Topic: Blip to have her arthritic hips checked out: update, she has spondylitis (Read 8058 times)

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #70 on:** August 23, 2009, 11:20:23 AM »

I am glad that Blip is feeling better, and you have nothing to feel guilty about - she was seen regularly by the vet, and they were happy to think it was arthritic hips and nothign more - and the treatment she was on was what she needed regardless, so she wasn't left in pain cos the diagnosis was wrong, and that is the most important thing.

MrsR · « **Reply #69 on:** August 21, 2009, 21:08:45 PM »

I'll keep sending those vibes x

alisonandarchie · « **Reply #68 on:** August 21, 2009, 20:52:37 PM »

Pleased to hear the news

Janeyk · « **Reply #67 on:** August 21, 2009, 20:17:55 PM »

Glad that Blip is doing well

Mark · « **Reply #66 on:** August 21, 2009, 19:49:12 PM »

Glad she is feeling better

Sue P (Paddysmum) · « **Reply #65 on:** August 21, 2009, 19:47:21 PM »

Christine - silly butter!

Tiggy's Mum · « **Reply #64 on:** August 21, 2009, 13:33:48 PM »

Quote from: Bazsmum on August 21, 2009, 13:08:15 PM

Quote from: Christine (Blip) on August 21, 2009, 13:04:45 PM
Quote from: Tiggy's Mum - Helen on August 21, 2009, 12:59:59 PM
Excellent news Christine, I bet Blip is glad you were alert and on the ball and got her checked out when you did

I'm upset that I didn't ask for x-rays much sooner, Helen

C you know that guilt is a negative and very unnecessary feeling, I forbid you to feel upset.... Past is past etc...

What a good way of putting it BM

I think if there were any need for an X-ray then it should have been your vet suggesting it, not you so I stand by what I said

Bazsmum · « **Reply #63 on:** August 21, 2009, 13:08:15 PM »

Quote from: Christine (Blip) on August 21, 2009, 13:04:45 PM

Quote from: Tiggy's Mum - Helen on August 21, 2009, 12:59:59 PM
Excellent news Christine, I bet Blip is glad you were alert and on the ball and got her checked out when you did

I'm upset that I didn't ask for x-rays much sooner, Helen

C you know that guilt is a negative and very unnecessary feeling, I forbid you to feel upset.... Past is past etc...

Christine (Blip) · « **Reply #62 on:** August 21, 2009, 13:04:45 PM »

Quote from: Tiggy's Mum - Helen on August 21, 2009, 12:59:59 PM

Excellent news Christine, I bet Blip is glad you were alert and on the ball and got her checked out when you did

I'm upset that I didn't ask for x-rays much sooner, Helen

Tiggy's Mum · « **Reply #61 on:** August 21, 2009, 12:59:59 PM »

Excellent news Christine, I bet Blip is glad you were alert and on the ball and got her checked out when you did

Bazsmum · « **Reply #60 on:** August 21, 2009, 12:55:39 PM »

So glad that the meds are helping her already.... Im sure that she will be much happier now!

Dawn F · « **Reply #59 on:** August 21, 2009, 11:12:56 AM »

that's good news! glad she is has taken to the meds

Christine (Blip) · « **Reply #58 on:** August 21, 2009, 11:12:05 AM »

Blip report: she was groggy and, understandably, perhaps a bit irritable for 24 hours or so but by yesterday morning she was alert and energetic again

. By the evening she was back to her normal self, except that the medication is obviously helping as she is moving very well

I also think the Lactulose may be helping already as her bottom has been completely clean - the good news is that she is happily taking this in her food

Oh, and at no point has Blip been off her food - she really is a trencherpud

Sue, there's always lots of Blip cuddling in our establishment

Our cat sitter always remarks that Blip is obviously more used to cuddles than any of her other charges

everyone for caring about Blip

CarolM (Wendolene) · « **Reply #57 on:** August 20, 2009, 10:44:43 AM »

I'm so pleased that Blip has got a diagnosis and is getting the right treatment now. I hope she's still being a good girl and taking it

Sue P (Paddysmum) · « **Reply #56 on:** August 20, 2009, 07:20:54 AM »

Just wanted to say I hope Blip's feeling more like herself again, and that there's been plenty more of the cuddling. It's very good for getting better, that.

Sending a very gentle snuzzle for this beautiful lady.

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #55 on:** August 20, 2009, 00:10:52 AM »

Just caught up with this and pleased that Blip has been diagnosed and can be treated

Hope she is still eating the meds and is feeling more comfortable

Millys Mum · « **Reply #54 on:** August 19, 2009, 20:22:29 PM »

Hope her treatment all goes smoothly, i found this link for you
http://www.abva.co.uk/conditions2.asp?cid=2

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #53 on:** August 19, 2009, 08:19:05 AM »

Glad she is home and settled, I find Molly takes Lactulose no problems, and she is very fussy with things added to her food.

Janeyk · « **Reply #52 on:** August 18, 2009, 22:45:48 PM »

So glad to hear Blip is home and settled

Rosella moggy · « **Reply #51 on:** August 18, 2009, 22:43:19 PM »

It gives you a warm feeling when they play up at the vet and are as good as gold with you doesn't it?

Our Gandi was like that. Billy just the opposite of course

Anyway, just so thrilled that Blip is all relaxed and ate well when she came home

Kittybabe (Ruth) · « **Reply #50 on:** August 18, 2009, 19:31:30 PM »

I am really pleased to hear the news, Christine.

Once Blip is up for more cuddles please dispense one from me to her. I hope that she takes the medication well. I found with Lexy that she would lap up the Metacam on her dry food without any fuss whatsoever.

I bought some Primula today to help with pill taking, Lexy hears from Blip that it's ok.. for cheese.

So here goes, from Lexy and I

R x

Christine (Blip) · « **Reply #49 on:** August 18, 2009, 19:29:31 PM »

Thank you everyone for your messages

They mean so much to me

I collected Blip just before 17.00 and was told that she hadn't eaten the food she'd been offered and had been a bit grumpy (that's my girl!). So I wasn't surprised when she polished off a sachet of Miamor Ragout Royale plus some dried, followed just under a couple of hours later by her late supper (brought forward

). What is good is that she not only ate the Metacam in her early supper, she also ate the Lactulose in her not-so-late supper

Now, this may be simply because she was so hungry but I have my fingers crossed that she'll take the Lactulose this way regularly and save us both stress

We've spent an hour sitting in the garden cuddling and she seems quite relaxed and content now.

I have to pop back with the insurance form and to see the x-ray.

Rosella moggy · « **Reply #48 on:** August 18, 2009, 19:17:38 PM »

Assuming she's home now, how's she doing Christine?

JackSpratt · « **Reply #47 on:** August 18, 2009, 14:54:59 PM »

Only just read this - pleased Blip's doing well.

Wibblechick · « **Reply #46 on:** August 18, 2009, 14:38:10 PM »

Oh, poor Blip - Im glad though that you have a diagnosis and hope medication will help her

Janeyk · « **Reply #45 on:** August 18, 2009, 14:18:31 PM »

Really pleased that Blip's tests done now and that you can go ahead and help her

You're vets sound on the ball Christine and that makes such a difference too.

clarenmax · « **Reply #44 on:** August 18, 2009, 14:00:20 PM »

So pleased the Blip is in recovery now after her ordeals of the morning, and that you now know what you are dealilng with so you can medicate her effectively

I'm going to google this condition as I've never heard of it before

Bazsmum · « **Reply #43 on:** August 18, 2009, 13:44:41 PM »

Glad her x rays are over and she is recovering! I have (so doc says) spondylitis at the top of my spine, its a pretty sore condition but with the right treatment it is managed well!

Im sure once her new meds for this condition kick in she will be noticeably different for the better!

Teresa Pawcats · « **Reply #42 on:** August 18, 2009, 13:13:08 PM »

Pleased that Blip is recovering well and that the cause of her discomfort has been found. Remember Buster he led a very active life for a further 12years after being diagnosed aged 10 years

Rosella moggy · « **Reply #41 on:** August 18, 2009, 13:09:44 PM »

Poor Blip

but so good to hear that you now know what the problem is so you can put a plan in place. It is indeed distressing to think of puds suffering in silence Christine but Metacam is fabulous stuff and great to know her kidneys are in good working order.

Dawn F · « **Reply #40 on:** August 18, 2009, 13:05:43 PM »

ooh poor little blip! isn't it a good thing you noticed the small changes in her - I'm so glad a plan has been put in place and any pain can be managed - give her a head rub from me

Christine (Blip) · « **Reply #39 on:** August 18, 2009, 13:01:43 PM »

I've just taken a call from the vet and Blip is recovering well in the recovery room

.

Anyway, Blip's hips are in perfect nick: it's her spine near the base of her tail that's the problem. Blip has spondylitis. This is obviously why she can't groom her right flank and rear end properly and why she hates me helping with a comb and a flannel respectively

Blip will go onto daily Metacam and have quarterly blood tests to monitor the effects on her organs. I'll ask whether Cosequin will help this condition or not: I presume not.

Because of the raised urea, the vet also took a urine sample while Blip was under and her urine is nicely concentrated, so her kidneys are in perfect working order

.

Blip's anal glands were congested again

so they've been expressed. The vet detected a certain amount of hardened faecal matter so is going to put Blip onto Lactulose as well. She opines that this is all connected to the spondylitis. I can certainly say that, very recently, I've noticed Blip sort of flops down as she sits, so she obviously finds squatting uncomfortable.

Poor little Blip but thank goodness for modern veterinary medicine which will enable me to make her comfortable again. I can't bear to think of her suffering in silence, as all our cats try to do.

I have a discharge appointment later this afternoon with a nurse (the vet herself has an acute knee problem and is now going home!) and can pop in any time to view and discuss the x-rays, which I shall certainly do in order to pinpoint the exact area of spondylitis.

Oh, and the team groomed out all Blip's flank while she was under, so she'll be a lot more comfortable all round

Janeyk · « **Reply #38 on:** August 18, 2009, 10:27:00 AM »

Hope all goes well today Christine, I'm sure Blip will be fine

eta: Pep's urea was raised on his notes - it was 18.8 normal values = 2.8 - 9.8

His fosterer said her vet said that could have been because he had eaten beforehand. My vet said it could be down to his raised thyroid levels.
(Neither seemed overly concerned, maybe my vet will wait and see what next bloods show)

clarenmax · « **Reply #37 on:** August 18, 2009, 10:17:14 AM »

I can't remember what the Urea rating was, I know it came up on Max's blood panels, but I was more focused on creatinine, I'll see if I can find my original notes on this.

Hope Blip gets on just fine today xxx

Dawn F · « **Reply #36 on:** August 18, 2009, 10:15:06 AM »

its always tense when you leave them, you just can't help it - not sure what the raised urea is about???

Teresa Pawcats · « **Reply #35 on:** August 18, 2009, 10:11:41 AM »

Thinking of you both

Christine (Blip) · « **Reply #34 on:** August 18, 2009, 09:57:22 AM »

Well, I've dropped Blip off

The nurse told me that as Blip's urea is slightly raised (15.8, should be between 6.0 and 10.0) they are going to do the x-rays under GA instead of under sedation. So I can't collect her until 17.00 this afternoon.

I know of course that modern anaesthesia is extremely safe - indeed, frequently reassure others to that effect, on here and elsewhere - but I won't feel easy until I get the phone call saying she's recovering

*edited for spelling - I must be tense...

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #33 on:** August 18, 2009, 07:41:03 AM »

Good luck for today - when Pebbles had her leg amputated, the arthritis showed up as a white mass round her bone (which I assume is the inflammation).

Christine (Blip) · « **Reply #32 on:** August 17, 2009, 19:18:26 PM »

Thank you everyone for your good wishes

I want this done for Blip's welfare, so it is illogical for me to worry about it (it says here

).

Quote from: Millys Mum on August 17, 2009, 19:02:56 PM

How do you view acupuncture C? I saw a dog before and after and the difference was impressive, it went from being pretty immobile with little quality of life to running after a ball

I haven't ever considered acupuncture, Millysmum, so don't know what the peer-reviewed experimental evidence is. I'll check it out now though

Millys Mum · « **Reply #31 on:** August 17, 2009, 19:02:56 PM »

Good luck for tomorrow.
How do you view acupuncture C? I saw a dog before and after and the difference was impressive, it went from being pretty immobile with little quality of life to running after a ball

Author Topic: Blip to have her arthritic hips checked out: update, she has spondylitis (Read 8058 times)