Need to share - warning.. very long and probably boring!

Jules

As some of you know i have three cats, James, Jermey and Hammond. All rescued from work, left in as kittens to be put to sleep cuz they were wild. Brought them home and cared for them and well now they are well behaved and have me well trained!


Monday evening came home from the veterinary practice where i work as a veterinary nurse and my partner says that James has been wobblie on his legs all day, not wanting to walk around much and just very lethargic. I pop into the bedroom where he is lying and give him a good checking over, no bite wounds, not sore on any limbs, a bit tender on the hips but had been drinking and eating bit. Though to myself he had a fall or something, ill bring him into work in the morning get him checked.

Later on he goes to jump off the bed and he basically goes face first into the floor, i think fook.. off to the emergency clinc! Dee checks him and he has a slight temp but nothing seems broken doesnt seem too sore, gives him a shot of antib and anti-inflams and sends us home.

Bring him into work the next day, gets another feeling up from Mike, we watch him walk around the ground, definately seems sore on his right hind and right fore, mike says a few days of anti inflams and if no better we knock him and xray, i think grand so!

Go home and the other half says the other two lads where looking for James all day and where really quiet, i think ah they missed him. Pop james into his snug and go about my odds and ends. Lift James to the litter tray a few times, up and down onto the beds, chairs etc.. very well trained human here, and off to bed... happy i had done my bit of my baby boy.

Next day home from work, and OH says Hammond had been very quiet all day, not like him at all.. think to myself right obviously they had been fighting and and they hurt each other. Look over at Jermey and he is as right as rain no probs at all. Give Hammond a feel over and seems a little tender around the shoulders and hips, give him some of the anti inflam that i had for Jermey and think ill bring him in tomorrow and get him checked just in case. wednesday night.. go to bed thinking stupid cats always play fighting... silly boys.

Bring Hammond into work... BANG TEMPERATURE OF 105.4.... i nearly died! Did blood test things seemed normal, but his blood count was low. Did a dip stick of his urine and there was glucose/protein/blood all present when there shouldnt be... my mind starts to reel. IV fluids, wet towels to cool him recheck temp and its 106, blood count lower and now blood glucose is 18.5 when is should be no higher than 6ish! I think what the hell is going on! More test, injections, temp starts to come down starts to look a little better. Little shot of insulin to bring the glucose under control. Starts to settle a bit have to wait for blood results so bring him home over night. Arrive in and oh says Jermey isnt great, and James is looking a bit better. Check Jermeys temp... 104... jesus wtf is going on! He is quiet, but also lame and tender around the legs, wobblie when he walks! Ring Mary and she says he isnt gonna die, cuz they all still want to eat bring give him a shot to bring the temp under control and bring him in in the morning!

Next moring lug Hammond and Jermey into work, Mary gives both a check up Hammonds temp at 104.2 and Jermey at 103... me thinking wtf is going on. No vomiting or running poos, all lame, all high temps Hammond with the stuff in the urine and high glucose test them all for FIV and FeLV all negative.. thank god. Then Mary spots a little ulcer on Jermeys tongue.... thats all it takes is one little thing to get the answer to the question.... and if she had missed it i would have not had a clue.... Fecking Calicivirus!

I know its long and probably boring, but just shows ya even vets miss the signs and get things wrong but jesus they had me in a tizzie! They are all ok, eating and temps downs but now they have the runny noses and eyes.. and James as an ulcer on his tongue too... poor babies!

star-pants

Your poor cats!

Can they be cured yes? I can imagine you feeling so upset. I'd be in bits if that were my poor dogs being sick. I hope they mend soon & I'm delighted that you were able to get them help in time.

Jules

Ah thanks Star-pants... i was typing that and i was like, none one is gonna be interesting in my ramblings.... They will be grand, thank god, but have to let it do its thing as its a virus and antibs dont help but making sure they are hydrated and anti-inflams for their tongues and bones will help!

jen_23

Awww the poor things!! Glad to hear they are recovering now though. Thank goodness you were able to get them treated. Hopefully in a few days they will be as right as rain the poor mites!

kildara

Love their names!
Thats not why I am wishing them a speedy recovery though!

Hope they get better soon.

star-pants

Jules wrote: »

Ah thanks Star-pants... i was typing that and i was like, none one is gonna be interesting in my ramblings.... They will be grand, thank god, but have to let it do its thing as its a virus and antibs dont help but making sure they are hydrated and anti-inflams for their tongues and bones will help!

Not at all, goodness most peoples pets are part of the family, it can be insanely upsetting when one is sick. Also it might help someone if their cat is unwell to have read your scenario and they might get them to a vet quicker. Always good to share info like that. x

FabulousGirl

Glad to hear your boys will be okay. I was reading that story thinking "oh god I hope they make it!"

My cat had a really runny nose a few months ago and watery eyes. I knew about the respiratory infection so brought him straight to the vets. Turned out he just had an irritation on his nose and he was constantly rubbing it hence the watery eyes/nose. One injection and a few hours later he was right as rain, was such a relief.

ISDW

Gosh, don't worry about us reading the post, it has great info in it, I'd never heard of that before, so will now be aware if any of my cats have any of those signs. Thanks for posting it.

Hope they are all okay.

MsFifers

The poor babes! Hope they recover soon. I don't know about that virus - how is it spread? Can you vaccinate against it?

Sounds like you are the right person to be minding them anyway!

spiderdog

that was really interesting, id never heard of it either...live and learn:)
so glad they`re all on the mend though....lucky cats to have their own private nurse huh
very scarey when they`re sick and you dont know whats wrong:(

Jules

Yeah that was exactly the point i was thinking about all the knowledge you build up over the years and you still very much get caught off guard! Calicivirus is a form of upper resp tract infection but only in kittens does it cause lameness and that is what completely threw us. Basic symptoms are high temperature generally over 104, being lethargic but also maintaining an appetite, which was something else that i was surprised with, ulcers on the lips and tongue. There are other little bits that the vet would only see though.

It is covered in the standard vac but james and jermey had full vacs where as hammond was in the middle of his and that i why i think it hit him harder than the other two. It can lay dormant and apparently it can be brought on in times of stress even when they are vaccinated. Think the main thing to be learnt is even if you think it was just a simple fall or a hurt still best to check them out!