I didn't post this last week because there was so much worry and unhappiness on Purrs, but I've taken Blip to the vet today as a precursor to having her hips x-rayed. She's been stumbling occasionally on her right side when she lands from an upward jump, she won't groom that flank and she doesn't like me grooming it for her.
So I took her in for blood tests today to check that we're OK to go ahead with sedation and x-rays early next week.
The vet found on examination that Blip is uncomfortable with having her hips extended even slightly, but her knee caps are not unduly mobile, so it's definitely her hips that are suspect and I'd like to know exactly what we're dealing with.
The three vet nurses were occupied with discharging patients at the time we went, so I had the honour of holding Blip's head for the blood test. I was delighted that both Blip and the vet trusted me to do this properly: Blip was good as gold.