Aramis is still having issues

[LindaTX]

I took my cat Aramis, 9 1/2 to the Vet last week.  He seemed very tender to the touch anywhere around his hind-quarters and tail.  I thought he could have a UTI.  The vet did an ultrasound and said he could have a minute amt of crystals and to put him on wet food.  Like the others, he's pretty much always had dry.

H took him in a month ago because he was drinking a lot and he is obese so I suspected he might have diabetes. No to that. This time when she checked him over she wanted to do an extensive blook panel.  She said she thought something else might be going on with him but did not elaborate.  She gage him an antibiotic shot in case there was a UTI.

So now I need to take hi m in again.  Do male neutered cats suffer from prostate problems?  He licks himself a lot and he won't hardly let me hold him.  The vet also had me give him a baby aspirin for 3 days in case he's having some arthritis. Any suggestions you guys?

[LindaTX]

Hey, Jade....it's not too hard.  I have a syringe.  He may seem a little better but the Vet said it would be couple of weeks before I'd be able to tell anything.  It was $21 for a one month supply. So I guess that's not bad....if it works. (((Hugs >^-^< back)))

[Jade59]

How's Aramis seem to be feeling after a week on the Duralactin?  Is he easy to medicate without your husband to help?  

Hey Apple.  Very sorry you're having troubles.  Miss you!

Hugs to you all!

[LindaTX]

Thanks, Apple.....glad your kids are all doing well.  Hope Loreena hasn't had any more scares!

[AppleBr]

Sorry for no postings about, I'm having some troubles here as well.But I praying for your boy to be fine prety soon
Mc Cat's familiy sends him a lovely  bite...

[LindaTX]

Yes, thanks everybody for all your help!  I really appreciate all of you. ^-^ And Aramis does too!

[Jade59]

Hi Linda...the lack of crystals is great news!  I sure hope the new "approved" (by us, lol) drug will help Aramis to feel better.  

[nancyjac]

Hi Linda,

Glad to hear it.  Duralactin is a much better choice and much safer for treating inflamation in cats than asprin.  

[LindaTX]

I have good news to report....I think.  The vet did another ultrasound on his bladder....looked good, no crystals.  The blood work didn't turn up anything either but I got a copy and I noticed his MCV was high at 79.7, some others were borderline high. His LYM was high at 11.57.  That was in the LaserCyte test.  She also did a VetTest with glu, Bun, creat, alt, and all those results were in the normal range.  His chol was 213 but that was also a normal range level.

She gave me a prescription for something called Duralactin which contains  a milk protein calledMicroLactin 200 mg and Omega 3 and 6.  I'm supposed to give him a dose morning and night for inflammation.  Basically she thinks he had an injury to the base of his tail  which did remind me that when he was 4, somebody shut a door on his tail and although it didn't break the skin, it was a little swollen in the area about 3-4 in. from the base.  I can't think of anything else that this could possibly be connected to.  She wasn't too concerned about his obesity...she said he has big bone structure.  He is a cat that does have those larger than usual hind legs, kinda like a racoon.  Anyway, she said let's watch him and see if the inflammation drug helps him. I sure hope so.  I feel emotionally drained so I'm headed for bed.

My husband left yesterday for Alaska to close on our place up there  The closing is set for the 29th and he has some minor repairs to make....plus we just found out from our realtor that the septic is frozen.  So he may be gone the whole month.

[nancyjac]

Hmmmmmmmmmm, I have to admit your vet has me baffled.  Her diagnostic techniques and treatments seem pretty iffy to me under the circumstances.  Asprin is very risky for cats and to prescribe it just in case he MIGHT have arthritis is just plain off the charts to me.  And even if he does have arthritis, which is a chronic condition, 3 days of medication certainly isn't going to cure it.  I think the blood panel and urinalysis is the way the go.  Something is definitely going on with him and that is the most reliable and definitive way to diagnose it.

[LindaTX]

Hey, good morning....no she didn't.  I'll add that to the list.  I just hope and pray it;s nothing serious.  The food on the shelves is such crap.  It's gotten worse over the years...especially the variety of wet foods.  I hope he doesn't have the crystals.  He has access to the other cats' food so I don't know how easy a special diet for him will be.

[LindaTX]

Thank you both.  I will ask for a urinalysis tomorrow.  She did do an ultrasound but that was about it.   I should have gone ahead and had her to the blood work last week.  She gave him a shot of antibiotics and then recommended the baby aspirin for 3 days.  I won't give him any more.  Poor baby.  I'll let y'all know how things come out tomorrow.

[Jade59]

Best of luck tomorrow, Linda.  Hope the vet will figure out the problem quickly!  It sure sounds like a classic case of crystals.  I'm with Opus on the aspirin.  Just don't give it.  I'm happy to hear an extensive blood panel is being done.  That's what Jade had recently and it's worth the money.  

[opus88]

Linda WHY on earth didn't the Vet do a urinalysis???? he just thought he MAY HAVE crystals...wow. couldn't he even confirm that for poor Aramis. than to give him an aspirin b/c he MAY have arthritis...geez. IMO aspirin isn't good for cats, never read anywhere to do that b4!!
He very likely has crystals by the sounds of it.they can be very painful for him..do you know IF he's passing urine? if not the crystals could have formed a blockage, he is licking himself b/c it hurts there A LOT.
please do take him in real soon and make sure they do an urine sample and yes blood work wouldn't hurt either, but IMO he has FLUTD or what used to be called FUS. if not treated it can be fatal.
please let us know....shucks....poor baby.

[LindaTX]

Sorry about the typos....I guess I'm still half-asleep....me-yawn ^.^