Thanks for the thoughts for Victor. Turns out there's a 9-point scale for determining whether an animal is over, under, or the right weight. 1 is, basically, Auschwitz survivor (vet actually used that example) and 9 is, well, the opposite. When Victor was admitted, he was a 1 to 2. With problems in his kidneys, spleen, liver, lungs, eyes, nervous system, and one other organ that I've forgotten.
We visited him again late yesterday afternoon. His eyes were starting to look a little better (less sign of iritis, and less jaundiced (which is a good sign for his liver)). He didn't want to be held, so I let him explore on the floor. He promptly peed on a scale. He even pooped a bit yesterday. And I accidentally stepped on his tail trying to keep him from trying to escape the isolation ward.
He's still a "puzzle case," at least until test results start coming in (probably tomorrow). But the vets are talking about three possible diagnoses. The "best" is a systemic infection, which can be cured with lots of antibiotics and rest and all that. Lymphoma is in the middle because it can at least be treated (like any other cancer). The scary possiblity is FIP (feline infectious peritonitis). If it's FIP, we're probably going to have to put him to sleep immediately.
From Victor's reaction to the antibiotics, I'm guessing it probably isn't lymphoma. But it could still be FIP.
Hubs chewed me out for stepping on Victor's tail, then chewed me out for letting negative energy into the room when I started feeling guilty. I had to leave the room for 5 or 10 minutes until I stopped crying.
And what makes it worse is, we could have seen it sooner. I feel completely unfit to care for our cats.
And what makes it worse is, we could have seen it sooner. I feel completely unfit to care for our cats.
FredPete, if
you
aren't fit to care for cats, NO ONE ON THE PLANET EARTH is fit to care for cats.
Now it is not unreasonable for doctors to base their treatments on what amounts to craft lore where no scientific tests have been done.
How are you defining "scientific tests"? Prospective, placebo-controlled, double-blind crossover studies?
I ask, because there are a heck of a lot more bases for selecting a medical treatment than ONLY (1) "craft lore" or (2) prospective, placebo-controlled, double-blind crossover studies.
For instance, population-based observational studies, even though they run the risk of confounders, are still valid and useful studies that can add to the body of scientific evidence supporting (or decrying) a medical treatment.
For me, the various vitamins and supplements I take have been specifically prescribed by my naturopath MD. I trust her research.
FredPete, if you aren't fit to care for cats, NO ONE ON THE PLANET EARTH is fit to care for cats.
This needed repeating. FredPete, you are so, so good with cats.
And because it needed a separate post:
Happy Birthday, Bonny!
Happy Birthday, bonny!!
{{Fred Pete}} Honey, you absolutely deserve to take care of cats. No question about that.
Huh on the Osteoporosis. Was told this by a leading researcher. Though I said "weight bearing" not exercise in general. That is you can build muscle mass through things other than weight bearing exercise. (Isometic) It is widely believed that for Osteo "weight bearing" is better than non weight bearing, and I think that is what has not been verified. Though maybe in that google some test of specifically weight bearing are included.
Offhand can find some on exercise and on weight bearing but not one that compares weight bearing to non weight beraing. Ok on second google, yeah they have compared. It was a major research center in Oregon that told me that, so interesting.
You have had some bad luck with some unhealthy beasts lately, Fred, but I don't doubt you did everything possible and then some.
I shall now attempt to find the studies, and work out what they were using exactly.
There was a good rundown of some of it in the New York Times health section a while back--they had a whole series on migraine, but I think one blog post in particular that went over some of the things like feverfew, magnesium, and suchlike. My neurologist had encouraged me to take magnesium, but apparently I'm very sensitive to it--if I take too much (=the recommended dose by those studies and my neurologist) I get crazy itchy all over my body (not allergies though!).
