Not The Best Annual Exams For My Twins:Bad Update Post #18

**krazyaboutkatz** · 06-13-2010, 11:33 PM

Well I took both Sky and Ziggy Stardust to my vet today for their annual exams. Sky has always been congested but lately he's also been having some coughing/sneezing fits which have been scaring me. I explained this to my vet and she said that he could have asthma

but it may also just be more of seasonal thing. He had an x-ray taken and she said that it did look like he had some slight inflammation which indicates asthma. He's now going to be taking 1/4 of a Theophylline pill,which is an airway dilator, every evening for about 3-4 weeks. Luckily he loves pill pockets so he'll be very easy to pill. If he's still not improving in 1 week then he'll also be taking a low dose of pred to help with inflammation. Hopefully he won't also need this.

He weights 13.5lbs so he's actually gained some weight from last years 12.6lbs. Last year he was having some diarrhea problems due to a parasite that he and Pearl had so that's why he didn't weigh as much. I still need to watch his current weight though and I think he's better off being only 13lbs or so. Please send some positive vibes that this medicine will work well for him. Thanks.

Ziggy has two problems that I already knew about before her visit. Her gums on her upper back molars are very red and they have moderate gingivitis. I've been brushing my cats teeth once a week with the rubber finger brush but I just read today that this isn't as good as using a toothbrush so I'm going to start using a toothbrush. I also have to brush Ziggy's teeth 2 times a week and hopefully this will help with her current gingivitis.

Her other problem is that she's overweight. I had already guessed that she weighed 15-16lbs. When the vet tech weighed her she weighed 15.9lbs.

I was pretty much right on but still shocked. Last year she weighed 14.1lbs. All of my cats are on Innova Evo which is very high in calories but I don't free feed them. She's currently getting about 1/2 cup a day of dry and then some canned mixed in but I also usually let her have some of her siblings leftovers too. I know bad meowmie.

My vet wants me to feed her no more than 1/4 cup of dry food and also feed her 1/2 can of wet food per day. I need to bring her back in 1 month and have her weighed to make sure that she's losing weight and also to make sure that she's not losing too much too fast. My vet wants her to lose at least 2lbs. I also bought a bag of Innova Evo Weight Management dry food and everyone seemed to like it. I'll be feeding her this exclusively and then mixing it in to the others until the regular Evo is gone. Then I'll just switch over to the weight management formula. Hopefully everything will work out. If she's still not losing weight then my vet said that she'll need to switch to a different diet. Wish me luck.

Sorry to ramble on so long. At least both Pearl and Storm's annual exams went well without any problems.

**katladyd** · 06-13-2010, 11:58 PM

I've never had a gingivitis problem with any of my cats, thank goodness! But, Ming does have a weight problem, he is a big, big, cat. For a Siamese, he's huge! He tips the scales betwen 18- 20 lbs. Now, I have to leave food out all day because Mac has always been a cat who is hard to keep weight on. On a good day he tips the scales at 7 lbs. The vet wants both cats on food for urinary tract balance, which is fine, but she wants him to free feed, he is that hard to keep weight on. This is fine for Mac, but Ming also gets to the food, which he doesn't need. Plus, Ming is on amitriptyline, which seems to put weight on him also. Mac has bones showing now, so I can't cut stop free feeding. My vet says since Mac is getting into his senior years, it is more important to keep weight on him. Sometimes you just can't win! I hope everything works out for your babies, especially for Sky. After your experiences with Starr on pred, I'm sure you don't want to go there at all! I'm sending postive thoughts your way for all of your dear kitties. Keep the faith and give them kissies from me.

**krazyaboutkatz** · 06-14-2010, 12:04 AM

Originally Posted by katladyd

I've never had a gingivitis problem with any of my cats, thank goodness! But, Ming does have a weight problem, he is a big, big, cat. For a Siamese, he's huge! He tips the scales betwen 18- 20 lbs. Now, I have to leave food out all day because Mac has always been a cat who is hard to keep weight on. On a good day he tips the scales at 7 lbs. The vet wants both cats on food for urinary tract balance, which is fine, but she wants him to free feed, he is that hard to keep weight on. This is fine for Mac, but Ming also gets to the food, which he doesn't need. Plus, Ming is on amitriptyline, which seems to put weight on him also. Mac has bones showing now, so I can't cut stop free feeding. My vet says since Mac is getting into his senior years, it is more important to keep weight on him. Sometimes you just can't win! I hope everything works out for your babies, especially for Sky. After your experiences with Starr on pred, I'm sure you don't want to go there at all! I'm sending postive thoughts your way for all of your dear kitties. Keep the faith and give them kissies from me.

Thanks.

It's so hard to feed cats in a multiple cat household because what works for one may not work for another. Storm is on 2.5mg of pred every morning now because he has small intestinal disease but so far this doseage doesn't seem to be affecting his health like it did with poor Starr's. I think it's because Storm is a large cat and he can afford to gain a little weight whereas poor Starr couldn't. With Sky who knows what could happen. Thanks again.

**catmandu** · 06-14-2010, 09:36 AM

We are sorry to hear that Ziggy Stardust and Sky have some medical issues

I guess its the price of Our Cats as we do , aging. and showing the effects of geeting old!!

I pray that a good dental cleaning will help Ziggy and will be in time so no teeth are lost

and that Sky will be breathing easier soon

Its so sad where Our Cats are ill

**lvpets2002** · 06-14-2010, 09:40 AM

Sorry of the babies with problems.. However it sounds like all can be corrected.. Come on babies & get well soon.. MMmm sounds like a treadmill is to be arriving..

**Freedom** · 06-14-2010, 09:46 AM

Come on Sky, let's go Ziggy, get working on healing and healthy!!!

My sympathies on feeding in a multi cat household. I switched to a grain free food last Sept, and everyone trimmed down nicely; except Crystal, who continues to gain. She is like an over inflated basketball!

She is a "small calico," should be 7 to 9 pounds. Vet isn't sure, as she is so HUGE just now, tipping the scales at 19!!!!

I've tried sequestering her for feedings. That worked for 3 days -- until she started to "feel" it, lol. After that, she would dart away from me, no WAY she was going in that room with the little food, he heee.

I have to start brushing Ebony's teeth, as she has the gingivitis as well. Problem there is, she does not come to me at all. So you are doing great, keep at it!