Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Poor kitty (part deux) - pooperific

Don't read this if poop stories gross you out. :P

I was up pretty much all night taking care of Deuce. The diarrhoea was persisting so I called up the clinic at 3:30 this morning to ask for advice. Of course their advice was to monitor him overnight and then call in the morning if he still wasn't better.

He kept running in and out of his box, sometimes doing something, other times just going in and out. Whether he did anything or not, he was continuously vocal. Yes, I know he's a cat, and cats meow, but this just wasn't like him. I ended up calling the clinic and got an appointment for 1:20pm.

Josh picked me up and he took us to the clinic. Since it was his lunch hour, he couldn't stay there and wait for the appointment.

The doctor took us early, and this was the same doctor from Sunday (not the idiot, or rather the one I now refer to as the idiot). The doctor who discharged him on Monday said that he was healthy and good to go home because he had a solid stool. The doctor today said that she looked through the file and there was no evidence that he even had a bowel movement while he was in. I told her to look into this and get me an answer as to why the other vet lied (though I didn't say that the vet lied...but I should have). I told her that we never would have taken Deuce home on Monday had we known this and argued with her over her bill. She waived today's consultation fee. We're still looking at another $350+, not that money is the key motivator, but still...every bit helps.

She took Deuce downstairs to examine him, and I asked her to clean him up a little (I'll spare you the details, yet again).

She came back up, said that she felt his stomach and he doesn't feel blocked and he's not sore, which is a good thing. She asked me if he was still having gas, and I felt like saying "He has more gas than a truck driver at a bean festival", but instead just said "yes". She is going to put him on yet another medication, which is stronger and is a more directed medication for bowel and stomach upset. They may have to do another stool sample and send it out. The vet also said that if Deuce continues having diarrhoea, they may have to tape his tail. Poor thing.

The one good thing is that every time he had diarrhoea, I would take the syringe, fill it up with water and squirt it in his mouth, so he didn't get dehydrated. That would have set off a whole other set of problems for him.

The interesting thing about his previous medication was that the side effects were diarrhoea. So was he getting diarrhoea because he was sick or was it continuing because of the medication?

She said that the dosage was so low that it wouldn't have been the medication, but she still can't figure out what caused this. I decided to leave him there until Sunday, since we were going to board him anyways because we're going to spend the weekend with Nic and Tim.

I felt like such an idiot, signing the admission slips and sobbing.

Anyways, after all this, I went home to have lunch, since I hadn't eaten since last night. It's not exactly conducive to a healthy appetite when you're constantly cleaning the litter box, tackling the cat to give him medication and squirting water in his mouth with a syringe...and not to mention cleaning him up.

Once I got home from work, I called for an update on him. I was told that he's bright, resting comfortably with his paws folded under his body, he ate, but didn't have a bowel movement. Deuce is probably confused as to why he's there. I feel SO bad.

*sigh*

5 comments:

D & S said...

I'm sorry to hear the little guy isn't doing well. Hopefully it's just a weird kitty flu bug and he'll be ok soon.

M and M said...

Poor Deuce...

I don't have any pets and I am unsure what it is or why one would have to tape his tail?

I hope he gets better soon!! He will be as good as new by Sunday - maybe you should rethink the dental work if he is feeling beter and since he will be there that long...

Rhonda said...

Well, not to be too graphic about it, but they'd have to tape his tail in case he has more diarrhoea...it wouldn't be too pleasant for him (or us) if his tail went through it) ;)

Anonymous said...

I am sorry about Deuce. Not a good kitty day for anyone!

Sam said...

Poor Deuce! Our big cat, Harry, has been in the emergency vet more times than our toddler has been to the doctor! Hope you all get some rest and an answer. Happy Thanksgiving!

BTW, I always cry when I have to leave one of the animals at the vet. I'm so lame!