Thanks Tracy. I hope it's nothing that serious with Chloe, although I suppose we'll find out. We're heading back to the vet since I'm convinced she has ear mites. (She scratches her ears all the time and shakes her head.) So, I'll ask about the panting, even though I'm a little afraid of what the answer might be. I hope Gretel is doing well. Vikki In a message dated 4/9/2001 8:57:40 PM Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: > Well, Gretel has always been a little stand-offish, but I try to make > sure I check everyone out. I noticed that Gretel was coughing or > trying to clear her throat a few times and then she would do something > funny with her neck--try to stretch it out sometimes. then when she was > lying nearby, it seemed she was breathing harder than the others (I have > many to compare her too!) She didn't seem to be in pain. So I kept an > eye on her and every time for the next day that I saw her, she was > breathing faster than the others so I left the carrier open and thank > godness she went in late one night so i just shut her in and took her in > the next day. although she did freak out at the vet's (tried to climb > the walls and planters) it was obvious she was breathing harder/faster > and when the vet listened to her chest, she could tell there was > something going on. then we did the xrays and the heart seemed to be > obscured and the trachea slightly displaced by something (tumor) and > there was fluid in her chest--the vet tapped both sides and sent the > fluid for analysis and the results were negative for FIP, but a high > incidence of malignant cancer cells indicating the tumor which was > obscuring the heart on the xrays. > > I admit noticing a month or more ago that she coughed a few times, but > that was when everyone has a bad URI--all of them had sneezes and yucky > eyes except for Gretel and her sister Thumbalina---they coughed and > twisted their necks (almost like want to cough up a hair ball). > Thumbalina went to the vet at that time and was ok except for the URI so > I figured that was what was going on w/her, too. So maybe the coughing > is from something else. > > I think if you notice a change in activity level or just heavy breathing > (or faster) when relaxing, you might want to take your baby in. > > Tracy >
