Carrie12345 Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 My cat is 14.5 and my biggest frenemy. 🙂 He’s been on thyroid meds for two years now, and was starting to seem “off” just in time for his recheck, which was yesterday. He barely ate that morning, but I managed to get his meds in. He hadn’t eaten or gotten any meds in the night before. He hadn’t been eating WELL for a couple of days. Returned home with an upped dosage, which he wouldn’t swallow, and didn’t eat food. Super lethargic and walking funny. (No significant weight loss.) Got an appetite stimulant in him this morning, but no meds or food. Super lethargic and drinking water. Back to the vet. Vet suggested an ICU stay and services in the $800+ area. No suggestions as to what might be wrong or fixable. Called dh to discuss euthanasia, not for price but for compassion, because the proposed stay didn’t sound positive. I managed to get her to do a CBC first, and she got his meds in him. CBC is fine except for slight anemia. Brought him home to see how he does. Still not eating. Acting half dead. Lots of water. I am typically okay with saying goodbye to a pet, but I am NOT okay with the decision making process!!!! On one hand, it’s like “Maybe he’ll be fine once both meds kick in.” On the other, I hate seeing him so miserable. But what if he WOULD be fine if we waited? And what if he isn’t? This is when I always swear off any more pets. 18 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 Oh, I’m so sorry you’re going through this. Many hugs to you and your kitty. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kassia Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 I'm so sorry. 😞 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terabith Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 The decision making process is the worst. I had a cat who we finally euthanized at 18, but she'd had a few years where she didn't do well and then seemed significantly better. And then our other cat had major mouth pain from stomitis, and we really struggled with whether or not it was time, and then she improved spontaneously. I will say when it was time to put Ursula to sleep, it was pretty clear to us all. We knew it was time. She hadn't eaten and was sleeping constantly and clearly didn't have quality of life, and it had lasted a week or so. But that trying to make a decision is sooooo hard. Hugs. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 So he's taking a pill for the thyroid? You can get a cream and rub it in the ear, a much easier process. I wouldn't do the speculative hospital stay. I mean, they're going to find things wrong, it's an older cat with issues already, but what are the chances they find something wrong that is easily fixable? Not high, imo, and it would be very stressful on him. I would call the vet and ask about the thyroid cream. You can't be fighting a cat to take meds every day. Then, I'd figure out what's a reasonable time for them to kick in. He's going to be lethargic if he's not eating much. The walking funny - is it possibly from arthritis pain? We started our cat on turmeric (mixed in her food) and it's crazy what a difference it makes. She likes to be pet on her back again, and she walks a ton more. She was confining herself to a very small area, basically her table and the couch, and now she wanders through the three open rooms and even eats the other cats' food, lol. It might be worth a try. We just sprinkle a bit into her wet food. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ailaena Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 (edited) I’m so sorry you’re going through this. Any decision you make is going to be the right one because you’re coming from compassion, but he’s probably not miserable as long as he knows you’re there. The Doctor would have Hopefully told you if she thought he was in pain. But remember that if you decide to euthanize, there are often services that will come to your home and euthanize, lessening stress on everybody. I will crush a plll and mix it with yogurt or whatever favorite food I know a kitty can’t resist. And i found that it does take a few days for thyroid meds (or an adjustment) to really kick in. Much love to you both oh!! I forgot about the cream!! Was a literal lifesaver for one of my cats, but you have to have a pharmacy mix it and send it to you. Edited January 30, 2021 by Ailaena 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 I always prefer when my animals just up and die out of the blue vs. having to see them feeling bad and take them to the vet and is it worth the money, what if this isn't it, how much do we spend? The first is hard because it's unexpected. The second is agonizing because the decision making process is just so fraught. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted January 30, 2021 Author Share Posted January 30, 2021 2 minutes ago, katilac said: is it possibly from arthritis pain? I don’t *think so, but he won’t tell me. 😉. It was real sudden though. He HAS been slowing down, but this was a major change. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted January 30, 2021 Author Share Posted January 30, 2021 3 minutes ago, Ailaena said: I will crush a plll and mix it with yogurt or whatever favorite food I know a kitty can’t resist. He normally gets his crushed and mixed with the gravy from his food before he gets the food itself. Nothing is tempting him now. He’s never been a big “treat” cat, but we’ve been trying anything we can think of. I managed to squirt about half a ml of watered down food into him. Sigh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shoeless Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 So the only labwork they ran was a cbc? Did they check thyroid values, kidney or liver values? Blood glucose? At his age, I would be suspicious of some degree of kidney failure/insufficiency, (which could cause the inappetence, lethargy, and increased thirst). Diabetes would be my list to rule out, too. I would probably not just hospitalize him without running diagnostic labs to figure out what's going on. Yeah, he's got a thyroid issue, but it sounds like more is going on. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted January 30, 2021 Author Share Posted January 30, 2021 11 minutes ago, MissLemon said: So the only labwork they ran was a cbc? Did they check thyroid values, kidney or liver values? Blood glucose? At his age, I would be suspicious of some degree of kidney failure/insufficiency, (which could cause the inappetence, lethargy, and increased thirst). Diabetes would be my list to rule out, too. I would probably not just hospitalize him without running diagnostic labs to figure out what's going on. Yeah, he's got a thyroid issue, but it sounds like more is going on. They did thyroid yesterday (way high) and typically do kidney function at the same time. With Covid restrictions, I wasn’t inside to see the slip myself this time Dh just pointed out that a lot of the symptoms now are very similar to when we took him to the vet 2 years ago, convinced he was a goner. We were dumbfounded when we learned his kidneys were fine. Except it seems worse this time. I’ll ask the vet about more details in the morning. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ditto Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 Oh no, I am very sorry. Sending you hugs and thinking about you guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MercyA Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 I am so sorry! Have you tried the high-calorie pastes and gels they make for cats? Chicken baby food? I know these decisions are so hard. If it were me, I would be reluctant to hospitalize him. Hoping and praying he will feel better soon when his meds kick in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 2 hours ago, Ailaena said: oh!! I forgot about the cream!! Was a literal lifesaver for one of my cats, but you have to have a pharmacy mix it and send it to you. It does need to be mixed, but you can just pick it up at a compounding pharmacy if you have one in your area. If anyone wonders whatever happened to earache medicine, - you can still get it from compounding pharmacies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted January 31, 2021 Author Share Posted January 31, 2021 It was time this afternoon. We had a mobile vet come so we could be with him instead of just dropping him off in the parking lot at the regular vet. It was kind of weird, but also a lot nicer than being in a building with a bunch of other people. After we made the phone call, but right before the vet arrived, he let us know that we were doing the right thing. ❤️ 18 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommyoffive Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 I am so sorry. Sending some gentle hugs to your family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fraidycat Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 I'm sorry for your loss, and am glad he let you know that the time was right. ❤️ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
East Coast Sue Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 Hugs and peace to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shoeless Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 Aw, I'm so sorry 😞❤️ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 I’m so sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthwestMom Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 Hugs to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 Sorry for your loss Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kassia Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 Aw, I'm so sorry. Thinking of you and your family. One of our cats died on Christmas Eve. We had just decided to take her in to put her to sleep and she was gone. It was sad, but we were relieved that it happened naturally. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MercyA Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 I am so sorry for your loss, but so thankful that you knew the decision was undoubtedly the right one. Hugs to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I talk to the trees Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 I’m so sorry! Sending you hugs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terabith Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 I'm so sorry, but I'm so glad you had the mobile vet come. I have a ton of regrets even two years later that the last thing I did with the cat of my heart was take her to a place she hated. I didn't know about mobile vets then, but I will definitely use them when it's time for our next cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kanin Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 I'm very sorry! ❤️ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eos Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 Sending you peace for the loss of a beloved feline. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ditto Posted February 1, 2021 Share Posted February 1, 2021 Gosh I am very sorry. I am glad that you were able to have a mobile vet come to your house and that your kitty let you know it was time. However, neither of those things makes this any less painful and sad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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