Oscar

[Catty1]

cats4ever, I can empathize with you. One cat stabilizes and then another gets sick.

It's the long weekend and Oscar got blocked. I took him to a NW emergency vet. It wasn't very busy but once I said I thought he was blocked they took him in to an examining room immediately for triage. He has to stay for several days.

I got a call from the vet just after I got home. Oscar did really well. They cleared the blockage and his blood pressure came back down to normal. He'll have an indwelling catheter meanwhile and will be on IV fluids. Once he can pee on his own he can come home.

The price is between $2500 - $3500 but they have financing there which is interest-free for 6 months and it was set up immediately.

I'll miss him wanting to snuggle up under the covers but he'll be home soon.:love:

[Catty1]

I had a message from the morning vet. Oscar is doing well. His urine is flowing very well through the catheter but they are keeping him for another day as there is still some "grit" in his urine. I don't know if that is crystals or something else.

He'll call me this afternoon with an update.

Although it is more expensive this option keeps him on IV fluids and they wait until the bladder is well flushed out. It's worth it. HE'S worth it.

Even with my other two cats here, it's very quiet.

[cats4ever]

Candace, I am so sorry that you and Oscar have to go through this. This is a true emergency and very painful, and I'm so glad that you took him immediately to the emergency clinic.
At least you got a good update. The IV fluids are definitely a good thing. Can you visit him over the weekend?
Yes, "grit" is the same material as crystals, but like very fine sand.
Are they going to put Oscar on a urinary diet?
Oscar misses you just as much.:love::love::love:
Best wishes to you and Oscar!

[Catty1]

He is coming home tomorrow. This vet clinic is 24 hour so Oscar is always monitored and, I hope, getting scritchies every so often. :love:

He will be on a urinary diet. Cole is male so it wouldn't hurt for him to be on it. Thing is, vet foods have grains in them. Oh well, as long as they prevent poor Oscar from going through this again, it's worth it.

Cole has never had anything close to a UTI except when he was diagnosed with diabetes. He had a few red blood cells and some bacteria in his urine. I may keep him and Zoe on the current food.

Thanks for your words. I wanted to ask about Monroe - not only how he is doing but what the meds will do for him. :love:

[phesina]

Dear Oscar, what a frightening story! We're so glad your dear Meowmie got you to the emergency vet right away. You have been undergoing some intense treatment, but it sounds like things are going well and you'll soon be home again.

We are sending along all our prayers and warm healing energies and good wishes to you (and Meowmie and Cole and Zoe) as you get well enough soon to come back home and snuggle up under the covers again!

{{{{{HUGS}}}}} and ~~~~PURRRS~~~~ and :love::love::love::love::love::love::love::love: from Poppy and Sparkler and Pat

[cats4ever]

He is coming home tomorrow. This vet clinic is 24 hour so Oscar is always monitored and, I hope, getting scritchies every so often. :love:

He will be on a urinary diet. Cole is male so it wouldn't hurt for him to be on it. Thing is, vet foods have grains in them. Oh well, as long as they prevent poor Oscar from going through this again, it's worth it.

Cole has never had anything close to a UTI except when he was diagnosed with diabetes. He had a few red blood cells and some bacteria in his urine. I may keep him and Zoe on the current food.

Thanks for your words. I wanted to ask about Monroe - not only how he is doing but what the meds will do for him. :love:

Thanks for asking. Monroe is doing well (except for his allergies, see my post in "Cat Behavior") and he's eating. His meds are supposed to open bloodvessels so the heart can pump blood more efficiently and reduce fluid around the lungs. Tomorrow I'll pick up his Plavix for the prevention of blood clots. On Friday, we'll repeat his x-rays and check his kidney values. If everything looks good he'll start a fourth (!) medication for high bloodpressure (his was normal so I'll ask the vet if it is really necessary).
Purrs and headbumpies to Oscar!:love:

[Randi]

I'm glad you took Oscar to the emergency vet and got him flushed out, I'm sure you know how important that is. You know, Fister went though the same 2-3 times before we finally decided to have him operated.

Which food did the vet recommend?

Good Luck, Oscar! :love:

[Catty1]

Hi everyone.

I'll be picking Oscar up at 4 pm today unless I hear otherwise.

They did an ultrasound and it showed small stones in his bladder.

The first option is a dissolution diet. The only caution is that as the stones dissolve they may create another blockage. He'll be on Royal Canin S/O for that.

Second is surgery to remove the stones. Expensive...

Third is PU surgery which the vet doesn't particularly favour as it leads to a chance of more UTIs and dribbling. Oscar is 15 1/2 so it would be nice to avoid that.

Poor Oscar. I just might buy a lottery ticket today. I won't win, but it's tempting. :(

[Catty1]

Oscar is home and scraping at the bathroom door.

He has a new litterbox which he used twice within 10 minutes of getting home. I set everything up for him in the bathroom. Urine looks normal.

I called the vet and asked how many normal pees he has to have before being set free and I was told "a couple of days".

I can hear him scratching at the door now. I'll go spend some more time with him.

Just HOW I am going to keep him quietly separate is another matter.

I suppose I could let him out and close the doors to both rooms with litterboxes.

And the new Catit fountain is not working at all. :( Will try running an extension cord to a regular outlet instead of the GFI it's in now.

I really really hope he does not block again.

6 medications to give him also. One I am to start tonight. Because he was sedated for the block to be removed he was not blinking and has very very slight ulceration on his corneas. Eye drops hopefully 3 times a day. THAT will be fun!

[phesina]

Welcome HOME, Oscar!

Best wishes and lots of warm healing energies to you, and your dear Meowmie Candace, with your recovery routine! We hope you will be back in good form very soon.

:love::love::love::love::love::love::love::love:

[cats4ever]

I'm glad to hear that Oscar is back home. Six different medicines? What a pain, but I'm sure Oscar is going to be a good sport.
I hope that the diet is working out for him, definitely cheaper and less invasive than the surgeries.
And hopefully, you get the fountain to work.;)
Best wishes and lots of purrs to you and Oscar from Heidi and the kitties.:love::love::love:

[Catty1]

I did get the fountain working - extension cord and a "normal" power outlet.

Oscar likes the dry urinary food but Zoe keeps moving in on him to eat it! Once I get to the regular feeding time in the morning I think it'll be fine.

Keeping both doors closed where the litter boxes are concerned. I'll likely hear a kitty scratching at one of the doors to get in and I'll get up and let them in. It's usually first thing in the morning so shouldn't be too bad.

Thanks everybody.

[Queen of Poop]

Oh dear, I'm so sorry Oscar is going thru this. Diego had a big bladder stone removed several years ago and has been on urinary food since. Give him a hug for me. 😢

[cats4ever]

I did get the fountain working - extension cord and a "normal" power outlet.

Oscar likes the dry urinary food but Zoe keeps moving in on him to eat it! Once I get to the regular feeding time in the morning I think it'll be fine.

Keeping both doors closed where the litter boxes are concerned. I'll likely hear a kitty scratching at one of the doors to get in and I'll get up and let them in. It's usually first thing in the morning so shouldn't be too bad.

Thanks everybody.

Will Oscar eat the cannned version of the urinary diet? That would help him to get more water.

[Catty1]

I know and no, Oscar will not eat the wet food. He did crunch some of the dry food this morning. However, he was actually drinking water from the fountain and the water bowl. I haven't every caught him doing that.

I'll be at my regular vet today and ask about a different brand of dissolution food.

I'm doing ok with his meds but cannot find the eyedrops anywhere.

[cats4ever]

I know and no, Oscar will not eat the wet food. He did crunch some of the dry food this morning. However, he was actually drinking water from the fountain and the water bowl. I haven't every caught him doing that.

I'll be at my regular vet today and ask about a different brand of dissolution food.

I'm doing ok with his meds but cannot find the eyedrops anywhere.

Oscar, did you hide your eyedrops?:D

[Catty1]

I found the eyedrops - they were right there in plain sight!

I called the clinic where Oscar stayed to ask if he could get a Convenia shot instead of being pilled. YES! He is going to my local vet at 5:30 today and will give him his eyedrops also. That way I can see how they do it. I could always dose him when he's sleepy...

Tomorrow I will get a refund for the canned food he won't eat and will try Purina UR vet food, the wet stuff. I may take the RC SO kibble back. He likes it but I think it's too hard on his gums. He has very few teeth left.

Of course, Cole and Zoe both love the stuff that Oscar hates. :rolleyes:

Tried Oscar on the Hill's CD wet food. He sorta eats it. He was up on the kitchen counters around 4 this morning, looking for food. I got the bowl of kibble and started adding small chunks of the CD. He was eating!

Still stressed and tear-prone with all the adjustment and the seriousness of Oscar's condition. Only one pill to give him now and two liquid meds. It'll all be good. :love:

[cats4ever]

Convenia is the best thing that ever happened to cats. I remember when it first came on the market, and a sigh of relief went through the catpeople community;), me included.
I'm glad that you found a food he eats. Everything would be so much easier if those little furballs weren't that picky.:D
Oscar, be a good boy for your mom. She loves you so much, and she will do whatever it takes to get you healthy again.
:love:Heidi
I just wanted to add for anybody not familiar with Convenia that it is an injectable antibiotic that works for 2 weeks in the body, eliminating the need for pills. It is also used in dogs.

[Catty1]

I returned the Royal Canin SO wet food and kibble today for a refund. I bought two cans of Purina UR (vet level of food).

Oscar loves it. THANK GOD!!!

So away we go.:):love:

[cats4ever]

Way to go, Oscar and Candace!:love: