Update on Puddy; she's gone*9/29* see post #421

[Medusa]

I'm feeling more hopeful today. I was a wreck yesterday. Just knowing that I have some hope makes me feel better. I've had to help pets to the Bridge before but I always knew that it was an act of kindness but in Puddy's case, if I did it now, I'd feel like her executioner. It isn't that I'm not ready, it's that I know she's not ready. If I give this drug and the Omega fatty acids a good try and she hasn't improved, then I'll know what I have to do because living her life sitting on the bathroom countertop or underneath my bed while her tongue is sticking out just is not a quality life. But, as I said, I'm hopeful now and hope is all I need to keep me going.

Thank you all so much for your continued prayers and your kindness. It's what's keeping me going, that and my sweet Puddy's little face.

[Taz_Zoee]

Mary, I know you will do what is best for Puddy. It will be difficult, but the right decision.
Why can't they live forever? I know when that time comes for me to send my Tazmoe to the bridge, I will find comfort here with my PT family. People who know what you are going through and can relate on many levels.

I will be hoping these last efforts will help Puddy feel better soon and keep her with you for many more months (heck, maybe even years!).

[Medusa]

Mary, I know you will do what is best for Puddy. It will be difficult, but the right decision.
Why can't they live forever? I know when that time comes for me to send my Tazmoe to the bridge, I will find comfort here with my PT family. People who know what you are going through and can relate on many levels.

I will be hoping these last efforts will help Puddy feel better soon and keep her with you for many more months (heck, maybe even years!).

Thank you so much for that. I've made some pretty good friends here on PT, you included, and I think the world of all of you and value your friendship and encouragement. I just got in from Dr. Lee's; picked up her new meds, so off I go to start the process. That's if I can reach her and drag her out from under my bed. These meds aren't cheap either. (What is nowadays, though.) I've had a talk w/my Fur Posse and told them that they might all need to get jobs but so far, I've not gotten a good reception. Go figure.

[slick]

Mary:
I have not posted in awhile but please know that I read this thread and pray for you and dear Puddy every day. All fingers and paws crossed here that the new meds work.

slick

[Medusa]

Poor girl gagged something fierce and has been choking and vomiting ever since I gave it to her this morning. It smells so foul so I imagine that it tastes the same. I'm not giving it to her any more. The Selegilene is going to have to be enough. I can't stand seeing her go through this. She's been through enough. I feel awful. Sweet girl tried to make it to the litterbox, too, and just couldn't. (When she vomits, she runs to the litterbox.) I don't know how they treat cats w/the Omega fatty acids. I've put it on their food and they won't eat one bite of it and if they can't keep it down either, then what's the point. She's still upstairs vomiting. Great. Now all she needs is to get dehydrated. One step forward, two steps back.

I just now tried to get her to lick a little bit of a fudgesicle. Whenever I have an upset stomach, chocolate ice cream usually helps me and she loves her fudgesicles but she licked it a couple of times and turned away. Poor girl, her face actually had vomit on it, it was in her eyes and everything. I've never known a cat to retch like that. The house reeks of vomit and Omega fatty acids, which smells like sweaty feet and fish. This just really upsets me. This cat is never going to trust me again.

[Catty1]

HI, Mary - that's awful! Is it a "pure" Omega 3 - 6 or is it mixed in a fair amount of oil?

Gosh...you might just want to try salmon 3 - 6 oil - make sure from the store it is "stinky" - and just put it on her food. Or give her a bit of canned salmon with the oil every so often, or even get a small salmon fillet, steam it, break into small pieces, and freeze it.

I wonder if there is such a thing as yummy omega treats?

To be honest - when I first started my boys on it, I had to mix cheaper stinky wet food with their regular wet and Omega oil to get them to eat it. After a while, I was able to leave it out.

I hope the Segreline helps!

[Medusa]

HI, Mary - that's awful! Is it a "pure" Omega 3 - 6 or is it mixed in a fair amount of oil?

Gosh...you might just want to try salmon 3 - 6 oil - make sure from the store it is "stinky" - and just put it on her food. Or give her a bit of canned salmon with the oil every so often, or even get a small salmon fillet, steam it, break into small pieces, and freeze it.

I wonder if there is such a thing as yummy omega treats?

To be honest - when I first started my boys on it, I had to mix cheaper stinky wet food with their regular wet and Omega oil to get them to eat it. After a while, I was able to leave it out.

I hope the Segreline helps!

She wouldn't eat her wet food this morning at all. Part of the problem is that she's now nocturnal, so she eats at night and then doesn't want the wet food when I feed the rest of the Fur Posse. So I'll try her wet food tonight and see if she'll eat it then. She refuses to eat anything but Fancy Feast, the little diva that she is, and then in only small portions. The amount of oil that she needs, it's a 3-V w/fish oil and vitamin E, would overpower the wet food and I'm sure she won't eat it. I've thought about having the pharmacist put flavoring in it; he said that he has chicken and fish flavoring. Puddy doesn't like fish at all unless it's broiled tilapia or halibut, again diva tastes.

[Catty1]

She wouldn't eat her wet food this morning at all. Part of the problem is that she's now nocturnal, so she eats at night and then doesn't want the wet food when I feed the rest of the Fur Posse. So I'll try her wet food tonight and see if she'll eat it then. She refuses to eat anything but Fancy Feast, the little diva that she is, and then in only small portions. The amount of oil that she needs, it's a 3-6 combo, would overpower the wet food and I'm sure she won't eat it. I've thought about having the pharmacist put flavoring in it; he said that he has chicken and fish flavoring. Puddy doesn't like fish at all unless it's broiled tilapia or halibut, again diva tastes.

The pharmacist putting in fish flavouring sounds like a good idea. And maybe cut her dose down for now...at least she will be getting some of it.

BROILED! lol - yes, a little Diva! How are her spirits?

[Medusa]

The pharmacist putting in fish flavouring sounds like a good idea. And maybe cut her dose down for now...at least she will be getting some of it.

BROILED! lol - yes, a little Diva! How are her spirits?

She hates anything fishy unless, as I said, it's broiled halibut or tilapia. Her spirits are so-so. I could hear her tapping around all night and a couple of times she really beat feet to get to the litterbox or the faucet but she didn't come up in bed w/me. Ever since she peed in the bed, I've been nervous about that anyhow but, hopefully, that was a freak incident and won't happen again. She did play w/the Cat Dancer for a few minutes, so that's encouraging. She's still upstairs gagging right now.

[jenluckenbach]

Poor Puddy. I know how they act when something tastes foul.

Is it possible to just pop the gel cap in her like any other medication? (just a thought)

[Medusa]

Is it possible to just pop the gel cap in her like any other medication? (just a thought)

I thought about doing that, too, but the gel caps are big. She has a difficult time even swallowing half a small tablet of something. Both Dr. Lee and I thought that the liquid pump would work better for her. Wrong. I think I'm going to forego the oil for the time being and see how she does on the med. As it is, I have to squirt other stuff down her throat twice a day. She's finally calmed down now so I'm going to just let her sleep. What a journey this has been.

[Emeraldgreen]

I'm sorry to hear about Puddy's reaction to the Omega oil. With regard to giving it to her in other forms, my cats do not go for the fish flavoured suspension either. What about a transdermal gel for her ear? I have no idea if the Omega can be turned into a transdermal gel or not though.
I hope that she will be able to get some rest in the meantime and feel well enough for supper tonight.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Mary, I'm sorry to hear that Puddy is becoming senile. I sure hope that the new medicine will help her. My cats didn't like the Omega liquid fish oil either so I also stopped using it. The food that they're eating already has some in it any way. Lots of prayers and positive thoughts are being sent her way. Please take care. (((HUGS)))

[emily_the_spoiled]

I used to give one of my foster's the omega-3 oil that was unflavoured. You should be able to buy this at your local specialty pet store or online. Unfortunately it is usually not something that PetSmart or PetCo carries.

BTW I have seen the Seligine do incredible things for humans with Alzhiemer's so here is hoping the same thing will happy with Puddy

[greendoor678]

I hate to say this, but Puddy sounds absolutely miserable. I know you want to do what's best and not give up, but her quality of life sounds as though it is diminishing due to all of the meds she is getting trying to help her.