The Scamp Report

[lblanchard]

We took him for his ultrasound on Friday. The results: gallstones; slight thickening in intestinal wall consistent with mild inflammation; slight changes in pancreas consistent with mild inflammation. Diagnosis: mild triditis. He will be on steroids for the rest of his life, starting with a high dose and dropping down. He will be on antibiotics for a month, maybe longer.

The compounding pharmacy affiliated with the vet's is making an all-in-one liquid for him to get 2x/day -- 2 mL each dose. It's an oil-based thing with beef flavoring. They suggest I try mixing it with his food before torturing him (and me) with twice-daily medicating. Fingers crossed that he'll eat it but I'm not optimistic.

Here's a photo of him showing off his ultrasound haircut.

Comments

[halfmoon-mollie.livejournal.com]

Glad to hear he is doing okay. He is a very handsome gentleman.

[lblanchard.livejournal.com]

Yeah....he's my four-figure cat. Goodbye, summer vacation...

[halfmoon-mollie.livejournal.com]

When I first came to the l.s. Richard Goldsmith and his wife found a puppy during an evening walk. He 'knew' it belonged to someone because he was wearing a red kerchief (the dog, not Richard.) So, he and his wife rang every single doorbell in a five block radius and no one claimed the dog. They took him to the SPCA, and were called back. "No one has claimed him so we'll just put him down." Richard would have no such thing so he and his wife adopted Homer. That particular year, they had planned to stay at a National Park on their vacation. The Park did not allow pets. Richard canceled his vacation and took Homer to obedience school instead. Homer lived a long, happy life as Richard's Very Best Friend (and he was a sweet dog, Richard brought him in a couple of times!). So, I"m sorry you have to cancel your vacation...but I think you are in an elite group. When Richard died, now a few years ago, I said to his wife "Well, now he and Homer can be together always." And she smiled through her tears.

[pameladean]

Fortunately, he seems unfazed by the shaving job. Here's hoping he will regard his medication as a treat.

P.

[lblanchard.livejournal.com]

Hope springs eternal, doesn't it? I still have to pill him every other day.

[pameladean]

It does. At least every other day is not every day.

My housemate has a cat bag, with velcro openings for head and feet. She has successfully used it on a cat with a mysterious stomach disorder, who is supposed to have stomach-soothing medicine three times a day. She also wrestled another young cat into it for claw-clipping, but that was pretty dramatic and may not be repeated.

I'm not completely sure the Scamp would fit in one even if he would permit it.

P.

[lblanchard.livejournal.com]

Every other day is the appetite stimulant. The other meds are 2x/day, via syringe. Bleah.

[pondhopper.livejournal.com]

Goodness. He looks proud of that shave.

Good luck with the meds. At least it's a manageable condition.

[chakolate.livejournal.com]

So will the meds dissolve the stones, or is this just a holding action? I know nothing about gallstones.

[lblanchard.livejournal.com]

The gallstones are what they are and we're simply on watchful waiting for them. The meds are for the other stuff.