Cat Chat Feline Forum

Tilly would like to tell Lucy that life is much easier if you cooperate with the vets. You get fusses and cuddles and lots more attention if you take your medicine!

Well, just rang the insurance company to check where I stand with the recent tests, vets have been naughty with the claim, and managed to claim for what I paid them on Wed! So had to ring the vets, but the claim person doesn't work on a Sat. Did get an update from the vet, they've managed to get bloods, they haven't come down enough, so she has to stay the weekend, but I can visit this afternoon.

Good luck to the pair of you, all paws crossed here and Shahi python is crossing his tail x

Well, I've been able to visit her yesterday and today. Yesterday I got growled at, but was allowed to feed her chicken, took a good 5 mins before she would tolerate being stroked, but then she was really enjoying it. Got about 12 dreamies in her yesterday. She was much better this morning, she hissed, but wanted to be stroked rather than eating, I then got a slice of chicken into her, before having lovely cuddles and fusses, then got 25 dreamies and about 25 renal biscuits in her, plus a bit of wet food. She has wee'd and poo'd today, which is good. the weekend vet thinks they might just release her tomorrow, but I really hope the normal vet wants to recheck first, I'd rather her stay another 24 hours than be sent home too early. I'll post some pics from my phone. We have 2 outstanding tests, so depends what they show as to what we do next

Really worrying for you, but hopefully she seems to be getting better.

It is, I want her home, but want her to be well

She does look a bit grumpy, but I agree its best she stays at the vets until she is well. Hoping for good news tomorrow.

Vet has just rang, her calcium levels have gone up today, they were 3.02 on Sat, and 3.12 today. The vet did wonder if sending her home would help because she isn’t eating much there, but I’ve asked for her to have some diuretics today in the hope that tomorrows test will show an improvement. It was so tempting to say yes to picking her up, but I’d be too worried.

Vet has rang, her levels have come down to 2.62, so they are happy to send her home tonight, although I have to continue with the diuretic for a week, then she has to go back for a retest. I think she is also coming home on the Antirobe, so that will be interesting as I’ve never tableted her, but the vet says she is coping with them pilling her. Think I’m going to block off under the bed tonight, so Lucy can sleep with me.

That sounds hopeful. Hope you succeed in getting the pills down Lucy!

She's home, but weed in the carrier so smells of wee!

Her parathyroid tests have come back normal – randomly, that only rules out secondary and tertiary hyper-parathyroidism, not primary. We still can’t rule out idiopathic. The plan at the moment is that if her bloods tonight show calcium levels are staying down, we will reduce the diuretic, then she is going back to the main branch next week to re x-ray and repeat bloods. If her levels are staying down on the reduced diuretic, we will then stop them and re-test after a week to check they are OK with no diuretic. If the x-ray shows the irregularity has gone/reduced, then we would be looking at osteomyelitis – if it shows that there is still an irregularity, it should also indicate that, but then she would need a longer course of a/b’s. If the x-ray is fine, and calcium levels don’t stay down, it would be likely idiopathic, and then it would be long term diuretics, and possibly steroids – neither of which are good with kidney issues.

I told the vet my preference would be osteomyelitis, then it can be connected to the op, he was surprised as he didn’t think I’d want the insurance pot reducing. When I told him said pot was £7k, he suggested a CT scan, which would definitively rule out cancer – I’m reluctant for some reason.

Booktigger, when I have read of high calcium levels the first thing that came to my mind was cancer, and do hope it isn't, no one should ever go through what I have gone through, ever!
But if your insurance still allows you to run a CT scan, then I would do it. I fully understand your reluctance on this, and I agree with you. Lola had a huge number of CT scans in her life and many of them were close between them, a few weeks apart. And every time I was in terror for what I was going to do, but every time I was glad I did it.
On the other hand a CT scan could not reveal anything even if something is there, my experience of last year is still too hard and painful in my heart and mind...
Be strong and firm for Lucy.

Well, had a mixed vet visit yesterday – I do like the vet we saw, she specialises in orthopaedics, but my brain is that focused on the calcium side that I wasn’t in the mood for discussing her leg. She did have a feel of her leg, and said that there is a slight click, which needs monitoring, as apparently that bone can re-grow, and if that happens, she would need more surgery, which I wasn’t happy about, as that was never mentioned as a potential issue. She got blood with no issue, then I gave her the antirobe for her to pill her – she was just about to, when she realised that rather than giving her 2 x 25mg, why don’t we give her 1 x 75mg?? Then she said that to reduce the Frusemide, we’d need to give her a ¼ tablet twice a day, which I said would not only be hard to quarter the tablets, but harder to actually administer, which is when she told me it comes in liquid form, but I had to go to one of the other branches for it – unfortunately by the time I got there, I had a bit of a rant at the poor nurse who asked if I was OK, although I did apologise when I left!! Can’t believe she has been on these for 10 days before someone thought of pointing out there was an easier way of doing it!! I asked her about the CT, and she said ‘if your insurance will pay for it, why not? Some cancers don’t show on an x-ray’ – my response was ‘you’ve looked at her x-rays, is there anything on them that makes you think we need to worry about cancer’, she said that no, there isn’t, so let’s see what next week’s x-ray shows and take it from there. I do think that vets are more likely to push things if you are insured, and just because we can doesn’t always mean we should. Last night it just didn’t feel like there was an end in sight, and my neighbour isn’t helping by keep asking if I’m regretting the decision to operate - the irony is that this could be unrelated to the operation, although we wouldn’t have already had to deal with the 8 weeks of recovery. Then there is the fact that I’m having to use treats to medicate her, so her weight is going up, which is a concern with her hip, and the diuretics aren’t good for her already dodgy kidneys, so they are underlying worries that I can’t ignore until this is resolved. My other issue is that I’m going away in 9 weeks, and as this is dragging on and on, I know I won’t want to leave her if we don’t have it resolved by then, and if she is still having tests, I can’t leave her for a week, even if anyone else could catch her and take her, I wouldn’t be able to do it.

Antonio - yes, unfortunately cancer is high on the list

Nine weeks is a long time to go, things might improve a lot. I know that it's hard when lots of bad news pile up.
For your peace of mind, you could have that CT scan made and see if anything else is wrong with Lucy. Hopefully nothing will be detected and you will feel relieved and have your holiday.
Last year, when my Lola was sick, I was going to cancel my holidays, then, at the last blood test my vet told me that I was able to take some time off because Lola was fine and could have been left home with the two girls who would come over to assist her.
Everything changed in a couple of weeks. I do hope you will have better news soon!

I could have a CT scan done, but the most common cause of high calcium levels is idiopathic so I could be putting her through yet another sedation for no reason. I'm hoping we do get good news soon, you are right, 9 weeks is a long time

Hi Booktigger hope Lucy's getting better. She does look a cutie albeit a bit grunmpy - who isn't when hospitalised. Lots of fusses from me. Vivian

She's grumpy even when she's at home Vivian! She was sick last night, and off her food, so am worried

booktigger wrote:She's grumpy even when she's at home Vivian! She was sick last night, and off her food, so am worried

What symptoms was she having?

Rang the vet this morning, unfortunately her calcium levels have gone back up to 3.5, which is as high as when they first picked it up, so they are now saying a CT scan is a good idea. Just waiting for them to see if it can be done at the main branch (they use a mobile company) or if I need to be referred - I've said that I need to know an estimate, if we are looking at 2k, I need PetPlan to approve it first. Rather than send her to the main branch for the weekend, we are going to try sub-cut fluids this afternoon, but if that doesn't work, she will have to go back. Vet said it might just be her normal, but as her sickness coincided with them being high, I doubt it.

Booktigger, I am so sad at reading this!
How is Lucy feeling now? Is she eating?
My God, £2,000 for a CT scan is a huge mountain of money! Is this an average rate for this kind of scan in UK?
When do you think the doctors will do it?
I really hope your insurance approves it. What if they don't?
I will be thinking of you with my fingers corssed!!!

Me too, and I'm worried that the frusrmide hasn't kept her levels down. We've managed to get sub-cut fluids into her and they can do a scan Mon or Tue we are looking at £1.5k! My friend thought they were 3K so seems the norm round here. I need to ring Petplan as I can't find that kind of money. If she eats tonight and tomorrow we are good, if not I'll ring tomorrow for more advice. We have cancelled the x-ray on Wed though, and will decide on bloods after the scan

Ouch!

Good luck and all paws crossed here, for you and Lucy - and the finances!

Ditto from me re: Lilith's post! Prayers & everything xd. Give her heaps of fusses from me & the 4 terrors. Vivian

Fingers crossed, Booktigger!

Thinking about you and hoping you get the finances sorted - such a worry.

Thanks guys, she isn't herself and I hate the uncertainty

Hi Booktigger,
How is Lucy today? Any improvement?
Do you have news about the chance to have the TC scan done?
I'm thinking of you both!