Update on Casey's condition - not good

**Russian Blue** · 12-11-2002, 01:38 PM

Awww...I'm sending all positive and healing thoughts out to all the under the weather felines.

It is so hard when you don't know what's wrong with them. It's such a helpless feeling!

Many ((((((Hugs))))))

**moosmom** · 12-11-2002, 06:54 PM

Russian Blue,

It's VERY frustrating. He's been sleeping alot lately, but is eating, drinking and using the box.

Jen,

That's what the vet plans to do when he's under for his skull x-rays. She's going to take a couple of swabs of his nostrils to see if she can see anything in the mucus. She wanted to do an esophygeal flush but it would be even MORE expensive. She suggested a CT scan with a specialist, but I have draw the line at what's right and what is excessive as the cost would be over $1,000. Hopefully they can see what's wrong in the x-rays. Since he's only started 100 mgs. of Metronidazole yesterday, I'm giving it one more week. The vet didn't call me back today because she called in sick. All I can do is wait and see. I'm not going to worry about the unknown till I have to.

Thanks for all your well wishes guys. It means alot to me!

((((hugs))))

**krazyaboutkatz** · 12-11-2002, 11:18 PM

Donna, Prayers are on the way for Casey. I sure hope that these tests will tell you something. I know that not knowing is the worst. I sure hope that whatever they find will be treatable and that Casey will be back to his old self in no time. All fingers and paws are crossed here. Good luck.

**moosmom** · 12-12-2002, 01:33 PM

From Casey:

Hi everybody!

This is Casey, also knowd as "Bubba" to mamay. I have a stuffy dose right dow and have trubble breevin. I just wanted to tank you all for your good wishes. It's bid da pits lately with mama shuvin stuff in my bouth to try and make me feel bedder. It' hasn't worked so far. So tomorrow I go have x-rays of my head to see what's goig on. I'll be seein ya real sood, okay??

From Moosmom:

Casey is going for the skull x-rays tomorrow morning. I will let you all know what happens. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it's something that can be fixed with medicine, although I'm not too sure it will because of all the medicine he's been on the past month. But I will think positive.

**gini** · 12-12-2002, 01:41 PM

Donna, we will gather together and send Pet Talk Get Well IMMEDIATELY vibes to Casey!!

Please keep us posted - I know how all of us worry about our furkids!

**Cataholic** · 12-12-2002, 03:59 PM

Donna-
Prayers, hugs and well wishes coming your way! Let us know as soon as you can!!!
Johanna

**moosmom** · 12-12-2002, 07:06 PM

Thanks guys! He's resting tonight with just water and his litter box

. I hate doing that but I know it's for his own good. The minute I know anything, I'll post it.

**ramanth** · 12-13-2002, 10:09 AM

Good luck today Donna!

*HUGS*

**NoahsMommy** · 12-13-2002, 12:20 PM

I'll be thinking about you today...

**moosmom** · 12-13-2002, 07:34 PM

Casey is home resting comfortably. First they tested him for Feline Leukemia (It was so long ago I couldn't remember if he WAS tested or not) and heartworm. I found this strange since he's an indoor cat, but the vet said he could've been bitten by a mosquito inside my apartment (possibly). Both were negative.

She did a complete exam of his throat and nose while he was under. She saw nothing! No polyp, no tumor, nada. Then she took swabs of his nose but didn't have time to check them out under the microscope for any bacteria or cancerous cells. She was swamped all day and said she would take 2 hours on Monday to look at the slides.

I know I should be happy that it's not cancer, but not knowing what's wrong is what is making me crazy.

I am SOOOOOO frustrated. And I feel so helpless. He sounds just awful

. I can't help him. I don't know what to do for him.
She showed all the x-rays to another vet and he was amazed that the Zythromax he was on didn't wipe it out completely.

So he's back on Zythromax and Flagil for 10 days in the hopes that it works.

I want to cry right now. Not because of the money, although the vet bill was $374 and another $47 for the medicine. I love this boy with all my heart and soul and hope he's not suffering. I just don't know what else I can do for him.

**gini** · 12-13-2002, 07:49 PM

Donna, my heart goes out to you!! Do you know what I think I would do at this point? I would go on the internet - aside from the obvious cat sites - perhaps Google and do some searches for this problem in cats.

I am not recommending any remedies other than what the vet
has prescribed - but maybe they have a "home remedy" that might relieve his congestion that you haven't thought of...........

I have this idea because I just had a major computer problem and I had a professional here to help me. He couldn't find out what the problem was - he went on to Google and did a search and sure enough - other people had the same problem I did and it was a missing Windows file. He downloaded the file and VOILA it worked.

I use this as an example because there are many things you can learn from other people aside from Vets and us.......and it will occupy your mind while you read and search.

I am so sorry......you must be so very upset about poor Casey.

A big hug from Gini and Rascal..............

**moosmom** · 12-13-2002, 10:41 PM

Gini,

Thanks for your suggestion. That's exactly what I did.

After trying to sleep for 2 1/2 hours (everytime I started drifting off, Casey would gasp for air), I got up and here I am.

I looked into FIP. The reason being, when MooShoo was 12 weeks old, he tested positive for FIP, which means he was exposed to the virus, as were the rest of my cats.

According to Cornell University, FIP is a very frustrating disease because it consists of 7 coronaviruses. The only way to truly detect it is by doing a post-mortem necropsy (autopsy), by testing the tissue of an infected cat.

Some of the symptoms of FIP are so similar to what I've seen in Casey (diarrhea over time, sneezing, watery eyes, lethargy,antibiotics failure to take care of an infection, loss of appetite), that I'm very suspicious THAT is what is happening here.

I am absolutely devastated at this point because I feel deep down inside he IS suffering and I don't want that.

The questions running through my mind are "Do I keep him on the medicine another 10 days to see if he does any better???" (even after all these weeks of medication and poor results). "Do I take him off all medicines to see if he improves???" "Do I make the ultimate decision that enough is enough and have him put down so that he doesn't suffer, yet always wondering if I did the right thing???"

I am so confused right now. I need answers and there don't seem to be any.

**Nomilynn** · 12-13-2002, 11:03 PM

Donna, I don't have any answers for you either

But I just wanna give you this:

((((((((((((HUGS)))))))))))) from Naomi, Bassett, Tilly and Nutmeg. I sure hope Casey feels better soon!

**krazyaboutkatz** · 12-14-2002, 12:50 AM

Donna, I'm so sorry that Casey is still miserable and that you didn't find out any answers from the tests. Hopefully the nasal swab will tell you something. I had to wait almost 6 days to find out the results from this test but at least it told me what was wrong. Has Casey beed tested for FIP? When Pepper was very sick last year, the doctor tested him for feline leukemia and FIP and both were negative. Prayers are continuing to go out for sweet Casey. All fingers and paws are still crossed too. {{{{HUGS}}}}

**jenluckenbach** · 12-14-2002, 06:05 AM

Oh Donna, Poor Casey. I am so sorry, I have no answers just tears and hugs.
You may not be able to reliably test for FIP because of Casy's exposure to Mooshoo, but did you at least ASK the vets if they thought it could be that? Has Casey stopped eating?