You can't second guess yourself about if you'd known sooner, etc.... It is a
terrible thing that we have to try to judge the quality of life or amount of
pain when we can't just 'ask'. I will say that when I am nauseous I like it to
be cool. That might be part of her breathing heavily.
And as far as the valium I did have a cat that it had the opposite effect on
so I have always been afraid to give it to one of my cats in this situation. I
have also seen this in dogs with a different drug that we got from the vet. I
would ask the vet for a sedative to keep on hand and see if they'll give you
one. I really wanted one with Popeye at the end, but I was afraid to try some
xanax thinking it might be like valium and have a bad effect. I know this
isn't much help, but I'm sure a lot of people are not online tonight. Hang in
there.
tonya
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
actually, I think I meant to ask if I am horrible if I don't euthanise
her, not if I do. She is clearly suffering to some extent. Every once in a
while she seems to need air, meows and breathes with her mouth open, and if we
open a door or window to the cold air she settles down. I gave her another dex
shot (last one over 24 hours ago), and she started purring a little and walked
a little better. Earlier today we realized she had dried diarrhea caked all
over her behind, as if she had sat down in it during the night. I washed it
off, which took a long time, and she purred very loudly during the whole thing
and put her butt up in the air for me to wash and dry it. It was heartbreaking
and cute at the same time. I am thinking of asking the vet to come over
tomorrow. My heart is against it, but my mind says she is going through
something that she does not have to. I decide it, and then after looking
miserable for 30 minutes, she looks at me and starts purring, or
checks out a food bowl and eats about a spoonful of baby food. And I think no,
wait until she is in more distress than this.
I have injectable valium in the fridge, given to me almost two years ago. I
was thinking that if she goes into distress I can give her that and then call
the vet. I looked it up online, though, and it said that IM valium can be
painful, and that in a small number of cats it has the opposite than wanted
effect, ie makes them hyperexcitable. She had hyperexcitability when she came
out of anesthesia from having her bladder stone removed, so I worry about that.
I also have telazol that was given to me for Simon-- I gave him half the shot
to knock him out when he went into distress and he went to sleep and later died
in his sleep. I kept the rest of the shot. The needle is not clean, obviously,
but I guess at that point it would not matter. It is also two years old. In
fact, he died two years ago tomorrow. How strange is that? All of my positives
have died between the dates 12/31 and 2/22-- less than a 2 month span in deep
winter. It seems like it must not just be
coincidental, but like winter knocks their immune systems, even though they
are inside.
so I have been thinking we can just stay with her until she goes into
distress, tranquilize her then and call the vet. But is it fair and right? Is
episodic extreme weakness and open mouthed breathing, if it lasts only a few
minutes, acceptable to live through if a half hour later she can eat a little
food and purr? What about having crusted diarrhea on her, if she then likes
having it cleaned off?
She seemed in good health 3 weeks ago. I can not believe how fast her decline
has been.
I don't know if any of you remember, but in late December I emailed saying
that she seemed to be gaining weight but only in her belly, and that I thought
it might be fluid and could she have fip. Everyone said no, because she was not
sick otherwise. But I think it must have started then, oddly enough, and she
just did not show symptoms for another 3-4 weeks. I think now i should have
taken her somewhere, that if the fluid had been found then, and maybe her
anemia, I could have started her on feline interferon and epogen and maybe they
actually would have worked. I started them too late. And then I think that
none of the success stories I have read about with feline interferon and fip
concern and felv+ cat, and at least we had a few weeks thinking things were ok,
and not forcing meds on her. I don't know. So painful.
Michelle
In a message dated 2/4/2007 3:06:11 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL
PROTECTED] writes:
Michelle,
I don't think you are horrible for considering euthanizing Lucy. You've
thrown everything but the kitchen sink at her and she hasn't responded
the way you hoped and now it seems you've come to the agonizing point
of resolving yourself to the fact that your intervention won't be able
to turn her around. This is only my intuition talking, perhaps I'm
wrong, but you still seem desperate to control the situation, helping
her cross is the final thing that you could do for her. I fully realize
how much you love her, that everything you've done has been with her
best interest in mind, I'm confident that Lucy feels that way too.
She's been such a trooper through all this, she's still purring when you
and Gray pet her, she's still licking at her food, she's still grateful
for the time she can spend with you. As long as she's still showing you
that she wants to stay, I would back off of all meds except those that
might make her more comfortable, (perhaps just Pred and maybe saline
nose drops for the congestion), and let her take it from here. I know
how you and Gray feel about euthanasia, if that is what you decided to
do, make sure it is coming from your heart and not your head. Listen to
her, she will tell you when/if she is ready.
My heart and thoughts are with you,
Nina
