Dude's surgery **UPDATE 1/17**

[Lizzie]

Here is Dude, one of my battered but beautiful FIV+ boys, and my absolute favorite cat:

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i306/Zephryn_2006/IMG_0069.jpg

He's going to a veterinary dentist tomorrow because the depo shots are no longer working to keep his stomatitis at a reasonable level. Since no-one can touch his mouth without sedation, I chose to go straight to a specialist who can sedate, x-ray (fantastically detailed x-rays) and do any surgery needed. We are hoping that the recent increase in stomatitis is due to something being left behind when the shelter vet removed all his teeth last May - a bit of root, something like that. I'm hoping that's what it is, because it can be fixed. If there is nothing there, then his stomatitis may have reached a level where we have to move to twice a month shots just to enable him to live with the pain, and then when that stops working ...... well, take him away from the pain.

I adopted Dude because I wanted him to die in a home, in my arms, rather than someone find him dead in the morning in the shelter. I will never forget seeing him standing there, hunched and barely moving, bloody drool hanging in ropes from his mouth, his paws stained brown from the drool, and incapable of eating anything anymore. Well, a strong course of antibiotics, full mouth extraction, and monthly depo shots gave him a new life, at least for a while. In the meantime, I found myself loving him more and more every day. I can't bear the thought of not being able to help him - or I wouldn't be spending thousands of dollars that I don't have, but anything to keep him with me and his pain at bearable levels.

So, strongly positive thoughts for Dude, please. That they will find something they can fix. That his surgery goes well. And that he's able to stay with me for at least a few more years.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Lots of prayers and positive thougths are being sent his way. I sure hope that the doctor will find something so he can fix it and make Dude well again.:)

[Felix]

My thoughts and prayers will be with the little guy.

[kallisto4529]

what a wonderful person you are!!!!!!!!!! many prayers and positive thoughts sent to both of you, he is just beautiful, i pray that everything goes alright. good luck to both of you.

[heidiv]

Wow you have been through a ton with him.... Lots of thoughts and prayers going your way..... He looks like a sweet boy.... Like he is totally devoted to you... Our thoughts will be with you tomarrow. Will you let us all know how things go? (((Hugs))) From all of us in Wisconsin.

[kimlovescats]

I hope everything goes well for Dude tomorrow!!! I have 3 with the stomatitis right now .... it's not a nice thing at all! :(

[Catty1]

Prayers for Dude! What a sweetie!

I hope all goes really well - you are saving money in the long run by going straight to the expert! :)

HUGS to you and dear Dude!

[kuhio98]

Dude looks like he's quite a scrapper. I don't think he's done yet! Sending all our good vibes and positive thoughts.

[kt_luvs_kitties]

:Prayers on the way. I will look for updates. I hope all goes well.

He is very lucky to have someone so dedicated to his wellbeing. Just the thought of how he looked when you first saw him, brings tears to my eyes. It truly hurts my heart. :(

[Killearn Kitties]

I will be thinking of your beautiful Dude today and sending all my positive thoughts your way.

[CultureJunky]

Thinking of you Dude, I hope your time with the vet is successful. You're definately a handsome old gent, and you are well loved.

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

Praying really hard for Dude!!
What a fantastic person you are Lizzie, for taking this poor boy in your personal care! :)

[AbbyMom]

Prayers and warm thoughts on the way that everything goes well.

[sprokett]

hope all goes well for little dude wat a cutie



good luck dude

[catlover4ever]

From one Dude (my Gabriel) to another Dude....good luck and good positive thoughts coming your way for a successful surgery. Hope you feel better soon.

[Freedom]

I don't know who is more fortunate, YOU for having Dude in your life, or DUDE for having you looking out for him. Best wishes, for a fast resolution.

Sandra

[mruffruff]

You are certainly going above and beyond what many would do. I hope and pray all works out for both of you. He's certainly a gorgeous guy.

[Lizzie]

I gave him lots of hugs, and we did lots of nose bumps, before I handed him over at the vet clinic. He was very calm, even sitting quietly on the small scale at the front desk without protest, just turning his head to keep in eye-contact with me. The vet is going to call me while he is still anesthetized and she's checked the x-rays to see what we want to do. One of the items on the detailed estimate was morphine so he's going to be in cloud la-la land for a while after surgery.

I didn't put that part in about why adopted Dude so people would think I was being especially nice, but to say how far our relationship had come compared with what I thought it would be. I was prepared to take care of him for however much time he had left but within days I was cursing the fact that I hadn't had him much longer. The raw facts of how I saw him at the shelter were true, and his long-time "girlfriend" had been found dead only a few days before, another reason why I found it unendurable that he end his days in the same way. He's one of those cats that adores attention, leaning into your chest and gazing up into your eyes in rapture while you fuss and talk to him, but he's not at all demanding. He's a gem.

[Queen of Poop]

Dude, hope all goes will with your visit to the dental vet. That they can make you feel better again. Prayers for you and your meowmie. You are both amazing!!

[Randi]

What a lovely boy he is. :) I really hope all goes well at the vet, but whatever happens, he knows love and the comfort of a loving home. I hope he'll have some more years with you.

Kisses to handsome Dude, and hugs to you for taking so good care of him.

[jazzcat]

Good luck Dude, hope things are going well for you.

Lizzie, he is gorgeous and what a special story. You have a huge heart.

[Lizzie]

The vet called to say that there were tooth roots in all four sides of his mouth, some of them were even over the gum line and they must have been creating the most pain and irritation to the surrounding gum tissue. I told her to go ahead with the surgery of removing all the roots and any bone that was affected underneath. While she said that she couldn't promise that this would take away all Dude's gum problems, she also said that it should make them significantly better. When he has recovered, Dude should be pain free for the first time in years!!

My elation that the specialist found a problem that could be resolved, which neither his regular vet nor I expected since it was throughout his mouth, is tempered by rage against the shelter. I need to write their director a letter outlining Dude's care before I adopted him (just keeping him going with steroid shots and ignoring his bloody mouth) and the poor job of extraction done by the vet who occasionally works there. That she left so many roots, and some of them very obviously still in place, really shocks me.

So, there goes my tax rebate, my Christmas check from home, and my cookie and chips money for the next six months - sob! But it's going to be so very worth this to see Dude as he should be, to hold him close and know he should be around for shared nose bumps for years more.

Thank you everyone for the posts and positive thoughts, you are all amazing. I really didn't expect such a clear resolution.

[jazzcat]

Wow, that sounds like it must be very painful for him. I hope the extractions go well and he is back home soon feeling great. Thanks for the update.

[Catty1]

Awww, dear Dudey!

I think he will be all ready for your gentle TLC and - well, you might spoil him just a BIT, right? :D

Do write the shelter...they ought to know. Hopefully that vet is no longer there. It's no excuse - but I imagine vets volunteer their free time there, and during a busy week at their regular practice they should NOT be doing any free surgery. But I guess they do, cause it has to be done...


HUGS and blessings to you! Did your vet arrange payment plan for you?

[doolittleky]

HI Lizzie,
I am so happy that the specialists has been able to help Dude live a more pain free life. He is such a beautiful boy and is very lucky to haveyou in his life.
Melissa

[kimlovescats]

Excellent news! I discussed both of my Dexter and Boots and their stomatitis again with my vet this week. She said when she did Dexter's dental recently, that his teeth were so well rooted in his mouth that it would be VERY difficult to remove them. They can easily break off, and she said something about their front canine teeth and how a big gaping hole can be left that will allow food to get in their nasal passages??? :eek: So, we are just buying time with his soft diet and cleanings regularly for Dexter. Boots is the hard to handle feral one. Right now the soft diet is keeping him comfortable. *sigh* These dental problems are a nightmare! So glad that Dude is going to finally be PAIN FREE!!! :D

[Lizzie]

Awww, dear Dudey!

I think he will be all ready for your gentle TLC and - well, you might spoil him just a BIT, right? :D

Do write the shelter...they ought to know. Hopefully that vet is no longer there. It's no excuse - but I imagine vets volunteer their free time there, and during a busy week at their regular practice they should NOT be doing any free surgery. But I guess they do, cause it has to be done...


HUGS and blessings to you! Did your vet arrange payment plan for you?

We will spend the night in each other's arms! :D I never thought when I was 20 that I'd look forward to spending the night only in the arms of a cat. I must have grown up at last.

The vet is not a volunteer. The shelter pays two vets to come in one day each week.

Unfortunately, the specialist doesn't do payment plans and not even CareCredit, which I have already. It's going to have to be part debit and part credit card - about $1,400 in all. How much do you get in advance if you sell your body to a medical school?!

[Catty1]

Mmmm....don't know. But how much did that guy want for his kidney on eBay? :D :eek: :D

[K & L]

How'd I miss this? I sure glad he found you! Costs are horrible aren't they? I would hate to add up everything we've spent! :) Thanks so much for taking care of him!

[Lizzie]

I know you have all experienced the vet who is wonderful in some ways but just plain dense in others. I've explained over and over to the clinic that I can't get near Dude's mouth. It tooks months of building trust before I could put my hand anywhere near his jaw - and who could blame him after years of pain. I told them even my vet could only get one quick peek in his mouth and that's with techs holding Dude. And they want to give me two lots of medicine for him, to be given twice a day - orally. Sure I could wrap him, and I could put him in a vice-like grip, and maybe I could poke a dropper under his lip for a micro-second, but two full medicines by mouth. :eek: It's like a bad joke. I've pilled adult ferals that would be easier.

[Medusa]

I'm so glad to hear that Dude is going to be pain free, the handsome guy. It's dreadful how you found him but wonderful that you did find him. I love hearing stories like this; it renews my faith in humanity. Spirit brought you two together and, even though it's draining your bank account, you're making huge deposits in your grace account. We here at PT know all too well how expensive it can be to care for furkids. But one look into their trusting eyes and we know we could never make any other choice.

Blessings,
Mary

[catmandu]

If Theres A Cat Who Needs A Break, Its Poor Dude.
You Can Tell By His Ears That This Poor Old Cat Has Been Through The Wars, And Only Your Kidness Has Given Dude Any Chance At All.

Please Let Us Know If Dude Can Be Helped, As Our Thoughts And Prayers Are With Him.

If An Awa Mouse Would Help Dude, Please Pm Me.

[kuhio98]

Lizzie ~ I'm so glad to hear that Dude's treatment went so well. That 'ole boy has earned a comfy retirement. He is a lucky, lucky boy to have you.

[orangemm]

I am just in awe of what you and Dude have gone through; you, for persevering and making sure he gets the treatment he so desperately needs, and Dude, for hanging in there even with all the pain and misery he's known.

I hope he comes through this with flying colors and lives a happy, pain-free life. I just can't imagine what he's been suffering all this time.

Bless you and ((((hugs)))).

Gentle scritches to Dude............

[Killearn Kitties]

It's just heartbreaking to hear how this poor boy was left in the shelter, and he sounds an absolute treasure too!

I hope they have been able to offer you alternatives with Dude's medicine. I think you would both be traumatised trying to get pills in his mouth! It doesn't bear thinking about.

Please keep us updated on how he is doing.

[Randi]

Giving him the medicine orally certainly does sound like a joke!! Do they really expect you to be able to do that! And what about food? Will he be able to eat at all for the next few days? Oh, I wish he will, and hope there's a painkiller you can put into his food.

Fister once got some called Romefen, he only needed a half at the time, and they're pretty small.

I'm sending lots of good thoughts that he'll get better. Poor boy - give him gentle kisses from me.

[krazyaboutkatz]

I'm glad to hear that Dude should be painfree from now on.:) Maybe you could give him the meds by injection. Good luck and please continue to keep us updated.

[rg_girlca]

I am sorry I am just seeing this now also.

My goodness what a heartfelt story about precious Dude. Lizzie, you have a heart of gold.

There is NO excuse for this to happen to Dude. Okay, maybe leaving one root during the removal of teeth, but to leave all four, is unacceptable. This vet had to have known that this was going to leave Dude in pain.

I pray that his surgery went well and he will be back home in your arms very soon. He sounds like such a sweetheart and deserves to live the rest of his life pain free.

Bless you Lizzie, for all that you have done and are continuing to do for precious Dude. You truely are his Guardian Angel.

[orangemm]

How is Dude doing??

[Lizzie]

Many thanks for asking about Dude and sending your best wishes.

There were 14 retained roots in all, some fully exposed and so causing constant pain and irritation. I can't let myself think about what Dude has been suffering, though it often comes into my mind. I will talk to my own vet, and the specialist when I take Dude back for a check-up in two weeks, and get their input before I write to the Director of the shelter. I want to have all my facts just right. It came into my mind today that perhaps a tech. did some or all of the surgery, we've heard about them performing neuters quite routinely at some shelters. I can't imagine a qualified vet leaving in fourteen roots.

However, on to how Dude is doing - very well! He was already eating when I called for him at the clinic on Thursday evening. They laughed and said that he didn't want to leave his food as they put him in his carrier. He's been tucking into his wet food ever since and really enjoying it. It was good to see him sit on the bed and wash his face afterwards and I suddenly realized that I hadn't seen him do that much. He ate because he had to, in spite of the pain, but he didn't want to touch his face if he didn't have to. Another great sign is that when I do get his mouth open to squirt in his medicine, I can see that his gums are pink for the first time. Whenever he's yawned and I've take a quick peek before, they've always been very red.

The medicine is murder. He's still on pain meds, which have a narcotic base, so I wait half-an-hour for that to take effect before I squirt in the antibiotic. I have to wrap him in a soft robe and then tie the tie around his upper body. Then I put his head in a vice-like grip between my knees and wrestle with his head to squirt the med in his mouth, hoping that he doesn't choke. He gets most of it, that's the best I can do. The first day, before I thought of tying him in the robe, he hurled himself out as soon as the med was in his mouth, crashed into my night table, and overturned a full mug of tea which went drenched the remote, phone and clock.

The pain med is one that is absorbed through the gums so it needs to be oral. Once he's off that tomorrow, I may move to Clavamox tabs, crushed into a bit of wet food. The injections would have to be intramuscular because he gets sores (he's got two now) from sub-q injections. I can't do im injections on my own and would have to pay a tech to come in twice a day.

As for spoiling, well of course! Dude's idea of being spoiled is to spend lots of time with me, which couldn't be nicer for me too. He's on my lap now, leaning into my chest. I'm steeling myself to give him his next round of meds.

[kallisto4529]

I am so glad he is doing so well, I cant imagine how difficult it must be to give him those meds though, bless your heart. please keep us posted on how he is doing, i will continue the prayers and positive thoughts for full recovery for him, and alot more years for you both.

[sprokett]

good to hear hes getting better i cant belive the shelter can do that!!!

[Medusa]

This story is both heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. Heartbreaking because of all the pain that Dude needlessly suffered and heartwarming because you came into his life and saved him from misery. Bless you both and please continue to update us.

Blessings,
Mary

[Catty1]

Glad he is off the oral meds tomorrow...and eating and washing his face!

What a HAPPIER Dude! Does he seem more affectionate and purr more?

HUGS to that sweet boy, and blessings to you!

[krazyaboutkatz]

I'm so glad to hear that he's doing much better and that you're also able to give him his meds. I hope he'll continue to do well.:)

[kt_luvs_kitties]

I am so GLAD that Dude is feeling better. I can just picture you on the floor holding him down, "trying" to get all those meds in his mouth. lol :p Poor meowmie, and poor Dude. I know he is being very well taken care of now, but I just cant get over how the shelter took care of him. Makes me sick :mad:

[kimlovescats]

I'm so happy that Dude is feeling much better now! I'm sure he feels like a brand new kitty now thanks to you!!! I know about trying to get meds in a kitty's sore mouth ... it isn't easy at all!!! :eek:

Hugs,
Kim