|
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, October 23, 2001 9:35
PM
Subject: fleas/diarhea/mittens (long,
sorry)
Hi Rachel,
I was wondering how your guys were
coming along. I'm sorry to hear Mittens is having diarreha. I don't have much
advice, although I've heard Slippery Elm maybe helpful for diarreha. Your best
bet would be to see your vet. Wishing all your kitties the best and I hope
Mittens is ok. Lisa & Sash
I know I've been
a bit scarce on the list lately - while I haven't been talking much, I have
been reading as many of the posts as possible.
My condolences to all who
have lost a little one. My prayers are with those who are experiencing
problems.
I am having a problem with all of the cats - in particular
Mittens.
It has been slow going of the 2 new boys warming up to me - -
Butch still runs away about half the time I walk into the room he is in.
Well, it has just come to my attention that they all have fleas!
It
was funny how I bought them flea collars & a nice new brush on Friday and
find that they have fleas on Saturday. There is only one way they could
have gotten fleas - - the boys must have had them when they were still at the
shelter! Not being entirely familiar with fleas I am taking the brush
and flea collar approach until I call my vet tomorrow (I'll get to that in a
minute). I was educating myself on fleas and I found that they can lead
to or be an indicator of internal parasites. That has led me to start
worrying about mittens. He has been scrawny from the day I got him.
I believe he has some form of birth defects (or the cat equivalent of
it). Butch is a big healthy cat and Cruizer is a little on the chubby
side, I'm not too worried yet.
Mittens has had diarhea off and on since he
got here. I've watched to make sure that he is eating and drinking
plenty of fluids and so I would witness it come & go. He's had it
now for about 5 or 6 days. Tonight I came home from work and went nuts.
He was a mess.
Forgive me for being graphic here, but his whole rear
end and back legs were covered. I guessed that he must have missed the
litter box and although I know he wouldn't be crazy about it I attempted to
wash him off. I am happy to report that I survived with only cuts to my
hands!
I got his legs cleaned off but when I went to wash his rear and the
base of his tail he let out such a cry that I knew he was in pain and I
stopped. I toweled and dried his paws and in the process got a look at
him. His rear end is bright red and looks to be swollen! Obviously
I'm calling the vet in the morning - - I'm waiting until morning because in
all other respects he seems fine. He is sitting comfortably, he ate
dinner, he drank fluids, he played even.
The only thing I did do was go
out and get some pedialyte. A vet had suggested I give some to Cruizer
for her diarhea to ensure that she didn't dehydrate so I wanted to make sure I
got some into Mittens. He drank a good amount of it - - I'd say at least
a cup and he has gone back to the bowl a couple more times to take a
small sip.
First, I ask that you all please keep him in prayers. I
just adore the little guy - at night - about once a week - he comes into my
bed and likes to sleep under the blanket with me. He is certainly the
more outgoing of the two boys.
I'm really kicking myself for not
immediately taking him to my vet. I figured that the shelter I got him
at was run by vets and that they must have been taking good care of him
because he was leukemia positive. Am I an absolute idiot and now I'm
jeopardizing mittens' health???
I'm sorry to be so long, but I'm just so
upset about this. There must have been warning signs that I just didn't
pick up on.
If anyone has any experience with any of this, I would
appreciate some advice. I feel like such a rotten mom right now.
Rachel & Miss Cruizer & Mittens & Butch
|
