Monday February 2, 1998 Part 2 15 Messages ====================================== Date sent: Mon, 02 Feb 1998 14:44:02 -0500 To: felvtalk@MailingList.net From: "Michele R. Smeal" Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Hi everyone: If there is a vet on the list, I could use your advice, too. Benny is now on his second day of Interferon. He just had surgery to remove a mass and the vet didn't think he's make it throught the weekend, but came out purring. His little scabbed nose and sore mouth looked great when my husband & i went to see what the outcome was after surgery and I cried because he looked so good. He's a trooper, that little siamese mix beauty of mine. Anyway, his mouth is getting sore again, I tried to put warm water on his nose with a wash cloth this a.m. and I really made it bleed. It was ok when I went home, but I know the sores and mouth ulcers (really sore one on the tip of his tongue, too) are bothering him a lot. He was not purring at all wenh I ran home on my lunch hour. I live in the country, so my new vet is about a 20-25 min. drive and it takes about that time just to get home from where I work. I have been giving him the a/d plus his regular canned food chopped in a blender. Do you think since the surgery he's just not really too thrilled about getting food into his sore mouth right now? I want to do everything right for him. I hope the Interferon is working, he's also taking Baytril for I think a urinary infection (my former vet clinic never gave me his discharge papers until I went in at 3 am for a pain injection because he was crying out in pain over & over again)...you can all imagine I look like I need a week's sleep and a big make-over right now. I am so grasteful for all of you, you're like my family now. Thank you all for giving me any advice on what I can do. Benny was real tired earlier today and my husband should be going home soon. Benny is on a good liquid vitamin and Baytril (I'm having a real hard time getting this half a pill into him!!!!) and then the Interferon. I love him, please help!!! He gets lots & lots of TLC and will get his check upi tomorrow. Is taking him to the vet for the rest of the week going to be ok on him? I'd feel much much safer knowing he's there during the days and I will pick him up in the evenings. Thanks again!! Michele & Benny Michele R. Smeal mrb2@psu.edu 107 Ritenour Bldg. University Health Services Pennsylvania State University University Park, PA 16802 (814) 865-6557 Have you hugged your pet today?????!!!!!! Love an animal today....they depend on you.... unconditional love guaranteed.............. -------------------------------------- Date sent: Mon, 02 Feb 1998 15:12:32 -0500 From: Tookie Myers To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net An aloe vera gel would be of benefit to soothe the sores.My personal preference is Oxyfresh Pet gel, but this may not be readily available to you. M. W. Myers, D.V.M. -------------------------------------- From: AskforArt@aol.com Date sent: Mon, 2 Feb 1998 15:15:10 EST To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: Benny Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Hi--It sounds like you're doing all you can for Benny. The Baytril will help the sores heal, and in the maentime you just have to persevere--I've been through the same thing. You might try to find some goats milk for Benny, canned is OK, fresh pastuerized is better, and raw is the best. I can buy it a a local health food store, and keep it on hand all the time because they like it so much. It has lots of nutrients, and may be an easier way to get some nutriotion into him. Thinking lots of good thoughts, Linda P in Sacramento. -------------------------------------- Date sent: Mon, 02 Feb 1998 15:37:34 -0500 To: felvtalk@MailingList.net From: "Michele R. Smeal" Subject: Benny Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net I forgot to mention, Benny is also anemic and Friday night he was really white, mouth, pads on feet, after his transfusion he looked great, please everyone pray that my little guy can produce his own blood. If not, hopefully they will let my healthy kitty, Boots give him some blood like Sharkey (the vet's receptionist's kitty) did. Say prayers for Benny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Michele R. Smeal mrb2@psu.edu 107 Ritenour Bldg. University Health Services Pennsylvania State University University Park, PA 16802 (814) 865-6557 Have you hugged your pet today?????!!!!!! Love an animal today....they depend on you.... unconditional love guaranteed.............. -------------------------------------- Date sent: Mon, 02 Feb 1998 15:57:42 -0500 To: felvtalk@MailingList.net From: olivia gostanian Subject: Re: Benny Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Benny is in our thoughts and prayers, Olivia and Lovejoy -------------------------------------- Date sent: Mon, 02 Feb 1998 15:59:28 -0500 To: felvtalk@MailingList.net From: "Michele R. Smeal" Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net I just called home, my husband said little Benny had a bowel movement, he went on the floor. Bless his heart, that's a good sign though. My husband said he is very tired and sleeping....................what's this mean???? Michele R. Smeal mrb2@psu.edu 107 Ritenour Bldg. University Health Services Pennsylvania State University University Park, PA 16802 (814) 865-6557 Have you hugged your pet today?????!!!!!! Love an animal today....they depend on you.... unconditional love guaranteed.............. -------------------------------------- From: Newtanator@aol.com Date sent: Mon, 2 Feb 1998 16:46:42 EST To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: sore mouth Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Michele, It's possible Benny's sore mouth is from being intubated during surgery. This is not uncommon. We see it in people to. That's when they put a tube down the throat and it is attached to O2 or a ventilator while they are so heavily sedated. The sore on the tip of the tongue could be he had it sticking while out and it dried out. I'm not sure it they have an oral liquid antibiotic for it in cats or not. We do in people and it's called Mycostatin swish and swallow. But at any rate, it should pass in a few days. He is tough guy and not ready to leave yet, just like my Merlin. Sounds like, all things considered, he is doing well. Hang in there, the first few days after surgery are the hardest. Particularly the third, for some unknown reason. Barb -------------------------------------- From: Newtanator@aol.com Date sent: Mon, 2 Feb 1998 16:50:08 EST To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: Benny Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Michele, Dr. Myers can probably respond to this better than I, as my experience is with people, but it is very possible that the reason Benny is anemic is because of the tumor, which has been removed. Tumors are greedy little suckers and because they reproduce so rapidly, they tend to hog nutriants and RBC's. Only time will tell, he may now be able to keep his blood levels up by himself. Barb -------------------------------------- From: Newtanator@aol.com Date sent: Mon, 2 Feb 1998 16:51:53 EST To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Michele, A bowel movement after intestinal surgery is a wonderful thing!!!! That means they are functioning again. He will be tired and sleepy, he has been thru a lot. Rest may be the best thing for him. Barb -------------------------------------- From: Newtanator@aol.com Date sent: Mon, 2 Feb 1998 17:04:51 EST To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: HUGE Benny update! Please Read! Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Michele, I'm sorry, I think in letters I just wrote, I have been calling Benny, Buddy. Sorry. I am interested in your "they sewed his intestines together" comment. Do you mean they removed the cancerous section and then did an end to end anastimosis? That is, just sewed the ends together? THis is common in humans, but I don't know to many vets that do it. Unfortunately, most animals can't tell us it hurts or where in time to do anything about it. I lost a young dog to a problem called "volvulos" (sp) By the time we realized something was wrong, he was to far gone. I felt very guilty for not seeing it, but he seemed to be just a little off that day, and by 5 that night he was in a coma and died sortly there after. I rushed him to the vet, but he died on the way. A post was done because I wanted to know what would kill an 18 month old dog so quickly. Anyway, Benny is a very lucky cat to have you as his Mom and that you found such a good vet. These first few days will be tough, but you might be surprized how quickly he will bounce back for you. The great thing about animals is they don't know major surgery is a painful thing, and because of that, they start moving sooner and return to their normal activites much faster than we humans. barb -------------------------------------- Date sent: Mon, 02 Feb 1998 16:41:27 -0500 To: felvtalk@MailingList.net From: "Michele R. Smeal" Subject: Re: Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Dr. Myers: Thank you. What about aloe vera for humans? The white gel for sunburn? Thanks! Michele -------------------------------------- Date sent: Mon, 2 Feb 1998 16:03:12 -0600 (CST) From: "Nancy A. Schmall" To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: HUGE Benny update! Please Read! Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Michelle, So glad to hear Benny is doing better. I will keep both of you in my thoughts. Nancy -------------------------------------- Date sent: Mon, 2 Feb 1998 16:08:52 -0600 (CST) From: "Nancy A. Schmall" To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: how to make last days more comfortable? Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Jenn, Just so you know, you didn't upset me at all. I just know that there's so much information out there that I have often been mistaken. Prednisone has helped so much in jake's case and it looks like he may even be taken off it completely that I wanted you all to know of our experience in case it could help someone else. Thanks for being so considerate! Nancy -------------------------------------- From: Newtanator@aol.com Date sent: Mon, 2 Feb 1998 17:19:01 EST To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: Russian Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Linda, Great news!! A bad tooth can be dealt with. Remember, a temp of 106 in a cat is not good, but not as bad as a human because theirs is normally higher anyway-101-102. Some antibiotics and out that bad tooth will come and hopefully, Russian will be no worse the wear. Good Luck! Barb -------------------------------------- From: Newtanator@aol.com Date sent: Mon, 2 Feb 1998 17:30:17 EST To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Upper Resp. Infections Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Perhaps someone can solve this mystery for me. Once again, an URI is in my house. I have not brought in any new cats, my cats do not go outside, I have not even been to a patients home that HAS a cat. So where did it come from???? Did it beam down from the Starship Virus?? Of couse, all will shake it off in a few days, all except Merlin, who has it also. He catches everything and twice as bad as everybody else. He is back on his antibiotics which he has lived on most of his young life. They all have their shots, they all eat like pigs (except Merlin) and I am just mystified as to where this is coming from?? I can't keep them in a hermetically sealed bag. I know this has been a bad year for URI, but this getting ridiculous. Barb -------------------------------------- END OF PART 2: See Part 3 at: http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Spa/9802023.txt