Barney is an Angel Now.

[katslady]

I have not been on pet talk in a month or so.So I do not know all of Barney's history, but just wondered if the ear bacteria was cultured.I don't have much to donate but if you you can send me the info. I would like to help.

[Emeraldgreen]

I have not been on pet talk in a month or so.So I do not know all of Barney's history, but just wondered if the ear bacteria was cultured.I don't have much to donate but if you you can send me the info. I would like to help.

Thank you for offering to help. PT'rs have been so supportive to Barney. Please know that prayers are also very valuable and are needed and would be greatly appreciated. If you don't have much, please don't worry. Barney has had alot of help this past while from PT'rs and some local people where I live and we have enough to get him to his next exam and more blood work and more food and meds. Everyone has been very kind.
Speaking of which!!! I picked up the remaining 4 cans around town and collected an additional 135.00!!! I was very surprised because not one person called about Barney to adopt him but they do care because people contributed their change into the cans and someone even put a 20.00 in there!!! I have this little brown paper bag full of the change and I'm calling it Barney's bag of gold. I went to the Salvation Army and bought him 3 very soft fleecy sweaters to make more beds for him and to have some back up bedding when I wash his others.

Katslady, I've only known Barney for a few weeks myself but I do believe the vet did a culture or ear swab on his right ear on the last visit. I haven't taken him into the vet for his last two exams, that was done by another woman who was helping Barney but who is no longer on the scene. I will be taking him to his next appointment though and will make sure to get all the details.

The vet told us that Barney has a bacterial infection in his right ear and prescribed Surolan drops. He is also on 1/2 a tab of Clavamox two times a day. I have skipped a few days of the Surolan because he seemed to be in pain and was really getting upset with me when I put the drops in. But I've started up again this morning.

What I really think needs to happen is for him to be sedated a bit so they can get in there and really clean those yucky ears out. He has the worst balance and teeters all over the place and I'm sure it has everything to do with his ears. The polyp in his left ear is going to be dealt with down the road and the goal now is to get him healthy enough for that. The vet said she didn't think he'd survive surgery at this point (that was on October 29th).

I'm also going to have her examine his nose. Here is a close up of his scabby little nose that never seems to heal.



Pomtzu wrote:

If you do find that he is diabetic and needs insulin, I'd be happy to help out with syringes (even tho they aren't too expensive). I have leftover 1/2 cc syringes from when my RB dogs were on it, plus I use 1 cc syringes for myself for B-12 injections twice a month. I get them in boxes of 100 and I can just get doc to write me another prescription for them.

Thank you. I hope that he won't need injections but that is a very kind offer if he does.

JennLibrarian wrote:

My one foster had a scabby nose for a long time, and I think it took a few months for it to totally clear up (his name was Monty). He even had a bit of it left after he was adopted. Not sure if this is the same thing that is going on with Barnacles. Maybe he's got NOSE BARNACLES!!

LOL Funny!
I am relieved to hear that you know of a similar thing like this and that it resovled itself. Did a vet ever tell you anything about it? Sometimes it bleeds a bit. I guess he might paw at it but I'm not sure.

Barney is pretty much the same today but he is making poops each day which is great. He was only doing this every other day but for the past 4 days he is going every day. Nice way to end the post! LOL

[Medusa]

Ok, somehow I missed the post where it was confirmed that Barney does indeed have an ear polyp. This poor boy sure has had the stuff heaped on him, hasn't he? Well, I shouldn't call him a poor boy; he's actually lucky because he found you and Angela, Lara. Every time I read an update, I wish I was there to help. I could relieve you so that you have more time to yourself but if you're like me, you'd be there anyhow. His face is just too much. It makes me want to just hold on to him and never let him go, so I can imagine how you must feel. Please know the prayers are continuing.

[jennielynn1970]

Just wanted to let you know that there will be a package going out in the mail tomorrow for you and Barnacles. Just a few things I found for him. There is a self heating bed in it. I remembered the bed that one of the sponsors got for my foster Mac, which now that it's colder out, I found in a bag of older fluffy kitty winter beds. It's got something in it that helps retain the heat from their body and it radiates it back to him. He and the other fosters loved it, so I found the same kind online and had a new one shipped here, and it is now in the box for Barnacles.

Hope customs won't have an issue with kitty stuff. I purposely didn't pack any loose catnip in it, just in case!

[jennielynn1970]

Is there any kind of antibiotic ointment that you can put on his nose?? The vet never specified anything about his nose, but I know a few months after he was adopted, when I saw pics, his nose looked good.

Maybe some nose kissies would make him feel better?

[Purr-tender]

Oh, Lara, it is so hard to look at that sweet, pitiful face and not be able to hold him. When is his next appointment? I think that you are right about sedating him and really giving his ears intense treatments. Can you let the vet's office know ahead of time that you want them to do that? I am so happy that your cans were a success. Are you going to keep them going?

Please give Barney an extra gentle hug from me. Love that baby!!

Mary

[Emeraldgreen]

Ok, somehow I missed the post where it was confirmed that Barney does indeed have an ear polyp. This poor boy sure has had the stuff heaped on him, hasn't he? Well, I shouldn't call him a poor boy; he's actually lucky because he found you and Angela, Lara. Every time I read an update, I wish I was there to help. I could relieve you so that you have more time to yourself but if you're like me, you'd be there anyhow. His face is just too much. It makes me want to just hold on to him and never let him go, so I can imagine how you must feel. Please know the prayers are continuing.

Hi Mary, the vet had a look at the left ear on the second exam and she's pretty sure it's a polyp. I shouldn't say it is but I guess I'm hoping it is because if it isn't, it is a tumour. But because it bleeds so easily, she thinks this is what it is. Thankfully it hasn't been bleeding since he's been here which is great. Though it does cause him discomfort. I would like to get him in to have it removed but the vet said it's too soon and we need to get him in better health. Thank you for the continued prayers.


JennLibrarian wrote:

Just wanted to let you know that there will be a package going out in the mail tomorrow for you and Barnacles. Just a few things I found for him. There is a self heating bed in it.

Thank you so much Jenn!! I have never heard of a self heating bed and it will be perfect because there are only two outlets in the shop and one is used for his heater and the other has his nightlight in it.

I hope customs won't bother with the package but probably a good idea to leave the loose catnip out. lol I will let you know as soon as it arrives!

JennLibrarian wrote:

Is there any kind of antibiotic ointment that you can put on his nose?? The vet never specified anything about his nose, but I know a few months after he was adopted, when I saw pics, his nose looked good.

That's a good idea. I will ask the vet about it tomorrow when I go to town. Maybe polysporin would be okay. I hadn't thought of that! Or maybe something natural from the health food store that is safe for cats.

Scooter's mom wrote:

Prayers are continuing from me too. I am so glad he has you.
Give him an extra pet from me, please.

Thanks! Will do.



I ran into the woman who publishes our weekly news flyer on the island and I thanked her again for letting me run the ad and picture of Barney for only 5.00 instead of 50.00 and told her how surprised I was that out of 2,500 people, no one called about Barney and I hadn't even mentioned that he had all these diseases and wasn't neutered!!
She said that it is always interesting to find out that what you thought about people turns out to be completely different. You have this pre-set idea that everyone loves animals, especially people who live on a small island who are very environmentally conscious and peaceful and that sort of thing (David Suzuki even lives here on and off!!) but in reality, cats on this island are not a priority. We have a terrible problem with feral cat colonies and pet cats are often viewed as 'working' cats for their mousing abilities. Of course there are people who have cats that are wonderfully spoiled (as they should be! ) but I'm realizing that it is not the norm here.

My hope is to start a group here on the island that will deal with the feral cats and abandoned cats by feeding them and ultimately trapping, neutering and returning them and letting the colonies age out. I know there are lots of people on PT who are involved in this sort of thing and I have no idea what I'm doing but something has to be done and I want to get it started.

I put a call into another rescue org that TNR in a town about 40 minutes from here and left a message asking if someone would be willing to come up to a community meeting that I would set up and speak about their group and how it works etc.. I would put an ad in our paper and invite anyone who loves animals and who is interested in helping the ferals to come to the meeting. We'll see what happens but I think Barney will be the poster boy and can show people what condition a cat can get into when left alone in the elements with no family.

[Scooter's Mom]

Prayers are continuing from me too. I am so glad he has you.

Give him an extra pet from me, please.