RIP Clapton 27/9/10

[ChrisB]

  to you Dennis and Clapton

[cazzer]

  to you all

[Rosella moggy]

Trying to think of what to post Mark but just want you to know I love Clapton and trust your instinct completely   

[sheryl]

Thinking of you, Dennis and Clapton 

[Mark]

Thanks 

The vet has suggested trying him on fluids. I am really torn on this one. Clapton is OHs cat and he has already told me he doesn't want me doing subQs or assisted feeding - also he thinks that with Clapton being such a sensitive soul, being at the vets on intravenous fluids will make him depressed and scared; as if we have abandoned him. My reason for wondering if fluids are worth trying is because it is such a short-lived thing. He isn't majorly dehydrated, but I suppose they could help to flush out some of the toxins.

[Liz]

Mark for you Dennis and Clapton its so diffiuclt to have that conversation especially when one doesn't want to acknowledge it = I will behaving this one with Robin about Sweetie so we send lots of good thoughts for you all

I have decided to let Sweetie have a happy 6 months rather than a longer not so happy time

[Janeyk]

Awww poor Clapton.  Hugs to you both Mark,  I hope that the vet can help you some more 

[Tiggy's Mum]

 

I know exactly where you're coming from Mark, it's so agonising when you would do anything to make them better and enjoy life but sometimes there's just nothing more that can be tried as your options run out

Big for Clapton

[clarenmax]

Oh Mark I feel for you, I really do    If the drug isn't helping him, then I would definitely discuss this further with your vet.  You know Clapton better than anyone else 

[Desley (booktigger)]

I am sorry to hear that things aren't helping him Mark. Unfortunately you can only help the decline of their kidneys for so long, but you have given him so much quality time since his diagnosis.

[Mark]

The antacid and the anti-nausea drugs don't seem to be helping him much. I have been trying to warn OH that Clapton's quality of life isn't good and that his time is getting close 

I think I need to speak to the vet about stopping his Benazecare as it doesn't help the lethargy. I said I would rather see him alert and behave like a cat for a couple of months than spend many months in a stupor.

[Mark]

He has been in the garden twice today. The second time for over an hour. I am beginning to wonder if the meds make him too lethargic. He never goes out usually thesedays - it was so nice to see him lying out there asleep 

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

Fingers crossed he perks up a bit 

[Mark]

He is eating on & off but soft poos again. He is still doing the flinching thing, but we are convinced it is more of an aversion thing as he was chowing down on turkey yesterday?

He has been going out looking for grass. He even spent 1/2 hour in the garden this morning, which gave me time to change the bed which was smeared with Katalax and looked pretty 

I am going to attempt to give him some more SEB today. Its funny but he can sniff out a pill that I can't even smell, yet he happily ate pieces of turkey breast yesterday that were dusted in SEB, which stinks 

I am lightly mashing food in Jelly which he is OK eating. He even had a good go at some Purina renal wet yesterday  - the frustrating thing is, he will eat some from a new can, but refuses it if it has been in the fridge - even if I leave it out to get to room temp. At over £1 for a small can, he is becoming an expensive cat 

We have to face facts. He is getting quite frail and has had CRF for years. During the consult on Saturday, the vet said something that luckily, OH didn't pick up on - "What do you want to do" - I know exactly what he meant 

One thing I mentioned on Saturday is that Clapton is getting tremors in his front legs - the vet said it goes with muscle wastage - one of the reasons I am loathe to restrict protein too much - I just want to make sure it is quality protein. I tried to tempt him with egg on Sunday but he isn't interested. Jeremy said I should just worry about getting food into him at the moment without tampering with it with binders, pills etc.

He has missed 3 days of meds as since he had his mouth done, he doesn't wolf anything down - he finds the pill without fail. I have been racking my brain how do stop him smelling it. I even had a wacky idea this morning of melting some sugar and suspending the pill in a small blob.

[Gillian Harvey]

Hope his appetite improves 

[Kirst]

Hpe Clapton is feeling better and has tried some breakfast today x

[puggy1975 Zoe]

Hope Clapton picks up. They are such a worry.

  to you all

Zoe

[clarenmax]

Sorry to hear Clapton's had to have a vet visit 

Fingers and toes crossed that his appetite picks up again soon xx

[Tiggy's Mum]

Poor Clapton Hope he perks up soon 

The worry and stress is the price we pay for their love 

[Janeyk]

Poor Clapton, I hope that the meds help him to feel much better and you can find out what the problem is 

[Mark]

Thanks Liz 

I don't think we will be getting any more animals, as much as we love them.

[Liz]

Mark we have all paws crossed here for Clapton

Also  for you and Dennis - they do so worry us don't they

[Mark]

For the last couple of days, he has started flinching when he tries to eat. I was worried that his mouth was becoming ulcerated. Knowing how stressy he is, I booked a home visit yesterday for Thursday with the idea that if he got worse, I would take him in. Last night and this morning, he was even worse. It seems like he wants to eat but it hurts his mouth. Luckily our vet is open for 2 hrs on Sunday mornings -  Jeremy the vet, has checked his mouth and there is no ulceration - I think his expression was "clean as a whistle" - he also thought 'ulcers' going by my description. Anyway, he has been given something to help his appetite - I forget the name, but I think it is an anti-emetic - he was also given a vit-B jab. Jeremy said if he doesn't improve by tomorrow, he wants to try him for 24hrs on fluids.