2010 just keeps going and going . . .
Feb. 22nd, 2011 09:15 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
truepennySo, the back-end of 2010 was pretty awful, what with the ankle and all, and the beginning of 2011 isn't much better. Ben's death was hard, and since that obviously wasn't enough, the First Ninja has hydronephrosis in both kidneys. She was diagnosed a month and a half ago (By then the blockages were gone, which is a blessing--we have no idea when exactly this happened. Was it related to her seizures? No freaking clue.), and she's still losing weight despite the new renal diet (which, blessedly, she likes--and she likes having special food that the other cats don't get).
Her case, unlike Ben's, involves some hard decisions. We could try for a kidney transplant--she's only six--but there are two reasons not to, and I can't even tell you which one is the more important deal-breaker:
1. we can't afford it.
2. prolonging her life is not worth the misery it would cause her.
If it were a different cat, I might be doing the cost-benefit analysis differently. But of the two ninjas, she is the stubbornly feral one. And, as the vet tech said today, she's a worrier. She's highly anxious. She's difficult to catch, nearly impossible to hold; I've never had to pill her, and doing so would be a major daily trauma (for both of us). Even routine trips to the vet terrify her, and I can't imagine what it would be like for her to undergo major surgery and then have to spend up to a month in the hospital--and then, like any human transplant recipient, be on a regimen of drugs for the rest of her life. She is a lovely affectionate girl (in her own particular way), and I can't stand the thought of making her undergo incomprehensible long-term suffering like that.
We're not in end game yet. The vet loaded her up with fluids and anti-nausea medication at her check-up today, and we have a prescription of kitty Valium to try, to see if perhaps she will eat more if she doesn't feel she has to flee from every unexpected sound. And I'm willing to keep trying things as long as they're (relatively) inexpensive and non-invasive, and as long as she still seems to be enjoying her life.
But it's still just really hard.
Her case, unlike Ben's, involves some hard decisions. We could try for a kidney transplant--she's only six--but there are two reasons not to, and I can't even tell you which one is the more important deal-breaker:
1. we can't afford it.
2. prolonging her life is not worth the misery it would cause her.
If it were a different cat, I might be doing the cost-benefit analysis differently. But of the two ninjas, she is the stubbornly feral one. And, as the vet tech said today, she's a worrier. She's highly anxious. She's difficult to catch, nearly impossible to hold; I've never had to pill her, and doing so would be a major daily trauma (for both of us). Even routine trips to the vet terrify her, and I can't imagine what it would be like for her to undergo major surgery and then have to spend up to a month in the hospital--and then, like any human transplant recipient, be on a regimen of drugs for the rest of her life. She is a lovely affectionate girl (in her own particular way), and I can't stand the thought of making her undergo incomprehensible long-term suffering like that.
We're not in end game yet. The vet loaded her up with fluids and anti-nausea medication at her check-up today, and we have a prescription of kitty Valium to try, to see if perhaps she will eat more if she doesn't feel she has to flee from every unexpected sound. And I'm willing to keep trying things as long as they're (relatively) inexpensive and non-invasive, and as long as she still seems to be enjoying her life.
But it's still just really hard.
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Date: 2011-02-23 03:20 am (UTC)fingers crossed that you will be able to keep her happy for a while yet.
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Date: 2011-02-23 03:21 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-23 03:29 am (UTC)I feel fortunate that my monster is so far very healthy. (A tendency to get chomped on by other dogs isn't really ill health as such, although it does run expensive.)
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Date: 2011-02-23 03:30 am (UTC)Though I'm sure it's not much comfort to hear, your reasoning sounds very good; transplant surgery is hard enough for humans, and so much worse for animals, who can't understand what's going on and why. For a cat like her, it really would be traumatic. So I'll keep my fingers crossed extra hard that non-surgical intervention does some good for her.
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Date: 2011-02-23 03:35 am (UTC)On the upside, Valium not only makes kitties less anxious, but it is a wonderful appetite stimulant. Also, I'm sure your vet has thought of this, but if pilling her is a concern, have you tried getting her meds compounded? You can get most of them as flavored liquids, treats and some even work as transdermals gels (you just rub them inside the ear). Just something else to think about.
Hoping for the best!
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Date: 2011-02-23 03:44 am (UTC)I send a round of petting to the tsarina (on the stairs, of course) and lots of support to you and
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Date: 2011-02-23 03:49 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-23 03:50 am (UTC)[*] Adoptive, to forestall the logical question.
Sympathies and best wishes.
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Date: 2011-02-23 03:59 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-23 04:16 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-23 04:27 am (UTC)I've written and deleted about four different comments, so I'll just say that I'm here if you want a recent perspective on the side of "don't make them keep living just for the monkey's sake."
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Date: 2011-02-23 04:31 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-23 04:38 am (UTC)And i understand the money thing. It sounds horrible, but I can't afford to spend 3x on vet care per month than I do on rent for the rest of a cat's life. (As a one-time thing, it's painful, but okay. Forever is not so reasonable.)
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Date: 2011-02-23 04:44 am (UTC)As for the transplant. I understand the urge to do one but consider that unlike humans, a kitty "donor" has no say in the matter. I'm a little squidgey about the ethics of such transplants. And then the cost. wow. Don't get me wrong. I've spent thousands of dollars on my pets. But in this case? With a dubious outcome? I think not doing it is the kinder choice.
Best of luck to you all,
Anon
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Date: 2011-02-23 06:21 am (UTC)My thoughts are with you and your family, both two- and four-footed.
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Date: 2011-02-23 06:27 am (UTC)It's all I got.
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Date: 2011-02-23 06:40 am (UTC)P.
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Date: 2011-02-23 07:38 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-23 08:05 am (UTC)It sounds to me that the kidney transplant is probably too costly, both in the financial and quality of cat life considerations, to really be feasible. If you can keep her hydrated, fed, and comfortable, that may be the best for everyone. Does the First Ninja accept pill pockets? We found they were far and away the easiest way to dose our cat. Stick the pill in the little dough pocket, seal it closed, feed it to the cat. They like the taste and they get the medication with minimal fuss.
Best of luck, whatever you decide.
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Date: 2011-02-23 06:53 pm (UTC)GLOW headed your way for strength health and wisdom.
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Date: 2011-02-23 10:27 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-23 10:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-23 11:35 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-23 12:46 pm (UTC)Love to the Ninja and to you.
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Date: 2011-02-23 12:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-23 01:33 pm (UTC)I'm so sorry.
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Date: 2011-02-23 02:51 pm (UTC)So my profoundest sympathies and wishes that the non-invasive methods will work for a good long time.
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Date: 2011-02-23 03:02 pm (UTC)Keeping fingers crossed for her and for you, since it must be particularly hard with the loss of Ben being so recent
good thoughts!
Date: 2011-02-23 03:33 pm (UTC)the grrly grrl
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Date: 2011-02-23 04:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-23 04:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-23 07:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-23 08:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-23 08:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-23 09:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-23 11:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-24 09:32 pm (UTC)If it helps at all, I can only imagine how different her life would have been if you hadn't rescued her.