Friday, October 19, 2007

He has to be wrong...right?! ***UPDATE - AGAIN***

I took Deuce into the vet this morning because the rash on his chin wasn't healing properly and he was bleeding a little the other day. I figured it was better to have him checked out than to leave it like this. He wasn't in *ANY* pain from it, I could stroke his chin and he wasn't scratching at it.

This all started when we were packing up to move, he would go up to the boxes and rub his chin on them. At first I thought he was just trying to rub his scent on the boxes (as most cats do), but he persisted, and I felt it was high time to get him seen. He also needed a few shots today as well.

He was good in the car, I opened the cage door so he could poke his head out and he ended up sitting on my lap (my FIL drove us). We got to the clinic and he knew where he was, but for the first time EVER he let me put him on the scale (he's 14 pounds).

For those of you who don't know Deuce, he can be a bit pissy hissy at the vet and they usually need a few techs to hold him down.

We were finally seen by the vet and he told me that they don't do the shots for FIV (it's basically HIV for cats - yes, THAT HIV), but they would test him to make sure he didn't have that. They also don't do the vaccination for Feline Leukemia anymore, but would do a blood test for that as well.

Deuce got a bit upset on the exam table so the vet ended up taking him downstairs for his exam. He came up a few minutes later saying that Deuce has...acne. Yes, acne. Apparently he has a few in-grown hairs, so they ended up shaving his chin (poor baby) and I have to apply a warm compress to his chin a few times a day and rub a cream into it afterwards.

Anyways, while Deuce was being examined downstairs, the vet told me that cats who get this kind of thing are prone to having Feline Leukemia. Great.

I told him that we've had Deuce for nine years and that he's been healthy all along. He told me that it could be dormant and then show up all of a sudden. Long story short, they took the blood sample but I won't find out if he has that until sometime next week.

I hate weekends...

***I'll be updating the post and answer all your questions/concerns here (so the post might get REALLY long), rather than posting a comment on my own posts (if that makes sense). I don't know how many of you would bother to come back and re-read it.

M, the reason they aren't vaccinating him anymore against FeLV (Feline Leukemia) is because he's a 100% indoor cat. He's never been outside and he's never been exposed to any other cats (and those are the main ways he could become infected). I'm not really sure why he said that Deuce could have it though, but I'm still more than a bit worried (and will remain so) until the results are in.

No, Robin he doesn't have a new food bowl. I thought at first he might be allergic to the new carpeting or perhaps it's just a stress reaction from all the 'new'.

Heather, thanks for letting me know that I'm not the only freak (and I mean that in the nicest possible sense) out there with a cat that has acne. ;)***

14 comments:

"M2" said...

first of all.........carriers usually never get sick
secondly......9 is kinda old to first have symptoms
and why don't they vaccinate for it???

dreamer said...

best wishes.

Robin said...

just a thought... any chance you got duece a new kitty bowl? My sisters dog had issues that sound very simialar. His chin just kept breaking out with a rash. Come to find out, he is allergic to his new stainless steal bowl. She switched him to ceramic and his chin is clearing up nicely.

Headmeister said...

One of my cats has the chin acne BAD. But he won't let us get near it. Sometimes it takes both of us to hold him to put the neosporin on (yep - that's what our vet said to use). But it's so hard getting at his chin that we pretty much just leave him alone with it now. It's not bothering him so why torture him.

What I can tell you to help it from coming back as bad as it is now (and it WILL come back...) is that if you have plastic bowls for Deuce for his food/water - toss them and get metal or ceramic ones. The plastic breeds germs that never quite go away when washed. The germs then make the acne worse. We found this info after Googling the cat acne thing, and since getting the metal bowls, Poagie's (like Hoagie) chin has been much much better.

OziMum said...

Well, he's 9, I think I started getting a few zits at 9!!!

Poor thing! Hope his nasty rash/acne clears up soon!

M and M said...

I am sorry that Deuce is not at his optimum right now.

I hope all is well - keep us updated.

Liz and Ava said...

Hoping Deuce feels better soon!

Anonymous said...

Poor cat.

Cari said...

My Tyler had chin acne too...weird.

Cari

4D said...

Poor Deuce! He is a late bloomer.

Keep smilin!

Kristine said...

Yea, I agree with Heather. We have four ceramic cat dishes that go in the dishwasher regularly. We also feed kitty raw food so it is kind of a must. I HATE waiting too, for EVERYTHING!! It WILL be good news on Monday for Mr. Deuce.

Deb said...

Awww poor lil Duece. Hope you find out what's bothering him soon. Thinking of him...

Headmeister said...

Hi Freak!

Glad you found comfort in the fact that my kitty needs Clearsil...lol ;)

Love,
The Other Freak

"M2" said...

oh........thought you meant your vet altogether stopped giving the FIV vaccine.....
yep.....indoor cats need no vaccinations unless you board them