Keeping an Old Pud Comfy

Lil_Dee_2

geri1965 wrote: »

Really? I have just had my 16 year old cat tested for thyroid and other problems (two blood tests) and she was fully conscious. She hardly noticed the needle.

I find it a bit odd that she wouldn't do any tests when there could be medication that will vastly improve the quality of his life.

Shortie,

I'm quite shocked at your vets response.

Can you get a second opinion on this please ? As Geri says, she had her cat tested whilst fully concious.....my old girl was tested regularly over her final few years, to ensure the medication was working correctly. She used to have a shaved area on her neck, that was it.

She lasted a good 6 years on the Thyroid medication. I reckon she was over 21 years (like yours, she was a rescue so we never truly knew) when the day came to PTS it was very obvious.

Please don't write off your pud just yet

Shortie

I didn't go the vet's trip as I was in work but this was what Mr Shortie told me - from what I gather, finding a vein would be difficult even with the shaving so she would have preferred to do it under general (could this be because he is so skinny?), which she said there was a great risk he wouldn't survive

Never having had pets get to a stage of needing tests etc, I took this on face value and we agreed it let him live as peacefully and unpoked/prodded as possible. But, if it really is a simple case of having him shaved and no need for general then I will look to get a second opinion

I do also question though now that he is really looking super frail, so is it just 'his time'? I don't say that lightly as I would love to have him around forever, he's been such a dream to own. We are so caught at the moment, daily I'm seeing a change for the worst in him.

I thin Mr Shortie and I both know it's only fair now that he is PTS. We are in such a quandry though as I did say this weekend, but then my eldest was fitted in for an emergency on next Tuesday. Both my children are so sensitive that I worry Pip being put to sleep will make my eldest refuse his op (which he's just come out of 2 months of therapy appointments to get him to agree to it after he screamed the ward down in August and they had to discharge him without operating). Thing is, if we miss this oportunity to get our eldest's op done, and we're set back another 2 months.... then there is a very big chance that this becomes major, life changing, permenant surgery instead of one of a series of 'repair' ops...

We're so torn... I'm leaning more to dealing with this on Saturday but the impact could be catastrophic for the the progress of my son's ops too. I think Mr Shortie and I need to have another chat as I can clearly see a change in him since he went to the vets, and even in the last week, poor thing

Thanks again all xx

Shortie

Decision made, we're booking an appointment for Friday as I have the day off. The poor guy is deteriorating every day and I feel so bad for him

tea_lover

Aw shortie, big hugs for you all.

PixieDust

so sorry xXx

Shortie

Thanks xx (trying hard not to cry on the train, what am I like). I keep thinking 'but what if we're wrong, it's too late after the injection.. or I secretly hope that a different vet will have a miracle answer for it all..

But I know deep down that it's not fair on him. We were all surprised that he survived the house movee last year as he started looking ropey before we moved, but he then perked back up.. A while back we noticed him slowing right down and his back legs getting super stiff but we out it down to age and the weather turning colder and we pulled out a box with a blanket in for him to snuggle into. But he's suddenly not even half the pud he used to be and it's been so rapid (or so it feels).

Tiddlywinks

Before you make any final decisions I would think about a second opinion.

I have a lot of experience with elderly puddies... my last old girl reached 21 (with kidney failure, heart, thyroid and arthritis probs), previous oldie reached 22 (kidneys got her in the end) and my current old girls are 17 (recent cancer op and now on tabs for her kidneys) and 16 (recent thyroid op).

In all my time, I have never had to have a cat sedated to take a blood sample... and believe me, my bank balance is testimony to how many times we've had that done over the years.

They take puss away, shave an area so they can see a vein and then use a needle to take a sample. One of my girls even had a needle biopsy of her cancerous lump without sedation.

I would never keep an animal going against vets advice nor would I want them to suffer but I do think that finding a vet that is sympathetic to older small animals is vital.

Losing weight or losing interest in food can have a whole host of reasons that are fully treatable... kidneys, thyroid, toothache, cancer... just like with humans - it doesn't mean the end by any means.

I'd be booking with another vet for a second opinion AND asking for blood tests and a check of his mouth for ulcers, decay etc.

I hope everything goes OK...

Edited to add: you mentioned he had stiff legs and putting it down to old age... the vet can prescribe tablets for the pain and the inflammation - did you take him for a check up when you noticed him struggling then?

Shortie

Hiya, the vet we saw doesn't work Fridays.

Actually you know...? I think I might see if I can get him to our old vet who I trust so much but he's a good hour's drive away... He doesn't suffer fools and not everyone gets on with him but I know he is 100% interested in the welfare of the animal infront if him

I don't want to get my hopes up about there being something treatable and fair but it would be amazing if there was something that could be done..

OMG I'm so up and down about this sorry xx. The poor guy looks such a state that I feel so bad for him. But maybe there is an easy non-invasive treatment

The struggling to walk was very mild to start with and other than him stamping around he was still the same agile self jumping up, manouvering round.. thrn we suddenly noticed a quick decline if his back legs, and weight loss (queue thefirst vets trip) She did check his hips for displacia but said they felt fine and it was muscle wastage?

Shortie

Mr Shortie is going to call our local practice tomorrow to see if they will do blood tests without the anaesthetic otherwise I'll the Pip back to our old vets for a second opinion

Tiddlywinks

As I said, I have had cats in for blood tests for over 20 years and all have been done on a routine appointment - if they don't offer that then your need to know WHY because that is not normal procedure.