Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK
Cat General => Our cats stories => Topic started by: Mark on December 15, 2017, 21:28:20 PM
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There has been a cat around for several years who was always after food. It often didn't show up at weekends, but other times, appeared a couple of time a day. We assumed it was owned, but no very well cared for. Its fur was always matted. We called it Lazalike (as it is black and long-haired like our Laz) about 8 or 9 weeks ago I noticed it had a problem with its mouth and was struggling to eat. It got so bad that it would try to eat even soft food, but flinch, yelp and run off. I tried catching it without any luck, but in the meantime, I liquidised pate food with water to feed it 'cat food soup'. I borrowed a trap, but it wouldn't go anywhere near. I tried grabbing it one day, but ended up badly bitten and scratched, with swollen infected hands (I was on antibiotics for a week). I remembered that it wandered into the house a few times earlier in the year and always made a beeline for catnip toys (we put a stop to it coming in after it started spraying) so I ordered a yeoww banana and managed to enice it in the house. The first time, it bolted out of the cat flat, so I waited and tried again (by this time, it was in a bad way and it was skind and bone :cry: ) and locked the flap before enicing it it with the toy. I threw the banana into the shower room and the cat followed, so I closed the door. I had already set up a tray and a tent with a bed in + a water bowl and liquidised food. I took it to the vet the next day. It had a badly infected mouth. It was kept in for the day and was neutered (it turned out to be a boy) clipped, given a metacam jab and started on antirobe. The vet sent off bloods for FIV and FeLV tests, which she was amazed, were both negative. She thinks there is a chance he may have Calicivirus, which we will be testing for and he may need to have most of his teeth removed, but we have been giving him time to settle as he is still very hissy and skittish (he has our attic suite with his own bedroom and bathroom :D ) He is like a differnt cat though. He loves nothing better than lying on one of us purring and face rubbing. He is going to be on Antirobe and Metacam for a few more weeks yet, but I will take him back for testing then and take it from there. We can't risk letting him out of the room yet in case he makes a bid for freedom, although he seems quite happy and contented in the warm with a soft bed and plenty to eat :D
PS - when I was trying to find out if he was owned, it turned out that he just had another feeder.
Latest news is that his Calici test was positive, so the next step is for him to have most of his teeth out.
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Oh Bless! He looks like he is talking to you in the second pic. Well done on catching him and taking him in. :hug: :hug: :hug: Is he still Lazalike or will you be giving him his own name? Although I quite like Lazalike. ;D
Off to Google Calicivirus now.
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Mark, bless you for helping this poor little lad. Am hoping he'll decide he likes life in the attic suite much more than life on the streets. He has a certain charismatic look. He must be feeling so much more comfortable now his teeth are being sorted.
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His name is Lukas now. When I took him to the vet last week, he had gone from 4kg to 5.4kg in 4 weeks. I'm just glad that he came to me for help when he was desperate.Not sure what to do with him yet, but he seems quite content up there in his heated suite with endless food :) - He is still quite skittish and I can risk him running off (he knows how to use the flap) so he will be up there for at least the winter.
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So glad Lazalike has found someone like you and trying to hunt for food with his mouth like that poor puddytat :( Sounds like he's already settling in nicely. Hope he's feeling much better soon
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oh mark he looks lovely, glad he is making use of your spare room! hopefully he will calm down and decide he doesn't want to leave in the spring :hug:
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Well done Mark another little life saved. :Luv: :Luv: :Luv:
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Thanks all. He is booked in for 9th Jan for his major dental. The vet is also going to inject Interferon into his gums while he is under. She thinks it will improve the chances of success. Poor boy. I hate the idea of putting him through it, but as Jane the vet says, we can only hope it works and if it does, it will be the end of mouth pain for him.
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Fingers crossed for him - is he definitely calici? I thought interferon only worked in those cases?
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Hopefully he sails through the op and the Interferon does the job Mark. :hug: :hug: :hug:
There is a p.s. on Marks first post saying the test had come back positive Desley.
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Ah, didn't notice that, thanks Paula - fingers crossed the Interferon does work. I have known people administer it at home themselves.
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One person mentioned injecting it into their cat's mouth, but the vet said is is more effective injected directly into the gums. The teeth alone may well work, but it is a case of improving the chances of success. An additional £140, but hopefully worth it. He will have cost in excess of £1000 by the time we are done. Trust me to land with an expensive stray! :scared: - although we do have a history with him.
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:Luv: :Luv: :Luv: Praying that the Interferon does the job for Lukas. The no longer stray. :hug: :hug: :hug:
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The thing is, we would never know if it helped, or if taking the teeth out alone did it, but it makes sense to give it our best shot.
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Hey Lukas - congratulations on getting your Furrever Home for Christmas. ;D
Mark - you're a legend. :hug: :hug:
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He's a very lucky boy to have ended up with you Mark
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Thanks everyone. I think we are only doing what most of us would have done. :shy:
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He's gorgeous :Luv2: :Luv2:
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A very hansum lad who has clearly landed right on his paws with you Mark ;D
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Thanks everyone. I'm dreading having to put him through it. I have been gradually gaining his trust again. A very slow process and I expect it will be a while before we get it back again. Only 11 days to go. I'm just glad that I have a vet who I trust 100% and who genuinely loves cats and is up to date with the latest research
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I can imagine you are dreading it Mark, I often find that a vet visit cements that they are safe with you though, hopefully that will be the case with Lukas
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Sarah (Camdengirl) said the same thing. It didn't happen the last time I took him to the vets. It has taken 3 weeks to get him back to trusting me.. Hopefully he will just be glad to be home afterwards. It has to be done anyway and hopefully this time next month he will be a happy cat with no more pain,
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Fingers crossed coming home with less pain will make a difference
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I am in the same position with Misa, Mark, it doesn't help that for four days last week I was dragging him out from under the chest of drawers twice a day to give him AB's. This time I have been putting his AB's in tuna, a bit expensive as the other two have to have it as well, but so much less stressful for both of us.
He actually came out to see me briefly today, so baby steps.
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Just a quick update to say that Lukas had most of his teeth out, including one of the canines, that was diseased. He is upstairs recovering and isn't talking to me at the moment -poor boy.
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Poor Lukas. He'll forgive you Mark, especially when he realises how much more comfortable he is. ;)
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glad he is all fixed up mark, hope he comes round quickly :hug:
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Aww, am sure he will forgive you
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Thanks everyone, by Wednesday morning, he was already quite forgiving and by the evening, he was cuddling up on the floor purring his head off and eating for England. He was a bit slobbery at first, but now he can eat anything. He was chowing down on some chicken earlier. He seems happier than ever. As the vet said, he would have been in pain before the Calici as some of his teeth were diseased right into the root. I think she is right that we could see a complete turnaround in his character. He doesn't even hiss at me now. He chirrups and head butts me :Luv2:
Taken on the morning following his dental.
His fur was pretty crusty still and he is looking much better than this already.
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How brilliant :hug:
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Such good news Mark. :wow:
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Am so chuffed Mark. Bless his paws..... :)
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Thanks everyone. I went up for Lukas time earlier. I lie on the bed up there and he can't get on my chest fast enough :Luv2: - I managed to have a very quick look in his mouth when he yawned in my face - from what I could make out, it all looks good. A bit of redness where the teeth were, but everything else looks pink :) - fingers crossed.I will be paying him a visit shortly (when the chicken comes out of the oven :innocent: )
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:evillaugh: :evillaugh: Sounds like he loves his Daddy and his new life very much. :Luv:
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He won't be loving me on Tuesday when he goes for his 2 week check up! :scared: - I will be a :censored: :evillaugh:
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Ouch! It was great of your vet, but still a hefty bill.....
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Yes SUe. I decided to delete my last message. I don't want to get anyone in trouble. Yes, still hefty. With meds and other stuff like neutering he has still cost well close to £500 so far :Crazy:
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Glad I saw it first ;) Now packing my bags and cat carriers and moving south ... it is south isn't it Mark? I'll demand same deal for all 7 of the hoard when I arrive or there'll be trubble >:( :evillaugh:
Sorry that Domino has to have a dental Mark but it's great that your practice has a scheme that provides a limit to such costs as I know well how vet costs can spiral.
I have been at our vet practice since 2006. I moved there after a bad pts experience with Gandolf at former practice that had been taken over by a chain. Same chain took over my current practice a year or so ago. Head vet went semi retired and then retired at Christmas :'( :'( :'( He saw me through hell during Boris' final 4 months. He was my rock and lost count of free consultations and reduced price deals he gave me over the years. When I collected Freddie from RSPCA in 2006 he needed most of his teeth extracted but I didn't want RSPCA doing it. He charged me £120 which was knock down price even then.
The prices charged by the current chain have increased it must be said BUT I now have 24/7 vet hospital cover so they have access to medical records in an emergency. There are two female vets who I've got to know and like with our beautiful Billy in his final months last year. They handled him incredibly well. One of them goes on holiday to offer her services free in wildlife sanctuaries in far flung places. I have however had to face the prospect of full charges now that my rock has gone ... or so I thought.
Imagine my surprise to have been given another freebie last week for a lengthy consultation for the stray ginger Jaffa who I've been funding treatment for flea allergy dermatitis this last 6 months (helped out by freebie consults and even free flea treatment that former head vet went rummaging for). At the end of the day most vets are going to be a little generous on occasion to good clients not least because it's good for business. But ya know....... I reckon most vets are going to be good people to want to go into that profession in the first place :)
Fingers crossed for Tuesday's check up :hug:
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Yes. There are a lot of good 'uns around. The trouble is, their hands are tied most of the time and it has to be done 'by the book' Your situation sounds similar. Vet close to retirement and selling the practice etc. One thing we don't have here is overnight. There is a Vets Now about 6 miles away. Better than nothing and hopefully won't be needed. The old vet was really good with Laz. He used to insist on (free) 6-weekly check-ups for his BP etc. They also unblocked him several times due to his megacolon 'on the house'.
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Sorry that Dom needs a dental, but a good deal by your vet really. Mine are fantastic, never known one do so much for charity, they even home some animals them self!
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Just a quick update. He seems to have recovered well and is back for a 2-week check upon Monday. He has had the runs a few times, even last night, despite finishing meds last week. I will mention it when I go back.
It turned out that he needed quite a lot of teeth out, including all 4 canines. One that was whole last year was sheared to the root. Jane said sometimes cats misjudge a jump and hit their chin, which can result in the canines smashing against each other and breaking. The odd thing is, she said it must have happened months ago as there was a tartar build upon them. I don't remember him coming in at any time seeming to be in pain or distressed, so no idea when it happened. He had quite a few rotten teeth too.
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Ouch - I bet that was giving him jip Mark, even if he didn't show signs outwardly. He'll feel so much more comfortable now. Hope you can get to the root cause of the upset tummy he has. :)
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Wow, he’s clearly doing well to put that amount of weight on Mark!! Bet he is glad to be without that canine. I notice on the other thread you mention he’s still on Metacam, that could be upsetting his stomach. Good luck with his check up.
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A bit of confusion here. It is Lukas that is still on Metcam. Domino only had it for a few days following his dental. Anyway, as far as I can tell, Domino hasn't had an upset tum for a couple of days now - if fact, no poos in the tray. Either he hasn't been or he went over the back.
But yes, can only imagine the discomfort Domino was going through. We had noticed that he has been swallowing quite a lot recently. That seems to have stopped.
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Very happy to hear that both Domino and Lukas are doing well. :Luv: