not a big old hairball. Apparently he has some post-nasal sinus drainage that is making him hoarse, and killing his appetite because he can't smell any food. (He lost 3 pounds, a fourth of his weight, since his last checkup!) He doesn't have a fever though, and he has no outward drainages, so it's nothing serious.
She thought he looked a little dehydrated, so she gave him some subcutaneous fluids - his left shoulder looked like a hunchback, and later the fluid "pouch" shifted and is now hanging from his armpit - he looks like a silly old camel! She prescribed some amoxycillin for him, and he is already seeming a lot more perky tonight than he had been. PHEW....it's always a scare when they're not feeling well.

The hairball goo is proving to be helpful when pilling him for the amoxycillin - I ground up the tablet and mixed it into a wad of the hairball stuff, and smeared it on the roof of his mouth, so he got all his medicine and couldn't spit it out!