Thread Tools
Old November 19, 2003, 06:20   #1
DRoseDARs
lifer
Spore
Emperor
 
DRoseDARs's Avatar
 
Local Time: 05:49
Local Date: November 2, 2010
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Reno, Nevada
Posts: 3,554
My kitty is very, very ill...and now she's gone.
EDIT: She has since passed away. Scroll further down if you've any interest. Thank you all.

All this talk of court rulings on gay marriage, Bush's visit to the UK, Michael Jackson in trouble...all of it is just fading away into nothing for me right now.



This just happened in the last few days. I'm told by my stepdad that she's been feeling sick since Sunday. She's been sick before, but this is the worst we've seen her. I hadn't seen her around since a few hours ago. She was crouched on a perch when I went into the garage and I petted her gently. As I turned away to go back inside the house I heard the sound of something falling. Samantha had tried, in vain, to get up but was dizzy and lost her footing. She fell on her back between the perch and the water heater and was stuck for a few moments until I could free her. She tried walking away but only got a few steps before quiting, opting instead to sit on her hind legs, then collapsing on her side. She was having motor problems, displayed in the duck waddle of her hind legs. She tried again to walk, getting a little further this time, and stayed on her bum when she sat.

I've had her downstairs for the past few hours in the guestroom where I could keep an eye on her, though now she's in the computer room with me two feet away to my right. We watched some X-Files, then Adult Swim together, but she was more interested in her labored breathing. She tries to sleep now and again; her moving chest tells me she hasn't left.

The main problem is her ability to move...or near-lack thereof. Earlier she could walk somewhat AND support her own weight, but for the past few hours she can't do more than limply jerk around in whatever position she's in and meow in pained fustration at her failure to honestly move under her own power. She won't drink the water I offer her and she hasn't eaten much in the past few days.

I plan to stay up through the night (it's 2:20am here in Reno) until my stepdad wakes around 5ish. I hope to get some sleep myself then before my mom wakes. We'll probably take Samantha to the vet soon thereafter.

I feel so helpless to do anything substantial to ease her pain and fear. I've stayed mostly by her side and petted her, offered her water that she refuses to drink, even lifted her limp body when she tries to change position on her own.

Samantha has had us as a loving family since I was in the fifth grade (1992), making her about 11 or 12 years old (we don't know when she was born exactly). We took her to the vet when she first came to us as a stray when we saw her mangled hind leg. We give her a warm home, all the food she can stand, plenty of land for her to do kitty things on, and all the Human loving and caring she deserves.



Typing all this has helped me somewhat...

...but God I'm scared.
__________________
The cake is NOT a lie. It's so delicious and moist.

The Weighted Companion Cube is cheating on you, that slut.

Last edited by DRoseDARs; November 19, 2003 at 21:14.
DRoseDARs is offline  
Old November 19, 2003, 06:22   #2
Dis
ACDG3 SpartansC4DG Vox
Deity
 
Dis's Avatar
 
Local Time: 05:49
Local Date: November 2, 2010
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Las Vegas
Posts: 17,354
__________________
Focus, discipline
Barack Obama- the antichrist
Dis is offline  
Old November 19, 2003, 06:27   #3
Space05us
King
 
Space05us's Avatar
 
Local Time: 00:49
Local Date: November 3, 2010
Join Date: Nov 2001
Posts: 2,709
I hope your kitty gets better it sucks when a pet is sick.
Space05us is offline  
Old November 19, 2003, 07:47   #4
Az
Emperor
 
Local Time: 15:49
Local Date: November 2, 2010
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: A pub.
Posts: 3,161
I hope it gets better. Pets are almost like kids, in many ways.
__________________
urgh.NSFW
Az is offline  
Old November 19, 2003, 08:08   #5
DRoseDARs
lifer
Spore
Emperor
 
DRoseDARs's Avatar
 
Local Time: 05:49
Local Date: November 2, 2010
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Reno, Nevada
Posts: 3,554
Thanks to the rest she's had she has gained a little strength over the past two hours; managing to adjust her laying position without needing my help, though still can't get up. I've been ocassionally forcing her to drink some water; I don't have an eyedropper handy, but a straw with my thumb at one end seems to work just fine. I touch/tickle her feet and tail to make sure she has sensation in her extremities and she reacts each time.

My precious little kitty is purring. Although I'm certain she's in pain, I think she's showing me she apreciates my all-night vigil watching over her.
__________________
The cake is NOT a lie. It's so delicious and moist.

The Weighted Companion Cube is cheating on you, that slut.
DRoseDARs is offline  
Old November 19, 2003, 08:28   #6
The Mad Monk
Emperor
 
The Mad Monk's Avatar
 
Local Time: 07:49
Local Date: November 2, 2010
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Flyover Country
Posts: 4,659
Best wishes.
__________________
"We have tried spending money. We are spending more than we have ever spent before and it does not work...After eight years of this Administration, we have just as much unemployment as when we started... And an enormous debt to boot!" — Henry Morgenthau, Franklin Delano Roosevelt's Treasury secretary, 1941.
The Mad Monk is offline  
Old November 19, 2003, 09:08   #7
DRoseDARs
lifer
Spore
Emperor
 
DRoseDARs's Avatar
 
Local Time: 05:49
Local Date: November 2, 2010
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Reno, Nevada
Posts: 3,554
There's been a changing of the guard: my stepdad is awake now. I'm gonna get some sleep now. We'll see how she's doing in a few hours.

G'night all and thank you.
__________________
The cake is NOT a lie. It's so delicious and moist.

The Weighted Companion Cube is cheating on you, that slut.
DRoseDARs is offline  
Old November 19, 2003, 10:47   #8
alva
Civilization III PBEMPtWDG2 Cake or Death?PtWDG Gathering StormInterSite Democracy Game: Apolyton TeamC3C IDG: Apolyton TeamC4DG Gathering Storm
Deity
 
alva's Avatar
 
Local Time: 14:49
Local Date: November 2, 2010
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Republic of Flanders
Posts: 10,747


But why did you wait this long to go to a vet?
-
Don't wan't to scare you and I really hope she'll be ok and that I'm wrong, but doesn't good at all for a 12 year old, I've seen those symptons before.
__________________
#There’s a city in my mind
Come along and take that ride
And it’s all right, baby, it’s all right #
alva is offline  
Old November 19, 2003, 11:02   #9
JohnT
lifer
Apolytoners Hall of Fame
Emperor
 
JohnT's Avatar
 
Local Time: 08:49
Local Date: November 2, 2010
Join Date: Mar 1999
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 4,264
I'm glad she's feeling better.
JohnT is offline  
Old November 19, 2003, 12:09   #10
monolith94
Mac
Emperor
 
monolith94's Avatar
 
Local Time: 08:49
Local Date: November 2, 2010
Join Date: Dec 1969
Location: New England
Posts: 3,572
I, too, would reccomend immediate vetrinary assistance.
__________________
"mono has crazy flow and can rhyme words that shouldn't, like Eminem"
Drake Tungsten
"get contacts, get a haircut, get better clothes, and lose some weight"
Albert Speer
monolith94 is offline  
Old November 19, 2003, 12:14   #11
chequita guevara
ACDG The Human HiveDiplomacyApolytoners Hall of Fame
Emperor
 
chequita guevara's Avatar
 
Local Time: 08:49
Local Date: November 2, 2010
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Fort LOLderdale, FL Communist Party of Apolyton
Posts: 9,091
Best of luck. Our bunny, Ophelia, died two weeks ago. Bunnygrrl is still sad.
__________________
Christianity: The belief that a cosmic Jewish Zombie who was his own father can make you live forever if you symbolically eat his flesh and telepathically tell him you accept him as your master, so he can remove an evil force from your soul that is present in humanity because a rib-woman was convinced by a talking snake to eat from a magical tree...
chequita guevara is offline  
Old November 19, 2003, 13:29   #12
The Mad Monk
Emperor
 
The Mad Monk's Avatar
 
Local Time: 07:49
Local Date: November 2, 2010
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Flyover Country
Posts: 4,659
I'm sorry to hear that, Che.

How old was she? My brother's rabbit, Winter, died last year at age ten.

You are really losing a member of the family, especially when they've been with you that long.
__________________
"We have tried spending money. We are spending more than we have ever spent before and it does not work...After eight years of this Administration, we have just as much unemployment as when we started... And an enormous debt to boot!" — Henry Morgenthau, Franklin Delano Roosevelt's Treasury secretary, 1941.
The Mad Monk is offline  
Old November 19, 2003, 13:49   #13
DRoseDARs
lifer
Spore
Emperor
 
DRoseDARs's Avatar
 
Local Time: 05:49
Local Date: November 2, 2010
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Reno, Nevada
Posts: 3,554
I managed to get 2 hours of sleep before my mom woke me saying Sam was "having convulsions." She was twitching, eyes fully dialated, and definitely not having a fun time of it. We took her to the vet's office nearby and they are running tests, sending samples to an outside lab, and have her on an IV. Strong possibility of diabetes.

As far as why "we waited this long" my stepdad is the one to ask. He sees her the most of any of us, so he should have noticed her weight-loss; most of the abdominal fat was burned off. Her increased intake of water over the past few weeks was also a symptom. That's the difficult thing about having a pet: they can't just tell you what's wrong or where they hurt. We didn't really notice any changes other than her increased thirst. Just in the past few days has she shown something was really wrong. This caught us completely by suprise. She's always been a very active cat doing cat things in their cat ways. This just happened so suddenly and went under our radar prior.

She'll be staying and the hospital through today and over-night for observation, though she may have to be transfered to another hospital since the vet is the only doctor at his practice (sending her somewhere where medics are present 24/7). We left after the vet put the second IV in and put her blood into a centrifuge.

If it is diabetes, I'd sooner have her euthanised than put her through the continuing trama of twice-daily insulin shots and the constant worry of something else going wrong. If it's less severe, then it may just be a matter of a diet change and giving her edible pills. If it's worse, euthanasia to end the needless suffering. I love her too much to extend her life in a vain attempt to keep her with me.

We should know more by late afternoon. The sample sent to the outside lab won't be finalized until tomorrow morning.

*Sigh...*

Che/TMM: Sorry 'bout your bunnies.

Samantha came to us in February 1992, and the vet then thought she was a year old, so she's aproximately 11-12 years old.
__________________
The cake is NOT a lie. It's so delicious and moist.

The Weighted Companion Cube is cheating on you, that slut.
DRoseDARs is offline  
Old November 19, 2003, 13:53   #14
SlowwHand
inmate
Civilization II MultiplayerApolytoners Hall of FameGameLeague
Deity
 
SlowwHand's Avatar
 
Local Time: 07:49
Local Date: November 2, 2010
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Republic of Texas
Posts: 27,637
Convulsions? Doesn't sound good. Here's hoping...
__________________
Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.
SlowwHand is offline  
Old November 19, 2003, 16:02   #15
chequita guevara
ACDG The Human HiveDiplomacyApolytoners Hall of Fame
Emperor
 
chequita guevara's Avatar
 
Local Time: 08:49
Local Date: November 2, 2010
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Fort LOLderdale, FL Communist Party of Apolyton
Posts: 9,091
Quote:
Originally posted by The Mad Monk
I'm sorry to hear that, Che.

How old was she?
She woulda been five in February.

She had stopped using her litter and had started sitting in her urine, and developed sores. We tried for about two months to keep her clean and treat her sores, but it kept getting worse. We had to have her put under anesthesia to get the matted hair and feces cut away from her sores, and she died a few days later, either from the anesthesia or septisis in the sores.
__________________
Christianity: The belief that a cosmic Jewish Zombie who was his own father can make you live forever if you symbolically eat his flesh and telepathically tell him you accept him as your master, so he can remove an evil force from your soul that is present in humanity because a rib-woman was convinced by a talking snake to eat from a magical tree...
chequita guevara is offline  
Old November 19, 2003, 16:29   #16
Caligastia
Emperor
 
Caligastia's Avatar
 
Local Time: 08:49
Local Date: November 2, 2010
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 3,402
Good luck with your kitty, I hope she gets well soon.
__________________
...people like to cry a lot... - Pekka
...we just argue without evidence, secure in our own superiority. - Snotty
Caligastia is offline  
Old November 19, 2003, 17:14   #17
MichaeltheGreat
Apolytoners Hall of Fame
Apolyton Grand Executioner
 
MichaeltheGreat's Avatar
 
Local Time: 04:49
Local Date: November 2, 2010
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Fenway Pahk
Posts: 1,755
Quote:
Originally posted by DRoseDARs
That's the difficult thing about having a pet: they can't just tell you what's wrong or where they hurt. We didn't really notice any changes other than her increased thirst. Just in the past few days has she shown something was really wrong. This caught us completely by suprise. She's always been a very active cat doing cat things in their cat ways. This just happened so suddenly and went under our radar prior.
It's by instinct - it's not that they can't tell you, it's just that it's hardwired for animals in the middle of the food chain to conceal any weakness as long as they can, lest some unwelcome interloper further up the food chain get a hint as to what to have for dinner.

Quote:
She'll be staying and the hospital through today and over-night for observation, though she may have to be transfered to another hospital since the vet is the only doctor at his practice (sending her somewhere where medics are present 24/7). We left after the vet put the second IV in and put her blood into a centrifuge.
There's a possibility she may need a blood transfusion from another cat - one thing with cats when they get seriously sick is that they have limited marrow and a fragile system for replenishing red blood cells, so severe anemia is often a secondary complication of many acute feline illnesses and trauma.

Quote:
If it is diabetes, I'd sooner have her euthanised than put her through the continuing trama of twice-daily insulin shots and the constant worry of something else going wrong. If it's less severe, then it may just be a matter of a diet change and giving her edible pills. If it's worse, euthanasia to end the needless suffering. I love her too much to extend her life in a vain attempt to keep her with me.
The shots aren't that big of a deal - down here in Mexico, most veterinary medicine administration is by injection, and we don't have the drug war fanaticism about syringes. The needle for IM insulin injections is finer than the standard needles I've used for sticking my cats (including many rescued strays that have been passed on for adoption) over the last few years. Humans do insulin injection all the time (several of my aunts and uncles have been insulin dependent diabetics and have done shots regularly), and cats have much tougher and less sensitive skin - by design, they go through brush, get clawed and chomped at, etc.

Once you learn to give the kitty injections, it's not that big a deal for either of you - and I've known a couple of people with diabetic cats that have had years of extended life with lots of love and good quality of life due to insulin injections. In many cases, you can also reduce or eliminate the insulin dependency and need for injections as you get the cat's weight back up and control the diet. It shouldn't be an automatic write-off, but really depends on each animal's circumstances. Unless something worse is wrong, I would at least consider attempting to restore her weight and manage her diabetes for a while, to see if/how she responds and improves, then decide.

Quote:
Samantha came to us in February 1992, and the vet then thought she was a year old, so she's aproximately 11-12 years old.
My oldest current one is 13 and healthy. I've met many cats who were 15-17 and in good health, and some diabetic cats who just kind of mellowly hung out and enjoyed life.
__________________
Bush-Cheney 2008. What's another amendment between friends?
*******
When all else fails, blame brown people. | Hire a teen, while they still know it all.
MichaeltheGreat is offline  
Old November 19, 2003, 17:19   #18
SlowwHand
inmate
Civilization II MultiplayerApolytoners Hall of FameGameLeague
Deity
 
SlowwHand's Avatar
 
Local Time: 07:49
Local Date: November 2, 2010
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Republic of Texas
Posts: 27,637
Life span on cats is 25 years.

http://www.sonic.net/~petdoc/lifespan.htm
__________________
Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.
SlowwHand is offline  
Old November 19, 2003, 18:48   #19
Jaguar
C4DG Sarantium
Emperor
 
Jaguar's Avatar
 
Local Time: 08:49
Local Date: November 2, 2010
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: New Haven, CT
Posts: 4,790


Cats are so cool.
__________________
"You're the biggest user of hindsight that I've ever known. Your favorite team, in any sport, is the one that just won. If you were a woman, you'd likely be a slut." - Slowwhand, to Imran

Eschewing silly games since December 4, 2005
Jaguar is offline  
Old November 19, 2003, 18:56   #20
Alexander's Horse
Civilization II MultiplayerApolytoners Hall of Fame
Deity
 
Alexander's Horse's Avatar
 
Local Time: 22:49
Local Date: November 2, 2010
Join Date: Dec 1969
Location: In a tunnel under the DMZ
Posts: 12,273
Put her down - one less cat in the world - that's got to be a good thing.
__________________
Any views I may express here are personal and certainly do not in any way reflect the views of my employer.

Look, I just don't anymore, okay?
Alexander's Horse is offline  
Old November 19, 2003, 18:57   #21
Dis
ACDG3 SpartansC4DG Vox
Deity
 
Dis's Avatar
 
Local Time: 05:49
Local Date: November 2, 2010
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Las Vegas
Posts: 17,354
even I am not that insensitive.

I don't like cats, but I don't wish for them dead (usually).

It hurts to lose a loved pet.

Not that I would know, I haven't actually lost one- yet.
__________________
Focus, discipline
Barack Obama- the antichrist
Dis is offline  
Old November 19, 2003, 18:59   #22
Alexander's Horse
Civilization II MultiplayerApolytoners Hall of Fame
Deity
 
Alexander's Horse's Avatar
 
Local Time: 22:49
Local Date: November 2, 2010
Join Date: Dec 1969
Location: In a tunnel under the DMZ
Posts: 12,273
If the pet is really sick the best thing to do is put it down and end its suffering.
__________________
Any views I may express here are personal and certainly do not in any way reflect the views of my employer.

Look, I just don't anymore, okay?
Alexander's Horse is offline  
Old November 19, 2003, 19:12   #23
rah
lifer
Apolytoners Hall of FameCivilization IV: Multiplayer
Just another peon
 
rah's Avatar
 
Local Time: 07:49
Local Date: November 2, 2010
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: who killed Poly
Posts: 22,919
God, I hate agreeing with AH. You must consider their quality of life. Once past a point, putting them down is best. It's a hard decision, that I've made a few times before, the last time when my 20 year old cat was losing it. She had been close to blind for a year, but seemed happy. Finally she had trouble moving around and would sit and cry until someone would carry her to her litter. After a point, I couldn't watch her suffer and had her put down. I felt bad, but it was for the best.
__________________
The OT at APOLYTON is like watching the Special Olympics. Certain people try so hard to debate despite their handicaps.
rah is offline  
Old November 19, 2003, 19:16   #24
Dis
ACDG3 SpartansC4DG Vox
Deity
 
Dis's Avatar
 
Local Time: 05:49
Local Date: November 2, 2010
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Las Vegas
Posts: 17,354
It's far too soon to determine that.

You have to wait for the results to come back.
__________________
Focus, discipline
Barack Obama- the antichrist
Dis is offline  
Old November 19, 2003, 19:22   #25
Imran Siddiqui
staff
Apolytoners Hall of FameAge of Nations TeamPolyCast Team
 
Imran Siddiqui's Avatar
 
Local Time: 08:49
Local Date: November 2, 2010
Join Date: Dec 1969
Location: on the corner of Peachtree and Peachtree
Posts: 30,698
True... but if she's really in pain, you have to think about it. Living in constant pain is no way to live.

__________________
“I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
- John 13:34-35 (NRSV)
Imran Siddiqui is offline  
Old November 19, 2003, 19:52   #26
Alexander's Horse
Civilization II MultiplayerApolytoners Hall of Fame
Deity
 
Alexander's Horse's Avatar
 
Local Time: 22:49
Local Date: November 2, 2010
Join Date: Dec 1969
Location: In a tunnel under the DMZ
Posts: 12,273
One thing I know about kittens is some of them are born sickly and there isn't really much you can do to help. It's just one of those things.
__________________
Any views I may express here are personal and certainly do not in any way reflect the views of my employer.

Look, I just don't anymore, okay?
Alexander's Horse is offline  
Old November 19, 2003, 20:45   #27
DRoseDARs
lifer
Spore
Emperor
 
DRoseDARs's Avatar
 
Local Time: 05:49
Local Date: November 2, 2010
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Reno, Nevada
Posts: 3,554
My beloved Pritty-Kitty is with God now...
Samantha "The Bearded Lady" Rose

1991(?)-November 19, 2003 12:30pm

R.I.P.



The vets and nurses did all the could for her in her last three hours of life, but it was in heroic vain. Her glucose levels were "ironically normal" quoth the vet. It seems her kidneys are what had failed. Her potassium, Blood Urine Nitrogen, and two other chemicals I forget were extremely high or off the chart. Although her kidneys had apparently been struggling to keep up for some time now, this "crash and burn" was indeed sudden, caused by something just recently. Infected wound, antifreeze, toxins released by bacteria...there's just no way to know for certain.

There simply wasn't anything the vet could do for her. Even if we'd brought her in Sunday (or rather Monday since many places are simply closed; only one local vet is open from 6pm-8am overnight) there really wasn't much hope of doing anything for her. While they could have fixed the abnormal chemical readings, they couldn't do anything about her kidneys at this point. She went peacefully (they gave her valium).

Right now my mom is fetching my stepdad so he can say goodbye. We're looking at the funeral options given to us by the vet: private cremation, mass cremation (4 or 5 animals in a group), mass decomposition (chemical cremation), burial at home, or burial in the Pet Cemetary down in Carson City. I like that option best; keeping remains nearby just creeps me out.

I think this is the only picture we have of her (and one of the very few of me). We just aren't much of a picture-taking family.
Attached Thumbnails:
Click image for larger version

Name:	me and sam.jpg
Views:	95
Size:	45.4 KB
ID:	57679  
__________________
The cake is NOT a lie. It's so delicious and moist.

The Weighted Companion Cube is cheating on you, that slut.
DRoseDARs is offline  
Old November 19, 2003, 20:51   #28
Dis
ACDG3 SpartansC4DG Vox
Deity
 
Dis's Avatar
 
Local Time: 05:49
Local Date: November 2, 2010
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Las Vegas
Posts: 17,354
Did you get to be with her in the end?

I just don't want my dog to die alone. That's the only thing that concerns me about my dog eventually dying.

very sad .

R.I.P.
__________________
Focus, discipline
Barack Obama- the antichrist
Dis is offline  
Old November 19, 2003, 20:56   #29
MichaeltheGreat
Apolytoners Hall of Fame
Apolyton Grand Executioner
 
MichaeltheGreat's Avatar
 
Local Time: 04:49
Local Date: November 2, 2010
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Fenway Pahk
Posts: 1,755


RIP, pretty kitty.
__________________
Bush-Cheney 2008. What's another amendment between friends?
*******
When all else fails, blame brown people. | Hire a teen, while they still know it all.
MichaeltheGreat is offline  
Old November 19, 2003, 21:01   #30
Datajack Franit
NationStates
King
 
Datajack Franit's Avatar
 
Local Time: 13:49
Local Date: November 2, 2010
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Italia
Posts: 2,036
oooh
__________________
I will never understand why some people on Apolyton find you so clever. You're predictable, mundane, and a google-whore and the most observant of us all know this. Your battles of "wits" rely on obscurity and whenever you fail to find something sufficiently obscure, like this, you just act like a 5 year old. Congratulations, molly.

Asher on molly bloom
Datajack Franit is offline  
 

Bookmarks

Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 08:49.


Design by Vjacheslav Trushkin, color scheme by ColorizeIt!.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.2
Copyright ©2000 - 2010, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Apolyton Civilization Site | Copyright © The Apolyton Team