We are on vacation in Maine and Tigger is at an ER vet. We have an RV and she and our bulldog, Hooch, travel with us. Tigger is 14 and was diagnosed with chronic renal failure in Dec. 07. She has been doing great on SubQ fluids until recently. Over the last month her appetite has decreased and you can feel her shoulder blades and spine...she used to be quite overweight. Going to the vet is an ORDEAL with her...has to be sedated so I try to avoid it unless absolutely necessary. Being sedated is not good for her kidneys either and I told myself I would NOT make her life a series of traumatic vet visits.
This past weekend she started drinking A LOT of water, vomiting and her breathing was faster and she had to be coaxed to eat (i had to hand feed her homemade chicken). Took her to vet Mon. and we both expected her kidney function levels to be horrible. Well, surprise, her levels are not so bad, but she has pneumonia (vet had no idea why though, she has not had any signs of a resp. infection), she is hyperthyroid (odd since is NOT wanting to eat), anemic and deyhydrated. She stayed over and came home with antibiotics. She was stable, ate some Tues night and Wed morning.
We went on our planned vacation since she has always liked RV trips, she eats even better when away for some reason and we could be with her even more than if we cancelled and went to work. Well Wed. morning is the last time she ate and this morning her breathing was very labored. Took her to 24 hr vet. They did a nubulizer treatment and gave her steroids and these helped. this vet is concerned about lung cancer or asthma (but xray not showing a mass). Cancer esp a concern considering her appetite loss.
If I knew which one it was, this would be so much easier. I am not going to put her through anymore if she has cancer. Waiting for our vet to call me to discuss. This is so heartbreaking. She is such a loving, cool, sweet, funny cat.
This past weekend she started drinking A LOT of water, vomiting and her breathing was faster and she had to be coaxed to eat (i had to hand feed her homemade chicken). Took her to vet Mon. and we both expected her kidney function levels to be horrible. Well, surprise, her levels are not so bad, but she has pneumonia (vet had no idea why though, she has not had any signs of a resp. infection), she is hyperthyroid (odd since is NOT wanting to eat), anemic and deyhydrated. She stayed over and came home with antibiotics. She was stable, ate some Tues night and Wed morning.
We went on our planned vacation since she has always liked RV trips, she eats even better when away for some reason and we could be with her even more than if we cancelled and went to work. Well Wed. morning is the last time she ate and this morning her breathing was very labored. Took her to 24 hr vet. They did a nubulizer treatment and gave her steroids and these helped. this vet is concerned about lung cancer or asthma (but xray not showing a mass). Cancer esp a concern considering her appetite loss.
If I knew which one it was, this would be so much easier. I am not going to put her through anymore if she has cancer. Waiting for our vet to call me to discuss. This is so heartbreaking. She is such a loving, cool, sweet, funny cat.
