verbicide: (glum)
[personal profile] verbicide
Just got back from the vet. It was a traumatic experience all around.

Generally, Hobbes is fine going to the vet. He meows a bit, but he doesn't freak out and throw up or pee all over the cat carrier. He sits in the box, we meow at each other. The vet sees us, gushes over how beautiful he is (because he IS) and what a good boy he is (because he IS) and he gets his cortisone shot, whatever. We pay, we leave.

Today they were running late. Again. This has happened a few times and they're a great clinic, so essentially I think they're worth the aggravation. And generally I think they run late because they really give excellent care to each pet. We get in to see Dr. Henkle and have the big scary talk about diabetes. We can't give him his cortisone shot because there are complications if he has diabetes, so we need to hold off. She checked him out, all systems seem fine, and she took him back to see if she can get him to pee and also do a blood test.

Dr. Henkle comes out and tells me they can't get him to pee because he's super wiggly and stubborn. We work out the various frustrating options and I agree to bring him back first thing Wednesday morning to try again. I pay for the exam and blood test. A technician brings out Hobbes in his cardboard carrier. I walk towards the door and realize he's freaking out in the box. Something he never, ever does.

So I freak out, and stop, and open the box to see what's going on. I guess their attempts at expressing his bladder expressed a bit late. He had peed all over the box and was obviously not happy about sitting in a pool of his own urine. Jessica, wonderful front desk staff, rushed to help, grabbed him, and took him back. I handed off the pee filled carrier to a tech. In spite of Hobbes's trauma of peeing on himself, the silver lining was that they were able to do a quick urine test.

Loads of sugar in the blood. Diabetes = highly likely. Dr. Henkle says that sometimes stress can cause high sugar levels in urine, but he's lost a pound, has clinical symptoms and it just doesn't look good.

The blood test results will confirm this for us tomorrow. We talked some more about what to do. It may end up that I have to give him insulin shots twice a day. Do home blood tests, etc. The complication to all of this is his asthma, because the cortisone shots will have to stop and we'll have to administer daily oral or inhaled medication. At least it is a treatable disease and he won't experience a great deal of pain or discomfort on a regular basis.

My poor baby cat.

Date: 2004-08-28 01:47 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] coffeeinhell.livejournal.com
Poor kitty! Poor you!

Having pets grow older and get ill is the absolute worst. Bar none. Like you said, at least it's something treatable.

Major suckage.

Date: 2004-08-28 02:41 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] euphrasie.livejournal.com
Aww poor Hobbes :(

Date: 2004-08-28 03:49 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] verbicide.livejournal.com
Thanks, Dawn :)

Date: 2004-08-28 04:42 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] verbicide.livejournal.com
I know :(

Date: 2004-08-28 05:45 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] devinshire.livejournal.com
Oh! Reading this broke my heart. I feel so bad for both of you. :(

Date: 2004-08-28 05:50 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] verbicide.livejournal.com
Thanks, Dev. It really does suck :(

Date: 2004-08-28 12:43 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] paris-of-priam.livejournal.com
I'm really sorry! This is so terrible, but I feel worse for you, since I know it's going to be harder on you than it is on Hobbs. The needle is very small, so he'll hardly feel it. And animals forget little things like that the second after they happen (whereas humans carry the GUILT over having ot inject somebody for a long time). But I'm sure he'll actually feel a whole lot better once he's got his insulin and blood glucose levels back in balance. Humans with diabetes feel pretty miserable until they get their insulin shots, so I'd imagine it's the same for cats, but they just can't say so. :)

See you SOON! :D

Date: 2004-08-28 06:53 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] verbicide.livejournal.com
You're right. He has been a little listless lately, and if the glucose can help him, I am all over that.

I hate to think of poking him with a needle twice a day, but both Hobbes and I will get used to it. You had some great suggestions about giving him a treat after, too. Thanks :)

Can't wait to see you!! :D

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