With so much love coming your way, he stands a very good fighting chance. :hug: :hug: Keep strong, sweetheart.
Might seem cruel but is there any way you could put him in a carrier or something to stop him getting agitated or coming to any harm, just so he might get some badly needed sleep.
I've noticed that his normal, favourite under the chin rub isn't happening as he doesn't want it - think the back of his neck must be so sore that he doesn't want to lift his head, which is why he sleeps nose down too maybe?After what has happened he must feel like he has a terrible crick in his neck. Hopefully now he's coming down off the steroids the sleeping is a good sign. :hug:
Maybe its just Amber that has a thing about olbas oil then :evillaugh:. Put it this way when I put in on my pillow when I had a cold I got woken in the night by Amber digging my pillow, drooling, sucking and going totally mad for it.My family cat, Dalby used to have a thing for it as well. I came into my room once to find half of the pillowcase soaked in drool, she used to just lie there dribbling and inhaling it...
Off he went for another little wander this afternoon, but got into the passage and turned back. He found it unsettling and was a lot more confident coming back than venturing out. But then he demanded (and got of course) a mega tum rub so we had a good 20 mins of purring. Made me ridiculously happy.
QuoteOff he went for another little wander this afternoon, but got into the passage and turned back. He found it unsettling and was a lot more confident coming back than venturing out. But then he demanded (and got of course) a mega tum rub so we had a good 20 mins of purring. Made me ridiculously happy.
Makes me ridiculously happy to hear it too! :wow: :wow: :hug: Brave little soldja. :)
I am pleased Swampy is doing so well but my instinct is to not move him from his current environment until he is feeling well enought to do it by himself.
He so needs to get used to being able to wander by himself without getting scared and to change environment how ever tempting, may not be good for him. You must remember its not just that he is blind and deaf but also that he has had a terrible accident which has caused real problems for him.
If you did move him, I do hope it went OK and am sending lots of good vibes to Swampy for being such a brave little cat :hug: :hug: :hug:
But it's so lovely to hear that dark brown purr.Nom nom nom! :wow: The best sound in the world. :)
whoopsed all his lunch all over the bed (joy)
How handsome he looks brave and good little man. He has so much love directed at him from the Purrs people and cats and such a caring and devoted mummy he can't fail to do well in life.
Every moment's so special, especially when he's happy.Aren't they just? :) Popping by to offer Swampy an early evening tummy rub. And topping up the healing vibes too. :hug:
. Do you know if it's safe for me to give him Pepcid (1/4 tablet) every day or must it be every 2 days?
Please do not apologise for long posts, we all want to hear everything that is going on with Swampy so we know when to send extra hugs as well as the usual daily ones.
QuotePlease do not apologise for long posts, we all want to hear everything that is going on with Swampy so we know when to send extra hugs as well as the usual daily ones.
Too right! Well said.
Swampymaxmum you are an inspiration to everyone in how you have cared for your little man (I know we'd all do the same but still), and how much you love them shines though in your posts. I take my hat off to you.
I wish there was some sunshine for Swampy today.
He said how old Swampy was looking and how this has really knocked him back and what an old, retired boy he was now.
As Swampy'd had a better start to the day, I'm in tears as I type this as I KNOW he's old and hasn't got too long left, but I'm so proud of how well he's done
how would you use it with a cat if they don't always sleep in the same place?
He said though that some people let their cats or dogs go on like this for ages and that's their decision but he thinks we must now seriously consider pts (as if we hadn't, all weekend) if this week shows no improvement and we talked that through, which helped me to understand how he does it. He told me he uses a firm in Cambridge for cremations, KT or something like that. I could see that he thinks it won't be long now as he spoke gently to me about what a lovely life Swampy has had with us.
Kate would it be safe to have Swampy in the bedroom with you with the door closed? Perhaps if you got him used to it in the daytime?
Perhaps if you ask your regular vet what he would do if it was his cat?
he seems to enjoy grooming Max and still cleans himself.
you're so right. You must be so fed up telling me those wise words (but I panic of course). :hug: to you and little Paddy :hug:
I expect that I will know when it is time. Doubt is probably a sign that it isn't. xx
btw I'm having trouble getting his pred down him. The pills aren't coated and they hit his tongue and he starts drooling and foaming as they must taste repulsive. This doesn't happen with his other tablets (although I'm worried that he gets them all before meals and may start to associate food with being tortured beforehand). I tried them coated in some yoghurt but he just spat and drooled yoghurt as well.
Next dose is due around lunch time. They are very tiny so if you coat them in some food, they'll stick to my finger. Any ideas? He is getting them twice a day at present - one tab lunchtime and 1/2 at night.
They don't go down easily like Fortekor does. (he sat on my lap like a sleepy baby and gulped down his fortekor - it was so sweet).
Hi Kate,
With regards to the "light" for swampy I'm not sure if they would be able to help but have you thought about contacting somewhere that does "hydroponic systems / lighting" they may be able to suggest something. Obviously you don't want a complete hydroponic system (unless of course you fancy setting up a cannabis factory in your lounge!) but I would imagine you can buy just 1 or 2 of the lights.
If you do a search for Grow lights it will bring up plenty of suppliers.
This site seems to described every different kind of light.
http://www.goldenseed.co.uk/growroomlights.html
Not sure if this sort of thing would be any good "Wonderlite® Self-Ballasted Mercury Vapor Plant Grow Light" http://homeharvest.com/spotgrowlightbulbs.htm
Just a thought. When do you give Swampy his Fortekor?
I have seen morning recommended on quite a few sites. Clapton has his in the evening. I don't know if there is a better time?
does it say why?
Just a thought. When do you give Swampy his Fortekor?
I have seen morning recommended on quite a few sites. Clapton has his in the evening. I don't know if there is a better time?
does it say why?
I don't think so. Maybe when the body is processing food etc, it is more effective? - no idea really.
good night from me and from the igloo dwellers! I put my head in there to kiss his tum and it's so cosy and warm in there. Sadly I won't fit! :hug: :hug: everyone.
and he trotted down the passage and I followed him and my little wonderman has popped himself on to the bed, all by himself! I nearly burst into tears to be honest. Plus he had a good night and didn't wake me - I opened my eyes to find OH cuddling him in the kitchen at 6am,,
My vet is away again until wednesday this week but the locum is going to call me. I suggested to the nurse having a visit and upping cortisone and at least trying to make Swampy comfortable until wednesday.
He was very bad in the night, up all night and circling. He's not eaten as well either. He found the tray once and the water once, but not again and also couldn't get back. He goes round and round faster and faster, sometimes he sits down to recover, then it starts again and I rescue him. The vet had told me to let him circle a bit as it helps his dizziness, but it's so so hard as I know you understand.
The sun's out and I'm hoping that at least he can have a little snooze today in the warmth. When I rescue him from circling, he purrs with relief and still loves being cuddled and kissed. Oh, he has just found his way back to the igloo! He is fighting so hard that I must let him have cortisone - who cares if it's a high dose if it gives him even a day or two of relief.
xx everyone
He sits and rests on the futon or in his igloo. I hope that will change later on as I am sure he is mighty tired.The Proot behaved in a similar way when he was having a large dose of Prednisoline - and I've had steroids in the past which had the same effect on me, was exhausted and could rest but not sleep. Hoep he gets some snoozes soon.
One more thing I will say, it is something I always stick to with my cats, as I wasn't strong enough the first time and it meant she went alone, is that it is much better to lose a week with them than let them go a minute too long, and the fact is that his life his hard and there is very little chance of improvement. It is incredibly hard getting the timing right, but I would always prefer to have a bit less time with them, and them have some dignity left.
this is what he has wrong with him (vestibular disease) http://www.petstyle.com/cat/health_well_article.aspx?id=365§ion=Health%20amp%20Safety
However there is a tiny chance that a brain can learn to compensate for a part of it being damaged - this may only be applicable in a younger cat though.
PS found steroid gobbed out on to the carpet! He must have pouched it this morning. I'll give him 1/2 pill tonight. Do you know if those pillpoppers work nicely?
thanks for the pillpopper pic - that's very helpful. Would it take a minute pill? ie a 1/4 vivitonin is really teeny.
Really hard to know, hun :hug: I think I would probably stick with the higher dosage of steroids - maybe today is a delayed reaction to missing fridays and then only having one yesterdayQuote
that's sort of what I'm thinking too. His vestibular disease just suddenly got worse and he's circling in the opposite direction now - which is very odd. I think the question for the vet (inasmuch as he will know or can know) is how soon would a dose reduction have a bad effect? thanks for helping me focus on the question, brain is pretty tired.
Yes if Swampy doesn't improve or stabilise in the next couple of days, I am definitely going up in dose again. If that doesn't work so be it. I just have to feel that I have done everything possible. Oops the patient is up so must go and see what he wants :hug: he wanted tray to pee - but is so dizzy it's horrible. I have to try to stabilise him again, this is just like last sat/sunday.
this isn't meant to come out in the quote - sorry. not sure what happened.
I think the runs are from a mix of antibiotic and steroid this evening. He also ate very well at 6.30. He's not been circling either, so as one thing improves for a while, another takes its place!
let's hope for a good, non run tum, non circly day if possible
Do you know if a urine sample would show anything now that he's on the antibiotics as I may take one down? He told me to do that when the antibiotics were finished, but seeing as though he's deteriorated today I might anyhow if there's any point (?).
What is Zylkene please? And is it safe for kidneys? thanks xx
Ps just seen your link and have emailed it to my vet. I need to get anything okayed by him. I've got my hopes up again, thank you :hug: xx
The nurse is ringing up the manufacturers to ask. She also checked the VN forums - the main issue seems to be whether it works well or not, not whether it is safe, so may well be worth a try. Being Friday, don't suppose I can get it until monday or probably tuesday though which is a pity. I also asked her to ask if Cystaid was worth a go or if this is too advanced a problem for that.
Many thanks for the suggestion :thanks: :hug:xx
If Swampy is anaemic, I have to give him a sub Q injection - he showed me how (nervous??? me?????!!!!) and I'll have to manage.
:hug: thanks. I'm not doing too well, just not sure how many more times he can fight back. Spent most of the afternoon watching my little brown ears sleep and not too good in stopping the tears. I know life's unfair but these neuro illnesses are just so cruel, as he was so good yesterday and is such a sad little man today it breaks my heart and I just don't know how I am going to cope without him. He's always been there for me, through some very difficult times, and brought me through with his love and the terribly deep bond we have. Sorry, but I know that on here you understand. On here I'm not alone in building my life and decisions around a overwhelmingly loved little one, which in the 'real ' world people just don't understand.
:hug: thanks. I'm not doing too well, just not sure how many more times he can fight back. Spent most of the afternoon watching my little brown ears sleep and not too good in stopping the tears. I know life's unfair but these neuro illnesses are just so cruel, as he was so good yesterday and is such a sad little man today it breaks my heart and I just don't know how I am going to cope without him. He's always been there for me, through some very difficult times, and brought me through with his love and the terribly deep bond we have. Sorry, but I know that on here you understand. On here I'm not alone in building my life and decisions around a overwhelmingly loved little one, which in the 'real ' world people just don't understand.
Kate i think we have all been there, wondering how on earth we will cope without one of our babies :hug:
Clare do you think it doesn't upset everyone of us who reads it? What about the days when he plays with Max, and climbs the stairs and pinches food and climbs on the bed? I am sorry but your post has annoyed me if you can't take the upset then don't read the post.
Clare do you think it doesn't upset everyone of us who reads it? What about the days when he plays with Max, and climbs the stairs and pinches food and climbs on the bed? I am sorry but your post has annoyed me if you can't take the upset then don't read the post.
I think we all do :hug: and I think alot of people feel the same as Clare, I too find it difficult to read so I tend to skim read and now don't post - not because I don't care. What I do now is just respect that I am not there with Swampy and only hope for the best outcome for him xx
Have you got any RC sensitive wet food? It's a good standby when tummies are off. Poor boy. Sometimes the meds work against each other in terms of tolerance. Hope it settles down soon. Big hug to Swampy and big hug to his family too xxxx
But it's not a drug, but a supplement but suppose it could upset his tum? thanks if anyone knows.
just took a sample down to the vet for urinalysis and it was a bit cloudy, so I googled and found this link which explains the whole urinalysis, which I think is quite helpful to know about so am posting it. HTH someone else too
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=0&aid=3136
Swampy got out of his igloo, lay on his back and purred while the vet ticked his tum - and he walked a bit in his circles, but found Max in the other bed and curled up
Juggling act when our babes have multiple problems isn't it.Modern veterinary is both brilliant, and a completely complex nightmare :Crazy:
I have one of those small rubber type brush/massagers and Charlie really chills if you do it under his chin or on top of his head. He sticks his head up and his eyes close and he looks as if he is really enjoying it. It would be nice if you could find something guaranteed to relax Swamps
http://s330.photobucket.com/albums/l424/oldbrebis/?action=view¤t=MVI_4324.flv
Swampy says he may be old and dizzy and very unwell but he still knows just what he likes best.
Now I know I am definitely losing it I could have sworn I did my morning Swampy post but is it there? Noooo. Anyway it went something like this ...
Good morning for a gloriously sunny if a bit nippy Manchester. Hope you had a quiet night ( you didn't) and hope the sun is shining for you and there are lots of sunny patches for Max and Swampy to lie in
:hug:
I was thinking the same MM. After all he's had quite an exciting two days, so he may just be much more tired than normal. :hug:
diffuser has arrived and is quite strong. Do you know anyone if Olbas is safe? It's currently about 2 feet from his nose.
Ps have until tomorrow to find out as the (made in China) vaporiser only worked for 2 mins then conked out. They are sending me a replacement; however may need to try to find a plug in one that I can put on the floor next to him. I can no longer use the ceramic burner as the oil/water mix boils!
I have a vision of garden maniacs carefully dropping a single drop of olbas on an old PG tips bags and plonking them all round their flowerbeds - must look "lovely" ;)Keep laughing at this as - if they'd tried that near my Mum and Dad's they'd have found a fat Dalby cat rolling round in their flowerbeds, chewing the teabag, drooling and looking spaced out :evillaugh:
a spot where Clapton feels relaxed
Don't know about your area but the forecast here is much warmer and sunny tomorrow ;D (followed by 2 days of rain :( )The news said tomorrow is going to be the hotest day this year. Hope Swampy and you enjoy the sun.x
He only got up once in the night, which is very unusual, but it's the second night in a row he's done that. However he wasn't too senior to find the kitchen and eat up Max's Applaws! Not good for him, but to be honest I hope he enjoyed it.
Have you tried the cloths peg trick to see if that stops him wriggling? http://www.felinecrf.org/giving_sub-qs_giving_set.htm#clothes_peg_trick :hug:
He didn't mind the clothes pegs at all. But when I put in the needle, he started going nuts again and getting upset.
I am feeling sad though today as their passports expire tomorrow.
I take a photo or two of them daily so I have a photo diary. OH says all the pics are identical (which they are) but what is wrong with that?! :P
I had it out with him; I told him I've been unwell for their whole lifetimes and they supported me. Now it is my turn to support them until their time has come.
Poor Swampy hes not having much luck just lately is he,hope his eye is a bit better this morning and sending lots of healthy healing vibes for him :hug: :hug:
Could you put plaque off on his food Kate to help with the teeth maybe?
my cats love to lie in front of them, and they are relatively cheap to run
Swampy's not feeling so good today, he's coming off the abx to see if that helps.
Gillian, that heater (they are unsurprisingly out of stock most places until september) is it 1200W? What sort of heat distance does it reach - I would want to put Swampy more than 1 metre away and still have him bathe in the warmth (the theory: he'll probably know straight away it's not the sun). Thanks
Wow and what a year its been for you both, and Swampy defying all odds too.
Loads of vibes and :hug: :hug: :hug: for you both
He said it's "retired burmese on holiday on the riviera"
I was worried about the diuretic with fortekor but the vet says it is safe. Mar Vista vet has a warning which scared me.
:thanks: He ate a little in the night and this morning and was purry so hope it helped. However he's still not pooed since monday which isn't helping. His tum's hard. Vet says he's not had enough to eat, but he has actually. He's also had lactulose in small 3x daily doses. I think with the drop in fluid intake, he's got constipated.Do try a teaspoon of cod liver oil twice a day to help with the constipation when it gets that bad. It works well for my Sophie. Best wishes to you both. :hug:
Weight is still 4.5kgs but some of that could come off if he did poo. I have to give him a bit of fluids tonight and am very nervous about it.
Fortekor hasn't helped Swampy really at all. I think it helps some cats a lot and others not at all for reasons no-one quite understands.That's more or less exactly what our vet said to us, which was at least honest of them. Sorry to hear it's not helping him.
that's twice now Swampy has mistaken the vet's surgery for an extra large litter tray
perhaps he is trying to tell you something ;)
He lay in my arms, purring and then sleeping from 5am. The best present any boy could give his mum.
Loads of healing vibes coming your way for the gorgeous Swampy , hope he has a good night and feels better tomorrow.
I have just had a look and those are what Bungly are on - 2 per day - but since Monday and she has only been on 1 steroid ( vets advice ) -the last 2 days she hasn''t been so good and today she isn''t good at all , she won''t eat anything and is very quiet - i am wondering whether to put her steroids back up to 2 again ? She goes back again Monday and seems like she has lost some fluid to my feeling round her tummy.
Kate i dont really know what to say,but im sure i speak for everyone on Purrs when i say that we are all with you and thinking and praying for you and Swampy :hug: :hug:
What about a facial solarium then Kate, that would be UV lighting! ;) Obviously moved about till correct heat is found as not to burn! ;) That would be your best mimic of the sun!
I cant see any wrong in you changing his forteker dose till evenings as long as he is still getting his daily dose! :hug:
I think the heat of the sun is in the infra-red range, not the UVA/UVB range - but I never did like physics :evillaugh:
UVA and UVB rays from the sun cause you to burn
If anyone has got any foolproof ways to divide up and give bisolvon, I'd be grateful to hear them. I have to divide up a 20g sachet into 12, then somehow give Swampy one of the 12ths for 4 consecutive days. Last time I tried it, powder went anywhere and everywhere and then when I mixed it with water, it stuck to the plastic bowl so Swampy got a tiny dose and mostly water...... :Crazy:
if Swampy seems to be doing OK, and enjoying his life, so what if the test figures don't always add up
they sure don't matter to the Swamp monster himself :hug:
I think what you have to do now Kate is take each day at a time and dont look back, its whats happening today and tomorrow that counts
If Swampys time is limited then worrying about the past wont help you or him as he will pick up on your distress, you need to stay positive for both your sake and Swampy,s
I know you will do whatever it takes wether its what the vet suggests or what you know is best for him ,just stay positive :hug: :hug:
How can I make him sneeze?
so why should she bother I think.
Is Swampy being tube feed now ? :( (sorry if i have missed something )
Is Swampy being tube feed now ? :( (sorry if i have missed something )
Is Swampy being tube feed now ? :( (sorry if i have missed something )
Sorry my error! :-[ :hug:
Swampy's cold is not good. He's making intermittent putt-putt bubbly noises, like a mini motor.
Was she a foreign vet Kate ?
What was her name ?
Was she a foreign vet Kate ?
What was her name ?
I only know her first name, Irene, and yes she is Italian. She is working in England before opening her own clinic in Milan. She's a general vet but specialises in eyes. Do you need to find someone in Europe then? I could try to find out more details.
I bought Solgar Lysine so let's hope it works.
Great news! :wow:yes, used Audacity, which saved to WAV and .aud but can't work out how to do it in MP3 :( and I used iMovie. I have 2 mins of purring. I connected the laptop to the speakers and played his purrs. Wonderful. I highly recommend it for anyone to do, especially if your much loved cat is poorly. I wish I had the skills to put it as a soundtrack to a little video clip of Swampy.
Have you managed to record his purrs yet then? :Luv2:
Kate I read your post with tears in my eyes today :hug: :hug: :hug: to you and swampy
Swampy's feeling better today and has been sitting on my lap purring and slept in my arms last night again with lots of purrs. He's tired after all his walking on wednesday night though.That's good to hear Swampmaxmum and I hope that you are taking more care of yourself and eating better and getting some rest. ;) :hug: :hug:
I think he'd like more energy. When his steroids kick in, he is much happier. The vet knows we only try stuff that has a good chance of improving his quality of life. Everything hinges on his quality of life.
In fact he is now on less treatment than before as we scale back to keep him from being poked with meds and he has injections at home when possible, which he sleeps through! Our feeling is that although he has a short time left to live, he is still fighting and wanting to live. I've told him - I tell his head every day - that it is ok if he wants to give up now.
I pray and really do think that we will know. We have an extremely close bond.
................... I just hope and pray he is at peace now, with Max and in the sun having a lovely reunion.
Could you just leave it where it is for a bit longer please as that would be a comfort for some reason, to log in and see it where it is. I'd also like to know if it's possible to save it all as it is like a diary of my Swampy's last 14 months. I mean to my hdd.
Could you just leave it where it is for a bit longer please as that would be a comfort for some reason, to log in and see it where it is.
sorry, I thought she lived in London
sweetie I sounds like he may not want to learn - some people just get stuck in a rut and like to stay there, in the future (and I sincerely hope that day will come soon as you have so so much to offer) when you have more furry family I'd shop around for another vet who is a bit more up to date in his/her approach