Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Well it isn't the best news for Nicki...but "not today Satan" I am not saying goodbye quite yet.
The X-ray showed a great deal of fluid - "severe pleural effusion". The vet says it is essentially heart failure.
She stayed at the vet most of the day - they gave her a lasix injection and watched her. She peed a lot -- hissed and fussed, so they took that as a good thing - at least she was engaged .
I just brought her home. We will try half a Lasix tablet twice a day...take her back in 10-14 days and depending, then maybe go on an ACE inhibitor. But both those do affect the kidneys and she already has early kidney disease so nothing is simple.
She is in her normal spot on the bathroom wood floor as I type...breathing not too bad. Vet said it would be a few days to get Lasix effect. When we first came home I opened carrier in closed bathroom because I thought she had pooped in carrier but it was only urine. She went to the bedroom closet to hang out and sulk about five minutes -- but I have so much "stuff" in that closet there was no place to hide. Then she came out to bedroom carpet...then up the hall when I opened a can and put the lasix in there. She didn't eat and had barely a sip of water...but I am hopeful she will be more interested later. She was pretty upset at the vet -- and the vet actually asked me what they should do if she coded while she was there. (I said no to CPR.) She really was breathing fast there but vet said she calmed down later. So what she's doing right now is sort of her new normal, at least until/if the Lasix kicks in.
I think we still are only talking perhaps a few months...but at least today, I still have my girl.
I'm glad you still have her and hissing and fussing sounds like normal cat stuff. I get "the new normal" 100% and feel just the same. Not my eternally young energetic girl, but still happy and sweet and not suffering. I have to watch her and I have to make sure she gets meds, but every day I can still love her in the flesh is a good day.
She doesn't smell the same since prednisolone. She seems to have no scent at all. Am I imagining this?
I'm glad you still have her and hissing and fussing sounds like normal cat stuff. I get "the new normal" 100% and feel just the same. Not my eternally young energetic girl, but still happy and sweet and not suffering. I have to watch her and I have to make sure she gets meds, but every day I can still love her in the flesh is a good day.
She doesn't smell the same since prednisolone. She seems to have no scent at all. Am I imagining this?
I can't say I noticed any smell on her but she was only on the pred 2 weeks. Traded that in yesterday for the Lasix. I think racehorses are on that so I will see if she speeds up any .
I just called vet to give the pretty good report on our night and how she's doing, she was so happy Nicki is hanging in. I think she was far more worried than she let on yesterday. I also wanted to ask if I should keep up with the other meds/supplements for now...I'll still try to get the gabapentin in her but hold back on the other stuff for a bit.
She is walking a little better this morning (there was swelling in one front paw from the fluids) and I swear she does look thinner this morning after all the peeing!
I will be letting Nicki go today.
We increased the lasix and the Vetmedin has helped...but she is drinking with her head in the water bowl, laid down today just to eat, and has used two pee pads in 5 hours. She walks like she is 90 years old and plops down after 5 feet of lumbering along...
I think the vet was nearly in tears on the phone when I consulted about my decision...she agreed we have tried everything plausible to help her. I looked back at my notes and with congestive heart failure it is never going to be cured and I see at best she was talking about possibly another 4 months or so. But I think Nicki is telling me she's just very tired and not getting enough oxygen with basically one good lung. She had a very good 14 and 3/4 years with me, and I her.
This is SO damn hard. Said goodbye to my other heart cat in May... and I do feel I waited just a bit too long with him so that is also part of my feeling today.
There will be other kitties I am sure...sooner or later.... but Nicki was my "it" girl.
I am so so sorry. Please accept my condolences. From what you've written, it seems there is little quality of life left and it indeed is time. I so know about the "it" cat. Our late Tucker was mine, gone five years now and I still think about him every day.
I too am saddened for the loss of your Nicki. I hope she finds peace and comfort and is finally out of pain. Never forget; ALL of our pets are waiting for us at Rainbow Bridge.
The final vet visit went very well as far as that goes...peaceful. I petted her the whole time. The vet said "she is tired."
The part I didn't think about is that I am now in an empty home. When I said goodbye to the previous two cats, I still had a cat to come home to. There is no kitty here tonight.
I miss her terribly...even though I know this was the right call, and the vet said so without prompting.
I about lost it picking up her food dishes and the mats...
Anyway, thanks again.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
. 
.
