Another poorly boy

[Frazzled]

Following a trip to the vet yesterday, I thought I was facing the dreaded decision this week with my little man, Jasper. Although he was eating well, too well apparently, he has lost a lot of weight - I think he was about 6 months old when he was adopted which makes him fifteen next year.

But the vet phoned today to say (following the £100 blood test!!) it's an over-active thyroid and his other functions are fairly good. So if I can get tablets down him for the next few weeks to calm his heart etc, they can remove the gland, which apparently is very successful, barring the usual risks, and I should have him for a few more years.

He could stay on the tablets but being on my own, it would become a problem. He's very good like Louis, but I'm not sure how well it's going to go for next three or four weeks! The surgery is quite expensive but not prohibitive, thank goodness. :whew:

We were told by the rescue centre that his original owners were a young couple who had been killed in a car crash. They had six cats and we adopted the last two. Took me three months to bring him out from hiding under the bed - apart from dashes to the food bowl and litter tray. He's the most affectionate little cat I've ever had, a real sweetie and I'm not ready to part with him just yet. He doesn't know it but I need him more than he needs me!

The vet said this ailment is very common in older cats and that eating more than normal but losing weight is a good sign of the condition.

 

[Itchy]

You poor thing and I don't blame you for wanting to hold on to him. I would be the same and if I had the money, I would continue treatment. We get so attached to our furry darlings - I was so upset when Itchy and Scratchy were run over, it put me off getting another cat. OH has flatly refused to discuss getting another one, after he lost his little princess Itchy. Hope he gets better soon.

 

[janie]

awwwwwww, so sorry to hear this frazzled. my last cat dylan, developed an overative thyroid when he was 15. he responded brilliantly to tablets in that his ts/t4 leves came right down but like a lot of humans, they made him feel poorly. i used to feel so bad every time i gave him a pill, knowing it was going to make him feel bad. in the end i decided he couldn't carry on like that so asked the vet to do the surgery. again he did really well. however, it was only a very short time after that he started to dribble which turned out to be cancer in his throat. he was put to sleep the day the vet found it. apparently very aggressive - about a month from first dribble to death. (completely unrelated to the thyroid).

 

[Diamond Diva]

Sorry to hear your cat's not well Frazzled when my sisters cat was about 17 she was diagnosed with the same condition, like you they they were having problems getting her to take the tablets so the vet operated which was very successful and she went on to a ripe old age! Its funny how they develop extra feet whenever tablets need to be taken so best of luck with it!

 

[Flying Pigs]

Poor you Frazzled what awful news about Jasper, you will just have to take things one step at a time and hope the tablets will help him.You have given him a good home after such an awful start. My sister has just been diagnosed with a thyroid problem and she is 63.

 

[Frazzled]

Thanks all. He'll have the surgery middle of January if I can get the tablets down him to do their work.

He's quite good about letting you "do things" to him so fingers crossed. I think I may be eating a lot of tinned fish so I can dipped the tablets in the juice!!

 

[Disenchanted]

Sorry to hear about Jasper - hope you will keep us updated. My brother's cat was diagnosed with that too at the age of 17 and came through the op very successfully. He lived another 5 years but eventually died, peacefully in his sleep, of old age.

 

[Mam]

Poor old Jasper I hope all goes well with the meds Frazzled and he's able to have the surgery as planned. Please keep us posted.

 

[Frazzled]

I'm really encouraged by all your comments, more so than the vets, thanks.

The vet is lovely but you never know if they are re-assuring you with cash signs in their eyes. I didn't want to put him through it all if it only meant another couple of months. My last cat lost weight like this and it was cancer, he only lived for three weeks after being diagnosed - guess what, Christmas.

I got the tablets today - they are tiny and shiny! Got one down him this afternoon, he was very good but then he wasn't expecting it! I'm working on a cunning plan just in case, an old zipped gillet stitched across the bottom and the armholes sewed up! I've reduced the neck so once zipped he will just get his head through.

 

[SparklyBarbs]

I'm really encouraged by all your comments, more so than the vets, thanks.

The vet is lovely but you never know if they are re-assuring you with cash signs in their eyes. I didn't want to put him through it all if it only meant another couple of months. My last cat lost weight like this and it was cancer, he only lived for three weeks after being diagnosed - guess what, Christmas.

I got the tablets today - they are tiny and shiny! Got one down him this afternoon, he was very good but then he wasn't expecting it! I'm working on a cunning plan just in case, an old zipped gillet stitched across the bottom and the armholes sewed up! I've reduced the neck so once zipped he will just get his head through.

Sounds more like one of those restraining jackets you see in the old films. Awful the things you have to resort to
to get a cat to take a tablet . LOL Seriously good luck though, hope it all helps him

 

[Flying Pigs]

I have a picture of Jasper in his jacket and it's making me laugh! I had to wrap Katya in a towel this morning to giver her the syringe. I hope the medicine hasn 't upset his tummy Frazzled.

 

[Frazzled]

I hope the medicine hasn 't upset his tummy Frazzled.

Early days, fingers crossed!!

 

[mediastar]

good luck, hope you get him through to his op! purrs from Sidney! ms x

 

[janie]

how's jasper doing frazzled?

 

[Frazzled]

I can't believe the difference in just a couple of weeks, he looks so much better and has put on some weight. He has been such a good boy with the tablets, I thought it would be a nightmare on my own but he hasn't struggled or hardly scratched at all. Only found one "spit out" (so far!). I'm sure the vet will say he can have the surgery in a couple of weeks time, don't want to do be doing the tablet thing for ever - it must have been so hard for you with Louis's meds all this time, at least you're winning thank goodness.

He was sick for the first time this morning, but I think it was just one of things, he eats his food too fast sometimes. As Tinkerbelle said about Alf, this one's the cat love of my life but I do feel confident I'm going to have around for bit longer now. (phew! :sun

 

[janie]

awwwww......so glad to hear that frazzled (((hugs))). they obviously all have different opinions cos as i said, my vet only did the surgery because the pills made dylan poorly. it was a shame because he wasn't too bad to pill and he had a very good response. anyway, hope all goes well dylan stayed in for one night.

 

[Frazzled]

Nice of you to ask D, thought I'd put my answer here.

Jasper is completely transformed and doing well. He's put on loads of weight, coat glossy, bright eyes again etc, and no more tablets. It's been a huge success and made me very happy. The vet was really pleased with him last month so no more visits. I'm also pleased to say that now he's eating normally, the food bill has dropped considerably!

 

[Disenchanted]

Ah bless him, that's excellent news - you must be so relieved.

 

[BusyMum]

Why have I not found this thread before?! Sorry you've had all this Fraz and so pleased to read that the treatment has been so successful and Jasper is back to his old self - you and your purse will be so relieved!

I had to laugh at the gilet! When our Max needed tablets it was such a performance, I got him wrapped in a towel and tucked under my arm (he was a big cat too) and OH tried to do the necessary, but even tho I'd got it tight enough to almost strangle the poor soul, he still managed to get a paw out to attack OH! Daisy on the other hand was much more amenable, but she was also crafty, a time or two we found a little orange pill on the floor when she'd seemingly swallowed it and been released, then we kept an eye out and the little madam would walk away and pop it out of her mouth!

 

[Lilo Lil]

Glad Jasper recovered so well from his surgery - the stress our pets us through at times like this is mind blowing. Now his food bill has gone down it must offset the expense of the operation (LOL).