epileptic dog, and a
mammary tumor removal for Secondo the cat (who knows what that will
ultimately entail) I have noticed the Willie the 13 year old tabby is losing
weight.

I don't think it is as simple as tapeworm or parasite, although it could be.
I do have 11 cats and all the others are plump & sassy.

Willie hovers around the water bowl. He eats well. But his backbone is
poking out and he feels like a bag of bones with a plump tummy.

He was tested and vaccinated annually many years ago, but I haven't done
annual vaccines since 1999.

He isn't overactive (I've had several hyperthyroids in the past) but in
every way is acting normally. Except for the hovering around water. He
will often fall asleep next to the water bowl with his chin on it. I
thought nothing of it until I noticed the weight loss.

Don't worry, we have a vet visit on Thursday, the soonest we could get in.

Any thoughts on what it could be? Diabetes? Thyroid?

I don't think it is kidneys because of his healthy appetite.

Thanks.

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diddy - 31 Aug 2003 01:14 GMT

> After an expensive bout of pancreatitis for Beau the epileptic dog,
> and a mammary tumor removal for Secondo the cat (who knows what that
[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]
>
> Thanks.

The "face in the water bowl" is a classic sign of renal (kidney) failure,
if caught in time it can be reversed, if not, it can often be managed for a
long time.

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Katra - 31 Aug 2003 01:44 GMT

> After an expensive bout of pancreatitis for Beau the epileptic dog, and a
> mammary tumor removal for Secondo the cat (who knows what that will
[quoted text clipped - 22 lines]
>
> Thanks.

Both of those are good guesses... If he is drinking a lot of water,
Diabetes would be the better of the two guesses. :-P I've never had a
diabetic cat, but I do have a hyperthyroid one and it's not TOO bad, you
just have to keep up with it. Daily.

I feel for you.

About 2/3 of my cats now are 10 years or older so I'm beginning to gain
some real experience in geriatric care. Not that I didn't with the last
5 that died over the past few years.... <sigh>

Pharoh was around 15 and died of liver failure, both Princess and Stormy
died from metastatic Breast cancer at around 14 or so, Ladybug died of
just plain old age at 16, and I lost Indigo earlier this year at only 12
from a URI that ran thru 22 of my group. :-( He was never a healthy cat
in the first place and neither is his sister, who is still at the vet
after 8 days with that spinal problem. I spoke with Dr. House this
morning and Laurel is not doing well. We will do what we can for her for
the time being, but if her intestines do quit, I'll have to have her put
to sleep. I anticipate losing her probably within the next 2 months or
so, but she will be extensively babied while she is still with me.

I'm still debating keeping her in a large crate for now, or just letting
her run free in the livingroom and keeping an eye on her. I'll ask the
vet what she thinks. The crate I have is 24" x 36" x 24" high so there
is ample room for a small litter box. She can't walk very well.

Life sucks. <sigh> Y'all may think that with 36 cats, I can't possibly
love nor care for each individual, but you are so wrong.... They are my
fur babies.

K. (soon to be 35)

>^,,^< Cats-haven Hobby Farm >^,,^< Katra@centurytel.net >^,,^<

"There are millions of intelligent species in the universe, and they are
all owned by cats" -- Asimov

Custom handcrafts, Sterling silver beaded jewelry
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