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Vibes for Lucy please

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2016 12:51 pm
by booktigger
We have suspected Lucy might have arthritis for a while, but as taking her for her boosters left me bleeding and bruised, I have been using supplements till she needed to go for something else!! Last Tue, she started limping, so got her in at the vets on Wed. The vet does suspect it is arthritis, but because she came from a domestic abuse background, she want's to x-ray, in case it is an old injury that never got treated. I'm a tad concerned, because I had one cat who ended up having her leg amputated because her old injury hadn't been treated properly, and one who's limp was cancer - I'm hoping I'm over-reacting, but I am known for having cats with unusual health issues, regardless of how healthy they seem when I adopt them!! Her x-rays are this Thu.

Re: Vibes for Lucy please

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2016 1:00 pm
by meriad
Sending tons of vibes for you and Lucy. fingers crossed the x-ray confirms it is 'just' arthritis and nothing more sinister. And hopefully once you have a confirmed diagnoses you can come up with a treatment plan that doesn't involve you being left bleeding and bruised.

I know with my old Molly acupuncture was a huge help, but that I suspect won't be an option for your Lucy?

Good luck, tons of vibes and fusses to your girl x

Re: Vibes for Lucy please

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2016 1:35 pm
by booktigger
The vet is just doing an acupuncture course, so very enthusiastic, but it requires weekly visits for a month, and I don't know how she would tolerate it - it took two attempts to take her for her boosters!

Re: Vibes for Lucy please

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2016 3:15 pm
by Ruth B
I'll be keeping everything crossed for you that it is nothing worse than arthritis and you can get a course of treatment you can give at home. Last time we had to take our youngsters for their boosters we end up turning up with only one of the two and and with lacerated arms and hands, only just scabbing over. When I did try again for Freyja I knew I had one chance, the box was already open, I grabbed her by the scruff, dropped her in the box, shut it and dropped a handy towel over it to calm her down. We were two hours early for the appointment but as I had explained when I made the appointment I just had to take any chance offered. Fortunately she froze at the vets so there wasn't a problem there.

While it might not be practical for Lucy, I can also add good things about acupuncture. My mothers cat had it for arthritis and it worked really well. I was always sceptical about it on humans, thinking it was just a placebo effect, however you can't explain to an animal that having needles put in you is going to make you feel better so I now think there is more to it.

Re: Vibes for Lucy please

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2016 6:55 am
by OHWS
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Re: Vibes for Lucy please

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2016 8:51 am
by bobbys girl
All good vibes coming your way. Isn't it a shame we can't explain that we do these things for their benefit and we have to resort to towels and, in Tommy's case, gauntlets!

Hoping you get some positive news very soon.

Re: Vibes for Lucy please

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2016 10:16 am
by Crewella
Hopefully it is nothing worrying, and it will be better to know rather than have a lingering concern at the back of your mind. All paws here crossed for Lucy. xx

I have found heat pads or heated beds effective too.

Re: Vibes for Lucy please

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2016 3:34 pm
by Lilith
Vibes coming from my lot and me for Lucy - all the best x

Re: Vibes for Lucy please

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2016 9:11 pm
by Mayday21
Hi Booktigger +Ve vibes from me & the 3 Musketeers for Lucy & that's it's not serious & is arthritis. As well as acupuncture the vet clinic where I volunteer, do deep laser therapy for arthritis & have had great results. Does anyone remember the red 'ray' lamps used in the old days!? It's a modern ray light. Our locum vet used it on his arthritis & it worked. Hope you have good news soon. Vivian

Re: Vibes for Lucy please

Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2016 1:36 am
by Mrs Kane
Vibes being sent from Spain. I'm afraid I can't offer advice but I'm sending good thoughts your way. (Encouraging Sofi to do so too but she's too busy destroying a cereal box.) (She cares in her own way)

Re: Vibes for Lucy please

Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2016 1:45 pm
by lilynmitz
Hope it's nothing too serious. Lily had awful arthritis in her legs and back, but putting her on metacam made a huge difference.

Re: Vibes for Lucy please

Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2016 1:35 pm
by MarkB
Fingers crossed for her and hopefully a reduced dose will do the trick. Alice was on Metacam for years, without any problems. It made a huge difference - especially when she first started on it. She started climbing up on things again and her appetite improved.

Re: Vibes for Lucy please

Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2016 2:47 pm
by booktigger
MarkB wrote:Fingers crossed for her and hopefully a reduced dose will do the trick. Alice was on Metacam for years, without any problems. It made a huge difference - especially when she first started on it. She started climbing up on things again and her appetite improved.
Lucy definitely has nothing wrong with her ability or appetite, although she is picky with wet food, yet will fight you for Chinese food!

Re: Vibes for Lucy please

Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2016 7:20 pm
by booktigger
Back from the vets, she has hip dysplasia, both hips are affected but right is worse and she is starting with arthritis because of it. Treatment is longterm supplements and metacam, and regular bloods to make sure the metacam isn't causing any issues. We also need to get some more weight off her. She could end up less grumpy though

Re: Vibes for Lucy please

Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2016 7:37 pm
by alanc
Poor Lucy. No wonder she was grumpy. Hope the treatment works. Hip Dysplasia is something that I was aware off because it tends to affect Maine Coons more than other cats but fortunately have not seen (both Badger and Tilly were screened for it).

Re: Vibes for Lucy please

Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2016 6:25 pm
by booktigger
Have spoken to the vet again today, we are going to try Cartrophen or acupuncture before metacam - she is booked in with a vet who can do both, and see which she thinks we should do first. I'll keep her on Metacam till the app

Re: Vibes for Lucy please

Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2016 8:52 pm
by bobbys girl
Ouch! Poor Lucy. Tell her I really sympathise. I'm really suffering with my shoulder and now both hands. I just hope the vet can do more for her than the NHS can do for me!

Re: Vibes for Lucy please

Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2016 9:56 pm
by Mayday21
Hi Booktigger the laser treatment the clinic uses replaces cartrophen in some cases. Hip issues ouch .. I have hip issues but yoga seems to be helping. Though fur babes are so much better than me at yoga poses :lol: Willlook for outcome after your visit to the vet.Vivian

Re: Vibes for Lucy please

Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2016 1:49 am
by Crewella
Poor Lucy, I sympathise with hip issues too - I've had a hip replacement since my early 20s. Hopefully you'll be able to help her. xx

Re: Vibes for Lucy please

Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2016 1:41 pm
by booktigger
The vets rang earlier - the vet I was seeing on Wed needs to leave early on Wed (ironically to go to her acupuncture course!), and she doesn't want to rush the appointment, so it has been re-arranged for this evening at 6.30 instead. Fingers crossed we get there, I think we should start with acupuncture, then if she doesn't tolerate it, we can look at the cartrophen, as that is less invasive.

Re: Vibes for Lucy please

Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2016 2:01 pm
by MarkB
Sarah's (camdengirl) cat Pip has been having weekly acupuncture and it seems to be doing some good. Can get expensive though as it needs to be done weekly for so long. Good luck with it.

Re: Vibes for Lucy please

Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2016 2:52 pm
by booktigger
MarkB wrote:Sarah's (camdengirl) cat Pip has been having weekly acupuncture and it seems to be doing some good. Can get expensive though as it needs to be done weekly for so long. Good luck with it.
It's weekly for the first 4 weeks, then monthly. My insurance should cover it though

Re: Vibes for Lucy please

Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2016 8:41 pm
by MarkB
That's good :) - hopefully it will do her good

Re: Vibes for Lucy please

Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2016 1:45 pm
by booktigger
Well, Lucy’s acupuncture session went well – the hardest thing was getting her there! She does have thick fur and thick skin though, so the vet struggled a tad, she just did 4 this week, to see how amenable Lucy was – she did lots of growling and huffing, but nothing more, although she tickled us both when the vet took them out – she waited till the last one was out and then growled!! Vet stroked her after, but I had to tell her to stop when Lucy started huffing, as if you ignore that, she will bite. She then slinked off down the table, which was also quite amusing, but refused to go back in the carrier, she was growling and resisting me, never known a cat so bad to get in the carrier at the end of the appointment!! We are booked in again next Tue, although with the other vet who can do acupuncture. I didn’t realise my vets did direct payments, so as I had paid last week, I thought I would have to pay for this and do one claim, but they have offered to do 2 claims for me, one to me for what I paid last week, and then a direct claim to them for the acupuncture, and even though it is more expensive, I’m going to get the Seraquin through them, so it can be added onto the claim. She seemed more vocal after we got back, not sure if she is happier – this morning she was on my knee and I got growled at for no reason. We’ll just have to see how she tolerates 3 more vet visits!!

Re: Vibes for Lucy please

Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2016 9:58 pm
by Mayday21
Hi Booktigger one down three to go. Let us know if Lucy puts 2 & 2 together when you put her in the carrier again. Vivian

Re: Vibes for Lucy please

Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2016 2:05 am
by catslave16
Hi Booktigger, I heard a vet's tip that you may want to try with Lucy when you struggle to get her into her carrier: try to put her in bum first. I've no idea if it works, but surely anything that might reduce the stress on her is worth a try. Poor fur baby, having needles stuck into her. I used to have acupuncture for severe chronic back pain at my hospital's Pain Management clinic and I'm still not convinced it works, but I used to tell myself I'd surely feel worse without it... The only time I remember it actually working was when I had such a severe attack of back pain that three shots of Pethidine in 12 hours had done nothing, then I had acupuncture needles inserted in the usual spots and a low electric current passed through them, and that seemed to do the trick. Hm, not sure how useful this is to Lucy. Anyway, lots of positive vibes from me and Rufus :)

Re: Vibes for Lucy please

Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2016 7:54 pm
by booktigger
catslave16 wrote:Hi Booktigger, I heard a vet's tip that you may want to try with Lucy when you struggle to get her into her carrier: try to put her in bum first. I've no idea if it works, but surely anything that might reduce the stress on her is worth a try. Poor fur baby, having needles stuck into her. I used to have acupuncture for severe chronic back pain at my hospital's Pain Management clinic and I'm still not convinced it works, but I used to tell myself I'd surely feel worse without it... The only time I remember it actually working was when I had such a severe attack of back pain that three shots of Pethidine in 12 hours had done nothing, then I had acupuncture needles inserted in the usual spots and a low electric current passed through them, and that seemed to do the trick. Hm, not sure how useful this is to Lucy. Anyway, lots of positive vibes from me and Rufus :)
It's the catching to put her in the carrier that's the problem, I did the bum first for her booster and she bit!

Re: Vibes for Lucy please

Posted: Thu Nov 03, 2016 2:14 am
by MarkB
Ha Ha -normally they are only to glad to get back in the carrier!

Glad it went OK (ish) anyway.

Might be worth asking, but I don't know if you saw Ingrid's thread recently,when she had an anal Polyp, but the vet said they could do direct payment as it was Petplan. I didn't question it, so said that was easier. The op 'only' cost around £200 and it took 2 weeks for Petplan to settle. My vet charged me £16.50 (not claimable) extra for what they itemised as 'deferred payment plan'!!!! - had I know, I would have just paid upfront. If I was charged £16.50 for a £200 loan over 2 weeks, I would be horrified. I haven't done the maths, but I said at the time, that they probably outdid Wonga.

Fingers crossed it will help her anyway. Sarah's Pip had another session today (yesterday really) and she seems to be used to it now. I had it done a few years back on the NHS.I saw an osteopath who did his thing + acupuncture, but it did nothing for me (IBS related back pain) although I understand cats respond well to it.

Re: Vibes for Lucy please

Posted: Thu Nov 03, 2016 7:41 am
by booktigger
MarkB wrote:Ha Ha -normally they are only to glad to get back in the carrier!

Glad it went OK (ish) anyway.

Might be worth asking, but I don't know if you saw Ingrid's thread recently,when she had an anal Polyp, but the vet said they could do direct payment as it was Petplan. I didn't question it, so said that was easier. The op 'only' cost around £200 and it took 2 weeks for Petplan to settle. My vet charged me £16.50 (not claimable) extra for what they itemised as 'deferred payment plan'!!!! - had I know, I would have just paid upfront. If I was charged £16.50 for a £200 loan over 2 weeks, I would be horrified. I haven't done the maths, but I said at the time, that they probably outdid Wonga.

Fingers crossed it will help her anyway. Sarah's Pip had another session today (yesterday really) and she seems to be used to it now. I had it done a few years back on the NHS.I saw an osteopath who did his thing + acupuncture, but it did nothing for me (IBS related back pain) although I understand cats respond well to it.
I'm at the vets again tonight, so I'll ask - the vet said they can do them online these days

Re: Vibes for Lucy please

Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2016 1:40 pm
by booktigger
When I asked the receptionist, he'd never heard of them charging interest, so should be fine.

I've just spoken to PetPlan, to see if I can buy her supplements online and claim them, and that is fine, as long as the vet signs to show they initially prescribed them!! Her acupuncture comes under complimentary treatment though, so I'll be paying an excess for the x-rays etc, and then a separate (lower) excess for the acupuncture.