My little Pumpkin died today

fionasmom

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You are certainly more than welcome here at TCS, so don't feel as if you are alone. Given that you are NY, there are a large number of pet grief counselors and support services. The last site I posted gives access to their locations and contact info. Much of this is now done remotely, so you don't have to go anyplace.

My vet and I lost a battle with Los Angeles county in an attempt to avoid a rabies vaccine for a very elderly dog who had multiple medical conditions, including having received immunotherapy. Once they know who you are and that you have made the application, they double check to make sure that you have not ignored their decision and that you do give the rabies vaccine. It absolutely did not hurt him in the least and I did not think for one minute that it lead to his eventual passing.

Combing medical records is not going to help, especially since your vet has been very willing to discuss Pumpkin's case with you. While this is only my opinion, I do not see any external, preventable causes or any medical neglect in his treatment. Certainly difficulties in your own life, even if he did hear phone conversations, did not add anything which caused him to worsen.
 
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dianajune

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You are most welcome- I didn't know you are in a wheelchair,I just had total knee replacement surgery last week and already I can walk again without a rollator - I hope you can have that surgery and walk again too...... It sure complicates things, doesn't it.

It my absolute pleasure to talk with you,to listen and to be here with you - truly,anytime day or night my friend

You got a plate full and I'm so sorry you've so much to deal with,I'm really glad you feel the love here- there's a lot of really wonderful,special people here that feel exactly as I do with the same heart full of love for you- I don't know if looking at photos of Pumpkin will help or hurt ,I still can't look at my Cheechs photos only on rare occasion but if it helps then by all means post them but if not I understand.....

Are you eating? Please try to eat and stay hydrated - you have to try to take care of yourself.....I wish I could fix you some camomille tea or Celestial sleepytime to help you to rest your body......Does anyone come in to help you ,like an aid or you do it all yourself?
My above post should have read "love and compassion." I've been making lots of typos. My eyesight is getting worse and being devastated by Pumpkin's loss doesn't help.

I've been eating but not the most healthy stuff. I've been drinking lots of water, however, so I am well hydrated. My IBS has been kicking into high gear for the past couple of days, along with my asthma. I have some tea but not the kind you mentioned. I need a home health aide but it hasn't been set up yet by my doctor.

I started to feel really bad when I got this floral arrangement from Chewy. It was a kind gesture but I feel like I don't deserve it. I put this next to Pumpkin's urn. He would have loved them!

I wish I could make my depression go away but it's getting worse. I might check into the hospital soon but my IBS Is acting up so bad I'd prefer to wait for this latest flare to calm down. Having to run to the bathroom all the time in the ER will make me feel worse. I'll see how I feel later. I might be able to stay home.

Thanks again for listening!

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dianajune

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im so sorry i know your pain I cant promise it will get better right away it takes time Some people start to feel better in weeks or months. For others, the grieving process is measured in years. Whatever your grief experience, it's important to be patient with yourself and allow the process to naturally unfold. Feeling sad, shocked, or lonely is a normal reaction to the loss of a beloved pet.
Thank you! <hugs>
 
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dianajune

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You are certainly more than welcome here at TCS, so don't feel as if you are alone. Given that you are NY, there are a large number of pet grief counselors and support services. The last site I posted gives access to their locations and contact info. Much of this is now done remotely, so you don't have to go anyplace.

My vet and I lost a battle with Los Angeles county in an attempt to avoid a rabies vaccine for a very elderly dog who had multiple medical conditions, including having received immunotherapy. Once they know who you are and that you have made the application, they double check to make sure that you have not ignored their decision and that you do give the rabies vaccine. It absolutely did not hurt him in the least and I did not think for one minute that it lead to his eventual passing.

Combing medical records is not going to help, especially since your vet has been very willing to discuss Pumpkin's case with you. While this is only my opinion, I do not see any external, preventable causes or any medical neglect in his treatment. Certainly difficulties in your own life, even if he did hear phone conversations, did not add anything which caused him to worsen.
Thank you! I wish I was the perfect Mommy but I made a point of telling him every single day, multiple times a day, how much I loved him! Perhaps someday soon I can get a foster kitty and if that happens, I will have to tell him/her all about their big brother.
 

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Thank you. I may just have to do that after I went over the few medical records I have on hand for him. Here's a brief rundown of what I have for the past few months:

October 26th - Vet specialist appt did heart tests that confirmed Pumpkin's arrhythmia.
November 15th - followup with regular vet, at which point it was determined Pumpkin w/b watched carefully, no hearts meds prescribed
January 20th - had first "spell" where it looked like he collapsed, online emergency vet determined it was a transient stress episode
March 7th - Trip to regular vet's alternate office where she confirmed he still had the arrhythmia, bowels were ok, and given rabies booster
April 25 - lots of fluid round abdomen and lungs, had to be put down

Pumpkin's second "spell" happened sometime between January 20th and around mid-March.
When Pumpkin went to the appt in March, no fluid buildup was noted. I do not know his weight at that appt and will have to confirm this with his vet.

So the nearly one pound weight gain happened between Pumpkin's appt in March and his death last week. Is it possible that the rabies booster may have caused this?

He had one last mini "spell" about a week before he died.

Could I have caused him to have heart attack back in January when I snuck up on him to give him his meds?

Did his rabies shot lead to his death?

I feel like I should call his vet in the morning and ask for his records. I'm trying to figure out what went wrong. I'm wondering if that rabies shot may have been the last straw for his heart.[

I still feel like it's my fault. I was only trying to help him take his meds in January when he had that first spell. I did it many times like that before (I.e. sneaking up on him whilst he was sleeping) and he never reacted like that until January 20th.

I should have asked for an autopsy.

What should I do? I am devastated.
I am so sorry for your loss of your beloved Pumpkin😿💔
I hope in time you can feel better. I know how painful this is. 😿
There is a great forum for pet loss at the rainbow bridge site where you can get support for free. I have gone there a few times after my kitties left, and it helped me. They used to have Monday night candle lighting chats years ago.
I hope you can get approved for being a foster and maybe adopt another cat that way.
Run free sweet Pumpkin 🌈🐾🕯❤🐈
I am sure he knew/ knows how much you loved him 🤗

I did a necropsy for Merlin and I did one for my Angie many years ago. Angie’s necropsy did give me some answers. I’m hoping that Merlin’s will too.

In Angie’s case, I probably would not have done one had it not been for her being given the now controversial drug convenia. In that case her Dvm at the time became very abusive, wrote a bunch of lies about me on the needed necropsy report for it to be dand tried to stop me from doing the necropsy.

In this case I was verbally abused by one dvm, and threatened that I had to take Merlin away from there when he was in respiratory distress
Please see my post if you want to read more details.

One thing I have noticed when I have read medical records of dvm and people docs is how badly & inaccurately they record what you tell them. And even in more than a few cases try to directly malign you. So, I recommend to everyone to write a typed statement of what is going on with your cat when you go, and ask them to place it in the file. The records are legally accessible to you so you can request them if you want to read them.

another thing that I have noticed, which is very odd I don’t know if I have ever written it here – the Doctor Who wrote the report which I needed to do a necropsy on Merlin at Cornell, who is the owner of the emergency hospital, but who did not treat him at all, wrote that he weighed under 15 pounds I think. Whereas when I took him to his regular Dvm they said he weighed about 16-17 pounds.

I ended up questioning them about this, and then emailing with Cornell because that would’ve made the necropsy $100 cheaper. I just wonder how there could have been such a large discrepancy about weight, I don’t think there’s any way he could’ve lost a pound and a half in one week. Cornell told me that they would weigh him before the necropsy and adjust the price according to that.
 
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Kwik

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My above post should have read "love and compassion." I've been making lots of typos. My eyesight is getting worse and being devastated by Pumpkin's loss doesn't help.

I've been eating but not the most healthy stuff. I've been drinking lots of water, however, so I am well hydrated. My IBS has been kicking into high gear for the past couple of days, along with my asthma. I have some tea but not the kind you mentioned. I need a home health aide but it hasn't been set up yet by my doctor.

I started to feel really bad when I got this floral arrangement from Chewy. It was a kind gesture but I feel like I don't deserve it. I put this next to Pumpkin's urn. He would have loved them!

I wish I could make my depression go away but it's getting worse. I might check into the hospital soon but my IBS Is acting up so bad I'd prefer to wait for this latest flare to calm down. Having to run to the bathroom all the time in the ER will make me feel worse. I'll see how I feel later. I might be able to stay home.

Thanks again for listening!

View attachment 475391
That's a beautiful memorial you've set up,really nice

I'm glad you're eating and drinking-stress does trigger IBS,you must be exhausted both mentally and physically...I hope it settles down for you ,I know the feeling well and it just wipes you out totally- you poor thing ,you're just getting slammed
1714516767190.gif





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You may talk all you wish here. Almost every one of us has lost a beloved cat. Almost every one of us who have, have felt guilt...the constant "woulda, coulda, shoulda" second guessing, even though we could NOT have done anything that would have changed the outcome. It is a normal human reaction, that "IF ONLY I HAD..." But we cannot know what we do not know, so that is actually a cry to the universe, "HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? HOW COULD YOU?" It is natural to us. And the answer, when it comes, is so soft that we often do not hear it at first. Understanding it is even harder. "Death is the natural outcome of Life. Every living thing arises from the earth, has its time in the sun, then descends back into the earth from which it came. This makes room for more life to arise. There is a peculiar beauty in the cycle of all life, even the death that awaits all, a symmetry, a dance. And Life continues, changed forever, but it continues."
 
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dianajune

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I am so sorry for your loss of your beloved Pumpkin😿💔
I hope in time you can feel better. I know how painful this is. 😿
There is a great forum for pet loss at the rainbow bridge site where you can get support for free. I have gone there a few times after my kitties left, and it helped me. They used to have Monday night candle lighting chats years ago.
I hope you can get approved for being a foster and maybe adopt another cat that way.
Run free sweet Pumpkin 🌈🐾🕯❤🐈
I am sure he knew/ knows how much you loved him 🤗

I did a necropsy for Merlin and I did one for my Angie many years ago. Angie’s necropsy did give me some answers. I’m hoping that Merlin’s will too.

In Angie’s case, I probably would not have done one had it not been for her being given the now controversial drug convenia. In that case her Dvm at the time became very abusive, wrote a bunch of lies about me on the needed necropsy report for it to be dand tried to stop me from doing the necropsy.

In this case I was verbally abused by one dvm, and threatened that I had to take Merlin away from there when he was in respiratory distress
Please see my post if you want to read more details.

One thing I have noticed when I have read medical records of dvm and people docs is how badly & inaccurately they record what you tell them. And even in more than a few cases try to directly malign you. So, I recommend to everyone to write a typed statement of what is going on with your cat when you go, and ask them to place it in the file. The records are legally accessible to you so you can request them if you want to read them.

another thing that I have noticed, which is very odd I don’t know if I have ever written it here – the Doctor Who wrote the report which I needed to do a necropsy on Merlin at Cornell, who is the owner of the emergency hospital, but who did not treat him at all, wrote that he weighed under 15 pounds I think. Whereas when I took him to his regular Dvm they said he weighed about 16-17 pounds.

I ended up questioning them about this, and then emailing with Cornell because that would’ve made the necropsy $100 cheaper. I just wonder how there could have been such a large discrepancy about weight, I don’t think there’s any way he could’ve lost a pound and a half in one week. Cornell told me that they would weigh him before the necropsy and adjust the price according to that.
I am so sorry for your loss of your beloved Pumpkin😿💔
I hope in time you can feel better. I know how painful this is. 😿
There is a great forum for pet loss at the rainbow bridge site where you can get support for free. I have gone there a few times after my kitties left, and it helped me. They used to have Monday night candle lighting chats years ago.
I hope you can get approved for being a foster and maybe adopt another cat that way.
Run free sweet Pumpkin 🌈🐾🕯❤🐈
I am sure he knew/ knows how much you loved him 🤗

I did a necropsy for Merlin and I did one for my Angie many years ago. Angie’s necropsy did give me some answers. I’m hoping that Merlin’s will too.

In Angie’s case, I probably would not have done one had it not been for her being given the now controversial drug convenia. In that case her Dvm at the time became very abusive, wrote a bunch of lies about me on the needed necropsy report for it to be dand tried to stop me from doing the necropsy.

In this case I was verbally abused by one dvm, and threatened that I had to take Merlin away from there when he was in respiratory distress
Please see my post if you want to read more details.

One thing I have noticed when I have read medical records of dvm and people docs is how badly & inaccurately they record what you tell them. And even in more than a few cases try to directly malign you. So, I recommend to everyone to write a typed statement of what is going on with your cat when you go, and ask them to place it in the file. The records are legally accessible to you so you can request them if you want to read them.

another thing that I have noticed, which is very odd I don’t know if I have ever written it here – the Doctor Who wrote the report which I needed to do a necropsy on Merlin at Cornell, who is the owner of the emergency hospital, but who did not treat him at all, wrote that he weighed under 15 pounds I think. Whereas when I took him to his regular Dvm they said he weighed about 16-17 pounds.

I ended up questioning them about this, and then emailing with Cornell because that would’ve made the necropsy $100 cheaper. I just wonder how there could have been such a large discrepancy about weight, I don’t think there’s any way he could’ve lost a pound and a half in one week. Cornell told me that they would weigh him before the necropsy and adjust the price according to that.
I am sorry that you went through this.

I highly doubt that any of the vets at Pumpkin's clinic would write negative things about me in his medical records. Are you saying this is common?
 
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dianajune

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That's a beautiful memorial you've set up,really nice

I'm glad you're eating and drinking-stress does trigger IBS,you must be exhausted both mentally and physically...I hope it settles down for you ,I know the feeling well and it just wipes you out totally- you poor thing ,you're just getting slammed View attachment 475396




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Thank you!
 

Meowmee

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I am sorry that you went through this.

I highly doubt that any of the vets at Pumpkin's clinic would write negative things about me in his medical records. Are you saying this is common?
I am glad for that. Yes, it is extremely common in people medicine, in all facets. I have experienced it several times in dvm medicine now.
 

Kwik

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I am sorry that you went through this.

I highly doubt that any of the vets at Pumpkin's clinic would write negative things about me in his medical records. Are you saying this is common?
Your Vet seems very understanding and offered support to you,willing to answer any of your questions and give explanation for whatever you've asked do I'm sure you needn't be concerned with these things,I'm certainly not saying it doesn't or didn't happen to @Meowmee,that's an unethical and awful thing that happened-sad state of affairs

In my own experience and after years of being in the medical field (first humans & and
then animals)before changing professions I never heard of such dishonest conduct ....

I can't sleep with this throbbing leg and was thinking about you-I hope you were able to get some sleep after we last spoke

How's the tummy ,has it calmed down at all?
 
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dianajune

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Your Vet seems very understanding and offered support to you,willing to answer any of your questions and give explanation for whatever you've asked do I'm sure you needn't be concerned with these things,I'm certainly not saying it doesn't or didn't happen to @Meowmee,that's an unethical and awful thing that happened-sad state of affairs

In my own experience and after years of being in the medical field (first humans & and
then animals)before changing professions I never heard of such dishonest conduct ....

I can't sleep with this throbbing leg and was thinking about you-I hope you were able to get some sleep after we last spoke

How's the tummy ,has it calmed down at all?
My tummy is better and I took a short nap but am having trouble getting back to sleep. I keep dwelling on my loss and wish that he was still here with me

I adopted Pumpkin over 11 years ago after his previous owner abandoned him in Pulaski NY. I was never able to find out who did this to him, When I took Pumpkin to his very first checkup, I was told he was missing a tooth but I never found out how this happened. Was he in a fight with another animal? Was it a case of animal abuse? I wish I knew who did this because I would have had him/her arrested.

Pumpkin's had numerous exams over the past 11+ years and it seems to me if the vet saw any evidence of abuse by the previous owner, they would be required to tell me, For example, don't xrays show evidence of old fractures? He's had xrays for other reasons like his bowel issues. I was always paranoid about him getting megacolon.

I found that now he is gone, my anger against the previous owner has resurfaced. I can't stand people who mistreat animals.

The pain I am now going through is partly the fault of whoever did this to him. But If I didn't take in Pumpkin when I did he most likely would have died of starvation or froze (it was Winter when I decided to adopt him) or got hit by a car.

Another reason I'm thinking about the previous owner is that when Pumpkin's urn was brought to me, it had a birth date. I never knew the exact date because I didn't know Pumpkin when he was born. The first thought that came to mind was that they found out who had him before me but didn't tell me. I know that sounds stupid. When I called the vet's office to ask about that, I was told the date was based on when I brought him to his first checkup, minus a few years to account for his estimated age.

I feel like I'm rambling, probably because I am still sleep deprived. I am very sad about losing him. And I am very angry with whoever mistreated him all those years ago.
 

Kwik

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My tummy is better and I took a short nap but am having trouble getting back to sleep. I keep dwelling on my loss and wish that he was still here with me

I adopted Pumpkin over 11 years ago after his previous owner abandoned him in Pulaski NY. I was never able to find out who did this to him, When I took Pumpkin to his very first checkup, I was told he was missing a tooth but I never found out how this happened. Was he in a fight with another animal? Was it a case of animal abuse? I wish I knew who did this because I would have had him/her arrested.

Pumpkin's had numerous exams over the past 11+ years and it seems to me if the vet saw any evidence of abuse by the previous owner, they would be required to tell me, For example, don't xrays show evidence of old fractures? He's had xrays for other reasons like his bowel issues. I was always paranoid about him getting megacolon.

I found that now he is gone, my anger against the previous owner has resurfaced. I can't stand people who mistreat animals.

The pain I am now going through is partly the fault of whoever did this to him. But If I didn't take in Pumpkin when I did he most likely would have died of starvation or froze (it was Winter when I decided to adopt him) or got hit by a car.

Another reason I'm thinking about the previous owner is that when Pumpkin's urn was brought to me, it had a birth date. I never knew the exact date because I didn't know Pumpkin when he was born. The first thought that came to mind was that they found out who had him before me but didn't tell me. I know that sounds stupid. When I called the vet's office to ask about that, I was told the date was based on when I brought him to his first checkup, minus a few years to account for his estimated age.

I feel like I'm rambling, probably because I am still sleep deprived. I am very sad about losing him. And I am very angry with whoever mistreated him all those years ago.
Of course all these things are resurfacing ,it's very natural my friend- in your mind your are remembering your life with Pumpkin - try to think about the quality of life you gave him from the time you brought him home,the wonderful life he enjoyed as a pampered and beloved fur baby with a loving,caring Mommy- that's what Pumpkin knew,unlike us they do not dwell on their past they live in the present- so being told & SHOWN 'I love you' everyday is the life he had with you

Missing teeth are not usually a sign of abuse,neglect perhaps but it can be any number of things that resulted in losing a tooth,vitamin deficiency,an infection,genetics and a 100 other reasons - apparently it did not hinder his ability to eat and he had no further dental issues after you adopted him so Pumpkin didn't even miss it!

You rescued Pumpkin and he had the best life he could possibly have,you can rest assured Pumpkin never thought about life before YOU....as far as the birth date goes it's what all Vets do ,from the first visit they estimate the approximate age and add that time to the date you brought him in to record a dob- nothing unusual about that as they have no way of knowing the actual dob - Im sure it's safe to say they never knew who his previous owner was

If you are not looking for an old break or fracture your not going to take X-rays of a cats bones to see if they've had any past injuries unless the animal shows there is pain or discomfort in a specific area and there's nothing obvious to determine the cause- my Timmy broke his leg when he was hit by a car yrs ago and it healed well on its own -there is no indication he had a broken bone as far as the naked eye could see and had I not requested an x-ray no one would have noticed .
You can ' ramble ' all you like- your just replaying these things in your mind - I'm no expert but I believe it's healthy and normal to do so and good to talk or write down your thoughts,it's a release..... We're here to listen ,let it all out my friend

Thank God you got a little bit of sleep and I'm glad the tummy has calmed down somewhat - your health and well being is priority

I gave up trying to sleep for last night so I'm here with ya if that's any consolation ❤
 
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dianajune

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Of course all these things are resurfacing ,it's very natural my friend- in your mind your are remembering your life with Pumpkin - try to think about the quality of life you gave him from the time you brought him home,the wonderful life he enjoyed as a pampered and beloved fur baby with a loving,caring Mommy- that's what Pumpkin knew,unlike us they do not dwell on their past they live in the present- so being told & SHOWN 'I love you' everyday is the life he had with you

Missing teeth are not usually a sign of abuse,neglect perhaps but it can be any number of things that resulted in losing a tooth,vitamin deficiency,an infection,genetics and a 100 other reasons - apparently it did not hinder his ability to eat and he had no further dental issues after you adopted him so Pumpkin didn't even miss it!

You rescued Pumpkin and he had the best life he could possibly have,you can rest assured Pumpkin never thought about life before YOU....as far as the birth date goes it's what all Vets do ,from the first visit they estimate the approximate age and add that time to the date you brought him in to record a dob- nothing unusual about that as they have no way of knowing the actual dob - Im sure it's safe to say they never knew who his previous owner was

If you are not looking for an old break or fracture your not going to take X-rays of a cats bones to see if they've had any past injuries unless the animal shows there is pain or discomfort in a specific area and there's nothing obvious to determine the cause- my Timmy broke his leg when he was hit by a car yrs ago and it healed well on its own -there is no indication he had a broken bone as far as the naked eye could see and had I not requested an x-ray no one would have noticed .
You can ' ramble ' all you like- your just replaying these things in your mind - I'm no expert but I believe it's healthy and normal to do so and good to talk or write down your thoughts,it's a release..... We're here to listen ,let it all out my friend

Thank God you got a little bit of sleep and I'm glad the tummy has calmed down somewhat - your health and well being is priority

I gave up trying to sleep for last night so I'm here with ya if that's any consolation ❤
Pumpkin did have one tooth pulled a few years ago. It simply went bad for reasons I still don't understand, much likes ours do. I wanted to learn how to brush his teeth but there was no way he'd let me do this. He fussed with regular meds....I could imagine what he'd do if I came at him with toothpaste and a brush!

I got dental treats for him once but they were hard as a rock and he never cared for them, So much for that idea.

Thank you for listening!
 

Kwik

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Pumpkin did have one tooth pulled a few years ago. It simply went bad for reasons I still don't understand, much likes ours do. I wanted to learn how to brush his teeth but there was no way he'd let me do this. He fussed with regular meds....I could imagine what he'd do if I came at him with toothpaste and a brush!

I got dental treats for him once but they were hard as a rock and he never cared for them, So much for that idea.

Thank you for listening!
It's my pleasure ,I never tire of kitty talk or listening to people I care about ❤❤❤
 
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dianajune

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It's my pleasure ,I never tire of kitty talk or listening to people I care about ❤❤❤
I'm still trying to understand why this happened to him. I went over the few records I have on hand .

Pumpkin's arrhythmia was detected in February 2023 by his regular vet. It was determined at the time that no action needed to be taken except to keep an eye on it as it didn't seem to bother him.

When Pumpkin had his echo in late October, everything was normal. His heart was structurally sound. His physical exam including lungs were normal, The only thing that wasn't normal was that heart rhythm,

He started having weird spells shortly thereafter for reasons I still don't understand. This may have been his heart causing it but why? Why did this escalate so fast? I wish I asked for a necropsy but it's too late now. I'm still blaming myself, thinking that if I had him on heart meds he'd still be alive.

I wrote a lengthy email to the other vet who did the echo and asked him for his take on all this. I just need answers. I need closure I just can't get over how fast he went downhill. I just sent that message and am hoping he will get back to me sometime today.
 
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Kwik

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I'm still trying to understand why this happened to him. I went over the few records I have on hand .

Pumpkin's arrhythmia was detected in February 2023 by his regular vet. It was determined at the time that no action needed to be taken except to keep an eye on it as it didn't seem to bother him.

When Pumpkin had his echo in late October, everything was normal. His heart was structurally sound. His physical exam including lungs were normal, The only thing that wasn't normal was that heart rhythm,

He started having weird spells shortly thereafter for reasons I still don't understand. This may have been his heart causing it but why? Why did this escalate so fast? I wish I asked for a necropsy but it's too late now. I'm still blaming myself, thinking that if I had him on heart meds he'd still be alive.

I wrote a lengthy email to the other vet who did the echo and asked him for his take on all this. I just need answers. I need closure I just can't get over how fast he went downhill. I just sent that message and am hoping he will get back to me sometime today.
I'm sure he'll get back to you as soon as he can......

You know when death comea unexpectedly its such a shock that its even harder to accept than when someone is very ill and the prognosis is only a matter of time- still,I dont think we are ever really prepared to accept the loss of a loved one

No one is guaranteed any tomorrow's,you can be as healthy as a horse with nothing wrong with your heart and suffer a massive coronary or an embolism or Lord Knows what but surely it's our time

Last year I felt something weird in my chest,felt like it could be my heart and so I saw the cardiologist,did an ekg,stress test and passed with flying colors ...... he said" yes,looks good but when it comes to the heart it's a funny thing- he told me his father in law had an echo and a stress test,all normal and the next month he passed away from cardiac arrest- sometimes we just don't have any way of knowing that our time is short- you can ask questions and whatever it takes to get closure if you think it will help but it's completely normal to feel as you do- the Vet will assure you that there was not anything you could do to prevent what happened and there was no way anyone could know what was going to happen- I hope you can find some Peace with this but it takes time,sometimes a short while,a long while or a very long while but you are not to blame...

I'm so sorry you are struggling so badly and in pain-----please give one of those grief counselors a call,I think it will help - I hope so
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dianajune

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I'm sure he'll get back to you as soon as he can......

You know when death comea unexpectedly its such a shock that its even harder to accept than when someone is very ill and the prognosis is only a matter of time- still,I dont think we are ever really prepared to accept the loss of a loved one

No one is guaranteed any tomorrow's,you can be as healthy as a horse with nothing wrong with your heart and suffer a massive coronary or an embolism or Lord Knows what but surely it's our time

Last year I felt something weird in my chest,felt like it could be my heart and so I saw the cardiologist,did an ekg,stress test and passed with flying colors ...... he said" yes,looks good but when it comes to the heart it's a funny thing- he told me his father in law had an echo and a stress test,all normal and the next month he passed away from cardiac arrest- sometimes we just don't have any way of knowing that our time is short- you can ask questions and whatever it takes to get closure if you think it will help but it's completely normal to feel as you do- the Vet will assure you that there was not anything you could do to prevent what happened and there was no way anyone could know what was going to happen- I hope you can find some Peace with this but it takes time,sometimes a short while,a long while or a very long while but you are not to blame...

I'm so sorry you are struggling so badly and in pain-----please give one of those grief counselors a call,I think it will help - I hope soView attachment 475432
Thank you!
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fionasmom

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The date which you received is definitely the original date from Pumpkin's care, not an estimated birth date which would prove anything. My vet does the same thing with an estimated age and date, but it is not an official one. I have only owned one animal in my life who had a true birth date...a GSD puppy from a high kill shelter and the only reason they knew his birthdate is that the "owner" who had carelessly allowed the male and female dog to breed knew that the puppies were born on a certain date and when he turned them in at 3 weeks old, he gave that date.

I have had cats and dogs with pre-existing conditions, but it does not prove anything about abuse or treatment unless there was extremely clear knowledge of abuse, such as a witness or rescue/AC who intervened. I had a small dog who had a BB in her leg, which certainly did not implant itself there, but it becomes water under the bridge and you just move forward with the care that you are planning on giving to the animal in their new life. One place you don't need to invest your energy is in thinking about the previous owner, if there even was one.

Heart conditions are precarious in humans and animals. There are often no signs and even clear tests can prove nothing. Cardiovascular disease is still the leading cause of death globally in humans, many of whom possibly have been under care for the condition.
 
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