Just over a day to go and pet crisis

[pigby]

Due to fly on Thursday but our pet cat has been sick with a respiratory infection since Saturday and we have taken her for daily visits to the vet since Monday.

She has been extremely lethargic and hasnt eaten at all - although she is now drinking water from her bowl and her eyes are fully open - she is still sleeping all day, pretty much.

I am in work tomorrow and DH was off work anyway to take cat to cattery but now he has to go back to vet to see if she is well enough to go to cattery (with her medication) - if not plan B is for her to stay at the vets.

Its the first year we have wished out holiday was a few days later than it actually is. If she is still unwell tomorrow and hasnt eaten, we shall still be worried all holiday- wondering how she is.

Anyone been in a similar postition before?

 

[jtlover]

Hope she will be ok. We worry about our dogs each holiday without them being Ill.
At least if she was at the vets she will be getting the best care but will be a big bill

 

[Tink78]

Oh no, that's the last thing you want to be worrying about.
I hope she is ok and that you can try to enjoy your holiday.

 

[bazzanoid]

One of our rabbits was quite unwell and was in the vets before we went last time - as harsh as it sounds, the best advice would be to leave the cat with the vet, yes it will be more expensive than the cattery but they will give her the best of care - you can give them authorisation before you go for any procedures that may be needed etc.

Also, and this does sound bad, you should say your goodbyes before you go, just. in. case.

What happens will happen regardless of whether you go or whether you stay. From the sounds of it there has been slight improvement, not eating is not a major concern. She will lose weight but as long as she is drinking and the vets are giving her nutrients (cats are surprisingly tough little wotsits) then that is fine - cats can go for weeks without eating as long as they have water.

I would say that you are two days into the recovery period of an infection, and she will be right as rain within a week to ten days from now, barring complications. Did the vet say exactly what the infection was? I'm guessing he/she told you Upper Respiratory Tract Infection - but its a very broad term so it would be good to know the exact diagnosis?

It's normally caused by a viral (FHV / FCV) or bacterial infection (Bordetella bronchiseptica / Chlamydophila felis). Uncommon but possible is inhalation of the soil-borne Coccidiodes immitis fungus .

All have similar treatments, and it sounds like you've caught it early, so all the signs are good, and the fact she is drinking a little water is excellent as her body is getting a little more energy. The vet may well be orally administering a critical care solution too which will help with her nutritional needs. Along with treatment for the infection directly, she should be fine (barring complications... sorry, have to say it!).

How old is she?

 

[pigby]

Thanks for the advice - really helpful. She is around 5 years old - difficult to say with certainty as she is a rescue animal - we have had her nearly 3 years.

DH is taking her to the vet's at 9.25am this morning so will see what he says -at that point will have to decide what to do as vet closes at 5pm today and we leave house for flight before they open again tomorrow morning.

We do have pet insurance but unsure exactly what we'll be covered for (extra cost for consultacy over Bank Holidays?, extra fees if we should have to leave her at vet's for just over 2 weeks?) - to be honest though costs are quite low down the list of priorities at the moment - would just like her to be well enough to know she's going to be OK when we are away.

 

[bazzanoid]

Barring any undetected underlying health issues (and in the nicest possible way, a few days in, if she had any she would be dead by now), at that age she should be fine

I would go with the vets advice, which depending on her condition will be put her in the cattery (and be prepared to pay a little more as she will be a special care boarder) or leave her with the vets, either way make sure they have a working contact number while you're out there, a full rundown of what they can and can't do in terms of extra treatment if it becomes necessary and they can't reach you straight away etc.

All the signs are good as far as i can tell from your description, so go enjoy and she'll be a happy kitty when you get back

 

[bazzanoid]

With the pet insurance, your vet should be able to claim on your behalf, they will likely know by the time you get back how much will be paid by the insurance company and hopefully reduce the bill. Emergency appointments are normally only paid out up to the standard consultation rate, you may be liable for the remainder but the treatment should be covered, all depends on the specifics of the policy. Give the vets your details for the insurance they will likely want you to sign a form to say they can deal with your policy on your behalf (standard practice for vets) and they should take it from there.

 

[Trevski220]

Hope everything works out for you

 

[Pootle]

I hope it all works out well for you. I have two 19 year old cats and their welfare is my biggest headache when we go away!

Good luck.

 

[pigby]

Thanks to all

Latest is that she is still on a drip at the vets - her blood test has come out as normal and they say she is looking a little better.

However, they want to keep her at the vets for a couple of nights - the vet will ring the cattery when she is ready to transfer to them and they are happy to collect her from the vets.

Will sort the bill out when we get back - although we have paid the bulk of it upfront anyway

Now as long as the flight takes off tomorrow morning from Manchester with this fuel crisis. - not going well for us so far is it?

 

[jtlover]

Really pleased she is ok.

Have a good holiday

 

[bazzanoid]

Thanks to all

Latest is that she is still on a drip at the vets - her blood test has come out as normal and they say she is looking a little better.

However, they want to keep her at the vets for a couple of nights - the vet will ring the cattery when she is ready to transfer to them and they are happy to collect her from the vets.

Will sort the bill out when we get back - although we have paid the bulk of it upfront anyway

Now as long as the flight takes off tomorrow morning from Manchester with this fuel crisis. - not going well for us so far is it?

Glad to hear she's doing better

The airport reckons the fuel issue will be resolved by midnight, but i would check with your airline - they may well have a contingency plan that would see the plane delayed for a short time while it's fuelled or making a short stop at another UK airport to fuel up before heading over the atlantic

 

[Dorothy22]

Wow, hope everything works out for you ... we don't have pet insurance, because honestly I cannot afford the payments, and I have not found that they are very easy to pay for your bills when you actually need them to. We do have a membership with a vet discount program called Pet Assure, they only cover 25% but the monthly rates are a LOT cheaper than pet insurance.

 

[pigby]

Wow, hope everything works out for you ... we don't have pet insurance, because honestly I cannot afford the payments, and I have not found that they are very easy to pay for your bills when you actually need them to. We do have a membership with a vet discount program called Pet Assure, they only cover 25% but the monthly rates are a LOT cheaper than pet insurance.

To be honest we never bothered - we have only had the policy in place for just over a year- we pay around £40 over the year but its probably just paid for itself - until the premiums go up massively next year now

 

[claireanddylan]

I really feel for you! My pets are my biggest worry when I'm away and the cat stays at home with a cat sitter and the dog goes to my parents where he is treated like a king. Horses are cared for by my dad. It doesn't stop me worrying though.
Horses are fine as they have each other. The dog pines for us badly (he's a rescue Greyhound and very much "our" dog) and the cat lost weight last time we went away. Makes me feel awful as they are our "children"
I fly in 9 days. Excited and dreading it. Love Disney but wish it was closer and always regret booking 14 days and not 10 as I miss my babies so much.
They are so well looked after I'm not sure why I get so silly about it.

 

[crabbie1]

I put a similar post on the community board I think last year as my siamese herbert was really poorly to the point of us nearly loosing him. He was at the vets 2 weeks before he came home but was fighting fit. He has a rare blood disorder and a heart murmur . I was hysterical i have 5 cats and 2 small dogs oldest being harvey whos 19. I love my animals soooo much. I lost my other siamese whilst in florida in 2006.stupid petsitter rang me on my wedding day and told meThey had neglected her really bad whilst I was away. The vet said she was severley dehydrated and was bleeding PR and said tht she would have shown signs for days.
It sounds like your little girl is doing well. The IV fluids will help and the ABX.your doin the right thing leaving her with the vet and im sure they will not release her untill she is 100%.
try not to worry. What will be will be whethervyou stay or go.
You sound like me. Something always happens just before im due to go away: have a lovely time

 

[queendisney]

Glad everything is looking on the up now..pets are such a worry.

We only have a hamster, Conker, and worry about him! Only today my DH said 'what day are we going to take Conker to your mum and dads?' and I said that my friend Angie was going to take care of him this time. He looked totally horrified and said 'but she has a CAT!'...I don't think she has any intentions of feeding Conker to Milly the cat!!!! He has gone into panic mode and wants to buy a new cage so its only got one opening and no tubes sticking out of it just incase she forgets to close one of them!!...Conker the hamster is my DH's baby!

 

[crabbie1]

Glad everything is looking on the up now..pets are such a worry.

We only have a hamster, Conker, and worry about him! Only today my DH said 'what day are we going to take Conker to your mum and dads?' and I said that my friend Angie was going to take care of him this time. He looked totally horrified and said 'but she has a CAT!'...I don't think she has any intentions of feeding Conker to Milly the cat!!!! He has gone into panic mode and wants to buy a new cage so its only got one opening and no tubes sticking out of it just incase she forgets to close one of them!!...Conker the hamster is my DH's baby!

Ahh bless

 

[Lisa x]

Good to hear she is getting better

Another fan here in pets corner! Iv got a boxer with a heart murmur and has just recently got an ulcer on his eye, we go away in 3 weeks and the vet still isn't sure whether they will operate on his eye or not yet

My sister is looking after him while we are away and she pampers him as much as I do but if he has to have the op, I just want him to have it right now so I can relax on holiday knowing he is recovering!

Such a worry!