Barney is an Angel Now.

[Emeraldgreen]

JennLibrarian wrote:

How's Barney doing this past weekend?

Well, we've had a good and not so good weekend. The good part was really neat. My husband was playing the piano and I thought that maybe Barney might be able to feel the vibrations from the music. I went and got him and bundled him up and brought him inside. Scott was playing and I sort of sandwiched Barney between me and the piano. He perked up and seemed to hear it! It was so cool. Then I sat down with him by the fire and he spent the whole time watching my husband playing the piano and his ears were moving all over the place. He was very calm though and stretching his paws out and kneading them in the air. I think he liked being able to hear/feel something.

The not so good part was that he was scratching his left ear while I was dishing up his food and his ear started bleeding. I think it is because I had just trimmed his nails when Angela was here and they were maybe a bit jagged. It was unbelievable how much it was bleeding, I was really freaked out. Everytime he shook his head, blood was flying everywhere. After about an hour, the workshop had blood splatter covering alot of it. Finally, it started to clot and the bleeding mostly stopped. There is still some blood when he shakes his head but nothing like the other day. I looked it up and Prednisone is supposed to help stop bleeding and he is already on that to help shrink the tumors so I will make sure he continues to get them every morning and night.

He is no longer fond of his low glycemic wet food and I need to make sure he eats so I'm giving him Fancy Feast and he eats it up. He also isn't interested in Pill Pockets anymore so I'm grinding the pred up and mixing it in his wetfood.

The daughter of my boss brought in some videos for Barney to add to his collection. He now has 'That Darned Cat' and 'Benji' and a couple of other similar movies to watch.

I'm going to be boarding Barney at the vet for a couple of days while we take a short road trip. Probably towards the end of the month. I have someone staying at our house but I just don't want to leave Barney with all of his special needs. It will be good for him to get out of the workshop for a bit. I'm worried that the vet is going to suggest that I let him go after they have him under their care for a few days and see his ear and stuff. But maybe it will be the opposite, they might help get him in better shape with glucose testing and hopefully some more dematting and just good attention from people who know what to look for with regard to everything that is going on with him.

One other thing that I've noticed in the past few days is that the tumor on his neck that leads up to behind his right ear seems smaller now. Just a week or so ago, it seemed larger but he had only had a few doses of the pred at that time. So I think it is working.

All in all, he's doing okay. He perks up whenever I go in there to see him and feed him and we have our good moments. I guess I'm just discouraged about his ear but hopefully in a few more days with more prednisone, it will get better. I will post in a few days and let you (all of Barney's Angels) know.

[critters]

JennLibrarian wrote:

Well, we've had a good and not so good weekend. The good part was really neat. My husband was playing the piano and I thought that maybe Barney might be able to feel the vibrations from the music. I went and got him and bundled him up and brought him inside. Scott was playing and I sort of sandwiched Barney between me and the piano. He perked up and seemed to hear it! It was so cool. Then I sat down with him by the fire and he spent the whole time watching my husband playing the piano and his ears were moving all over the place. He was very calm though and stretching his paws out and kneading them in the air. I think he liked being able to hear/feel something.

The not so good part was that he was scratching his left ear while I was dishing up his food and his ear started bleeding. I think it is because I had just trimmed his nails when Angela was here and they were maybe a bit jagged. It was unbelievable how much it was bleeding, I was really freaked out. Everytime he shook his head, blood was flying everywhere. After about an hour, the workshop had blood splatter covering alot of it. Finally, it started to clot and the bleeding mostly stopped. There is still some blood when he shakes his head but nothing like the other day. I looked it up and Prednisone is supposed to help stop bleeding and he is already on that to help shrink the tumors so I will make sure he continues to get them every morning and night.

He is no longer fond of his low glycemic wet food and I need to make sure he eats so I'm giving him Fancy Feast and he eats it up. He also isn't interested in Pill Pockets anymore so I'm grinding the pred up and mixing it in his wetfood.

The daughter of my boss brought in some videos for Barney to add to his collection. He now has 'That Darned Cat' and 'Benji' and a couple of other similar movies to watch.

I'm going to be boarding Barney at the vet for a couple of days while we take a short road trip. Probably towards the end of the month. I have someone staying at our house but I just don't want to leave Barney with all of his special needs. It will be good for him to get out of the workshop for a bit. I'm worried that the vet is going to suggest that I let him go after they have him under their care for a few days and see his ear and stuff. But maybe it will be the opposite, they might help get him in better shape with glucose testing and hopefully some more dematting and just good attention from people who know what to look for with regard to everything that is going on with him.

One other thing that I've noticed in the past few days is that the tumor on his neck that leads up to behind his right ear seems smaller now. Just a week or so ago, it seemed larger but he had only had a few doses of the pred at that time. So I think it is working.

All in all, he's doing okay. He perks up whenever I go in there to see him and feed him and we have our good moments. I guess I'm just discouraged about his ear but hopefully in a few more days with more prednisone, it will get better. I will post in a few days and let you (all of Barney's Angels) know.

I'll spare you all the details , but he may well have a conductive hearing loss rather than "nerve deafness," in which case touching the piano may let him hear it! What a neat idea to let him do that!!

If you don't have styptic powder, you might try a little dab of flour the next time he gets a bloody spot.

Congrats on shrinking the tumors!!!

[Medusa]

So now Barney is a lover of the arts. Boy, he's really getting some perks for being sick. LOL I'm glad that the lump on his neck is shrinking but the ear thing is scary. Well, as you say, while you're gone, maybe the vet and staff will be able to do some other things for him that you wouldn't be able to do. Besides that, I'm sure you could use a break by now. Barney is just short of thriving thanx to you so you deserve a little time off w/family. The usual prayers and (((HUGS))) are headed your way.

[Purr-tender]

What a cozy picture you've painted. Scott at the piano, you with our Barney all bundled up in front of the fire...Ahhhh!! It doesn't get much better than that!

How awful that ear is acting up again. That must have been very upsetting to see so much blood. I would've freaked, too. It's good that his one tumor appears to be shrinking. As far as thinking that the vet may suggest letting him go...I don't think that will happen. It will be good for him to spend time at the vets while you and Scott take a much needed break. I'm sure Barney will get plenty of extra TLC while there, but there's nothing like your gentle touch and love. I'd send something of his with him when he goes, like a special blanket and toy.

Warm hugs for you and Barney,
Mary aka Barney's Angel!

[jennielynn1970]

While they may not suggest letting him go, I'd make sure that they don't do something while you're gone. Just me being paranoid. I'd get something in writing that they'll call if his condition changes before they'd do anything (which if he's good with you, he should be good there as well).

[Medusa]

While they may not suggest letting him go, I'd make sure that they don't do something while you're gone. Just me being paranoid. I'd get something in writing that they'll call if his condition changes before they'd do anything (which if he's good with you, he should be good there as well).

Yes, I second this.

[kb2yjx]

Was Scott playing Mozart??? Glad to hear Barney is happy spending time with you and Scott!