More medical drama -- Kitty catheter
Poor Freddie, the gray tabby cat, wound up with a urinary tract infection this week that turned into a full on urinary blockage late last night. The poor cat would sit in the box for 10 minutes trying to get even a drop out and nothing would happen. Male cats have a tendency to form crystals in their urinary tract and Fred is more succeptable to them than any other cat I have known. I talked to two vet techs who said take him to the emergency vet immediately. As K said, of course the cat would have to wait until our regular vet is closed. The emergency vet is incredibly expensive, but last night was turning into a life or death situation. Had the urine continued to back up, it would have eventually gotten into Fred's blood stream and the toxins would slowly kill him. Fred ain't going out like that.
To unblock Fred's uretha, the vets put him under air anethesia and inserted a catheter along with an IV to flush him out. We stayed their for what seemed like a lifetime waiting anxiously for some word. K and lost our beloved cat, Charles, in emergency surgery in 2001 so we were both very tearful when they took Fred away.
Fred is a tough former street cat though and I had a feeling he was going to pull through. I was right. Two hours later a nurse came out and told us he was fine and recovering from anesthesia. We went into a room of cages and there he was with an Elizabethan collar on to prevent him from tearing out the catheter with his teeth. He was dazed and confused, but alive and well. Today I transferred him in the early morning to our regular vet who we love, Dr. Harris. I went by to see him before work and took some pictures with my phone. Freddie was actually in a fine mood, very happy to see me and even happier about getting special dry and wet food. Our vet's office is right down the street from K's office and a few blocks away from our house so she went to see him at lunch and we will go see him again tomorrow. Dr. Harris said he is going to keep the catheter in until Monday morning and we should be able to take him home that afternoon -- a huge relief.
It's those moments where a critter's life is in the balance (and it has happened with all three) that you realize how important they are. It was strangely quiet last night and this morning without Fred in the house. Miles, the beta cat, walked around looking for him and meowing. Absence will definitely make our hearts grow fonder and I know Freddie will be back, getting into trash and sneaking outside in no time and for this I am very grateful.
To unblock Fred's uretha, the vets put him under air anethesia and inserted a catheter along with an IV to flush him out. We stayed their for what seemed like a lifetime waiting anxiously for some word. K and lost our beloved cat, Charles, in emergency surgery in 2001 so we were both very tearful when they took Fred away.
Fred is a tough former street cat though and I had a feeling he was going to pull through. I was right. Two hours later a nurse came out and told us he was fine and recovering from anesthesia. We went into a room of cages and there he was with an Elizabethan collar on to prevent him from tearing out the catheter with his teeth. He was dazed and confused, but alive and well. Today I transferred him in the early morning to our regular vet who we love, Dr. Harris. I went by to see him before work and took some pictures with my phone. Freddie was actually in a fine mood, very happy to see me and even happier about getting special dry and wet food. Our vet's office is right down the street from K's office and a few blocks away from our house so she went to see him at lunch and we will go see him again tomorrow. Dr. Harris said he is going to keep the catheter in until Monday morning and we should be able to take him home that afternoon -- a huge relief.
It's those moments where a critter's life is in the balance (and it has happened with all three) that you realize how important they are. It was strangely quiet last night and this morning without Fred in the house. Miles, the beta cat, walked around looking for him and meowing. Absence will definitely make our hearts grow fonder and I know Freddie will be back, getting into trash and sneaking outside in no time and for this I am very grateful.
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