The Duchess sees the Doctor. And the Doctor has seen her.

[lagilman]

For the past month or so, Pandora has been eating like a horse, to the point that tapeworm jokes were being made. And yet, she was not putting on any weight. Worrisome.

When I came home last night to reports of her not urinating regularly all last week, and a distinct change in her yowling (less "bitch where you BEEN?" and more "Mommy I don't feel good...") I made an appointment for her to see the vet ASAP. Which happened to be this afternoon.

And $$$ later, the diagnosis is def. a heart murmur, highly probable thyroid disease, and possible heart disease. Waiting on test results/final diagnosis to determine treatment.

If the tests come back inconclusive, then we may be looking at Cancer. Having evaded the scare myself two years ago, I do NOT want it to come back and hit my kitten. mmmjustsaying.


If more test are required, I may have to run a "Buy a Book, Save a Cat" sale at some point next month, to pay for it all. But she's my baby*. Whatchagonnado?






*if you can call a 13 year old grande dame a baby. Which I can.

Comments

[karenmiller.livejournal.com]

Well, fwiw, my dad's dog has a longstanding murmur and she's still pretty fit and active. Harley cat has a heart murmur, and he's doing okay. And my Maxie did pass from thyroid disease but it was years later at 17 and he did really well on the medication right up to the end. Tip - tablet smooshed in full fat cream cheese a big hit.

Fingers crossed for you!

[lagilman]

Thanks. Yeah, it it's just a murmur, we'll watch and wait, and thyroid's treatable (although P haaaaates people-food, so the pilling will get dicey). Heart disease... limited amount you can do. My concern is if the tests come back inconclusive...

[bellinghman.livejournal.com]

My cat Tonic had thyroid over-activity. The vet gave three choices

a) Pills for the rest of her life
b) A radio-treatment to subdue the thyroids (6 month waiting list, she was already in her teens)
c) Removal of one thyroid

We went for c), on the principle that the vet said that it almost always worked, it was an almost instant result if it did work, and if it failed, well, it was pills every day for the rest of her life.

A week later, she was already filling out again.

It was also a damned sight cheaper than the other options, being an out-patient procedure.

She lived to her twentieth year.

(Oddly enough, when my first wife had the same problem, she had only part of one thyroid removed.)

[lagilman]

If it's just the thyroid, I'm not too worried - I have hypothyroidism, so she and I can commiserate. But if the tests come back inconclusive, or there's signs of heart disease...

Then we get into fun times, where the "fun," isn't.

[cailleuch.livejournal.com]

Had a cat with heart disease and kept him alive for many years on daily meds & strict diet. He did well for many years, happy playful fun.

[lagilman]

While I appreciate the best-case stories, the truth is we don't know WHAT the scenario is yet. That's why we're running more tests. With luck, yeah, she'll live to see 17+. But there's no comfort until I know what's going on.

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

I call a 17-year-old cat my baby. I see nothing wrong with this.

My sympathies. Here's hoping things go well.

[barbhendee.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'm so sorry.

I really understand both the anxiety for beloved kitties and worry over the vet mounting vet bills. JC and I lost a nineteen-year-old Siamese mix last November. It was heartbreaking, and we just paid off the final bill in March.

We have another kitty, and she just turned 20. We've had her since she was six weeks old. She's on Phenobarbital for seizures and another med for her high blood pressure, and she has kidney issues. But she's still quite lovey dovey and fairly active for such an old lady.

I do hope your sweet kitty is okay. I will send good energy.

[ceosanna.livejournal.com]

Here's to hoping that the tests pinpoint the problem and that you're able to start proper treatment soon!

One of my cats has survived with quite a substantial heart murmer for 13 years now, so hopefully that's the least of your worries. As an aside, my cat also has chronic kidney failure, and her sister has feline irritable bowel disease. I had a bunch of issues with administering pills to them until I invested in a pill gun. I think my vet had one for sale for under $5, so I'd check with yours about picking one up, too. While I sometimes have issues with it, it's so much easier than what I was doing.

[lagilman]

I used to help medicate horses, so am quite familiar with the pill gun, albeit in a larger form. I would have thought cat throats were too delicate for that, but will look into it, if needful, thanks!

[rosefox]

Our older cat needs daily medication but hates being pilled, and he broke his jaw a while back so he can't chew pill pockets. Fortunately, it turns out that the medication he needs can be compounded as a cream, so now we just rub a bit of goop into the non-furry side of his ear every night. He's still not thrilled with it, but it's so much better and less stressful than the pills!

[dsgood.livejournal.com]

Sympathies, and hopes for the best.

[seachanges.livejournal.com]

Oh, yikes! Also *hugs*. I hope it turns out to be something manageable.

[nycdeb.livejournal.com]

{{{{hugs}}}}}

[desperance.livejournal.com]

Aww. My respects and best wishes to Her Grace, and of course to you too.

[wolfsilveroak.livejournal.com]

Hey if I can call my crotchety ol' man kitty(who's currently taking over my desk) my baby, then why can't you.}:)

We do what we have to for our pets.

[pds-lit.livejournal.com]

My suggestion for pilling cats are Greenies Pill Pockets. They are a bit expensive but the daily thyroid pill gets taken with no fuss.

Hopefully this will be something manageable. If not, I'm in for the Buy a Book.

[neko-san.livejournal.com]

Second the pill pockets! My cat likes them - at least, two of the flavors are good, one is icky.

Also - and this is going to sound a bit ludicrous, since it's getting warmer - a pet heating pad bed is wonderful. I had to get multiple, one per cat, just to ensure that the old thin cat always has one available. Despite it getting more summery where I am, they are more popular than ever amongst the felines. Why, today two cats even *shared* one that was in a prime napping spot. o_O

[lagilman]

oh, Pandora laid claim to the heating pad months ago, when she first started developing "old cat butt." My girl gets taken care of.

[neko-san.livejournal.com]

Aw, I should've known. The heating pads are fairly recent additions to my house, for the aforementioned thin old cat. (The thinness was new; chronic renal failure, as it turns out.)

[pds-lit.livejournal.com]

No, not ludicrous at all. Ours all have their very own cat quilts that line their baskets. They crawl under them throughout the year.

[isabeau.livejournal.com]

She's 13 already? Yeesh, I remember when you *got* her. o.O

But *hugs* and good vibes for both of you.

[mtlawson.livejournal.com]

My sympathies. Good luck on the tests.

[camille-is-here.livejournal.com]

Well, I am not a cat, but I had hyperthyroid disease and it had all sorts of heart symptoms. So if she has thyroid disease, she could be lucky and have her heart symptoms clear up when the thyroid does.

[lagilman]

I've been taking thyroid meds for over a decade, here. As I've said elsewhere, it's not the known that worries me, but the potential unknowns - which is why we'll be running more tests.

[camille-is-here.livejournal.com]

You can't go wrong making sure.

[firynze.livejournal.com]

Oh damn.

Fingers crossed that it's nothing so very serious, and that your poor wee kittygirl has much long and happy life ahead of her.

Pandora

[(Anonymous)]

Laura Anne,

It was so good to meet you at RT last week. I am so very sorry to hear about Pandora's (aka The Duchess) health issues. Fingers & toes crossed that there is nothing else going on other the heart murmur and thyroid disease (which is bad enough!).
Jill

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

Good luck with the diagnoses-and the best possible outcome.

[fakefrenchie.livejournal.com]

My sympathies. I'm up for "Buy a book, Save a Cat"

[jmward14.livejournal.com]

Sending good thoughts to you both. Just because they're furry doesn't make them any less our kids--and we all know kids are always babies. It's inevitable.

[mistry89.livejournal.com]

She is yours, therefore indisputably, your baby.
Good Thoughts to both you and Herself.
*hugs*

[mevennen.livejournal.com]

Hope she is OK, and all available fingers crossed.

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

I am crossing fingers for her.

[jperceval.livejournal.com]

Of *course* she's your baby! Sending you and Duchess Pandora only the best karma.

[jennielf.livejournal.com]

I have a 15 year old grande dame myself and she is totes my baby.

I know how heartbroken I would be if I was waiting on a prognosis like that. My thoughts are with you.

Give her a pet from me. :) (And I would totes contribute to the Save a Cat sale!)

[blitheringpooks.livejournal.com]

Keep me posted on the "buy a book" effort if it becomes necessary.

Here's hoping it's not, though, of course.

[badgermirlacca.livejournal.com]

Thinking very very very good thoughts for Pandora.

And for you.