PT Prayers for Pyka, please. Post - op update #16, #18

[Catty1]

http://petoftheday.com/talk/showthread.php?t=128622

Most of the information is in that thread.

Mom FINALLY asked her vet about getting a second opinion, and the vet was OVERJOYED that she had finally asked!

It seems Pyka, the larger of two lilac-point Oriental Shorthairs that my mom has(they are brothers), might have hyperesthesia.

He has had fits of scratching, frantic grooming, and his scratching gave his ear a hematoma that required surgery. There were stents in it to drain it...and though the vet thought the ear would not fill up again, it has had to be drained at least twice.

Pyka has been on Clavamox, Zythromax and Prednisone. His ear still swells(he has his collar on), and he is so congested - you can hear the stuff in his sinuses. And when he sneezes, stuff with blood and sometimes just blood comes out.

Tomorrow he goes to a specialist and hopefully we can find out what is wrong with the poor guy. Mom has been up three times a night with him...taking him to his box, feeding him, or comforting him.

His appetite is good, and he does go to the litter box on his own.

Just really sniffly and not well.

I really hope the specialist can decide something. Pyka is getting a CT scan, we know that.

Of course, only after Mom's hairdresser mentioned food allergies (mostly corn) and the vet gave Mom some good quality food did she really start thinking of changing over. Daughter doesn't know anything unless OTHER people tell Mom the same thing! Isn't it usually the other way around?

Thanks...if it is not a tumour (God forbid), then I hope THIS vet will try some antihistamine to control some symptoms.

Poor guy. And his littermate has NEVER had any problems like this!

Thank you for your prayers.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Poor Pyka. I'm glad to hear that your mom decided to get a second opinion. I also did this with Starr and now have a wonderful new vet. I hope that the specialist will be able to find out what's going on with Pyka and be able to help him. It seem like Siamese cats are very sensitive to many things. Lots of prayers and positive thoughts are being sent his way.

[Karen]

Oh, Pyka, as an oft-sniffly, allergic person, I sympathize.

And no, Catty, that's usually how it works with parents and kids. If I told my mother something (much as I loved her) she's ignore it, but if Paul said the same thing, she'd take it seriously. Same thing if it was me and a complete stranger. Drove me a bit crazy, but I am am sure I drove Ma crazy, sometimes, too!

[Medusa]

Sometimes a second opinion pays off handsomely. When my vet retired, I was never totally happy w/the vets that were still there and when Yodie Yodie needed a specialist, that's how I came upon Dr. Lee. Now all my cats go to him. We'll keep the prayers going that this new vet can discover what's up w/Pyka and get him back on the road to good health.

[moosmom]

I'll be praying the new vet will have an answer to those perplexing symptoms.

((((HUGS))))

[Catty1]

Pyka and Mom and I went to the specialist clinic today - what a lovely spacious place, new and well-designed!

The tech was great, called Pyka "Peanut" when she was coaxing him. Dr Clarkson was great too.

Bottom line (aside from about $3,800) is Pyka is getting a CT scan in the morning, of his sinuses. While he is under, Dr Clarkson will phone Mom with results, as they will go ahead and do a biopsy on whatever part of the sinuses they need to.

There are two wee spots that barely show on the x-ray. Could be fungal, could be old snot just clogging things up. ALSO, the Dr is going to do an extensive scan going back to his ear canals and teeth. Pyka and his brother, being Oriental Shorthair littermates, have lost all their teeth except fangs.
The Dr wants to see if an old root has abcessed and gone into the sinuses.

After the biopsy, they will also "quilt" his ear. He had hematoma surgery on the 4th of June, and even though the stents stayed in for almost 2 weeks, the ear keeps filling and filling. Mom has had to have it drained 4 or 5 times since the surgery. AND - Pyka has been wearing an e-collar the whole time.

When they quilt the ear, they basically sew it shut....there is one stent put in it, and crossing rows of stitches so the skin finally has a chance to start closing up, and thus 'pushing out' the rest of any bits of fluid that are there.

He is getting a NEW e-collar, no extra charge!

Please, more prayers, that this is just "old gunk" and that Pyka can be fixed up!