May Your Holidays Be Merry (Not Sad) Be Careful and Watchful For the Welfare of Your Pet. Original post 12/21/2011 Repost

Puppy. Border collie (smooth) and Australian shepherd cross. Photo taken about 2013.

 

I posted this about six years ago.. This is a repost at the request of Da al. https://happinessbetweentails.com/ this post.  She has my permission to reblog. Please excuse any typos. I have not been in the best mood of late since I had Beasley, the cat, “put down” this past Saturday. A week ago I had my pit bull, Lucky (14 years old approximately) euthanized. So the loss of two pets in a week is a bit much. But I am ok.

A time for many to celebrate but if your pet eats or chews on something that is toxic or that can cause real harm to the animal’s body then there isn’t much to be happy about. There are so many things that are deadly or can make your pet sick that this list, as I type sort of makes me feel ill.

So on with the warnings- do not take this information idly. These are real hazards.

1. Christmas trees that are real and in a container of water: the water can become toxic just from the tree which leaches a pesticide residue that had been applied at the tree farm.

2. Water that the tree is standing in can become moldy- keep the water container covered if the tree is one that was fresh cut.

3. Artificial trees if chewed on and swallowed can cause severe damage to the intestinal track of a cat or dog. Supervise your pet and if you can’t, then keep your pet in a crate or in a closed room.

4. Antifreeze- from a leaking radiator in the garage- Antifreeze attractive to many pets. The taste is sort of sweet and some animals will lick or drink it. This stuff is deadly if you can not get your pet to an ER immediately. With rapid treatment your pet can be saved. Otherwise your Fluffy or Fido is doomed. No ifs or buts. Antifreeze fries the kidneys.

So on to foods we go: Do not allow your pet to taste or eat any of the following. Some of the foods/drinks will cause death or serious illness.

1. Alcohol  

2. Avocado

3. Chocolate- not any kind. Don’t take a chance and try to analyze the kind of chocolate ( dark  is extremely toxic.)

3. Fatty foods

4. Macadamia nuts, peanuts

5. Moldy or spoiled foods

6. Grapes and raisins

7. Yeast dough

8. Xylitol (this ingredient is in some chewing gum and used as a sweetner in some foods. Extremely toxic.

9. Garlic, garlic powder, onion and onion powder

10. Any flower that is growing from a bulb  or is a member of the lily family (these are killers also.) Damages the kidneys unless you get immediate treatment. Can begin kidney damage within minutes. Don’t take chances with any flower- just don’t bring them into your home.  Cats especially like to chew on fresh greenery. Some of the flowers of the lily family are sure fire killers.

11. Ornaments and electric cords/lights. Keep your pet away from the tree.

12. Don’t use use tinsel. Cats are attracted to the long dangling  strands. If eaten the tinsel can bind into a ball and block the intestinal tract or the tinsel, ribbon, or string can wind around parts of the intestines. These things also can kill you animal if surgery is not performed to remove the “foreign bodies.” 

 13. Some information says that coffee is also bad.

14. Mushrooms. Don’t allow your pet to acquire a taste for mushrooms. Veterinarians believe and other authorities that if a pet eats a commercially grown mushroom then it is more likely to hunt for these when outdoors. We all know that there are mushrooms growing in the wild that are poisonous. Some look like a toy and some look like a ball. I’ve seen my own dogs want to play with mushrooms that were “pretty balls” and I had to quickly destroy the mushroom and give a firm no to my dogs.

15. Medications of any kind, especially chewable human and pets meds. I have a chocolate lab named Molly that opened the bottom of a cabinet where I had stored some empty med bottles that I had washed and intended to use for who knows what. Molly found an empty Vetmedin (chewable heart med for dogs) bottle and chewed the bottle hoping to get something delicious. Some dogs love to eat and big dogs really love to eat. So child proof your cabinets or dog proof them.

16. One last caution while I’m “thinking.” This is one that I personally experienced. About eight or nine years ago, Puppy, my border collie and Australian shepherd cross jumped into the compost pile which was not fully “ripe.” I always added vegetable and fruit scraps and these were still in the decomposing stage. Puppy either ate a piece of the compost or licked some from his paws. Thank God I was outside with my dogs (I usually am). About 30 minutes after I had gone into the house with the dogs I noticed that he was very droopy and salivating excessively. He was very listless and I knew that he was in trouble. I called my vet and rushed him to the clinic. I told the vet that he had been  playing in the pile of compost and she then told me that compost can be very toxic if in the “right stage” of decomposing. She quickly gave him some injections and Puppy was ok after several hours.

17.Poinsettias. (a thank you to Dr. Laura for the reminder) https://bipolarforlife.me/ Can be toxic and cause respiratory problems. Not considered deadly but please be careful>

The bottom line of this list is that you can’t be too careful if you are a pet parent.

Pancreatitis in Pets

Have you ever heard of pancreatitis in humans? Well it happens in cats and dogs as well. And it is a condition that is extremely serious and something that you as a responsible pet owner do not want to happen to your dog or cat. The possibility that your pet could quite easily get pancreatitis is generally caused by eating the wrong foods, and holidays often are the times that a pet either willfully is given rich food or the pet sneaks bites of or maybe consumes the entire roast, turkey, or whatever meat you left on the kitchen counter or dining room table.

Now you ask. What has the food got to do with my pet? For starters- feeding your pet any of this rich food that he/she is not used to eating can lead to a (dangerous and sometimes fatal condition) if left untreated. Am I ruining your holiday mood yet? It would be awful to enjoy the day and then later in the night or the day find that your dog or cat is acting strange and perhaps actually looking sick. As in: lying around, vomiting, groaning in pain, diarrhea, weakness, decreased body temperature. Your pet might not exhibit all of those symptoms but if your dog and to a much (lesser degree cat) is showing any of these signs then get your pet to a vet or animal emergency room immediately.

In mild or minor pancreatitis the outlook for your dog or cat is good. In pets that are very sick the road to recovery is difficult and only 50% of these animals will live. According to Dr. Daniel, other veterinarians and the vet books, eating food other than what you normally feed your dog/cat is the cause of most cases of pancreatitis. Rich food such as the drippings, gravy, the meat, mashed potatoes, deserts, etc, etc. are all bad for your pet.

In little dogs it only takes a small amount of food to make the dog sick. By now some of you might be saying, “I give my pets table scraps all the time.” Perhaps your pet has just been one lucky dog not to have gotten sick. But that does not mean that at any given time in the future your animal is safe from eating table scraps. “Rich food and excessive amounts of food are the problems here.

<span style="color:#800000;In the summer of 2011, I was at Dr D's and I tagged along with her when she was called to look at a 15 year old Yorkie. Indeed the little one was sick.  Dr. D. treated the little dog on site with some emergency meds and then told the people to take the little dog to the emergency room. The Yorkie recovered but early intervention and follow up at the ER probably saved that precious little dog. Her owner had given her a small piece of barbecued rib in the morning and by 2PM the Yorkie was ill. The dog had not previously eaten fatty meat- she had only eaten DOG FOOD.

So don’t be a turkey on turkey day. Give your dog or cat only the food that it normally eats, as in dog or cat food. Even small amounts can make your pet ill.  After all, you want your pet to be around for what ever holiday you celebate or not celebrate in December and in the years to come.

Post Yvonne Daniel

Peritonitis in Pets

BONES-  these are  dangerous during holiday time or for that matter, anytime time you are tempted to give Rover or Fluffy that delicious looking bone that has just a  bit of meat left on it or maybe no meat. One way or the other it does not matter! DO NOT GIVE YOUR PET ANY KIND OF BONE! Cooked and/or raw bones splinter easily.  

For a pet owner what could be worse than giving your pet a bone that splintered as your dog/cat gnawed on what you deemed  a treat? And what happens to that sharp piece of bone that your pet will swallow? The nitty, gritty of this scenario is the sharp piece can become lodged in the esophagus where it remains stuck unless removed surgically. A splintered bone can pierce the stomach lining or the wall of the intestines. When this happens the contents in the stomach  or the intestines (guts) slowly begin leaking into the abdominal cavity where it immediately proceeds to set up an intense infection which then leads to sepsis meaning that the entire body of the un-lucky pet will have bacteria coursing through its body and to every vital organ. The fact is that by this time your animal will  be too ill to raise its head. This infection is- PERITONITIS.

The crux of the matter is this: when the aforementioned happens, the pet has a small window for a chance of recovery. All of this is gut wrenching( no pun intended) not only for the pet but for the owner who must make the decision for the veterinarian to go all out in an effort to save the pet. But, if money is  limited and it is, for the average person, then the other choice is euthanasia. What a way to end a lovely holiday and then every holiday there after.  The memories of your pet will be there to forever haunt you.

I read a post on another pet site several months or so, ago about how much, would you spend, in an effort to save your pet’s life -WHAT EVER CAUSED  the need for veterinarian intervention.  Saving a critically ill pet involves incredible skill plus treatment and nursing to get your pet back home. There were probably 20-25 individuals who commented on that particular post. Of all the people who commented,  at least 98%  said that no amount of money would prevent them from begging, borrowing, using a credit card, selling possessions, or even re-morgaging their home to pay the cost to give their pet a chance to live. Most wrote that they were not people of means. But they would give up all extra amenities and live as frugal as possible in order to repay the money, however the money was obtained.

Do you think it is okay to feed table scraps and or bones to your dog or cat?

Next post: how to keep your pet from escaping from your property when everybody is celebrating and your home is like grand central station.

Post Yvonne   November 4,2012                                                Original post November 22,2011

CRITICAL ALERT (LILIES- Tiny Amount Kills cats) Original post April 25, 2011

Repost from April 25, 2011

CRITICAL: LILIES  (Almost All Varieties) WILL KILL YOUR CAT

Easter is just around the corner. Many people love lilies. Easter Lily, Peace Lily, and Day Lily are merely three of about 110 species of lilies. Of the 110 species -(almost all) are extremely toxic to cats.  If you own a cat—- do not bring a Lily (plant) blooming or non blooming into your home. It only takes a a tiny amount of any part of the lily to kill your cat.  The plant is so toxic even just  pollen from a bloom that falls on the cat’s fur can kill, when the cat grooms itself.  Any and all parts of the lily even if is a minute amount will kill your cat.  The kidney’s begin shutting down almost immediately. Within minutes, the toxin begins attacking the kidneys. It would be virtually impossible to get your cat to an animal emergency room in time to save your pet from kidney damage. Do not take a chance thinking that your cat will not bother to nibble on the plant.  Almost all cats will nibble on anything green that is brought into the house. DO NOT TAKE A CHANCE AND KEEP YOUR PET SAFE!!!

Rocket, The Border Collie -15 years Old is Now in Renal Failure

 

 

Rocket in his favorite place- the electric cart

Rocket in late afternoon sun. 2011

Rocket. Pic taken after diagnosis of kidney failure.

That dreaded condition has now hit my truly special Border Collie, Rocket. There is not a whole lot one can do about the kidneys slowly failing. There are a few things that one can do that will extend a pets life. Dr Daniel prescribed Phoslo which inhibits the absorption of phosphorus.  Too much phosphorus in the system “fries” the kidneys that much faster. There is one other med to inhibit the absorption and I will ask Dr. D. about it. I called quite a few pharmacies in the town where I live and only one pharmacy, a privately owned pharmacy (not a chain pharmacy) said that “they” could/would obtain the drug for me.

I disguised the huge capsule in a pill pocket and gave it to Rocket as he ate a low protein diet that Dr. Daniel prescribed.  The food is called NF  made by the  Nestle Purina company. Dr. D. had it “dropped shipped” to me by UPS. I got the food within 2 days time. Rocket prefers the canned but at times I give him the nuggets that I have softened in hot water. I add just a tad of canned cat food so that he will eat which ever one I decide to feed him. I switch it around for the dry food lasts longer and there is more food for the money.

Unfortunately the Phoslo did not agree with Rocket. I even opened the cap to try to guess-timate emptying half of the med drain the drain. The cut in half dose did not work either. He completely lost his appetite and energy as well. I tried 2 different times and each time it was the same reaction.

The other medications consists of B12 and B complex injections  every 3 days to keep his appetite and energy going. The vitamins are also supposed to help the kidneys out some- I read that some place- actually it was an add in Veterinary Practice magazine/journal. I need to look at that ad again and ask Dr. D about it. The med, I think contained several things to help out the kidneys.

And last but not least, I give Rocket 250ml of Ringer’s Lactate subcutaneously every day. He has more energy than he did a month or so ago. Probably the B vitamins are helping with energy and appetite.  And the fluids are helping as well.

Rocket was a rescue of sorts. His humans were giving him away because they were moving to a golf course. He had been given to three different individuals when I stepped in to give him a permanent home 8 years ago. He was a scared dog by the time I got him and he came with a few issues. We have worked on his problems but a few still remain. I don’t mind his problems at all. For the most part, I can control his actions so that his issues are actually pretty minor. I did not expect a perfect dog- I just wanted to give him a home, love, and help him adjust to a new way of life.  

As I type this post he is at my feet under the kitchen table. He generally goes where I go and sleeps in his bed beside my bed. He readily comes when called.  I consider him a very good boy and I love him dearly.

I don’t know how long I can keep him going but I am hoping for at least a year.  That might be an unreasonable time but I can only hope and pray.

I’m posting some of pictures of Rocket. I think they are pretty good. Wish they were better. I am aiming to take some”formal” pictures of him in a few days. I’ll use a solid back drop or a wall of one of the small sheds on our property for the “formal”  and more posed photos of him.

Post and photography Yvonne

 

Correction of Info Statistic for Dogs With Bloat (please re-read this article) 12/6/2011 5:50pm

 

This writer un-intentionally entered an incorrect number for a statistic. For dogs that have bloated, required surgery, and then had the stomach sewed to the wall of the abdominal cavity- the number of dogs that bloated again should have read approximately 6%. This has since been corrected but was done at approximately 3pm on December 6, 2011. I apologize for the error. (I did not proof read several times as I should have.)

Please note: Statistics vary a small amount in various reference articles that I read. The bottom line is to please know your dog, how to recognize the symptoms of bloat, and even if you are in doubt, DO NOT HESITATE. Get -Immediate- Help. Time is of the essence for a favorable outcome of this condition. Hopefully anyone that owns a dog that reads this is a responsible pet owner.

Post  Yvonne Daniel

One Way To Help Your Pet Live a Longer Life

Maize health improved since dental surgery

 

Maize  (4 weeks)  past a long dental surgery

 Note: Top photo of Maize is 5 months past extensive dental surgery performed by Dr. Steve Capron, a veterinary dental specialist of Austin, Texas. If you compare the two photos you can see that Maize has gained weight. In the bottom photo she is thin and frail. Now she is running about the house and has a healthy appetite. Currently, I am giving her a  liquid vitamin-mineral supplement once daily. This medication has definitely helped increase her appetite. The iron in this medication is needed to increase the production of red blood cells. She needs her labs done again to insure that her red blood cells are regenerating and that her lab values (BUN and creatinine) are within or almost within normal limits. She is like a “new cat” since her bad teeth were pulled and her gums treated for gingivitis. I continue to give her about 75ml of Ringer’s Lactate 2-3 times each week.  

Maize’s ordeal was initially posted in June, 2011.  

BUN and creatinine are tests for kidney function. If the kidneys are failing, the cat or dog will be anemic. However, chronic infection anywhere in the body can lead to anemia. It is vitally important to determine if the red blood cells are regenerating- that is making new and complete red blood cells that are healthy.                  

According to veterinary information one of the primary killers of pets over 9 or 10 years of age is kidney failure. Why do dogs and cats succumb to kidney failure also called renal failure? It all boils down to keeping your pet’s teeth and gums in good condition. If your cat or dog has not had a dental exam or had dental care performed by your vet then there is a huge chance that the your pet’s mouth is in pretty bad shape by the time it is 9 or 10 years old and sometimes younger.       

Dogs and cats have the same kind of dental problems as people. This means cavities, tartar, plaque, infected gums, and rotten teeth. If the pet has at least moderate to severe dental problems it is a sure thing that the infection may have already traveled to the kidneys, heart, liver, or lungs. The favored target of the bacteria happens to be the kidneys.       

Kidney failure is one of the primary diseases that causes death in cats and dogs. In order to keep kidney failure at bay, your pet should have at LEAST a yearly dental exam. Of course, we are told to brush our pets teeth. In some cases if your pet came into your life as a feral or an older adult cat (such as almost all my cats)  it is impossible to brush their teeth.        

A kitten or young cat can adapt to having its teeth and gums cleaned. Getting an older cat to cooperate with brushing its teeth would certainly be a challenge and maybe not impossible. But a skittish cat is a whole other ballgame. So- start early if your cat or kitten is still young. I guarantee your pet will reap the rewards of healthy kidneys and you the owner will benefit even more by saving your money for other health issues that might arise.     

Keeping your pet’s teeth and mouth healthy is the one of the essential ways to extend your pets life. I’ve been fortunate to still have around two old cats who have both had dental care. I’m sorry to say that I totally neglected some aspects of my pet’s care when I had too much on my plate. I was very lucky to have an expert veterinary dental surgeon perform the needed extractions, gum cleaning, etc of these two cats. The dental surgeries alone did not get the job done. These two cats required some intensive nursing care from me that included sub cu fluids to keep the kidneys flushed, special food, injectable pain medication, and two antibiotics that were given for 2-3 weeks. One antibiotic was to kill the bacteria in the mouth and gums and the other given in an attempt to save the kidneys by killing the ‘bacteria that was causing an infection in the kidneys. Both cats are doing well at this time. One cat needs repeat labs and that is coming up in two weeks. I’ll go into more detail regarding dental disease and recommended preventive dental care for your cat or dog, in a future post.      

Of special note, I owe much gratitude to Dr. Lisa Daniel who did the blood draws, IV fluids, and injectable antibiotics,  prior to my cat’s dental surgeries by Dr Steve Capron of Austin, Texas. Dr. Daniel put a great deal of effort into diagnosing and preparing my cats for surgery. I feel fortunate to know her and that many of my animals are a recipient of her talents.      

Post and photograph by Yvonne Daniel  

Addie: Update July 6,2011

 

Addie July 5, 2011 Addie loves boxes and high places

 

 

Addie July 6, 2011 In her favorite place, near the laptop

  

Today, Addie appears to be feeling better. Her activity level has increased such as moving about more and grooming herself. I have been offering her several varieties and brands of cat food. She finally began nibbling on Nestle Purina NF which is a food that I am feeding  (2) of my cats whose kidneys are slowly playing out. She likes canned Fancy Feast and dry Hill’s Science Diet so I fed that to her initially until she became finicky about her food. It is a real test of my endurance and determination to get her back to where she was before this “thing from hell” ‘reared its ugly head.   

As I write this post she is reclining on part of my computer and I have to move her head to tap the backspace key. I don’t mind at all when my cats are lying on the computer- I just move them out of the way for I know they like being near me. The computer gives off some warmth and I think, slight to moderate warmth is soothing to cats. Just about all of  my cats will lie on the computer if given the chance.   

Each day I check Addie’s suture line and today I noted there are 2 small spots that are red and oozing slightly. I have applied BNT ointment that my veterinarian prescribed just for this possibility. So far, Addie has not attempted to lick these areas. If all goes well I think her sutures can be removed by next Monday or possibly this Friday.   

FYI: The ointment consists of: B= Baytrill (an antibiotic), N= Nystatin (an anti fungal), and T= Triamcinolone (a steroid). This ointment really works for all kinds of wounds, hot spots, ear infections, etc. Simply put, it is good stuff! It is shipped to me via UPS after my veterinarian calls in the script. A compounding pharmacy in Goldswaite,Texas formulates the ointment. It might be interesting to know that a pharmacist must have additional schooling in order to be a “compounder.” Compounding means to take a medication consisting of a powder or it could be a liquid and then turning it into a different form for application.  I think the pharmacy also probably must have a special license for compounding. I just know that this method has been a life saver for people and their animals. I want to add one more example.  A pet owner who can not give their pet medication by mouth can now rub certain medications on the inside of the ear (not in the ear canal) of their furry pal and get virtually the same benefit.   

Post Yvonne Daniel          Photographs  Yvonne Daniel   

Mammary Tumors in Cats Part V July 4,2011

Addie (suture line) July 4th, 20111

 

Addie               Feeling better” (post op) day 14              July 4, 2011

Addie, yesterday July 4th, seemed perkier. Her appetite had increased some. I had been leaving cat food out in several places- Hill’s Science Diet Original and Nestle Purina EN, hoping that she would like this mix. I more or less had to follow her from room to room to see if she had decided to eat a few bites. So I was happy when she actually began nibbling on some dry food. I had offered her canned AD and EN but she was not interested. It seems as if healing from the drastic surgery takes more time than I had expected. It was major surgery in the sense that she had 4 breasts removed plus the lymph glands on the left side. I was giving her Bupenex 0.1mg subcu but I think the med dimmed her appetite and it certainly caused her to sleep almost all of the time. But, maybe not. Animals, at least cats, I think, know how to cope with their pain. I gave her Bupenex for pain when I noticed that she was breathing faster and she was purring. I’ve read that cats cope with pain and illness by purring and I really got to see this in Addie. I gave her pain medication only when she exhibited the behavior that I mentioned.    

I began giving her Ringer’s Lactate 100 ml subcu for dehydration last Friday. Giving her the fluids was a real test of patience. Overall I could see a difference in how she was feeling. The next day after the first round of fluids she began to nibble a few bites. The Ringer’s was given for 3 days and I feel it made a difference.    

At any rate she did not require pain meds yesterday nor today. Overall she is slowly getting back to the cat she was prior to surgery- just minus four teats and a lymph gland.     

At this point, there is no way of knowing if she is cancer free internally unless I choose to have a vet do an  MRI or an ultrasound. I have no idea what these cost but I’m sure these tests do not come cheap nor what the average person would be willing to shell out or pay to keep their pet around for a few months or up to several years.    

So to sum all of this up cost wise, put away a dollar or two every day or more and don’t touch your pet fund. Leave it in the bank and continue to add to your fund until you need it for something major.  You will be glad you did. I know, I am.    

     

Post  Yvonne Daniel                 Photographs  Yvonne Daniel   

Mammary Tumors in Cats: Part IV July1,2011

c 

 

 

Addie 7/1/2011 Trying to scratch after removal of E-collar.

 

Addie 7/1/2011

Addie 7/1/2011 (Day 10 post op) Healing of in line mastectomy

 According to research, cats are more susceptible for a teat to become cancerous if they have kittens, several heats or are not spayed before the age of 6 months. In general, mammary tumors occur at 9 years old and above and is seldom found in younger cats. The “books” reccomend getting your cat “fixed” before their first heat cycle. It seems that hormones going willy nilly play a part in this disease from hell. Among all cats, the Siamese, Persian, and the calico cat (which is not a breed but a color pattern) in that order, have a higher rate of developing cancer.     

Authorities in veterinary health suggest that your cat should be inspected monthly just as humans should perform regular self breast exams. For the exam, stand your cat up and palpate under the arms and in the groin area. Next palpate each breast- there are 4 teats on each side. Next roll your cat on each side and exam each breast and then lastly try to put your cat on its back and manually and visually inspect each teat (breast). Do not forget that there are 8 breasts to examine. At this time you can again examine each arm pit and then exam each groin area.  Examining your cat is not that difficult unless you happen to own a cat with a nasty disposition. If you can not examine your cat and if you can afford monthly vet visits, then by all means take your cat to your vet and be present when the examination is done. Watching your veterinarian examine your cat will give you some direction on how it is done.     

If your cat is unwilling to allow the exam, then begin getting them to warm up to the idea that exams mean lots of petting and treats. Reward your cat with a tasty treat each time you handle your pet. Some cats just need to become familiar with being touched in the underbelly area. While most cats enjoy a belly rub, some cats do not. So this is where the treats come in handy.     

Well , by now you are saying rubbish to all of that. “My cat is most likely safe from getting a mammary tumor.”  Well folks, it is more common that you think and it affects dogs also. About one cat in 4,000 will develop a mammary tumor. The trick is to find that thing from hell when it is very small. Any tumor under 2cm appears to have an advantage of being eradicated by surgery if it is not present in the lymph nodes. Actually a tumor in its infancy of less than 2cm has a better outcome of giving your cat a longer life. BUT my veterinarian told me that even the “little” tumor might have already metastasized to a vital organ, generally spreading to the lungs first.     

Some information that I read gives a prognosis of up to 4 and 1/2 years after surgery BUT providing it has not spread to other internal tissue. If the tumor is greater than 2cm, the survival rate greatly diminishes. So all in all mammary tumors are the “pits.” A veterinary oncologist can give your cat a round of chemo but again results are mixed with the survival rate of  2-4 months or perhaps a year or two if your cat is lucky.    

Several factors come into play such as cost, if the tumor has spread, and if your cat can physically handle chemo. Not all chemo drugs are suitable for cats. Yes, the drug might knock out the cancer but one drug is known to “fry” the kidneys  meaning that renal failure will kill your cat before the cancer does (in most cases).  Surgery here in Texas runs around $1,400 plus x rays,  labs, and an echo cardiogram if your cat happens to have a heart murmur (my cat did but it was not severe enough to prevent surgery). Perhaps an ultrasound or MRI will be suggested if you have the $$$$  and if the  surgeon wants to rule out the spread of cancer to other parts of the body. So when all of that is added up, you are looking at near $3,000 or more. Chemo therapy is really costly and will run thousands of dollars.  Lab tests are done with each treatment which really sends the cost up.    

Addie’s surgeon did not suggest an ultrasound or MRI for he felt is just was not necessary. At this point I wish that I knew approximately how long my little cat will live but then again maybe it is best that I do not know. I just enjoy her each and ever day that she is alive. My worry now is that her appetite is poor and I hope it is related to the healing process.  More updates are coming.    

Today, Addie, only ate a few bites of canned AD.  I gave her 75ml of Ringer’s Lactate for hydration. I plan to give her B-complex sub cu in the morning in an effort to stimulate her appetite.    

Addie has slept on top of a chest of drawers for most of the day and is till there as of this writing (11:28pm)    

Post Yvonne Daniel            Photographs Yvonne Daniel   

    

Mammary Tumors in Cats: Part III

Addie post surgery day 4, June 25, 2011. Wearing E-collar to prevent her from licking/pulling out sutures

 

Addie June 25,2011 Partial view of incision site

 

Addie June 25,2011 Post op day 4

First photo: Sutures of in-line mastectomy (all breasts of left side).  Third breast down was malignant. Mass size was approximately 1cm. There was no “found” evidence of cancer cells in the lymph gland or the lymph node. Addie seemed to feel a bit better on post operative day 4. The surgery was by no means easy. It was the equivalent of a human mastectomy. There is considerable pain and I simply had to observe her body signs and behavior to determine when she needed medication. She rested on her side most of the time- asleep or not. I had dumped a load of towels on the bed and when I returned with more towels  she was lying in the towels that were still warm from the dryer. She looked as snug as a bug in a rug and that is where she napped.                                                                                                                                                                                 

For pain management, I gave Bupenex 0.1mg subcu between the shoulder blades once today. About 30 minutes after the injection her respirations had slowed down some and she was not purring in an effort to cope with her discomfort. Her appetite was also better but I had given her an injection of B-complex which helps to srtimultate the appetite. I fed her dry Purina EN. If a cat can not smell the food, s/he simply will not eat.  Her total food intake for today was about 1/4 cup, maybe a tad more. In addition, she drank a large quantity of water this afternoon, which was a good thing!

 

 Post  Yvonne Daniel         Photographs  Yvonne Daniel

                 

    

     

    

 

    

  

 

   

  

 

  

  

 

   

  

 

Maize’s Dental Surgery and Recovery

 

 The very invasive dental surgeries were done in June of 2011.

This is a pic of Maize who was once a feral cat. I trapped her, a sister, and a brother about 13-14 years ago. She loves to be petted and is in absolute ecstasy when I groom or pet her. Her fur mats easily even though she is not a long haired cat so she was shaved prior to her dental surgery. Of all my cats she is probably the shyest one and has never been confrontational with the other cats over food or sleeping spots. 

 

Maize 13-14 yrs old (4 weeks post dental surgery)

Maize, this sweet little tortoiseshell also had dental surgery the day after Sassy’a surgery. A very talented Austin, Texas  board certified, veterinary dental surgeon, Dr. Steve Capron,  performed the surgeries on my cats about 5 weeks ago. Maize’s had gingivitis of the gums and decayed teeth. She is doing well at this time but must be on a low protein diet,   (NF) which is made by the Nestle Purina Company. It was necessary after the dental surgery, to feed her soft canned food with her favorites being AD made by  Hill’s Science Diet. I also fed her Fancy Feast by Purina for the first 4 weeks. Her mouth was quite sore and she required pain meds in the form of Bupenex which I gave subcutaneous between the shoulder blades.  After about 5-6 days she no longer required pain medication.The kidney diet was gradually introduced and it remains an on-going process to get her acclimated to a different food. She is not wild about the RX diet but it is must.

Maize received two antibiotics- Clindamycin  which is an antibiotic- (it can be given orally as a  pill or liquid and also subcu or intramuscular) to kill bacteria that has been growing and that is also unleashed whenever there is/are extractions of the teeth. For a kidney infection, which I am sure resulted from the diseased teeth, she received Seniquin 1/2 tab, daily and good golly was that a chore. I used a “piller” that I purchased from Pets Mart( and one that actually held the 1/2 tab until I pushed the plunger as far back into her mouth as I could get. It was a real tug of war between the “pill” and the the pill that I was trying to give her. Generally it took me 2-3 tries until I had gotten really fast and adept at getting that pill at the back of her tongue so that she could not spit it back out. 

I had to give both antibiotics longer that I care to remember. I don’t remember exactly but both cats took the antibiotics for the same length of time. Each cats’s medications were calibrated on their weight with Sassy receiving the larger dosages since she weighed around 11 pounds and Maize weighed about 6 and 1/2 pounds.

I gave and I am still giving Maize, Ringer’s Lactate which is a fluid that is given either intravenously or subcutaneously. I use the subcutaneous route because these cats are getting fluids daily. It just would not work to have a permanent needle inserted in a vein. It would be too painful and needles do come out of the vein. If this happens it is called infilltration and the fluid leaks out into the tissue. That becomes a real mess and presents a potential problem for an infection such as cellulitis.

  For cats whose kidneys are declining in health, it is good to lessen the strain on the kidneys by supplementing their oral fluid intake with subcu fluids. The cat is better hydrated in this manner and the fluids are not nearly as difficult to give as the oral medication.  Preferably the fluids should be given daily but of late she been getting them three times weekly.

 As of June 2oth, 2011  Maize and Sassy appear to be doing well and I hope and pray that these procedures will give them several more good years of life.