Healing thoughts needed for Kacey: 10/27 He's gone.

**jenluckenbach** · 10-23-2008, 03:45 PM

Kacey, I sure hope you are feeling better. You are worrying us.

**Prairie Purrs** · 10-23-2008, 07:35 PM

Well, my poor little guy is spending the night at the vet's, where they'll try to stabilize him after a long, frustrating day.

My vet referred me to a clinic about an hour away, where they allegedly could do an ultrasound. After I got there, I was told that they couldn't do cardiac or thorasic ultrasounds. So they did x-rays, which (of course) were inconclusive.

The referral vet didn't think Kacey's heart is the problem, though. The possibilities included pneumonia, a twisted lobe in his lung, and a diaphragmatic hernia. They then told me I could get an ultrasound done at a clinic in St. Louis, about an hour and a half away from where I live (and two and a half hours from the clinic I took him to today).

Well, I knew that Kacey couldn't handle another night without some support, and if whatever's wrong requires surgery he's too weak right now to make it through. So it was back to my regular vet for the night.

I'm hoping the vet can make him more comfortable and give us some time to find out what we're dealing with. I can't believe I'm having so much trouble finding someone who can do an ultrasound!

Please keep my sweetie in your thoughts tonight. It's going to be a long night without him, and the road ahead doesn't look too bright right now.

**jenluckenbach** · 10-23-2008, 08:04 PM

Non-stop prayers for Kacey.

**Medusa** · 10-23-2008, 08:55 PM

Oh my, you're right, it shouldn't be so difficult to find someone to do an ultrasound. I guess I've been fortunate in that respect. Of course, you know prayers are continuing here for Kacey and you.

**Emeraldgreen** · 10-23-2008, 09:35 PM

Do you think your vet would be able to find a vet willing to come and do an ultrasound at your regular clinic? My local vet doesn't have an ultrasound but they have an ultrasound vet come and do ultrasounds all day every so often. This is how my cat Jimmy was able to get one recently. I'm sure it would be worth it for both vets in the end as they would both make money. Maybe your vet has a few other clients who would benefit from ultrasounds. Even if they could line up 3 or so, it would probably be cost effective for your vet to set it up. Just a thought.
Prayers that Kacey will stay strong and the mystery will be solved and fixed!

**Prairie Purrs** · 10-23-2008, 09:49 PM

Originally Posted by Emeraldgreen

Do you think your vet would be able to find a vet willing to come and do an ultrasound at your regular clinic? My local vet doesn't have an ultrasound but they have an ultrasound vet come and do ultrasounds all day every so often. This is how my cat Jimmy was able to get one recently. I'm sure it would be worth it for both vets in the end as they would both make money. Maybe your vet has a few other clients who would benefit from ultrasounds. Even if they could line up 3 or so, it would probably be cost effective for your vet to set it up. Just a thought.
Prayers that Kacey will stay strong and the mystery will be solved and fixed!

That's something I'm going to ask about so perhaps I won't have to go through this if any of the kitties need an ultrasound in the future (something that's likely to occur because I have two cats with heart murmurs). Kacey needs the testing done right away, so I'll undoubtedly have to travel somewhere. But I'm really surprised that there isn't such an arrangement. In Denver my neighborhood vet had an ultrasound person come in once a week, and I had a backup clinic across town that had its own ultrasound machine. So it was a little shocking to have a vet in Springfield (a city of 100,000 people) tell me that I'd have to go to St. Louis to get an ultrasound done.

**Prairie Purrs** · 10-25-2008, 01:51 PM

Kacey is home for now, but we're running out of options.

After watching him for a couple of days, the vet believes that there's something preventing material in his stomach from getting into his intestine. His stomach is terribly gassy and bloated. Surgery doesn't seem to be a possibility--he could probably make it through the surgery itself, but the vet doesn't think it's likely that he'd be able to recover.

On the other hand, he's showing a little bit of improvement today. If that were to continue, I think I may want to give surgery a try. I'm so torn. I don't want to put him through the misery if it's futile, but what if it's something that could be fixed?

**jenluckenbach** · 10-25-2008, 02:25 PM

So sorry that this is turning out to be a mystery. And one with hard choices. Looks like wait, WATCH and see will be the plan of action.

Prayers for sweet Kacey.

**krazyaboutkatz** · 10-25-2008, 04:40 PM

Playing the waiting game is always a hard thing to do but in his case it sounds like a good choice. I hope he'll continue to improve. He'll remain in my thoughts and prayers. Please take care. (((HUGS)))

**Medusa** · 10-25-2008, 08:46 PM

It's so difficult not knowing what to do. If only our furkids could talk, even if only when they're sick or hurt so we could know how to fix it. We'll be sure to double up on the prayers for sweet Kacey and you, too. Keep the faythe.

**Prairie Purrs** · 10-25-2008, 09:50 PM

Thanks, Jen, KAK, and Mary, for your continued prayers for Kacey.

Unless there's a major change, I'm going to have to let him go on Monday. He's just too weak. I know he has to be hurting, and if he's in obvious distress before Monday, I have the vet's home number. For now, he's resting as comfortably as he can. And I've been spending a lot of time telling him that he's the best cat in the world and that I love him. And trying not to sob where he can hear me, because he gets upset when I cry.

There's never enough time. Fifteen years--not nearly enough.

**Catty1** · 10-26-2008, 02:43 AM

Oh, poor you and poor Kacey.

It's a long shot - if something is blocking his digestion, would it be worth it trying a small dose of lactulose or even olive oil to see if that would help move things? Or some pepcid to coat his tummy, it might help his appetite?

I am so sorry to hear this...and that 'what's wrong' can't be pinpointed.

HUGE PT Prayers for Kacey.

**Medusa** · 10-26-2008, 07:34 AM

Sometimes it takes a while for things to come to me and during the night I was thinking about Kacey and praying and I remembered a friend whose cat had the same problem. He was just about ready to have surgery done on his cat to remedy the situation but he was really concerned about both the surgery and the expense when the word "bran" came to him. He gave his cat bran and she has been fine ever since. I can't recall exactly how old the cat is but I was there when he adopted her and that was 7 years ago and she was at least 2 years old then. It's a long shot, I know, but perhaps discuss it w/your vet? In the meantime, you know we pray w/out ceasing here......

**jenluckenbach** · 10-26-2008, 08:37 AM

Kacey, you know I am praying for your comfort.

**Medusa** · 10-26-2008, 11:13 AM

Ok, I just got an email from my friend about his cat who had a similar problem and this is what he did.

CVS Natural Lax powder ~ has psyllium husk ~ teaspoon powder & water ~ Use oral syringe about 3 or 4 ML ~ squirt in mouth

He also gave her lactulose from his vet as Candace suggested. So it wasn't bran that he gave her but he was on the right track and that was a couple of years ago and his cat is doing great. Perhaps suggest this to your vet before you have Kacey PTS. I know that you say Kacey is gassy so this may not apply but it's worth a chat w/your vet about it. Good luck, sweetie. I know how troubling this is and you want Kacey to be at peace.