Lot's of hugs to Max!! We're still thinking about him and that the neurologist can find out what's happeneing so Max can get better!!
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Lot's of hugs to Max!! We're still thinking about him and that the neurologist can find out what's happeneing so Max can get better!!
Hi everyone,
It is Friday evening and we still have no more news than we did before we took Max to the vet yesterday. As a matter of fact, he has to stay an additional evening. We miss him terribly. They did some sort of scan on him today - I hope it finally solves the mystery. I can't believe he had to stay AGAIN! Did I mention we're miserable?!
Please know that prayers and good wishes for you and Max are being sent from me.
Keep us posted :)
Hi everyone - we picked up Max yesterday and brought him home.
The test results (spinal tap and scan) showed NO ABNORMALITIES. While we should be reveling in this news, the highly regarded (and VERY expensive) specialist told us point-blank he doesn't KNOW what is wrong with Max. He took a sample of spinal fluid and sent it out for analysis - we'll have those results tomorrow. The Dr. wants to rule out a more serious problem.
Max is VERY happy to be home, but it is evident that he was put through ENOUGH tests for awhile. He has been sleeping almost constantly since he arrived home almost 24 hours ago. He has his appetite and uses his pan, but he has moved into our walk-in closet where it is cozy and dark to sleep - highly unlike our social butterfly. The scream/drop to floor thing seems to be worse since he was at the vet - we were starting to see him improve before he went. The tests they put him through were nothing short of miserable for anyone - I hope that is why he is behaving this way now.
I guess it's obvious that he still needs all the positive vibes this community can give him - he is not even 3 in human years.
Bless his little heart.
I learned from Zebo (rainbow bridge) that some kitties just want to hide when they don't feel good.
When Zebo was not even a year old, he darted out one day as I was leaving for work. I didn't have time to look for him, but decided he would be okay outside, figuring he'd find a bush to sleep under and snooze the day away.
Well, he found a place to snooze, but is wasn't the safety of a bush.
When I got home I didn't notice anything. But after a few hours I realized I hadn't seen him; in fact, he hadn't even eaten. I hunted him down and found him in the closet. I still did not know something was wrong, but he did get up and follow me out of the closet. Since he usually ran ahead of me when I went into the kitchen, I turned around to see what was taking so long. That's when I finally saw it - he was favoring one of his back legs and his tail was cut clean through about two inches down - just a flap of skin was holding it on. No wonder he had been hiding in the closet! The vet said he apparently had been in a car engine, and the fan belt got him when the driver turned the car on - a common injury to outside cats.
Jump ahead about 10 years, and due to a fight with one of the neighborhood cats (both neutered, both sweet and docile until they saw each other, us owners never did figure it out) Zebo developed a deep abcess - right next to his jugular vein. The vet was reluctant to excise it, but he would drain it as necessary. I originally figured out something was wrong with Zebo because he was hiding under the bed - he couldn't go hide in a closet because in the house we were in then had doors on the closets (my apartment had been one of those efficiencies where the closet is really nothing but an alcove). Each time he had it drained he would be his normal self, but then he would retreat to under the bed again, and I knew it was time to have it drained again. This story had a good ending, though, because the vet finally decided it was time to take the risk, because Zebo was surely going to die if the abcess wasn't drained - whereas he only might die if it was. So I had it done and Zebo was fine.
Anyway, I didn't mean to go on, I was just trying to say that Max probably just doesn't feel very good right now, so he feels the need to be alone where it's quiet.
Bless his little heart, I hope this mystery is solved soon, and he starts feeling better again.
[ August 12, 2001: Message edited by: 4 feline house ]
welcome to pet talk!!!!! you will love it here!!!!!!but yes,be warned...highly addictive...we might soon be starting a new site titled pet talk anonymous!!!! :) though i am of the canine persuasion...my humans refer to another furkid in my house as my sister :confused: she is of the feline persuasion...i am allowed to refer to her as MS.PUSS!!!! under my breath i call her...kitty with an attitude!!!she is a callico...she has orange in her!!! ;) she has been here longer than i...so we have to vye for my humans attention!!!!being 70 lbs. i think that i usually win....however the feline MS.PUSS always lets me know that the thought is merely in my head!!!!!!the deli dog :)
sorry............i meant first to ask for an update on max...how is he doing?????better i hope....he is in our prayers....hope he is well soon...deli dog and ms.puss :)
:D :D :D :D
FINALLY heard from the Dr. late today - Max's spinal fluid analysis was normal! YIPPEE!!
Although we still don't know what is wrong - we do know that he does not have lymphoma and I feel it's safe to say whatever it is, is NOT life threatening! They have not tested his blood yet, which seems odd and (to us) a logical 1st step. Though now that he has had every other major test even a HUMAN shouldn't have to experience, our plan of action is to give the kid a break! If he doesn't improve enough in 7-10 days we'll have blood drawn.
THANK YOU for your thoughts, prayers, and posts! I believe we were meant to "stumble" onto this site - it has been a great source of comfort to us!
Finally, 4 feline thank you for sharing your
experience with us - your Zebo was quite the trooper! I had a "Dusty" (Rainbow Bridge) that had some similar experiences - but that's another story! ;) BTW, Max is slowly venturing out of the closet - I think I'd want to hide too if I had all those tests...
4 feline, thanks for sharing the story of Zebo! Poor guy!! I'm glad he pulled through all that trauma that happened to him. Those car engines can be scary, not to mention deadly!! My father in law drag races, and I remember my husband telling me about how a kitty had gotten into the engine area of the car (it's warm in there after all!) I don't remember the exact story, but he did discover the cat and got it out of there safely, not counting the scratches received in trying to pry the cat out. But, I can imagine how terrified the poor thing would have been! Those drag engines are LOUD!!! He was later referred to as the "cat-man".
I sure hope Max improves. Bless his little furry heart. All those tests!! Be sure to let us know if he goes for the blood test. We're still thinking about you guys! *hugs*
Karen
Wolflady, Max did go for the blood test - yesterday - (can we say "Mommy is a ...^%$#*!") -- they won't have results ( or at least) call us with results until Monday or Tuesday.
In the meantime, I consulted 2 additional vets. The first suggested that Max has a bulging disc - something that is tricky to Rx without an MRI...but he has suggested an acupuncturist instead -- something we had mulled over recently ourselves. We'll take that further once we hear the blood analysis. He also suggested a natural stress reliever (made from flowers) in the meantime to relax Max a bit. Because it is safe for Max and his Human's -- I decided to take it also -- we both started tonight -- Mommy thinks it works okay! ;)
The 2nd Dr. is a personal friend of my brother's. After hearing our story he has agreed to view the video and perhaps come to our home as a "knowledgable guest" to see Max in his own environment. I called him at his home, so I think it was very nice of him to consult without warning. I just wish it wasn't a month without help for Max...
The saga continues...
This stuff is hard to figure out in humans, and we can tell the doctor where it hurts and when it started!
Lucky about your brother's friend. And so nice to lend a hand, too.
Max's Human~
First of all, I would like to apologize! I haven't been checking this post b/c of the title "new to site." I had no idea something was wrong--I just assumed that people were still giving you welcomes! I am so, so sorry!
Poor Max! I hope that the mystery is figured out soon! It sounds like you are doing all that is humanly possible for him. He is lucky to have such an owner!! Please know that my prayers are with you and your loved ones.
Hi, hello & a big welcome to you and Max
from Gina and the Furry Gang (Puca, Juju, Willow, Candi, Pearl, Harry, Rufus & Merlin pussycats....and the dogs- Jake & Tilly! ) :D !
A natural stress reliever...hey, send some my way! LOL I certainly hope it helps Max (not to mention his humans!!) relax a bit! It's great that you have a personal friend that can come and hopefully give his opinion. I think it will help for him to see Max in his own environment. Less stress on the cat, and a good opportunity for a vet to see him up close. I certainly hope something can be done! Still thinking about you guys!!! *Hugs*
Karen and furry gang=^..^=
I sure hope Max improves, it's nice of your brother's friend to come take a look at Max. Get well and best wishes to both of you. We all ought to throw a party when Max recovers!
Hi everyone,
We were very pleased to find that Max had a better weekend than he has managed to have in a long time. He is still screaming out in pain at times (3 times tonight alone) but he seems to recover better - less debilitating. He came out of the closet on Saturday evening -- FUNNY story -- we had 2 of Max's human "cousin's" overnight. One of the boy's was going to sleep in a sleeping bag on the floor in our bedroom. As I went to settle the human kid in, I found that the furry kid had come out of the closet to investigate and made himself TOTALLY at home on the sleeping bag - sprawled out, fast asleep and looking more peaceful than we'd seen him in weeks! I don't think I need to tell you that it was the human kid that slept elsewhere :D
I have since added the sleeping bag to the mock "bed" I made for Max a few weeks ago and he loves it!
Max's blood tests were normal - though that was 3rd hand info - we talk to the specialist tomorrow. My brother's friend is going to view the tape, but he knows our Vet and the specialist well so he is encouraging us to trust their professional opinions. It's not that we don't trust. We just HOPE that someone will be familiar with this problem and help us identify it. He recommends time...plain and simple.
So . . .that is how we begin the week - thank you all for your concern and support!
PS: No problem, Zippy! I had thought about changing the thread, but felt I'd confuse more!
Be well!
{{Max and parents/humans}},
So glad that he's starting to feel better and get around more. Holding you in our thoughts and prayers. Hope he continues to improve quickly.
Glad to hear that Max is venturing out a little bit! Hope he continues to improve!!
I made the same "mistake" that ZIppy made, unfortunately I haven't got the time to read all the threads every day (I only have access to a PC at work :D ) so I was not aware that Max was feeling poorly. I'm so pleased that Max is feeling better now.
glad to hear that max is a little more comfortable...it is amazing that with our technology...because they have no voice...they are so hard to diagnose.....max is in our prayers....the deli dog ;)
Hi Everyone,
Max's blood tests indeed came back normal. Even the muscle protein level was nomal to low - which the Dr. said he thought would be high. The only thing slightly out of range was Max's salt level -- something I didn't even know was possible!
Max has had a "just okay" week. He is up to following us human's wherever we might go around the house, but outside either on our elevated back deck or on his run in the front yard don't seem to appeal to him at all. THIS is strange. It is BEAUTIFUL here at the moment and Max is usually outside and loving it. I like it better when he's in, because I didn't want another outdoor cat this time around. Cat's who own me usually manage to find too much trouble outside and Max is no exception - even restrained.
He has screamed/jumped back/dropped to the floor less and less, thankfully, but in the past two days it has gotten more frequent. The Dr.'s all say we need to give him time to heal . . .but his human's really have a problem watching Max's pain . . .keep up the good thoughts and the prayers for our wee guy and enjoy the weekend - we hope you all have the beautiful weather we are. :D
I'm glad to hear that Max is doing better.
{hugs} to you and Max!
We (Misty my cat & I) will keep Max in our thoughts and prayers. Keep us informed on his vet visits. Also welcome to this site. Its a very informative site and fun relating also to other pet lovers like ourselves. ;)