Artie and his Issues

[artiemom]

Terumo still makes the 20 gauge needles. They just don't sell it in the US anymore, only in Canada and through US / Canada veterinary suppliers. Terumo Medical Products

I found this supplier for Terumo needles from the FelineDiabetes.com board: NEEDLE,20 X 1 1/2, TERUMO, 100/BX

Thanks, I am looking this up right now..

So that is why, I cannot get them!! everywhere I go, they are discontinued, but still on the Terumo website...

 

[Mamanyt1953]

I am constantly amazed at the information that our members can come up with! Best Cat Site EVER!

GO ARTIE! He looks so cute fishing for kibbles!

 

[artiemom]

Yesterday, Artie really enjoyed our first wonderful spring day.

He was awake most of the day.. of course the neighbors kids did not sit well with him! and the lawn mowers..

No poops yesterday.

He was zonked out on my lap last night. He was curled up in my arm, like a human baby. When I tried to wake him up for his meds, he would not wake up. I was very softly trying to wake him, but he did not move. I did not want to scare him, so I let him sleep a bit longer.
so sweet.

Not as much food yesterday and last night. He needs to poop, and then he will eat more.

Artie at his new food area: he saw the phone/camera, and stopped eating..I tried to take a picture, but no way would he go for it!

Have a busy day.. so I will tttyl

 

[2Cats4everLoved]

Wow, Artie Boy in action... and now enjoying the window seat, love the pictures. He looks pretty meaty as if he gained a few ounces. I hope that's the case.

I never realized how orange he is. His coat in so vibrant.

Enjoy the day, thanks for the pictures. xoxohope

 

[artiemom]

Wow, Artie Boy in action... and now enjoying the window seat, love the pictures. He looks pretty meaty as if he gained a few ounces. I hope that's the case.

I never realized how orange he is. His coat in so vibrant.

Enjoy the day, thanks for the pictures. xoxohope

Artie is getting more white in his fur. It depends on the lighting, as to how red he is. I see a lot of white.

Yes, he is a bit meaty.. not as skinny.. He has pretty much stabilized
at 11 lbs. That is a great weight for him. not to fat, and not too skinny..

When you think that on Christmas Day he was
weighing 9.45 lbs... and currently 11 lbs.. that is just mind-blowing. and 10.0-10.2 lbs one month ago.

That desk has been with me since I started school! I mean it! It is so old, but well constructed. It needs to be refinished. One of these days, when I have money.. and can find someone to do it for me. I found some scratches from Artie, when he has stretched, getting down from the windowsill..plus age nicks and stuff.

 

[2Cats4everLoved]

LOL, I have to laugh at the scratches, I have a dresser that Simon loved to use as his tower and I always thought of redoing it but now with him gone I feel like I would be erasing him. In time, but not now. It's coming up on a year since my boy passed and it's been a bit sad. I keep getting those picture reminders of "this time last year" and it's been heartbreaking. I had to turn of that feature on my phone. UGH!!!

Enjoy every minute and give that sweet orange fluff ball a smooch for me. xo

I'm so glad Artie is steady at 11lbs. That's great news.

It's a true testament of your love and dedication. Be well.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

DRAT! If I could get there, I'd SO refinish that desk for you! It's just the sort of project that gets my juices flowing.

Artie look gorgeous sitting there! You'd never know how bad his health was just a few short months ago! This is the perfect testament to what a devoted, determined cat guardian can do with a good team of vets behind her!

 

[katlady-18]

I read through some of the posts and it's incredible everything you've been through. I could relate to so many of your emotions; I went through fear and so many tears during the process of losing my Pumpkin recently but the time between the onset of his symptoms/diagnosis to my having to let him go was only 8 days (incredible that his cancer was so advanced and he hadn't shown symptoms before his diagnosis). If I've had through months of uncertainty and dealing with all your issues I don't know how I would've handled it. I hope Artie continues doing well. You both deserve to breath easier.

 

[artiemom]

I read through some of the posts and it's incredible everything you've been through. I could relate to so many of your emotions; I went through fear and so many tears during the process of losing my Pumpkin recently but the time between the onset of his symptoms/diagnosis to my having to let him go was only 8 days (incredible that his cancer was so advanced and he hadn't shown symptoms before his diagnosis). If I've had through months of uncertainty and dealing with all your issues I don't know how I would've handled it. I hope Artie continues doing well. You both deserve to breath easier.

Thank You so much for the nice words.

I am so sorry to hear about your Pumpkin. I could say that the only comfort for you would be that she did not suffer long at all. I know that sounds harsh, but it does mean a lot, and comes straight from my heart. It really does.. (((Hugs))))

I had a Pumpkin also.. a female red kitty. The runt of the litter, who was extremely sick.. never knew what it was, but my mom and I nursed her back to help.. yes, baby bottles, eyedroppers, etc... My Pumpkin lived to be 18 years old and a diabetic for the last 4 years of her life. Yup, insulin shots twice a day...

I guess God knows who to send certain kitties to...
**************************************************

Right now, I am still waiting for poops.. sigh

Artie has to poop today.. He was extremely bad with his lactulose AND his miralax this morning. He even held the lactulose in his mouth, and spit some out... all over me!! Bad Boy...

Artie is also not eating as much.. makes sense, nothing comes out, so nothing can go in ~~ no room. Must not be feeling great; we did not play this morning..

I will increase the dose of lactulose tonight...
fingers crossed.. it is 2 days since last poop... paws crossed also..

 

[katlady-18]

Thank you, artiemom. A part of me still can't believe he is gone, I still feel his presence so strongly, as if he's just going to come back and all will return to normal. Part of the grieving process, I suppose.

18 years with your Pumpkin--wow, so many memories made. I had mine for 10 and as it is I find it difficult to think back to a time when he wasn't a part of my life. Some song I hear, an event I might remember and I think, "Pumpkin was already here by then."

I truly hope Artie gets back to feeling better very soon. Sending you both positive vibes. I'll make sure to keep track of this thread and Artie's progress.

 

[artiemom]

Saturday morning update:
Artie pooped last night, 8 x 1 inches.. It was thick.
He immediately went over to eat..
see, what goes in, comes out....

Artie was terrible, I mean terrible with his meds yesterday. The only thing that went well, were the sub-q's.. otherwise, he was fighting me so much..

Moaning as I opened his mouth, spitting out the liquid, even the cisapride suspension. Forget the miralax. I think I got more on me than in him!! and the lactulose!! OMG... he even spit part of that out..

I tried to get it in him, gently, but he fought so much.
I had to do a quick dosing.. Unfortunately, I got it to far back, he was meowing, so some went down the wrong way. He did end up coughing, in my arms.. poor baby..
He immediately went to the other room, to hide from me! I do not blame him for that.

This morning, he tried waking me at 5am.. I ignored him. Because of last nights, accident when medicating, his meow is a bit raspy...poor thing...

Again, bad with his meds.. Artie refused to swallow his capsule, and held the water in his mouth..

He ate really well last night.. over 1/4 cup. He also pooped again, this morning, about 5 x 1 inches. softer..

He is hiding in the cut away box in his large cat tree. His new hiding spot, away from me. He can still look out if he wants to; he can get the fresh air from the balcony door which is partially open; he can spy on me!!

Yesterday, I looked all over for him. I like to keep track of where he is.. I could not find him anywhere.. It was time for his sub-q's. I had to leave in a bit, so I was really searching for him.

I just happened to look up, and at the large cat tree..There was Artie, curled up, watching me in his new hiding spot...
Crazy cat!!

Funny, the only time he uses this cat tree is in the summer.
Right now, his tail is hanging down and he is comfortably curled up, sleeping. I hate to bother him.. time for his next meds..sigh..

Perhaps he will hear me moving around. I will ask if he wants to be brushed.. that usually gets a response from him. Then I will give him his meds..and then brush him.

 

[katlady-18]

What a cutie! Glad to hear he's eating and pooping okay. Funny how happy poops make us when we're watching our furbabies for possible issues, huh?

 

[Mamanyt1953]

We're HUGE fans of Artie's poop! And kitten fannies. Nowhere else in the world...

Glad he's feeling well enough to fight you, but sorry you are having to tigerwrestle!

 

[artiemom]

Monday Artie update:

Artie has been a terror about taking his meds. All of them, except the sub-q's. He is being a terror. I am getting the cisapride suspension along with the lactulose, and miralax all over me. I have no idea how much or any one of these drugs he is getting in his system.

He is either not opening his mouth, or he is putting his tongue on the roof of his mouth, spitting out the liquids, or just not swallowing them. I even hold his mouth shut, rub his throat, and even blow on his nose... nope! Artie is refusing to swallow the liquid! It comes out the sides of his mouth, all over me! the Floor! my Clothes! and the Chair!!

Last night I resorted to wrapping a towel around his neck, like a bib. Still no cooperation.

I am trying to increase the lactulose because of the smaller quantity of miralax he is ingesting, but Artie really fought that last night.. sticky stuff all over the place and me!!

I feel bad because he has to get this stuff in him. There have been a few times this week-end that I had to put the syringe so far in, that he was coughing.. That is all I need, aspiration pneumonia...
Or he gets himself so worked up, he vomits it up!!

He runs away from me, hides, yells out his lungs when he knows he is getting his meds. It is really difficult .....I can control his body movements, but not his ingestion/swallowing of the liquids...

I tried smaller syringes of the miralax w/water---still no help.

Needless to say, Artie did not poop Saturday or Sunday. This morning, he finally pooped, a 5 x 1 inch length of rope. It was harder for him to get out, because of the lack of miralax.

Artie was very lazy yesterday. Slept all day, not wanting to be bothered.

This morning, he fought fiercely with his meds, quieted down for a bit, ate some food, pooped, and surprise: Played on and off for 45 minutes! batting a ball around, me trying to find him hiding, me throwing the ball for him, his drinking water, resting a bit'; then, repeat the cycle a few more times in the 45 minutes. As soon as I sat down, he was 'off' again!

It is a cold, rainy day today.. a good day to stay in.. Artie is now hiding from me on the dining room chair..out of view...time for another battle with meds.. he knows it, that is why he is hiding!

 

[pushylady]

that sounds so tough when he's fighting you like that. I wish we could explain to them how we're just trying to help! Nice to hear that he's been playful though.

 

[artiemom]

Yeah, I tried to get his lactulose and the pred in him, about 40 minutes ago. I cannot believe how difficult this is getting. Like torture for all involved.

I got the Pred, and some of the miralax in, as a cheer. When it came to the lactulose, he spit out at least 1/2 of the dose. All over him, me, the chair, etc.. and he yelled so loud..

Last night I tried to split up the dose into 2.. 1/2, wait a few seconds, then the rest.. no dice..He spit out the 2nd half of it.

This morning, I tried the entire dose, even held his mouth shut. The Brat, just pushed the lactulose out between his clamped teeth and all over him, me, the chair, the towel. I do not know how to proceed anymore.

I tried the, in the corner of the mouth trick---nope.. came out as soon as I put it in. Tried the in the middle of the mouth..same results. or he gets so agitated, he vomits.. or coughs. Tried a bit to the side and not as deep down.. nope.. Tried, clamping his mouth shut, blowing on his nose, trying to get him to swallow, while I am massaging his throat.. nope~~ he lets out a Yowl and it all comes out of his mouth..
His paw comes up to push my hand away, I wrap him in a towel.. most clamps shut even more.. tongue goes onto roof of mouth, so it just comes out..

All I know is that I feel like a sticky mess. I have wiped him several times with the baby wipes, but he still feels sticky.. down his throat, the front of him, on his leg.... I have washed my hands several times and still feel the stickiness. Need to throw these PJ's in the wash.. and the towel..

I am going to see if I can ask the Vet if there are any treats I can give him.. perhaps a reward will help a bit?? I am really lost.

 

[Margret]

How about if you don't use the baby wipes on him? Leave Artie to bathe himself? Cats seem to be willing to ingest all sorts of horrible things for the sake of a good bath.
Margret

 

[Mamanyt1953]

My dad, when I was quite young, got meds in our tomcat by smearing them on his front paws. Gray would lick every bit off, grumbling and griping with every tongue-swipe! It may just work! Or, either R Vet or N Vet may have some idea on getting meds in an obstreperous pussycat.

 

[artiemom]

Artie was not all that bad for the afternoon cisapride. I was able to syringe in some miralax also. Felt a bit relieved.

The fur below his chin(bib), on both sides of his mouth and on one paw is stuck together with the lactulose! Later, around 6:15pm, I tried to brush some of it out. No way.. the slicker brush got sticky as well as my hands, and I was taking clumps of fur out.. and if I was not getting the fur out all the way, the loosened fur would clump together on him, like a dust kitten...sigh

I caught him trying to chew on the cords of the blinds!! I had to take it away from him. Tried to brush him out a bit more. He immediately got so upset that he started vomiting!! It was yellow! ? from the cisapride? That is a brownish-cream color.. and there was a big fur ball in there!

No, Artie is running away from me.. he is hiding in his tent.
I still have to give him more cisapride and more lactulose tonight.. sigh...

I do not know what happened or what I am suddenly doing wrong??

What I did not want to happen, happened. I was wiping him down with baby wipes because I wanted to get the lactulose off of him, without giving him a bath and scaring him more. I also did not want to him to tear out his fur and have fur balls......sigh...

very frustrated, and very upset now.

deep breathe..

He needs these medicines... how am I going to get him into him. He has always been good about the meds. Now, he is refusing all of them...

 

[Margret]

Remind me again how much of the cisapride and Miralax Artie needs? I may have an idea, but I need to research it a bit.

Margret