Squeegee’s ordeal
First of all, I’d like to thank the sweet folks who have already offered advice and support in the welcome thread where I made my first post. You are terrific!
Squeegee is a nine year old, orange tabby who is the joy of my life. I took him in as a stray when he wa a year old, and one year later he was diagnosed with kidney failure, heart, lung, and liver enlargement, and had frequent eye and respiratory infections! He was a problem child! After going to my vet, a big money specialist in Winter Park that he referred me to when he was at wit’s end, and another travelling vet who did ultrasounds, and spending something like $2,500.00 on tests, biopsies, etc., we were no better off. No one knew what exactly was wrong with Squeeks, and every time he got sick, the symptoms would be elusive and he would be either healthy as a horse or sicker than death, but no one knew why, nor could they offer any hope of ‘fixing” him. Finally, my vet prescribed Torbutrol as a pain killer to help with his back pain of unknown origin. For the last 7 years he has been taking two pills a day to the tune of $70.00 every 40 days!
Recently Squeegee has taken ill again. this time, after two trips to the vet, he was found to have a urinary tract infection- big time- with staph and strep and who knows what else! The vet said he was wall to wall infection! The poor thing began vomitting one night and didn’t stop for hours. He stopped having bowel movements and screamed in pain when I picked him up. They gave him a shot of antibiotics and boosted his hydration levels, ran a blood panel, etc…and for a couple of days, despite not liking the liquid antibiotic very much, (I asked for it because I was unable to get pills into him while he was in so much pain,) he started to recover nicely. Two days later, he was at death’s door again, and I had to rush him back to the vet. Seems he was spitting out too much antiobiotic and the fever was back! (Brat.) Now, I am forced to bring him in for shots every day until he gets better to the tune of $15 a pop, and time off work to work around the vet’s hours.
He’ll be okay, but I guess I really just needed someplace to vent where people wouldn’t say “it’s just a cat; put it down cause it’s an inconvenience!” Grrrrr…..Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.
Thanks,
Chris