Topic: eep new foster-update on Giles (Read 7418 times)

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #32 on:** February 19, 2010, 09:25:16 AM »

Am glad the op went well, and good luck for his repeat bloods. Might be worth using baby wipes to help clear the rest of the dirt out, and I have found with elderly thin cats that those grooming gloves go down quite well, as they are very soft.

snarf · « **Reply #31 on:** February 19, 2010, 08:01:02 AM »

yup the house was done with RIP fleas from the vets before he arrived and after. im sure its old dirt, theres none on lucifer or sparecat and im not being bitten and giles spends alot of time sat on my lap

Tiggy's Mum · « **Reply #30 on:** February 18, 2010, 23:05:46 PM »

Glad the op went well

Have you sprayed the house with Indorex or similar to get rid of any hangers on?

snarf · « **Reply #29 on:** February 18, 2010, 19:36:25 PM »

well it took a while to sort through but my coordinator very much agreed about the op and agreed about their previous vets being the better place.
so Giles had his op today! hes home now, sleeping in the spare room. theyve mended his unbilical hernia as well. he seems to be feeling ok and he did well in the car for the long drive.
his blood tests showed that his blood glucose is borderline for diabetes and hes currently anaemic. it might be thyroid related so hell be retested sunday and next thursday on his follow ups. hopefully itll be ok then, hes been through enough.
he still has alot of flea dirt next to the skin along his back that i cant seem to brush out- his spine and hips are very prominent. im absoloutely positive that he does not currently have fleas, but the vets have seen flea dirt and think he might have

and that thats the probable cause of the anemia.
any ideas for cleaning this out? he has none on the areas i can comb without hurting him its just where the bones are i cant get at.his furs so thick. he only washes his face and front legs at the mo so hes not clearing it at all.

i dropped him off for the op yesterday and didnt think i would find it hard- i cried for the whole 45min drive home! so worried for him all day and missed his weird noises all evening yesterday. ill be a wreck when hes adopted!

snarf · « **Reply #28 on:** January 27, 2010, 20:28:44 PM »

Quote from: Mark on January 24, 2010, 10:31:46 AM

From what I understand, thyroid problems are usually caused by a benign tumour. Although if treated, they won't kill, unchecked they can grow and cause other issues - possibly causing breathing problems or worse. I would say surgery is the only way to go with an otherwise healthy, young cat and I would change vets.

bit of a mix up i think there mark- hes eldery- first vet suggested 8years (not old by purrs standards though!) but we think hes older, hes very stiff around the back and acts like an old lad.

although hes not untreated (hes on vidalta tablets) i agree that the ops best and thats what id be pushing for if it was one of mine.

ive been trying to get hold of my coordinator (her mums been ill so i didnt want to harrass her) to remind her of previous vets opinion and see if i can get her to talk to their usual vet about giles (they were very pro- op too). i did get hold of someone else from the AARU tonight- shes not my coordinator but shes organising the rehoming and first replied to my offer to volunteer- im not sure what her title is? she said that my coordinator had said that she wanted to talk to me about going back to the previous vets for him and that as far as they were concerned they would still like the op unless their vets specifically advised against it in his case so it sounds like itll be ok. ive said that im happy to take any future fosters to their usual vets ( its about 90min round trip- Giles first trip he completely evacuated everything which as hes trying to gain weight we didnt think was best but i thought hed need blood tests for frequenttly)

Mark · « **Reply #27 on:** January 24, 2010, 10:31:46 AM »

From what I understand, thyroid problems are usually caused by a benign tumour. Although if treated, they won't kill, unchecked they can grow and cause other issues - possibly causing breathing problems or worse. I would say surgery is the only way to go with an otherwise healthy, young cat and I would change vets.

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #26 on:** January 24, 2010, 10:27:41 AM »

I am quite disappointed with the vets reaction to this - you can't tell thyroid levels without a test - my vet was convinced Sam didn't need his levels checkign last year as he looked too healthy, but I insisted as I was convinced they had gone up - I was right. And as for not recommending the op for a cat that will take tablets, that is poor practice, as the tablets can cause side effects when taken long term, and there have been a few cases on CC where they have had to be taken off them after a few years because of the side effects. And being on daily medication will make it harder to find a home - and also it means the charity may have to continue paying for him.

Millys Mum · « **Reply #25 on:** January 23, 2010, 18:28:39 PM »

The most recent vet sounds scared of doing the op, the para thyroids can be damaged during surgery causing calcium levels to drop but im quite sure once they get prompt treatment calcium supplements are not a life long treatment, i would guess this vet has messed a few up so prefers not to dabble.
Its a common op now so fingers crossed the rescue go with first vet

ETA, have a read of fab cats info on hyper t, its accurate and safe to believe unlike some websites you can come across!
http://www.fabcats.org/owners/hyperthyroidism/info.html

snarf · « **Reply #24 on:** January 22, 2010, 22:53:43 PM »

Thank you Leanne and yes he is very handsome

hes also a complete cuddlebum

from what ive read either the tablets or the op are acceptable treatments and both have advantages and disadvantages that need matching to the particular cat and circumstances. i dont really feel like either vets are doing this theyve just decided their opinion is .... in general wih exception ......

im no vet but cats that will require tablets daily for life have a disadvantage in rehoming. Giles is lucky that he is handsome gent and hes easy to pill and very affectionate so i dont think itll stop him finding a home. the vet today said something about another gland being close to the thyroid gland and if its damaged it can affect calcium levels (i think) so hed need daily calcium supplements but the vet before said if they stay on vidalta theres a greater risk of organ damage as the thyroid levels fluctuate in the day? its all so confusing but its not my decision to make, ive let the AARU know what each vet has said as weve gone along and ill await further instructions!
but its deff good news for him that he can start looking for a home, im very excited for him he deserves someones full adoration and attention and a slave all of his own. i know im going to cry like a big baby when he gone though!

Leanne · « **Reply #23 on:** January 22, 2010, 12:01:33 PM »

I totally missed this thread the first time round, so congratulations on fostering.

Giles sounds like is in a really good foster home and his a handsome lad, have no idea about the hyperthyroid though, sorry.

Janeyk · « **Reply #22 on:** January 22, 2010, 10:55:05 AM »

He sounds very much how Pepper progressed and the same treatment advised by my vet. I'm not sure why there are conflicting views regarding the treatment although all my oldies have been given tablets rather the op and been ok and I have heard of other oldies who have had the op and been ok too.

snarf · « **Reply #21 on:** January 22, 2010, 10:40:00 AM »

he was back at the vets today as the vet advised on his first blood test to bring him back for another blood in middle jan and theyll see if hes ready for the op.
couldnt get into see the same vet and todays vet doesnt understand why im back as hes not due his bloods yet so i explain. vet does general check, says his heart rates normal and not hyper-T rate anymore. his weights improved (3.1kg now) and he doesnt want to do bloods he also doesnt reccomend the op for any hyperthyroid cat that will take its tablets

the charities origional vet said that they always do the op, the first vet at this practice was keen on the op so why am i being advised different things?

im seriously considering moving vets for my two now and i will certainly be making sure the charity is aware im happy to take any new fosters ( if im allowed them) to their usual vets- i only inquired with giles as the long drive distressed him so much. if id realised how infrequent the blood tests were i wouldnt have tho
so good news is that giles is healthy enough for rehoming process to start, but as hell still be on daily tablets he might find it harder to find a home

fortunatley he really is very easy to pill

snarf · « **Reply #20 on:** November 22, 2009, 22:39:23 PM »

oooo progress! weve been having supervised mixing in the evenings - a little early but there had been no reactions to smells after a few days and no reaction to peering through crack in door a few days after that.
Lucifer and sparecat/kali have ben fab, theyre ignoring him almost completely and quite happy to eat, wash and sleep while hes in the room- at a distance of a few feet.
Giles seems happy and wants to stay out- hes ~~found~~ stolen himself a nice warm soft spot on the beanbag- but does growl if either of mine look like they *might* be heading in his direction (bean bag is under the stairs, about 2ft from the water fountain and the kitchen door where the food is) but hes doing this less. im guessing this is because he knows hes old and slow and feeling a little vunerable?
i dont think ill let him out unsupervised however well they seem to do at least until hes up to normal weight and recovered. dont want to take any chances.

very very proud of lucifer and sparecat

JackSpratt · « **Reply #19 on:** November 17, 2009, 22:10:51 PM »

He's wonderful. And never feel bad for worrying about one of your brood. (I know he's a foster, but that still counts as "one of yours" to me.

)

snarf · « **Reply #18 on:** November 17, 2009, 20:50:03 PM »

thank you guys, i just feel like ill let him down by being a complete boob.

but better safe than sorry. theyre looking at changing his vets so at least he wont have the 90+ min round trip
on the plus side, he got let out for a wander as a reward/apology while mine were out as hes been regularly trying to follow me out which he enjoyed, even had a little face wash

mine havent hissed at his scent on me since friday now and didnt react to him having been in the living room so fingers crossed hell be able to be out in the evenings soon. very proud of how well theyve behaved

Quote from: Desley (booktigger) on November 17, 2009, 08:19:54 AM

Glad to hear they are going to do the thyroid op, it makes it much easier for rehoming.

i can imagine, it was good news to hear. im guessing this will be when hes stable and gained weight? hes very good with his tablets in anycase (just pop in and he swallows

)

Millys Mum · « **Reply #17 on:** November 17, 2009, 13:10:09 PM »

Well done for noticing! Some hernias can be very serious so you didnt drag him there for nothing, if his intestine had been involved he would be thanking you

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #16 on:** November 17, 2009, 08:19:54 AM »

Am glad this little one is safe now - his fur might not ever grow back, it depends how much has been rubbed with the collar. Glad to hear they are going to do the thyroid op, it makes it much easier for rehoming. Runny tums are quite normal, but it can also be a side effect of Vidalta, so just keep an eye on it, he might need his dosage/meds changing.

Tiggy's Mum · « **Reply #15 on:** November 16, 2009, 22:57:02 PM »

I think anyone would have done the same, how were you to know it wasn't something more serious

snarf · « **Reply #14 on:** November 16, 2009, 21:21:52 PM »

im feeling a little silly, theres now yet another vet that probably has me on their records as neurotic and crazy

i found a lump on giles late last night- stomach just infornt of left thigh. paniced, worried and paced. rang welfare lady today (who is lovely, i feel awful disturbing her) who got in touch with the vets and agreed i should take him in. and its a abdominal hernia- something to do with his belly button. and the lump i can feel is the fat poking through. vet even demonstrated how i can poke it back in. she said theyll fix it when hes in for his thyroid op as its not serious. so ive dragged poor giles across nottingham ( he doesnt like car journeys) for no good reason

snarf · « **Reply #13 on:** November 15, 2009, 23:05:49 PM »

Thank you, ill keep the cat milk in mind for when his tums more stable then. he seems bright and confident in himself, straight up when i open the door making "ACK!" noises

and always trys to follow me out. Hes not washing himself though so hes either so out of the habit or feeling abit crappy/insecure still? Spare cat didnt wash herself for about 3 weeks i think (and ob hadnt in a while) and shes an impeccably groomed young lady now

- am i right in thinking just let him get to it in his own time? or does he need a hand to get started?

i dont know how much effect it has on their mood? arghh so many things to worry about!

Millys Mum · « **Reply #12 on:** November 15, 2009, 18:41:41 PM »

If hes had a runny tummy i wouldnt worry straight away about getting more/rich foods into him as it may well return. He will soon plump up when the tablets get him under control

Janeyk · « **Reply #11 on:** November 15, 2009, 18:34:27 PM »

Cat milk is good for building them up, well it put weight on Byron and I know a few other cats on Purrs, if they like it - Byron used to have a saucer every morning with her breakfast

snarf · « **Reply #10 on:** November 15, 2009, 18:27:17 PM »

Thank you for the support guys
weve had a fraught few days, hes had a runny tum and ive been worrying obsessivly but that cleared up late yesterday (cue me texting the world about solid poo and dancing about the house

) hes very good with his tablets actually i think he prefers them to the ear drops and if you put a warm towel around him you could do anything! hes not eating a huge amount tho- 2/3- 3/4 tin a day? is that normal or is he on too high a dose? im so worried about how thin he is-so thankful he got in before this storm. is there anything in particular i can feed him to build him up?

Janeyk · « **Reply #9 on:** November 12, 2009, 06:52:02 AM »

awwwwwwwwwwwwwww he's gorgeous, I have a 17 year old hyperthyroid cat on Vidalta, we managed to get his thyroid stable and weight up in just a few months, it' can be tricky at times and involves ensuring they take their tablets whole (not crushed) and me feeding him every few hours

good luck with Giles

Bazsmum · « **Reply #8 on:** November 12, 2009, 01:31:13 AM »

Congrats on you being a volunteer snarf! He's a lovely gent!

Tiggy's Mum · « **Reply #7 on:** November 11, 2009, 23:31:05 PM »

There's quite a few of us on here who have experience of hyperthyroid so if there's anything you need to know just ask away

Once the thyroid levels are under control he should be able to build his weight back up. Have lots of sneaky cheats for tablet giving too if you need them

snarf · « **Reply #6 on:** November 11, 2009, 22:58:28 PM »

Quote from: Mark on November 11, 2009, 22:50:31 PM

Any signs that you may join the "failed fosterer's club" like myself?

There is something about the old 'uns

lucifer might kill me!
the head says the house isnt really big enough for 3 forever cats. he is lovely though. im trying very hard not to get too attached and hope he gets rehomed quick!

snarf · « **Reply #5 on:** November 11, 2009, 22:55:03 PM »

Quote from: Tiggy's Mum - Helen on November 11, 2009, 22:31:58 PM

Giles is beautiful, lets hope a nice foster home with lots of TLC can restore him to his former glory Is he on tablets for his thyroid?

yep, hes on 15mg vidalta once daily for the thyroid and Canaural drops twice daily for his ears. the vets have done todays (and frontline + milbemax) so i dont know how hell behave but he seems very laid back

it doesnt show well in the photos but he has a very scowly face, guessing from the weight loss, he does have beautiful eyes and beautiful markings and a lovely temperment. hopefully with medication and care we can get him back. he must have been stunning once, hes got these lovely tufts on his ears and quite long fur in places

i dont know much about hyperthyroidism (?) so i think ive got alot of reading to do

Mark · « **Reply #4 on:** November 11, 2009, 22:50:31 PM »

Any signs that you may join the "failed fosterer's club" like myself?

There is something about the old 'uns

Tiggy's Mum · « **Reply #3 on:** November 11, 2009, 22:31:58 PM »

snarf!

Giles is beautiful, lets hope a nice foster home with lots of TLC can restore him to his former glory

Is he on tablets for his thyroid?

MooCat · « **Reply #2 on:** November 11, 2009, 22:27:52 PM »

He looks like a lad that needs a bit of luck and i think hes finally found it , great that you volunteered and can offer much needed help.

snarf · « **Reply #1 on:** November 11, 2009, 22:19:04 PM »

ive kept quiet about this and the pent up excitment has darn near killed me!
about a month ago i applied to be a volunteer fosterer for the AARU in notts, had homecheck sat just gone and today got the call to pick up.

its a middle aged/old lad (now named Giles) with hyperthyroid and abit of an ear problem. hes so heartbreakingly thin and worn looking. i actually did cry when i got a good look at him

they think hes been stray for a while but hes got that short bit of fur around the neck that they get from collars- dont know how long that would take to go?

hes incredibly friendly and just seems to want affection. purrs like a tractor and meows like a kazzooo

he was sick on the drive home so i might see if a different vet can be used- the one hes at is 40min drive from me and hes got more blood test appointments etc. i dont mind the time but hes obviously not happy in the car. mind you he might be just as bad with 2 minutes?

hes safely hugging the radiator in the spare room and hes had some tinned food but i also poached some coley for him- is that ok? i was doing some to bribe lucifer and spare cat (theyre not overjoyed) and thought its bland enough not to upset him and protein etc
Lucifers had a few good hisses at my hand and the door (not spitty hisses), spare cat seems interested but shes not really hissed. i think given time and gentle introductions theyll be ok. theyre not agitated they just dont like the smell (he is a little wiffy

)

Author Topic: eep new foster-update on Giles (Read 7418 times)