My Missy is very sick

missycat

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My Missy is at the vet's again today, for the third time in three days. She's been losing weight, so I took her in for a check-up. Since she's 14 years old, I didn't think significant weight loss was something to fool with, especially in a cat that used to tend to be a little plump.

The vet did blood work and urinalysis, and couldn't find anything except for a slightly elevated white blood cell count. So I took her back yesterday for x-rays. She has fluid around her lungs, and we don't know what's causing it. The vet was able to draw off 90 milliliters of fluid out of her chest, poor thing, and that's being analyzed.

Today, she's getting a chest ultrasound by a cardiologist. I'm going crazy waiting and not knowing. She wasn't acting sick, but gradually getting thinner. The possibilities are horrible. She could have Feline Infectious Peritonitis, which has no cure, and she will surely not survive it. She could have cardiomyopathy, and maybe she could be treated with medication. There are other diseases that cause fluid in the chest, and most of them are fatal.

In addition, my sister just died from cancer earlier this month, just before the terrorist attacks. I'm still mourning her loss; I can't face another loss. I am so afraid I'll lose my baby now. I'm just so afraid.
 

lotsocats

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I'm so sorry for the loss of your sister. I can't imagine how much that must hurt.

I don't have any words of wisdom regarding your cat, I just wanted you to know that I am thinking of you and I am sending all of my "get healthy" thoughts to your poor kitty.

Keep your chin up and think positive thoughts.
 

vjoy

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Missycat,

I am so sorry for your loss of your sister. What an awful sequence of events, your sister, the attacks, and now your precious kitty.


I hope the Vet can help her... I know you are scared.. we are here for you, type your fears.... we will offer support and advice where we can.

We are with you and your kitty. Prayers and love your way.
 

debra myers

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I too, am so very sorry for the loss you have suffered this month and can certainly understand your fears about your baby. I will add her to my list of kitties to pray for and will keep you in my thoughts.
 

studio224

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Missy,

I can't find words to express how sorry I am about your sister's death. I can only tell you that I will think of you and your furrbaby, hoping for the best...

Anne-Claire
 
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missycat

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We still don't know; we're still eliminating possibilities. The possibilities that are left are very scary. She may either have lymphoma or chylothorax (or something unknown), all of which are very scary. She's getting an abdominal ultrasound and fine needle aspiration biopsies today.

She was eating yesterday afternoon (after her inconclusive chest ultrasound), more than I've seen her eat in days. Of course I'm spoiling her with good wet cat food mixed with tuna. She needs to put on weight.

I thank you deeply for your expressions of sympathy. I am in such grief over everything that I can barely shower and dress every morning. I'm not really a regular member here, so I was a little uncertain if I should even post here, but you all are so supportive, and Missy needs all the positive thoughts and prayers she can get. We are both grateful.

Edited to add a link to pictures of my baby: http://home.mindspring.com/~jjluta/_wsn/page3.html
 

lorie d.

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I am so sorry about the recent death of your sister. Missy is a very beautiful cat. I will be thinking about both you and Missy and hoping she can be helped.
 

debra myers

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Missycat - I am sorry that the tests are yet inconclusive. I will pray again for your kitty and you too! Please take care of yourself. And you know, once you post here you are a member of this furry family!
Her pics are beautiful............
 
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missycat

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Thank you all for your support. I've been going through quite the rough patch lately.

Missy's abdominal ultrasound showed only a cyst-like mass on her liver, but the doctor thought it was incidental and not causing her to be sick. He also thought it looked benign, and the only way to find out for sure would be surgery. And since she said that the vast majority of the time this kind of cyst is benign, I didn't want to put Missy through surgery, at least not while she's in a weakened state. We'll monitor it.

What she probably does have is Chylothorax. It, in itself isn't always fatal, but it's not an easy disease to treat either. Some cats respond better than others. Some don't respond at all, and in others the disease completely resolves on it's own. So far, having the fluid drained from her chest has made her feel much better, and she's putting weight back on. She seems to have an appetite that's making up for lost time. She put on an ounce an a half in just 6 hours, so that's really encouraging. And she looks better, she's moving around a little more. So we're waiting for the results of the triglyceride test to confirm the diagnosis, then we'll put her on a treatment regime. She will most likely need repeat visits to the vet to have her chest tapped, poor baby, but she's a really good patient (my vet says), and I hope that proper treatment may make that very infrequent or, God willing, unneccessary.

So Missy and I thank you from the bottoms of our hearts. Without people to lean on, we'd both be in bad shape indeed. She is my special baby, and I've been her Mom for 14 years (hubby and I don't have kids). I hope I'm making the right decisions and doing what's best for her always. I'm trying to do everything I can to make her feel better and I hope she responds to treatment well enough to not have to go through so much discomfort again. I surely don't want to have to put her through 4 vet visits in 4 days again, poor baby.
 

sunlion

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What a beautiful cat! Those are great pictures, she's clearly photogenic.

Now that you have a diagnosis, she'll probably respond pretty well. I'm basing that on the way her appetite improved already. I lost a cat to kidney failure, and even though she had dialysis, she never regained any vigor and just slid slowly downhill despite my best efforts. So I'm pretty optomistic for you that such an improvement so rapidly is a sign of general good health and even if you have to give medicine, Missy should do well for several more years. Not that I have any experience with this illness, just a general observation.

Chin up.
 

jojo

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I add my well wishes for your kitty. As difficult as it may be, try to stay optimistic. You're carrying a great weight on your shoulders now. We're here to offer any support we can.
 

debra myers

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Missycat - knowledge is your best friend and you have found that! Please keep us posted on Missy's progress - we are all pulling for her (and you too!)
Deb M.
 

alexnell

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It's good to hear that Missy is gaining weight. Hugs to both of you. Stay strong.
 
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missycat

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I am overwhelmed at your support, everyone! Thank you so much. Only other cat lovers can imagine what I'm going through with my baby. I'm glad I found you guys.


I gave Missy her first dose of prednisone today. I think she has some discomfort because she sits upright much more of the time, and she fidgets, like she can't get into a comfortable position. So I'm hoping the prednisone will help that. Her chest may be irritated or inflamed in there, poor baby. The vets still don't know why she's producing this fluid, but we're hoping we can either slow it down or stop it entirely.

But for now, she's sleeping well, eating pretty well, and the once-daily pill doesn't seem to be too much drama for her. She's such a good kitty - clearly the easiest cat I've ever had to give medication to, paws down.


Thank you again. Your support is helping me keep my sanity through this really tough time.
 

vjoy

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Prednisone works great!!!! That will surely help.


I, on the other hand, have tried for the 3rd night in a row to give the Queen, Goddess of the Universe, Daniell her pill, and tonight she spit it out!! aaarggggggggg

The poor thing is terrified of us now. She cowers, and is really more afraid of my husband. She thinks we hate her.


Sigh... we will have to try again later....

Missy will feel better with the prednisone.
 

jojo

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See my last post under this forum, topic: Diarehha. I was finally able to get a pill into Dani Night Stalker. Daniell doesn't hate you, she's just not feeling good and would prefer to be left alone I think. Under the circumstances, when I'm not well, I don't want anyone around me either. Keep smiling, keep showing Daniell love and she'll respond. Dani avoided me for about 15 minutes but treats and short hugs slowly drew her back to me.
 

amel .n. netfa

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i'm really sorry about your baby my heart is with you because i lost my baby last month & it is very terrible please keep us posted about her & take care of yourself too. i hope to god to give you strength & heal your Missy.
 

dodo

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Missy is a beauty. Not that I can recognize every breed well but I thought she looks like a Maine Coon
. If she is, I just wanted to tell you that (you might already know it) Maine Coons are genetically prone to heart diseases ( in this case, a hypertrophic cardiomyopathy maybe ?? ) But I think she was checked by a cardiologist, right ??

I hope they find the reason for her illness so that you can treat her.
 
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