My Nickie cat....

[Lyne]

Nickie has been increasingly "itchy-twitchy" - licking and scratching his hair out, until Friday night when he scratched his shoulder blades so bad he had a huge bare, bleeding area!! Nickie's MISERABLE and he's aging REALLY FAST and his ailments are all worse... so I am stressed beyond words....

After making a Monday afternoon appointment at my vet, I also asked them for the name and info for an emergency vet, when he again said it simply isn't the prednisone (taken for his pancreatitis) and asked if he had fleas.... (NO, NEVER HE'S A PROTECTED INDOOR CAT!! - besides, I'm allergic to flea bites so really really protective!) ....Anyway my ex said he could take Nickie to the ER vet on Sunday later afternoon after his work....I'm hoping they are young and cutting edge.... as my normal vet seems to not LISTEN to me when I say I think the prednisone makes him itch!! And he said there is nothing Nickie can take orally... grrr.

Sunday....

We liked the "ER vet" lady a LOT... seems he has REALLY BAD dry skin... and right now, he's on increased Prednisone for 3 days , and liquid Benadryl every 8 hrs. a couple of days. I'll change our regular vet app. to Tuesday am so we can get a better picture... but I wonder why he never came up with that obvious reason in person over the years looking at Nickie for his annual checkups!?!?

Nickie had a Benadryl injection at the ER but came home really hyper active and twitchy... maybe it took time to take effect?! Not sure, he's sleeping now... anyway, they suggested we take him to a pet dermatologist, BUT there is no way that BOTH my ex or I can deal with MORE doctors and appointments, so I'll ask our regular vets if they can help deal with his skin issues... I'm thinking he has had dry food most of his life, and there is not much oil in his canned food...and maybe he needs some... THOUGH I wonder if it would it irritate his IBS?! Again something to ask about... sigh... the ER vet also said "12 is middle aged" not old for a cat.... I just hope we can help him feel better and grow some coat back!!!

I'm really tired... but that's normal for my stress level with Fibromyalgia ... and it will be an added challenge to deal with a more complex medication schedule... but I SO love the little guy!!

 

[Pendraia]

Glad to hear that you found out what was causing it Lyne...

 

[McGyver]

Sorry your kitty is sick... I'd offer to make him a body wig until his fur grows back, but I'd be limited to using my hair and squirrel fur... I don't think he'd appreciate either...
I hope he gets well soon.
Good luck and tell him I said "Merow".

 

[Alisa]

 

[Jeanne Harmon]

Sorry to hear that.

Dry skin can be caused by many reasons. My cats may get that problem in Winter because they like to sleep in front of the radiator. I usually give them extra multi-vitamin paste for cats. This paste includes all the needed stuff a cat needs for a nice shiny silky fur. It also helps to brush the fur daily. Both of my cats love it and are fighting who comes first and who gets more........

 

[Miss B]

Sorry to hear about Nickie's issue, but at least you know what's causing it. Here's hoping Nickie's better soon.

 

[Lyne]

Thanks... sure will be asking the vet for help for his skin... got new appointment tomorrow am for both re-check and hopefully 'yearly check up' too... He IS quieter so far, calmer....

 

[Miss B]

He IS quieter so far, calmer....

Well, that's a step in the right direction.

 

[Gadget Girl]

Oh so sorry to hear your cats not doing well. I know at the moment, I have so much going on that if I didn't have my cat Newton, to easy my stress I'd be a real mess (and I keep realizing that he's starting to get older even though he isn't showing it yet). I'm glad that the ER vet was much better at answering your questions. I hope Nickie does okay.

 

[Lyne]

Updating...(before running off to do more of my special foods prep)

Nickie's blood work is mixed... I had to make a decision, to let him recover for a little while (as the double dose of Prednisone seems to be helping a LOT!- MUCH LESS licking, almost no scratching at all!) and wait until May 16th. to take him in for some more tests - blood test to make sure IF he has diabetes (and if it's caused by the Pred itself, we'll have to wean him off one kind and replace with another?! yikes! - no way, in his fragile state did I want to chance weaning off the one thing that's keeping him 'safe' with both his innards and his skin), a skin scraping to check for some kind of mites (before we just start him on some sort of oil additive to food) and a test on his 'poo' for some sort of problem... tho he's indoor only so don't think he'd have anything in that regard. oh and his white blood count is way up, BUT that can come from stress, or infection...and he does not act like he has any infections at all... but I'll remind them to take his temp.

His weight is down, and the vet's recording (while on hold) says ONE of the symptoms of diabetes is weight loss, but increased appetite and water intake... but he's not acting like that either...taking in normal food and water as far as I can tell.

The thing was, I was SO stressed, thinking on it, and also NOT wanting to add in an antibiotic (that WILL stress his system, cause diarrhea, etc.) if he didn't need it, ETC... I have not be taking care of ME - my health stuff....and I have to do that or I can't take care of him!

STILL I'm watching him like a hawk, and we'd take him into either the ER place or the vet's in an emergency...

 

[Alisa]

 

[Miss B]

From me as well!

 

[Lyne]

Thank you, ladies!!

 

[Pendraia]

I'm glad that for now the prednisone is working.

 

[Lyne]

BUT now his ears itch...whimper.... and my week's gotten even MORE WEIRD... I got a call...from my Von's delivery...he'd be late...and I'm like...what? I don't get Von's till Saturday...oh crap, accidentally ordered for Friday... ok... RUN get trash bins in, two cases of water in (to make room on my garage table where I get stuff set down to wipe off before coming inside)... and THEY DID NOT GIVE ME ANY CHICKEN!?!? (had oddly ordered two packs last week...hmmm)

THEN I'm working on an art piece...called Dragon rider....guy riding a dragon ready for battle...when all of a sudden my brain clicked in... oh crap!! I made a DWARF dragonrider by accident!!! what how... ?!?!? argh!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HAD to be a trick of the camera angle...and after a TON of painting work... heck, "Dwarven Dragon rider....!" names itself!! ROFL!!! No way...after the week I've had... and it's almost done...kept thinking there was something off... sigh, wry smiles....

Oh and had the mail man ring twice... (is that a movie??) but he always rings, so I didn't get to the door in time and now I've got to have a "re-delivery" of (probably) a DVD set from Australia I had ordered a while back... argh!!!

....walks off feeling like hiding under the couch... oh wait, I'm not a cat!

If I didn't laugh, I'd cry!

 

[Alisa]

Awwwww!!


You made me laugh with that!!

 

[Miss B]

Put a smile on my face as well Lyne, and I look forward to seeing your Dwarven Dragon Rider.

 

[The Professor]

Just a thought, I have fed all my cats a little human tuna in water and seems to help their fur. I have never tried tuna in oil as it
may be to much. You may ask your vet about this,anyway, my cats love their human Tuna.

 

[Lyne]

I'll be checking with the vet, thanks... they said they have several oils.... but for now, we have a lot of adjusting to do. He has had IBS and Pancreatitis all his life... will HAVE to have his teeth cleaned for the first time with all this wet food now...so dreading that with his fragile body and odd reactions to drugs.

 

[RAMWolff]

Awww, so sorry about your kitty hon. I hope you can find the right balance to help him feel better! Aging is no fun for any of us. HUGS