Elderly cat has hyperthyroidism - help and support please on pill giving!

greenmoneysaver_2

Hope all is going well.

The sweet smell can indicate diabetes, but not many people (including vets!) can accurately smell it.

Alternatively, ensure she isn't getting near any cleaning products, as you said it smells like the vets and they usually smell of strong detergent! Check where she sleeps/pads around in case she is grooming anything off herself. (think dettol or even anti-freeze as this tastes sweet, but usually they are much sicker more quickly than your girl with poisoning)

Finally, for good, non-scarey cat advice check

www.fabcats.org

They have sheets of advice for cat owners which are factual and helpful, so whatever she has, it can help if you read decent quality info to supplement what the vet says.

We had a cat with dreadful kidney failure - :eek: blood results:eek: so bad my vet laughed as she couldn't believe she was still alive! She managed 9 months on special diet and tablets - but she was an ancient rescue who we had taken on thinking we would give her a good final year, and we got that almost to the day! So no long history of good care like your Kizzy.:A

Stay positive!

skintchick

Well. I just spent £170 on tests!

The vet wasn;t going to let her come home, but has allowed her to thank goodness.

Her thyroid is enlarged, her heart is racing, she may have diabetes ANd kidnet failure AND thyroid problems all at once. Gulp.

I have to get a urine sample, and they took blood tonight.

Kizzy thought she was going to my fiance's so I am persona non grata at the moment! SHe was shaking like a leaf bless her.

I think this is the beginning of the end, to be honest. SHe is very old and I have to accept that.

I'll update you all as I know anything and thank you for helping. It's lovely to have people to talk to.

xxx

Ghost

Hi skintchick,

That's worrying news for you.

Sending lots of ((((( HUGS ))))).

xxx

skintchick

Update: dropped urine sample in this mornign and should have results later today. Kizzy refused to take her appetite-stimulating medicine - 15 minutes of fighting with her only to get a quarter of it into her mouth, which she then dribbled back out again, so I gave up. She's not eating but is drinking lots of water. HEr poo smells vile.

WIll let you all know the score when I know it. Have managed to stop crying all the time now - I just have to try and enjoy what time we have left.

taxi97w

Steriod injections every so often boost all the main organs.
When my oldest is in this sorry state, he gets a steroid injection.
After 12 hours of so, you'd think he was a cat half his age- does wonders!

JennyW_2

skintchick wrote: »

Update: dropped urine sample in this mornign and should have results later today. Kizzy refused to take her appetite-stimulating medicine - 15 minutes of fighting with her only to get a quarter of it into her mouth, which she then dribbled back out again, so I gave up. She's not eating but is drinking lots of water. HEr poo smells vile.

WIll let you all know the score when I know it. Have managed to stop crying all the time now - I just have to try and enjoy what time we have left.

I'm sorry to hear about Kizzy but I'm glad she's in the right hands. I know people mean well by posting, but when your animal isn't "quite right" and not the norm, then a visit to the vet is the only option. To many "wait and sees" end up making the problem worse. I'm glad you took her along considering most of the replies you received suggested it was her food :huh:

sandy2_2

Yes steroid injections do wonders for my old chap as well. The ones he has should last about a week, but for him they seem to last about 10, so that's good.
When my cat had to have liquid medicine, the vet gave me a disposable syringe (no needle). It as maked down the side in centilitres and I used that to give hime his medicine, a lot easier than trying any other method. I sneak up on him when he's asleep, gently stroke his head and then get the syringe in the gap at the side of his mouth and shoot...job done, just wish the vet would come up with something similar for pills!!!
Sorry the news wasn't too good for you, but now you know what you're dealing with, rather than letting her suffer without medication. For the time being, just give her lots of love, care and cuddles.
Quality of life is important for her now, so don't let the vet talk you into lots of expensive treatments unnecessarily. There are treatments for kidney failure eg tablets and diet, thyroid and diabetes problems, and they may not all need treating at once.
Unforunately, it seems there might be some difficult times and decisions ahead, but you must be strong for both of you.
Love and hugs

taxi97w

Sandy2,

The vet started to allow me to just go into the clinic to pick up the needle, for me to inject him myself at home. :eek:

skintchick

sandy2 wrote: »

Yes steroid injections do wonders for my old chap as well. The ones he has should last about a week, but for him they seem to last about 10, so that's good.
When my cat had to have liquid medicine, the vet gave me a disposable syringe (no needle). It as maked down the side in centilitres and I used that to give hime his medicine, a lot easier than trying any other method. I sneak up on him when he's asleep, gently stroke his head and then get the syringe in the gap at the side of his mouth and shoot...job done, just wish the vet would come up with something similar for pills!!!
Sorry the news wasn't too good for you, but now you know what you're dealing with, rather than letting her suffer without medication. For the time being, just give her lots of love, care and cuddles.
Quality of life is important for her now, so don't let the vet talk you into lots of expensive treatments unnecessarily. There are treatments for kidney failure eg tablets and diet, thyroid and diabetes problems, and they may not all need treating at once.
Unforunately, it seems there might be some difficult times and decisions ahead, but you must be strong for both of you.
Love and hugs

Yes, I used the little syringe but she is wily and held it in her mouth then spat it out :rolleyes: even though I tipped her head back and strokedher throat. She is terible over medicine.

Last year the vet wanted to give her worming tablets. He said I should do them but I said 'you feel free to try' - ten minutes later after he'd chased her round the room a few times and had his arms scratched to pieces, he accepted she is very hard to medicate!:rotfl:

So if she needs anything ongoing, I'll have to pay the vet to do it.

sandy2_2

skintchick wrote: »

Yes, I used the little syringe but she is wily and held it in her mouth then spat it out :rolleyes: even though I tipped her head back and strokedher throat. She is terible over medicine.

Last year the vet wanted to give her worming tablets. He said I should do them but I said 'you feel free to try' - ten minutes later after he'd chased her round the room a few times and had his arms scratched to pieces, he accepted she is very hard to medicate!:rotfl:

So if she needs anything ongoing, I'll have to pay the vet to do it.

It's amazing what they can do or not when they set their mind to it!
That's why I sneak up on mine when he's asleep with the syringe. I find it impossible if I have to try and give him tablets on my own, very stressfull for him and me, yet the vet makes it look so simple. and not a gooey tablet in sight

I'm trying to give my old boy half a heart tablet a day, so far without success. I saw somewhere that tablets in fishpaste or even bovril make things easier only problem is no one's told the cat

I'm trying to worm my 2 ferral cats at the moment with those palatable Panacur tablets, but so far without success...