By the time I woke up at 2:30 PM she wasn't eating anymore and had vomited several times. I gave her some malt and she vomited up a hairball and seemed to feel better cause she rampaged around, harrassed Haley, and played her jumping game. But she still would only eat the teeniest little bite I gave her, and as the day went on was napping more and more, and then threw up again at 6 PM and 11 PM.
So off to the motherloving emergency vet clinic, the scene of my last spending spree which my husband hasn't stopped publicly making fun of me for since.
The vet doesn't think there's anything seriously wrong. She palpitated her guts, and Minion she didn't feel anything hard in her bowels; and she took x-rays and her stomach seemed to be empty etc. She thinks she might have an irritated stomach because of the elastic and then hairball, and then the vomiting just kept irritating it more, and on it went. She gave her a shot to temporarily stop the vomiting so we could then give her a pill to soothe her tummy.
Now we just watch to see if she gets better. If not, it's back to the doc in 24-48 hours. Right now she's sleeping. I left the cage for her to hang out in. (Message to K: Yes, NOW she's "isolating.") But a minute after taking this picture Haley went by, trailing a cat toy and miauling, and Minion POPPED! out of the cage and excitedly watched her. So... she's not totally out of it.
Minion in cage. Haley inspecting.
Minion watching as Haley circles past with cat toy.
Haley's been having a great day. Minion occasionally stole her best spot (the Cushion of Power), but otherwise Haley was able to play without being attacked, and no one tried to take her food, and she got cuddles, and a chip, and basically got to be One and Only Remaining Cat again.
I warned Haley that if she's the one who left that elastic out for Minion to eat, and she really DOES become One and Only Remaining Cat again... there is going to be hell to pay. She may not be able to outplay Minion, but I do not underestimate her ability to outwit and outlast. All I can hope to do is outthreaten.
It's hard living with a pintsized sociopath. [For those who don't know, Haley confessed here to having offed our last two cats.]
At least Fernando understood a little better what happened to make me spend all that money last time. I was able to explain it better. Tonight's vet did this:
- She told us what she thought was most likely
-- best case: upset tummy, needs pills
--worst case: something obstructing, needs surgery
- She told us the first tests needed to make some judgments
- We did those first tests
- She made an informed opinion, which was to go on the Best Case Scenario, but ask us to return in 24 hours if Minion didn't improve
- Checked if we were comfortable with that, and mentioned that if Minion didn't improve it might be because it was something else entirely, something serious that she could not rule out (kidneys, pancreas, etc.)
- We said ok to first level of treatment, end of story for now
When she went away, I realized that the last vet was just Super Uber Unbelievable Cautious Woman. She never even made a diagnosis, not even after subjecting Haley to every test on the planet. I'm the one who guessed in the end that it was a urinary tract infection. She was too cautious to want to make a diagnosis.
- She told me every single thing it might be (which was understandable because Haley's symptoms were vague) - she was a bit... alarmist
- She wanted to start with first simple tests, I said yes
- First tests brought optimistic results, and AT THIS point most vets probably would have made an educated guess that it was a urinary tract infection, sent me off with antibiotics, and told me to come back if she didn't seem to improve
- But this vet refused to rule out kidney disease, pancreatitis, liver failure, cancer, ebola, the Bubonic Plague, and seemed very alarmed and felt it was quite necessary that Haley stay the night for observation and be seen by the internist and have an ultrasound, not just of her bladder but of ALL her internal organs
- poor Haley had her entire abdomen shaved... it's still growing back
- they would have kept her even longer except that as she started to feel better her natural charms reasserted themselves and they no longer felt equal to the task of emprisoning her
Now that I've been through the experience of An Alarmist Vet, I think I would be able to recognize one again. But man. They can do a number on you. Especially when you just put another of your cats down 6 months earlier.
Anyway. Here's hoping Minion just has an upset tummy.
2 comments:
poor Minion! and i hate alarmist vets and docs. they really mess with you. if it werent for my husband i would be suckered in everytime, so dont feel foolish ever. we only want whats best for them. i cant believe she ate elastic!! that doesnt taste good!
I've experienced alarmist-Docs too! What a pain. We used to have one at the Air Canada medical clinic doing pilot medicals and grounding pilots left right and center due to his over-reactions. The pilots eventually raised enough of a stink to get him "promoted" to who-knows-where....
I've also had the bliss of working with some very sensible, intelligent docs for both my pilot licencing issues and the whole Sarcodosis/MP "thing." World of difference.
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