Uppydate on Brodie - Back from the VET!

**christa** · 07-31-2006, 11:21 AM

Brodie went to the vet this morning - I figured that I'd be leaving him for SURGERY this week but we decided to put it off a little longer. Try something else first.

We're going to do a 30 day trial of Hills Z/D and Prednisone . . . try to get him straightened up enough and then if it works - fingers & paws crossed - get him back on dry food.

She said that cats with skin allergies (which Brodie definitely has) have a tendency to be obsessive groomers - which may explain why he's constantly throwing up hair & hairballs.

She's also ordering me an awsome grooming tool. A "furminator"!

I haven't tried to pill him yet - I've never pilled him before . . . wish me luck!

BTW, forgot to mention that he was a HOLY TERROR this morning, me trying to get him into the carrier by myself

and then at the vet's office . . . he HATES them!!! LOL

Anyway, let's hope *this* works . . .

**krazyaboutkatz** · 07-31-2006, 11:31 AM

I hope that the new food and prednisone will do the trick. I have a furminator and they're great.

**catnapper** · 07-31-2006, 12:23 PM

Good luck this week! We'll keep all paws, whickers, fingers, toes crossed around here.

Let me just tell you how AWESOME the Furminator is... I have a knockoff (I didnt have the $40) and its just the best grooming tool around. You'll be amazed at how much more fur you get. But be warned, you can actually groom him BALD. It takes out everything. Flutter LOVES to be brushed with it and would sit and stay until I groomed her bald too.

**jazzcat** · 07-31-2006, 12:43 PM

I really hope this works for Brodie. Poor little guy! It's good to know it's allergies and not an obstruction.

I remember KAK posting about the furminator. It looks like it works great.

**christa** · 07-31-2006, 01:15 PM

Originally Posted by catnapper

But be warned, you can actually groom him BALD. It takes out everything. Flutter LOVES to be brushed with it and would sit and stay until I groomed her bald too.

LOL . . . I'll keep that in mind. We considered having him shaved by the vet - having him put under & shaved. There is NO WAY he could be shaved otherwise. He freaked when they put him on the scale to weigh him!

So the vet and I discussed it and we're both afraid that he'd have a heart attack, seriously, if they got near him with clippers. But according to her, it only lasts about a month. So I'm going to try this first.

He didn't seem to mind it . . . he hates the slicker brush but I used the furminator on him there in the office and it didn't seem to bother him. I think those slicker brushes hurt . . . seems like they would!

edit: I just realized that we have to give him 3 preds at one time/day this week . . . oh joy. I guess it's because they're only 5mg each. I thought it was going to be hard enough to get one down his neck . . . now I'm realizing that I'm going to have to do it 3 times in a row! Maybe I can just stick them in his food.

**catlover4ever** · 07-31-2006, 01:59 PM

Hope this works for Brodie...paws and fingers crossed.

**momcat** · 07-31-2006, 05:35 PM

Prayers and positive thoughts that the pills and furminator do the trick for Brodie. Please keep us up on how things work out?

**catmandu** · 07-31-2006, 05:39 PM

If you cant pill hm , have the Vet if possible make the Meds in a liquid form so you can dab it on his paws or nose.
That works with the Found Cats who hate pills.
Mr Scrappy Angel is watching in on Brodie.

**AbbyMom** · 07-31-2006, 09:16 PM

I haven't tried to pill him yet - I've never pilled him before . . . wish me luck!
BTW, forgot to mention that he was a HOLY TERROR this morning, me trying to get him into the carrier by myself and then at the vet's office . . . he HATES them!!! LOL

Hope the food and preds work for Brodie!

Just in case you've not seen it before and he's really bad at being pilled, here's a link for Pill Pockets:
http://www.pillpockets.com/index_fs.htm

Also, do you have a top load carrier? The top loads have a wider opening and some cats find them a little less intimidating, especially as you can put them in feet first (instead of shoving them in head first.) Of course, he'll still know he's going to the vet.

Good luck and let us know how he's doing!

**christa** · 07-31-2006, 09:53 PM

Originally Posted by AbbyMom

Just in case you've not seen it before and he's really bad at being pilled, here's a link for Pill Pockets.......Good luck and let us know how he's doing!

We considered the pill pockets but you have to remember that Brodie can't eat anything . . .

. . . of course, my luck, LOL . . . he has to eat the MOST expensive food imaginable and nothing else. So unless they make the pill pockets out of Hills Z/D, he can't have it in his little system - otherwise, he will break out or puke.

And speaking of pilling Brodie - he did WONDERFUL! He was actually easier to pill than Josie - I guess because he's smaller & easier to handle. All three went down, no problem. He struggled very little. He was scared & shakey by the 3rd pill but I tried to go as fast as possible & as soon as it was over with, I was talking about eating, so he had FOOD on his mind & he was over it quick!