Anyone ever had a young pet get really sick?

[Cerulean]

This past 24hrs has been rough.

My husband and I went out of town to visit family for a 4-day weekend, and came home to a crisis. Multiple issues at once - discovered terrible mold in our home tucked into the back of a closet from a radiator, our puppy got kennel cough at daycare...but worst...

Our cat Pinky, was acting off and was trying and failing to use the bathroom. His urinary tract was totally blocked. He's been hospitalized since yesterday, and they also discovered he has a heart murmur. He's only 2 years old. He's being seen by a cardiologist, but it is possible it is heart disease, worst case, heart failure. I am devastated and trying hard not to assume the worst.

He is my little baby. Sweet as pie, total momma's boy, a bit mischievous, and persistent food hog. I love this cat with all of my heart.

How have you dealt with your pet's health problems? I feel guilty, trying to figure out if I caused something....and so sad that he doesn't understand what's happening and is scared and alone.

Pinky Day 1
...this was after 2 baths! He was found on a construction site. I stayed with him in our tiny bathroom for days as he recovered from parasites (couldn't be with our other pets)



Pinky caught bein' naughty


Pinky with his best bud, Noodles

 

[Austina]

Don’t give up hope @Cerulean, pinky is a real cutie.

My girl was diagnosed with hemangiosarcoma when she was only 3, we were devastated as she had to have emergency surgery to remove her spleen. It was really touch and go, but she made it through and we had her for 6 more years before the dreaded C got her

 

[siamese3]

Oh dear, Cerulean, I'm so sorry you hear about your puppy and Pinky!! It's so terribly hard when something is wrong with a beloved furry, especially so if it's a young one because it's so unexpected. I'm sure it's nothing you did, and it must be so hard that you came home to this.. I know how I would feel and I hope you will not be hard on yourself. My cat Max had a heart murmur and lived to 16 years old so I will have my fingers and toes crossed Pinky's heart problems are something that he can live with. I feel like words are failing me right now.. he's so adorable...and it's the absolute worst you can't explain to him what's happening. He knows you love him though, you can be sure of that. We have had some health emergency situations with our cats that I did not think we would be able to overcome and we did.. I am sending you & Pinky all the good vibes and healing dust I have. Please keep us updated. I know how hard it is to feel helpless..

 

[Cerulean]

Thank you @siamese3 and @Austina for your kind words. I do really appreciate it. I am hoping that Pinky lives to a ripe old age!

My husband and I have always joked that he will live until 20 because he acts like he's invincible. I hope that is true...waiting on calls from specialists and praying they have good news. He will be hospitalized for another day or two at least. What is minimally reassuring is that I know he is in good hands. I just wish I could cuddle him for a bit to reassure him. But I will soon...

 

[yssie]

You caught it before it was too late!! You caught it and you took him to get expert treatment and he’s getting expert treatment. You’re doing everything you can.

Pet health crises are terrifying. I know that lots of us have been where you are right now. You’re doing everything you can and that’s all you can do, and worrying yourself into knots over all the things you can’t do won’t help anything. (Easy to say, I know!!).

Heart murmurs in cats are really common. Kind of like them developing kidney issues with age. Might well require no treatment at all, just a “keep an eye on it” sort of thing.

Please let us know how he does!

 

[YadaYadaYada]

I’m so sorry about your kitty!

There have been multiple times we had to schedule surgeries for our pets as emergencies. We actually had a cat who got blocked the same as yours and they operated on him to remove his penis so he wouldn’t get blocked again. Unfortunately the surgery was not successful. I chalk that up to the vet, the surgery has a high success rate,

We also had a male dog with the same issue, he had kidney stones and one blocked his urethra and he couldn’t urinate. He has a heart murmur as well but the surgery went well and he fully recovered, we used a different vet for him.

Every time we have been presented with the possibility to save a pet we have always tried. There are a lot of factors to consider like the age of the pet, potential quality of life, if the surgery is more likely than not to yield a positive outcome. I would also recommend getting him to a vet who is very familiar with this condition and has performed many surgeries.

Sadly some pets we tried to save but couldn’t, but not for lack of trying certainly. I’m keeping Pinky in my thoughts!

 

[elizat]

I have probably seen more kitten and young cat death and bad health conditions than most on this board, I'd guess.

Couple good things here, although they don't seem good right now.

One, you got him in time to deal with the urinary blockage which is the most important thing. Blockage in male cats is really common. If you are not already, please talk to the vet about urinary food going forward. Once you address that issue for now, prevention is the key. If you have a cat that has been blocked once, chance are he'll get blocked again unless something changes. Surgical options are available too, if it becomes a recurrent issue as well.

Two, heart murmurs in cats are pretty common and it all comes down to how severe it is. What grade heart murmur? Many times, it is an innocent or benign murmur, but the good thing here is that you have someone that specializes in it to look at the issue.

You have him in the right spot to get the care he needs and that's the best thing you can do.

ETA: On the issue of the heart, depending on what the outcome is I would strongly consider getting another vet to look at him and his records and films, if they give you a very dire outlook.

 

[Cerulean]

I have probably seen more kitten and young cat death and bad health conditions than most on this board, I'd guess.

Couple good things here, although they don't seem good right now.

One, you got him in time to deal with the urinary blockage which is the most important thing. Blockage in male cats is really common. If you are not already, please talk to the vet about urinary food going forward. Once you address that issue for now, prevention is the key. If you have a cat that has been blocked once, chance are he'll get blocked again unless something changes. Surgical options are available too, if it becomes a recurrent issue as well.

Two, heart murmurs in cats are pretty common and it all comes down to how severe it is. What grade heart murmur? Many times, it is an innocent or benign murmur, but the good thing here is that you have someone that specializes in it to look at the issue.

You have him in the right spot to get the care he needs and that's the best thing you can do.

ETA: On the issue of the heart, depending on what the outcome is I would strongly consider getting another vet to look at him and his records and films, if they give you a very dire outlook.

Thanks for your input.

It is hard to see the silver lining! But I know we are lucky in many respects - namely, that we got home in time.

My mind went straight towards "how do we prevent this from happening again?" and dietary changes....I already have a cat with IBS who needs a specific diet, so at least it won't be my first rodeo. I will definitely ask.

As per the murmur - don't know about grade yet - they will do an echocardiogram to see if they can determine a diagnosis...I just hope it isn't HCM or anything like that. We were lucky that we got in with the best cardiologist, they aren't taking new patients but he was already admitted to the ER in the same facility, so they made an exception. If we get a bad prognosis - a 2nd opinion is a great idea.

Thank you.

 

[Cerulean]

I’m so sorry about your kitty!

There have been multiple times we had to schedule surgeries for our pets as emergencies. We actually had a cat who got blocked the same as yours and they operated on him to remove his penis so he wouldn’t get blocked again. Unfortunately the surgery was not successful. I chalk that up to the vet, the surgery has a high success rate,

We also had a male dog with the same issue, he had kidney stones and one blocked his urethra and he couldn’t urinate. He has a heart murmur as well but the surgery went well and he fully recovered, we used a different vet for him.

Every time we have been presented with the possibility to save a pet we have always tried. There are a lot of factors to consider like the age of the pet, potential quality of life, if the surgery is more likely than not to yield a positive outcome. I would also recommend getting him to a vet who is very familiar with this condition and has performed many surgeries.

Sadly some pets we tried to save but couldn’t, but not for lack of trying certainly. I’m keeping Pinky in my thoughts!

Oh I am so sorry you lost your kitty previously. It is good to know that the procedure has a high success rate, but I am sorry you didn't get the benefit that the majority do withyour cat, but glad you did with your pooch.

Thanks so much for your kind words and shared experience.

 

[Cerulean]

You caught it before it was too late!! You caught it and you took him to get expert treatment and he’s getting expert treatment. You’re doing everything you can.

Pet health crises are terrifying. I know that lots of us have been where you are right now. You’re doing everything you can and that’s all you can do, and worrying yourself into knots over all the things you can’t do won’t help anything. (Easy to say, I know!!).

Heart murmurs in cats are really common. Kind of like them developing kidney issues with age. Might well require no treatment at all, just a “keep an eye on it” sort of thing.

Please let us know how he does!

Thanks @yssie - it is scary when these things happen.

I know our little guy is one of the lucky ones. I had an incident recently where I tried to help out a stray that was clearly injured, but I wasn't able to relocate him after the first sighting (even calling in backup w/ Animal Control to assist)...

Trying to keep it in perspective. Will definitely update everyone...hopefully with good news!

 

[Matata]

Sending healing karma your way. I hope the murmur is low grade. As to the blockage -- I have a cat with Feline Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD). He had to have perineal urethrostomy surgery Jan. 2020 and it took me the entire year to get him healthy again because he was sick for a long time before the symptoms showed up.

Two main causes of FLUTD are stress and a kibble diet. Stress was the factor for my cat. He was being harassed by another of my cats. Please let us know the full diagnosis for Pinky as well as how he's doing.

Hugs.

 

[Cerulean]

Sending healing karma your way. I hope the murmur is low grade. As to the blockage -- I have a cat with Feline Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD). He had to have perineal urethrostomy surgery Jan. 2020 and it took me the entire year to get him healthy again because he was sick for a long time before the symptoms showed up.

Two main causes of FLUTD are stress and a kibble diet. Stress was the factor for my cat. He was being harassed by another of my cats. Please let us know the full diagnosis for Pinky as well as how he's doing.

Hugs.

Glad you cat finally recovered. That sounds really tough.

May I ask what you did regarding stress? Did you have to separate your cats?

We brought home a puppy a few months ago...which is certainly a big stressor. We have Feliway plug ins, and he eats a mixed diet of kibble / wet - but we will probably switch foods based on the vet's recommendation.

Thank you for the well wishes...

 

[Matata]

I hired an animal behaviorist to help change the behavior of the harasser. We needed to add in more play time, more vertical space (I'm having additional cat walks installed in living room & kitchen), using puzzle toys, and hiding treats around the house to drain off the prey drive of the harasser.

In the case of a canine stressor, I'd wager that a dedicated safe space for the cat would be highly recommended.

If you think you'll need advice on establishing a healthy relationship between, I highly recommend Marilyn Krieger https://www.thecatcoach.com/ A facetime/skype consult with her is $305.

 

[chrono]

Hoping for more good news and wishing the best to the cat parent (@Cerulean ).

 

[lovedogs]

Giving you best thoughts and wishes! I 100% understand and dealt with a huge puppy health crisis so I feel your pain. I'm hoping sweet pinky ends up being just fine/healthy and lives for a long while.

 

[TooPatient]

One of my girl kitties had ongoing sinus infections, asthma, and a partially collapsed lung. We opted not to spay her as the issues were serious enough to make the surgery risky. (Indoor only, carefully watched, others all altered.) Always something with her! We lost her at too young of an age, but kept her happy and comfortable for more years than we thought possible.

I hope your kitty feels better soon. Try not to worry about a heart murmur yet. Those are very common. Chances are good it isn't serious.

 

[Ally T]

Big hugs. Pinky is a cutie & I'm sure given his start in life, he'll be a tough little fighter & he's in great hands.

 

[Cerulean]

Thank you @lovedogs @Alex T @TooPatient @chrono so much for your kind words. They mean so much. Wow this has affected me so much!

I got great news from the cardiologist - his heart looks normal. Basically, the murmur needs to be monitored, and his heart could have been put under a lot of stress from him getting extra fluids. He is being monitored for respiratory issues just in case...but they are taking good care of him. They sent me a very sweet photo of him getting chin scritches - I can withhold the the photo, I know it might be a little sad for some but I a so grateful they are taking such good care of him.

 

[Cerulean]

I hired an animal behaviorist to help change the behavior of the harasser. We needed to add in more play time, more vertical space (I'm having additional cat walks installed in living room & kitchen), using puzzle toys, and hiding treats around the house to drain off the prey drive of the harasser.

In the case of a canine stressor, I'd wager that a dedicated safe space for the cat would be highly recommended.

If you think you'll need advice on establishing a healthy relationship between, I highly recommend Marilyn Krieger https://www.thecatcoach.com/ A facetime/skype consult with her is $305.

Thanks for these tips - I will definitely check it out! Luckily we've got lots of vertical space but I am sure there are other things we could do better. Much appreciated.

 

[kenny]

Pinky looks like a real sweetheart.

Sorry I have no advice as I know nothing about cats, but big hugs to you.
I'm also an animal lover and know how our little monsters bore their way deeply into our hearts.

 

[Txborn79]

Prayers for your sweet kitty

Our now 3 year old (in November) Great Dane “Baby” was diagnosed at age 2 1/2 with DCM, CHF and AFib after having a cough for about a month. The cardiologist was hopeful that because her age it was due to feeding her grain free food and not because she is at risk because of her breed. If it was due to the food, it could be reversed but she warned us it takes a minimum of about 6 months to see any improvement with food change and medications if that’s what it was. She didn’t think she would make it long enough to know because of how severe it was. Fortunately she made it to her 6 month follow up but unfortunately there was no improvement, it was actually a little worse.



April will be a year since she was diagnosed and we are doing everything we can to keep her with us as long as possible. She has days where she gets tired quicker but otherwise she’s doing good. She takes 24 pills a day (split up into three doses) at a cost of $450/month but she’s worth every penny.

 

[Cerulean]

Pinky looks like a real sweetheart.

Sorry I have no advice as I know nothing about cats, but big hugs to you.
I'm also an animal lover and know how our little monsters bore their way deeply into our hearts.

Very sweet @kenny - thank you.

He was feral when we first met - he had 3 siblings, but he is the one who hissed, bit, and scratched at me...he was so spicy and tiny, I couldn't help but fall in love with his gumption.

Now he's a big snuggle bug.

 

[Cerulean]

Prayers for your sweet kitty

Our now 3 year old (in November) Great Dane “Baby” was diagnosed at age 2 1/2 with DCM, CHF and AFib after having a cough for about a month. The cardiologist was hopeful that because her age it was due to feeding her grain free food and not because she is at risk because of her breed. If it was due to the food, it could be reversed but she warned us it takes a minimum of about 6 months to see any improvement with food change and medications if that’s what it was. She didn’t think she would make it long enough to know because of how severe it was. Fortunately she made it to her 6 month follow up but unfortunately there was no improvement, it was actually a little worse.



April will be a year since she was diagnosed and we are doing everything we can to keep her with us as long as possible. She has days where she gets tired quicker but otherwise she’s doing good. She takes 24 pills a day (split up into three doses) at a cost of $450/month but she’s worth every penny.

Aww what a sweetheart. So sorry she hasn't seen improvement - but wishing you the best. It is so hard to manage.

I totally get the $ comment - I'd sooner bankrupt myself than see any of my pets come to harm.

 

[junebug17]

Thank you @lovedogs @Alex T @TooPatient @chrono so much for your kind words. They mean so much. Wow this has affected me so much!

I got great news from the cardiologist - his heart looks normal. Basically, the murmur needs to be monitored, and his heart could have been put under a lot of stress from him getting extra fluids. He is being monitored for respiratory issues just in case...but they are taking good care of him. They sent me a very sweet photo of him getting chin scritches - I can withhold the the photo, I know it might be a little sad for some but I a so grateful they are taking such good care of him.

So glad to see this good update @Cerulean! Great news and I hope that sweet kitty is back at home soon. <3 Sending good thoughts to your puppy too, I hope he recovers quickly.

 

[kgizo]

That’s great news that his heart is normal! We had a kitty who was blocked and needed the surgery. The results were excellent so if surgery is recommended for your guy I’m optimistic. If a diet change is recommended I’m sure your vet will guide you. If you want more detailed info there are vet nutritionists that do consults. Best wishes for your sweet boy.

 

[siamese3]

So happy to read the good news about Pinky! This made my night. Continued good vibes and healing dust for a quick recovery so he can get back home to you.

 

[Cerulean]

You guys are the best - seriously the well wishes are soooo appreciated.

I can't wait to get him home. The vet let me know it is possible that if he does great overnight - he will come home as early as tomorrow. What a roller coaster! Can't wait to snuggle him.

 

[OboeGal]

I'm so glad you got good news on your baby's heart!

As far as the urinary blockage, I want to echo a couple points Matata made: having "safe spaces" for kitties to get away from dogs is really important for stress reduction, and it's also important that there be enough of those "safe spaces" and enough space to each spot that they also can get some space from each other. Even when kitties have good relationships with each other, they have a strong need for "alone time" from each other, and a sense that they each have a little bit of territory of their own when they want it, since they're not innately pack animals. (I learned this the hard way when I had 8 cats and 3 rough collies all living in one house together! Luckily I have a full (although unfinished) basement that the dogs are only allowed in on rare occasion when I give them specific permission, and I keep litter boxes and water bowls there just for the kitties, and that's where I give them their food. I also have some old soft furniture down there, so between "high up" spots upstairs and all of the basement with multiple cozy sleeping spots, we managed.)

The other thing is that he can never have dry food again - only wet food from now on. The vet might or might not also have additional recommendations for particular types or brands of wet food, but the entire wet food diet is non-negotiable. Apparently, our domesticated kitties are descended from wild cats that lived in deserts, so they are used to getting their fluids from the blood and body fluids of their prey and have a very weak to nonexistent thirst drive. This means that, if they eat kibble, they are likely NOT to be drinking enough water to meet their fluid needs, and this is the biggest cause of these blockages, as well as being a major player in painful urinary crystals and the chronic kidney disease that they are so prone to with aging. Feeding them all wet food as well as providing plenty of water, and possibly getting a fountain or something that makes water more enticing, is enough to prevent recurrences in most cases, although sometimes people also have to learn how to give a kitty some small amounts of subcutaneous fluids at home, which is very doable.

Hopefully with some adjustments, all will be on the upswing from here on out!

 

[OboeGal]

Prayers for your sweet kitty

Our now 3 year old (in November) Great Dane “Baby” was diagnosed at age 2 1/2 with DCM, CHF and AFib after having a cough for about a month. The cardiologist was hopeful that because her age it was due to feeding her grain free food and not because she is at risk because of her breed. If it was due to the food, it could be reversed but she warned us it takes a minimum of about 6 months to see any improvement with food change and medications if that’s what it was. She didn’t think she would make it long enough to know because of how severe it was. Fortunately she made it to her 6 month follow up but unfortunately there was no improvement, it was actually a little worse.



April will be a year since she was diagnosed and we are doing everything we can to keep her with us as long as possible. She has days where she gets tired quicker but otherwise she’s doing good. She takes 24 pills a day (split up into three doses) at a cost of $450/month but she’s worth every penny.

I'm so sorry that your sweet girl is struggling with this. I wanted to offer a little hope and encouragement for you - I'm a member of a Facebook group for both dog owners and veterinarians that is very fact-based and focused on the current state of research and treatment for DCM caused by diet. We see a lot of dog's stories of their fight with this condition come through there, and although I won't try to claim there are always happy endings, there are an awful lot of them, and I've seen many cases where it took longer than six months of diet correction and medication support to see things begin to go the right way. I've even seen cases where, like your girl, things continued to worsen a bit in spite of diet change and treatment initially before they turned around, so while no one can be sure how things will go for your girl, please don't give up hope yet.

 

[Cerulean]

I'm so glad you got good news on your baby's heart!

As far as the urinary blockage, I want to echo a couple points Matata made: having "safe spaces" for kitties to get away from dogs is really important for stress reduction, and it's also important that there be enough of those "safe spaces" and enough space to each spot that they also can get some space from each other. Even when kitties have good relationships with each other, they have a strong need for "alone time" from each other, and a sense that they each have a little bit of territory of their own when they want it, since they're not innately pack animals. (I learned this the hard way when I had 8 cats and 3 rough collies all living in one house together! Luckily I have a full (although unfinished) basement that the dogs are only allowed in on rare occasion when I give them specific permission, and I keep litter boxes and water bowls there just for the kitties, and that's where I give them their food. I also have some old soft furniture down there, so between "high up" spots upstairs and all of the basement with multiple cozy sleeping spots, we managed.)

The other thing is that he can never have dry food again - only wet food from now on. The vet might or might not also have additional recommendations for particular types or brands of wet food, but the entire wet food diet is non-negotiable. Apparently, our domesticated kitties are descended from wild cats that lived in deserts, so they are used to getting their fluids from the blood and body fluids of their prey and have a very weak to nonexistent thirst drive. This means that, if they eat kibble, they are likely NOT to be drinking enough water to meet their fluid needs, and this is the biggest cause of these blockages, as well as being a major player in painful urinary crystals and the chronic kidney disease that they are so prone to with aging. Feeding them all wet food as well as providing plenty of water, and possibly getting a fountain or something that makes water more enticing, is enough to prevent recurrences in most cases, although sometimes people also have to learn how to give a kitty some small amounts of subcutaneous fluids at home, which is very doable.

Hopefully with some adjustments, all will be on the upswing from here on out!

Thanks for the tips - we just got a rough collie puppy, our first! He's a sweetie, and very gentle...but still tremendously stressful for the cats.

We have multiple baby gates, cat shelves in every room, 2 cat trees...the cats always have one half of the condo to escape from the puppy. I think the major issue is, we just live in a small condo. Really small. We are planning on moving in the next 6 months, thank goodness.

We have a water fountain, and he actually drinks from a steady drip from our very old shower head. But we are getting another fountain! Diet is a biggie I know- we will absolutely be discussing this with our vet to figure out the best course of action. We feed a mix of dry & wet - and he loves both. We will gladly transition if that's what he needs!

Thanks again for the ideas and well wishes.